America Must Regulate Nanotechnology Essay -- Technology Physics Mecha

America Must Regulate Nanotechnology Definition of Nanotechnology Nanotechnology involves the â€Å"art of purposefully manipulating materials on at atomic scale or molecular scale†[1] (also referred to as â€Å"nanoscale†), as compared to processes governed by the laws of physics that carry out naturally occurring actions, such as chemical reactions and changes in state. At the nanoscale level, the laws of quantum mechanics take over, pushing aside what most are familiar with via Newtonian mechanics. Because of the fundamental shift in how work is done, nanotechnology has the potential to affect and change everything in existence. Future Implications of Nanotechnology Nanotechnology will affect everything, and likely change everything to significant degrees. The future implications of nanotechnology exist along all frontiers of science, culture, commerce, economy, business, law, ethics, medicine/health, religion, and life. The end result of these changes will, however, either advance human civilization several orders of magnitude forward and thus achieve â€Å"utopia† if properly managed and regulated, or bring an end to human civilization if not properly controlled, studied, and managed, akin to â€Å"Pandora’s Box† of ancient Greek mythology, but several orders of magnitude worse! Some significant implications as a result of nanotechnology include[2]:  · Nearly free consumer products  · PC's billions of times faster then today  · People live longer with virtual ends to illness and aging  · No more pollution and automatic cleanup of existing pollution . End of famine and starvation  · Superior education for every child on Earth These implications could become reality in the near ... .../view/library/aliens/article/70558.html [12] â€Å"Library-Technology – Nanoprobes†, StarTrek.com, http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/library/technology/article/3963.html [13] National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network, http://www.nnin.org/ [14] National Nanotechnology Initiative, http://www.nano.gov [15] Center for Responsible Nanotechnology, http://www.crnano.org [16] â€Å"Everything or Nothing Overview†, http://www.commanderbond.net/Public/Stories/2279-1.shtml [17] â€Å"Nanotechnology Now – Ethics of Nanotechnology†, http://nanotech-now.com/ethics-of-nanotechnology.htm [18] Rob Fixmer, "The Soul of the Next New Machine: Humans", New York Times on the Web (November 5, 1999), http://cseserv.engr.scu.edu/NQuinn/ENGR019_301Winter2004/HWBCCCU.htm [19] â€Å"Telecommunications Act of 1996†, Federal Communications Commission, http://www.fcc.gov/telecom.html

Opium As A Chinese Saga Essay

The Lure That Was China Amidst it all, she withstood the grandeur of her civilization and past, her legacy and mystique, her people and culture: China is the ever yearned for prize of colonization; of commercialism; of travelers of yore and hitherto – for she has everything to be proud of in any given time. She has achievements, inventions, products, people, craft, art, inert knowledge, philosophies, grace – so with her natural resources. Up until the end of the 17th century, China and her people and their life was as they preferred it to be. Then the West was utterly impetuous to indulge China to comprehensive trade. China has most exquisite exportable products: porcelain, silk, tea. The West love to have them. However, there is nothing much that the Chinese need from the West – nor find of any use. Specifically Great Britian, Europe could not allow an imbalance trade. So, in 1793, Britain sent a diplomat and successfully was given an Imperial audience. The array of European products presented was wonderful and would be suitable for the balancing of trade that must be established between Europe, between Britain and China. It was a disappointment. The Emperor wrote King George: â€Å". . . As your Ambassador can see for himself, we possess all things. I set no value on objects strange or ingenious, and have no use for your country’s manufactures. . . Our Celestial Empire possesses all things in prolific abundance and lacks no product within its own borders. There was therefore no need to import the manufactures of outside barbarians in exchange for our own produce. But as the tea, silk and porcelain which the Celestial Empire produces, are absolute necessities to European nations and to yourselves, we have permitted, as a signal mark of favour, that foreign hongs [merchant firms] should be established at Canton, so that your wants might be supplied and your country thus participate in our beneficence. † (Historywiz, 1999-2005) And the problem began. China Sets A Foothold As the West expressed its agitation about such imbalance of trade, China thenon closed its doors from trade. It isolated itself. It allowed selective foreign trade only via the City of Canton (now Guangzhou). The Europeans could not do away with the Chinese goods. So their gold and silver paid for what they want. It never flowed back to Europe because there was nothing that the Chinese want from Europe. What drove China to distance itself from Europe is because of the haughtiness the Europeans pursued with regards to trade. To this the Chinese is unaffected. For the Chinese, they are sufficient to themselves. Their confidence is a sense of superiority in their race. Their domestic trade is immensely rich on their own. China is a country, a nation, a people that is very big, very fruitful, very rich, very diversified in natural resources. Furthermore, as China’s interaction with the foreigners from that time made them wary. They felt intimidated and therefore became protective of itself. Thus, the isolation. Then, particularly the British, drew the gambit: Opium. Benign Was Opium Supposed To Be Opium has been in China and its use for as far back as 12 centuries ago. The purpose was medicinal. It cured diarrhea. Up and until 17th century it was sparingly mixed with tobacco as a means of relaxation. It was said to have been introduced by the Arabs, then the Portuguese, the Dutch. It is one of the lesser portion of trade that China indulges in but placed under control. This is what the British saw to balance things out with China. But â€Å"in 1729, when the foreign import was 200 chests, the Emperor Yung Ching issued the first anti-opium edict, enacting severe penalties on the sale of opium and the opening of opium-smoking divans. The importation, however, continued to increase, and by 1790 it amounted to over 4,000 chests annually. In 1796 opium smoking was again prohibited, and in 1800 the importation of foreign opium was again declared illegal. Opium was now contraband, but the fact had no effect on the quantity introduced into the country, which rose to 5,000 chests in 1820; 16,000 chests in 1830; 20,000 chests in 1838, and 70,000 chests in 1858. † (La Motte) China therefore was alarmed with the increasing use of opium by its people. It decreed a complete prohibition of its trade. Yet, the addiction that the Chinese evolved into towards the drug, encourage Western traders to penetrate China. On top of this the Chinese empire is facing corruption and fraud in its government. Bureaucracy is becoming inefficient and weak emperors are no longer qualified to face the problems. No matter what laws and penalties are imposed on the trade and use of opium, it fell on deaf ears. The profits were too much for underground Chinese traders not to connive with Western exporting traders. The balance of trade is deteriorating and China was awakening to the scourge. â€Å"In 1839 the Emperor ordered Commissioner Lin Tse-Hsu to put a stop to the opium trade. Lin wrote to Queen Victoria, appealing to the British sense of justice and compassion: ‘We have heard that in your own country opium is prohibited with the utmost strictness and severity:—this is a strong proof that you know full well how hurtful it is to mankind. Since then you do not permit it to injure your own country, you ought not to have the injurious drug transferred to another country, and above all others, how much less to the Inner Land! Of the products which China exports to your foreign countries, there is not one which is not beneficial to mankind in some shape or other. There are those which serve for food, those which are useful, and those which are calculated for re-sale; but all are beneficial. Has China (we should like to ask) ever yet sent forth a noxious article from its soil? ’ He received no reply.  Left on his own to solve the problem, Lin ordered the destruction of a large supply of opium stored on Chinese soil. † (HistoryWiz, 1999-2005) Then, the two opium wars ensued. China lost. Effects of Loss Moral Effects All because of misunderstanding and obstinacy about how to balance trade, China had to experience a loss not just in terms of economics more importantly the destruction of their moral fibre. The imbalance is not only in trade but waging conflict towards strengths and weaknesses, superiority and pride. The unknowing Chinese at the end was the one who paid the bigger price because of an addiction he likewise unknowingly developed. Because of the lure of the profits, even the Chinese himself pitted against his own countryman’s destruction of his morality. After so many years of demoralization due to the tremendous addiction of the Chinese and the usurping profiteering of the scrupulous Chinese and foreign businessmen, China for once and for all to work itself unanimously to kick the habit. The emperor ordered that in ten years no more opium traffic will be allowed. No matter that China has tremendous distances as a vast land; no matter that have no viable means of telecommunication; no matter that they have very few learned people – they all decided to get rid of opium. The West agreed to cooperate with China to lift them from their moral bondage of drug addiction. Economic Effects As a turning point in the life of China as a nation and a people, its loss counted likewise the diminishing territorial rights it holds. China then had to sign the treaties of Nanjing and Tietsin in surrender and allowed its doors again to international trade. As foreign trade was pursued, Western merchants bought silk and tea from China, increasing the volume remarkably as years went by. Because of this, Chinese farmers opted to abandon producing food stuff and concentrated on silk and tea. Thus food prices skyrocketed. With five more ports opened, the former boatmen who worked in Canton ports met with unemployment. Aggravated by rising food prices, the unemployed became more miserable. It is not all glory with increased trade. The instant resurgence of trade volumes caused a shortage in Spanish silver dollars. It has to be abolished due to its uncontrollable appreciation and was replaced by the Mexican dollars. There are also imbalances in the local currencies. Copper cash depreciated because of inadequate supply of copper and the inefficient government. This is a total destruction of the financial systems of China and they were left with the introduction of paper money in 1853. Another commercial activity affected after the loss to the opium war was the textile industry. Cloths are produced by hand in China. The West brought in cheap machine made cloths. That killed local production. And then there is the basic agriculture and home grown industries that were affected by the changes in other commercial activities. Capitalism surged into China’s consciousness and yet China was not ready for the big time game of capitalism. They were not that knowledgeable about managing profit and loss. Sociological Effects With the shameful loss from the opium war, the Chinese lost faith in the superiority of their race. They came to recognize the superiority of the Westerns. They decided to get to know them and their ways. The Chinese decided to discover the political, social and technological know-how of the Western culture. Thus, they came to know and open up to what diplomacy and foreign relations are all about. Political Effects: Since the loss of China was due to the superiority of the Western armaments, China looked into the advancement of their military and armory. They opened modern factories for modern weapons to be produced. The factories were set not to make money but for purposes of the development of Chinese military. The opium war likewise revealed the ineffectiveness of the feudal system. Its Manchu government became incapable of protecting and governing the citizenry. Poverty prevailed; petty revolution ensued; the economy collapsed. The Chinese intellectuals rose up to the occasion and likewise looked into re-organizing its government an dpolitics. Conclusion: China’s quagmire in opium was not a show of the total weakness on the part of its people, but rather insufficiency of appropriate support. For not knowing any better, they indulged because it was available. The inherent cultural perspective and philosophies are quite strong yet it was limited to the features of their time. Modern circumstances that come along their way are not something they are really prepared for. Education and information was not present at that time. Coupled with this shortcoming of the pertinent period of time, the West was incessant in its colonization and commercial and capitalist activities. At that period of time, the West sees itself as the lord and master of the whole world. What they occupy and spread must be taken hook, line and sinker. The trade objectives of the West were very encompassing, so with the rest of their occupation strategies. If the West was morally short sighted in instigating addiction among the Chinese people and the infiltration and condoning of underground Chinese business man with the lure of profit in the opium trade – then the Opium War is something that it is not a laurel to have won. And on the part of China, the opium war and rising above its ashes might have been a blessing in disguise. For what China is now in this 21st century is a result of lessons learned.

Andrew Jackson Campaign Speech of 1828 Essay

My fellow Americans, the upcoming national elections present a very important choice. We can forge a â€Å"true† representative democracy for the first time in history, and be led by our directly elected leaders. Or we can continue to live in an aristocratic republic run by over-educated elitists who are not beholden to the will of the people, but only to themselves. As you all know, three years ago I won the popular vote for President, but was denied the office because of a â€Å"corrupt bargain† between the dishonorable Henry Clay and President Adams. The people’s choice was disregarded by the elite in power. As a result, I immediately resigned from the Senate and returned to Tennessee, where the legislature immediately nominated me for President again. I have spent the last three years preparing to right this terrible wrong and take back the people’s power to choose their own leaders. My opponent Mr. Adams dismisses me as a â€Å"military chieftain. † I have fought two wars for this country, and I am proud of it. I think one of the most important qualifications a President should have is a military background. We were invaded by the British only 15 years ago. That enemy is still in the Canadas agitating Indians to attack us, and waiting for another chance to invade. We have foreign enemies at our every border. Don’t forget the Spanish forces just to the south in Florida, and Mexico to the west, and Indians constantly raiding settlements all along the frontiers. These foreign threats are many and dire, and we need a President who has the experience to defend our nation against them. There are threats to our nation from within as well. The Second National Bank is a threat to our economic well-being. President Adams and Vice-president Clay both support the bank claiming that it provides stability. I say it does great harm to the average American. It is a financial monopoly controlled by a few wealthy easterners. It controls the credit for the entire country, prints paper money of dubious worth, and it is just plain unconstitutional. Out west thousands of ordinary shop keepers, millers, farmers and other business owners cannot get the currency and the loans they need to run their concerns. How do you develop and grow the economy of a new state without currency, or worse yet, with paper currency of dubious worth? I say let us do away with all paper money, I do not trust it. Gold and Silver coin have intrinsic and eternal value, paper does not. We should also rely on our local and state banks, run by the people who live in and understand our communities, to control the currency needed for commerce, not some faceless, monopolistic national bank. Another threat from within are the abolitionists. They care about one issue only, and would tear the nation apart to get their way. Slavery is necessary to the economy of the south. If we outlaw it, we will make criminals of thousands of slave owners overnight, and collapse all of the southern states’ economies. How will southern families feed and clothe themselves without their labor force? I say let the people and their states decide this issue for themselves. Many northern states have already outlawed slavery, and one day the southern states may follow. You cannot force a cultural change like this on people; you must let them come to it in their own way and time. That is the nature of democracy. President Adams is afraid of internal threats as well. His biggest fear is YOU! The people of this nation, the ordinary citizens of the United States are the gravest threat he faces. Our President doesn’t trust us. To him, we are the unwashed, ignorant masses who, given the chance, would run the country into the ground. The president has stated many times that he believes his precious republic will soon â€Å"degenerate into democracy; that government of the people will become government by the people. † I say it’s about time. I say â€Å"we the people† built this nation. We have marched across the continent, scratching out a living, and burying our children along the way to do it. I say â€Å"we the people† understand better than anyone what it takes to make this nation grow and prosper. I trust the common people of this nation, because I am one of the common people. I am not yet another wealthy land owner from Virginia, nor am I an aristocratic lawyer from Massachusetts. I am a just an old Indian fighter from Tennessee. I believe â€Å"we the people† who have sacrificed the most for this great nation have earned the right to govern it. But I need your help to make this happen. Already, the new states are entering the union with few restrictions on the vote. This has caused many the old states to change their ways as well. Eighteen of our states now choose their electors by popular vote, while only six still allow the legislature to choose their representatives for them. I urge you all to go to the polls on Election Day. With this election we can finally take back power from the old aristocracy. We can establish the legitimacy of majority rule based upon direct voting for candidates by the electorate, and guarantee preservation of the Union, with states’ rights as the fundamental basis of American liberty. This is the dawn of a new day for democracy and modern American politics. Please vote on Election Day. Thank you.

The highest branch on the tree essays

The highest branch on the tree essays In adolescence, life can seem like a popularity contest. Therefore, teasing, bullying, and victimization are among the biggest problems for teenagers in school. For the most part the victims develop social and emotional problems, and as a result, limit their happiness and success. However, in the American short story The Highest Branch on the Tree, author Ray Bradbury tells a rather different and amusing story about victimization. In Bradburys story, the victim gets his revenge, and is the one who has the last laugh. Instead of becoming a withdrawn person, he becomes successful in the business world. However, he is still suffering from the bullying in his past. Or perhaps the bullies are the ones who are suffering as a result of the past. The victim and the main character, Harry Hands, is a very bigheaded and smart person, who was vastly superior to his classmates. Thus, everyone in his class disliked him, especially because of his infuriating arrogant attitude and success. However, Harry did not care at all, since the teachers liked him, and therefore he knew that he had nothing to fear. In fact, he was indeed aware of the fact that he was the one who had the upper hand, which this paragraph clearly states: looking down his nose at us dumb peasants, as he called us. (Line 5-6). Peasant is a humiliating word, which in former times was used about a person who is from the lowest part of society. Nevertheless, Harry was a victim of bullying and teasing throughout his short period in junior high. Even forty years later, Harry does not live a single day without remembering the day the envious narrator of the story, Douglas Spaulding, together with the other classmates, threw Harrys pants up on the highest branch of a tree in the schoolyard. He was victimized, and victimization is one the main themes in Bradburys story. However, Harry simply climbed up and thereafter peed on everyone be...

Practicing a Presentation - Advanced Business English

Practicing a Presentation - Advanced Business English Mike: Anne, can I run the new presentation by you?Anne: Certainly, Id love to hear some of the new concepts. Mike: OK, here goes ... On behalf of myself and Sport Outfitters, Id like to welcome you. My names Mike Andersen. This morning, Id like to outline our new campaign concepts that have been recently developed.Anne: Excuse me, who was invited to this conference? Mike: Our sales representatives from our branch offices were asked to come. I think a number of upper-management representatives were also invited.Anne: Thats good. Our marketing approach is going to be completely revamped. Mike: And thats why we need everyone to be informed. So, Ill continue. Youll be given the background and Ill talk you through the results of some of our recent market studies.Anne: How many surveys were completed? Mike: I think about 100,000 were returned to the company. Our marketing team was very pleased with the response.Anne: OK, continue... Mike: The presentation has been divided into three parts. First, our past approach. Secondly, present changes that will be made. Thirdly, future forecasts ...Anne: That sounds good. Mike: If you have any questions, please dont hesitate to ask. At the end of this presentation, a short advertisement will be shown to give you an idea of where we are going.Anne: Good job Mike. I hope your graphics are being put together by Bob. Mike: Of course they are, you know hes the best! Multiple Choice Comprehension Questions 1. Why does Mike want to speak to Anne? to practice his presentationto get her opinion on the new campaignto show her some pictures 2. Besides sales representatives, who will be attending the conference? marketing staffsome representatives from upper managementmachine workers 3. What is going to be completely changed? the surveysthe product linethe marketing approach 4. How many surveys were completed and returned to the company? 10,000100,0001,000,000 5. Who are the graphics going to be done by? MikeBobAnne Answer Key Answers are in  bold. 1. Why does Mike want to speak to Anne? to practice his presentationto get her opinion on the new campaignto show her some pictures 2. Besides sales representatives, who will be attending the conference? marketing staffsome representatives from upper managementmachine workers 3. What is going to be completely changed? the surveysthe product linethe marketing approach 4. How many surveys were completed and returned to the company? 10,000100,0001,000,000 5. Who are the graphics going to be done by? MikeBobAnne More Business Resources Business English for ESL LearnersSample Business MeetingHow to Write a Business Report for English  Learners

Quantity Surveying Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Quantity Surveying - Essay Example Quantity Surveyor (QS) controls the construction costs by measuring accurately the work required, the application of expert knowledge of costs and prices of work, labour, materials and plant required, an understanding of the implications of design decisions at an early stage to ensure that good value is obtained for the money to be expended. (Wikipedia). To be a quantity surveyor you should have the following qualities: Private Practice surveyor is that quantity surveyor who works on a private company. The role of Quantity surveyor in a private practice is that it acts as the financial and development consultant to the construction and property development. The quantity surveyor in a private practice includes advising clients on the optimal use of funds as well as strategies to maximize human and physical resources. The traditional QS in a private practice have the following functions: A quantity surveyor in a construction company has a broader role than that of the private practice. In the construction company you need to deal with different kind of people. From the project supervisor, to the engineers and to the workers. An extended knowledge in the surrounding is important. The construction surveyor is concerned with the accurate measurement and position of points on the earth's surface, and to establishment of boundaries. They can do this by measuring the relative horizontal and vertical position of points on the ground, aided by a theodolite or similar optical instrument. QS, In a construction site is much more complicated than that of the private practice. Although there is some role in the private practice that is also being done by the QS in the construction company such as: talk to architects, engineers, builders, contractors, suppliers and project owners study architectural and engineering drawings and specifications prepare a 'Bill of Quantities', which lists the individual components required to construct the project check on changes of design to assess the effects on cost assess and recommend payment to contractors during construction prepare monthly cash-flow forecasts for clients and tax depreciation schedules undertake feasibility studies to assist in decisions about the worth of a project proceeding act as consultants to business and government. Contractors' quantity surveyor is responsible for all legal and commercial matters within the contracting organization. As shown in the graph

How does the concept of Citizenship contribute to our understanding of Essay

How does the concept of Citizenship contribute to our understanding of the experience of minority ethnic groups - Essay Example Legal British citizenship for the minorities has been changing concept recently with more regularities and demands. The citizenship requirement is not spread in an uniform way amongst the minorities; instead, the blacks seem to be having an upper hand here. "The rates of British Citizenship found across different groups contain a high degree of variance, with black Africans exhibiting the highest level of non-British citizenship in 1977," (Evans, 1999, p.105). Blacks who have migrated into Britain since the days of slavery and increased their numbers in recent decades, have become better naturalised citizens than other minorities. Complete naturalisation and acceptance of British way of life, while retaining some of their own traditional values, depends on many criteria. The main factor that should be considered here is the period of migration and the length of stay here. "These factors are the period of migration, the economic conditions of migration, the citizenship regime of the host state, and the ways in which the political cultures imported by immigrants from their original countries have combined with native political cultures," (Pennin... This means, an individual's mindset about Britain and its citizenship mainly depends upon the treatment he received from the British people after migrating here, the stereotyped models the individual has maintained in his mind and also the prejudiced or unprejudiced attitude he had developed over the years, either aided by the local population, or totally unaided. Victorians thought that the minorities were uncivilised people from far off colonies, and unfortunately they showed it in their attitude. This does not mean that there were no kind people in Victorian days. If the minorities had come into contact with well-balanced thinkers, there are instances of positive outlook where the person became happy under a helpful employer or a friend. The mass migration was from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and West Indies. The settlements were localised and some clusters emerged in London, Liverpool, Cardiff, in the early 1800s and in those days, they were all referred to as black communities. They lived a poor life, as any other immigrants of any country and tried hard to eke out a living. "A pattern of black minority ethnic settlement characterised by residential concentration, segregation and deprivation is now well-established in Britain.the day-to-day experience of most people living in Britain at that time was a white one," (Pacione, 2002, p.216). Eventually their living conditions, with their own hard work and government help, improved and along with it, improved the attitude of the British, who came to recognise the good qualities of their minorities. In any country, it is quite natural, to have wrong opinion, dislike, suspicion about the new people who look