The era of the weak state THE WEAK STATE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The era of the weak state THE WEAK STATE - Essay Example The fourteenth amendment (1868) that protected equality of all citizens before law and the fifteenth amendment (1870) that imparted voting rights to all were also partially circumvented in a similar manner by the South (Henretta and Brody, 440-456). All these had a negative and weakening effect on the consolidating process undertaken by the new state. The period, 1865 to 1890, on the contrary, was the era of agricultural growth, industrialization and urbanization but of course with environmental costs (Henretta and Brody, 430-446). And towards the end of the era of the ‘weak state’, that is between 1877 and 1900, the US began to grow into a full-fledged industrial nation (Henretta and Brody, 462). If it was the feudal social establishment that acted as a weakening element for the state during 1860s and 70s, towards 1900, the emerging corporate industries took over the same task. It is observed that the new America that emerged in 1900 was â€Å"a land of factories, corporate enterprise and industrial workers† (Henretta and Brody, 462). A market of mass dimensions and a wide consumer base grew (Henretta and Brody, 497). Infrastructure facilities were also developed to great extent thereby helping industry to grow better (Henretta and Brody, 495-497). The decades that preceded and succeeded 1900 saw an influx of immigrants from Europe culminating in thoughts about restricting the same and also extreme urbanization (Henretta and Brody, 502-585). On the political front, the era of the ‘weak state’ is marked by the people getting highly mobilized as political pressure groups but all the same, the government being the weakest in the US history in terms of power and national pride (Henretta and Brody, 600-606). Slowly, as the two-party system emerged, the possibility of a third voice was suppressed and a common understanding was arrived at to maintain the ‘weak state’ so as to further the capitalist society and its

Nature is such a beautiful place Essay Example for Free

Nature is such a beautiful place Essay Life is getting hard and expensive as the years are passing by. The prices on food, and other utility prices are going up. People have school, work and a family to look out for and do not have the time to enjoy the simple things in life that earth has to offer which is nature. In the essay of â€Å"An entrance to the Woods† Wendell Berry. He admits to living such a fast paste of life that is hard to come back down to the ground and enjoy what is in front of him. People pass by things so quickly and don’t pay attention that they fail to appreciate them. Once a person slows down, they could see what surrounds them. Nature is a good way to find yourself because it is easy to escape from the influence society has. Nature has away of taking away the things that are stressing us and giving away a chance to become refreshed. â€Å" In the middle of the afternoon I left off being busy at work, and drove sixty or seventy miles an hour, hardly aware of the country I was passing through, because on the freeway one does not have to be. The landscape has been subdued so that one may drive over it as seventy miles per hour without any concession whatsoever to one’s whereabouts. One might as well be flying. Though one is Kentucky one is not experiencing Kentucky. One is experiencing the highway, which might be in nearly any hill country east of the Mississippi.† (Berry, 88) During berry’s time in the woods, he writes â€Å"A man enters and leaves the world naked. And it is only nakedor nearly so that he can enter and leave the wilderness. If he walks, that is; and if he doesn’t walk it can hardly be said that he has entered. He can bring only what he can carry the little that it takes to replace for a few hours or a few days an animal’s fur and teeth and claws and functioning instincts. And comparison to the usual traveler with his dependence on machines and highways and restaurant and motelson the economy and the government, in shortthe man who walks into the wilderness is naked indeed. He leaves behind his work, his household, his duties, his comfortseven, if he comes alone, his words. He  immerses himself in what he is not. It a kind of death.† (Berry, 90) We came to this world naked, and that is how we should enter and leave the wilderness. If we walk using our feet and explore the wilderness that’s how we can say that we entered the wilderness. The little that we bring to survive, it is gone in a few hours or days. An animal uses its fur, teeth and animal instincts to survive versus a traveler that needs machines, highways and restaurants and motels. To be in the wilderness one has to leave behind the work, the household, duties and comforts and even his words. One has get out of its comfort zone, and use your own abilities to survive the wilderness. It is like taking a risk of death. Wendell Berry own experience where he is up and left civilization. The work setting to enter a nature environment devoted to being self efficient on nature. Berry loved and respected nature, he wanted to develop his appreciation further, as he wanted it to evolve and understand for it. He wanted to know how nature worked, and learn it’s reason for being. Berry’s goal was met through this act and it was gratifying experience to escape from moderation and become organic. Berry realizes the purpose of the trip, but the connection to nature cannot replace to connection to man. In the essay of â€Å" Why I went to the woods† by Henry David Thoreau. Thoreau tried to produce his own crops, to live from the labor of his own hands, and to get rid of all the complicating things that distracted him from life’s true meaning by living in the woods. †Thoreau wanted time to read, write, and think. He wanted to make time for nature. And he wanted to test himself, to see just how much he could simplify his life, to determine how much time he could save to do what he really wanted to do with every minute of everyday†( Thoreau, 700) Thoreau mentions that he wants to live a deliberately life. To live deliberately means to take care and think of everything that you do in life, and not to do anything just for the heck of it. Everything that we do has to have a purpose and a meaning, and that is not a waste of time. â€Å"slow down rather than to speed up, to saver a few things fully rather than sample many things fleeting, and have time to decide what, in the long run of his short  life, matters most and why.† (Thoreau, 700) â€Å" I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essentials fact of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not live I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to proactive resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner and reduce it to its lowest terms, and if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it and publish its meanness to the world, or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion.† ( Thoreau, 701) By living in the woods he will be living a simple life away from civilization and to see his strength and weakness. By not being accustomed to that type of lifestyle he might die. When all hope is gone he realizes there are many things he have not tried. The simplest things in life could be and mean much more. Life is precious.

Essay --

The Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Untreated Male Negros made a distinct impact on the history of research. The study began in Mason County, Alabama in 1932 at the Tuskegee Institute. The goal was to learn about syphilis, and how the disease progressed with an emphasis on uneducated and illiterate African American males (Tuskegee University, n.d). There were 600 participants involved; 399 with documented cases of syphilis, and 201 control group members without syphilis (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013). Researchers informed the participants that they had â€Å"bad blood,† never informing them that they were infected with syphilis (Tuskegee University, n.d). To encourage the men to participate in the study they provided free medical care, transportation, meals on the days they were being examined, and burial insurance (Tuskegee University, n.d). When the study began no reliable treatments were available. The study was based on the Oslo study, which stated that the current treatments of mercurial ointment were of no benefit, and that going untreated was more beneficial for the patient in the end (Brandt, 1978). Participants were given full physical exams, radiographs, and lumbar punctures that were conducted by the United States Public Health Services (Brandt, 1978). To guarantee that the men would show up for the lumbar puncture, researchers sent a letter to the participant titled, â€Å"Last Chance for Special Free Treatment,† (Brandt, 1978). Research continued, and in 1945, penicillin became approved to treat syphilis (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013). The USPHS could have incorporated this treatment into their study, but chose to prevent the men from getting treatment, and never informed the p... ... & Human Services, 1979). After the conclusion of the Tuskegee Study, research found that many African American individuals were hesitant to participate in biomedical research (Davis, Green, & Katz, 2012). Researchers also found that African Americans have a distrust towards and suspicion of other health education programs such as the HIV/AIDS prevention programs. This is due to the similar methods used to select the participants in these programs as compared to the Tuskegee Study (Thomas & S.B., 1991). The Tuskegee Syphilis Study had and will continue to have lasting effects on the research community. Fortunately, some of these effects have improved how research is currently being conducted. To continue to build upon these improvements, researchers need to find ways to make all individuals comfortable and secure with the research in which they are participating.

Americas Cuban Conundrum

MARKETING 505 Assignment #2: Case 5-1 â€Å"America's Cuban Conundrum† ABSTRACT This paper analyzes the key issue that prompted the EU to take the Helms-Burton dispute to the WTO. It will decide who benefits and who suffers from an embargo of this type and it explains the rationale behind the conclusion. It also presents a resolution to the trade situation between the U. S. and Cuba. Finally given the trade relations it determines what type of economic barriers would have to be overcome by a U. S. firm to conduct business successfully in Cuba. Assignment #2: Case 5-1 â€Å"America's Cuban Conundrum† In 1996, President Bill Clinton signed the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act, also known as the Helms-Burton Act. The President’s actions came after Cuban MiGs shot down two U. S. civilian airplanes, killing the four Cuban-American who were on board. † (Green & Keegan, 2011) The Helms-Burton freezes the embargo against trade with and investment with Cu ba. It is a controversial act since it arouses a lot of negative attention on how the U. S. government is manipulating its power to impose its political views on other countries’ economies.The key issue -that prompted the EU to take the Helms-Burton dispute to the WTO -was mainly because they felt that it violated international rules dealing with trade. The EU had a dispute with the U. S. regarding testing agriculture, trade and investments and biotechnology issues which was brought to the attention of the WTO. It felt as if the United States was unlawfully exercising its jurisdiction extraterritorially, in that it was threatening to punish lawful activity such as trade, investment, and tourism carried out by the residents of independent countries. It is no exaggeration to say that U. S. olicy toward Cuba is now rejected and sharply criticized by the rest of the world. Other nations point out, moreover, that while America insists on maintaining its embargo and other pressures against Cuba because of the latter's human rights abuses, the fact is that Washington has close relations with–and extends Most Favored Nation treatment to–the People's Republic of China, Vietnam, Indonesia, and other states that are no more democratic than Cuba and have far worse human rights records, arguing that engagement, trade, and dialogue will do more to bring change in those countries than isolation. (Smith, 1998)It is obvious that the embargo affects a great number of people. To be all fair and neutral it would be necessary to highlight that to a certain extent, both countries are suffering and their benefits are minimal from this embargo. If it was to cease and somehow both countries came to an agreement and decided to put it all in the past and start from fresh, they would both benefit greatly. Production would increase and the producers on both countries would prosper. Cuban resources would be available to the U. S. Market and American producers would imp ort cost effective products that are not available in Cuba.An increase in capital from investors would make the economy run and prosper. A resolution to the trade situation between U. S. and Cuba represent the lifting of abolishment of the embargo. Castro’s regime and that of his successor, his brother Raul, have always talked a good anti-embargo but have not made the least effort to walk the talk, since this embargo may constitute the real reason of their continued hold on power since it gives an â€Å"antagonist† to the Cuban people, to the Cuban progress and it gives them an enemy to blame for the failure of Castro’s socialist revolution.In the U. S. there has been a lot of talk as well. President Obama was in favor of lifting of the embargo in 2004, ever since his views and actions changed, however he continued on implementing new policies that are in favor of establishing some type of relationship with the Cuban community. In 2004 President Obama who was th en a senator said: â€Å"I think it’s time for us to end the embargo in Cuba,† the then-Senate candidate said. And I think that we have to end it because if you think about what’s happening internationally our planet is shrinking, and our biggest foreign policy challenge — and it fits directly into the battle on terrorism and it fits into issues of trade and our economy — is how we make sure that other countries, in developing nations, are providing sustenance for their people, human rights for their people, a basic structure of government for their people that it’s stable and secure so that they can be part in a brighter future for the entire planet. And the Cuban embargo has failed to provide the source of raising standards of living and it has squeezed the innocents in Cuba,† Mr. Obama continued, â€Å"and utterly failed in the effort to overthrow Castro, who’s now have been there since I was born. So, it’s time for u s to acknowledge that that particular policy has failed. † (Speigel, 2009) But in 2008 he declared the opposite: â€Å"I will maintain the embargo,† Mr.Obama said in a speech in Miami on May 23, 2008. â€Å"It provides us with the leverage to present the regime with a clear choice: if you take significant steps toward democracy, beginning with the freeing of all political prisoners, we will take steps to begin normalizing relations. That’s the way to bring about real change in Cuba – through strong, smart and principled diplomacy. † (Speigel, 2009) For change to come about, a major event will have to take place.This situation seems like a non-negotiable on both sides where for the past 50 years they have agreed on disagreeing which isn’t the way to change the lives of all those people suffering and all those people that in one way or another are being affected negatively. In the unexpected event that trade relations resume between the U. S. a nd Cuba, some of economic barriers that would have to be overcome by a U. S. firm to conduct business successfully in Cuba. Firms will always be alert to any risk or uncertainty that can bring about the loss of assets or revenue due to unstable legal processes or corruption.Seizure of Assets for example: â€Å"The ultimate threat a government action to dispossess a foreign company or investor. † (Green & Keegan, 2011. ) Nationalization, expropriation are eminent threats in country with a dictatorship such as Raoul Castro and Fidel Castro. There would have to be some specific amendments to the international law which will pretty much guarantee to the firms and investors, any assets invested in the Cuban Market. Firms and Investors would have to take extra steps in order to protect their selves and clearly recognize the levels of juridical power for Cuba and for the U. S. s well as proactively protect against corruption and piracy which could be a primary issue in Cuba, with a strong intellectual property protection strategy. Any and all can be done once the embargo is lifted, but this would be the first step to greater changes and reforms, without it everything is only assumptions. This paper analyzed the key issue that prompted the EU to take the Helms-Burton dispute to the WTO. It decided who benefits and who suffers from an embargo of this type and it explained the rationale behind the conclusion. It also presents a resolution to the trade situation between the U.S. and Cuba. Finally it has determined what type of economic barriers would have to be overcome by a U. S. firm to conduct business successfully in Cuba. Work Cited Green, M. , & Keegan, W. (2011). Global marketing. (6 ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NY: Prentice Hall. Speigel, L. (2009, April 17). Presiden obama-who once supported, but no opposes, lifting the embargo-seeks â€Å"new beginning† with cuba. Retrieved from http://abcnews. go. com/blogs/politics/2009/04/president-ob-19/ Smith, W. (1998). Our dysfunctional cuban embargo.. (Vol. 42).

How To Stop Violence In Schools Essay

We all know there is violence in schools. Like in the past a couple of years there has been many shootings in school and I wonder how we could stop that. We could have a police officer on campus at all times. We could also have a group of students be a crime watch team. But the most important is to have kids be in a non-violent environment at home. If schools would have a police officer there, it would stop most violence because he knows all of the laws. When anything suspicious happened, he could investigate the situation. If he found resulting in violence, he could give the person punishment, so the situation doesn’t result in violence. Schools with crime watch teams would probably have a lower violence rate because there would be more people trying to stop violence. The school could have some of the students that get good grades and have them look for violence in schools. The most important way to avoid violence in schools isn’t even something at school. The students need to have a non-violent environment at home. They need parents that show positive attitudes because everyone learns from their environment and if its good there more likely to do good things. If it’s bad they’ll probably do bad and violent things. Well now you know some ways violence could be stopped in schools. So spread the information because we don’t want any innocent students getting hurt or even dying.

Free Essays on How Smoking Affects Women

How smoking affects women â€Å"We are losing too many of our mothers and daughters prematurely as a result of smoking.† (Tommy Thomson, Health and Human Services Secretary) Cigarette smoking has been part of the American culture for decades. Smoking is the nation’s leading cause of preventable death, claming more than 400,000 lives a year, according to the federal government. (Neergaard) It has been proven time and again that tobacco products not only increase the risk of disease in humans, but also increases the chances of taking human lives. In 1964, the Surgeon General’s report on smoking increased awareness of the damage it causes among Americans. However, since that report, the war on tobacco companies has been focused on preventing our young people from starting the habit. However, America is not yet fully aware of the hazardous and devastating effects smoking has had on women. In 1999, approximately 165,000 women died prematurely from smoking-related diseases, such as cancer and heart disease. Women also face unique health effects from smoking such as problems related to pregnancy. (Women and smoking) Women should know the dangero us effe! cts of smoking and how tragically this habit can end their life as well as their children from smoking during pregnancy. Also, once they start smoking, it will be difficult to stop and that the health risks are very real and costly. Why do women continue to smoke today? There are three major reasons why women can’t quit smoking. First of all, they get addicted to cigarettes. Cigarettes have nicotine, which is very addictive. This chemical is so poisonous that only fifty milligrams (less than half an ounce) of it, injected into a vein, will kill a person. (Why quit smoking?) Also, when you get addicted to cigarettes, you depend on nicotine to control your mood psychologically, which lead smoking to become a habit. Because they always smoke in certain time, they feel like the... Free Essays on How Smoking Affects Women Free Essays on How Smoking Affects Women How smoking affects women â€Å"We are losing too many of our mothers and daughters prematurely as a result of smoking.† (Tommy Thomson, Health and Human Services Secretary) Cigarette smoking has been part of the American culture for decades. Smoking is the nation’s leading cause of preventable death, claming more than 400,000 lives a year, according to the federal government. (Neergaard) It has been proven time and again that tobacco products not only increase the risk of disease in humans, but also increases the chances of taking human lives. In 1964, the Surgeon General’s report on smoking increased awareness of the damage it causes among Americans. However, since that report, the war on tobacco companies has been focused on preventing our young people from starting the habit. However, America is not yet fully aware of the hazardous and devastating effects smoking has had on women. In 1999, approximately 165,000 women died prematurely from smoking-related diseases, such as cancer and heart disease. Women also face unique health effects from smoking such as problems related to pregnancy. (Women and smoking) Women should know the dangero us effe! cts of smoking and how tragically this habit can end their life as well as their children from smoking during pregnancy. Also, once they start smoking, it will be difficult to stop and that the health risks are very real and costly. Why do women continue to smoke today? There are three major reasons why women can’t quit smoking. First of all, they get addicted to cigarettes. Cigarettes have nicotine, which is very addictive. This chemical is so poisonous that only fifty milligrams (less than half an ounce) of it, injected into a vein, will kill a person. (Why quit smoking?) Also, when you get addicted to cigarettes, you depend on nicotine to control your mood psychologically, which lead smoking to become a habit. Because they always smoke in certain time, they feel like the...

How to Write a Short Story 9 Steps from a Best Selling Author

How to Write a Short Story 9 Steps from a Best Selling Author How to Write a Short Story That Captivates Your Reader Why? Because it reveals many of the obstacles, dilemmas, and questions you’ll face when creating fiction of any length. If you find these things knotty in a short story, imagine how profound they would be in a book-length tale. Most writers need to get a quarter million clichà ©s out of their systems before they hope to sell something. And they need to learn the difference between imitating their favorite writers and emulating their best techniques. Mastering even a few of the elements of fiction while learning the craft will prove to be quick wins for you as you gain momentum as a writer. I don’t mean to imply that learning how to write a short story is easier than learning how to write a novel- only that as a neophyte you might find the process more manageable in smaller bites. So let’s start at the beginning. Need help fine-tuning your writing?Click here to download my free self-editing checklist. What Is a Short Story? Don’t make the mistake of referring to short nonfiction articles as short stories. In the publishing world, short story always refers to fiction. And short stories come varying shapes and sizes: Traditional: 1,500-5000 words Flash Fiction: 500-1,000 words Micro Fiction: 5 to 350 words Is there really a market for a short story of 5,000 words (roughly 20 double-spaced manuscript pages)? Some publications and contests accept entries that long, but it’s easier and more common to sell a short story in the 1,500- to 3,000-word range. And on the other end of the spectrum, you may wonder if I’m serious about short stories of fewer than 10 words (Micro Fiction). Well, sort of. They are really more gimmicks, but they exist. The most famous was Ernest Hemingway’s response to a bet that he couldn’t write fiction that short. He wrote: For sale: baby shoes. Never worn. That implied a vast backstory and deep emotion. Writing a compelling short story is an art, despite that they are so much more concise than novels. Which is why I created this complete guide: 9 Steps to Writing a Great Short Story Read as Many Great Short Stories as You Can Find Aim for the Heart Narrow Your Scope Make Your Title Sing Use the Classic Story Structure Suggest Backstory, Dont Elaborate When in Doubt, Leave it Out Ensure a Satisfying Ending Cut Like Your Storys Life Depends on It Step 1. Read as Many Great Short Stories as You Can Find Read hundreds of them- especially the classics. You learn this genre by familiarizing yourself with the best. See yourself as an apprentice. Watch, evaluate, analyze the experts, then try to emulate their work. Soon you’ll learn enough about how to write a short story that you can start developing your own style. A lot of the skills you need can be learned through osmosis. Where to start? Read Bret Lott, a modern-day master. (He chose one of my short stories for one of his collections.) Reading two or three dozen short stories should give you an idea of their structure and style. That should spur you to try one of your own while continuing to read dozens more. Remember, you won’t likely start with something sensational, but what you’ve learned through your reading- as well as what you’ll learn from your own writing- should give you confidence. You’ll be on your way. Step 2. Aim for the Heart The most effective short stories evoke deep emotions in the reader. What will move them? The same things that probably move you: Love Redemption Justice Freedom Heroic sacrifice What else? Step 3. Narrow Your Scope It should go without saying that there’s a drastic difference between a 450-page, 100,000-word novel and a 10-page, 2000-word short story. One can accommodate an epic sweep of a story and cover decades with an extensive cast of characters. The other must pack an emotional wallop and tell a compelling story with a beginning, a middle, and an end- with about 2% of the number of words. Naturally, that dramatically restricts your number of characters, scenes, and even plot points. The best short stories usually encompass only a short slice of the main character’s life- often only one scene or incident that must also bear the weight of your Deeper Question, your theme or what it is you’re really trying to say. Tightening Tips If your main character needs a cohort or a sounding board, don’t give her two. Combine characters where you can. Avoid long blocks of description; rather, write just enough to trigger the theater of your reader’s mind. Eliminate scenes that merely get your characters from one place to another. The reader doesn’t care how they got there, so you can simply write: Late that afternoon, Jim met Sharon at a coffee shop†¦ Your goal is to get to a resounding ending by portraying a poignant incident that tell a story in itself and represents a bigger picture. Step 4. Make Your Title Sing Work hard on what to call your short story. Yes, it might get changed by editors, but it must grab their attention first. They’ll want it to stand out to readers among a wide range of competing stories, and so do you. Step 5. Use the Classic Story Structure Once your title has pulled the reader in, how do you hold his interest? As you might imagine, this is as crucial in a short story as it is in a novel. So use the same basic approach: Plunge your character into terrible trouble from the get-go. Of course, terrible trouble means something different for different genres. In a thriller, your character might find himself in physical danger, a life or death situation. In a love story, the trouble might be emotional, a heroine torn between two lovers. In a mystery, your main character might witness a crime, and then be accused of it. Don’t waste time setting up the story. Get on with it. Tell your reader just enough to make her care about your main character, then get to the the problem, the quest, the challenge, the danger- whatever it is that drives your story. Step 6. Suggest Backstory, Don’t Elaborate You don’t have the space or time to flash back or cover a character’s entire backstory. Rather than recite how a Frenchman got to America, merely mention the accent he had hoped to leave behind when he emigrated to the U.S. from Paris. Don’t spend a paragraph describing a winter morning. Layer that bit of sensory detail into the narrativeby showing your character covering her face with her scarf against the frigid wind. Step 7. When in Doubt, Leave it Out Short stories are, by definition, short. Every sentence must count. If even one word seems extraneous, it has to go. Step 8. Ensure a Satisfying Ending This is a must. Bring down the curtain with a satisfying thud. In a short story this can often be accomplished quickly, as long as it resounds with the reader and makes her nod. It can’t seem forced or contrived or feel as if the story has ended too soon. In a modern day version of the Prodigal Son, a character calls from a taxi and leaves a message that if he’s allowed to come home, his father should leave the front porch light on. Otherwise, he’ll understand and just move on. The rest of the story is him telling the cabbie how deeply his life choices have hurt his family. The story ends with the taxi pulling into view of his childhood home, only to find not only the porch light on, but also every light in the house and more out in the yard. That ending needed no elaboration. We don’t even need to be shown the reunion, the embrace, the tears, the talk. The lights say it all. Step 9. Cut Like Your Story’s Life Depends on It Because it does. When you’ve finished your story, the real work has just begun. It’s time for you to become a ferocious self-editor. Once you’re happy with the flow of the story, every other element should be examined for perfection: spelling, grammar, punctuation, sentence construction, word choice, elimination of clichà ©s, redundancies, you name it. Also, pour over the manuscript looking for ways to engage your reader’s senses and emotions. All writing is rewriting. And remember, tightening nearly always adds power. Omit needless words. Examples: She shrugged her shoulders. He blinked his eyes. Jim walked in through the open door and sat down in a chair. The crowd clapped their hands and stomped their feet. Learn to tighten and give yourself the best chance to write short stories that captivate your reader. Where to Sell Your Short Stories Need help fine-tuning your writing?Click here to download my free self-editing checklist. 1. Contests Writing contests are great because the winners usually get published in either a magazine or online- which means instant visibility for your name. Many pay cash prizes up to $5,000. But even those that don’t offer cash give you awards that lend credibility to your next short story pitch. 2. Genre-Specific Periodicals Such publications cater to audiences who love stories written in their particular literary category. If you can score with one of these, the editor will likely come back to you for more. Any time you can work with an editor, you’re developing a skill that will well serve your writing. 3. Popular Magazines Plenty of print and online magazines still buy and publish short stories. A few examples: The Atlantic Harper’s Magazine Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine The New Yorker Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine Woman’s World 4. Literary Magazines While, admittedly, this market calls for a more intellectual than mass market approach to writing, getting published in one is still a win. Here’s a list of literary magazine short story markets. 5. Short Story Books Yes, some publishers still publish these. They might consist entirely of short stories from one author, or they might contain the work of several, but usually tied together by theme. Regardless which style you’re interested in, remember that while each story should fit the whole, it must also work on its own, complete and satisfying in itself. What’s Your Short Story Idea? You’ll know yours has potential when you can distill its idea to a single sentence. You’ll find that this will keep you on track during the writing stage. Here’s mine for a piece I titled Midnight Clear(which became a movie starring Stephen Baldwin): An estranged son visits his lonely mother on Christmas Eve before his planned suicide, unaware she is planning the same, and the encounter gives them each reasons to go on. Need help fine-tuning your writing?Click here to download my free self-editing checklist. In the comments below, write the one-sentence essence of your short story.

Herbert Spencer Quotations on Education

Herbert Spencer Quotations on Education Herbert Spencer  was an English philosopher, prolific writer, and advocate of education, science over religion, and evolution. He wrote four essays on education and is known for espousing that science is the knowledge of greatest worth. He is also known for the following famous quotations: â€Å"Mother, when your children are irritable, do not make them more so by scolding and fault-finding, but correct their irritability by good nature and mirthfulness. Irritability comes from errors in food, bad air, too little sleep, a necessity for change of scene and surroundings; from confinement in close rooms, and lack of sunshine.† â€Å"The great aim of education is not knowledge, but action.† â€Å"For discipline, as well as for guidance, science is of chiefest value. In all its effects, learning the meaning of things is better than learning the meaning of words.† â€Å"Those who have never entered upon scientific pursuits know not a tithe of the poetry by which they are surrounded.† â€Å"Education has for its object the formation of character.† â€Å"Science is organized knowledge.† â€Å"People are beginning to see that the first requisite to success in life is to be a good animal.† â€Å"In science the important thing is to modify and change ones ideas as science advances.† â€Å"The behavior of men to the lower animals, and their behavior to each other, bear a constant relationship.† â€Å"It cannot but happen†¦that those will survive whose functions happen to be most nearly in equilibrium with the modified aggregate of external forces†¦This survival of the fittest implies multiplication of the fittest.† â€Å"Progress, therefore, is not an accident, but a necessity†¦It is a part of nature.† â€Å"The survival of the fittest, which I have here sought to express in mechanical terms, is that which Mr. Darwin has called natural selection, or the preservation of favored races in the struggle for life. â€Å"When a mans knowledge is not in order, the more of it he has, the greater will be his confusion.† â€Å"Never educate a child to be a gentleman or lady alone, but to be a man, a woman.† â€Å"How often misused words generate misleading thoughts.† â€Å"The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly, is to fill the world with fools.† â€Å"Every cause produces more than one effect.† â€Å"Government is essentially immoral.† â€Å"Life is the continuous adjustment of internal relations to external relations.† â€Å"Music must take rank as the highest of the fine arts - as the one which, more than any other, ministers to the human spirit.† â€Å"No one can be perfectly free till all are free; no one can be perfectly moral till all are moral; no one can be perfectly happy till all are happy. â€Å"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance - that principle is contempt prior to investigation.† â€Å"Much dearer be the things which come through hard distress.† â€Å"We too often forget that not only is there a soul of goodness in things evil, but very generally a soul of truth in things erroneous.† â€Å"Our lives are universally shortened by our ignorance.† â€Å"Be bold, be bold, and everywhere be bold.†

A Different Conception of an Ideal Government in the Case of a Hobbess Research Paper

A Different Conception of an Ideal Government in the Case of a Hobbess Civil Society - Research Paper Example Hobbes acknowledges the value of freedom or liberty as something that cannot be gotten in nature but only possible in civil society. However, the insufficiency with this definition is well exemplified when discussing the importance of positive or civil liberty that exists in any civil society as espoused by Rousseau. Rousseau argues that idea Hobbes idea creates negative liberty or civil society that is typified by ‘unlawful chains’ that compels people to conform to a system they actually do not agree with. Another criticism against Hobbes's state of nature relates to the existence of man as pre-social. Rousseau wonders how a man would be considered pre-social yet in the state of nature, most qualities attributed to him are social in nature. Rousseau describes the aspect of pride as one that can only take place in a social environment. It must be understood, nonetheless, that both of these two scholars base their arguments on men’s qualities that are interpersonal in nature. According to Rousseau, it is misleading when Hobbes claims that the life of man is solitary and yet he has inferred used the concept of neighbourliness where people are not likely to get satisfied with resources at their disposal, because they are envious about what their neighbours have. Hobbes supports a government that is headed by a ruler or king. In this case, people would confide their power or sovereignty in the hands of kings as a way of being more resolute and consistent in exercising political authority. Furthermore, Hobbes indicates that once the people have surrendered their absolute power to their ruler or king, they do not have any right to rebel against his wishes.

The 'colored revolutions' of Eastern Europe and their success factors Essay

The 'colored revolutions' of Eastern Europe and their success factors - Essay Example The egalitarian revolutions of 1989 in Central and Eastern Europe have been labeled as the conclusion of the "third wave" of worldwide democratization that instigated in Spain and Portugal in the mid-1970s. It is certainly alluring to see the breakdown of the Soviet territory as segment of a universal disintegration of autocracies. This opinion surely prejudiced how the democratic changeover in Eastern and Central Europe has been observed in the West (as the "end of history") as well as by some of its characters. Ten years after, nonetheless, even with widespread Western exertions at democracy advancement, the democratic current has rather withdrawn, leaving a depiction of accomplishments in Central Europe (along with in Latin America and fragments of Asia) counterbalance by hindrances in the earlier Soviet Union and the Balkans (but similarly in China and most of Africa) (Jacques, 2000). Body The examination of the consequences of domestic changes for the local system of international dealings should take place from the implication of the main factors and procedures, which formed the post-soviet space design in the last decade. The first amongst these is the procedure of state and nation-structuring in the Afresh Independent States. Fresh political leaders in the previous Soviet states had a particular image of their state-projects which, as a law, protected Euro-Atlantic ambitions and, in reality, detached relations with Russia as well collaboration in the post-Soviet region from the list of primacies in their foreign policy schedules. Secondly, these objectives, along with the fluctuations in Europe and its boundary, stemmed in the participation of outside troupes in the post-soviet district - US, EU, NATO, and the Western European countries, and, some local actors, i.e. Poland, Turkey, China, , etc. The third actor in the post-Soviet district was Russia, which was sign ificantly annoyed by the appearance by the above-mentioned influences in its Immediate Abroad, as Moscow had its own fairly dissimilar vision for the expansion of this region (Samokhvalov, 2005). Examination of the second upsurge of democratic evolution in Eastern and Central Europe’s â€Å"color revolutions† has inclined to emphasize on fundamental variables such as district dispersion, leadership policy, and popular demonstration. However it may be imprecise to label the post-communist dictatorial throughputs the area has seen as part of a â€Å"surge†; elongated-term variables such as state and event capability and the power of a country’s association to the West may apprehended shed light on why certain nations have observed such revolutions whereas others have not (Way, 2008). The discussion on the color revolutions is mainly about the comparative significance credited to dispersion versus certain main operational factors. Amongst these features is t he amount and influence of Western force, which fluctuates subject to the degree of connection to Western Europe as well as the United States. In the stumpy-association previous Soviet states, domestic powers—particularly, the strong suit of the mandatory state and political party—

Modern Art Movement in Russia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Modern Art Movement in Russia - Essay Example The essay "Modern Art Movement in Russia" investigates Russian modern art movement. Modernism thus, broadly defined all the significant social changes pertaining to arts, culture, literary writings, architecture, and religious beliefs that rebelled against the theory of realism and all other conservative traditions, which took place at the turn of the nineteenth century. The proponents of this theory felt that all traditional forms of art, architecture, religious and social norms were losing relevance in the modern industrial age, and thus must be changed. Modernism to some extent rejected the philosophy of Enlightenment, and completely denied the existence of the powerful creator, God. It questioned all the theories of the past era, and believed in the theory of self consciousness. It is this belief that led to various experiments in the field of art and led to the formation of what is known as ‘abstract art’. In Russia, this wave of modernism in the world of art, is al so known as avant-garde, and it broke away from all traditional and old forms, creating a new style that was more connected to the daily lives of the common people, encouraging works on folk art and icon painting. Till the 1910s, the Russian avant-garde movement focussed itself primarily on village life, religion, urban life; but later on as social movement became more oriented towards bringing about reforms for the industrial workers, the Russian avant-garde artists moved towards the factory settings and the frantic pace of the urban lives.

Western versus Modern Film Art Comparison Research Paper

Western versus Modern Film Art Comparison - Research Paper Example Western films are mostly devoted to telling of stories that pertain to the latter half of the nineteenth century or even earlier. The themes are very much about change and transformation, the change that was brought about when primitive ways were replaced by more civilized, advanced methods (Pitts, 1997). They may be about Civil Wars or important battles. They may even be about the Industrial Revolution and other such milestones in today’s history. Although they pertain to American history alone, these western films have gained popularity worldwide because of the commercial spices added and the perfection attained in recreating history. The popular perception of the western movies is that they always have a storyline that centers on the life of a cowboy or a gunfighter and how he uses the codes of honor and private justice to eradicate all evils around him which usually include a herd of villains and get the love of his life eventually. Western firms are mostly about morality. They seek to give a message to the viewer, it may be a simple message as that of spreading love or it may be a more complicated message like working hard to benefit not the present but the future generations. Isolated and harsh settings are often used such as that of forts, ranches, deserts etc to show how the Native Americans lived (Hyams, 1984). The western films, no matter what message they are intended to portray, always show the complete and true American civilization- one that is full of music, women, gambling, violence,  and love. Western films include a variety of sub-genres. There are the classics such as Godfather trilogy and The Big Country that was released in 1958. There are also the contemporary Western movies that have the same essence in a modernized setup, for example, Hud which was released in 1963.  

Hospitals in Islam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Hospitals in Islam - Essay Example Many hospitals were developed during the Islamic revolution, but it was Caliph Al-Walid I an Ummayad who founded the first hospital in 705 AD in Jundishapur. This was a Persian city in the Ahwaz province although some critics consider this institution was only a place where lepers because it imposed isolation. The physicians and attendants operating the hospital were paid for their services and it was at the hospital that Greek medicine together with Persian medical practices began to thrive. The first Islamic hospital was built in 786-809 AD in Bagdad, Iraq, during the reign of Caliph Harun-ul-Rashid. The task of operating and heading the facility fell to Jibrail Bakhtishu, who was a well-revered physician. During his tenure, the hospital achieved fame and the building of other hospitals soon followed (Doak, 2010, 113). One of the latter hospitals to be built was the Audidi hospital in 982 AD, whose inception was started by Al-Razi who personally selected the building site due to the existence of germs in the area. He wanted a place where there were fewer germs and the hospital soon opened with 24 physicians who included specialists from different fields of medicine. They included physiologists, oculists and surgeons (Bonner, 2007,

Assignment 1-3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Assignment 1-3 - Essay Example And, if the cause is the significant turnover in the restaurant’s waiter or waitress pool, which is known to have taken place, then why is the turnover so high and what can be done about it? Thus, a research will help to better understand the problem with a view to resolving it. Customer satisfaction is a very important issue for most businesses. It is central to business success. So all possible means must be used to ensure that customers are satisfied. Our objective then is to first enhance our understanding of the problem, and we accomplish this by knowing more about it in detail through research using a systematic procedure. The issue is friendliness of the atmosphere, so we must devise a means of measuring this besides identifying the cause(s) of the decline. One possibility for obtaining this customer satisfaction measure would be to arrange a customer feedback mechanism involving a rating scale for friendliness and survey questions to encourage customers to disclose and pinpoint their reasons or what would help them to feel the atmosphere is friendly after experiencing a service at the restaurant. Secondly, the high staff turnover suggests there is an issue of demotivation or unhappiness with the working conditions. Hence, not only should a survey be conducted for the restaurant’s customers but also the waiter/waitresses must be interviewed to get insight into their thoughts, feelings and attitudes. In-depth interviews are advisable because there will be a small number of them and the deeper insight will be more valuable for addressing the root of the problem. This kind of research will be a mixture of qualitative and quantitative methods i.e. it will be a mixed research study. The open questions on the customer survey and the staff interviews will be qualitative whereas the friendliness ratings and closed survey questions will be quantitative

Hospitals in Islam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Hospitals in Islam - Essay Example Many hospitals were developed during the Islamic revolution, but it was Caliph Al-Walid I an Ummayad who founded the first hospital in 705 AD in Jundishapur. This was a Persian city in the Ahwaz province although some critics consider this institution was only a place where lepers because it imposed isolation. The physicians and attendants operating the hospital were paid for their services and it was at the hospital that Greek medicine together with Persian medical practices began to thrive. The first Islamic hospital was built in 786-809 AD in Bagdad, Iraq, during the reign of Caliph Harun-ul-Rashid. The task of operating and heading the facility fell to Jibrail Bakhtishu, who was a well-revered physician. During his tenure, the hospital achieved fame and the building of other hospitals soon followed (Doak, 2010, 113). One of the latter hospitals to be built was the Audidi hospital in 982 AD, whose inception was started by Al-Razi who personally selected the building site due to the existence of germs in the area. He wanted a place where there were fewer germs and the hospital soon opened with 24 physicians who included specialists from different fields of medicine. They included physiologists, oculists and surgeons (Bonner, 2007,

Major Role Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Major Role Analysis - Essay Example Right at that point, fate unfolds itself drastically in a manner that calls for Robbins to characterize the act of managing to control oneself from the verge of losing sanity. At this stage, there emerges requirement to convey the theme of injustice as Robbins acts to satisfy the expectation toward mixed feelings of contempt, helplessness, fits of rage, and frustration. Apparently, â€Å"The Shawshank Redemption† film exhibits two dimensions of reality between which is caught a poignant moment of transition for Dufresne and Robbins faces the challenge to express how it is like to be held responsible for a grave crime committed by someone else. The actor comes across the demand of realizing a character that must eventually decide on life’s worth, whether for Dufresne to defend his innocence or let nature take its course and dissolve all hopes on prison walls. To Robbins, Dufresne’s acknowledgment of the turning point in life must be excruciating just to imagine th e fact that the man who has humbly lived a life of success and prominence is now in Shawshank State Penitentiary where incarcerated individuals are bound to perceive every form of dread to psychological and emotional states of well-being. Robbins must have subjected himself to thorough contemplation of the major role to be able to align Dufresne’s words with actions that reflect extreme despair and total lack of self-esteem behind the anguished calm of the face. His portrayal of wretchedness in the case of a modest banker turned prisoner in service of an undeserved sentence appears complex because the film’s thematic approach is supposed to lead the viewers to an empathic sentiment, believing in the blamelessness of the convicted. In the process, Robbins moderates his acting to demonstrate the protagonist’s capacity to relate with fellow inmates, trusting especially Ellis Boyd â€Å"Red† Redding as portrayed by Morgan Freeman. To this extent, Dufresneâ₠¬â„¢s consequences may be anticipated to engage the audience into the gradual resolution of the conflict when the man is seen acquiring the potential to adapt to his rather harsh environment. Since â€Å"The Shawshank Redemption† falls within the crime and gangster genre, the audience may reasonably expect of a progress in which the principal character is directed to develop sharp malevolent traits and the following events could have shown physically violent encounters where the subject in the mode of revenge schemes to triumph by physical means. Nevertheless, Robbins is demanded of a function that embodies maintenance of principles and he needs to convince the audience of a consistent illustration of Dufresne who occurs to be meek and defenseless to officers and inmates alike, from the point of entry to the prison until after nearly two decades. For this aim to concretize, instead of visible execution of thoughts, the implicit heart of the matter must be sensed and this serv es as a challenge for Robbins to maximize the use of facial gestures through the look in his eyes and movement of head or lips with less external effort to deliver a fragile type of character whose weakness can be predicted with ease. Upon completion of watching the film, viewers are normally inclined to assess judgment on the story and how the primary figures have altogether made it run

Teenage Pregnancy Essay Example for Free

Teenage Pregnancy Essay Teenage pregnancy is pregnancy in a female under the age of 20 (when the pregnancy ends). A pregnancy can take place as early as two weeks before menarche (the first menstrual period), which signals the possibility of fertility, but usually occurs after menarche. In healthy, well-nourished girls, menarche normally takes place around the ages 12 or 13. Whether the onset of biological fertility will result in a teenage pregnancy depends on a number of personal and societal factors. Teenage pregnancy rates vary between countries because of differences in levels of sexual activity, general sex education provided and access to affordable contraceptive options. Worldwide, teenage pregnancy rates range from 143 per 1000 in some sub Saharan African countries to 2.9 per 1000 in South Korea. Pregnant teenagers face many of the same obstetrics issues as women in their 20s and 30s. There are however, additional medical concerns for mothers younger than 15. For mothers between 15 and 19, risks are associated more with socioeconomic factors than with the biological effects of age. However, research has shown that the risk of low birth weight is connected to the biological age itself, as it was observed in teen births even after controlling for other risk factors (such as utilisation of antenatal care etc.). In developed countries, teenage pregnancies are associated with many social issues, including lower educational levels, higher rates of poverty, and other poorer life outcomes in children of teenage mothers. Teenage pregnancy in developed countries is usually outside of marriage, and carries a social stigma in many communities and cultures. Many studies and campaigns have attempted to uncover the causes and limit the numbers of teenage pregnancies. Among OECD developed countries, the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand have the highest level of teenage pregnancy, while Japan and South Korea have the lowest in 2001. The latest data from the United States shows that the states with the highest teenage birthrate are Mississippi, New Mexico and Arkansas while the states with the lowest teenage birthrate are New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Vermont.

I Am Legend | An analysis

I Am Legend | An analysis When you are the last of the species reaching out for help, looking for someone that does not live a nocturnal existence, you need to have faith in God. The novel version of I Am Legend is better then the motion picture because the information slowly leaks out about Nevilles past, present, and specifics about the vampires. Robert Neville is a scientist who is unable to stop the spread of the horrifying virus that is fatal, incurable, and man-made. For three years, Robert has sent out daily radio messages, desperate to find any other survivor who might be out there. Robert obtains books and other research materials to discover the cure of the disease which is a strain of bacteria capable of infecting both deceased and living hosts. The virus has mutated everyone except one survivor which is Robert Neville. Robert is confused about his faith in God due to the situations he had to face. The characters usually depend on one another because it defines their true character in the end. Robert is trying to find the specifics about the vampires, so he can find a cure A virus can be spread really fast from one person to another. Robert Neville might be the only survivor of an incurable plague that has mutated everyone into bloodthirsty creatures who are determined to destroy him. There is always a solution to a conflict in which Robert believes he can find a resolution. Robert is trying to find a cure for the virus that has infected everyone in the world. The novel describes the situation that Robert is facing is very risky and in the motion picture it seems as if his everyday life is not too bad. His everyday target is to be back home before sunset. Usually there are a lot of difficulties that people face to find an explanation to a problem. Robert came up with a plan to capture a vampire because he wants to try different experiments to find the cure. Generally to accomplish a goal there is always some problem that interferes but never give up too fast. Robert accomp lished to trap an infected woman but the other vampires watched his every step and played the same trick on him. The novel didnt have much detail on how Robert trapped the vampire but the motion picture demonstrates the pain and the risk he had to go through. Robert put his life in danger, knowing the consequences. Putting in all the effort and not giving up is the first step to success. Robert was doing an experiment on the infected women and it slowly began to show good results. Working to the best of someones ability always receives an award at the end. The therapy Robert gave to the woman who is infected by the virus, slowly started to work. The motion picture has a very intense situation because Robert wants to help all the other vampires who have been infected but none of them are ready to listen to him. The novel shows Robert as the only survivor left of his own race. Robert didnt give up and took every step very carefully, which helped him achieve his goal. People believe in God but the terrible situations that they face are because of their own mistakes. Robert thinks the problem that he is going through is because of people being lazy and not taking a serious action right away. Most people believe that people impose disasters on themselves. Robert believes in God and also believes that the circumstances every one is going through is because of their blunder. The novel doesnt clearly state about Robert believing in God but in the movie it displays an clear image of Robert believing in God. Depending on someone too much is not good because when he/she lets the person down, it really hurts. Neville is depending on Ruth because she can help him out of jail. Sometimes people face problems that they shouldnt be punished for and dealing with it patiently is the best way. After a few years of loneliness and fear in a civilization devoid of civilized people, Robert struggled with his beliefs. Robert slowly started to loose his faith because fo r three years he has been trying his best to find a cure but its doing him no good. In the novel Robert is in prison and the only person who can get him out is Ruth. Usually people just accept their faith and try to live it happily. Robert accepts his faith and tearfully asks Ruth not to let this society get too ruthless. It is hard to count on someone who has let you down or tests a persons patience more than they should. A woman named Anna saves Robert from an accident and claims God guided her to find him just in time. In the movie it shows that it is hard for Robert to forget all the nasty problems that he had to face all by himself and in the novel he just accepts his faith because whatever he tried was no good. At first many people think God doesnt resist but the problems that people deal with, slowly realize that he is always there for everyone. To find out more about a character there is always more than one person in a novel or a movie. Not knowing anyone can make a persons life miserable. Robert is trying to find a cure without anyones help and he believes he will accomplish in his task. Listening to someone who a person does not know too much about can sometimes be very dangerous. Roberts neighbor Ben Cortman is always yelling Roberts name during the evening, trying to convince him to come out just so he can harm him. The movie shows Robert in a high degree of loneliness because everyone around him is trying to destroy him but in the novel Robert has his wife and daughter with him with some time and then he is all by himself trying to find a cure for the virus. When a person is stuck in a situation that no one can help him/her out with, the best thing to do is have faith in God. Robert is in jail and the only person who can help him out is Ruth. When a person is saved from a big problem, he/ she has done good deeds. Robe rt had a huge accident but Anna saved his life due to the radio messages Robert sent out. The novel and movie both show that when Robert needed the most help, someone is there for him because he has a good intention and he has waited patiently to find a cure to the virus. There is always more then one character in a story because thats the only way to find out more about the character itself. Overall I think the novel is better than the movie because the author slowly leaks out the information. Robert Neville found out the cure all by himself and had to deal with very difficult problem, he is the only survivor. Robert sent out radio messages for three years desperate to find another survivor but he lost his faith in God because he patiently waited for a few years and whatever step he took would end up being difficult and bad for him. It is hard to know about a character who does not depend on one another. Therefore Robert is a legend because he found the cure to the virus and all the problems he went through, he didnt give up. To achieve something in life keep trying and never give up because at the end it is always worth it.

Student :: essays research papers

Throughout the eighteenth century until the nineteen fifties, different countries have participated in the acts of industrialization and modernization more fully then others. There were many factors that permitted these countries to industrialize and modernize at a much greater pace than their significant opponents in the world industry. While rapid urbanization in Britain and dictatorship in Argentina and Russia promoted industrialization and modernization, the imperialist policies and ideas of Britain hindered industrial development in Egypt. Rapid urbanization played a very important role in the industrialization and modernization of Britain. Industrialization was a long hard process in Britain; however they were the first group of people to undergo this long process. The reason industrialization occurred in Britain was due simply to the fact that they had an astronomical jump in population. Within a one hundred year span, Britain’s population grew from 5.5 million in 1750 to over 16 million in 1851. The large population growth caused a great deal of economic and agricultural improvements for the British people. Farming was made easier and more efficient due to England undergoing a process of agricultural improvement that enabled fewer farmers to feed more people while cultivating the same amount of land. â€Å"People also migrated at an unprecedented rate- from the Countryside to the cities† (Bulliet, page 610). This caused a great population shift from the agricultural southeast to the midlands and t he north. Due to the fact that people started to search for jobs, a large portion of the population started to migrate to the midlands and the northern parts of the country; this gave a large source of inexpensive labor for the rich business owners to profit. (Bulliet, pages 609-612) A great deal of the British Industrialization was involved in the cloth and clothing industry. Britain was importing raw material such as cotton and silk from India, mass producing it, and then selling it back to India for an enormous profit. Now that urbanization brought a huge amount of the labor force to the factory towns and cities, this made it so that Britain could now produce more and more cloth and before they even knew it they were the largest producers of cloth in the world. (Bulliet pg.610) Historians propose a number of reasons for the cause of industrialization and modernization in Britain. Among the most persuasive is the enormous increase in food production following the establishment of the enclosure laws of the

Religious Traditions and History Essay

Polytheism, the belief in many gods, is perhaps the oldest known religion. The best known example is the Greek/Roman mythology, which included Zeus, Apollo, and Aphrodite, among others. One trait that is true of most Polytheistic sects is that there is a god that is above all others. â€Å"All African religions are monolithic in the sense that there is a single High God, who is said to be the creator of the world, and of mankind, and a central source of order and of whoever sense is to be found.† Another example would be Zeus. Most ancient societies believed in gods that were in charge of specific areas, such as rain, fertility, and a god of nature. These types of societies cooperate with nature. This doesn’t mean that all Polytheistic societies revered the natural world. The Romans exploited the natural resources of their surroundings. One common thread in most of these societies is that, compared to other religions, Polytheism is much more tolerant with the individual . Hinduism and Polytheism Hinduism is a religion founded in India around 1000 B.C. The religions practice a form of Polytheism. This religion doesn’t believe in one form of a god. They believe in the authority of the Vedas and Brahmans. These fundamental beliefs differentiate Hinduism from monotheistic, believing in one god, and most of the world’s major religions. There are many different gods in the Hindu religion. The most common are Ganesha, Shiva, Hanuman, Durga, and Lakshmi. What developed was a caste or class system called ‘varnas’. The different castes were assigned a task that was fitting for their class. â€Å"The expansion of towns brought about an increase in the number of artisans who were organized in guilds (shreni).† This system was good for commercial activities. The main goals of Hinduism are life-affirming goals of Dharma (virtue), Artha (success) and Kama (pleasure), while the life-negating goal is that of moksha (release). All except moksha can be done in any part of a person’s life. Confucianism and Buddhism People think that Confucianism and Buddhism are one and the same. Confucianism, which originated in China, teaches honesty, kindness, respect the earth, and good moral character. Confucius had a distain about gods and spirits and preferred to try to understand man. â€Å"Confucius (the Master) is more correctly Kong Qiu or Kong Fuzi (551-479 B.C.). He was the founder of a way of life, philosophy, or religion named Confucianism after a Latinized form of the founder’s name.† Buddhism, which started at about the same time as Confucianism, was started by Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha. Buddha, which means â€Å"the enlightened one†, which was the name he received from his followers. Buddhism is different from Confucianism in that it didn’t teach about the family or rituals of this world, rather it taught enlightenment which leads to nirvana. There are eight awarenesses of enlightenments. â€Å"Freedom From Desire, Satisfaction, Serenity, Meticulous Effort, Correct Remembrance, Samadhi, Wisdom, and avoiding idle talk.† The Chinese during this time asked the Buddhist monks, why do you not marry? Their answer was â€Å"Wives, children, and property are the luxuries of the world, but simple living and inaction are the wonders of the Way.† The Buddhist’s wanted was to live a simple life and reach enlightenment and thus nirvana. Christianity Christianity is a salvation religion. Christians and Buddhists turned to the idea of salvation around the same time. Salvation means escape your earthly bonds. If you don’t follow a righteous path, meaning free of sin, then you are destined to be cast into the pit of darkness, otherwise known as hell. The new testament of the bible is what guides these true believers. The Catholics say, for instance, that if you sin and repent by going to confession your sins will be forgiven. This is the only way to ensure that the soul is clean. The idea of all Christian orthodoxy is that they follow the teachings of Christ, which has many different interpretations. Thus it follows that when you die you will go to heaven. Some believe that the Earth is 6000 years old and believe that the bible is literally god’s word. They refuse to believe in science, saying that it’s flawed in some way. Others believe that the Earth is indeed older than 6000 years. These Christians believe that the bible is a parable, teaching them how to live everyday life as a Christian. Modern orthodoxy believes that Christian’s are observers of nature, rather than one with the Earth. Religion, Science and Nature Religion has a profound imprint on our natural surroundings. In general, the Eastern and most Polytheistic religions are more reverential toward nature. The Western religions tend to abuse nature. The invention of the plow is a prime example. The West thinks of it as a means to increase the food supply and disregards the environmental impact. The East and the Polytheist refer to it as â€Å"Mother Earth† and treat her much more delicately. The contrast between the two couldn’t be more stark. The East will try to balance their needs with nature. The West uses nature and sometimes destroys parts of it. The idea that we are separate from nature is a Western ideal. The East, in general, believes that we are one with nature and must take care of it. Science in the West was not in tune with medieval orthodoxy. It was interested in facts. The Eastern philosophy used science with a spiritual twist. Fang Yizhi observed of western science, â€Å"use a variety of techniques for swift computations, but they are still out of touch with general principles.† They used the mind and not the natural world. Summary There are many different religions that teach many different methods of how to live your life while on this world. Most worship one god, monotheistic, others worship many gods. Polytheists, which literally mean many gods, roots are seen in Greek/Roman mythology. Buddhism believes that there is no god, just a path to enlightenment. Once they’ve reached enlightenment, they’ve achieved nirvana. Confucianism and Buddhism are from China, but have very different belief systems. â€Å"Confucianism is perhaps best understood as an all-encompassing humanism that neither denies nor slights Heaven.† They believe that they are one with nature. Christians recognize only one god. They are labeled as a salvation religion. They hope to be able to break the bonds of this Earth by living a relatively good life with the reward being heaven. If you don’t accept Jesus into your life, you are destined to eternity in hell. It’s safe to say that the world’s religions have varied belief systems. Some believe in the after-life, while others believe that feel that we are Earth bound only. Most of the world believes in a single god. Polytheism and Hinduism say that there are many gods. They differ from Eastern religions in that they see themselves as observers rather than one with the Earth. The East and West see nature differently. While the West observe nature, the East embraces the idea of being part of nature. This is a very fundamental philosophy that can’t be overstated. The bottom line is that there are almost as many belief systems as there are people on Earth. It includes, but not only, monetary considerations, faith, and devotion. The only ones that know what’s going on, assuming there is an after-life, are the dead and buried. Citations The West and the World, A History of Civilization, From the Ancient World to 1700, Kevin Reilly, 95 2 The West and the World, A History of Civilization, From the Ancient World to 1700, Kevin Reilly, 334 3 The West and the World, A History of Civilization, From the Ancient World to 1700, Kevin Reilly, 146 4 http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/china/f/022808Confucius.htm 5 http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/tp/awarenesses.htm 6 The West and the World, A History of Civilization, From the Ancient World to 1700, Kevin Reilly, 103 7 Kevin Reilly, The West & World: A History Of Civilization from the Ancient World to 1700, Page 349 8 http://www.religionfacts.com/a-z-religion-index/confucianism.htm

Impact on Local Community and Environment

2.Impact on Local Community and Environment 2.1 Image and Regeneration Environmentally Sustainable direction should be implemented from the early phases of event planning. Alternatively of concentrating on holding ‘green’ installations and equipment, the construct of sustainability should be implemented in the full determination devising procedure. Therefore holding an environmentally sustainable event should be portion of the purposes and aims. Mega events are extremely concerned about this, as undertaking environmental issues are important in winning a command. This inaugural gave London success in winning their command and the chance to host the Olympic games in 2012. In their command study London promised that 20 per cent of the Olympic Park energy comes from sustainable agencies. Besides obtaining the games London’s Environmentally sustainable direction gave the chance for regeneration of East London. Beside seting two thousand native trees and 300,000 wetland workss and reconstructing five stat mis of the River Lea, new locales and attractive forces were constructed together with new places, schools and concerns. This increased touristry in East London therefore helped in making a better image non merely for east London but besides to the full metropolis. However some aims such as edifice wind turbines were non carried out and some undertakings were merely done in order to pull tourers instead than for sustainability. Conveyance and Noise Pollution Environmentally Sustainable Management is extremely important even more so in modern twenty-four hours, as local councils have the power to prohibit an event from go oning, if they see that the event is making devastation and doing lives harder on locals. When be aftering an event the event director must maintain in head that the bulk of pollution and breaks created during an event, come from transit to and from the event. DEFRA ( 2002 ) illustrated that noise ailments to Environmental Health Officers have drastically increased over the last 20 old ages, peculiarly for route traffic. Events such as festivals are supplying transit from different metropoliss to the location and encouraging visitants to utilize public transit where necessary. During mega events such as the Olympic games public transit should be efficient for the usage of people in order to advance the usage of public transit over private transit and hence cut downing congestion. During the London Olympics in over 100 mi llion journeys were made utilizing the belowground tubing. Having scheduled transit to an event will make a flow in the figure of visitants geting during a short period therefore this will let controlling of the visitants and cut downing traffic break, congestion and noise pollution at the location. The traffic Management Plan for Isle of White 2013 established a program for â€Å"roads and paths from the ferry terminuss are free from congestion, thereby understating the impact of Festival related vehicular traffic on the route network† and hence minimising the consequence on locals. Transportation is non merely used by visitants, but besides by staff who arrive at events location yearss prior to the event. During festivals the figure of staff can make over 1,000 people. In 2010 T in the park provided staff with bikes, which were used at the site location during the set up, in order to cut down the usage of autos. This is done as portion of the understanding with Julieâ€℠¢s Bicycle in 2008 in order to cut C emanations by 40 % by 2020, which is portion of the Scots Parliament’s committedness. However this is non plenty, and efficient transit to staff should be organized so that the use of private autos to acquire to the location is reduced. Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo in 2013 decided to utilize ISO 20121 and provided free public transit to all delegates and the imperativeness. Visitors were besides encouraged to do usage of the train to acquire to the sphere in order to cut down emanations. Noise Pollution is another factor that has to be taken into consideration for event direction. In 2013, Flag Factory Festival at The Plough in Hutton was threatened by Brentwood Borough Council ‘s licensing officers due to the impact of noise on occupants. There is non much an event organizer can make to minimise noise pollution on neighbouring occupants nevertheless the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 provides limitations to this issue and besides states that staff should be protected from loud noises. 3.Reducing Costss 3.1Facilities Event directors are cognizant that by implementing Environmentally Sustainable direction they are besides cutting costs, particularly in events that occur repeatedly and desire to be in the concern for the long tally. Events generate considerable sum of waste that doesn’t merely have negative impacts on the environment, but it is besides dearly-won to the organizers. In 1996 directing waste to landfill cost ?7 a metric ton and a lower rate of ?2 for inactive waste nevertheless in 2013 this increased to ?72 a metric ton which made organizers more cognizant of the waste an event generates. Melvin Benn caput of ‘Festival Republic’ acknowledges that bettering environmental public presentation â€Å" no longer merely makes environmental sense, it makes economic sense every bit good † . Events administrations are coming up with enterprises to cut down waste and have a greener event. Glastonbury sets 15, 000 bins around the site, which are clearly labeled for recy cling stuff and non recycling stuff where in 2012 trash was separated and 49 % of this was recycled. Harmonizing to the Glastonbury web site, In order to dispose of all the waste that is left behind the Festival used to pay ?780,000, nevertheless with the aid of voluntaries and initiatives the sum of money that is saved from waste aggregation is donated to charity. Assorted inducements are being placed in order to acquire the visitant to be cognizant of the environment and cut downing waste and hence cut downing costs. Festivals have set up the cup recycling enterprise where clients are rewarded with 10p ( depending on the event ) for every cup that is returned. Similarly at Christmas markets selling mulled vino and other gay drinks clients pay a little sum excess as sedimentation for their cups, which they will acquire back if the cups are returned. Nevertheless some visitants are non concerned about go forthing litter around and farther instruction should be provided to emphasize the importance of these enterprises. Another publicity by Glastonbury is ‘A collapsible shelter is for life non merely for a festival’ where visitants are encouraged to purchase a collapsible shelter, which they will utilize even after the event and therefore collapsible shelters won’t be left behind. However this is non plenty as there are still visitants who don’t fuss in taking their collapsible shelters and this is why T in the park has The International Relief Trust roll uping quality abandoned collapsible shelters. ‘Tomorrowland’ offers an option to encampment by supplying little lockable suites but harmonizing to wikifestivals.com, some suites can be up to ˆ21,000. These should be offered at a cheaper monetary value in order to promote visitants to utilize them and hence being environmentally sustainable. Organizers should happen better ways at doing their campgrounds more sustainable by supplying more information and educating visi tants on the effects that arise. 3.2 Taxes and Local economic system In mega events such as The Olympic Games and The World Cup it is in the governments’ involvement to be environmentally sustainable when be aftering events as states may be burdened with the wake these events leave on the state. When building immense substructure for such events such as stadia these can go white elephants and locals have to pay more revenue enhancements for their care. Korea-Japan World Cup in 2002 exhausted one million millions of dollars in building and refurbishing of bowl, which are now white elephants and environmental loads. These become besides immense economic loads on locals who are paying excess 1000000s annually in revenue enhancement for their care. A better hazard and environmental appraisal and farther planning should hold resulted in a better rating of future usage of these bowl which is what Russia are be aftering to make for the 2018 games as Alexey Sorokin, the CEO of the Russia 2018 LOC stated ; â€Å"But the success of the World Cup in Russ ia will depend non merely on how good it is organised, but besides on how efficaciously the installations are used after the tournament.†

Nuclear Battery

The short and unpredictable nature of the conventional chemical batteries, along with the frequent replacements that they require, has created an acute need for a reliable, longer-lasting and rugged source of energy. Moreover Radars, spacecrafts, interstellar probes and other advanced communication devices require much larger power than that can be met by conventional energy sources. The solution to long term energy source is the nuclear powered batteries which have a life span of few decades and can pack in energy densities thousands of time greater than conventional battery sources.Hence, there is an urgent need to harvest enormous amount of energy released naturally by the tiny bits of radioactive material. Unlike conventional nuclear power generating devices, these batteries do not rely on the fission or fusion reactions and do not generate any radioactive material as by-product. They promise clean, safe, reliable and almost endless energy without any drop in its yield or efficie ncy during its entire life span-which runs up to minimum of 10 years. They are generally used as power sources in unmanned and unmaintained locations requiring energy for longer durations.Nuclear batteries are not only going to replace conventional batteries, chargers and adapters but also present innovative means of powering portable devices. The nuclear battery technology is geared up to make way into commonly used day to day product like cell phones, laptops, automobiles etc. Surely it is battery of future. INTRODUCTION In this day and age of miniaturization the size of electronic circuitry has been diminishing at a astonishingly dizzying pace but the batteries that power these devices are not keeping up with them.The world of tomorrow that the technology manifests will be a very small one and we will need smaller batteries to power it !! Be it our personal laptops or cell phones, batteries still occupy a significant portion of the volume. The reason being the batteries are still nothing more than cans of chemicals like they were two centuries ago. They have not undergone any significant change in their functionality since Italian physicist Alexandaro Volta demonstrated flow of lectric current between two conductors by alternating discs of zinc and copper with pieces of cardboard soaked in brine. Many systems ideally (especially those in remote locations) have to operate for long periods, and it is not always feasible to recharge or replace their batteries. Now, with technology ushering in new era of miniaturization where MEMS (Micro Electrical Mechanical System) are gaining widespread popularity and are increasingly being used for a multitude of applications, they lack a durable onboard power supply. Batteries are at a critical juncture here!!MEMS are finding increasing applications in everything from sensors in car that trigger an alarm to injectible drug delivery system to environment monitoring ‘Smart Dust’ but they lack a long lasting on-d evice power source. To work around this power block, researchers have found an intriguing way: by harvesting the huge amount of energy released by radioactive material. Although several sources of energy could be used to supply this needed power (solid, fossil fuel) by these MEMS based systems but nuclear batteries are fast becoming a popular option in terms of power density and lifetime.For example A tiny speck of radioisotope like nickel-63 can generate enough energy to power these MEMS for decades. These nuclear micro batteries have energy at densities at thousand times greater than the Lithium ion batteries. So with these miniature machines really hitting their stride, we’ll need smaller, reliable and longer lasting battery sources! To clear the common misconception, nuclear power sources are not miniature nuclear reactors and they do not involve any fission or fusion reactions.In these power sources we use specific isotopes which emit particles that are blocked by the la yer of dead skin that covers our bodies. They penetrate no more than 25 micrometers in most solids or liquids, so in a battery they could safely be contained by a simple plastic package! TechnologyEnergy Density (milliwatt-hour /milligram) Lithium ion in a chemical battery0. 3 Methanol in a fuel cell3 Tritium in a nuclear battery850 Polonium-210 in a nuclear battery57 000 Energy Content in Different Type of Batteries IT IS A STAGGERINGLY SMALL WORLD THAT IS BELOW,† Said physicist Richard P. Feynman in his visionary talk to the American Physical Society, when he envisioned the fabrication of micro- and nano devices and declared that one day the entire Encyclopaedia Britannica could be written on the head of a pin. Feynman’s vision has finally begun to manifest, thanks to ever more sophisticated microelectronics. Micro and nano scale machines are ushering a multibillion-dollar market as they are being incorporated in virtually every electronic devices.Among the trendsetti ng applications in this development are ultra dense memories capable of storing hundreds of gigabytes in a fingernail-size device, micromirrors for enhanced display and optical communications equipment, and highly selective RF filters to reduce cell phones size and improve the quality of calls. But, again, at very small scales, chemical batteries can’t provide enough power for these micro machines. As the size of such a battery is reduced, the amount of stored energy goes down exponentially.Reduction in each side of a cubic battery by a factor of 10 as the volume is reduced —and therefore the energy that can be stored— reduces by a factor of 1000. In fact, the sensors today which are no larger than a speck of dust require batteries which are as large as a shirt button!!!!! COMPARISION WITH OTHER WELL KNOWN ENERGY SOURCES FOR NANO DEVICES In a bid to power these nano devices, researchers are turning away from conventional fuels like hydrogen and hydrocarbons (pro pane, methane, gasoline and diesel) and are meddling with micro fuels that consume hydrogen to generate power like other conventional fuels.Many are also developing on- board combustion engines that consume hydrogen to generate energy much like an average automobile. But these approaches are facing many hurdles. The primary road block is relatively low energy densities of these mechanisms and other being the continuous need to supply the fuel and eliminate the by-products formed . In case of other liquid fuels the major challenge is to develop a packaging that will contain sufficient liquid fuel to power these devices and which can be scaled down to micro and nano sizes at the same time.The nuclear batteries that are being developed won’t require any refilling or recharging. and will last as long as the half-life of the radioactive source. And even though their efficiency in converting nuclear to electrical energy isn’t high—about 4 percent—the extremely high energy density of the radioactive materials makes it possible for these micro batteries to produce relatively significant amounts of power. For example, with 10 milligrams of polonium-210 (contained in about 1 cubic millimeter), a nuclear powered battery could produce 50 milliwatts of electric power for more than four months.With that level of power, it would be possible to run a simple microprocessor and a handful of sensors for four continuous months. Specific Power Density Of Leading Power Isotopes KEY ELEMENTS OF THE TECHNOLOGY Why not conventional Gamma Emitters The first lesson to be learned here is: What are Radioisotopes Radioisotopes are basically unstable atoms that spontaneously emit high-energy particles as they decay to a more stable state. Most radioisotopes emit Gamma rays (which are essentially high-energy X-rays that can penetrate most materials including human flesh).But radioisotopes used in nuclear battery emit Alpha particles (an aggregate of two protons an d two neutrons) and Beta particles (high-energy electrons) that can’t penetrate as deeply and therefore pose less risk. Another reason why Gamma Emitters are not considered for development of the nuclear battery is that they would require sufficient amount of shielding. The Alpha Emitters, on the other hand, have an advantage due to the short range of the Alpha particles. This short range allows increased efficiency and thus provides more design flexibility, assuming that a sufficient activity can be achieved.The half life of the isotopes must be high enough so that the useful life of the battery is sufficient for typical applications, and low enough to provide sufficient activity. In addition, the new isotope resulting after decay should be stable, or it should decay without emitting Gamma radiation. The nuclear powered batteries that are being developed contain1 to 10 millicuries of nickel-63 or tritium, whose beta particles have relatively low energy and can be blocked by a layer of 25 to 100 micrometers of plastic, metal, or semiconductor (they are even blocked by the thin dead-skin layer covering our bodies. ) ISOTOPERADIATION TYPEHALF LIFE Yr)MAX. ENERGY (keV)AVERAGE ENERGY H-3Beta12. 3 y18. 65. 7 Ni-63Beta100. 2 y66. 917. 4 Po-210Alpha138. 8 y530. 43- Commonly Used Isotopes NUCLEAR BATTERIES WHICH ARE CURRENTLY USED JUNCTION TYPE BATTERY This type of battery is very useful for long term applications in devices like space crafts,battle field sensors and nanoelectric sensors.. The device basically consists of a small quantity of Nickel-63 placed near an ordinary silicon p-n junction( hence the name)—a diode, basically. As the Nickel-63 decays it emits beta particles, which are high-energy electrons that spontaneously fly out of the radioisotope’s unstable nucleus.The emitted beta particles ionizes the diode’s atoms, creating paired electrons and holes that diffuse away from each other at the p-n junction. These separated electr ons and holes travel away from the junction, thereby producing the current. Why Ni-63 is used in Junction Battery? Nickel-63 is ideal for this application because its emitted beta particles travel a maximum of 21 ? m in silicon before disintegrating; if the particles had more energy, they would travel longer distances, thus escaping the battery. This battery has a capacity of producing about 3 nanowatts, using 0. millicurie of Nickel-63 , power which is more than sufficient for nano devices. LATEST DEVELOPMENTS CANTILEVER BATTERIES These new types of batteries generate more power than a typical junction battery. These devices operate like generators where the radioactive energy is first converted into mechanical energy and then into pulses of electrical energy. Even though these devices involve an intermediate phase,their efficiency remain unaffected- if anything they actually tap the kinetic energy of the emitted particles for conversion into mechanical energy and hence provide a m ore continous flow of energy than conventional junction battery.Figure 5 Beta particles move from radioactive source and accumulate at Copper plate leading to electrostatic force of attraction Why Thin Film RadioIsotope is used in Cantilever Batteries? This device primarily uses a thin film of radioisotope. On top of this film, a small rectangular piece of silicon is cantilevered, its free end able to move up and down. As the electrons move away from the radioactive source, they travel through the air gap and hit the cantilever, charging it negatively. The source, which is positively charged, then attracts the cantilever, bending it down .This mechanical energy is converted instantaneously into electrical energy. SELF RECIPROCATING SiN BATTERIES These batteries use low stress thin film of SiN. In this device a Wheatstone bridge is formed using four resistors. The purpose of using Wheatstone bridge is to measure the deflections. The output from a Wheatstone bridge is sent to an opera tional amplifier and the amplified signal is measured. A self-timed reciprocating movement is obtained between the film of radioisotope and the cantilever arm.As compared to a conventional thin film cantilevers they offer better efficiency as the RF signal conversion from mechanical signal is more streamlined and compact. OPTOEELCTRONIC BATTERIES An optoelectronic nuclear battery has been developed by the researchers of Kurchatov Institute of Moscow. The Beta emitter would power an excimer mixture ( argon and xenon) which would produce light to excite a photocell. The primary advantage of this battery is that precision electrodes are not required and most electrons contribute to battery’s power output. NANONUCLEAR BATTERIESAny with technology â€Å"nano† suffixed ushers in a debate. A generally accepted criterion for labelling nanotechnology given by Mihail C. Roco( Ph. D. , a National Science Foundation Chair on the Nanoscale Science Engineering and Technology Subcomm ittee (NSEC) of the National Science and Technology Committee (NSTC)) states â€Å"one dimension of about one to 100 nanometers, designed through a process that exhibits fundamental control over the physical and chemical attributes of molecular-scale structures, and the ability to combine to form larger structures. †These technologies for the nano- nuclear battery have same operational and structural micro nuclear battery except it’s done on a nano level. These batteries have better efficiencies as compared to micro-nuclear batteries and the path for the research of nuclear battery ends at such nano powered devices. CURRENT PLAYERS NASA GLENN RESEARCH CENTRE, CLEAVELAND The scientists at the Glenn Research Centre are working in collaboration with the researchers at RIT on a project to develop alpha voltaic batteries for miniature military devices for US Army with sensing and communication capabilities.This project will be of three years duration and will focus on use o f a radioisotope Americium, which is used in smoke detector, along with handful of semiconductor devices to convert alpha energy into usable electricity. The project will conclude with full manufacture of device and plans for commercial manufacture. ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH LABORATORY, NEWYORK A team of researchers at RIT led by Ryne Rafelle, Head of physics and Microsystems have obtained funds ranging around $1. 2 million dollars from DARPA (Defence Advanced Project Research Agency) to develop nuclear power supplies for military use.The researchers are planning on using an innovative nanomaterial (quantum dots) to protect the semiconductor used inside the battery from radiation damage. This will make the battery not only safer but also increase its life to unprecedented levels. KUSHATOV INSTITUTE, MOSCOW The technology for Optoelectric nuclear batteries was developed by a team of researchers at Kuchatov Institute. In a revolutionary development, they used Radioiso tope Strontium-90 and Technetium-99 as beta emitters suspended in gas or liquid which permits nearly lossless transmission of beta energy. PRIVATE PLAYERS (QYNERGY CORPORATION, ALPLA V INC. WIDETRONIX ETC. ) These are leading private players company harvesting nuclear energy for the purpose of providing cutting edge energy and power solution that are not provided by current battery and storage system. Using their proprietary technologies they have developed high density power cell using the energy generated by radioisotopes. ECONOMIC POTENTIAL SPACE APPLICATIONS- SATELLITE AND INTERSTELLAR PROBE Radio isotropic Thermoelectric Generator(RTGs) are nuclear batteries which consists of stacks of thermocouples which convert the thermal energy obtained from the decay of radioisotope into usable electrical energy.They have emerged as the most popular power sources for the unmanned and unmaintained locations requiring power less than few hundred watts for durations which are too long for con ventional fuel cells and where solar panels are not feasible. RTGs are used as power sources in the satellites, space probe vehicles by NASA and in various unmanned remote locations, like a series of lighthouses built by the USSR in the Arctic Circle. Systems for Nuclear Auxiliary Power (SNAP) units which comprise of handful of RTGs are used especially for probes that travel far enough from the Sun that solar panels are no longer viable.Pioneer 10, Pioneer 11, Voyager 1, Galileo, Ulysses, Cassini and New Horizons used RTGs to meet their power requirements. Also, RTGs were used to power the two Viking landers and for the scientific experiments left on the Moon by the crews of Apollo 12. RTG also used on interstellar precursor missions and interstellar probes. One such example is the Innovative Interstellar Explorer (2003-current) proposal from NASA which will be using RTG Am-241 This could support mission extensions up to 1000 years. UNDERSEA APPLICATIONS- DEEP SEA SENSORSThe recent tsunami, earthquake and other under water phenomena have increased the demand for underwater sensors which can withstand such extreme conditions. These sensors are integrated with nuclear batteries which can work for longer durations in inaccessible places under crude situations. MEDICAL APPLICATIONS- NUCLEAR PACEMAKERS In early days, pacemakers used were powered with mercury and zinc batteries which could run for three years. Most often however, such mercury battery would fail in 20 months requiring the patient to undergo another implant for the replacement of the device.Nuclear Batteries are used extensively in the pacing industry to prolong the longevity of the implanted device. Pacemakers, implanted with nuclear batteries, offer young patients the chance to go through their entire lifetime with just a single implant. MOBILE DEVICES- CELLPHONES & LAPTOPS Xcell-N is a nuclear powered laptop battery that provides between seven and eight thousand times battery life as compared to a normal laptop battery- thus any laptop can be kept on for five continous years without having to charge it.Xcell- N is in continuous working state since the past eight months and neither has been turned off nor has been plugged into electrical power. Most cell phones use RF filters for frequency selection which occupy a large part of the volume. Researchers are currently developing MEMS based RF filters which provides not only better frequency selectivity (thus better quality of calls) but also reduced sizes. These MEMS filters, however, may require relatively high dc voltages, and drawing it from the main battery would require complicate electronics.Instead, a nuclear powered battery designed to generate the required voltage—in the range of 10 to 100 volts—could be used to juice up the filter directly and more efficiently. AUTOMOBILES Although it is in initial stages of development but it is expected that nuclear powered batteries will soon replace the weary chemical batteries. This implies that running short of fuel or time will be things of past. Fox Valley Auto Electric Association has already started working on the ways to implement this. CHALLENGESThough there are many merits the nuclear battery there are few challenges too, which needs to be overcome to make it realty, in the immediate future. SAFETY Since nuclear powered batteries involve the use of small amounts of radiation and radioactive materials, it is necessary that they must comply with current Radiation Protection Standards which are based on the Linear Non-Threshold model (LNT) . This model assumes that any amount of radiation exposure, no matter how small, will have a detrimental effect on health.The external dose associated with the radioisotopes used in these batteries is zero, because an alpha particle needs to have an energy of more than 7. 5 MeV to penetrate the protective layer of the skin (0. 07 mm think), and a ? particle needs to have an energy of more than 70 keV. Sin ce radio isotopes in nuclear batteries have energies lower than these they are unable to penetrate the skin. INHALATION INGESTION DOSE LIMIT [mrem/d]44. 575. 479 Dose Equivalent [mrem/d]No. of batteries to be inhaled to reach the limitDose Equivalent [mrem/d]No. of batteries to be swallowed to reach the limit H32. 418. 0346158 Ni645. 697. 081367Radiation Levels After Ingestion or Inhalation Of 5 µCi of Ni or H Nuclear Battery In fact, radioisotopes have been used for decades in commercial applications. Many smoke detectors contain 1 to 5 microcuries of Americium-241, used to ionize the air between a pair of parallel plates. And some emergency exit signs in public buildings, schools, and auditoriums that have to remain visible during power outages contain 8 to 10 curies of tritium, whose emitted electrons excite phosphor atoms, illuminating the sign. The amount of radioactive material in the nuclear batteries falls between that in a smoke detector and in an exit sign.And for whatev er amount, any commercial application of such nuclear powered batteries will have to comply with all the established safety measures (including design of safe packaging) and follow regulations about handling and disposing of the device. COST As it is the case with the most ground breaking technology , the initial cost of production is quite high. But as the product goes for mass production the cost goes down. The major challenge lies in finding sources of inexpensive radioisotopes that can be efficiently integrated into the electronic devices.For example 1 millicurie of Ni-63 costs around $25. But the researchers have come up with a potentially cheaper alternative tritium which is produced by some nuclear reactors as a by product and costs few cents( for 1 millicurie). WASTE DISPOSAL The environmental impact of disposing of the nuclear devices once their useful life has ended, as well as the associated costs are minimal. Since after three half-lives the activity of the isotope decay s to about 10% of the original activity, the nuclear powered batteries would be below background radiation level by that time. SOCIAL ACCEPTANCEThe nuclear technology has lost its credibility as the world has seen enough nuclear disasters. Thus acceptance for the nuclear technology will be very hard to come by. However the immense potential of this technology will soon overpower this initial resistance. CONCLUSION & WAY FORWARD Clearly the current state of research is making it harder to deny that chemical batteries will be replaced by nuclear powered batteries- and soon. Nuclear Batteries present a logical solution to the burgeoning need for a safe, reliable, compact, lightweight, longer lasting and self contained power supply.They not only protect our declining natural resources but also serve to make our traditional energy sources redundant. As the energy associated with the radioactive materials is much more than the conventional sources and by far the highest without any waste generation, the world can be transformed into a new one without green houses gases and its associated risks. Scientists have overcome a major stumbling block to make mass production of these batteries a viable and hugely profitable option. The system we have developed is mechanically simple, potentially leading to more compact, more reliable and less expensive systems. This was an attempt at something that seemed viable. â€Å", said Mark Prelas , Director of Research at University of Wisconsin’s Nuclear Science and Engineering Institute. Recent breakthroughs, at University of Missouri where the researchers have developed a economically feasible energy conversion system that uses safe isotopes to generate high-grade energy, only prove that these MEMS Marvels are going to be very successful in near future.Success of few similar small projects will give sufficient learning to make this technology big very soon. REFERENCES 1. â€Å"Nuclear and Radiochemistry† , Gerhardt Friedlander and Joseph W. Kennedy 2. Technolyreview. com 3. Powerpaper. com 4. http://ieeexplore. ieee. org/stamp/stamp. jsp? arnumber=01330808 5. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Atomic_battery 6. http://www. physorg. com/news174139641. html 7. http://www. scribd. com/doc/8929973/Nuclear-Battery