Kung Fu Panda 31;13-34;50 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Kung Fu Panda 31;13-34;50 - Essay Example The music directors have carefully incorporated music which very strongly conveys the emotions and feelings of the talking animals in the movie. It is worth noting here that it is otherwise difficult to convey this through dialogues and visuals. This essay examines the role of music and sound in a particular part of this movie. The part of the movie evaluated here is 31 minutes 13 seconds to 34 minutes 50 seconds. The selected section of the movie follows the philosophical encounter that Po, the protagonist of the story has with Master Shifu who is the trainer of Po. Master Shifu ridicules Po with regard to his poor body image and his easy going attitude. Panda is shocked to see the martial art skills of the other animals and realizes his incapability all the more. Po fails miserably in exhibiting his martial art skills and is was made fun of by other animals. The chosen part of the movie shows the intellectual confusion of the chosen hero who is unsure of living up to the expectations of the kingdom. The scene in the beginning shows Po sneaking into Jade Palace. The sound used in expressing the sneaky behavior of Po who is trying to get inside the palace has succeeded in expressing the insecurity that the panda has. The creaking sound of the wood on the floor increases all the more as Po tries to make no sound. Master Crane who is woken up by this sound comments that the Panda does not belong to that space and Po approves of it. The creaking sound in the background just before this dialogue very well supports the Panda’s insecurity and disengagement with that physical space. Silence is very well used in this scene to contribute to the depth of Panda’s feelings. The lighting integrates with this idea. The lighting, composition and the space gives the feeling of moonlight filtering in through the windows. The camera angle which follows the shadow of the Panda also supports the general theme of the scene. The Point of View shot takes the

Understanding World Happenings in Africa Essay Example for Free

Understanding World Happenings in Africa Essay When Paul Theroux visited Africa during the 1960s, many African countries were forming their own governments after doing away with colonial rule (An Interview, 2007). Paul taught English to children in Uganda and Malawi during that time. But when he returned to Africa almost forty years later, he was shocked as well as disappointed to see that his good old school library, which used to be the core of one of the finest schools in East Africa, had no light bulbs and all of its book shelves had been emptied by plunderers (Theroux, 2003). Doing away with colonial rule was not so good for the African countries after all. Rather, according to Paul, African countries after the colonial rule â€Å"have fared badly, because of poor leadership, lack of resources, the colonial hangover, the subversion of foreign institutions. † Moreover, corruption is rampant, and the African governments rely on the poverty of their peoples to get foreign aid. Someone besides the African people seems to be using the foreign aid, however, seeing as the African people remain poor and needy. What is more, countless African people whom Paul encountered during his second trip to Africa, reported that they would like to move out of Africa altogether (An Interview). Paul describes poverty as such a big problem in Africa that he almost lost his life because of it. In northern Kenya and on the road known as Marsabit, some â€Å"shifta† or wandering bandits shot at the travel writer. They do not want your life, bwana. They want your shoes, Paul explained in his book, Dark Star Safari: Overland From Cairo to Cape Town (Theroux). Did Paul imagine at the time that he would perhaps have been safe if the land of Africa was still under colonial rule? The law and order situation in the Western world – the colonialists and the imperialists of yesteryears – are definitely seen as safer places on our planet, despite the fact that UNDERSTANDING WORLD HAPPENINGS IN AFRICA Page # 2 they have their own share of violence to handle. And yet, the law and order situation in other parts of the world cannot be compared to what is happening in the Western world. In the non-Western world, a lot of countries have remained poor and needy even after doing away with the colonial rule. As a matter of fact, the colonialists were pushed out of many nations in hordes close to mid-twentieth century. What did the countries that pushed out the colonialists achieve in the name of freedom? – Perhaps only the belief that they are basically separate from others. In actuality, the so-called ‘freedom’ and ‘independence’ gained by the African countries, the subcontinent, and other non-Western regions of the world has not be true freedom and independence from heartbreaking problems such as beggary, sickness, and illiteracy (Theroux). While the Western world grew richer through the Internet and globalization, starting from the latter half of the twentieth century, various non-Western regions of the world remained poor and needy without good use of the Internet and globalization. Even Japan and China continued to believe in economic nationalism without feeling the need to make immense profits through globalization. Paul experienced the difference between the Western world and the non-Western world during his second trip to Africa especially through the word, â€Å"safari. † According to the writer, â€Å"safari† is a Swahili world which essentially means ‘incommunicado’ or being completely out of touch. So, if anybody (like Paul) wants to spend time in a place where there are not many (if any) Internet cafes or means to access mobile phones; he or she must be visiting Africa to get away from it all (Theroux). Technology has not made its way into African countries in a big way. Without technology, the African nations have undoubtedly stayed behind UNDERSTANDING WORLD HAPPENINGS IN AFRICA Page # 3 the Western world in terms of their economies and living standards. They have not been able to encounter progress along with the Western nations that are technologically advanced. Thus, the African countries – like many other technologically backward nations in the non-Western world – have failed to develop. These countries are dependent on the Western world for aid. What is more, although the majority of people of such nations have undeveloped minds because of lack of education, the countries as a whole have shown great arrogance in terms of shunning colonial rule and its likes. In Hong Kong, the British government stayed in power almost until the end of the twentieth century. Today, Hong Kong is very advanced. But Africa and the subcontinent are not advanced at all, the reason being that they pushed out the colonialists before the latter could work wonders for the nations they had probably come to occupy for a good reason. America, too, had pushed out colonialists before the African and Asian countries followed. However, America was backed by another Western power at the time of its independence. Hence, its history cannot be compared to the history of the non-Western world. The fact, therefore, remains: Our world has been divided even after the world wars, and would not easily allow developed countries to take over underdeveloped ones in order to solve the problems of the latter. When and if the developed countries do take over, they must encounter hatred and distrust, which eventually pushes them away and out of the undeveloped nations for good. References 1. â€Å"An Interview with Paul Theroux. † (2007). Book Browse. Retrieved from http://www. bookbrowse. com/author_interviews/full/index. cfm? author_number=886. (11 April 2007). 2. Theroux, Paul. (2003). Dark Star Safari: Overland From Cairo to Cape Town. Boston: Houghton Miffin, 2003.

french war :: essays research papers

The French, after World War II wanted to control Indochina by returning the area to a pre-war colonial status, believing they were better suited to bring economic growth to that part of the world. The United States, a country which demanded self rule from England in 1776, plays the hypocrite by supporting France in order to secure Europe from Soviet expansion. How far does one go to stop another’s ideological beliefs? Do countries that practice freedoms of choice have a moral obligation to intervene in another’s affairs, or do they let those who reside there, determine their own future? At the end of World War II, Stalin and the Russian Empire took advantage of the weaken state of the European Theater by installing several puppet regimes in weaken countries, including Germany, Hungary, and Poland. This unchecked spread of communism was of great concern to the rest of Europe and the United States. Two countries with much to lose, Turkey and Greece were in urgent need of aid to assist in their reconstruction after the war. Their survival and resistance to communism were not only critical to Europe, but would hamper Russia’s unrestricted access to the Mediterranean Sea and controlling numerous seaports, including those in the Middle East. The Truman Doctrine not only assured assistance to Turkey and Greece, but created a policy of containment, allowing the communist block countries to exist, but not allow their policies to spread further into Europe. This stalemate between the European countries aligned with the United States and the Soviet Union created an â₠¬Å"Iron Curtain† across Europe, and with Russia’s successful test of an atom bomb an uneasiness across the globe was generated and the start of the â€Å"Cold War†. In order for the security of Europe to take hold, all countries within the European theater had to participate, this included the French. Prior to the start of the Second World War, France had several colonies set up in the Indochina area including Vietnam. As part of their agreement to participate in Europe’s security they wanted to reestablish these ties in Southeast Asia. In as much as the United States didn’t approve of colonization of Indochina, there were several factors that ultimately allowed them to say yes. 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The security of Europe had to come first, at this time the issues in Southeast Asia were deemed non-issues. Thus we were willing to accept the French terms.

The Impact Technology Has on Education Essay -- Computers Networking E

The Impact Technology Has on Education missing works cited Technology is not a new concept. Humans are constantly inventing new items that will make their lives easier and more enjoyable. In the early 1800s, a technological invention was introduced into classrooms that would prove to "have a profound impact on teaching." Advocates felt that the invention would prove to be invaluable and it was placed in classrooms around the country. In the beginning, teachers needed to be encouraged to use this new technology. They were given step-by-step instructions on how to integrate its use into their lessons. Today it is hard to imagine a classroom that doesn’t have this technology†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.the chalkboard! In the twentieth century, a variety of new devices were invented that provided new ways for teachers to present their lessons. When motion pictures entered the classrooms, people thought that books would become obsolete. Some people thought that it would be possible to teach every branch of human knowledge with the motion picture and it would soon replace the teacher. These inventions, which are only two of hundreds, have not made the teacher’s role obsolete. They have simply provided tools to make teaching and the learning experience more effective and enjoyable. Some people believe that by introducing computers into classrooms, society is beginning to replace the role of teachers with today’s technology. This is untrue. Although it will, and it has, changed the role of the teacher, as well as the role of the student, the computer, just as the motion picture and the chalkboard will enhance the classroom. It will bring about new techniques of teaching and learning. Computers and networking are an important part of today’s society. ... ...ciates, Inc http://www.classroomgoodies.com/ †¢ More on Distance Education: TEAMS Distance Learning http://www.teams.lacoe.edu/ Satellite Educational Resources http://www.serc.org/ Cyberschool http://www.cyberschool.k12.or.us/ Aphelion http://www.charismagics.com/amphelion/ Access2Education http://www.access2education.com/ †¢ Links to Teacher and Student Resources Education world http://www.education-world.com/ Federal Resources ed. Excellence http://www.ed.gov/free/ Education Planet http://www.educationplanet.com/ Worldwide Classroom http://www.worldwide.edu/ †¢ Links to Disability sites American Asso. Of University Affiliated Programs http://www.aauap.org/ Equal Access to Software Information http://www.isc.rit.edu/~easi/ Education Emancipation Disabled Manpower http://www.eega.nl/ Deaf Education Option Web http://www2.pair.com/options

The American Government

The protection of civil rights and liberties is bestowed upon the government who enforces their enjoyment through appropriate use of the rule of law. It is this balance between the government as a guarantor of civil rights and liberties and the government as a violator of civil rights and liberties that define whether the citizenry will or will not rise against the political structures to safeguard their inviolable and inalienable natural rights and liberties. The struggle for civil freedom and rights has spanned centuries, sometimes with too much bloodshed.With each passing decade new statutes are passed to safeguard and counteract the new challenges. This paper is a succinct analysis of the government and its role in advancing the visions of human rights and liberties as had been proclaimed by the Founding Fathers of the United States of America. The American Government: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights Civil liberties can be defined as those individual rights held and enjoyed over and against the governments. There is no free society that can exist in the absence of civil liberties.This is the basic distinguishing feature between a free state and a totalitarian where an individual is but a subservient to the state. In such regime, freedom of press, freedom of speech, or the freedom of assembly is non existent and any individual who openly disagrees with the system risks arrest, imprisonment and or execution (Walker 2004). In the context of American culture civil rights is applicable in reference to the Black Americans civil rights struggle which fought for equality for ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, women, gay and lesbian people and other minority groups.Due to the prominence of the fight for civil rights in the United States of America; civil rights are regarded differently from civil liberties. However, it is only proper that the concept of civil rights is regarded as a subsection of civil liberties. Civil liberties therefore cover the right of every individual to fair treatment from the government. On the other hand civil rights sometimes called social rights specifically cover the right of each and every individual to fair treatment from other citizenry as well as from the local governments.The beginning of civil liberties and civil rights can be traced to the signing of the Declaration of Independence which stated that â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal. . . † This was the basic blueprint for future statutes that would prohibit any form of gender and racial discrimination from the public and private sphere. The history of the United States of America is adorned by brave individuals who were able to stand against the authorities of the day and proclaim the Declaration of Independence even when the prices they had to pay for such confrontations was their lives (http://www.u-s-history. com). Civil Rights and Liberties Colonial Period Influenced by the developments in ind ividual freedoms in England, settlers who migrated to America had with them the desire to fight for reforms that would guarantee them religious freedoms, give them rights to property ownership and most importantly protect them from the oppressive arms of the government. The signing of historical documents like the Magna Carta laid the foundation for the institution of revolutionary ideals in the new world. These men had fled Europe because they could not be permitted to freely pursue their social, economic and religious lives.It is not therefore surprising that after settling in America, these colonists wrote charters and documents that established the Republic which was explicitly based on liberties. Some of the most important charters that expressed this desire to be liberated and free were the Massachusetts Body of Liberties drafted in 1641, Pennsylvania Charter of Privileges in 1701 and the New York Charter of Liberties of 1683. The intensification of conflicts in England after 1765, made the new colony realize that the systems of government in England was a threat to all liberties and rights that the new colony cherished (Jillson 2007).This meant that the purposeful stride towards the Declaration of Independence had a jealous motive of preventing the brimming over of tyranny as was witnessed in England into the New colony created with the belief that human rights and liberties was of greater importance. Apart from what was practiced in the English Caste system where women had virtually no choice in life and men had no option but to be locked in their fathers social class, the New world provided an experimental ground for the revolutionary ideals.Early expressions of such ideals began to be seen as early as 1735 when in Philadelphia, an Attorney called Andrew Hamilton successfully defended an accused; John Peter Zenger, against seditious libel charges. At that time criticism of the colonial government was unheard of. Through this successful suit, Hamilton was able to establish via his New York Weekly Journal that the punishment of truthful publications disseminating matters of public concern constituted an infringement on the inalienable rights of citizens (http://www. u-s-history.com). During those early years after the formation of the American Republic, the Sedition Act of 1978 criminalized the publication or utterance of anything that was perceived to be false, malicious or scandalous against the government of the day or its officials. It is because of this statute the Federalists imprisoned Republicans during the administration of John Adams. In recent times such laws would be a clear contravention of the constitution. During this time lifestyles between the three colonial regions in the New World varied greatly.In the North, where only extreme whether prevailed, small family farms were more predominant. Since life was difficult lonely those who could endure the climatic hardships settled. The coming of the Dutch led to the foun ding of New Amsterdam. This was later on christened as New York. The Society of Friends (Quakers), who were mainly inhabitants of the Mid-Atlantic colonies moved to Pennsylvania and New Jersey where they continued to enjoy the freedom of worship. The Southern Colonies of Maryland, North and South Carolina, Virginia and Georgia became home to wealthy English Settlers.These settlers imported indentured servants from England to work in their farms. With the increase in the number and size and plantations, slave labor from Africa heightened to meet the labor demand. The Southern colonies had extremely large slave laborers that a society of slaves began to develop. By the writing of the Constitution, slavery as a violation of civil liberties was greatly avoided. By 1800, the number of slaves in the United States had reached a peak of nearly nine hundred thousand individuals which were mainly concentrated in the South.To solve the increasing populations of slave trade, the Three-Fifths Co mpromise was legislated. Because of this statute slavery blossomed for the next 20 years without any hassle whatsoever. Congress came in 1808 to end, slavery and slave trade but the illegal importation was to continue in the Southern States. The Industrial Revolution In the context of civil rights and liberties, the era of industrial revolution acted as an incentive to the formation of organizational entities to fight for the rights of the oppressed laborers.Labor problems began between 1861-1880 with the entry of newly educated women and farmer's sons into the industrial workplace. As was characteristic with the industrial revolution; overcrowding, sweatshops, poor working conditions, child labor, extremely long hours of work were prevalent in the industrializing Northern States. In quest of better working condition and terms, labor unions sprung. By 1869, the Order of the Knights of Labor was created to increase the negotiation powers of workers through the unionization of all Ame rican workers.The period spanning between the 1870s to the 1900s witnessed violent protests against the ills of industrialization. Unions fought for labor law changes, collective bargaining rights, maximum hours in a day’s work and finally minimum wage laws. Even though, there were a variety of unions at this time they did not cater for the rights of blacks due to the occupations occupied by blacks. Moreover, the extent of racial discrimination in these labor unions was so high that even blacks that constituted these unions were unable to improve the working conditions of their brothers in occupations not covered by the labor unions.The formation of National Negro Business League which was then headed by Booker T. Washington encouraged blacks to accept the presence of segregation between them and other races while working towards starting their own business enterprises where they could frequent. Some labor leaders such as Eugene V. Debs, Terrence V. Powdery, Marry Harris Jone s and Samuel Gompers even fought for equal level of civil rights that was accorded to the wealthy union leaders such as Andrew Carnegie and J. P. Morgan.It is this initial insistence on equal rights for all that led to the rising of powerful unions like the Congress of Industrial Organization and consequently the pressure to Congress to pass the labor reform laws like the 1938 Fair Labor Standards Act with the main objective of eliminating the labor conditions that were detrimental to maintaining minimum living standards crucial for the health, efficiency and the overall well being of the workers. This was the call touted by President F. D. Roosevelt as one of the most important, far reaching and far sighted labor law reforms.It is this Act that created the maximum weekly hours or work as well as the minimum hourly wage by 1945. as years trudged on, some labor leaders engaged in gross abuse of power hence bridling effort to further increase the workers benefits (http://www. u-s-hist ory. com). Ideas and Movements during the Civil War unto Modern Times It should be understood that the cause towards the full enjoyment of the civil rights and civil liberties trudged on decade unto decade albeit at a much more slower pace even though the Declaration of Independence had specifically spelled out these desires.However, the issue of slavery and whether one state would tolerate the practice of the same in border neighbors created a heated struggle thrusting the civil rights movement into the mainstream of American theater. During the civil war the issue of slavery created a disparity between the Southern and Northern States and with this struggle a new fight for the protection of the rights and liberties of the minorities began. Prior to the Civil War a majority of those living in the Southern regions could not afford the labor services of a slave.For this reason they migrated out of the Southern region in search for better opportunities for themselves. Likewise, owners of large plantations also knew that the provision of cheap slave labor would soon dry out, but instead of moving out or changing the nature of their business enterprises; they struggled to promote the existence of slavery. Moreover, the plantation owners believed that slavery was justifiable because it was only through slavery that the economies of the North and the South could be maintained.Since slavery also guaranteed the lifestyle that was led in the South, Southerners generally held no negative view concerning the impacts of slavery on the well being of workers. This was an opposing view to that held by the Northerners who were mainly traders and small farmers. According to them slavery was supposed to be confined to the Southern States arguing that its spread to other territories was undesirable. They were also of the opinion that its existence in the Southern States should also be abolished.Disregarding the economic consequence of the abolition of slavery, they posited that if that was the case then is it. According to them slavery was immoral and it should be dome away with. Their persistent call through very prominent leaders, created the fuel of secession. Even though the Emancipation Proclamation by Abraham Lincoln in 1863 freed slaves, it was only through the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution that slavery was abolished throughout America. The 14th Amendment ensured that freed slaves became entitled to equal protection by the Federal Law.The ratification of the 15th Amendment ensured that all Americans enjoyed the rights to vote irrespective of gender or race. By 1920, the ratification of the 19th Amendment extended voting rights to women. Even though the Emancipation Proclamation explicitly removed all forms of discrimination, the black population was still subject to discrimination in almost all centers of the economy. They could not even be allowed to play in the National Association of Baseball Players despite their self evident talents. Black players were subjected to murder attempts, bomb threats and hate mails.However, as the century turned, the 19th century presented great opportunities for black integration into the American society and the solving of women’s rights issues. The dawn of the 20th century promised great expansions in civil rights and civil liberties. These expansions were to be the yardsticks upon which a new nation would be formed. The transformation in the 20th century was so rapid and tremendous that powerful civil right activists took the mantle from their forefathers to steer the fight for equal rights and liberties to a new level. Such Leaders included Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr, and Rosa Parks.It is only through years of bloodshed and civil arrest that tremendous gains were achieved. Civil Liberties and Rights in the Modern Era. The purpose of the government as a political governance structure is to secure civil rights and liberties. This power is limited to the powers expressed by the citizenry who delegate such powers to the government. The citizenry is by nature more superior to the government and they cannot cede the governments power. This ultimately means that government’s power is extremely low and incomparable to the inviolable rights that individuals possess.This is the concept behind the possession of natural rights which are pre-existing in each and every individual. Since each and every individual possesses pre-existing natural rights, their expression as civil rights in a society must be in congruence with the principle of equality. Americans by nature of their existence are members of a political society governed by a political governance structure. Through elections, the protection of civil rights and liberties is bestowed upon the government who enforces the enjoyment of these rights and liberties through appropriate use of the rule of law.Since the government enjoys the monopoly over the use of coercion or physical force i n advancing the virtues and values of the society, the protection of the same ultimately rests with the government. It is this balance between the government as a guarantor of civil rights and liberties and the government as a violator of civil rights and liberties that define whether the citizenry will or will not rise against the political structures to safeguard their natural rights. The vision of natural rights and liberties found its expression in the Declaration of Independence and all the other founding documents (Bolick 1996).Since the United States of America is a Federalist system of government, it is not static in operation. The Constitution which lies at the bedrock of the nation itself is flexible as to allow the Congress, the Supreme Court and the President the chance to institute amendments that are in congruence with the issues of modern society. Initially, the proposed Federalist Constitution ignored the protection of the common citizenry. Since this was a direct af front on the existence of a free and democratic nation, the first Congress quickly made a proposal of twelve amendments.These were then transmitted to the States for comprehensive ratification. By the end of 1971, ten states had ratified the amendments and these amendments became known as the Bill of Rights. The First Amendment granted the freedom of religion which specifically prevented the Congress from creating state sponsored religions thus prohibiting Americans from exercising their freedom to worship. Additionally, these amendments also granted equal freedoms of speech, press and assembly (Pate & Napoli 2007).As citizens, who are by their existence members of the political society called a nation, they held some rights, duties and responsibilities. Since the government draws its existence from the people and the Constitution it has the responsibility of protecting the fundamental rights and liberties under the common law. During the ratification of the Constitution, delegates relied on the promise of the Congress to protect the rights and liberties of individuals in the face of a government intent on abusing these inalienable rights and liberties (Strausser 2004).Despite the belief that the Constitution effectively provided for almost everything in the amendments that were to constitute the Bill of Rights, congressional delegates went on and ratified the amendments that form the basis of civil rights and civil liberties. These two are definitively distinguishable but their distinctions are not usually clear cut and a variety of issues affect both hence their erroneous exchangeability.The Second Amendment guaranteed the liberty to store and bear arms as a form of state militia who could be relied upon for security reasons should a state of emergency arise. Currently, this amendment is exhibited by the presence of the National Guard. The 1700s was ripe with troops being stationed in American homes. To safeguard the citizenry from any future hosting of troo ps in homes without personal consent, the Congress passed the Third Amendment which prohibited the stationing of troops in personal homes.The protection of those accused of criminal acts was enshrined under the Fourth Amendment, Fifth Amendment and the Sixth Amendment. The Fourth specifically protects against unwarranted searches by the government. A warrant of search can only be issued by the court to the law enforcement agencies if they satisfy the conditions for the warrant. If a search was done without the courts recognition of a probable cause, then evidences gathered from the search can not constitute prosecutor evidence in the Courts (Strausser 2004).In this post modern era, the preservation of civil rights and liberties remains an important instrument for maintaining our democratic health, particularly under the current threats of national security and patriotism. The government as the main instrument of change must never lose these essential rights as these are democratic t enets that hold American as the greatest nation in the world. Every single citizen has the right to equal legal treatment. All people regardless of the fact that they may not be American citizens have the right to all essential civil rights and civil liberties.America through its government holds the power of ensuring that all nations in the world progress towards an apex of a free and democratic society. In fulfilling this promise, the government may pursue policies aimed at granting all world citizens the rights to fairness and justice based on the presumption of innocence. Rights to freedom and privacy from searches and seizures in the absence of warrants, freedom of speech, assembly and discrimination based on religion, ethnicity, race, national origin, political beliefs or gender.Since the tragic September 11 attacks, America created a new statute; The Patriots Act, which has been instrumental in fundamentally violating civil rights and liberties of citizens and non citizens al ike. That is the reason why, the government and the general citizenry and called upon to engage in worthwhile introspection and stand up with enough courage to uphold age old values of liberty, democracy and universal justice in the face of modern challenges. References Bolick, Clint. (1996).The Affirmative Action Fraud: Can We Restore the American Civil Rights Vision? Cato Institute, p. 27-28 History of Civil Rights in America. http://www. u-s-history. com/pages/h2871. html Jillson, Cal. (2007). American Government: Political Change and Institutional Development. Routledge Press. Pate, S. & Napoli, T. (2004). CSET: Social Science: Social Science. John Wiley and Sons. Strausser, J. (2004). Painless American Government. Barron's Educational Series Walker, S. (2004). Civil Liberties in America: A Reference Handbook. ABC-CLIO.

How to Make Colored Sparklers

How to Make Colored Sparklers Sparklers are small handheld fireworks that give off fiery sparks rather than explode. Sparklers consist of a thin metal or wooden stick coated with a simple pyrotechnic mixture. Colored sparklers really are as easy to make as regular sparklers. The difference lies in the oxidizer that is used. Youre basically replicating a flame test, except in reverse since you know the colors to expect from various metal ions. Potassium nitrate or saltpeter will impart a violet color. Barium nitrate burns green. Strontium nitrate burns red. Aside from ordering from a chemical supply store, you can find strontium nitrate in emergency flares and potassium nitrate at some garden supply stores (or you can make it yourself). You can mix in other metal salts from the flame test or colored fire list, but only go for one color. If you try to mix colors, youll likely wind up with a basic golden sparkler. There are several recipes for colored sparklers. Here are some examples. Ingredients are listed in terms of parts by weight, so you can use milligrams or grams or ounces... whatever works for you. Red Sparklers 5 parts strontium nitrate1 part shellac Dip iron wires or wooden sticks in the mixture and allow it to dry completely before use. Be sure to leave enough room on the stick so that you can hold the sparkler safely. Green Sparklers 300 parts potassium chlorate60 parts barium nitrate60 parts aluminum fines, flitter, or granules2 parts charcoal10% dextrin in water solution Dip the wires or sticks in a mixture made from the dry ingredients with just enough dextrin solution to make a thick slurry. Dry the sparklers before use. Another option for a green sparkler is to substitute boric acid or borax for the barium nitrate. Purple Sparklers 14 parts potassium nitrate3 parts powdered sulfur3 parts powdered charcoal2 parts aluminum flitter (for sparks)10% dextrin in water Dip the sticks in a mixture made from the dry ingredients with enough dextrin solution to make a slurry. Note the human eye is not very sensitive to the color violet. The purple color is easily overwhelmed by the color that may be produced by any chemical contaminant in the mixture. If the sparkler appears yellow instead of purple, it means sodium is present. Salt is the most likely culprit. Substitutions in Sparkler Recipes By examining these recipes, you can see aluminum flitter may be added to make sparks in any sparkler. Fine particles of other metals also produce sparks. Titanium makes white sparks while iron filings produce golden sparks. Dextrin is a common binder and fuel in sparkler recipes. If it is unavailable, sugar or starch may be used. Other colors of sparklers are also possible. For example, using a copper salt will produce a blue or a green flame, depending on the oxidation state of the copper. The default color of a sparkler is yellow or gold, but the color may be brightened and enhanced by adding a small amount of table salt or sodium chloride (NaCl) to the mixture. Adding the tiniest amount of salt to a red sparkler can produce an orange flame. Calcium salts can also produce the orange color. Disclaimer: Please be advised that the content provided by our website is for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. Fireworks and the chemicals contained within them are dangerous and should always be handled with care and used with common sense. By using this website you acknowledge that ThoughtCo., its parent About, Inc. (a/k/a Dotdash), and IAC/InterActive Corp. shall have no liability for any damages, injuries, or other legal matters caused by your use of fireworks or the knowledge or application of the information on this website. The providers of this content specifically do not condone using fireworks for disruptive, unsafe, illegal, or destructive purposes. You are responsible for following all applicable laws before using or applying the information provided on this website.

Essay on Should equality be a political ideal

Essay on Should equality be a political ideal Essay on Should equality be a political ideal Should equality be a political ideal? Equality is a highly contested, complex and vast concept. Therefore, the recognition of equality as a political ideal would lead to confusion, and lack of coherence and consistency in policy making. Dworkin builds on the idea that equality is a highly contested subject, stating that ‘people who praise it or disparage it disagree about what they are praising or disparaging’1. This essay shall, hence, support the view that equality should not be a political ideal. To begin with, this essay shall explain what formal and distributive equality are, moving onto looking at which of the two is more necessary and appropriate. The benefits and disadvantages of the two shall then be assessed. Finally, this essay shall establish that the argument that equality should be a political ideal is unnecessary, as equality is implied in other political ideas such as justice and democracy. In his book, ‘Political Philosophy’, Adam Swift implies the identification of two kinds of equality- formal equality and distributive equality. Formal equality refers to the idea that all the people in a political community should be treated equally, and that the state ‘should treat its citizens with equal concern and respect.’2 Distributive equality refers to the equality of resources; while Rawls suggests that equality of outcome entails distribution of ‘positional goods’ others have argued that welfare, opportunity for welfare or income should be the metric for equality of outcome. 3 Formal equality, articulated by Aristotle in reference to Plato, holds that one must ‘treat like cases as like.’4 Adam Swift believes that ‘people’s prospects in life should depend on their ability and effort, not their social background’5. Furthermore, he claims that formal equality is necessary, as there is a widening gap between classes. His understanding is that statistically 50% of the poorest households in the UK supply a mere 7% of university students6. However, the importance of equality in social relationships should not be doubted. Swift is of the opinion that the absence of this formal equality would lead to the exploitation, marginalisation, domination and the general oppression of certain groups7. In today’s world, for example, groups such as ethnic minorities, homosexuals and the disabled seek ‘equality of status and recognition’ in society.8 Additionally, a historical case study supporting this point can also be loo ked at with regard to the USA. Women in the USA were denied the right to vote right up till 19209, before which woman enjoyed an inferior position than men in the US society. Despite making progress in this area, modernity brings new inequalities. The United States’ Defence Against Marriage Act defines marriage as a ‘legal union between one man and one woman’10, thereby leaving American homosexual couples as unequal in the eyes of American law. This blatant disregard for the moral claims of one group, whilst recognising them in another, heterosexual couples, is why formal equality needs to be a political ideal. In all, it can be concluded that formal equality still provides the much needed foundation of equal treatment in society. There are, however, arguments that formal equality should not be a political ideal. Scholars such as Swift argue that the measures formal equality proposes for equality to be achieved fall short, and will not be successful without the backing of the more radical approach found in the equality of opportunity or distributive equality. Swift justifies his view by challenging the two main principles of formal equality and shows his understanding of how distributive equality can fix their short comings and faults. Firstly, he explains that equality before the law is meaningless if some can and others cannot afford to pay for a lawyer.11 He makes the point that the wealthy are able to spend inordinate amounts of money on legal representation, a luxury that the poorer members of society cannot