Oil and Gas Extraction Accident Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Oil and Gas Extraction Accident - Essay Example Moreover, numerous permits have been granted for assessment of mineral resources in the territorial waters allowing energy companies and international fisheries to move their activities into increasingly deeper waters. However, such activities increase the possibilities of accidents and disasters that can cause far-reaching impacts on sea ecosystems (Hsing,  Fu,  Larcom,  Berlet,  Shank,  2013). Thus, on April 2010 in the northern Gulf of Mexico, there emerged an accident that released four million barrels of oil from Deepwater Horizon drilling rig to the Gulf of Mexico through the next month of the same year. While oil on the surface was removed by different cleanup operations, over thirty percent of the hydrocarbons were drowned in deep-sea plumes. As a result, the Deepwater Horizon blowout actually caused two incidents. First, the oil spill on surface influenced the deepwater plume with chronic subsurface effects and second, mid-water plankton and a variety of mid-water species, as well as the shores to which the oil spill came, were seriously damaged (Montagna PA, Baguley JG, Cooksey C, Hartwell I, Hyde LJ, et al. (2013). On April 20, 2010, the crew of the Deepwater Horizon was preparing to temporary abandon BP’s â€Å"Macondo† discovery. The well had reached a depth. The final string of production had been put in the hole and cemented in place. Mud had been lost to the reservoir while drilling the bottom portion of the well. It is difficult to create a good cement seal between the casing and the formation and it is impossible to provide the efficiency of the cement seal without running a cement- bond log. The cement contained a nitrogen additive to make it lighter.   Gas from the reservoir may have further diluted the viscosity of the cement. The workers waited  for the cement to dry  he crew began displacing the drilling mud in the wellbore and riser with sea water.

Wrongful Convictions Essay Example for Free

Wrongful Convictions Essay Causes of Wrongful Convictions There are three main causes of wrongful convictions in the United States. This leads to wrongful punishment and causes turmoil for everyone involved. It then creates multiple feelings on everyone’s behalf, therefore; leaving no choice but to choose sides. Should capital punishment be enforced or not enforced. To what extent do you believe the death penalty should be improvised? Wrongful convictions are sought out by lawyers and police to determine if a criminal is guilty. Evidence and DNA is all part of the investigation that leads to an arrest. Once evidence is presented, the jury will then deliberate on what information and the evidence that was given. A verdict will be handed down at that time. Based on what the crime is, what type of punishment is given for the crime. The first cause is based on what evidence is provided. Is it true and accurate, or presentable in court. Drug dealers, child molesters and robberies are all a major crime. These all have particular sentences in place for the crimes they commit. Murderers are looked at in a different way. Honest attorneys present all evidence and information that has been gathered for the case. This in turn could determine the conviction. DNA plays an important role in this evidence if it is acceptable . Today the accusation is the evidence. Thus, the criminal element itself has a big say in who goes to prison. Weak and fabricated evidence is seldom looked at in the eyes of the court. Approximately one case in twenty will go to trial. This effect will cause numerous criminals to walk freely as they choose. The pros are being convicted and tried for the crime and the cons are being offered a simple way out. The effects of this cause is being set free to commit another crime. There is not enough evidence to convict a criminal Plea bargaining is a second major cause of wrongful conviction. Plea bargains are created by fictional crimes in place of real ones. The prosecutors would begin to see a way to game the Wrongful Convictions 3 system back to a conviction Without plea bargaining the case goes unconvincing. This in turn undermines police investigative work. Police evidence is seldom used in the courtroom. Prosecutors have found that they can coerce a plea and elevate their conviction rate by raising the number of serious charges being thrown at a defendant. By releasing criminals known to be guilty, turns the justice system into a lottery for police, prosecutors and criminals alike. The effect of this cause is usually when the defendant gets a smaller or reduced sentence for the crime that has been committed and tried in court. Depending on the crime committed, the pros are convicted, time served and released. The cons are the criminal has enough time to plan and convey another crime. Carrying out another crime only leads to another plea deal to stay out of prison. This will continue to be a pattern of criminal acts. The effects are criminals walk with little or no punishment granted. Evidence is most generally not all that strong of a case. The third cause is the new deal made its own contribution to wrongful convictions. Statutory and enforcement authorities were combined to help regulate police vast discretions. A cooperative â€Å"offender† may get off with a civil penalty, whereas a person who sticks up for their rights may receive a criminal indictment. An asset-freeze is also associated with this new deal. Created to keep drug dealers and mobsters from returning to the neighborhood, local residents have unanimously voted to have a neighborhood watch group. Resident’s properties and or property that has been seized during the investigation will be returned after the deal has been finalized. Residents feel they are personally violated, and are living in fear that these criminals will come back repeatedly. For this cause there are pros, protecting civilians from future harm. The effect of this cause is that the cons are still out there on the streets, however; the evidence is not convincing enough to put the criminal away. These causes have put authorities such as police and attorneys on edge. Causing them to doubt the outcome of all the existing crimes that are happening. Wondering why they are taking Wrongful Convictions 4 such a risk capturing these criminals and watching them all be released back on the streets. Due to the evidence provided they should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. A jury can determine when a witness is giving false information and when they are telling the truth. Weak and fabricated evidence is often tested in court. Therefore; some criminals are wrongfully convicted. Given a plea or plea deal or even a new deal could lead to the conviction of an innocent situation In conclusion wrongful convictions are subject to many decisions. Not only by a judge or jury but by the evidence that is provided in court. Given the facts we will spend vast energies in freeing a few innocent people. We must gird for battle and restore the lost law. The law must be put back in congress where under the system it must reside forever. Giving hope to those who were wrongfully convicted and setting them free. I believe we should stick to the theory innocent until proven guilty. Evidence should be provided and proved to be legitimate before being presented to the courts. If the evidence is true and accurate there should not be any pleas or plea bargains offered. Deals should not even be allowed in a courthouse. If the information is not accurate, why waste tax payer’s money to try and convict an innocent person and send them to prison? We spend more time and money trying to convince the world that wrongful convictions are happening everywhere. As I stated earlier DNA has become a worldwide piece of evidence to link to a crime scene investigation. Wrongful convictions are being overturned as we speak. They may not be criminals but are victims in a wrongful conviction. If I am a robber have valid proof I done the robbery. If I molested a child ,again have valid proof . (DNA) If I am a murderer, then yes I should receive the death penalty. I do not deserve to live if I take another life. Then again have solid proof that I am the one who committed this crime. As I do not wish to be â€Å"Wrongfully Convicted†

Identification of Prednisolone Acetate

Identification of Prednisolone Acetate IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF DRUG The procured prednisolone acetate was identified and characterized based on the following parameters. ORGANOLEPTIC PROPERTIES For the selected samples (drug + excipients) the following organoleptic properties were studied using descriptive terminology. Those were nature, odour and colour PARTITIONING BEHAVIOR OF PA IN DISTINCT LIPIDS: The percent partition coefficient of Prednisolone acetate in selected lipids was analyzed as elucidated elsewhere. On the part of the study/briefly, a mixture composed of melted lipid and 10mL of de-ionized water to this 10mg of PA was added. The resultant mixture was agitated reciprocally for one hour maintained at 50C above the lipid melting point. The quantity of lipid utilized was mentioned in table 1. The resultant dispersion was allowed to cool. Upon making cool both phases were separated by ultracentrifugation ( ) at 15,000 rpm and filtered. The drug content in supernatant was analyzed spectrophotometrically (240nm). The percent partition coefficient was predicted as follows: % partition = w1-w2/w1 x 100 W1 = Amount of drug added W2 = Amount of drug in aqueous phase DETERMINATION OF MELTING POINT PA melting point was determined by capillary method. Theoritical value was compared with practical value. LOSS ON DRYING This method measures the weight of volatile compounds or moisture of any kind which can be driven off under the specified conditions. Stoppered, shallow glass bottle was weighed and dried under the specified conditions. 2 grams of sample was accurately weighed and transferred to dried bottle. Then the loaded bottle was in electric oven, removed stopper and left near by it in drying chamber at 1050c for 2 hours at atmospheric pressure. After two hours the glass container was taken out from oven and weighed it again. The following formula was used for the calculation of LOD % LOD = Mass of test specimen – Mass of loaded bottle after drying/ Mass of sample – Mass of empty glass bottle IR SPECTROSCOPY OF DRUG Thin pellet was prepared using potassium bromide and drug in a ratio of 100:1 respectively. The molecular state of prednisolone acetate was studied using FTIR spectrometer. DSC PA thermogram was obtained in DSC 200 F3 Maia using empty aluminum pan as reference. The accurately weighed 2mg of sample was exposed to temperature range 0oc – 500oc under nitrogen atmosphere (flow rate: 60ml/min) at a heating rate of 10oc/min. UV-VISIBLE SPECTROPHOTOMETER (WAVE LENGTH SELECTION) 10mg of drug was dissolved in 100mL of simulated nasal electrolyte solution (SNES) which results in 100Â µg/ml concentration solution. From this 25 Â µg/ml was prepared. A few ml of this solution is transferred into cuvette (path length of 10mm cell) and scanned in the wave length range of 200-400nm against SNES as blank in double beam UV-Vis spectrophotometer. COMPATIBILITY STUDIES OF LIPID AND SURFACTANT MIXTURE The selected mixtures of lipid and surfactant, lipid and cosurfactant were blended at different ratios like 1:1, 2:1, 3:1 and 4:1. The blend was mixed for 10min and mixtures were observed visually for clarity (or) absence of turbidity. SOLUBILITY STUDIES OF PREDNISOLONE ACETATE The solubility of drug was estimated in different buffers, lipids, surfactant mixture ratios and solvents which are essential during development of formulation. IN DIFFERENT LIPIDS Test tube method was used for analysis of PA solubility in several solid lipids. To determine it 10mg of drug was placed to a test tube and temperature was maintained 50c higher/above the lipid melting point. The lipid was added an increase in quantity of 10mg till PA was solubilized completely and quantity of solid lipid needed for dissolution of drug was determined. IN VARIOUS RATIOS OF SURFACTANT MIXTURE The solubility of prednisolone acetate was investigated in numerous surfactant and co-surfactant ratios range from 1:1 to 4:1(Sur: Co-sur- Sur: Co-sur). Solubility studies were analyzed by adding an excess amount of PA in a 20 mL screw capped containers consisting different ratios of 10mL of each surfactant mixture. The mixtures were vortexed on orbital shaker at 50 rpm for 2 days at 37oc to enhance solubilization. After attaining equilibrium the samples were ultracentrifuged at 12,000 rpm for 30 min to separate the undissolved drug (PA) and supernatant was filtered through whatman filter paper. HPLC grade methanol was used to dilute the supernatant sample and these were filtered with 0.45 Â µm membrane filter. Then, the diluted samples were used to quantify the PA by UV-Vis spectrophotometer at 240nm. IN DIFFERENT SOLVENTS AND BUFFERS The excess quantity of drug was added to 10ml of different solvents includes pH 6, 6.4, 7, 7.4, 8 phosphate buffer, ethanol, double distilled water and methanol in a 25ml volumetric flask. Then flasks were properly capped and agitated at 37Â ±0.5oc in orbital shaker for 48 hours. The samples were filtered through whatman filter paper. The filtrate was diluted using suitable diluent and again filtered using 0.45Â µm membrane filters. Then samples were analyzed at 240nm by UV spectrophotometer. ds COMPATIBILITY STUDIES OF DRUG AND EXCIPIENTS The selected excipients were listed in GRAS (Generally recognized as safe by FDA) and used in various pharmaceutical formulations. Which are procured from reputed national and international manufacturers. The study of compatibility between drug and excipients was followed as. DSC METHOD : Differential scanning calorimetry was carried out using DSC F3 Maia instrument to analyze the melting transitions and heat capacity changes of drug alone and physical mixtures. The physical mixtures were prepared by triturating the PA and excipients in the ratio of 1:10 in a mortar for five minutes. The samples (5mg) were loaded in aluminum pans, sealed hermitically and heated under inert gas i.e. nitrogen at the flow rate of 60mL /min at 10oc/min heating rate ranges/set from 0 oc to 500 oc. The standard reference was an empty alumina crucible. The above said parameters/ conditions were used to analyze the samples and thermograms of DSC recorded/ data recorded using proteus software. Samples analyzed for DSC and FTIR were followed as The above physical mixtures compatibility was also found by adding desired quantity of mixture in glass vials and subjected to 60 oc for 30 days. The physical appearance of mixture was not changed at the end of the study. FTIR API was mixed with different excipients separately and spectral analysis was carried out using FTIR to study the placebo interference. The pressed pellet method was used to study the FTIR spectral studies. In this analysis, test-excipient mixture and potassium bromide were taken in the ratio of 1:100. The mixture when placed in hydraulic press under vacuum pressure of 800 mPa resulted in the formation of compressed thin transparent disc. The molecular states of samples were traced/determined between 4000-1000 cm-1 using Bruker FTIR spectrophotometer. The obtained IR spectra’s were evaluated to determine interactions. The data mentioned in table . Graphical representation shown/given in figure . METHOD DEVELOPMENT OF PREDNISOLONE ACETATE A survey of literature had showed that different instrumental methods like UV, HPLC, and HPTLC were reported for the quantification of prednisolone acetate. The present research work focused on development of UV spectroscopic method for dissolution samples estimation and HPLC for drug content, dissolution and bioanalytical quantification. Preparation of simulated nasal electrolyte solution(SNES) A solution of SNES was prepared by adding 8.77g of sodium chloride, 2.98g of potassium chloride, 0.45g of calcium chloride in water and finally made the volume to 100 mL resulting in pH 5.5. UV-Vis METHOD Stock solution prepartion 100mg of test sample was accurately weighed, transferred into 100 mL volumetric flask. To this little quantity of ethanol was added to dissolve the sample and made the volume up to 100ml using SNES (pH5.5) to get 1000Â µg/ml concentration stock solution. Prepartion of Linearity plot From the above stock solution 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5ml were transferred in separate 100 mL volumetric flasks and diluted up to the mark with SNES to produce 5, 10,15, 20, 25 Â µg/ml concentrations respectively. The absorbance of each concentration was recorded in 1cm cell with SNES as blank at 240nm using Shimadzu, UV spectrophotometer. This procedure was done over for 3 times. With concentration on x-axis and absorbance on y-axis a calibration graph was constructed. Inter day and intraday studies were carried out for the determination of accuracy and precision using 1,5,10 Â µg/ml standard concentration solutions. The readings were tabulated in table and figure . HPLC METHOD PSEUDOTERNARY PHASE DIAGRAM CNSTRUCTION To construct the phase diagrams (prosim 1.0 software) hot water titration method was used. Through these phase diagrams components concentration range was investigated which can be results in existence of large microemulsion area. The surfactants used were tween 80,60,20, Cremophor RH40 and cosurfactants were ethanol, PEG 400. The surfactant and cosurfactants was blended in fixed weight ratios such as 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1. Solid lipids were tristearin, tripalmitin, GMS, stearic acid, Palmitic acid, cetyl palmitate. Lipid was melted at 65oc to this required quantity of hot surfactant mixture was added followed by adding water drop by drop to mixture under stirring with magnetic stirrer until turbidity formed. DEVELOPMENT OF DRUG LOADED MICROEMULSIONS From each phase diagram ME area was calculated by using CAD software. From each lipid, based on the above area values highest area of phase diagram was selected then the ME formulations were taken at required component weight ratios. The procedure of desired microemulsion was as follows. Required amount of lipid heated at 65oc in this 10mg of PA was dissolved. Heated SM and water was added to the above melted lipid mixture under stirring. The mixture was categorized as microemulsions if melt was appeared clear. Then mixture was considered as microemulsion. SOLID LIPID NANOPARTICLES PREPAR TION USING PROBE SONICATOR PA SLNs were prepared by hot lipid microemulsion technique. Drug loaded ME procedure was aforementioned in page No . 2mL of loaded ME was taken in a glass syringe using 22 gauge needle. Then it was added dropwise to a 3mL of cold de-ionized water under ice bath (2-4oc) and sonicated by probe sonicator for different time periods (5, 10, 15 min) specified by box behnken design at 200w amplitude to solidify the SLNs. The tip diameter of probe 8mm was dipped in liquid of 10mm leads to reflecting upwards and wave moving downwards. DRUG CONTENT (ASSAY) DETERMINATION 1 mL of solid dispersion from the formulations selected for evaluation was transferred into 10mL volumetric flask and diluted up to the mark with methanol. Then the solution was subjected to ultracentrifugation for 15 min at 10,000 rpm. Then the supernatant was aspirated, filtered, suitably diluted and measured the absorbance at ÃŽ »max 243nm. The results given in Table HR TEM The surface morphology of prepared SLNs like particle size, particle shape and aggregation were analyzed by HRTEM operating at 120kv voltage. The samples were diluted properly, stained by 2% phosphotungistic acid. A drop of aqueous dispersion was placed /mounted on carbon coated 400mesh copper grids which is to be allowed for 5 min to dry the nanoparticles on grid before examination under IR lamp/AIR DRY and TEM images were recorded with mangnification range from 11500-50000x. PARTICLE POTENTIAL, SIZE AND POLYDISPERSITY INDEX(PI) For the prepared SLNs the mean particle size, zeta potential and PI were performed by dynamic light scattering (DLS) with a zetasizer Nano – ZS90 (Malvern application center, banglore), model ZEN 3690 and equipped with 4mW, 633nm He-Ne laser. The measurements were made at the following conditions: Refractive index of medium: 1.330 Dielectric constant value: 78.5 Viscosity of dispersion medium: 0.8872 Temperature: 250c Then the samples (100Â µl) were diluted to 1mL with de-ionized water to prevent multi scattering and transferred in to a disposable zeta cuvettes to record the particle size. The size measurement angle was 900. The PI value was used to determine particle size distribution. The same instrument was used for the determination of zeta potential using an laser Doppler electrophoresis technique. Zeta potential value was calculated from the mean mobility of electrophoresis values by henry equation. The measurements were done in triplicate. ENTRAMENT EFFICIENCY % EE of the PA was studied by determining the unentrapped drug concentration in supernatant layer(aqueous layer). Accurately measured 5ml of (equivalent to 10mg of PA) nanoparticle dispersion was transferred to eppendorf centrifuge tubes and centrifuged at 15000 rpm for 30 min at -3oc using ultra cooling centrifuge. Then the supernatant was separated, diluted appropriately using SNES and filtered using 0.45 Â µm membrane filter. The filtered samples were estimated by using UV spectrophotometer at ÃŽ »max 240nm against blank. Encapsulation efficiency was determined using the equation. % EE = Quantity of drug added – weight of drug in aqueous phase/ mass of drug added x 100 INVITRO DIFFUSION STUDIES Dialysis bag method was used to determine invitro diffusion release profile of PA and using a USP dissolution apparatus II. Before using dialysis membrane was soaked in SNES for 12 hours and the molecular cutoff of membrane was between 12000-14000. The following conditions were used to carry out diffusion studies. The run speed of paddle: 100 rpm Diffusion medium: SNES (pH 5.5) Volume of medium: 500mL Temperature: 37Â ±0.5oc Time intervals: The SLNs dispersion containing the 10mg/5mL(amount equivalent to one dose of drug) was transferred in dialysis bag and tied at both ends. Then the it was suspended in the receptor compartment containing SNES pH 5.5. An aliquot of 5ml samples were removed at fixed time points from receptor medium. The same volume of fresh buffer was replaced after every time point to maintain constant buffer volume. The fresh buffer was also maintained at the same temperature(37Â ±0.5oc ) similar to sample. The PA concentration was estimated using UV-Visible spectrophotometer at 240nm against blank (SNES). The final optimized sample concentration was further determined by HPLC. The selected formulation results data were shown in Table and graphical representation in figure RELEASE KINETICS The release mechanism of drug from solid lipid nanoparticles were analyzed and determined by fitting the invitro release data to different kinetic models includes Zero, first order, higuchi and peppas-korsemayer. References UV-VISIBLE E.G.C. Clarke, Isolation and Identifeation of Drugs, volume 1 , The Pharmaceutical Press, London, 1978, p. 270

The Importance of Volunteering: College Students Should Do Community S

Nowadays, it is very difficult to get a job without a College Diploma. Our ever-increasing demands on student’s academic performances have insured well-educated adults, but what we have failed to focus on is the vital component of volunteerism as an integral part of rearing well-rounded adults. College students should be required to complete a year of community service/volunteer work before they can graduate, in order to create mature and caring adults and versatile future leaders. By mandating all College students across the United States of America to add another year to their studies and use this year for community service/volunteer work only, we will be able to increase their knowledge of community need, civic responsibility, and allow them the opportunity to gain experience and skills applicable to their future. The recent global financial downturn has greatly increased the dire need for volunteers throughout all levels of society. Also, this recession unmasked the reality of not only our current social economic environment, but also revealed the importance of continuing to educate all members of our society as to the importance of community outreach through volunteerism; many of these grass-roots, non-for-profit organizations suffered a detrimental blow to their budgets with the vast reduction of corporate contributions to offset their daily operational cost. These organizations not only rely on economic support, but they heavily depend and count on the continual hands on involvement of their volunteers. In addition to the vast reduction of financial resources, these organizations had drastic cuts in services, community outreach and employment opportunities, which had a severe and direct impact on our society. It is for t... ...eeded transfer and graduating hours all while volunteering and giving back to the community. â€Å"†¦ If you love kids and are great at arts and crafts, you can visit children’s hospitals and lead art activities with pediatric patients† (â€Å"Volunteering†). As you can now see, volunteering is not limited into only one form; there are many options when it comes to volunteering. Some may argue that graduating college students have learned all they need to in years of schooling, which is untrue. Although college students have typically undergone sixteen years of academic schooling, not all have had sixteen years of life lessons and character growth. Volunteering is not only beneficial to the community or organization, but also to the individual partaking in the activity. â€Å"Volunteering gives you an opportunity to change people’s lives, including your own† (â€Å"Volunteering†).

William Wilberforce: the Christian Politician: a Look at How His Faith Influenced His Career and the Abolishment of Slavery

| William Wilberforce: The Christian Politician| A Look at How His Faith Influenced His Career and the Abolishment of Slavery| | â€Å"They took me in the night, ripped me away from my family. Tried my wrists and took my dignity. I was sold for coins like we sell cattle; my ‘owner’ led me to a ship with hundreds more like me, I was cuffed to another, feet to wrists to neck. We were forced on board and sent in between decks and into apartments.As we set out for sea and the days pass, at night I lay in my own waste and during the day I feel nothing but pain and hear nothing but the splash of the waves and the moaning of the others† (Falconbridge 1788) (Ioan Gruffudd 2006). This account of the experience of a slave does not come close to enforcing the reality of the brutality of what these slaves went through. This is, however, what William Wilberforce spent his entire political career, and until his death, to abolish.Through his faith and prominence in the British g overnment in the late 1700s through to the early 1800s he was determined to end this brutality against fellow human beings. In the film Amazing Grace, Wilberforce’ political career was depicted as a great success by his belief in God, his determination, ability to speak in public persuasively with prominence and passion, and the support of his friends and wife; and in this success he was able to fulfill his dream and calling to forever abolish slave trade in the British Empire.In the 2006 film Amazing Grace, director Michael Apted, tells the story of William Wilberforce and his journey from becoming an evangelical Christian and politician, through his movement in parliament for the abolishment of slavery to his success in the abolishment and his death. His character and career is beautifully depicted through his acts and in the way works his way through British parliament in order to fulfill his dream (or calling) of ending the transatlantic slave trade. The film also depicts the influence different people had in his life as a Christian politician.Since his birth in 1759 he lived in pre-Victorian England until his death in 1833. He was actively taking part in parliament from 1780 to 1825, which was time where the upper-class expressed outward Christianity, but also took part in gambling and duelling (White 2008). In 1787 was when Wilberforce seriously started to take part in government; wrote in his diary: â€Å"God Almighty has set before me two great objects, the suppression of the slave trade and the reformation of manners† (Windschuttle 2008) (Colson and Morse 2007); these are the two things he would eventually make a great difference in.At the start of his career in 1780, Wilberforce was just like the other upper-class men in high positions. He visited gentleman’s clubs almost every night, gambling and drinking late into the night. He also became famous for singing at the parties he went to and had a good singing voice (Windschuttle 2 008). Wilberforce converted to evangelical Christianity at the age of twenty six. â€Å"He underwent a process of self-examination, doubt, agony and awakening† (Windschuttle 2008). In the film, he was sitting in a field behind his house early in the morning.He was confused, but sure that faith was the path he was supposed to take, and he professed this in a letter to his good friend and soon to be Prime Minister of England, William Pitt (Ioan Gruffudd 2006). Pitt wanted Wilberforce on his side in government, so he introduced him to some people, including Thomas Clarkson, a slave trade abolitionist all over the world, and Olaudah Equiano, an African who was taken into slavery as a child, bought his freedom and wrote an account of his own experiences in his autobiography called The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equian.This introduction would be the beginning of the Committee for the Abolition of the Slave Trade. It was this new committee that opened Wilberforceâ €™s eyes to the possibility of combining his new found faith in evangelical Christianity with his passion for politics. A key belief of evangelism was the idea of providence; that God in involved in every aspect and event in life, no matter how small. For Wilberforce, God gave him a seat in parliament for a reason: â€Å"God Almighty has set before me two great objects, the suppression of the slave trade and the reformation of manners† (Windschuttle 2008).With these two visions in mind he set out with his team to end slavery for once and for all, but it would not be an easy journey, as is depicted in the film. Wilberforce spent over twenty years on this mission, fighting both members of opposition parties in the House of Commons as well as illness and bad physical health (Colson and Morse 2007). Wilberforce also sought out the advice of John Newton, a previous slave ship captain and the writer of the inspiring hymn â€Å"Amazing Grace†. The song itself was quite pr ominent in the film.Not only because it is the title of the film, but also because it can be seen as the anthem for anti-slavery. The song was an inspiration, and a symbol of a new beginning; it can be heard in its lyrics and it can be seen in the events of the film. At the first meeting with Newton, Wilberforce was looking for the advice of a troubled man, one who was â€Å"†¦in the company of twenty thousand Africans† (Ioan Gruffudd 2006) and haunted by his past, yet unable to speak of the horrors he caused.Although Newton did not share his experience with Wilberforce, he did encourage him to take on the challenge that God has set before him by saying â€Å"you have work to do† (Ioan Gruffudd 2006), â€Å"Newton calmed Wilberforce and strengthened his resolve, urging him to combine his new religious beliefs with his existing political career† (Windschuttle 2008). With this conformation of what to do, Wilberforce was ready to take on the abolition of the s lave trade. Wilberforce’s character was attractively depicted in the film.Stating out with his love for animals early on in the film, even in his form of ill wealth, he was willing to get out in the rain to defend a horse that was being beaten (Ioan Gruffudd 2006). His love for animals can be seen throughout the whole film, including multiple dogs and a rabbit. The passion Wilberforce felt for animals, though, does not come close to what he felt for the rights of human beings. A glimpse of this can be seen when Prince William, the Duke of Clarence calls his slave into the club where they were gambling.This inhumanity offended Wilberforce to the point that he could not be in the same building as the Duke and ended the game (Ioan Gruffudd 2006). This was also where he had his revelation of what he should fight for, who he should fight for. To change society is to change the minds and actions of the public. For Wilberforce the key to this layed in the concept of evangelical Chri stianity; â€Å"Evangelicals also believed Christian principles should be applied to all areas of life. Worldly indulgences were to be avoided and leisure was an opportunity not for entertainment but personal renewal† (Windschuttle 2008).This then, left no room for the things that Wilberforce himself once indulged in such as gambling and drunkenness. Britain’s upper-class morality was in decline, so Wilberforce had a proclamation issued by King George ?, with the help of his friend and Prime Minister Pitt and the Archbishop of Canterbury, denouncing impiety and extravagance (Windschuttle 2008) and organized the organization called â€Å"Society for Giving Effect to His Majesty's Proclamation against Vice and Immorality†.This would be the first steps he took towards his goal of the Abolition; Wilberforce needed to â€Å"purify† the minds of society, before he could open their eyes to the inhumanity of the transatlantic slave trade because only when they ar e moral beings with value for life, will they understand the horrors their indulgences (such as sugar) cause. â€Å"It was Wilberforce’s aim to reform the middle and upper classes, and thus end slavery and improve morality† (White 2008).In the film Wilberforce introduces the â€Å"Madagascar†, a slave ship, to a group of upper-class philanthropists as part of his quest to reach out to people about morality and slavery, urging them to open their minds and hearts to the suffering of the slaves being transported in these ships. He shows them the shackles and explains the smell coming from the ship as â€Å"the smell of death† (Ioan Gruffudd 2006). Although, this scene may not be historically accurate in that it may not have happened, the truth is distorted in order to show the importance of reaching the upper-class and the opening of their eyes and minds to the pain their luxury caused.In 1797 Wilberforce wrote a book called A Practical View of the Prevailin g Religious Systems of Professed Christians in the Higher and Middle Classes in this Country Contrasted with Real Christianity whose message spread like wild fire among the middle and upper class society. His rhetoric as well as his writing transformed the way society thought of social matters such as slavery and human rights (and animal rights too! ). Throughout his ventures in reaching out to the public, Wilberforce always kept in mind the will of God, and the goals that He has set before him.And in doing so, he realised, that one task cannot be done without the other as one member of the Committee for the Abolition of the Slave Trade said (in the film) â€Å"If you make the world better in one way, it becomes better in every way†, a statement that is bold, and yet, have truth to it. Change in the world may not always come easy or with immediate results, but no matter how small or big the change, someone will benefit or experience some form of loss from it. For Wilberforceà ¢â‚¬â„¢ society, â€Å"culture needed to change if politics were to change.And only in this cultural change would a society have hope for its future† (White 2008). Wilberforce’s wife, Barbara Spooner, was a great source of inspiration to him in finishing his work for the Abolition. As portrayed in the film, Wilberforce seemed to have given up, until he met the younger Miss. Spooner. She urged him to talk and share his thoughts about the slave trade and ultimately convinced him to give the Abolishment another try (Ioan Gruffudd 2006). She was also there for him during the worst times of his sickness, and the mother of his children.Perseverance was another aspect that pushed Wilberforce to continue. The lawyer James Stephen proposed a change of tactics for the abolitionists. â€Å"Cheating†, according to the film was the new tactic. They would propose a different bill as a start to soften up to House members: The Foreign Slave Trade Bill. This bill would ban the B rits from helping or participating in the slave trade to the French colonies. This was a clever move since the majority of British ships were raising American flags and supplying slaves to foreign colonies with who Britain was at war with (Ioan Gruffudd 2006).The ban would decrease the profits of the captains and various business men and negatively affect the investors who were also involved in the House of Commons. Following this bill was The Slave Trade Act, â€Å"in 1807, Wilberforce finally succeeded in passing a law to end the slave trade. But, his work came to full fruition only in the year of his death, 1833, when all slaves in the British Empire were emancipated† (White 2008). The film makes a great point of the importance of determination and passion for success.These factors are of great importance for promoting positive social change, whether is it the abolition of slave trade or saving child soldiers in Uganda. No cause is small enough to ignore or give up on when it involves the life of a living, breathing being. The film places a great amount of emphasis on the role of Wilberforce in the abolition because he can be seen as a wonderful role model and example for leaders and humanitarians. Although Wilberforce was certainly not the only person nvolved in the abolition of the slave trade, there is surely something to be learned from him. They can learn from his passion, commitment and also from his love for all living things, and made a difference in society, not with a hidden agenda, but with an open heart and mind, the way a Christian should. God sat two tasks before Wilberforce: to reform society, back to one with proper Christian morals and values, and the abolishment of the slave trade. Without a doubt Wilberforce succeeded in both of these tasks, but it was not an easy road to success.Fighting through chronic illness and parliament he fought for about fifty years to complete his calling, but he did not do it without help. His talent for rhetoric and public speaking was his gateway to success, and with the help of many friends including Clarkson, Pitt, Newton, his wife Barbara and the Will of God, he was able to put a stop to the inhumanity of the transatlantic slave trade and the horrors that came with it. He was able to die in peace, knowing that he fulfilled the tasks that he was destined to. Bibliography Colson, Charles, and Anne Morse. The Wilberforce Strategy: Britain's great abolitionist worked to change society's values, not just its laws. † Christianity Today, 2007: 132-318. Falconbridge, Alexander. An Account of Slave Trade on the Coast of Africa. London: James Phillips, 1788. Amazing Grace. Directed by Michael Apted. Performed by Albert Finney, Michael Gambon Ioan Gruffudd. 2006. White, John. â€Å"Christian Responsibility to Reform Society: the Example of William Wilberforce and the Clapham Sect. † Paternoster Periodicals, 2008: 166-172. Windschuttle, Keith. â€Å"William Wilberforce: The Great Emancipator. New Criterion, 2008: 17-24. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. I made this viewpoint up, with the help of the contents in â€Å"An Account of the Slave Trade from the Coast on the Africa† as well as Olaudah Equiano’s account in Amazing Grace. [ 2 ]. It was important for them to connect with the upper-class because that’s where the money and power was, both in terms of authority and of trend. Lower-classes were also reached by Wilberforce and his team and showed great success in changing their society (White 2008).

Manyoshu and Kokinshu Interpretive Essay Essays

Manyoshu and Kokinshu Interpretive Essay Essays Manyoshu and Kokinshu Interpretive Essay Paper Manyoshu and Kokinshu Interpretive Essay Paper Essay Topic: Poetry In his famous Kana Preface to the Kokinshu, Ki no Tsurayuki, one of the editors of the anthology, introduces the aesthetic value and core functions of Japanese poetry. As the seed that grows into a flower, Japanese songs, or waka, take human heart and flourish as myriad leaves of words. (Shirane 148) As the master poet, Tsurayuki advises his successors to appreciate the beauty of life, rather than understanding it. One of the functions of waka, Tsurayuki asserts, lies in consoling the hearts of the departed and the living, as the beauty of the song has the mysterious power to assuage even the troubled souls of fierce warriors. Despite the lexical parsimony of waka, the master poets of ancient Japan have honored this legacy and strived to bestow poetic beauty even upon the topic of death. In the Manyoshu and Kokinshu, parting with the loved ones is juxtaposed with mysterious cycles of nature to mediate the emotional burden of loss. Nonetheless, the poeticization of death in two anthologies contrasts in poetic deliverance as well as in narrative structure, as the Manyoshu poet focuses on the poetic deliverance of the protagonist’s emotions, while the Kokishu poem respectively focuses on the transience and emptiness of life. The poeticization of death in Manyoshu is characterized by the protagonist’s emotional confession of continued longing and inability to let go the departed. Upon his wife’s death, the master poet Kakinomoto no Hitomaro composes the following poem, â€Å"crying tears of blood in his grief.† After recollecting his nostalgic romance with his wife in the openning lines, Hitomaro sings, Like the sky-crossing sun sets in the evening Like the light of the moon is obscured by the clouds, My girl, who like the deep seaweed had slept beside me, Had passed away like the autumn leaves†¦ †¦and all I could do was call out her name As I waved my sleeves. I searched for my girl who has lost her way In the thick yellow leaves of the autumn hill But do not know the mountain path. (84-85) By imbuing his wife’s â€Å"passing away† with the rich imageries of cyclical nature, Hitomaro avoids the crude proclamation of death and elevates their parting with elegance and beauty. Never do words meaning death, such as shinu, appear in the original text or the translation of the poem. Like the sun, the moon, and the seasons, his wife, who has now become a fabric of nature, passes away (sugite) from him. Consequent lines with makurakotoba, catalpa gem and catalpa bow, allow the readers to further relate to and vicariously experience his emotions, amplifying the conveyance of grief. It is also important to note that juxtaposition of the loss and imageries of cyclical nature reflects Hitomaro’s hope for his wife to return, as sun rises again and the autumn returns every year. Later in his short poem, the wife is described as having â€Å"lost her way† in the mountain. Despite the mountain symbolizing the insurmountable and unfathomable divide between the two lovers, Hitomaro still yearns for her return believing that he can bring her back if only he had known the mountain path (yamaji shirazu mo). Yet as he cannot venture across the mountain into the forbidden realm, he laments that he can only call out her name and wave his sleeves (sode so furitsuru), a ritual to summon the departed back to life. An unknown poet of Kokinshu also uses nature as a medium for poeticizing death and conveying emotions of loss. After the Horikawa chancellor died and his remains were interred near Mount Fukakusa, the poet composes in Heian style of lexical parsimony, Poem #832 If cherry trees indeed Have feelings, may those Of the fields of Fukakusa This year, at least, Shround themselves in black blossoms. (162) Unlike Hitomaro, the Kokinshu poet neither confesses his lingering feelings nor hopes for the departed to return. However, through a simple imagery of black, mourning blossoms, instead of an emotional narrative, the poet elegantly conveys the burden of his grief. The waka is almost addressed to the cherry blossoms, as the last line ends in volitional form. Furthermore, the essence of the poem is encapsulated in the word sumizome of the cherry blossoms. As if to prepare them for the burial, the poet invokes the cherry blossoms to bloom in â€Å"dyed black (sumizome ni sake).† The word also reminds the reader the word sumu, meaning â€Å"to live.† The prosopopoeia is further intensified by the use of the word, kokoro. Although it is translated as â€Å"feelings† in the text, it may also be read as â€Å"heart†or â€Å"soul.† The poet’s impossible demand for the cherry blossoms not only reflects his remorse, but also informs the reader of the tr ansience and emptiness of life. As one cannot suppress the promised beauty of the cherry blossoms, one can never escape the passing of life. As Tsurayuki opined in his Kana Preface, the cares and deeds of men and women are endless. Yet there is an end to each and every man and woman and the ancient Japanese poets continued to find beauty in death through their myriad leaves of words. Though the autumn leaves will surely fall, the promised mists of spring will come and the fair hills of Yoshino will be adorned, once again, with cherry blossoms. Likewise, though the departed will go across the â€Å"mountain path† and the living will be in â€Å"dyed black,† the songs will live on until the end of time, shedding light into the Japanese heart of kokoro.

El Cid essays

El Cid essays Spanish Rodrigo Diaz was born at Burgos, Spain in 1043 and died in Valencia in 1099. El Cid's Father, Diego Lainez was of minor nobility in the region of Castile and lived in the family home in Bivar. His mother however was of a higher degree of nobility. He is often known as either El Cid (Lord) or El Campeador, which means "The Champion." He became commander of King Sancho's Army and then when banished by the next King, Alfonso VI, he served the King of Zaragoza. He later reconciled with Alfonso and at the end of his life he set out on a conquest of Valencia, which he sieged for many months before conquering it and becoming its ruler. Rodrigo was raised in the courts of King Ferdinand and had his education and military training taken care of by Prince Sancho as thanks for his father's services to the state. In 1063, Sancho dubbed Rodrigo a knight. At this time, Spain was not united but was composed of several smaller Christian kingdoms to the north and a large empire to the south of Muslim Moors. A war slowly developed between the north and south, but neither side could rally a force great enough to defeat their opponent. King Ferdinand had united much of the north of Spain and later divided his Kingdoms among his 5 children at his death in 1065. His first son, Sancho received the Muslim City of Zaragoza and the large area of Castile, while his second son, Alfonso gained the large area of Leon. His third son, Garcia received Galicia and the Moorish kingdoms of Seville and Badajoz. His two daughters were given monasteries. At this time, Rodrigo was still reasonably young and Sancho was trying to lift a siege on Graus made by the small region of Aragon. When Sancho was crowned King in 1067 he made Rodrigo the chief marshal of his troops. After ending the war with Aragon, Sancho turned his focus to capturing the kingdoms of his brothers. Sancho first laid siege to Zaragoza with Rodrigo as his general, but was so...