Polymers Essays - Polymers, Polymer Chemistry, Polymer, Biopolymer

Polymers Polymers are large molecules composed of smaller molecules called monomers. Monomers are produced and either grow together or are assembled to produce a single polymer. There are synthetic and natural polymers. Some examples of natural polymers would be wood, starches, fingernails, and hair. Synthetic polymers are usually referred to as plastics. Petroleum, is the primary monomer used to produce polymers. An English chemist named Alexander Parkes was the first scientist to produce the first synthetic polymer in 1862. John Wesley Hyatt, an American, was the first person to produce a useable polymer two years later. He named the product celluloid. The prime virtue of polymers is a high strength-to-weight ratio. Industrial-strength polymers surpass titanium in tensile strength. To add strength and improve flexibility, polymers are sometimes fortified with short-fiber additives, mostly fiberglass. This is known as a polymer composite. One particular polymer has three times the strength of tempered steel and is being used in bullet proof vests. Another composite will be used to fasten together the sections proposed space stations. Polymers have also been used in cars, including the Chevrolet Camaro and the Pontiac Fiero. New polymers are being created with more strength and flexibility by combing two chemically different polymers and producing a block copolymer. Combinations of block copolymers and composites and intended for use in booster rockets and in materials of Earth-orbiting installations. Most common polymers are usually solid, but a new class of polymers is being introduced in a liquid crystal state. Although these polymers still have the physical characteristics of liquid, they are structured more like solids. Many liquid crystals are transparent at one temperature and colored at another temperature. This makes them suitable for use in liquid crystal displays, such as in digital watches, hand-held calculators, and lap-top computers. A new liquid polymer, consisting of a mixture of iron and nickel, is being used to make metal links that can be used in paper, glass, and on electronic circuit boards. Despite the development and widespread use of polymers, scientific understanding is still sketchy. Polymer development has occurred through trial and error. Scientific shortcomings are becoming more apparent in the search for polymers that can meet the demands for high technology of today. The new study is on the microstructure of polymers while still in a liquid state. The purpose is to learn how the solid-state structure is developed. The ultimate goal is to be able to predict properties from a specific material under a constant set of processing conditions.

Music Appreciation ch. 35-41 Essays

Music Appreciation ch. 35-41 Essays Music Appreciation ch. 35-41 Paper Music Appreciation ch. 35-41 Paper Essay Topic: Poetry Which of the following choral genres was NOT developed during the Baroque? part song A musical setting of the Mass for the Dead is called: a Requiem Oratorios primarily drew their stories from: the Bible Mozarts Requiem was: his last work, incomplete at his death Who completed Mozarts Requiem? Sà ¼ssmayr The Dies irae text from the Requiem Mass describes: Judgement Day Which of the following correctly describes the musical forces for Mozarts Requiem? winds, brass, strings, timpani, choir, and four soloists The ________ accompanies the baritone voice in the Tuba mirum section of Mozarts Requiem. trombone Which of the following best describes the mood of the Dies irae from Mozarts Requiem? fearful and then wondering The text of Mozarts Requiem is sung in: Latin The German term for the art song is: Lied A song whose text is a short lyric poem in German with piano accompaniment is called a: Lied _______ was NOT an important composer of nineteenth-century Lieder. Heinrich Heine Which of the following was NOT a typical theme of Romantic poetry? praise of the Virgin Mary The favorite subjects of the Romantic poets were: love, longing, and nature A group of Lieder unified by a narrative thread or by a descriptive or expressive theme is called a(n): song cycle A song form in which the same melody is repeated for every stanza of text is called: strophic A song that is composed from beginning to end without repetition of whole sections is called: through composed A song form in which the main melody is repeated for two or three stanzas but introduces new or significantly varied material when the text requires it is called: modified strophic Schubert was born in: Vienna Schubert and his friends organized evening gatherings of artists, writers, and musicians, called: Schubertiads Schubert lived a tragically short life but was a remarkably prolific composer of: Lieder, chamber music, piano music (all of the above) In which genre was Schubert NOT indebted to Classical traditions? Lied Approximately how many songs did Schubert compose? more than 600 Schubert wrote several song cycles, including: Winters Journey Schuberts song Elfking is a setting of a ballad written by: Geothe Schuberts Lied Elfking is in ________ form. through-composed Which of the following is true of Schuberts Elfking? It is the masterpiece of his youth, It is based on a legend that whoever is touched by the king of the elves must die, It presents four characters who are differentiated in the music (all of the above) In Schuberts Elfking, the obsessive triplet rhythm of the piano accompaniment represents: the galloping of the horse Which musical devices does Schubert use to portray the childs terror in Elfking? high range and dissonance The composer who founded the New Journal of Music was: Robert Schumann Robert Schumanns wife, Clara, was: the daughter of his piano teacher, one of the foremost pianists of her day, the inspiration for A Poets Love (all of the above) Robert Schumann ended his career and life: in an asylum, the result of a mental illness Robert Schumanns A Poets Love is a: song cycle Robert Schumanns A Poets Love is set to texts by: Heinrich Heine Which of the following does NOT describe Schumanns A Poets Love? it tells a detailed story of a lost love Schumanns In the lovely month of May is from which song cycle? A Poets Love What is the form of In the lovely month of May? strophic Which of the following does NOT describe Schumanns In the lovely month of May? it ends with harmonic resolution Which of the following does NOT describe American popular music of the nineteenth century? the composers were always well known Which of the following describes music in America during the early nineteenth century? music was largely imported through Europe What is vernacular music? popular songs sung in a countrys native language What nationality was Stephen Foster? American Which nineteenth-century American composer is best remembered for his parlor songs and minstrel show tunes? Stephen Foster Which of the following best describes minstrelsy? shows that featured performers in blackface Stephen Foster composed all of the following songs EXCEPT: When Johnny Comes Marching Home Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair is: a parlor song The form of Fosters Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair is: strophic Fosters Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair is based on a poem by: Foster himself The most important keyboard instrument of the Romantic period was the: piano Which of the following does NOT characterize the piano? it is capable of only one dynamic level Which of the following instruments is capable of playing both melody and harmony? piano Which of the following was NOT a technical improvement to the nineteenth-century piano? a second keyboard was added The short, lyric piano piece is the instrumental equivalent of: the song During the nineteenth century, Prelude, Impromptu, and Intermezzo were common titles for: character pieces Nineteenth-century composers of the short, lyric piano piece included: Johannes Brahms, Frà ©dà ©ric Chopin, Robert Schumann (all of the above) Chopin is credited with developing the: modern piano style Which nineteenth-century composers entire output centered around the piano? Chopin Chopin spent his early years in: Poland Chopin spent most of his productive life in: Paris With which famous novelist did Chopin become romantically involved? George Sand Chopin composed works in all of the following genres EXCEPT the: symphony Which of the following does NOT characterize the music of Chopin? reserved emotions What is the origin of the mazurka? a Polish peasant dance Which of the following does NOT characterize Chopins Mazurka in B-flat Minor, Op. 24, No. 4? simple A-B-A form In connection with Chopins music, the term rubato means that the performer should: take liberties with the tempo Which composer is known as the poet of the piano? Frà ©dà ©ric Chopin Which of the following best describes the role of women in nineteenth-century music? the piano provided women with a socially acceptable performance outfit Which of the following was a noted woman composer of the Romantic era? Clara Schumann Which of the following women organized salons featuring music by her brother? Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel was discouraged from pursuing a career as a composer because: she was a woman Fanny Mendelssohn Hensels output is dominated by: Lieder and piano music Which of the following composed the piano cycle The Year? Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel wrote her cycle The Year for: piano The manuscript for Fanny Mendelssohn Hensels September: At the River, from The Year, has poetic lines by: Johann Wolfgang von Geothe Fanny Mendelssohn Hensels September: At the River, from The Year, is in ________ form. A-B-A How does Fanny Mendelssohn Hensels The Year reach a level of achievement beyond that of her brother Felix? it is a large-scale work unified by musical and extramusical links In which country was Franz Liszt born? Hungary Which composer is generally considered the greatest pianist and showman of the Romantic era? Liszt Liszt was inspired by the virtuoso violinist: Paganini Which of the following was the first internationally acclaimed American composer of classical music? Louis Moreau Gottschalk Louis Moreau Gottschalk was born in: New Orleans Louis Moreau Gottschalk is best known for his ________. solo piano music Which of the following statements about Louis Moreau Gottschalk is NOT true? he spent most of his creative life in Europe Louis Moreau Gottschalk based many of his works on: South American and Caribbean songs Which of the following does NOT characterize Gottschalks The Banjo? limited range The familiar tune quoted near the end of Gottschalks work The Banjo is: Camptown Races Instrumental music endowed with literary, philosophical, or pictorial associations is called: program music Which of the following compositions is LEAST likely to be an example of program music? string quartet in B-flat major Music composed without literary or pictorial meanings is called absolute music A multimovement, programmatic work for orchestra is called a: program symphony Which of the following composers is considered the first great exponent of musical Romanticism in France? Berlioz Hector Berlioz was born and spent most of his career in: France Which of the following is NOT characteristic of the music of Berlioz? as is typical of French music, emotions are restrained Which of the following is NOT a work by Berlioz? Italian Symphony Berliozs Symphonie fantastique is an example of a: program symphony How many movements are in Berliozs Symphonie fantastique? five Which of the following inspired Berliozs Symphonie fantastique? the actress Harriet Smithson Which of the following is NOT true of Berliozs Symphonie fantastique? the program deals entirely with nature In Berliozs Symphonie fantastique, the idà ©e fixe: symbolizes the beloved, recurs as required by the literary program, unifies the five movements, which are diverse in character and mood (all of the above) In Berliozs Symphonie fantastique, what is the idà ©e fixe? the basic theme of the symphony, heard in the march movement The technique of altering a theme to give it a different character is often called: thematic transformation Which of the following does NOT characterize the March to the Scaffold from Berliozs Symphonie fantastique? dominance of the string instruments The Dies irae is: a chant from the Mass for the Dead The piano manufacturer in New York that made major improvements to the instrument was: Steinway Through which innovation did Theobald Boehm improve musical instruments? key mechanism for woodwinds What new instrument was developed in the nineteenth century? saxophone

Case study discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Case study discussion - Essay Example Administrators face quite a number of moral challenges such as having to use the same curriculum as that set for regular students to teach the disabled who do have a small functioning level. From these it is clear that the decision of whether a disabled student should take the regular statewide test or the alternative assessment tests should be left to the administrator but not to the IEP team who do not consider the capability of disabled students. Judging from the case study Jamaica was severed in his least restrictive environment. It is clear since he could not change to better behaviors when he was offered a chance to prove himself. He was not gifted to surmount his emotional disturbance, but he was rather controlled by it leading to his state of special education. The fact that his relation with other students was not real disqualifies him from been in a typical high school to avoid him from harassing other students repeatedly. Jamaicas act of quitting school only proves that he was not ready to go to an ordinary high school since if he could not improve compared to when in a well-monitored situation. He would even perform desperately under no close supervision. Thus, it would only fasten his act of quitting

International Relations - Iraq Conflict Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

International Relations - Iraq Conflict - Essay Example . Fifteen years after the United Nation Security Council imposed sanctions and containment on Iraq, U.S. forces continued to battle remnants of the former regime and a range of other adversaries inside Iraq. Iraq remains a decisive battle front for both those who support and those who oppose the development of more moderate and globalized Islamic societies. The economy of this oil – rich country had been completely devastated by hyper inflation and debt. In 1990s Iraqis suffered under the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein and things got tragically worse with the horror of the attacks of September 2011.This gave a wonderful opportunity for America to retaliate against Islam radicals and the target was Iraq. The reason for this was possession of weapon of mass destruction by Iraq which was a military threat to America. The killing and counter killing continued for years. But the root cause of conflict in Iraq can be of various natures and one being religious indifferences. The othe r main reasons are poverty, ignorance, regression and fanaticism. According to Cordesman (2008,pg 45)â€Å"Tension between Sunni and Shiite legislators remained heightened as both sects accused each other of propagating sectarian killings and conflict† The root causes of conflict in Iraq can be associated with the following: The conflict in Iraq is not a civil war. It is a sectarian violence, complicated by the region’s wider religious rifts and their intersection with state – supported terrorism networks.

Change Management from Essentialist, Constructionist, and Essay

Change Management from Essentialist, Constructionist, and Participative Perspectives - Essay Example The essay discusses that social constructionists as a mechanism for examining the lives of individuals vary from the essentialists’ perception. According to the essentialists’ view, someone is perceived as â€Å"is lazy† whereas the same would be perceived as â€Å"being lazy† by the constructionist view. This implies that the essentialists refer to individuals as having a personality that is fixed, while the social constructionist, on the other hand, would suggest that an individual would change his or her personality depending on the circumstance or condition one finds him/herself in. The social constructionist perspective teaches people that the way in which they perceive the world ought to be unbiased. Presently, most individuals’ view about the world is based on the grounds of their previous experiences and knowledge. In fact, what exists within the world is only what individuals perceive to be in existence. Words by themselves only imply that anything means nothing on its own until people attach a discourse to it. The social (relational) constructionist perspective is a practical-theoretical range of understandings, which informs research, consulting and writing activities of different scholars and writers. A big number of consultants, researchers, as well as therapists perceive themselves as taking some form of social constructionist view although the concept of â€Å"social constructionism† has a variety of meanings. However, all constructionists share a deep emphasis on language with communication contrasting with more emphasis being upon language as presented. Besides, communication is perceived as constructed processes or products; in centering communal or individual construction processes; as well as in the importance given to the knower’s participation fact in those processes. Assumptions: The social constructivism and social constructionist perspectives are sociological knowledge theories, which con sider the way in which objects of consciousness or social phenomena develop in the social contexts. Social construct or construction is a practice or concept, which is a particular group’s construct. When something is said to be socially constructed, the focus is on its reliance on the group’s social selves’ contingent variables instead of any intrinsic quality it possesses within itself. Reality, learning, and knowledge are the key underlying assumptions upon which social constructionists perspective is typically based on. Strengths: The social constructionist view perceives all things as being social constructions; all things are metaphysical. This does not imply that the perspective views the external world as having unreal beings in a non-reality. On the contrary, it proposes that real and unreal notions are social constructs by themselves making the query of whether there exist anything real subject of social convention.  

Effects of Earthquakes on Humans and Environment

Effects of Earthquakes on Humans and Environment Earthquakes can have disastrous effects on humans and on the environment. An earthquake is the result of trembling, rolling and vibration of the ground triggered by the sudden release of energy that is stored below the surface of the Earth (Ford 2004). A scientific instrument called a seismometer is used by scientists to record, and measure strengthens of earthquakes (McNally 2007). The intensity or the size of an earthquake is measured by a number called the magnitude. Actually, earthquakes occur in everyday and everywhere and as a result, the estimate by scientists for each day is that more than thousands minor earthquakes happen without triggering any physical damage and mostly they are imperceptible. Earthquakes frequently occur in the following countries: China, Indonesia, Pakistan, Iran, United States, Japan, and the Philippines. In these regions there are a lot of earthquakes and also they have numerous volcanoes. There are three main causes of earthquakes: tectonic plate move ment, human activities, and volcanic eruptions. 2. Background Earthquakes destroy property and cause death. On July 28, 1976, there was a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in the city of Tangshan (Rosenberg 1997). The strength of the earthquake was recorded by a scientific instrument called a seismometer, also known as a seismograph. It is an instrument that can detect and measure the ground motion from an earthquake (McNally 2007). At 0342 local time, the earthquake hit Tangshan and over a million of people were sleeping. As a result, hundreds of thousands of people were killed and many people were reported missing and presumed dead. There were a lot of people were badly injured. Tangshan is located in Northeastern China Å’an area devastated by earthquakes. The earthquake was so strong that it triggered infrastructure collapse including houses, schools, shops, heath clinics, roads, railway station, factories, and bridges. The people in Beijing also felt the tremors. A lot of people lost their lives because most their houses were completely destroyed . The city of Tangshan is being rebuilt nowadays by its citizens. 3. Causes 3.1 Cause 1: Tectonic Plate Movement The main cause of earthquakes is tectonic plate movement. The crust of the earth consists of many pieces called tectonic plates. There are plates along the outer layer of the earth which are floating on the molten magma under the crust of the earth. (Ganguly 2008) The convection current in the molten magma drive the plates to move inside the earth. They move continuously until they pass through each other. When the two plates meet together, they start to push and rub each other but they are not moving. After a while, the pressure beneath builds up and keeps on rising. Once they cannot contain the pressure, it will be expelled. This sudden release of energy and the strength of the plates cause the ground shake and the two plates start to break. (Why do earthquake happen? n.d.) For example, on December 26, 2004, an earthquake hit the Sumatra, Indonesia where the Indian and Burmese plates in India Ocean are broken and one plate is moved across the top of the other plate. (Magnitude 9.1- Off the West Coast of Northern Sumatra 2008) The region that breaks on the crust is known as a fault which usually can be seen on the surface of the earth. The point where earthquakes begin and break the plates underground is known as focus and above the focus, on the surface of the earth is called the epicenter. During plate movement, one plate gets submerged into the molten magma and another plate is moved across the top of it. This plate rises up due to the heat of molten magma. The plates keep on moving until they get stuck against each other. Most earthquakes take place on the edges of the plates where one plate is forced further into the earth crust while another plate is moved across the top of the submerged plate. 3.2 Cause 2: Human Activities Another contributing factor to earthquakes is human activities. There are many human activities that cause an earthquake. Building skyscrapers is a good example that may cause an earthquake. Many engineers and scientists are concerned about the types of buildings in construction. Skyscraper Taipei 101 with the height of 508 meters which is the worlds tallest building. According to the geologist Cheng Horng Ling (2005), from the National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 101 may cause an earthquake because the 101-storey skyscraper is built the stress on an earthquake fault. An ancient earthquake fault may reopen as the stress from the buildings exerting on the ground increases. Besides that, the injection of fluids in the mountain or into the crust of the earth also triggers earthquakes. A long time ago, the main purpose of humans injecting fluid was that the injection was the best way to dispose of toxic waste. For example, in the Rocky Mountains where there is a place for waste disp osal. (Madrigal, A 2008) The injection of fluids into deep wells causes changing of the stress of the underground and the stress can generate an earthquake. Furthermore, the release of pressure when extracting oil and natural gas can also cause earthquake. 3.3 Cause 3: Volcanic Eruptions In addition, volcanic eruptions can also cause earthquakes. Normally, earthquakes are very active in areas of volcanic activity where they can either occur on their own or with the eruption. (Presnell 2002) Most of the time, the earthquakes triggered by the eruption of volcanoes are within ten to twenty miles around the volcanoes. In order to release the huge pressure that builds up by the molten magma underneath the earth crust, it always tries to look for an opening or an area that is fairly weak. (Ganguly 2008) Therefore, areas that have active volcanoes accompanied by volcanic activities are always prone to the earthquakes because the pressure builds up by the magma has surpassed the limit that earth crust can sustain. If a volcano eruption produces acidic lava then it can be predicted that there will an earthquake with the strongest magnitude. It is because acidic lava will solidify once it contacts the air and block the volcanos vents so that pressure cannot escape. As a result , pressure is developed inside and the resultant explosion can be destructive and destroying, producing an earthquake of significant magnitude. 4. Transition Statement Having looked at the causes of earthquakes, its main effects will be discussed in the following. The effects can be in terms of social, environmental and economic. An earthquake can bring great impacts to the society. It is an unbearable scene as people die in the aftermath of earthquakes and leaving their love one to suffer from their death. Some of natural disasters like tsunamis and landslides can be triggered by earthquakes. Earthquakes can also have disastrous effect to the countrys economy. 5. Effects 5.1 Effect 1: Social Impacts One of the biggest effects of earthquakes is the social impact on survivors. Earthquakes have short term impacts as well as long term impacts. The short term impacts can be seen in the aftermath of earthquakes. We can see thousands of people dying and many corpses. The 2008 earthquake in Sichuan, China, for instance, caused tens of thousands of deaths and hundreds thousands of people were injured. (Magnitude 7.9-Eastern Sichuan, China 2008.) A powerful earthquake can destroy buildings, factories, shops, roads, bridges and schools. These cause many people to become homeless. Furthermore, earthquakes can cause disruption to public services like transport systems and communication connections. (Earthquake n.d.) Worst of all, survivors face a lack of drinking water because water pipes burst and water supplies are contaminated. In the cases of long term social impacts, thousands of children became orphans as their parents are killed in the earthquake. Most of the parents are depressed and the town lost a generation because their children were killed in schools that collapsed. 5.2 Effect 2: Environmental Impacts There are also environmental impacts. A tsunami, for instance, is produced by an earthquake. Tsunamis are tidal waves that are caused by the sudden movement of plates under the sea floor during an underwater earthquake. (What are effects of earthquakes? n.d.) This wave can move swiftly a long way across the ocean. (Effects of earthquakes n.d.) When a large scale of tsunami hits the seashore area, it can trigger enormous erosion as well as destroy buildings in its path. Worst of all, people will also be washed away by the tsunami. For example, on December 26, 2004, a tsunami hit some nations around the Indian Ocean and caused hundreds of thousands of deaths. Earthquakes can cause landslides. It is very dangerous especially for buildings in unstable area on hillsides or mountains where soft soils can be liquefied by the tremors of earthquakes. During an earthquake, buildings can fall down hills with soil and bury people under the soil. People will be buried alive. In addition, aftersho cks are also effects of earthquakes. Aftershocks are small tremors which disperse it to other places and other people can feel it after the main shocks of an earthquake. For instance, in Penang, Malaysia, there are no earthquakes, but when an earthquake happened in Sumatra it was so great that even Malaysians living in Penang experienced aftershocks. (See 2006) 5.3 Effect 3: Economics Impacts Apart from social and environmental impacts, earthquakes also have negative effects on a nations economy. Governments have to be responsible for the damage caused by earthquakes. As we can see, earthquakes cause infrastructures to collapse, reservoirs dams, shops, and hospitals are devastated after an earthquake. (Earthquake n.d.) Governments have to spend sizeable amounts of money to rebuild the place. Earthquakes also cause spending of the capital to distribute food and medicine to victims. Markets in particular may be disrupted and this causes uneasy trade. Furthermore, investors whose money is in that particular area for development may decide to withdraw. Once the investors withdraw the investment in the particular country, it will a cause loss of job opportunities as well as the countrys income diminishing and an unstable of economy. 6. Conclusion In conclusion, earthquakes are hard to predict and can happen any time. Tectonics plate movement, human activities and volcanic eruptions are 3 of the causes of earthquakes, whose effects can be felt socially, environmentally, and economically. As we can see, prevention of earthquakes is absolutely impossible, so, suitable action to reduce injury and death is of uttermost importance. Some safety action should take place, such as evacuation and safety build structures to resist earthquakes. Some countries, such as the United States and Japan carried out research about public buildings designed to resist earthquakes. (Moleworth 2008) The results are that the whole building will move to and fro without trembling. It is very important to have this facility in earthquakes zones as damage and lives are at risk. (1775 words) References Bignerds. 2008. Earthquake. http://www.bignerds.com/essays/Earthquake/1237.html (accessed October 6, 2008) Earthquake. n.d. http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/geography/platetectonics/earthquakesrev3.shtml (accessed October 13, 2008) Effects of earthquakes. n.d. http://www.olympus.net/personal/gofamily/quake/effects.html (accessed October 21, 2008) Ford, R. 2004. Glossary. http://resweb.llu.edu/rford/docs/VGD/GSLVT/gslglossary.html (accessed October 21, 2008) Ganguly, P. 2008. What causes earthquakes? http://www.buzzle.com/articles/what-causes-earthquake.html (accessed October 17, 2008) Madrigal, A. 2008. Top 5 ways to cause a man-made earthquake. http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/06/top-5-ways-that.html (accessed October 29, 2008) Magnitude 7.9-Eastern Sichuan, China. 2008. http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Quakes/us2008ryan.php (accessed October 13, 2008) Magnitude 9.1-Off the West Coast of Northern Sumatra. 2008 http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/eqinthenews/2004/usslav/ (accessed October 13, 2008) McNally, K. 2007. Earthquake. http://www.nasa.gov/worldbook/earthquake_worldbook.html (accessed October 13, 2008) Molesworth, C. 2008. Pacific builder and engineer. http://www.acppubs.com/blog/1210000521/post/260034826.html (accessed October 27, 2008) Presnell, W. 2002. What causes earthquakes? http://www.essortment.com/hobbies/causesearthquak_tsjl.htm (accessed October 21, 2008) Ravillious, K. 2008. Skyscraper that may cause earthquakes http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2005/dec/02/naturaldisasters.climatechange (accessed October 6, 2008) Rosenberg, J. n.d. Tangshan: The deadliest earthquake. http://history1900s.about.com/od/horribledisasters/a/tangshan.htm (accessed October 21, 2008) See, B and S. C. Looi. 2008. Tremors felt in Penang. http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/2/20/nation/20080220191502sec=nation (accessed October 13, 2008) The Free Dictionary. n.d. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/aftershock (accessed October 30, 2008) What are the effects of earthquake? n.d. http://www.usgs.gov/faq/list_faq_by_category/get_answer.asp?id=197 (accessed October 30, 2008) Why do earthquake happen? n.d. http://www.geo.mtu.edu/UPSeis/why.html (accessed October 17, 2008)

Jose Saramagos Blindness Essay -- Jose Saramago Essays Blindness

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When defining the word blindness, it can be interpreted in various ways. Either it can be explained as sightless, or it can be carefully deciphered as having a more complex in-depth analysis. In the novel Blindness, Jose Saramago depicts and demonstrates how in an instant your right to see can be taken in an instant. However, in this novel, blindness is metaphorically related to ‘seeing’ the truth beyond our own bias opinions. Saramago’s novel clearly illustrates themes that describe the importance of the awareness of others, in terms of feeling oppressed by fear, lack of trust, dehumanization, and segregation. He describes in full detail the importance of the government’s involvement in the lives of the blind victims, which allows the reader to understand and recognize our own societal misfortunes in health care, as well as other world problems. For example, our government allows Hispanic women to be eligible for â€Å"Medicaid or state-sponsored child health insurance programs, yet many Hispanic American families fear that enrolling family members in such plans could be used against them when they apply for citizenship† (Minority Women’s Health). Not only are Hispanic Americans afraid of getting ill while without health care, but they also fear that having health insurance could devastate their chances of acquiring a citizenship. Moreover, the government is obviously not seein g the pain and suffering through the eyes of the less fortunate, and in turn robs them of their freedom and vulnerability for being in a lower class.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Saramago’s novel, the government’s commands, instant decisions, and fears about the blind epidemic is what the blind infected, vulnerable characters are terrified about the most. â€Å"Look here, blind man, let me tell you something, either the two of you get back to where you came from, or you’ll be shot [†¦] they’re terrified and are only obeying orders† (63). With a large number of people going blind quickly and with no apparent cause, public health officials’ panic and the blind internees are not only afraid for their lives in terms of their sickness, but they are also terrified of the government’s command to shoot and kill the infected internees. The most important things in life is not power and the ability to instill fear on others, it is compassion, love, and understanding. Without these three qualities, we become blind t... ...and can be set aside, has an absurd psychological way of thinking. People should not devalue others’ because they are â€Å"weaker,† or â€Å"different† from him/her. â€Å"Fear can cause blindness, said the girl with the dark glasses, Never a truer word, that could not be truer, we were already blind the moment we turned blind, fear struck us blind, fear will keep us blind† (Saramago 129). In today’s society, people are more concerned with their own â€Å"little world,† rather than looking at the extensive perspective of life. One reason why people can sometimes be classified as being â€Å"blind† is because people fear the unknown, and rejects the unfamiliar. Many people are not comfortable with stepping out of their shell and exploring their surroundings, let alone trying to look through the eyes of the segregated minority. In the novel Blindness, Jose Saramago metaphorically uses the word â€Å"blindness† as a term meaning, the truth that we cannot bear to see. To avoid the outside world, many people tend to shelter themselves from the obvious reality, and tend to focus of their â€Å"own† meaning of r eality. However, when our vision is stripped from our secluded selves, reality is all you can truly â€Å"see.† Jose Saramago's Blindness Essay -- Jose Saramago Essays Blindness   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When defining the word blindness, it can be interpreted in various ways. Either it can be explained as sightless, or it can be carefully deciphered as having a more complex in-depth analysis. In the novel Blindness, Jose Saramago depicts and demonstrates how in an instant your right to see can be taken in an instant. However, in this novel, blindness is metaphorically related to ‘seeing’ the truth beyond our own bias opinions. Saramago’s novel clearly illustrates themes that describe the importance of the awareness of others, in terms of feeling oppressed by fear, lack of trust, dehumanization, and segregation. He describes in full detail the importance of the government’s involvement in the lives of the blind victims, which allows the reader to understand and recognize our own societal misfortunes in health care, as well as other world problems. For example, our government allows Hispanic women to be eligible for â€Å"Medicaid or state-sponsored child health insurance programs, yet many Hispanic American families fear that enrolling family members in such plans could be used against them when they apply for citizenship† (Minority Women’s Health). Not only are Hispanic Americans afraid of getting ill while without health care, but they also fear that having health insurance could devastate their chances of acquiring a citizenship. Moreover, the government is obviously not seein g the pain and suffering through the eyes of the less fortunate, and in turn robs them of their freedom and vulnerability for being in a lower class.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Saramago’s novel, the government’s commands, instant decisions, and fears about the blind epidemic is what the blind infected, vulnerable characters are terrified about the most. â€Å"Look here, blind man, let me tell you something, either the two of you get back to where you came from, or you’ll be shot [†¦] they’re terrified and are only obeying orders† (63). With a large number of people going blind quickly and with no apparent cause, public health officials’ panic and the blind internees are not only afraid for their lives in terms of their sickness, but they are also terrified of the government’s command to shoot and kill the infected internees. The most important things in life is not power and the ability to instill fear on others, it is compassion, love, and understanding. Without these three qualities, we become blind t... ...and can be set aside, has an absurd psychological way of thinking. People should not devalue others’ because they are â€Å"weaker,† or â€Å"different† from him/her. â€Å"Fear can cause blindness, said the girl with the dark glasses, Never a truer word, that could not be truer, we were already blind the moment we turned blind, fear struck us blind, fear will keep us blind† (Saramago 129). In today’s society, people are more concerned with their own â€Å"little world,† rather than looking at the extensive perspective of life. One reason why people can sometimes be classified as being â€Å"blind† is because people fear the unknown, and rejects the unfamiliar. Many people are not comfortable with stepping out of their shell and exploring their surroundings, let alone trying to look through the eyes of the segregated minority. In the novel Blindness, Jose Saramago metaphorically uses the word â€Å"blindness† as a term meaning, the truth that we cannot bear to see. To avoid the outside world, many people tend to shelter themselves from the obvious reality, and tend to focus of their â€Å"own† meaning of r eality. However, when our vision is stripped from our secluded selves, reality is all you can truly â€Å"see.†