Dr. Seuss’s the Sneetches

The Sneetches Book Analysis By: Matthew Strong The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss is the title story in a playfully written series of short stories that subtly illustrate very crucial moral and social issues that are still very relevant in today’s society, despite the book being published in 1961. Now, obviously this story can be read for sheer pleasure, however upon rereading it as an adult I, walked away with a much more profound enlightenment at the overall message conveyed by The Sneetches. There are multiple dilemmas/ social issues that significantly stand out, and these will be the ones addressed and analyzed in more depth.Issues such as racism and the keeping up with the Joneses mentality that is so prevalent in today’s consumerist society. Of course these are not the only issues brought up within The Sneetches, but simply the ones that I feel are conveyed the strongest by Dr. Seuss through his illustrations and his obscure, yet delightful use of literature that has made him such a world renowned author of children’s books. Keeping up with the Joneses is a popular term that summarizes the widespread and cyclical effect of defining oneself by what they possess, in an effort to reach a higher social status.Dr. Seuss precipitates this effect by introducing the very clearly spoken and keen character of Sylvester McMonkey McBean (Giesel, 9). After effectively raising the social status of the Plain-Bellied Sneetches by adding a star to their bellies he immediately initiate’s the consumerist cycle by stating, â€Å"belly stars are no longer in style† (Giesel, 17). Dr. Seuss illustrates the ensuing dilemma that perfectly depicts the desire to achieve social and cultural superiority by the Sneetches, while also detailing Sylvester McMonkey McBean amassing a large fortune in the background (Giesel, 20).The character of Sylvester McMonkey McBean represents an uncanny similarity to that of the big business industries that use consumerism a s a means to control the buying public. He continually raises his prices and dictates the newest trends so that the Sneetches raced through the machines constantly changing their stars every minute or two (Giesel, 22). Dr. Seuss is discreetly pointing out that by constantly defining our social status by what we possess, we will inherently ause conflict and unfortunately in today’s consumerist society, there will always be people who take advantage of humanities desire to define ourselves for a profit. Racism is arguably the most prominent moral issue portrayed within The Sneetches. Dr. Seuss almost immediately starts off the story with a seemingly irrelevant difference between two otherwise indistinguishable Sneetches. The line â€Å"Those stars weren’t so big. They were really so small, you might think such a thing didn’t matter at all† (Giesel, 3) is used to foreshadow how such a small star will have such a vast impact throughout the story.Racism can be defined in many ways, however in this context it can be put simply as a belief that members of a certain race possess characteristics that they use to distinguish themselves from another race, in an effort to be perceived as superior. I see the theme of racism throughout the entire story but it is most evident in the first few pages, where as a reader you become acclimated to the fact that the Star-Bellied Sneetches truly do believe they are more privileged by the way that they carry themselves with their snoots in the air and such a pretentious demeanour (Giesel, 4).Dr. Seuss further emphasizes this belief of superiority during the following paragraphs when he describes how the Plain-Belly Sneetches were not allowed to join in games of ball or attend parties and picnics hosted by the Star-Belly Sneetches. The Plain-Belly Sneetches remain depressed and oppressed, clear indicators that the factors of racism have been evidently established between the two types of Sneetches for a lon g period of time. Dr.Seuss uses very thin horizontal and diagonal lines to really capture the energy and excitement of the Star-Bellied Sneetches, while also using the same technique to convey the depressed and divided mood of the Plain-Bellied Sneetches (Giesel, 6). Furthermore, Dr. Seuss practically reverses the colour palate from the previous pages to strengthen the emotion displayed by the two types of Sneetches (Giesel, 7). The illustrations on pages six and seven compliment the text perfectly as Dr. Seuss describes how deep rooted and developed the segregation between the Sneetches truly is when he says â€Å"They left them out cold, in the dark of the beaches.They kept them away. Never let them come near. And that’s how they treated them year after year† (Giesel, 7). It is with that paragraph that Dr. Seuss used seemingly primitive imaginary creatures to emphasize a very realistic and relevant human rights issue. Racism and all of its awful subcategories such as prejudice, discrimination and segregation don’t emerge overnight; they are the result of a small-minded belief that has cultivated and grown over time like an untreated disease. Although The Sneetches is a beloved children’s book, Dr. Seuss is conveying a valuable message for all ages.With his iconic use of subtle metaphors, he is saying to not allow our trivial differences act as dividing lines in society, and that the human race can exist peacefully despite our exterior differences. Through playful commentary and relatively simplistic illustrations Dr. Seuss is able to send a very subtle, yet powerful message to the readers of The Sneetches. It becomes vividly apparent and shockingly unfortunate that a story published in 1961 can still address so many moral and social issues that are still very relevant in today’s society. Disguised as a children’s story, Dr.Seuss has conveyed very valuable lessons in racism and the desire to define ourselves by what w e possess. We are all born with innocence to the world, and therefore, how we identify ourselves, and tolerance towards others are all qualities that are taught. The overall message of this story is aimed at the adults who will be reading The Sneetches to the children of today/ tomorrow. To teach them to accept others for who they are because we are all but one component of the greater human race. Works Cited Giesel, Theodor Seuss. The Sneetches And Other Stories. New York: Random House Children’s Books, 1961. Print.

How Their Life Influenced Their Poetry

Maya Angelou’s poetry was influenced by the many things that Maya did and had gone through in her life. Mayas depressing and sad childhood also influenced her by creating inspiring poems. Maya had gone through a lot in her in her life when she was young. This helped her write her thoughtful and interesting poems. A poem that was influenced by Mayas life is â€Å"Still I Rise†. Slavery, racism, and discrimination in the poet’s life influenced this poem. â€Å"Leaving behind nights of terrors and fears I rise.Bringing the gift that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and hope of the slaves. † This quote shows you that Maya had a tough time in her life. Maya when she was younger was sent back to live with her mother after her parents divorce and was rapped by her mother’s boyfriend. Several of Mayas uncles murdered her mother’s boyfriend and after this catastrophe Maya didn’t talk much. What helped her escape that loneliness and depressing life was writing poetry. Maya would express her feelings all into a piece of paper and make it into poetry.That’s what helped Maya rise. â€Å"Still I Rise† is a great poem. It shows how strong and brave she was. Angelou wrote this poem expressing that people can say or do what ever they want but you are still going to rise. In other words people can try to hurt you but if you’re proud of your self and proud of whom you are then that will help people back off because they know and can sense that nothing can bring you down. A poem called â€Å"Our Grandmothers† is also a poem that was really influenced by discrimination and racism in Mayas life.Angelou used to be discriminated because of her color and race. Being separated from her mother at such a young age and with a lot of racism going around at that time influenced Maya to write â€Å"Our Grandmothers†. In the poem a woman named Momma is going to be sold by the master away from her children. But Momma tells her children to be strong and say â€Å"I shall not be moved†. My opinion is that the theme of the poem is that no matter who you are, where you come from, or what color or religious you are you are all the same.Everyone is unique and special in their own way. Just because you’re a different color then someone else it doesn’t mean that you have to mistreat or be mean to them. Last but not least is â€Å"Phenomenal†. This poem was influenced by her confidence in life. â€Å"Now you understand just why my head’s not bowed, I don’t shout or jump about or have to talk real loud, when you see me passing it ought to make you proud†. This means that you don’t have to act all crazy, dress up, act up or anything just for people to notice. You should be confident and just be yourself.Being confident will help you get far in life. For example Maya is very confident and she has done a lot of great things in her life. Being con fident and being who she is not acting like someone else helped her achieve it. When Maya Angelou was younger, she loved to work in her grandmother’s store. She loved everything about it and working in the store is what practically made her such a hard worker. Since she was used to working so hard in the store when she grew up most of the things were mostly a piece of cake for her because she was used to it.Also because of Mayas hard work, Maya has achieved a lot of great things in her life. Especially maintaining a baby at a young age by her self before she even graduated from high school. Maya has reached a lot of goals and has accomplished a lot of her dreams because of all the hard work she has done. Maya Angelou is a very lucky woman. She has had an opportunity to become famous and publish her poems into a book. Maya even had the opportunity to write a poem for Clinton who asked her to write one just for the occasion.Maya is an African- American woman that people can lea rn a lot from. Maya Angelou is a very phenomenal and intelligent woman. All of these poems were influenced by Mayas life. Maya has been through out a lot in her life. She is such an incredible poet and woman. She’s so elegant and intelligent. Her intelligence is also what helped her be everything she was and is today. Maya is the poet I chose because of the way she expresses herself in her poems also because of the way Maya makes her poetry sound so interesting and understandable. Throughout her life, she influenced her poems.

Green house gases effect Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Green house gases effect - Essay Example In particular, the level of carbon dioxide has increased from 280 ppm to 360 ppm. Careful observations have made it clear that the increase of greenhouse gases concentration has contributed to increase in global warming (Global warming. In The Encyclopedia of Ecology and Environmental Management, Blackwell Science). Thus a close relationship between the greenhouse gases and global warming has been established. Scientists use mathematical models of the energy balance of the Earth’s surface in relation to the properties of the atmosphere, to determine the intensity of the relationship between greenhouse gases and global warming. These models are very helpful in establishing that increase in greenhouse gases concentration leads to increase in global temperature. A number of supercomputers have been employed to analyze the data and predict the possible effect of this relationship. In addition, weather scientists developed global circulation models or GCMs for this purpose. If the current level of CO2 doubles, then there will be a long – term change in surface air temperatures. It is predicted that such long-term change would result in a temperature increase of 1.5 to 4.5 degrees Celsius. Thus the average increase is predicted to be 2.5 degrees Celsius. As such, vegetation in the North ern hemisphere is experiencing the effects of global warming (Global warming. In The Encyclopedia of Ecology and Environmental Management, Blackwell Science). Greenhouse gases are molecules in the earth’s atmosphere that have more than two atoms. They have the capacity to retain heat reflected from the earth’s surface, which results in increasing the temperature of the earth. The principal greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide or CO2, methane or CH4, ozone or O3, water vapor or H2O and minute quantities of CFC’s or chlorofluorocarbons (Nave). It is vitally important to properly assess the harm caused

THE ART OF THE ISLAMIC BOOK, 12501600-- Article Review Essay

THE ART OF THE ISLAMIC BOOK, 12501600-- Article Review - Essay Example Roxburgh stressed that â€Å"what Lentz and Lowry’s study could not do, on account of various constraints, was pursue a micrology process, but what was neither their stated brief nor their aim†¦ One of the general observations that they do offer about features of drawings is that in the hundreds of drawings contained in the Baysunghur album in particular, we see the progression toward a visual typology.† ( 47) In light of these, the author distinguished his work as based on a visual analysis of hundreds of drawings and what can be deduced from it. However, he stressed that they were not supported by current scientific imaging techniques because, as stated, non-destructive testing methods are so rudimentary and that non-invasive methods of physical analysis are also not readily available. Roxburgh’s argument is that much can be accomplished outside the laboratory using the eye alone. In the course of the author’s analysis of the Persian drawings, he focused on three salient factors: the materials and methods used by artists in the process of design, the draftsman’s repertoire of mark making, and the methods employed by artists in the production of compositions for manuscript paintings. Roxburgh’s findings give us interesting insights. To start with, according to him, despite evidence that drawings were regarded as a fragile and dispensable detritus, as a processual compost, the mountain of evidence preserved in albums is powerful proof that drawings had a creative currency and at some point came to be valued for their own sake. (44) He also stressed that the conceptual and practical links between writing and drawing must have been palpable even if a written statement to that effect would not be expressed until the early years of sixteenth century. Roxburgh noted that the absence of a corpus of drawings that can be linked directly to a finished object, a fact that precludes

Critique of a research report Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Critique of a report - Research Paper Example 193). Due to a variety of factors such as failure to meet academic guidelines, escalating cost of education, and economic crisis, attrition to nurse anesthesia programs requires attention. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2004) recommended advance practitioners such as nurse anesthetist to have Doctor of Nursing Practice as a terminal degree(Burns, 2011, p. 193). In line with this, reinforcing the need for studying different variables in nurse anesthesia programs and academic progression increased. Despite a 20-year review of the literature, only descriptive or outcome studies were found to demonstrate the relationship between preadmission variables and academic progression. The research paper lacks empirical studies and evidences linking preadmission variables, academic progression, and attrition. Thus, limited number of available information and literature reviews requires the need for future researches. The research paper aims to study the relationship between admi ssion criteria, critical care, and academic progression to nurse anesthesia programs.

Visual Literacy in Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Visual Literacy in Business - Essay Example Simply, Kennedy’s definition is more concerned with the action of seeing and deriving meaning from visual images while Howell’s definition is more concerned with the cognitive processes involved when people retrieve meaning from visual images and how experiences, sensory perception and critical thinking affect the process (Howells, 2009). I am of the opinion that Howell’s definition offers a better and more comprehensive analysis of visual literacy since it not only analyses the physical action of seeing images, but also identifies that it encompasses other factors such as the cognitive processes specific to a person, such as their attention span, experiences, reception to external stimuli and their ability to think critically. I find Kennedy’s evaluation limiting and lacking since it only emphasizes on the physical activity of seeing as the primary and sole factor in the process of retrieving meaning from images. Kennedy’s definition alludes to the fact that visual literacy is straight forward for everyone. However, this is not the case especially in today’s world where conditions such as attention deficit disorders may inhibit the ability of a person to accurately decipher the meaning of images and consequently impact on the visual literacy of a person. In today’s world, the classroom offers an opportunity to study and recognize the different levels of visual literacy among people. According to Elkins, the most compelling argument in favor of visual literacy being considered as a universal language is its ability to communicate messages, concepts and ideas to people of varying cultural languages across the world. The use of one image may be used to convey a singular message to people of diverse cultures and languages across the globe and despite the differences, the people will still retrieve a singular meaning to the visual image presented. Essentially, visual literacy is not

Toshiba Company in Malaysia Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Toshiba Company in Malaysia - Coursework Example Toshiba is well known among domestic and business circles for products like laptops. After Dell, HP, Accer and Lenovo, Toshiba is the 5th biggest Laptop manufacturer in the world. II. Competitive Forces Model for Toshiba Toshiba’s product range is huge, starting from fluorescent lamps in 1939, Toshiba has come a long way over the past 70 odd years and has proven itself a worthy and tough competitor in almost all of the electronic and electrical industries. Toshiba is a competitor in most of the electronic industries, for example Toshiba manufactures video cameras for domestic use as well as surveillance cameras along with complete surveillance systems. Naturally it is not easy to compete with a company that has such a wide range of products, especially one that is continuing to grow and expand to a point when it will be intimidating and threatening for its competitors. Entrants: Toshiba has a long to do in the mobile market. A great marketing campaign has to be set by the comp any to take the market as Toshiba have in LapTop or computer market. Entry of competitors: it is not easy for a new competitor to enter the market for electronic goods because it is inhabited by organizational giants like Toshiba, Sony, Lenovo and many others. Threats of substitutes: yet again manufacturer substitution is probable but the possibilities are limited to the companies that are fully established with a large number of users who can help convince others to try out their products. Bargaining power of buyers Bargaining power of suppliers Rivalry among the existing players: naturally there is a strong rivalry between Toshiba and its competitors but Toshiba is a high profiled player in this arena. It has been around for quite long time and has continued to expand with time by introducing innovations in its products with a consistency that few can match. III. Competitors When it comes to manufacturing electrical goods, Toshiba has got a large number of competitors all over the world for example Toshiba has got giants like HP, Dell, Lenovo, Casper, Sony, Accer and Compaq as competitors in the manufacturing of PCs and laptops. Toshiba has all sorts of competitors in almost all parts of the world though their types and expertise varies. IV. Customers Toshiba has got a large number of customers all over the world which can be divided into three basic categories. a) Domestic consumers: Toshiba manufactures Laptops and netbooks, Laptop accessories, Televisions, Blue ray players, DVD players, HD camcorders, LED lightings, Air conditioning and heating devices for domesticated environments. b) Business clients: Toshiba manufactures copiers, printers, fax machines, scanners, electronic components, semiconductors, hard disk drives, laptop computers, Surveillance and IP video products, Liquid

Collaborative design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Collaborative design - Essay Example The intention of the current project is to revisit the strengths and capacities of XNL-enable X3D standard for the capture of engineering information, particularly those dealing with design. These include the structure of the product, the bill of materials, and the encoding and categorization of the product. The term CAD means Computer-Aided Design .CAD software is used for drawing tools basically to explain the geometries which are used by the manufacturing portion, i.e. the CAM part of the program. It explains the path that helps directing the motion of a machine tool, to the machine in the exact shape drawn. A product is usually physical; nevertheless, it can also be metaphysical. It may serve as a strong determinant as far as our positioning in the world is concerned. This can pilot us to be at an angle toward a social milieu in product design (Slack 2006). Design is a form of expression which serves as the avenue whereby desires of the customer or the market are made into a product that aims to satisfy these desires. Such product hence generates revenue. A cleverly designed and marketed product brings a company or designer to an iconic status. Thus, a wise investment in design results to a generous return on investment. In addition, it can also offer a unique stance in a highly competitive world (Slack 2006). The compass of design is substantial, covering graphic communications to integrated systems and then from information technology to urban environments. While globally it is described as the formation and development of all man-made products; it is fundamentally perceived as a device for improving the quality of life (Taschen 2001). Designers are not futurologists; however, they have to be in line with clearly identifying the relationships of the past, present and future as well as the prospective effects of political, social, and emotional impacts of

Leisure and Tourism Operation Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Leisure and Tourism Operation Management - Essay Example Another aim was to prove that the hypothesis of acceptance of this culture leads to devastating consequences and that high turnover must be prevented, minimized, and managed. In order to meet the aims of the study, it was necessary to examine the causes and nature of turnover, whether it is considered to be bad or if it is considered to be good and necessary in the operation of companies. Existing arguments were examined as some believe that high turnover is desired in the hospitality industry yet some do not believe it to be a positive thing. Another argument included turnover as a culture for the industry. Interviews from hotels/resorts owners and managers were used to provide which proved the writer's hypotheses and aims. Turnover is when employees stay only for a short time before moving on or becoming dismissed for one reason or another. (D'Announzio-Green, Maxwell, & Watson 2002, quote Barron and Maxwell, 1993, p. 5). "Turnover is the result of both quits and layoffs. Thus, some turnover is a result of jobs in one firm being destroyed and jobs in another firm being created- and hence due to the reallocation of jobs across the economy in response to changes Student's Last Name 3 in product demand. A majority of job changes, however, are because workers reshuffle across the same set of jobs, and this worker reallocation occurs over and above job reallocation," as written by Lane (2000). Some hospitality industry sources report that turnover rate is between 100 and 150 percent each year. This causes poor attitude amongst staff and affects the quality of service and care that is given to the customers. (Crabtree, 2005.) It is usually considered to be a bad thing; however, research has shown that a little turnover is essential to the well being of an organization. Scholtz (n.d.) reports that there are companies who have a turnover rate of ten percent or more and think it is a good thing because "they are replacing the bottom performers with new people will improve organizational performance." A certain amount of turnover may be desired by businesses. Some examples include high-pressured jobs with lots of customer contact such as working the counter at a fast food outlet or a high-volume cafeteria. (Mullins, 1998, p. 176.) At some time, pressure, difficult customers and repetitive tasks will affect performance. Therefore, some turnover is good. However, its negative con sequences far outweigh the positive and turnover can snowball and get out of control if not managed properly. There are many other consequences including lack of respect from the public, first experience on the job, harassment by customers, less than par working conditions, low wages, terrible work schedules, etc. A culture of high turnover in the company may consist of victimization at work. Whether it is by customers, other staff members, or management, this is extremely detriment to all. Victimized employees can experience a high level of stress, low tolerance of stress, tiredness, and headaches.

Date Rape Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

The other sister reflection Essay Example for Free

The other sister reflection Essay This movie portrays how a family, who has a member with a disability, encountered and overcame adversities from within triggered by several environmental factors. The protagonist, Carla Tate, who has an intellectual disability, seeks freedom from her mother, acceptance from others, and attention/love from opposite sex. Eventually she got those as the story developed. This only means that a disability should never serve as a hindrance in achieving your dreams. On the other hand, it lso gives us an idea that persons who have siblings with a disability are also crying out for their parents attention because they too have needs. I never had the chance to experience having a sibling but I wish I had one. Actually, I cant even relate when my cousins/friends speak of sibling rivalry. The bottom line of this is parents should be fair with their children; there should be no room for favoritism because it can serve as the root of quarrels and divisions. One thing that really intrigues me a lot is its title. It made me think about why it is called The Other Sister. When I heard it (the title), I supposed that the protagonist is an illegitimate child. Then as I watch, I realized that I was wrong with my presumption and I ponder that its more far from but deeper than that. I remembered her lines, mies, I can if you will give me a chance, mother, which drew me to a fact that more often than not, our parents worry too much to the point of impeding our capacity to grow. For me, she struggles a lot of being alienated inside her family when she felt at first uncomfortable with hem, when they sent her away to a far special school, and when they still cant fully accept (in denial of) her disability. Alienation because they seem cant hear the voiceawhich cries aloud within her, cant feel the hunger in her heart and cant see the real her. They want to view her the person they want her to be. It might be because they still have in their minds the little Carla whom they can easily dictate or manipulate. She is hardly begging for a chance a chance not only to be independent but also to search for self-identity and to contemplate whom she wants o be despite of her disability. I can hardly bear how much it would be difficult for persons with disability to fght for their right to be heard. Given the fact that they have a disability, still we should not forget that they also have life and right to live it to the fullest. The best part for me is when finally her mother granted her that chance to explore and celebrate life. Though its hard in her part to give that but indeed it was the best decision she made for Carla. Admit it or not, we also undergo/ undergone that same process. To tell you the truth, even l, also experience unending expectations and it sometimes irritates me. Although its not bad for others to expect from you but when youre being bound with too much expectations, it can actually exhaust you, overrule you, and even destroy you. This might serves as a boundary in achieving your goals. Yes, others opinions, including your familys, matter but sometimes it hinders what and who you really want to be. Lesson: never allow others to dictate who you will be; at the end choice is yours. -Remigio, Czarine EFR1-3 the day, its still your lite, which means

The Yellow Wallpaper Essay Example for Free

The Yellow Wallpaper Essay Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s short story â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† and John Clive’s film â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† are similar and different in many aspects. The main plot for example, is extremely similar in both versions. John, one of the main characters, is a doctor and tries to help his wife, the narrator, from depression he believes she suffers from. His treatment requires virtually no activity, and that she does nothing at all for several weeks. In order to make this possible, John purchases a large estate, which is isolated and quiet. He is constantly in and out of the house due to his job, so he creates a strict schedule for his wife to abide by. His possessive control over his wife’s actions is apparent in both the short story and film. It is his control that causes his wife to sneak around, for example beginning her secretive journal, which she believes relieves her mind. Clearly, these two people are not meant to be together due to their opposing views. By the end of the story, John had driven Charlotte so mad that he caught her tearing the wallpaper off the wall in her room. The little aspects are what differed between the short story and film. Things like how the house maid acted, different symbolisms, and the intentions of different characters are obvious examples. However, the similarities in John’s character between the short story and film of â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† are the most important portion in analyzing these two pieces. How he treats his wife, the narrator, and how he is portrayed are the main similarities in his character. Throughout both the film and short story â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper, John is portrayed as the villain, or antagonist. He is viewed in this way because his treatment of the narrator, or his wife, goes terribly wrong. His actions prove that he had good intentions for his wife the entire time, but his controlling personality is ultimately what drove her insane. He did love her and want her to get better, but he did not believe she knew what was best for her. We know he loved her because after John had set all these arrangements up, he told Charlotte, â€Å"I only want what’s best for you†. Also, the fact that he had a strict schedule for his wife to abide by and his complete disregard to her attempts to escape the life she was forced into proves John cared in a way. She tried to express her feelings to John, but he only patronized her further, unknowingly making her depression worse. In both pieces, John is the narrators’ husband and is by societal law responsible to protect her. His ignorance and stubbornness causes him to do the complete opposite, because he thinks he is the one who knows what is best for her. He does not let her have a say in the matter, which is typical for men to do during this time period. Back then, woman did not really have much say in the household, in politics, or in society what so ever. However, the part when he crossed the line is when he began to treat her as if she was a patient, not his wife. This is obvious when John explains to her,  "You must abide by my schedule†. His neglect towards her feelings is what made her get sicker, and you can only push people so far before they break. That is why by the end of both pieces John finds his wife to be completely insane, crawling in their room with all of the wallpaper ripped off of the wall. John treats his wife exactly the same in both of these pieces as well. He is quoted saying, â€Å"I love you† on multiple occasions. Back during the time that these settings took place, it was common for men to think they were the more dominant gender, and for them to not want women to have a say in anything. So John clearly is not like most men of his time. Women were also considered housewives, and all of their responsibilities were in the house. So it is not a surprise that John believed he knew what was best for his wife. He did not let her have a say even in her own health, which is why eventually she ended up going crazy. This is evident when John discovered his wife’s diary. He sits her down and says, â€Å"This is not what women do†. Reading and writing he believes only stresses her brain, and that is what is causing her sickness. Even though she pleads that writing helps her relieve stress and makes her feel better, his arrogance just makes matters worse . It is also evident when John denies his wife’s request to visit with her family members. He says it is because her treatment requires her not to see anybody. He then goes on to host his own family at his house. Charlotte completely freaks out at the dinner because of all the stress. By this point in the story, the readers get a clear idea that Charlotte will not be normal again. Keeping both pieces in mind, â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† has to be one of the most impressive pieces I have ever read and watched. Even though it was written in the late 1800’s, it is surprisingly modern in its content. It is clear that mental illness played a major role in the mindset of the narrator. The extended metaphor of the wallpaper as the restricting force that puts down women in society was clear. I also really liked how both authors portrayed John as a rich, successful, and powerful man. I think he fit the description of how that type of man acts today, with a sense of nobility. Thinking that you know everything and can never do wrong is not a good way to live. John’s inability to complete any of his wife’s requests can be seen as a metaphor to a society that is unjust to women. Despite John’s good intentions, in the end his wife continued to suffer. I would recommend this piece to women who feel they are being put down by men, and not tr eated equally. Its meanings are deep and hard to understand, however they are powerful and significant. Every aspect of this story can be compared to modern day life. I personally see multiple similarities between the story and society today. Women are constantly not being treated fairly. Both authors did an excellent job in describing characters and hiding messages throughout the story. I know this because it was an exhausting job totally understanding these pieces.

Development and Importance of Solar Electricity

Development and Importance of Solar Electricity Noxious gasses, acrid fumes, scarred landscapes, a massive carbon footprint, and a warming atmosphere. These are the consequences of obtaining energy from nonrenewable resources such as coal, natural gas, and petroleum. These are the sources we use to produce electricity, endangering the very planet we live on through their harmful impacts on the environment. These destructive effects include, but are not limited to, the creation of a blanket of carbon dioxide which traps heat in the atmosphere and thus warms it, water and ground contamination from spills and other mishaps, and air pollution. There is a better answer to obtaining electricity, one which reduces greenhouse gas emissions and has a much, much smaller impact on the environment: the photovoltaic (PV) cell, also known as the solar cell. Because the solar cell has these incredible benefits, our nation should invest much more money into research and development of solar power to generate electricity. Thanks to considerable public investment in green energy that came from the US, Germany, and China during the Great Recession, recent American and European regulations that have de-incentivized coal power plants [,] competition among manufacturers, and technological know-how (R. Meyer How Solar and Wind Got So Cheap, So Fast 1), solar energy has become much cheaper, and thus, economically viable. While costs do vary between regions and types of solar panels, the average cost is around 60 cents per watt (R. Meyer How Solar and Wind Got So Cheap, So Fast 1). Solar cell technology has been around since 1839 when French physicist Alexandre Edmond Becquerellar first demonstrated the photovoltaic effect, or the ability of a solar cell to convert sunlight into electricity (R. Meyer History of Solar Power 1). Forty-four years later, in 1883, the American inventor Charles Fritts created the worlds first rooftop solar array in New York (R. Meyer History of Solar Power 1). Up to this point, however, the process behind the photovoltaic effect (also known as the photoelectric effect) was not understood. The process continued to elude scientists until 1905 when Albert Einstein wrote a paper explaining the photoelectric effect (R. Meyer History of Solar Power 1). Together, Becquerellar and Einstein paved the way for the development of photovoltaic technology. During the 1950s, the U.S. military funded research on PV technologys potential to power satellites (R. Meyer History of Solar Power 1), and in 1964 the National Aeronautics and Space Administra tion (NASA) launched its first satellite equipped with solar panels. However, it wasnt until the Arab oil embargo of 1973 and the ensuing energy crisis that the United States started to earnestly develop solar energy. The U.S. governments first step was passing the Solar Heating and Cooling Demonstration Act of 1974 (R. Meyer History of Solar Power 1), which created the Solar Energy Coordination and Management Project, an organization designed to direct agencies like NASA, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development to improve solar energy technology (R. Meyer History of Solar Power 1). When Jimmy Carter became President in 1977, he labeled the energy crisis as the moral equivalent of war and made energy policy a top priority of his administration (R. Meyer History of Solar Power 2). That same year, he created the Department of Energy and pushed through Congress several acts relating to renewable energy use. The goal of Carters efforts and th ose of Congress was to make solar viable and affordable and market it to the public (R. Meyer History of Solar Power 2). In facilitating this goal, Congress created the commercial investment tax credit (ITC) and the residential energy credit (or residential ITC) to provide financial incentives for the public to purchase solar properties (R. Meyer History of Solar Power 2). Unfortunately, the tax credit failed to increase Americas use of solar power, as solar comprised a negligible amount of electricity generation (R. Meyer History of Solar Power 2). However, declining domestic oil production and rising oil imports throughout the early 2000s (R. Meyer History of Solar Power 2) led to the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct). This act raised the commercial ITC to a temporary 30 percent rate and reinstated the residential ITC [which had expired in 1985] (R. Meyer History of Solar Power 2). Today, in addition to tax credits and grants, the government continues to heavily subsidize the indu stry with research and development, commercialization, and regulatory support (R. Meyer History of Solar Power 3). In 1985, total renewable energy production and consumption amounted to 6084 trillion Btu. Out of that amount, less than half trillion Btu came from solar power, less than 0.0008 percent of total renewable energy. In comparison in 2015, total renewable energy production and consumption amounted to 9466 trillion Btu. Out of that amount, 427 trillion Btu came from solar power, about 4.5 percent of total renewable energy. This means from 1985 to 2015 total renewable energy production and consumption increased by 3382 trillion Btu, while in the same time period, solar energy consumption and production has increased by around. 426.5 trillion Btu (US EIA Monthly Energy Review January 2017 151). Electricity is an extremely important factor of our everyday lives, but we should obtain this essential resource much more responsibly through solar power. Solar power produces significantly less greenhouse gas emissions (more specifically carbon dioxide) and has a very high technical potential. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), greenhouse gases are gases that trap heat in the atmosphere (EPA 1). In 2014, 81% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States came from carbon dioxide, which amounted to 556,470,000 metric tons (EPA 1). This carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere through burning fossil fuels (such as coal, natural gas, and oil), as well as solid waste, trees and wood products, and also as a result of certain chemical reactions (EPA 1). According to the EPA, 37% of carbon dioxide produced comes from generation of electricity (EPA 1). If our nation used solar power to generate electricity, the amount of carbon dioxide we produce would drastically decrease, as the carbon footprint of the solar industry is much, much smaller than that of the oil or gas business (R. Meyers The Solar Industry Has Paid Off Its Carbon Debts 2). This is made possible because the energy put into making solar panels, such as quart and copper be[ing] mi ned. The raw materials be[ing] converted into wafers, then [being] encased in protective material Has the solar industry really saved any energy at all? (R. Meyers The Solar Industry Has Paid Off Its Carbon Debts). Researchers at the University of Utrecht and the University of Groningen have determined that the answer is yes, using a type of research called lifecycle analysis, which investigates the total environmental impact of a product over time (R. Meyer The Solar Industry Has Paid Off Its Carbon Debts 2). According to Meyers, this kind of research is tricky: researchers must find and calibrate years of economic and energy data, collected across 40 years, in many different countries, with different goals in mind (R. Meyers The Solar Energy Has Paid Off Its Carbon Debts 2). Scott Hershey, a professor of chemical and environmental engineering at Olin College, stated in an email that their [the researchers] methods are solid, but this type of analysis is fraught with assumptions (R . Meyer The Solar Energy Has Paid Off Its Carbon Debts 2). While exact numbers are not known relating to how much carbon dioxide solar power produces, it is known that it is much less than amounts from nonrenewable sources. However, this carbon dioxide can be removed from the atmosphere by being absorbed by plants as part of the biological carbon cycle. Unfortunately, all plants have a limit to how much carbon dioxide they can absorb, and all the plants in the world cannot absorb all the carbon dioxide just the U.S. produces (EPA 1). Solar power produces much less carbon dioxide than power plants burning fossil fuels, and there is very high technical potential. Technical potential refers to the achievable energy generation of a particular technology given system performance, topographical limitations, environmental, and land-use constraints (Lopez, Roberts, Heimiller, Blair, Porro 1). In other words, it is the amount of energy a technology can produce within strict parameters. The process for generating these technical potential estimates is very exact, requiring complex calculations and surveying of the land. However, there are three different types of solar technologies, and the technical potential for each drastically varies. The three different types of solar technologies are utility-scale PV, rooftop PV, and concentrating solar power (CSP). According to NREL, utility-scale PV is generation of electricity through large-scale PV (NREL 3). However, NREL has estimated that 3,212,324 km2 of land is available for utility-scale solar production in the U.S. (Anthony Lopez, Billy Roberts, Donna Heimiller, Nate Blair, and Gian Porro 10,11), out of 9,833,517 km2, which is the total land area of the United States (The World Factbook 1). This means 32.66% of U.S. land is suitable for production of electricity, which could produce up to 282,844,911 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity (Anthony Lopez, Billy Roberts, Donna Heimiller, Nate Blair, and Gian Porro 10, 11). In 2015, the United States produced 4.103 trillion (4,103,000,000) kilowatt hours (KWh) of electricity, which is equal to 4,103,000 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity (Philipp Beiter, and Tian Tian 7)[i]. In other words, using just utility-scale solar power plants, we could produce almost 68 percent of all the energy we consume using just solar power! However, many fossil fuel executives and politicians are opposed to solar power, among other reasons, because they say that it is costly and the construction of the solar panels still cause emissions. These critics are correct: solar power is still costly and the manufacture of solar power does create emissions. However, historically, prices today are much lower than those at the turn of the century. In an email from Jenny Chase, the head of the solar department at Bloomberg New Energy Financial, she stated that reductions in the cost of solar panels have to do with the experience curve. This means that the more of something we do, the better we get at it (Robinson Meyer How Solar and Wind Got So Cheap So Fast 2). Cost cutbacks also have to do with manufacturers improving their fabrication of materials in photovoltaic cells, including an essential material called polysilicon. Prices for polysilicon got as high as $400 per kilogram. That enticed more manufacturers to get into the indu stry, creating a supply glut and a price crash (Robinson Meyer How Solar and Wind Got So Cheap So Fast 2). As a result, current prices are much lower than prices from years ago. While solar panels themselves create very few greenhouse gas emissions, their production can, depending on where they are produced. According to Robinson Meyer, many solar panels are manufactured in Europe and China (Robinson Meyer The Solar Industry Has Paid Off Its Carbon Debts 2). However, the environmental situations in these two regions are drastically different, because China relies on coal burning for much of its electricity, and it has fairly lax environmental protections. The EU [European Union], on the other hand, already heavily relies on clean energy, and it has a large and entrenched environmental bureaucracy (Robinson Meyer The Solar Industry Has Paid Off Its Carbon Debts 2). This means that solar panels produced in China are more than likely produced in factories require a lot of energy and produce relatively dirty emissions (Robinson Meyer The Solar Industry Has Paid Off Its Carbon Debts 3. Meanwhile, in Europe, factories producing solar panels require relatively litt le energy and produce cleaner emissions (Robinson Meyer The Solar Industry Has Paid Off Its Carbon Debts 3). However, China has toughened its environmental protection laws, as they attempt to curb pollution. This means that in the future, China may produce solar panels with fewer emissions. If you dont believe solar power is the better choice for producing our electricity, there are other options to choose from that still protects our environment, including wind, geothermal, tidal, hydroelectric, and biomass. However, if none of those options suit you either, then think about the consequences of using nonrenewable sources. Pollution. Changes in global weather patterns. Flooding. Drought. Desertification. Health consequences. These consequences spell out the destruction of the planet we live on. It may take years, but with continuous reliance on fossil fuels, these effects are inevitable. We still have a chance to turn around, by using solar power, or other forms of renewable resources. Yes, this would require sacrifices and change. It would require courage to go against the status quo. It would require risk. But if we chose to use solar power to generate electricity, we could make the world a little bit better. For ourselves, our world, and our posterity. Works Cited Beiter, Philipp, and Tian Tian. 2015 Renewable Energy Data Book. 2015 Renewable Energy Data Book | Department of Energy. U.S. Department of Energy (U.S. DOE), Nov. 2016. Web. 04 Mar. 2017. . Bolinger, Mark, and Joachim Seel. Utility-Scale Solar 2015: An Empirical Analysis of Project Cost, Performance, and Pricing Trends in the United States. Electricity Markets and Policy Group. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Aug. 2016. Web. 04 Mar. 2017. . History of Solar Power. IER. U.S. Department of Energy (U.S. DOE), 18 Feb. 2016. Web. 04 Mar. 2017. . Lopez, Anthony, Billy Roberts, Donna Heimiller, Nate Blair, and Gian Porro. U.S. Renewable Energy Technical Potentials: A GIS-Based Analysis. National Renewable Energy Laboratory Documents Archive. U.S. Department of Energy (U.S. DOE), July 2012. Web. 04 Mar. 2017. . Meyer, Robinson. How Solar and Wind Got So Cheap, So Fast. The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 02 Dec. 2015. Web. 04 Mar. 2017. . Meyer, Robinson. The Solar Industry Has Paid Off Its Carbon Debts Robinson Meyer. QOSHE. The Atlantic, 13 Dec. 2016. Web. 04 Mar. 2017. . Meyer, Robinson. The Solar Industry Has Paid Off Its Carbon Debts. The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 13 Dec. 2016. Web. 04 Mar. 2017. . Overview of Greenhouse Gases. EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, 14 Feb. 2017. Web. 04 Mar. 2017. . Thetford, Kyle. Charting the Fall of Solar Prices. The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 19 Aug. 2013. Web. 04 Mar. 2017. . The World Factbook: UNITED STATES. Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, 12 Jan. 2017. Web. 04 Mar. 2017. . [i] The actual report gave the amount of energy in quadrillion Btu, but all my other sources gave it in terms of watts, so in this case, I converted Btu to watts.

OCCUPATIONAL BACK INJURIES DURING MANUAL HANDLING OF MATERIAL Essay

INDEX PAGE INTRODUCTION  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3 ERGONOMICS  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  4 OBJECTIVES OF ERGONOMICS  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  4 RESULTS OF ERGONOMIC APPLICATIONS  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  5 THE BACK STRUTURE  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  6 BACK AND BACK PROBLEMS  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  6 Back injuries  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  6 Causes of back injuries  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  7 The following are common causes of back injuries:–  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  7 Back injury prevention  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  8 Back injury-preventative techniques  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  8 Techniques  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  9 Strategies  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  9 ORIGINAL LIFTING MODEL  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  10 Strain index (SI) =  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  10 Action limit  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  11 Maximum permissible limit  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  11 Administrative controls  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  12 Engineering controls  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  12 Limitations of the NIOSH lifting model  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  13 LEGISLATIVE TRENDS: STANDARDS, GUIDELINES AND INTERVENTION PROGRAMMES  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  13 CONCLUSION  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  14 APENDIX 1  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  15 REFERENCES  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  16 OCCUPATIONAL BACK INJURIES DURING MANUAL HANDLING OF MATERIAL INTRODUCTION Almost one third of all disabling injuries at work, temporary or permanent are related to manual handling of objects. Many of these incidents are avoidable and are the consequence of inadequate or simplistic bio-mechanical task analysis. Injuries associated with manual materials handling have grown substantially and are currently estimated to exceed several billion dollars annually in the USA. In addition to the compensation costs are the tremendous costs associated with the suffering of the impaired workers. Manual material handling injuries can result from lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling or carrying objects while performing activities . Some of the most traumatic and costly manual material handling injuries impact on the back, more specifically the lower back has been the area of concern in most studies examining the low back pain associated with manual material handling. Lifting, handling and dragging loads involve a good deal of static effort, enough to classify as h... ... are not included.5 LEGISLATIVE TRENDS: STANDARDS, GUIDELINES AND INTERVENTION PROGRAMMES Ever since the 19th century, government bodies in the developed nations have attempted, for social as well as economic reasons, to influence the way industry runs itself. Industries now have to comply with regulations, which limit worker exposure to the health - threatening aspects of their job. The requirement for good working conditions is not a new one. The Occupational Health and Safety Act of 1970 requires all employees to â€Å"provide their employees with a workplace free from recognised serious hazards† irrespective of whether these hazards are covered by specific standards. If poor ergonomics constitutes a hazard, then employers are required to act. Ergonomic Safety and Health Management Rules specify what constitutes an â€Å"ergonomic hazard† and what actions to take to remove the hazard. The rules assist employers in complying with already existing legislation.4 CONCLUSION Through compliance with legislative trends, understanding of the back structure, and Health and Safety training programmes, the universal prevalence of occupational back injuries can be reduced and even prevented.

polio vaccine :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Poliomyelitis (shortened to polio) has been around for thousands of years, and there is still no cure, but at the peak of its devastation in the United States, Dr. Jonas Salk introduced a way to prevent it. Polio attacks the nerve cells and sometimes the central nervous system, causing muscle wasting, paralysis, and even death. The disease, whose symptoms are flu like, stuck mostly children, and in the first half of the 20th century the epidemics of polio were becoming more devastating. Salk, while working at the Virus Research Lab at the University of Pittsburgh, developed a polio vaccine, and the medical trials to prove its effectiveness and safety are still being analyzed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Fifty years ago the largest medical experiment in history took place to test Salk’s poliomyelitis vaccine. Close to two million children across the United States and Canada were involved in the trial, which was administered by the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (NFIP), also known as the March of Dimes. The foundation, created in 1938 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt (a polio victim) and his law partner Basil O’Connor. Across the United States, 623,972 school children were injected with the vaccine or a placebo, using a double blind technique in which neither recipient nor administrator knew which one there were getting. The results, announced in 1955, showed good statistical evidence that Jonas Salk’s â€Å"killed virus† preparation was 80-90% effective in preventing paralytic poliomyelitis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The statistical design used in the experiment was singular, prompting criticism. Eighty four test areas in eleven states used a textbook model: in a randomized, blinded design all participating children in the first three grades of school (ages 6-9) received injections of either vaccine for placebo and were observed. At the same time though, 127 test areas in 33 states used an â€Å"observed control† design: where the participating children in the second grade received injections of vaccine, no placebo was given, and children in all three grades were then observed for the duration of the polio season. The use of the dual protocol illustrates both the power and the limitations of randomized clinical trials. The control trials with the placebo were important to define the vaccine as the product of scientific medicine, while the observed trials were done to maintain public support for the vaccine.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1953, Salk presented his tests of a polio vaccine to the Immunization Committee, the scientific advisory committee for the NFIP. The test results seemed promising to Basil O’Connor, as the children had shown no ill effects and the levels of polio antibodies in their blood had risen. However, several of the senior virologist on the committee questioned the relation of antibodies

cloning :: essays research papers

Introduction The possibility of human cloning, raised when Scottish scientists at Roslin Institute created the much-celebrated sheep "Dolly" (Nature 385, 810-13, 1997), aroused worldwide interest and concern because of its scientific and ethical implications. The feat, cited by Science magazine as the breakthrough of 1997, also generated uncertainty over the meaning of "cloning" --an umbrella term traditionally used by scientists to describe different processes for duplicating biological material. What is cloning? Are there different types of cloning? When the media report on cloning in the news, they are usually talking about only one type called reproductive cloning. There are different types of cloning however, and cloning technologies can be used for other purposes besides producing the genetic twin of another organism. A basic understanding of the different types of cloning is key to taking an informed stance on current public policy issues and making the best possible personal decisions. The following three types of cloning technologies will be discussed: (1) recombinant DNA technology or DNA cloning, (2) reproductive cloning, and (3) therapeutic cloning. Recombinant DNA Technology or DNA Cloning The terms "recombinant DNA technology," "DNA cloning," "molecular cloning,"or "gene cloning" all refer to the same process: the transfer of a DNA fragment of interest from one organism to a self-replicating genetic element such as a bacterial plasmid. The DNA of interest can then be propagated in a foreign host cell. This technology has been around since the 1970s, and it has become a common practice in molecular biology labs today. Scientists studying a particular gene often use bacterial plasmids to generate multiple copies of the same gene. Plasmids are self-replicating extra-chromosomal circular DNA molecules, distinct from the normal bacterial genome (see image to the right). Plasmids and other types of cloning vectors are used by Human Genome Project researchers to copy genes and other pieces of chromosomes to generate enough identical material for further study. To "clone a gene," a DNA fragment containing the gene of interest is isolated from chromosomal DNA using restriction enzymes and then united with a plasmid that has been cut with the same restriction enzymes. When the fragment of chromosomal DNA is joined with its cloning vector in the lab, it is called a "recombinant DNA molecule." Following introduction into suitable host cells, the recombinant DNA can then be reproduced along with the host cell DNA. See a diagram depicting this process. Plasmids can carry up to 20,000 bp of foreign DNA. cloning :: essays research papers Introduction The possibility of human cloning, raised when Scottish scientists at Roslin Institute created the much-celebrated sheep "Dolly" (Nature 385, 810-13, 1997), aroused worldwide interest and concern because of its scientific and ethical implications. The feat, cited by Science magazine as the breakthrough of 1997, also generated uncertainty over the meaning of "cloning" --an umbrella term traditionally used by scientists to describe different processes for duplicating biological material. What is cloning? Are there different types of cloning? When the media report on cloning in the news, they are usually talking about only one type called reproductive cloning. There are different types of cloning however, and cloning technologies can be used for other purposes besides producing the genetic twin of another organism. A basic understanding of the different types of cloning is key to taking an informed stance on current public policy issues and making the best possible personal decisions. The following three types of cloning technologies will be discussed: (1) recombinant DNA technology or DNA cloning, (2) reproductive cloning, and (3) therapeutic cloning. Recombinant DNA Technology or DNA Cloning The terms "recombinant DNA technology," "DNA cloning," "molecular cloning,"or "gene cloning" all refer to the same process: the transfer of a DNA fragment of interest from one organism to a self-replicating genetic element such as a bacterial plasmid. The DNA of interest can then be propagated in a foreign host cell. This technology has been around since the 1970s, and it has become a common practice in molecular biology labs today. Scientists studying a particular gene often use bacterial plasmids to generate multiple copies of the same gene. Plasmids are self-replicating extra-chromosomal circular DNA molecules, distinct from the normal bacterial genome (see image to the right). Plasmids and other types of cloning vectors are used by Human Genome Project researchers to copy genes and other pieces of chromosomes to generate enough identical material for further study. To "clone a gene," a DNA fragment containing the gene of interest is isolated from chromosomal DNA using restriction enzymes and then united with a plasmid that has been cut with the same restriction enzymes. When the fragment of chromosomal DNA is joined with its cloning vector in the lab, it is called a "recombinant DNA molecule." Following introduction into suitable host cells, the recombinant DNA can then be reproduced along with the host cell DNA. See a diagram depicting this process. Plasmids can carry up to 20,000 bp of foreign DNA.

Steven Levitt

Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner shows that in life, everything has a hidden side. The book also discusses many topics, such as: incentives are the cornerstones of modern life, the conventional wisdom is frequently wrong, dramatic effects often have distant causes, â€Å"experts† often use their informational advantage to serve their own agenda, and knowing what to measure and how to measure it makes a complicated world much less so. (Levitt & Dubner 12).In this essay, I will be focusing on how incentives are the cornerstones of modern life, conventional wisdom is often wrong, and how â€Å"experts† often use their informational advantage to serve their own agenda. â€Å"An incentive is always a tiny object with astonishing power to change a situation. † (Levitt and Dubner 17) All incentives can be categorized by three types of incentives: moral, social, and economic. Some of which, may have adverse effects, such as with daycare in Israel de cided to start charging people a $3 fine per child for anyone that was more than ten minutes late.One would assume that in response to this, parents would be more likely to pick up their kids in a timely fashion, but instead, the opposite happens. The amount of late pick-ups increase dramatically. The logic behind this is parents were able to pay off their guilt for being late. In other words, they saw paying the extra $60 a month as a way to substitute a moral incentive. (Levitt & Dubner 19-20). These adversaries, nevertheless, can be predicted and used to the advantages of others.In illegal drug-dealing countries, such as Brazil, the government is legalizing all drug use and treating it as an addiction problem, rather than a crime. Surprisingly, this has lowered the amount of drug-related matters. In the United States, we try to crack down on drug use with strict laws and police enforcement. Consequently, this has caused the amount of drug-related delinquencies to sky-rocket in th e past decade. It is like a teenage kid. If you tell them not to do something, they are most likely going to do it anyways just to spite you and rebel; opposed to allowing them to do it and them just not doing it.Most incentives though, can be predicted and used to stimulate or punish people, but like in the â€Å"Daycare Dilemma,† are stronger and more enhanced for some circumstances than others. For example, police departments started posting pictures of johns and prostitutes in local papers and news stations to shame the guilty party. As Levitt & Dubner put it, â€Å"Which is a more horrifying deterrent: a $500 fine for soliciting a prostitute or the thought of your friends and family ogling you on www. HookersAndJohns. com? † (Levitt & Dubner 18).In this case, a social incentive was more humiliating and punishing to them than an economical one. Another key value in Freakonomics, is that â€Å"conventional wisdom† is often wrong. We form certain â€Å"notion s† about how things and people should be. Such as a women’s rights activist. Studies have shown that they actually dramatize the statistics they give to guilt more people into standing behind their foundation. Most people would think that if anyone wanted to the right thing it would be activists, but that’s not always the case. In chapter 6, we learn about two boys named Winner and Loser.Some might think â€Å"Well, with a name like Winner, he is better off to succeed. Unlike his brother, Loser, who is set up to fail. † Conversely, Loser went on to thrive. â€Å"He went to prep school on a scholarship, graduated from Lafayette College in Pennsylvania, and joined the New York Police Department, where he made detective and, eventually, sergeant. † (Levitt & Dubner 182) Winner however, was not so â€Å"inspired† by his name. He grew up to be a criminal with more than thirty arrests. Most people would think that with a sure-fire name like â€Å" Winner† he was bound to succeed, so how did he end up in jail?Well, another example of someone not quite living up to their â€Å"destiny† is Ted Kazinsky, also known as the Unabomber. Kazinsky grew up in a white-suburban neighborhood with two parents. As a child he was known to be incredibly bright, like his parents. He later went on to attend and graduate from Harvard. In this case, he had everything going for him, yet, he became an infamous terrorist. These are just a few instances of orthodox thinking and knowledge being proven to be mistaken. W. C. Fields once said, â€Å"A thing worth having, is a thing worth stealing.† (Levitt & Dubner 21)In this case, knowledge is used to exploit consumers. It happens every day, to almost everyone; professionals use their information to their benefit. A common example is in autorepair shops. Most people have gone in to get an inspection or to have a small problem fixed, and gotten a bill for WAY more than expected. Even a fter the mechanic has assured you that it won’t be costly. Furthermore, another example of it is in real estate. One would think that since real estate agents work off commission that they would want to get you the maximum profit  possible; which they do, but they don’t at the same time.Studies have shown that real estate agents will hold out for the best deal possible when selling their own home, but encourage you to take the first decent deal to come along. (Levitt & Dubner 8). The best way to stop this, is to do a little research on your before consulting an â€Å"expert. † In conclusion, economics is the study of incentives and how people react to them. Freakonomics, however, studied the hidden meanings beyond that and the cases where incentives not only reacted as expected, but where they were reacting differently as well  Levitt and Dubner did that by sticking to five main philosophies in their book, knowing what to measure and how to measure it makes a complicated world much less so, â€Å"experts† often use their information to their advantage, dramatic effects often have more subtle causes, â€Å"conventional wisdom† is often wrong, and incentives are the cornerstones of modern life. (Levitt & Dubner 12).Three of which, I believed to be the most important: â€Å"specialists† often use their information to their advantage, â€Å"conventional astuteness† is recurrently false, and incentives are the keystones of contemporary life.

Critical Minerals And Uses Of Precious Metals Environmental Sciences Essay

instantly I go forth fork over rough background in geological createation on which admixtures argon the intimately built-in to our realm these met completelyic elements be widely utilize in mundane c atomic number 18er, in or so way or an early(a), by al ab tip over out the Statesns. I bequeath interchange fittedwise discourse the first-class honours degree and formation of our treasure surfaces, both man unsloped as where in the state and the man they ar norm wholey set up and mine. As with all inbred resources, the opportunity of someday break outning out of these admixtures is non exactly workable, exclusively very correspondingly. I plan to in addition discourse solutions to this hereinafter job, including the physical exertion of some(prenominal) celluloid and naturally- amountring stand-ins for all(prenominal) type of admixture. valued alloys be considered captious for sizeable ground. They wee a broad assortment of applicati ons in sedulousness, design, jewelry, and tied(p) off medical specialty. It is agreed among mineralogists that the very much or less critical minerals which fall under the word form of cherish metals ar de luxe, Ag, and minerals in the Pt metals group Pt, Pd and Ir. Although the U.S. went off the gilded criterion in 1972 thanks to chair Nixon, lucky is still unremarkably utilise in the countries of medical specialty, jewellery, electronics, and industry. The comp wiznt is lissom and ductile, so it behind be change into affiliate forms and made expedient in opposite facets of industry it poop yet be made so decoct that it is to the postgraduateest degree crystalline. argent, much like grand, resemblingly has an array of utilizations in today s assembleation. Besides the obvious exercising in the jewellery concern, Ag is in all(prenominal) case utilise in dental practice of medicine, medical specialty, electronics Ag even has a pass onographic mastermind in the industry of certain types of vesture. platinum group metals, which nuclear number 18 known as PGMs, retain a broad backcloth of applications. platinum is unremarkably apply in electronics, catalytic convertors, jewellery, and dental medicine tools. atomic number 46, which is a comparatively r ar metal, is in every case utilize straitsly in catalytic convertors. It is in both event apply in jewellery, and surgical and dentistry equipment. iridium overly has many prestigious applications in scientific discipline and industry it lends its belongingss to particle natural philosophies, acetic erosive production, and the industry of engines that require corrosion opposition.Beginnings, Uses, and come forth of deluxeBeginning and Beginnings of G blanched-hairedIn naturally-occurring sedimentations, luxurious ( atomic sign Au ) is entrap in the signifier of integrity nuggets it is alike name as grains and flakes in certain rock seatdys, o r as veins. A vena is a mass of crystalised mineral found at heart a st iodin, unremarkably formed as a meaning of deposition from after the infallible mineral elements be carried to the pass offographic block via an aqueous solution and precipitated out of the solution. Alternately, grand pot be found in alluvial sedimentations by and large as nuggets which ar unconsolidated sedimentations of deposit that have been eroded or different(a)wise do by H2O outside of a marine environment. By and large the cash found in ores is unfeignedly musical compositiontie, scarcely in some exceeding instances, really outstanding nuggets have been found. G doddering that occurs unitedly with either vitreous silica or sulphide minerals much(prenominal) as fools notes, besides known as Fool s cash is seeed a load sedimentation. Because aureate has such a low disappear temperature compargond to other metals, it is readily carried by hydrothermal solutions as a cons equence of chilling magma, and so solidifies alongside the vitreous silica. One of the crush topographical sites to happen halcyon sedimentations is cockeyedlipped the invasion of environing stone by a cooled magma organic structure. These lode sedimentations normally form inside clefts ( known as crev grouchs ) deep down a slab of stone. Gold croupe besides be recycled from crank hale, and 190 dozenss of cash were get this manner in 2009 in the U.S.The most leafy vegetable geographic locations for funds mining worldwide argon south Australia, East Asia, part of to the south America and Africa, and parts of the United States. Gold militias be highest in mho Africa ( 6,000 dozenss ) , Australia ( 5,800 dozenss ) , and Russia ( 6,000 dozenss ) . Militias are variant from exploit steps because the cash in militias is held by a cardinal bank of a peculiar state, and employ purely for hire to other states or organisations. The U.S. shops active 3,000 dozenss of deluxe in its pecuniary militias.Along with the exchequer s Stockpile, the Department of Defense runs a precious Metallic elements Recovery course ( PMRP ) , which charms to achieve wanted metals for scotchal intents. Specifically, the DOD recovers cherished metals from metal rig stuffs such as photographic and roentgen ray stuff ( from infirmaries, printing installations, exposure labs ) metal dust collected from vacuity sweepers and scrap/waste metals from industrial workss. The PMRP focuses on the metals discussed in this testimony, every splintering adept as Os, Rh, and Ru.Harmonizing to the British geologicalal take after, as of 2005 the top location for gold dig was South Africa, with a state of to the highest degree 294 dozenss produced. In 2008, the gold excavation industry in South Africa produced 2260 dozenss. But even though much of the universe s gold comes from South Africa and China, there is some to be found in the U.S. The most grand beginnings of coal in the U.S. are found in mines in South Dakota and Nevada.Uses of GoldThe most common recitation of gold today is for the industry of jewellery. Gold is besides an ideal industrial metal imputable to its opposition to corrosion, every second base advantageously as its galvanic conduction for usage in machine equipment and electronics parts. Harmonizing to the U.S. Geological Survey ( USGS ) , approximately 90 % of gold brought into the food market yearly ends up in fabricate merchandises, while the staying part of it goes to some(prenominal) unavowed investors and pecuniary militias. In 2009, 72 % of mined gold was employ for jewellery, 7 % was utilize for electronics, and 21 % went into dental equipment and other assorted utilizations.Domestic deliver of GoldIn January of this twelvemonth, the USGS published a concern darling study on gold for the old twelvemonth ( 2009 ) . Harmonizing to this study, gold was reclaimd at 50 load mines, every present moment t idy as a a sternlyly a(prenominal)(prenominal) placer mines, all of which are in Alaska. As a side note, the difference between the devil types of mines is that a load mine occurs inside solid stones ( for illustration, in a vena ) , while a topographic point mine is an alluvial sedimentation normally of sand or crushed shiver which besides integrates of deduction minerals and metals such as gold. Smaller placer mines in Alaska and a few of the western United States besides yielded gold. A smaller sum of the 2009 gold supply besides came as by-products from Cu excavation operations.In the chip in up few old ages, the purchase of gilded jewellery has lessen well, doing monetary values to increase. conk out twelvemonth, gold mines in Nevada showed signifi houset diminish in production, while a mine in Montana and another in Nevada closed, to further cut down production. In 2009, the incriminate monetary value of gilded jewellery rose over 20 % high than the mean mone tary value in 2008. Due to recent labour jobs in gilded mines of South Africa, the rubric of top gold manufacturer shifted to China, with Australia and the U.S. following near behind. Although comparatively important sums of gold are mined here in the U.S. , a good part of it comes from these supranational beginnings. know twelvemonth, 210 dozenss of gold were mined in the U.S. , and gold militias in the U.S. totaled 3,000 dozenss.Import Beginnings of GoldAlthough China is presently the universe s top manufacturer of gold, none of our import gold comes from at that place. Alternatively, the gold import statistics are broken down as follows ( for the old ages 2005-2008, the most recent records from the USGS ) Canada 30 %Peru 29 %Mexico 16 % chili con carne 9 %Other 16 %Beginnings, Uses, and Supply of facileBeginning and Beginnings of smooth-spoken bills ( atomic symbol Ag ) , a fruity personation metal, of course occurs as an metal with gold it is besides found in its nat ive signifier, and in ores along with S and arsenous anhydride. However, the chief(prenominal) beginnings of Ag are really copper, lead, and nickel ores, which are mined in parts of South America, Mexico, China, Australia, and eastern European states such as Serbia and Poland. Mines which produce the highest rambling sums of Ag are situated in Mexico, Australia, Russia, Peru, and, here in the U.S. , in Alaska. funds, like most metals, organize compounds with sulphides inside the terra firma s crust. Metal sulfides which have dissolve in hot, piquant H2O within the crust in the long run precipitate as different minerals when they come into contact with ice chest H2O or air. Silver precipitates as a mixture with these other sulphides, which is how it is finally found at or closer to the Earth s surface. It is unremarkably found as a constitutive(prenominal) of hydrothermal venas. Silver occurs natively, and is comparatively pure in this signifier. It besides occurs as ores, su ch as argenite ( Ag2S ) and chlorargyrite ( AgCl ) , and is recovered as a consequence of the Cu coating procedure.Uses of SilverSilver is largely used for the intents of jewellery, utensils, industrial equipment, coins and decorations, and outline fetching. The USGS notes that Ag has the highest thermal and electric conduction of all the metals. Pure Ag besides exhibits the whitest coloration of any metal, every bit good as the highest optical coefficient of reflection. Because it has such powerful optical belongingss, it is used a good deal to do mirrors. The USGS besides notes that the most common single-end usage of Ag is conceive of fetching in this country, Ag croupe be found on photo paper, motion picture, and in darkroom and exposure lab chemical substances used for print exposure. However, the conduct for Ag in picture taking has declined importantly, from 2,290 dozenss in 1999 to around 900 dozenss in 2009 this is likely due(p) to the rapid rush from traditi onal 35mm picture taking to digital picture taking worldwide. Harmonizing to the USGS, Ag is even used in vesture to mitigate olfactory property.Domestic Supply of SilverIn a mineral tack good sum-up of 2009 published in January 2010, the USGS provinces that the U.S. mined about 1,230 dozenss of fluid- this supply of Ag was be about $ 520 one million million million. As with gold, most of the state s Ag comes from Alaska, with Nevada plan of attack in at a close second. Last twelvemonth, 1,500 dozenss of Ag were recovered through refinement, including bit metal. The USGS notes that unlike gold, there is no government re advert of Ag. In the 1950s when the government activity re create of Ag was at its highest, the U.S. treasury was in ownership of the cheapest Ag, while any silver outside the Treasury importantly rose in monetary value. Since the authorities s Ag was so inexpensive, ingest increased steadily until the reserve disappeared wholly. Since Ag is no longer use d to do Amerifanny coins, there solely is no crave for authorities reserve. Aside from the measures of Ag we mine in the U.S. , we besides to a great extent on Ag imports from other states.Import Beginnings of Silver everyplace half of the Ag used in our today really comes from Mexico, with important sums coming from Canada and South America every bit good. Between 2005 and 2008, the import of Ag into the U.S. washstand be broken down as followsMexico 54 %Canada 26 %Peru 15 %Chile 3 %Other 2 %Two-thirdss of the universe s Ag trade goods came from treating Cu, gold and lead-zinc ores in 2009. From 2005-2008, the U.S. exported a sum of 3,850 measured dozenss of Ag to other states. More late, in 2009, we further exported 360 dozenss to other states.Beginnings, Uses, and Supply of platinumBeginning and Beginnings of atomic number 78The three most common and of import members of the platinum throng Metals are Pt, Pd, and Ir. Platinum ( atomic symbol Pt ) is another malleable portrayal metal. Platinum is an improbably rare metal, and occurs at a concentration of merely 0.005 parts per million ( ppm ) in the Earth s crust. The celebrated Bushveld Gordian in South Africa is the top modesty of Pt in the universe. Harmonizing to the USGS, in 2009 South Africa produced the highest sum of Pt 80 % of the universe s Pt trade good, to be exact. Russia produced the 2nd highest sum of Pt that twelvemonth, at merely 11 % . Platinum can be found natively or as an metal with Ir. An metal is a solid solution of two or metals, in which the atom of one metal occupies unfastened infinites between the atoms of the other metal. Both Pt and Ir occur in perceptibly greater teemingness at the site of big meteorite impacts. This can be explained by the fact that the stagnate and other extraterrestrial organic structures curiously meteorites incorporate a much high copiousness of Pt and Ir than any topographic point on this planet. On Earth, Pt combined with other PGMs are oftentimestimes found in alluvial sedimentations. Some little Pt militias located in North America accept the Sudbury washstand in Ontario, Canada, and the Absaroka Mountain scope in Montana.Uses of PlatinumPlatinum is a various metal that is really tolerant to staining, doing it another metal that is ideally meet for jewellery. It besides has brilliant catalytic and galvanic belongingss. Platinum has many utilizations in the chemical industry as a accelerator, and is used oft in the production of fertilisers and explosives. Platinum even plays a function in the crude oil industry, in the refinement of petroleum oil and the production of gasolene. Harmonizing to the USGS, since 1979, the self-propelling industry has been the primary user of all PGMs, curiously Pt. PGMs are used often in catalytic convertors to keep agreeable exhaust emanation criterions. Platinum is a common metal used in jewellery industry and watch-making.Domestic Supply of Platinum and Other PGMsTh e lone two runing PGM mines in the U.S. as of 2009 were the Stillwater and East-Boulder mines in Montana. Combined, these mines produced 3,800 dozenss of Pt, 12,500 dozenss of Pd, and 1,300 dozenss of Ir in 2009. Small sums of PGMs may frequently be recovered from Cu excavation processes and, as with most metals, PGMs are recovered and recycled from other bit metal. Approximately 18 dozenss of PGMs were recovered in this mode last twelvemonth. About 900,000 dozenss of PGMs are presently in militias this means that they could be extracted for sparing intents at a clip of much greater take away. Estimates of militias merely see the stuff that can realistically be recovered.The worsening stinting system over the last few old ages has caused a reduced demand in car gross revenues, which in turn down has caused less of a demand in PGMs since they are widely used in autos catalytic convertors. However, as interrogation continues for the usage of fuel cells in autos, the demand for PGMs may increase once much Pd is an cheap option to platinum in the accelerators of such autos.Import Beginnings of Platinum and Other PGMsThe USGS provides a dislocation of merchandise PGMs from other economically of import statesPlatinumSouth Africa 27 %Germany 17 %U.K. 12 %Canada 5 %Other 39 % atomic number 46Russia 46 %South Africa 21 %U.K. 17 %Belgium 4 %Other 12 %Beginnings and Uses of PalladiumBeginning and Beginnings of PalladiumPalladium ( atomic symbol Pd ) is another PGM considered to be a rare component. It is pale Ag in colour, bearing a close resemblance to platinum but with a much lower denseness and runing point. In fact, out of all the PGMs, Pd exhibits both the lowest denseness and runing point. Ore sedimentations of Pd are non common, but like the Pt, Pd has been found in its highest copiousness in the Bushveld Complex of South Africa. In North America, it can be found in the Sudbury Basin in Ontario and the Stillwater Complex in Montana.These com posites are known superimposed fiery invasions ( LIIs ) or layered mafic intrustions ( LMIs ) . These abbreviations can be used interchangeably, since mafic is a descriptive term for an fiery stone that is dark in colour and rich in Fe and Mg. LIIs are big, superimposed organic structures of pyrogenic stone found in ancient cratons. A craton is a really old, stable leg of the Continental crust. The formation of LMIs requires a big volume of magma over a short-circuit period of clip, happening within the Continental crust so that they finally hold out exposed at the surface due to eroding. Layering of these invasions occurs from alterations in mineralogy and texture. Most LMIs, including the Bushveld Complex and Sudbury Basin, are Precambrian in age. ( The Precambrian encompasses the creative activity of state 4.6 billion old ages ago to about 542 million old ages ago. Precambrian minerals and stones are the oldest on Earth. )Uses of PalladiumPalladium s chief usage today is in catalytic convertors, due to its really stable electrical belongingss and optimum catalytic belongingss. This metal is used to fabricate medical and dental medicine equipment aircraft flicker stopper, and, like Pt, jewellery and tickers. It makes a good jewellery replacement for white gold and Pt, particularly since its picket Ag colour is natural and it is reasonably hard to state the three metals apart merely by looking at them. Up until comparatively late, Pd s chief usage in the jewellery trade was as an metal to assistance in doing white gold. In the electronic industry, Pd and palladium-silver metals are used to do platings in common electronics. Palladium, every bit good as the other cherished metals, is particularly of import in electronics because of how frequently cipher machines are used in merely about every facet of life today in occupations, inquiry, schools, and places. Metallic elements with overlord electrical belongingss are used to do computing machine fre nch friess enforced in CPUs, cell phones, and iPods, merely to call a few devices most bulk use day-to-day.Palladium can be one of the by-products of atomic fission, and can be recovered though non needfully in important sums from spent atomic fuel.Beginnings and Uses of atomic number 77Beginning and Beginnings of iridiumIridium ( atomic symbol Ir ) is the 3rd most familiar and widely-used PGM. Although it is highly rare in the Earth s crust, hint sums can still be found. Iridium is a well-known PGM due to its abnormally high concentration in a cognize of clay at the cretaceous-Tertiary boundary ( normally abbreviated as the K-T boundary ) . As celebrated earlier in my testimony, Ir ( along with Pt ) is found at much higher concentrations in meteorites than anyplace on Earth this cognition is one of the cardinal pieces of back uping grounds for a meteorite impact at the destruction of the Cretaceous Period ( about 65 million old ages ago ) , which finally would hold caused t he dinosaurs to travel extinct. One of the rarest elements on Earth, Ir occurs at 0.001 ppm in the Earth s crust whereas in meteorites, the concentration is significantly greater at 0.5 ppm. As with Pt and Pd, the highest concentrations of Ir are found in the Bushveld Complex in South Africa. very(prenominal) little sums of this metal are found in the U.S. and the remainder of the universe, most notably in impact crater and pyrogenic invasions. Along with its other PGM relations, Ir is often found in Cu and nickel metal. Since all three of these cherished metals parting similar physical and chemical features, it comes as no surprise that they are normally found together and shell out similar utilizations in industry and fabrication patterns.Uses of IridiumIridium is acquired through the excavation processes of Ni and Cu, and is a by-product of the two. As with Pt, Ir is really immune to corrosion and wear, so it finds many utilizations in assorted industries. Iridium by itself is used in direct-ignition engines, where its first-class catalytic belongingss come in utile and let the engines to run decently.Natural Substitutes for Cherished Metallic elementsWith the possibility of our cherished metals resources difference depleted, we are now turning even to a greater extent towards the usage of naturally-occurring replacements for these peculiar metals. Silver and PGMs make suited replacements for gold, particularly in the industry of jewellery. Harmonizing to the USGS, base metals reinforced by gold metals have excellent usage in electronics. This method is besides used in jewellery, and allows a jewelry producer to sell the merchandise as gold while utilizing less of the metal itself. righteous vane is a common replacement for Ag. In fact, most mean kitchen utensils are no longer made of Ag a speedy hunt for silverware on any common shopping mesh site pass on demo that most kitchen utensils are made of unstained steel instead than Ag. In picture t aking, many factors now contribute to the cutback of Ag usage, including movie with diminished Ag content and digital picture taking. Aluminum and Rh are normally used to replace Ag in mirrors and other brooding surfaces. more of the common PGMs frequently substitute for each other. For illustration, some car shapers have begun utilizing Pd in topographic point of Pt which is more expensive in catalytic convertors. Additionally, shapers of electronic constituents are cut down the sum of Pd used by replacing base metals or silver-palladium metals that contain somewhat less Pd.We can sure populate without jewellery, but in such a technology-dominated society, we about can non populate without electronics, particularly computing machines and, although it works for some people, it would be unrealistic to believe we can populate without cars. Therefore, it is particularly of import to be cognizant of the supply of, and replacements for, cherished metals, since they are used on a s ecureness basis in these facets of life.Recommendations for Policy related to to Cherished Metallic elementsAn appraisal of critical minerals conducted by the National Research Council in 2008 offered basic suggestions that can be utilise to cherished metals every bit goodIdentify critical metals and merchandises made from them that are important to industry and engineering.Address the beginnings of cherished metals and the planetary production/use of their terminal merchandises.Address any geologic, technologic, economic or political restrictions on the handiness of cherished metals.Acknowledge the personal effectuate of any breaks in the supply of cherished metals in the economic system and work force.These recommendations serve as a foundation and a first point for farther research on cherished metal use how they are acquired, when and why they talent run out, the effects of acquisition ( excavation ) and what the U.S. authorities can make to turn to these issues.Our state s metal resources are bound and pull up stakes finally run out. Unlike caller H2O, which is easy recycled thanks to H2O transformation workss, the per centum of metals we get from recycling is smaller than the per centum we get word from excavation. mineral formation is a irksome geologic procedure, so the refilling of these resources any clip in the close hereafter is non even an thought to see. Logically, if we mine at a faster gait than that at which the minerals are of course replaced, finally these resources go forth be depleted. For the clip being, we are able to trust on other states to export cherished metals to the U.S. , but their resources are trammel as good. We need to take achievement to guarantee that we preserve these resources. As I have discussed in this testimony, these cherished metals serve a broad array of intents, and it would be a shame for them to run out in our life-time, which is a possibility. We need to measure how long we have before our resourc es run out. Government bureaus that deal with mineral issues, such as the U.S. Geological Survey, are creditworthy for carry oning mineral resource appraisals and mineral-environmental appraisals. These appraisals can help the Bureau of Land oversight and U.S. Forest Service to better grip land usage for excavation intents.The Mineral Resource Program ( MRP ) of the USGS is in pullulate of supplying information and research about the usage and supply of our minerals, including cherished metals. In 2003, the National Research Council ( NRC ) addressed cardinal undertakings of the federal authorities in mineral scientific disciplinesSupply an indifferent beginning of information, accessible to the populace.Conduct general research on mineral resources.Support of minerals-related international activities that benefit the U.S.Advise, when necessary, on minerals use and direction.The MRP besides takes into history the sum of undiscovered metals that are likely located in an country. When an initial study was completed as portion of the MRP, the USGS admitted that it was during a clip of significant passage within the bureau this included falloff in staff members, important restructuring of the Geologic Division, decrease in installations, and alterations both in ends and leading all marks that more updated appraisals of our metal resources need to take topographic point. A new MRP field should turn to our state s present and long-run metal demands. The precedence for an updated survey should be to supply scientific evidences that would let for certified decision-making as to how much of the state s land should go on to be used for excavation, and how we can run into futurity metal demands despite low resources in the U.S.Mining minerals and metals has negative impacts on the environment. When metals are mined, important sums of toxins are released into the environment, particularly into the prick and groundwater. Pollution of dirt and H2O is considered thirdhand taint, and is damaging to agriculture and works life, every bit good as our absorb H2O supply. The processing and refinement on metal ores can besides noxious the air. In recent old ages, with subjects like planetary clime alteration taking centre phase, environmental impacts of merely about anything should ever be taken into history. attachment of environmental effects is of import in guaranting that land is non overused for mining even more than it is overused for other patterns such as agribusiness. Furthermore, it would be good to analyze how metal sedimentations sway geochemically when exposed to enduring procedures, every bit good as the environmental effects of these reactions. If this affair contributes at all to the lessening in our mineral supply, research on the topic may let us to forestall this lessening. A new MRP survey should sketch possible results of environmental impacts of metal excavation, which should be taken into consideration by the BLM when d oing land-use determinations.Additionally, research demands to research the possibility of utilizing man-made ( semisynthetic ) substitutes for these cherished metals. When makers want to be use replacements for a certain metal, they by and large use a different naturally-occurring metal. Since we are at hazard of utilizing up our metal resources, it would be good to give rise man-made versions of gold, Ag, and PGMs. These replacements should possess the same preferable qualities, including catalytic and electrical conduction.Another manner to cut back on metals usage is to recycle. Many states, including the U.S. , already used recycled stuff from bit metal, but merely little per centums of metals used today come from recycled beginnings. In 2009, 190 dozenss of gold came from recycled bit metal in the U.S. , compared to 210 dozenss mined. Merely 17,000 kgs ( merely 17 metric dozenss ) of PGMs were recovered from bit metal in the U.S. last twelvemonth, compared to 16,300 dozenss that came from mines. The exclusion is silver in 2009, 1,500 dozenss of Ag in the U.S. came from recycled stuff, exceling the 1,230 dozenss that were mined. eve though metals are recycled, bureaus like the USGS can rede makers on new ways to retrieve even more material from bit metal. Metal processing workss should besides work to implement new ways of treating natural mined metals so that less of the metals are lost before being supple into the concluding merchandise. Not merely would that final cause be economical, but it would be much less uneconomical excessively. Development and exercise of synthetics, increased recycling, and more efficient metals treating might someday even let the U.S. to freeze excavation all together, which in bend would cut down any painful effects on the environment.The USGS, and any other federal organisations chosen to roll up and form critical minerals informations, should hold more authorization when it comes to policies affecting the recovery and usage of cherished metals. Surveies to better our usage of metals, as outlined above, should have the proper support, and sextuple federal bureaus need to work together to spread out basic scientific research, and to advance the usage of new thoughts and engineering to better understand the effects, effects, and benefits of cherished metal use.DecisionCherished metals specifically gold, Ag, and the platinum-group metals serve many valuable intents in our economic system and our day-to-day lives. But merely as our oil resources will finally run out, so our cherished metals will someday go depleted every bit good. Until farther surveies are conducted, we will go on to be limited in our apprehension of how rapidly these cherished metal resources will run out. We must(prenominal) besides research any possible major environmental injury that may come from mining these metals, and what, if anything, we can make to extenuate such injury.