Mining In Space -- AIAA And New York Academy Of Sciences On December 1

Mining in Space -- AIAA and New York Academy of Sciences On December 10, 1986 the Greater New York Section of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and the engineering section of the New York Academy of Sciences jointly presented a program on mining the planets. Speakers were Greg Maryniak of the Space Studies Institute (SSI) and Dr. Carl Peterson of the Mining and Excavation Research Institute of M.I.T. Maryniak spoke first and began by commenting that the quintessential predicament of space flight is that everything launched from Earth must be accelerated to orbital velocity. Related to this is that the traditional way to create things in space has been to manufacture them on Earth and then launch them into orbit aboard large rockets. The difficulty with this approach is the huge cost-per-pound of boosting anything out of this planet's gravity well. Furthermor e, Maryniak noted, since (at least in the near to medium term) the space program must depend upon the government for most of its funding, for this economic drawback necessarily translates into a political problem. Maryniak continued by noting that the early settlers in North America did not attempt to transport across the Atlantic everything then needed to sustain them in the New World. Rather they brought their tools with them and constructed their habitats from local materials. Hence, he suggested that the solution to the dilemma to which he referred required not so much a shift in technology as a shift in thinking. Space, he argued, should be considered not as a vacuum, totally devoid of everything. Rather, it should be regarded as an ocean, that is, a hostile environment but one having resources. Among the resources of space, he suggested, are readily available solar power and potential surface mines on the Moon and later other celes tial bodies as well. The Moon, Maryniak stated, contains many useful materials. Moreover, it is twenty-two times easier to accelerate a payload to lunar escape velocity than it is to accelerate the identical mass out of the EarthUs gravity well. As a practical matter the advantage in terms of the energy required is even greater because of the absence of a lunar atmosphere. Among other things this permits the use of devices such as electromagnetic accelerators (mass drivers) to launch payloads from the MoonUs surface. Even raw Lunar soil is useful as shielding for space stations and other space habitats. At present, he noted, exposure to radiation will prevent anyone for spending a total of more than six months out of his or her entire lifetime on the space station. At the other end of the scale, Lunar soil can be processed into its constituent materials. In between steps are also of great interest. For example, the MoonUs soil is rich in o xygen, which makes up most of the mass of water and rocket propellant. This oxygen could be RcookedS out of the Lunar soil. Since most of the mass of the equipment which would be necessary to accomplish this would consist of relatively low technology hardware, Maryniak suggested the possibility that at least in the longer term the extraction plant itself could be manufactured largely on the Moon. Another possibility currently being examined is the manufacture of glass from Lunar soil and using it as construction material. The techniques involved, according to Maryniak, are crude but effective. (In answer to a question posed by a member of the audience after the formal presentation, Maryniak stated that he believed the brittle properties of glass could be overcome by using glass-glass composites. He also suggested yet another possibility, that of using Lunar soil as a basis of concrete.) One possible application of such Moon-made glass would be in glass-glass composite beams. Among other things, these could be employed as structural elements in a solar power satellite (SPS). While interest in the SPS has waned in this country, at least temporarily, it is a major focus of attention in the U.S.S. R. , Western Europe and Japan. In particular, the Soviets have stated that they will build an SPS by the year 2000 (although they plan on using Earth launched materials. Similarly the Japanese are conducting SPS related sounding rocket tests. SSI

Conservation of Rainforests essays

Conservation of Rainforests essays The plight of the rainforests has not been "front page news" for several years now, due possibly to the media's incessant passion to cover events in the war against Iraq and terrorism. But the fact that rainforests are not headlines, as they were a few years ago, does not mean the problems facing these vital forests have gone away, or have been solved. Indeed, the rainforests are in dire straights, and must be protected, as the Dalai Lama states in the "Foreword" to Arnold Newman's book, Tropical Rainforest: "Resolving the present environmental crisis is not just a question of ethics but a question of our own survival. If we exploit it in extreme waysin the long run we ourselves and future There are ample reasons to be concerned about the health of Earth's rainforests, as this paper will report and analyze. But moreover, whereas the problem of global warming is affecting rainforests, on the other hand, the rainforests' which are burning are spewing millions of tons of carbon into the air, contributing to the problem of global warming. Global Warming and the Greenhouse Effect The earth's temperature is definitely heating up, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) (World Almanac, 2002); the average global temperatures between 1880 - 2000 rose from 56.65 degrees to 57.60 degrees. In fact (Newman, 127-128), "the 16 warmest years since record keeping began in 1860 have occurred since 1979, which may be unprecedented in the last 1,200 years," according to NOAA data that Newman retrieved for his book. James Baker, a NOAA administrator quoted in Newman's book, reports that as of the year 2000, the hottest year in recorded history was 1998, and the second hottest was 1997. "There is not time in recorded history that we have seen this sequence of record- setting," Baker explained. These data are "remarkable and sobering," he ...

Analysis on Mi Abuelo

The grandfather released his angst through the narrator. The conflict of the poem is that the narrator could not understand why the grandfather always told him that his hair is a sieve. He argues with the grandfather saying that his hair is not a sieve but the old man continued to insist the sieve hair. From this context, it was seen that the character is a weak person because he could not show his real emotions towards one situation or thing. He turned his guilt and insanity towards other people to hide the complexities of thinking. The author attacked within the poem in a simple rationalization. As the reader, I saw two different conflicts that emerged in the whole poem but the author resolved only one conflict, which is the narrator’s conflicts towards the issue of having a sieve hair but the grandfather’s conflict within his own self was unresolved. The sieve hair in the poem symbolizes the life of the grandfather. His journey and struggle were sieved in an untangled path of existence. He said that the narrator’s hair is a sieve because by the end of it all, the narrator’s life will be the same as the grandfather. In terms of the poem’s construction, it was not fully understandable because the author’s way of dividing each line and stanzas do not have complete essence. Each line could not stand its own meaning alone because it depends on the next line in a complex manner. The term â€Å"Mi Abuelo† was not thoroughly defined. This term was only compared to the grandfather without justification of its true essence and meaning as a word. Because of this, readers would become confuse with the statement of Mi Abuelo and being the title of the poem. Despite of it all, the poem is a simple thing that is easy to understand and discuss. It shows the life and issues that old people used to obtain whether it is meaningless or senseless, for them these are still important and relevant to life.    Reference (1982). Mi Abuelo.  Ã‚   From Whispering to Fool the Wind. New York: Sheep Meadow. Retrieved 23 February 2008. Analysis on Mi Abuelo The grandfather released his angst through the narrator. The conflict of the poem is that the narrator could not understand why the grandfather always told him that his hair is a sieve. He argues with the grandfather saying that his hair is not a sieve but the old man continued to insist the sieve hair. From this context, it was seen that the character is a weak person because he could not show his real emotions towards one situation or thing. He turned his guilt and insanity towards other people to hide the complexities of thinking. The author attacked within the poem in a simple rationalization. As the reader, I saw two different conflicts that emerged in the whole poem but the author resolved only one conflict, which is the narrator’s conflicts towards the issue of having a sieve hair but the grandfather’s conflict within his own self was unresolved. The sieve hair in the poem symbolizes the life of the grandfather. His journey and struggle were sieved in an untangled path of existence. He said that the narrator’s hair is a sieve because by the end of it all, the narrator’s life will be the same as the grandfather. In terms of the poem’s construction, it was not fully understandable because the author’s way of dividing each line and stanzas do not have complete essence. Each line could not stand its own meaning alone because it depends on the next line in a complex manner. The term â€Å"Mi Abuelo† was not thoroughly defined. This term was only compared to the grandfather without justification of its true essence and meaning as a word. Because of this, readers would become confuse with the statement of Mi Abuelo and being the title of the poem. Despite of it all, the poem is a simple thing that is easy to understand and discuss. It shows the life and issues that old people used to obtain whether it is meaningless or senseless, for them these are still important and relevant to life.    Reference (1982). Mi Abuelo.  Ã‚   From Whispering to Fool the Wind. New York: Sheep Meadow. Retrieved 23 February 2008.

Academic Grade Appeal Letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Academic Grade Appeal Letter - Essay Example After thoroughly analyzing some of the factors that had impacted the change and brought about the outcome the following were identified as the primary factors. There were two primary issues that influenced the recent developments in my academic path. One reason was the result of a computer failure prior to the presentation of the required work. Previously and specifically during the 2015 spring semester, the computer worked fine and I experienced no problems posting the relevant papers and tracking the developments. However, during the week in question my computer developed certain issues that inhibited access to the internet. The intention is not to make any excuses but to state the facts regarding the troubles that befell me and contributed to my inability to present my papers. The computer failure prevented and inhibited access to search engines, connections to any WI-FI, and an attempt to make the appropriate remedies resulted in the system’s crash. On the 18th of June 2015, I visited the IT director’s office hoping to have my computer diagnosed, and the documents recovered to facilitate the upload of my work. The directo r’s attempts were unsuccessful and the problem, as he stated, had progressed to the point that the computer could not accept any input commands The other issue involved the numerous travels to North Carolina in pursuit of information and data necessary to the completion of my capstone project. A mixture of long travelling hours, academic hours, and my employer’s requirements contributed significantly to the changes and affected my academic excellence. I developed a comprehensive plan of action seeking to address the issues. The faulty computer has since been returned to the seller who has promised to have it fixed. In the event that the diagnosis process fails, I have incorporated financial measures that would allow me purchase a new computer and backup storages to avoid future loss of relevant academic data. I am

Executive Summary Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Executive Summary - Case Study Example Different researchers and scholars focus on specific issues that relate to these programs in one or more of the aforementioned concerns. In his article, Junsen Zhang focuses on the links, relationships, and effects realized between welfare programs and criminal behavior. The objective is to determine whether such programs reduce or exacerbate criminal activities (Zhang 121). The primary concern for Junsen Zhang in this line is property crime. In assessing the relationship between welfare programs and criminal behavior, Junsen Zhang highlights the position held by Medicaid in regard to criminal behavior. Junsen Zhang’s article, The Effect of Welfare Programs on Criminal Behavior: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis, addresses the effects that welfare programs have on criminal behavior. In the article, an analysis that is both theoretical and empirical is presented in the process of accounting for all the underlying variables in the subject matter. According to Zhang (123), welfare programs have some form of effect on criminal behavior. Generally, welfare programs exhibit a negative relationship to property crime. This effect is significant in evaluating the success of the specific program in question. In other words, welfare programs are associated with reduced crime activities. However, this is not always the case. The variables and factors that define each implemented welfare program influence the outcome of that program in regard to illegal practices. In his theoretical and empirical analysis, Junsen Zhang found out that Medicaid’s effect on criminal behavior is relatively little. In other words, Medicaid does not trigger a reduction in property crime or any other related illegal activities. The use of empirical data crowned Junsen Zhang’s findings relative to the predictions that had been made in the study. Therefore, empirical findings confirmed the positive, negative, or little effects of welfare programs on criminal behavior based on the

Alejandro Flores Essay Example for Free

Alejandro Flores Essay Write a 2 – 3 page paper that addresses the following: 1. How do Senor Flores, Senora Flores and Dr. Jean view this situation from totally different perspectives? 2. Why might Senora Flores have chosen to consult an espiritista rather than call the clinic when Alejandro was not getting better? 3. Which of the normative cultural values described in the Lecture might apply to Alejandro’s case? Please explain. The Puerto Rican culture has many beliefs involving individual roles within the family. Many believe that the male(s) of the family should work to provide the basic needs of the household: paying rent, bills, paying for groceries, automotive repair, and the like. Similarly, the female(s) of the house should be the primary house keeper and care giver. Familismo holds a large part in the Puerto Rican culture, and the advice of the elder family members is taken very seriously. Religion also plays an integral role in Puerto Rican culture, and some believe illness is the result of sin, punishment, or spiritual discomfort. These beliefs tie together to create culturally diverse situations regarding patients health care, and must be taken into consideration when discussing treatment plans. Senor Flores views this situation from the machismo perspective. His view is to he should be working to provide the means for his family to survive. By taking time off of work to attend Alejandro’s medical appointments, he feels that he is neglecting his cultural responsibility of working hard to meet the needs of his family as a whole. Additionally, he does not believe that the modern treatment has a positive effect on Alejandro’s condition, and he portrays that he would rather allow his mother-in-law to play a more active role in Alejandro’s care. He feels as though every time he is at the appointments, the clinical staff is ostracizing him and attacking him for smoking. Senora Flores is upset about Alejandro’s health condition, and appears to be reaching out for help in different directions. She does not want to give Alejandro all of the medicine he is prescribed, and is taking her mother’s advice by seeking the help of an espiritista. When she arrived to the appointment late, she was greeted poorly because of the tardiness, and doesn’t understand why the clinic staff is rude with her. Many Puerto Ricans believe that tardiness is accepted, even common, and that having a relaxed attitude regarding time is reasonable practice. Additionally, she is frustrated with the language barr ier that presents itself during the appointments. The clinic is providing her so much information, and she feels belittled by the staff when she may not comprehend all of the information they are providing her. She is concerned that Alejandro will be chastised due to the perception that he is weak and unhealthy. She is worried that nothing she can do will better his condition and prayers are not helping. Dr. Jean is concerned with Alejandro’s progress due to the misuse or absence of medications and the lack of Senor Flores’ interest in tobacco cessation for the sake of his child’s health. She desires to help the family, and has given her personal phone number to be accommodating, but instead Senora Flores confided in a housekeeper instead of the doctor. The family’s tardiness is an issue for Dr Jean, but this doesn’t bother her as much as not showing up for the appointment at all. Senora Flores may have consulted with the espiritista due to the lack of confidence in the medication Alejandro is prescribed. This combined with the clinical staff’s attitude toward her, and the cultural belief that illness can be caused by spiritual discomforts, could lead to Senora Flores’ visit to the spiritual healer. Espiritistas use prayers to attempt to rid the patient of spirits causing the disease. Also, Senora Flores’ mother suggested the espiritista visit, and the words and advice of the elder is highly respected in the Puerto Rican culture. All of the normative cultural values present themselves in this module, but the one that applies the most in my opinion is Fatalismo. In the study, the family seems that the fate of Alejandro’s illness is predetermined and nothing they have done or will do to ease h is symptoms will work effectively. 2010 Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics and Children’s Mercy Family Health Partners Cross Cultural Resource Guide pgs. 28-29 Retrieved on April 15, 2012 From: http://www.fhp.org/fhpdocs/CrossCulturalResourceGuide.pdf ELL Assessment for Linguistic Differences guide for Nonverbal Communication. Retrieved on April 17, 2012 From: http://www.ldldproject.net/cultures/puertorico/differences/nonverbal.html

The Physics of Photography Essay -- Pictures Photographs Careers Essay

The Physics of Photography The general population has become so accustomed to their simple point and shoot cameras that they do not either notice the poor quality of images that they are producing or do not have the knowledge to produce better images. For those who desire to take better photographs, photography will be an exciting life long adventure. There are many aspects to consider when taking a photograph. A good photograph is well thought out before the photographer snaps the shutter. Whether taking one’s portrait or shooting a landscape in the back yard, things must be lined up just right to get the best possible image. Different techniques are used to produce the exact feeling the photographer wishes to portray in his/her image. Depth of field is one way in which one can manipulate a photograph to produce the exact image desired. Depth of field is how much of the image is in focus from the front of the photograph to the back of the photograph. Emphasis can be placed on a certain subject by obscuring the foreground or background. There are three main features that can affect depth of field. Lens aperture (f-stop), distance from the camera to the subject, and the focal length of the lens (Heart 100). In order to understand depth of field one must first understand how light works. We can view objects because of light rays reflecting off their surfaces. These light rays are reflected in innumerable directions. In order to capture an image onto film one must be capable of controlling the light rays that enter the camera. This is done through the lens. The lens consists of a mixture of converging and diverging lenses that bend the light so it reaches the film as a real image. The light that passes through the upper po... ...of the light from the scene behind the subject must bend more to reach the film, causing the background to be blurred. When the photographer is farther away from the subject, all the light reflecting from the scene travels a straight path into the lens, making the index of refraction less and creating a sharper image from front to back. There is a wide variety of information to learn in photography and depth of field is just one aspect. Learning the different methods for controlling depth of field such as aperture, focal length, and subject distance will help in the journey of taking great photographs. Gone are the days of taking roll after roll of terrible photographs from a point and shoot camera. With just a little knowledge, taking sharp, well exposed photographs is more that just something the professionals do but rather something one can accomplish oneself. The Physics of Photography Essay -- Pictures Photographs Careers Essay The Physics of Photography The general population has become so accustomed to their simple point and shoot cameras that they do not either notice the poor quality of images that they are producing or do not have the knowledge to produce better images. For those who desire to take better photographs, photography will be an exciting life long adventure. There are many aspects to consider when taking a photograph. A good photograph is well thought out before the photographer snaps the shutter. Whether taking one’s portrait or shooting a landscape in the back yard, things must be lined up just right to get the best possible image. Different techniques are used to produce the exact feeling the photographer wishes to portray in his/her image. Depth of field is one way in which one can manipulate a photograph to produce the exact image desired. Depth of field is how much of the image is in focus from the front of the photograph to the back of the photograph. Emphasis can be placed on a certain subject by obscuring the foreground or background. There are three main features that can affect depth of field. Lens aperture (f-stop), distance from the camera to the subject, and the focal length of the lens (Heart 100). In order to understand depth of field one must first understand how light works. We can view objects because of light rays reflecting off their surfaces. These light rays are reflected in innumerable directions. In order to capture an image onto film one must be capable of controlling the light rays that enter the camera. This is done through the lens. The lens consists of a mixture of converging and diverging lenses that bend the light so it reaches the film as a real image. The light that passes through the upper po... ...of the light from the scene behind the subject must bend more to reach the film, causing the background to be blurred. When the photographer is farther away from the subject, all the light reflecting from the scene travels a straight path into the lens, making the index of refraction less and creating a sharper image from front to back. There is a wide variety of information to learn in photography and depth of field is just one aspect. Learning the different methods for controlling depth of field such as aperture, focal length, and subject distance will help in the journey of taking great photographs. Gone are the days of taking roll after roll of terrible photographs from a point and shoot camera. With just a little knowledge, taking sharp, well exposed photographs is more that just something the professionals do but rather something one can accomplish oneself.

My Aim in Life Essay

Aim is the target which we want to achieve towards which our physical and mental abilities are focused. Life is the period which starts from the time of birth and ends at death. People have their own strength, culture and liking. Depending upon these elements people have different kinds of aims in life. For example, some people are doctors, engineers, Charter Accountants, pilots, teachers and many more. Our life is too short so we have to strive to attain our aim with all our hard work. The main objective for achieving the aim is to get material pleasures, mental happiness as well as satisfaction. Once a person achieves his aim he can live a prosperous life. My aim in life is to become a successful gynecologist. Gynecologist is a doctor which deals with the health of female reproductive system. To accomplish this aim I am planning to study +2 in India taking Science as the main subject after I attend my SLC examinations. After that I want to become a medical student of a top university of gynecology. I will attend different kinds of trainings, research and programs. This profession is also respected all over the world. I have been inspired by one of the top gynecologist of Nepal, Dr. Supatra Koirala. The present scenario of the reproductive healthcare of the women in Nepal in overall is not satisfactory. Due to this, the maternal and child mortality rate of our country is very high. I would conduct different awareness programs in the remote areas of our country and provide free medical services to the economically back warded people and be a helping hand for the development of my country. Thus, once I achieve my aim I would help to improve the reproductive and sexual healthcare of the women countrywide. I want to make the women of my society healthier and happier. By becoming a gynecologist, I would live a prosperous life and be a productive and global citizen of my country.

Psychology and Association Test Essay

Experimental psychology is an area of psychology that utilizes scientific methods to research the mind and behavior. While students are often required to take experimental psychology courses during undergraduate and graduate school, you should really think of this subject as a methodology rather than a singular area within psychology. Many of these techniques are also used by other subfields of psychology to conduct research on everything from childhood development to social issues. Experimental psychologists work in a wide variety of settings including colleges, universities, research centers, government and private businesses. Some of these professionals may focus on teaching experimental to students, while others conduct research on cognitive processes, animal behavior, neuroscience, personality and many other subject areas. Those who work in academic settings often teach psychology courses in addition to performing research and publishing their findings in professional journals. Other experimental psychologists work with businesses to discover ways to make employees more productive or to create a safer workplace, a specialty area known as human factors psychology. Do you enjoy researching human behavior? If you have a passion for solving problems or exploring theoretical questions, you might also have a strong interest in a career as an experimental psychologist. Experimental psychologists study a huge range of topics within psychology, including both human and animal behavior. If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about what experimental psychologists do, this career profile can answers some of your basic questions and help you decide if you want to explore this specialty area in greater depth. An experimental psychologist is a type of psychologist who uses scientific methods to collect data and perform research. Experimental psychologists explore an immense range of psychological phenomena, ranging from learning to personality to cognitive processes. The exact type of research an experimental psychologist performs may depend on a number of factors including his or her educational background, interests and area of employment. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics:â€Å"Experimental or research psychologists work in university and private research centers and in business, nonprofit, and governmental organizations. They study the behavior of both human beings and animals, such as rats, monkeys, and pigeons. Prominent areas of study in experimental research include motivation, thought, attention, learning and memory, sensory and perceptual processes, effects of substance abuse, and genetic and neurological factors affecting behavior. † Experimental psychologists work in a wide variety of settings including colleges, universities, research centers, government and private businesses. Some of these professionals may focus on teaching experimental methods to students, while others conduct research on cognitive processes, animal behavior, neuroscience, personality and many other subject areas. Those who work in academic settings often teach psychology courses in addition to performing research and publishing their findings in professional journals. Other experimental psychologists may work with businesses to discover ways to make employees more productive or to create a safer workplace, a specialty area known as human factors psychology. Experimental psychology is an approach to psychology that treats it as one of the natural sciences, and therefore assumes that it is susceptible to the experimental method. Many experimental psychologists have gone further, and have assumed that all methods of investigation other than experimentation are suspect. In particular, experimental psychologists have been inclined to discount the case study and interview methods as they have been used in clinical and developmental psychology. Since it is a methodological rather than a substantive category, experimental psychology embraces a disparate collection of areas of study. It is usually taken to include the study of perception, cognitive psychology, comparative psychology, the experimental analysis of behavior, and some aspects of physiological psychology. Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920) was a German physician, psychologist, physiologist and philosopher, known today as the â€Å"Father of Experimental Psychology† Some Famous Experimental Psychologists: Wilhelm Wundt later wrote the Principles of Physiological Psychology (1874), which helped establish experimental procedures in psychological research. After taking a position at the University of Liepzig, Wundt founded the first of only two experimental psychology labs in existence at that time. (Although a third lab already existed – William James established a lab at Harvard, which was focused on offering teaching demonstrations rather than experimentation. G. Stanley Hall founded the first American experimental psychology lab at John Hopkins University). Wundt was associated with the theoretical perspective known as structuralism, which involves describing the structures that compose the mind. He believed that psychology was the science of conscious experience and that trained observers could accurately describe thoughts, feelings, and emotions through a process known as introspection. Psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus was one of the first to scientifically study forgetting. In experiments where is used himself as the subject, Ebbinghaus tested his memory using three-letter nonsense syllables. He relied on such nonsense words because relying on previously known words would have made use of his existing knowledge and associations in his memory. In order to test for new information, Ebbinghaus tested his memory for periods of time ranging from 20 minutes to 31 days. He then published his findings in 1885 in Memory: A Contribution to Experimental Psychology. His results, plotted in what is known as the Ebbinghaus forgetting curve, revealed a relationship between forgetting and time. Initially, information is often lost very quickly after it is learned. Factors such as how the information was learned and how frequently it was rehearsed play a role in how quickly these memories are lost. The forgetting curve also showed that forgetting does not continue to decline until all of the information is lost. At a certain point, the amount of forgetting levels off. What exactly does this mean? It indicates that information stored in long-term memory is surprisingly stable. In the realm of mental phenomena, experiment and measurement have hitherto been chiefly limited in application to sense perception and to the time relations of mental processes. By means of the following investigations we have tried to go a step farther into the workings of the mind and to submit to an experimental and quantitative treatment the manifestations of memory. The term, memory, is to be taken here in its broadest sense, including Learning, Retention, Association and Reproduction. The principal objections which, as a matter of course, rise against the possibility of such a treatment are discussed in detail in the text and in part have been made objects of investigations. I may therefore ask those who are not already convinced a priori of the impossibility of such an attempt to postpone their decision about its practicability. Gustav Fechner did not call himself a psychologist, some important historians of psychology like Edwin G. Boring consider the experimental rising of this science in Fechner’s work (1979, p. 297). More specifically, it was Fechner’s famous intuition of October 22, 1850 that, according to Boring (quoted by Saul Rosenzweig, 1987), gave opportunity to his work as a psychophysicist (Rosenzweig also remembers that this date that serves as reference to this event, is curiously close to Boring? birthday, October 23rd). In a more concise way, if we think Fechner’s psychophysics work as the junction of a philosophical doctrine (that correlates spirit and matter as aspects of the same being), an experimental methodology (correlating the variations of stimulus and sensations perceived) and an assemblage of mathematical laws (the famous Weber-Fechner law); in addition, the last two aspects are considered especially relevant to the rising of psychology. Nevertheless, to think that the rising of a science is restricted to the establishment of experimental procedure and to a mathematical formalization, is to forget a whole field of questioning in which the instruments created by Fechner could, in the middle of the 19thcentury, overcome some obstacles and answer some questions, notably the ones made by the critic philosophy of Immanuel Kant. Ernst Weber was a German physiologist and Psychologist. He was regarded as a predecessor of experimental psychology and one of the founders of Psychophysics, the branch of psychology that studies the relations between physical stimuli and mental states. He is known chiefly for his work on investigation of subjective sensory response (sensations) to the impact of external physical stimuli: weight, temperature, and pressure. Weber experimentally determined the accuracy of tactile sensations, namely, the distance between two points on the skin, in which a person can perceive two separate touches. He discovered the two-point threshold – the distance on the skin separating two pointed stimulators that is required to experience two rather than one point of stimulation.

Editing in Science Fiction Film

Editing in Science Fiction Film Free Online Research Papers Before discussing editing in the genre, it is necessary to first identify it, in order to be able to compare atmospheres, themes, visual elements or characters†¦ and see how the editing could meet and match these characteristics. To start, it would be interesting to mention the difficulty of defining science-fiction, which (unlike the western, for example) is not a very well defined film genre. If we tried to clarify it in one sentence, it would be a novelistic genre using the themes of time-travel and extraterrestrial space in which the author imagines the evolution of humanity, in particular, the consequences of its scientific advances (Larousse dictionary). Science-fiction develops, upon many diverse subjects, different narrative patterns, going from speculative fiction to the marvellous; from space opera to heroic fantasy. To simplify things, we could talk about the mise-en-scene of unimaginable realities made tangible by the technical and scientific power of modern civilization. One of the major points of this study is that one of the purposes of the image in science fiction is to make us believe in what we see, e.g. recreate elements that are familiar to us in an environment or context that is not, or vice versa. Anyway, imagery of most films refers to humanity and to our behaviour towards those around us. Although they strive to extend the limits of human experience, they remain restricted by the understanding and identification of the public; and thus contain prosaic aspects, to say the least, rather than being completely supernatural or abstract. We will try to put all this information together with the editing in science- fiction film; through several examples of movies that have marked this genre, especially three of them: Metropolis (Fritz Lang, 1926), 2001: A Space Odyssey (Stanley Kubrick, 1968), and Star Wars, Episode III (George Lucas, 2005). RESEARCH AND COMPARISONS Thus, a major feature of the genre is to operate an absolute change of scene, a total eradication; that projects us far from our familiar space and time landmarks, by the miraculous effect of scientific and technical power. When modern cinema tends to avoid traditional establishing shot which is said to uselessly extend a scene; science fiction must restore it. Indeed, it is necessary to present to the public the unknown, unfamiliar environment in which the action is set. Technologically, the use of collage effects (chroma key, matte keying, etc.†¦) surely exists in science fiction but would more suit to a study of special effects, not editing. However, what would be interesting to discuss here is the use of internal editing. Indeed, one may talk about visual collage from the moment one knows that the shot was recomposed after shooting. Two cases apply: either the collage â€Å"hides itself†, â€Å"the shot is presented as a hybrid to be dissolved† (incrustations, trick pictures, compositing); or it shows up: The shot gives itself as a hybrid to leave as it is  ¹. The codes of SF and fantasy genre require using the first case, where we are supposed to melt the characters in their set, when we know they’re not a result of single shot. In the Star Wars trilogies, we suppose the actors didn’t actually stand in front of a galactic empire in which wander vessels and flying saucers. This use of effects is due to the desperate attempts of SF to permanently escape the narrow limits of body and the laws of brass of reality. Those achievements in space can also apply to time. That is why the crosscutting, flash-backs or flash-forwards can also be recurring elements of the genre. We can mention Anakin’s visions in Star Wars; or George’s flash-backs in The Time Machine (Georges Pal, 1960). The SF is also the encounter between the unrealistic core of the marvellous and the realistic form of science. One of the major aims is to make us believe, and here the only use of effects is not enough. Despite this ocean of improbable images, it is important that the characters and their environment, even though sometimes seeming nowhere near our familiar universe  ², appear close to us at the same time, close to our fears and desires. That is why the traditional editing techniques are not forsaken, but are still used at the proper time. An intimate dialogue between two characters, despite a fabulous decor, can still be done in a traditional over the shoulder technique. Nevertheless, and still more specific to the genre, the over the shoulder can be done with human and machines (Dave Bowman and computer HAL in 2001: A Space Odyssey), robots (C3PO and R2D2 in Star Wars, Rotwang in Metropolis), or even monsters (Frankenstein, James Whale, 1931) that may, on screen, be treated as humans. Indeed, let us base upon the example of the Star Wars saga. Its success is, among other things, due to the detailed, contradictory and fanciful exploration offered by the trilogies of the distinction between human and non-human. Thus, the hero Luke embodies, over the episodes, different states of relationship with the machines†  ²: fully human at the beginning of the saga, he slowly becomes master of the machines before he mechanizes as well. This fact contrasts with the two faithful robots of the saga, more human than humans†¦ Translating this to editing, we’d say they simply gain their rights to close-ups. On the contrary, editing can emphasize dehumanization or lack of feelings among ‘robotized’ heroes through a very small variation of camera angles, and absence of close up shots. One can think of Floyd’s dialogue with his daughter he hasn’t seen for a long time, in the beginning of 2001: A Space Odyssey: shots only alternates between the character (whose value is reduced to a mid-close shot) and the image of his daughter on the screen, whom you see a lot more even though the father is the one monopolizing the conversation. Plus, we see him in the boundaries of a regular 16/9 shot; reminding us he is part of a film: he is fiction; conversely, his daughter is inscribed in more â€Å"vertical† borders, which resemble more our real view angles. All this makes us feel he has already lost all humanity. Moreover, we can think of the opening scene of Metropolis where workers are shown only in two different shots, and always large, so as not to clearly see and identify any face. This contrasts with the large number of various shots that will be used to describe people on earth, in a much faster editing that establishes dynamism and vitality. On the other hand, science fiction films can often be spread over large time periods. Such is the case with Bicentennial Man (Chris Columbus, 1999), and of course, 2001: A Space Odyssey. Big time ellipses are therefore required, which often leads them to make transitions more elaborated than simple cuts. We can cite the famous match cut comparing bone / starship at the start of 2001: Space Odyssey: the juxtaposition of two shots, the second breaking the narrative logic installed by the first. This implies the figurative sense of the connection, creating a relationship between the two objects: two tools, respectively primitive and advanced, but still weapons. A similar match cut is at the end of AI : Artificial Intelligence (Steven Spielberg, 2001), when David brush his mother’s hair, or at the beginning of Aliens (James Cameron, 1986), where a pod of glass becomes a planet. This transition effect can darken the editing, making it invisible as says Spielberg; for in the end, the desired effect is to merge two images, to link them. This effect is quite present in science fiction as it provides a dimension that doesn’t come from a realistic aspect, but more a fantasy or unknown one. In the same thematic of transitions, it is appropriate to cite the rare use of wipes that we practically only find in George Lucas’ work (Star Wars) or Kurosawa’s Dreams, which also confers an epic tone to the film. It is also worth mentioning the fades that often replaces cuts in Elephant Man (David Lynch, 1982), which are used to restore the atmosphere of old classic films that unfolds throughout the entire movie (in black and white). Regarding the rhythms of editing, they are highly variable and differ depending on movies and sequences within movies. For example, the rate in Star Wars or Metropolis remains fitted to the register and tone of the scene (fast in action scenes, saber combats, etc.†¦ and slowest in the lyrical scenes, for example). This technique brings the dynamism and speed to the action that it is necessary to find in the SF works where the action itself is an important aspect of the film. Lucas actually believes that we need to know â€Å"how to measure out the scenes, interrupt them for a maximum emotional impact†. Contrastingly, in 2001, or Solaris (Andrei Tarkovsky, 1972), the pace is slow throughout the film, the scenes take place as in real time, and the music often plays the role of bridge between a scene and another. Here, anxiety and tension rise more slowly and naturally. Furthermore, we should mention the very jerky editing corresponding to the movement of workers at the beginning of Metropolis, where the cuts are synchronized with the continuous and mechanical movement of workers- mechanized humans too. Finally, the genre has certainly evolved over the years, not only through the development of cinematographic techniques. Admittedly, â€Å"the use of pyrotechnic special effects and computer graphics transforms the diegetic universe of science fiction into games spaces where the succession of sequences often obeys a parataxic logic. [†¦] It is therefore not the use of a new semantic equipment, such as biotechnology, which has largely modified the format of the genre, but syntactic changes: the linearity of a narrative where episodes follow one another (Metropolis) was abandoned in favour of a juxtaposition principle, which is manifested by both coexistence of creatures or objects of all kinds in the field and by the succession of action scenes (Star Wars)  ³. In conclusion, it is necessary to recall that the features mentioned are not exclusive characteristics of science-fiction film, but rather gender-recurring items which often contribute to retransmit the themes and issues that are dealt with. In addition, each film has its own style, each director has his own idea of fantastic†¦ otherwise, the film wouldn’t have much interest. References:  ¹ â€Å"L’analyse de sequences† by Laurent Jullier, Armand Colin  ² â€Å"Panorama des genres de films† by Claude Brillard, 1995  ³ â€Å"Les genres de films au cinà ©ma† by Raphaà «lle Moine, Armand Colin. Research Papers on Editing in Science Fiction FilmWhere Wild and West MeetRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionHip-Hop is ArtAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementGenetic EngineeringPETSTEL analysis of IndiaThree Concepts of PsychodynamicBringing Democracy to AfricaEffects of Television Violence on Children

Strategic plan for LEGO Group Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Strategic plan for LEGO Group Company - Essay Example The company was started in the founder’s workshop where Ole Kirk Christiansen created toys made of wood in 1932, but the first famous plastic brick was developed in 1949. The name of the company was developed by Christiansen from a Danish term meaning â€Å"play well†, however, the company states that LEGO means â€Å"putting together† or â€Å"assembling† in Latin, but this translation is liberal. In 1947, the company obtained samples of interconnecting bricks manufactured by Kiddicraft through the manufacturer of injection molding equipment based in London that had an interest in the development of equipment sales in Denmark. Initially, Christiansen was skeptical but Kiddicraft convinced him to make the plastic bricks instead of the wooden toys he had been making. In 1949, the LEGO Group started making bricks that were similar to the manufactured by Kiddicraft while referring to them as â€Å"Automatic Binding Bricks†, using cellulose acetate whil e being developed in the same spirit of the wooden blocks which could be stacked on each other.Nonetheless, the plastic bricks have the ability to be interlocked with each other as they contain a number of round studs on the upper side and a hollow bottom that is rectangular. These blocks were able to stick to each other but not too tightly to make it difficult to be pulled apart. Using plastics to develop toys was not highly favored by retailers as well as consumers at the time when LEGO Group began manufacturing its toys.

Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 3

Assignment - Essay Example The Domain supports any video input, be it USB 1.0 and 2.0 or Window DirectX (WiredRed 2008). (iii) Strategic current and feasible domain definition: The domain supports enhanced definitions of 720P or higher resolution but lower than HD frame rates. For instance, Logitech Fusion and Ultra Vision are two popular examples that produce surprising high-resolution images wonderfully at fine business-class rates (WiredRed 2008). (i) User perceived values: The User perceived values for the domain include easy installation, best multiparty video and audio quality, real-time PowerPoint sharing, the fastest desktop sharing and proxy friendly remote controls, real-time presenter’s controls, record and playback, secure web conferencing and true web administration and management (WiredRed 2008). (ii) The domain is currently based in countries in Nigeria and Malaysia (Sarawak) with its product range across other locations in the countries. In education, the software has been used in Kent College, where students could cheaply discuss with their off-site teachers (WiredRed 2006). (iii) The products are Windows compatible: this means that the User can use any USB 2.0 web cam. Also, it works well with any S-video as an out cable mated to a Windows compatible video capture card (WiredRed 2008) (iv) The users could move from one product to the other in the domain. This explains interconnectivity among the product range. And this would facilitate multiple functionalities that would be cost-efficient (Gough & Rosenfield 2006). (i) Some of the products in the domain help to facilitate quick and clear video conferencing, but some constraints arise as a result of product’s components, compatibilities and programming context. For example, a product that is Windows compatible has problems working perfectly with non-Windows operating systems. And different programming procedures used in producing the software/solutions constitute a