Family on Government and vice versa Essay Example for Free

Family on Government and vice versa Essay As far as the government’s functions go, it is the unit of the family that is able to gain the most benefits. I view the family as the most basic and the most unprotected aspect of society. It is the government’s ability to provide regulations, guidelines, and protection that the family is able to continue its development. It might be raised at this point that the individual should be considered the most unprotected unit of society. However, I persist in believing that it is the family. The individual can still become a member of larger societal units. In fact, the individual can even go so far as to become a member of government. It is because of this fact that the collection of individuals called the family is the most in need of the services offered by the government that presides over it. However, there are forms of government wherein it is the family that comprises it. In oligarchies and monarchies, for example, the royal family comprises the governmental unit. It is in these cases that the interaction is reduced to one of family with family, of ruling class family with non-ruling class family, of bourgeois family with lower class family. This can also be likened to the type of interaction described to exist between the family and the society to which it belongs. In other ways, the family is also able to affect the government. Because the family forms the entirety of society and because it is able to mirror the mechanisms of society, it is also able to mirror and spread the mechanisms of government. The family is in charge of the education of the younger generation with regards to the powers of the government, the need to follow the impositions of the government, and also the specific laws and regulations set forth by the constitution. The task of propagating the ethics and morals of a good citizen that obeys the government lie on the shoulders of the members of the family. The concepts of restriction of behavior, meting punishments for unacceptable actions, and of obeying authority figures are also first understood by the child in the confines of the family. (Hegel, 2001) Society on Government and vice versa The government is said to be the regulating institution of society. It represents the majority of the population and provides frameworks as well as maintains peace and order. However, as I have stipulated, I believe that the inherent state in nature is peace and not war. Why then would a government be needed to maintain peace and order between its constituents and even with other governments? The state of war is not inherent in nature. However, it is also very much present in observable society. Why is this so? I believe that war stems from the inability of society to meet the needs of its members. This is in accordance with the propositions of Habermas (1998). Because of the society’s inability to completely meet the needs of its members, there is unrest and turmoil. War and violent conflict arise from these feelings of dissatisfaction. It is only through a strong power of the will that dissatisfaction is allowed to exist in an individual’s consciousness. I believe that the ineffective structuring of society creates feelings of unrest and dissatisfaction. When those with more are given more and those with less are asked for more, society is placed at an imbalance. This imbalance is unnatural. It is not the natural order of things. There is disequilibrium in society and as a result, there are individuals who are abused and unsatisfied. Again, this is also in accordance with the views of Marx and Engel (1978) regarding ruling class and non-ruling class. There is no chance for equilibrium or stability to be attained because as Marx and Engel (1978) stated, the ruling class practices hegemony. They use their ideologies to maintain power over the lower class. It is only with active revolt from the lower class that the structure of society can be changed. Thus war becomes an option to those whose dissatisfaction has become so great that they can no longer live with it. Without the government, these feelings of dissatisfaction would reign across the world. There would, indeed, be numerous states of war across the globe. Peace would be hard to find and individuals would find it impossible to achieve their true personal goals in life. A government is needed in order to regulate the interaction of the ruling class and the non-ruling class. Without the government, society would be in a constant flux of change and revolt. It is the institution of the government that allows society to remain its peace and as such to progress. However, it may well be the case that the government is simply a tool of the ruling class to maintain power, a means to their option of hegemony. This is exactly why even though there are governments in place today, wars still occur. There is still a disequilibrium in the social structure. Also, the government is not representative of the majority. This is a fact stressed by Kant (1983) to be of the utmost importance in considering government models and systems utilized in a given state. There is, therefore, a type of government that will best serve the purposes of society and the individual. Although there are numerous forms of government, not all are adaptive to society and its members. The mode of government is a point of greater consideration than the type of sovereignty afforded. (Kant, 1983) Society, however, plays a greater role in government. It is more than just a place wherein the functions of government can be practiced. In fact, it is my belief that society and government act in much the same way that the President and the House of Congress act in a Republic government. That is that society and government act as checks and balances of each other. Although it is true that there is no clear definition of legal power that society has on a particular government – in the way that government has on society – it is also true that the dominant form of politics in a state are defined by society. Because most governments rely on society’s good will towards it, society is able to check and balance the processes of the government. In modes of government involving votation, society dictates the candidates to be deemed more capable and reliable to place in position. This is done through the ideologies espoused by society. Thus two different political parties can be chosen from but the thrust of the resulting government will be based on the value systems established by society on its members. For modes of government, on the other, hand that do not include an electoral system, society is able to operate as a larger checks and balances system. Because monarchies and oligarchies and other similar forms of government give the ruler the right to decree laws and statutes by himself, society plays a crucial role. Social agreement or social rejection may be the only difference between a ruler’s decree of implementing the death penalty, for example, as a punishment to a severe crime. Thus we see that society plays a large role in defining government actions even in these individualistic or familial forms of governance. On this point, however, the revision and reconsideration of laws in systems with electoral systems and with more formal methods of passing laws is also highly dependent on society’s moral and ethical stand. The three-strike law for example, wherein criminals convicted of a crime three times receive a heavier sentence or a longer imprisonment period, was not revised because the constituents of the State of California did not agree to the provision that only severe crimes would be subject to this law.

Impact Of It On Journalism Media Essay

Impact Of It On Journalism Media Essay The evolution of technology continues to revolutionize the journalism industry. Television, computers and the internet are among many technologies which have significantly impacted the way in which news is researched, written and published. This report will analyse the impact of IT on journalism over the past four years. It will look particularly at how recent web technologies have impacted journalists research techniques and affected the expectations of readers. It will further look into the ethical implications such technologies have bought to journalism and the sustainability issues pertinent to the industry. Researching news Web 2.0 technologies have had significant influence on journalists researching techniques. They have impacted the ways in which journalists find story ideas, make contacts and acquire information. The 2009 Arketi Web Watch Survey revealed journalists sources of story ideas (Figure 1.1). The results demonstrate a considerable reliance upon Web 2.0 technologies, including blogs, Wikis, RSS feeds, podcasts and social networks. Figure 1.1 Sources of Story Ideas Neumeiers article reviewing the 2007 Arketi Web Watch Survey suggests that the connections Web 2.0 technologies enable, allow journalists to make contacts and ultimately acquire information. Such virtual networking means journalists can obtain information, including opinions, quotes and photos, without personally knowing a contact, but by contacting or following them via social media sites (Sherratt, 2010). Web 2.0 on whole, provides journalists with convenient access to a wide variety of both primary and secondary information sources. Reader expectations Recent technology influenced trends have impacted the expectations of news readers. Unlike a newspaper, if an online reader is if dissatisfied with a news source, they are able to easily and freely switch to another. According to a 2010 survey, 57% of online news seekers visit between two and five sites a day; while only 21% have a single site they routinely visit (Pew Research Centre, 2010). Journalists are hence forced to meet the expectations of online news seekers in order capture and maintain their readers attention and ensure their stories are read. Social news, citizen journalism and mobile internet are all recent trends influenced by technology which have impacted the expectations of news readers. Social news News consumption is a socially-engaging and socially-driven activity (Pew Research Centre, 2010). Tom Regan describes online journalism as a two-way one-to-one model in contrast to conventional, one-way, we write, you read journalism. He claims in his article, The Digital Journalist written in 1997, that there is a strong demand from readers to be able to interact with the writer and other readers of news stories. In 2010, with Web 2.0 technologies, which encourage participation and interaction on the internet, an even greater expectation is held by readers to be able to contribute to and share news. The Pew Research Centre (2010) survey revealed that most readers believe that keeping up with the news is a social or civic obligation. The survey also highlighted that 37% of online news readers have contributed to the creation of news, commentary about it, or dissemination of news via social media. These trends have been influenced by advancements in web technologies which allow reader s to comment on stories, participate in forums and easily share links. The impact of social news consumption means that successful news stories encourage and facilitate reader participation. Citizen journalism Citizen journalism is a growing trend influenced by widespread individual access to cameras and online publishing platforms. Nine percent of news readers surveyed in 2010 revealed that they have contributed to the news by creating their own original news material or opinion piece (Pew Research Centre, 2010). These amateur news pieces can include reports, pictures, videos or audio and are usually published on blogs or social networking sites. Twitter, a micro-blogging site established in 2006 (Lur, 2010), is one such example of a site where citizen journalism is widespread. Twenty-six percent of its US users say they primarily use the site for news seeking (TNS and The Conference Board, 2009). On many occasions Twitter users, assisted by newswires (which monitor topic trends and divulge the latest news to a network wider than the original posters (Catone, 2009)), have beaten mainstream media in breaking news stories. For example, reports of earthquakes in the UK and China in 2008 were initially found on Twitter (Catone, 2009). Competing with such on-the-spot reporting is almost impossible for mainstream journalists as readers expect all reports to be equally as current as Tweets. However, Tweets are generally uninformative due to their 140 character limit and citizen reports are usually seen as unreliable (Kanalley, 2009). Professional journalists are hence expected to, and must hence compete by, promptly reporting exclusive, informative and accurate news which citizen journalists cannot offer. The future of citizen journalism is promising with the launch of sites such as BBCs Your News. Yeon-ho, the creator of, OhmyNews.com, a popular Korean citizen news site, describes the future of journalism as a pro-am (professional-amateur) concept of combining citizen reporters with trained professional journalists and editors (OConnor, 2007). This is backed up by BBCs claims that Your News makes use of a huge range of material being sent to the BBC by the public, some of which has provided real newsgathering value (Hoffman, 2006). Mobile internet The continuing increase in the use of mobile internet devices, such as Smartphones, has a corresponding affect on the number of readers accessing news via mobile internet (Diaz, 2010). The number of US mobile internet users is expected to rise from 89.2 million in 2010 to 134 million in 2013 (eMarketer, 2009), inevitably leading to a further increase in mobile news readers. The nature of mobile news will affect the expectations readers have on how news is presented. On the internet, readers tend to scan pages; similarly, or to a greater extent, they will do so on their mobile devices. Well written information for the web is said to have 50% less words than a print article and should ensure information can be easily extracted through scanning (Thomas, 2010). Journalists will hence need to ensure their works can be easily scanned. News organizations websites will also need to be compatible with, and easily accessible and appealing on, mobile internet browsers and devices with small scr eens. Ethical Implications Integrity of information Among the Australian Journalism Associations Code of Ethics is an obligation to report and interpret honestly, striving for accuracy, fairness and disclosure of all essential facts (Australian News Commentary, 2010). The integrity and accuracy of the information journalists provide to their readers can be tainted when sourcing information from the internet. One such example of inaccurate journalism is that of a quote believed to be by Maurice Jarre, reported  after his death by newspaper websites in the US, Britain, Australia and India. The quote was published on Wikipedia by a university student in Dublin, who later confessed the information to be a hoax (Pogatchnik, 2009). This story highlights how a lack of consideration of the integrity of sources can result in inaccurate reporting. Consequences of such can include damaged reputations, misled readers and law suits. Using privately published information Information found on the internet can often be publically published without the creator knowingly doing so. A survey on internet users found that out of those surveyed, 78% of the adult online population would change information they publish about themselves online if they thought the material would later be reproduced in the mainstream media (Press Complaints Commission, 2008). Using information found on social networking profiles, may therefore be considered breaching journalists ethical codes which aim to respect personal privacy and fairly, responsibly and honestly obtain material (Australian News Commentary, 2010). Writing for a global audience The internet is a global community; therefore, news published online can be accessed by readers from around the world. Journalists must hence consider the different cultural interpretations of the language, imagery and particularly humor and slang contained within their news stories. A Michael Jackson skit performed on Australias Hey Hey Its Saturday program in 2009 is one such example humor which caused international offence because of different cultural background and interpretations. The US and the UK believed the skit was racist and disgraceful; while the majority of Australian audiences enjoyed the lighthearted humor (Duck McCabe, 2009). A 1998 article titled Writing for the Web reiterates the point that humor is prone to elude, and possibly offend, a percentage of the audience. The article also makes references to the differences in how dates are written, which may result in inaccurate reporting, and alternative meanings of words and hand gestures, which may be insulting in so me cultures (Morelli, 1998). Sustainability issues The impact of online news has resulted in a continuing drop in newspaper sales which positively affects the sustainability of journalism (Malik, 2010). An audit revealed that The Age newspaper consumes approximately 146kg of paper, per year, per subscription (Monday Friday) (House in Harmony, 2009). A 2010 comparison of The Age sales shows a 4.1% drop to 189,500 since 2009; a figure attributed to an increase in online readings (Malik, 2010). If these newspapers were not printed, approximately 3250kg of paper would have been saved in the year, along with reductions in carbon emissions produced by printers and other publishing machines. This decline in sales also reduces the emissions produced by deliveries to homes and retailers and reduces the consumption of plastic used to wrap delivered papers (House in Harmony, 2009). However, reading news online will increase the time readers spend on their computers and consequently produce more computer-generated emissions. Nonetheless, the co nsumption of news will be less wasteful as readers selectively view articles online, instead of purchasing an entire newspaper. Furthermore, increasing developments in Green IT improving energy efficiency and aspiring to reduce e-waste mean that a complete conversion to online publishing is a sustainable initiative for the future. Conclusion Technology, particularly the internet has had a significant and continuous impact on the journalism industry. Web 2.0 technologies have made it easier for journalists to find news stories and acquire information; while the expectations of news readers have been impacted by recent technology influenced trends including social news, citizen journalism and mobile internet access. The use of the internet to research and publish stories means that journalists must ethically consider the integrity and privacy of information they exploit and the obligations which come with writing for a global audience. Publishing news online also proves to be a sustainable initiative for the future as it reduces paper consumption and carbon emissions.

The Bridge :: essays research papers

Sweat poured down my rugged unshaved face, bathed in my camouflage, and dripped on my MP5 sub-machine gun. As I ran for my God-forsaken life I spit out my fresh chew and screamed at my division sniping in the nearby trench, â€Å"GET THE HELL OUT! IT’S GONNA BLOW!!† Once I gained their attention it was too late. BAWOOSH! I tried to glance at my four other companions but I only caught a glimpse their distraught visages a split second before debris covered my sight and I was luckily blown forward from the impact of a Chinese high explosive grenade. My sniper division, was unluckily obliterated by it. I was knocked unconscious; barely gasping for air. Various thoughts filled my head†¦ A chunk of our team snipers wiped out within a second, including my long time friend PFC Ransom, two year Green Beret sniper specialist, I use to drink Michelob with back in college before we got drafted. I almost forgot it was a couple days before it would be my birthday. I can’t believe the war was almost over because it seems like it has lasted for an eternity. How did I get knocked unconscious? I couldn’t even recall the face of my wife and the baby girl she gave birth to from what I read in her letter. I have to defend the bridge at all costs, but am I even alive?†¦But the only thing that ran through my head at the moment was how devastating the end of this skirmish between China and us it was and how it should’ve been. The conflicts between the U.S. and China that would last for a decade all started on April 1st, 2001 when U.S. a UP-403 spy plane collided with a Chinese F-8 fighter jet, killing the Chinese pilot and tearing one of the wings of the spy plane as it safely landed into a Chinese air field. As Chinese officials demanded an apology for the mishap, they kept the crew of 24 as hostage for eighteen days forming one of the most critical standoffs in U.S. history. After the ten days elapsed, a cataclysmic event shocked the world. On April 19th, 2001, the Chinese army unloaded clip after clip from their AK-47 rifles into the 24 crew members, starting a war that would last for 10 years. Naval destroyers invaded China’s east coast 10 days later. D-Day II a week after that unloaded 2 million soldiers into Beijing after primary cities were bombed by B-52 bombers carrying hydrogen missiles.

Mysticism on the Internet :: Research Papers

Mysticism on the Internet If you could look into the future, are there questions you would want to find answers to? If you could read into another person's consciousness, or better yet into that of your own, are there things you would want to know more clearly? There are probably few people who would not be interested in knowing what the future might hold in store for them, or at least to have a little sense of the forces and presence that might play into their walks of life. A driving force in human nature is the need to kn ow, to make sense of the environment around us, and to make sense of ourselves. Perhaps more provoking and significant is the desire for us to know ourselves and to discover the purpose for our existence and the workings of our own state of mind. There is a sense that although we each share a co-existence with others and things around us, each life and makeup of the world is truly unique to and dependent of each individual alone, and at any moment, we each can have the power to be in cont rol of ours elves and whatever situation we are in. For over many ages, this has allowed Mysticism to be an intimate part of human society, as a still-unexplainable part of nature, as well as the supernatural, that has allured and guided many to look as far as into the future and as close as deep into themselves. The many tools of Mysticism, like the Tarot, numerology, astrology, and dreams, are all used to provide insights into a "deeper consciousness" and a "higher plane of existence," which when properly interpreted could very well shed light into the murkiest situation. In today's societies, Mysticism continues to intrigue, appeal to, entertain and aid people across cultures. Presently, with the power and accessibility of the Internet and World Wide Web (WWW), the insights to the answers to our everyday questions in life, as well as those far-reaching, can be found through the mystics with just a few mouse clicks away. Thi s has allowed for the reach of Mysticism to be extended and promoted much further, not only to the enthusiasts but also to everyone. A web search for "mysticism" on the Internet would bring up lists of hits for hundreds of thousands of related web pages. A search for a more specific area in Mysticism, such as "tarot" or "astrology" would present hundreds of thousands more web sites.

The Character of Teiresias in Oedipus The King :: Oedipus Rex, Sophocles

Throughout history there have been some astonishing Greek plays. Some plays were more comedic in nature, so were romance plays and then there were some that were tragic plays. One of the greatest Greek tragedy plays ever written was Oedipus the King. Brilliantly conceived and written, Oedipus the King dramatizes the self-discovery and tragic downfall of Oedipus, the King of Thebes. It tells the story about a young Greek who was fated to murder his father, marry his mother, and in the process become the King of Thebes, before ultimately meeting his downfall due to his own deeds. That makes this play so fascinating is that there are numerous underlying themes within the story, and I will attempt to shed light on one of these themes, that being the dramatic irony of blindness. I shall do this by focusing on the words and actions of a minor character in the play, Tiresias. A minor character is a character that is developed in such a way to help reveal themes and depict certain literary devices. Literary devices are used in mostly all literary works, as they can help reveal pertinent information and also move the story along. In the play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, the minor character of Teiresias is responsible for foreshadowing Oedipus’ fate, developing the theme of blindness, and also illustrating dramatic irony. Teiresias uses his fortune teller abilities to foreshadow the anguish and destruction that Oedipus will encounter after he learns the truths of his life. Teiresias is also responsible for further developing the theme of blindness by using his own physical blindness to reveal to Oedipus his mental blindness. Lastly, Teiresias is ultimately responsible for imposing dramatic irony because of his great knowledge of the truth of Oedipus. In Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, the character of Teiresias is developed in such a way that he utilizes many dramatic devices in order to reveal information and move the play along.As a fortune teller, Teiresias is able to see the fate and destruction of Oedipus’ life. Teiresias uses his great ability to reveal to the reader the downfalls in Oedipus’ life that will soon occur because of his quest to know his fate. The character of Teiresias demonstrates the use of foreshadowing in order for the reader to be aware of Oedipus’ fate.You can not see the wretchedness of your life, Nor in whose house you live, no, nor with whom.

Craig Ventors First Cell

Cr Craig Ventor first first self-replicating, synthetic bacterial cell ROCKVILLE, MD and San Diego, CA (May 20, 2010)— Researchers at the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), a not-for-profit genomic research organization, published results today describing the successful construction of the first self-replicating, synthetic bacterial cell. The team synthesized the 1. 08 million base pair chromosome of a modified Mycoplasma mycoides genome. The synthetic cell is called Mycoplasma mycoides JCVI-syn1. and is the proof of principle that genomes can be designed in the computer, chemically made in the laboratory and transplanted into a recipient cell to produce a new self-replicating cell controlled only by the synthetic genome. This research will be published by Daniel Gibson et al in the May 20th edition of Science Express and will appear in an upcoming print issue of Science. â€Å"For nearly 15 years Ham Smith, Clyde Hutchison and the rest of our team have been working toward thi s publication today–the successful completion of our work to construct a bacterial cell that is fully controlled by a synthetic genome,† said J.Craig Venter, Ph. D. , founder and president, JCVI and senior author on the paper. â€Å"We have been consumed by this research, but we have also been equally focused on addressing the societal implications of what we believe will be one of the most powerful technologies and industrial drivers for societal good. We look forward to continued review and dialogue about the important applications of this work to ensure that it is used for the benefit of all. † According to Dr.Smith, â€Å"With this first synthetic bacterial cell and the new tools and technologies we developed to successfully complete this project, we now have the means to dissect the genetic instruction set of a bacterial cell to see and understand how it really works. † To complete this final stage in the nearly 15 year process to construct and boot u p a synthetic cell, JCVI scientists began with the accurate, digitized genome of the bacterium, M. mycoides. The team designed 1,078 specific cassettes of DNA that were 1,080 base pairs long. These cassettes were designed so that the ends of each DNA cassette overlapped each of its neighbors by 80bp.The cassettes were made according to JCVI’s specifications by the DNA synthesis company, Blue Heron Biotechnology. The JCVI team employed a three stage process using their previously described yeast assembly system to build the genome using the 1,078 cassettes. The first stage involved taking 10 cassettes of DNA at a time to build 110, 10,000 bp segments. In the second stage, these 10,000 bp segments are taken 10 at a time to produce eleven, 100,000 bp segments. In the final step, all 11, 100 kb segments were assembled into the complete synthetic genome in yeast cells and grown as a yeast artificial chromosome.The complete synthetic M. mycoides genome was isolated from the yeast c ell and transplanted into Mycoplasma capricolum recipient cells that have had the genes for its restriction enzyme removed. The synthetic genome DNA was transcribed into messenger RNA, which in turn was translated into new proteins. The M. capricolum genome was either destroyed by M. mycoides restriction enzymes or was lost during cell replication. After two days viable M. mycoides cells, which contained only synthetic DNA, were clearly visible on petri dishes containing bacterial growth medium.The initial synthesis of the synthetic genome did not result in any viable cells so the JCVI team developed an error correction method to test that each cassette they constructed was biologically functional. They did this by using a combination of 100 kb natural and synthetic segments of DNA to produce semi-synthetic genomes. This approach allowed for the testing of each synthetic segment in combination with 10 natural segments for their capacity to be transplanted and form new cells. Ten out of 11 synthetic fragments resulted in viable cells; therefore the team narrowed the issue down to a single 100 kb cassette.DNA sequencing revealed that a single base pair deletion in an essential gene was responsible for the unsuccessful transplants. Once this one base pair error was corrected, the first viable synthetic cell was produced. Dr. Gibson stated, â€Å"To produce a synthetic cell, our group had to learn how to sequence, synthesize, and transplant genomes. Many hurdles had to be overcome, but we are now able to combine all of these steps to produce synthetic cells in the laboratory. † He added, â€Å"We can now begin working on our ultimate objective of synthesizing a minimal cell containing only the genes necessary to sustain life in its simplest form.This will help us better understand how cells work. † This publication represents the construction of the largest synthetic molecule of a defined structure; the genome is almost double the size of the previou s Mycoplasma genitalium synthesis. With this successful proof of principle, the group will now work on creating a minimal genome, which has been a goal since 1995. They will do this by whittling away at the synthetic genome and repeating transplantation experiments until no more genes can be disrupted and the genome is as small as possible. This minimal cell will be a platform for analyzing the function of every essential gene in a cell.According to Dr. Hutchison, â€Å"To me the most remarkable thing about our synthetic cell is that its genome was designed in the computer and brought to life through chemical synthesis, without using any pieces of natural DNA. This involved developing many new and useful methods along the way. We have assembled an amazing group of scientists that have made this possible. † As in the team’s 2008 publication in which they described the successful synthesis of the M. genitalium genome, they designed and inserted into the genome what they called watermarks.These are specifically designed segments of DNA that use the â€Å"alphabet† of genes and proteins that enable the researcher to spell out words and phrases. The watermarks are an essential means to prove that the genome is synthetic and not native, and to identify the laboratory of origin. Encoded in the watermarks is a new DNA code for writing words, sentences and numbers. In addition to the new code there is a web address to send emails to if you can successfully decode the new code, the names of 46 authors and other key contributors and three quotations: â€Å"TO LIVE, TO ERR, TO FALL, TO TRIUMPH, TO RECREATE LIFE OUT OFLIFE. † – JAMES JOYCE; â€Å"SEE THINGS NOT AS THEY ARE, BUT AS THEY MIGHT BE. †-A quote from the book, â€Å"American Prometheus†; â€Å"WHAT I CANNOT BUILD, I CANNOT UNDERSTAND. † – RICHARD FEYNMAN. The JCVI scientists envision that the knowledge gained by constructing this first self-replicatin g synthetic cell, coupled with decreasing costs for DNA synthesis, will give rise to wider use of this powerful technology. This will undoubtedly lead to the development of many important applications and products including biofuels, vaccines, pharmaceuticals, clean water and food products.The group continues to drive and support ethical discussion and review to ensure a positive outcome for society. Funding for this research came from Synthetic Genomics Inc. , a company co-founded by Drs. Venter and Smith. Background The research published today was made possible by previous breakthroughs at JCVI. In 2007 the team published results from the transplantation of the native M. mycoides genome into the M. capricolum cell which resulted in the M. capricolum cell being transformed into M. mycoides. This work established the notion that DNA is the software of life and that DNA dictates the cell phenotype.In 2008 the same team reported on the construction of the first synthetic bacterial ge nome by assembling DNA fragments made from the four chemicals of life—ACGT. The final assembly of DNA fragments into the whole genome was performed in yeast by making use of the yeast genetic systems. However, when the team attempted to transplant the synthetic bacterial genome out of yeast and into a recipient bacterial cell, viable transplants could not be recovered. Ethical Considerations: Since the beginning of the quest to understand and build a synthetic genome, Dr.Venter and his team have been concerned with the societal issues surrounding the work. In 1995 while the team was doing the research on the minimal genome, the work underwent significant ethical review by a panel of experts at the University of Pennsylvania (Cho et al, Science December 1999:Vol. 286. no. 5447, pp. 2087 – 2090). The bioethical group's independent deliberations, published at the same time as the scientific minimal genome research, resulted in a unanimous decision that there were no stron g ethical reasons why the work should not continue as long as the scientists involved continued to engage public discussion. Dr.Venter and the team at JCVI continue to work with bioethicists, outside policy groups, legislative members and staff, and the public to encourage discussion and understanding about the societal implications of their work and the field of synthetic genomics generally. As such, the JCVI’s policy team, along with the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), were funded by a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation for a 20-month study that explored the risks and benefits of this emerging technology, as well as possible safeguards to prevent abuse, including bioterrorism.After several workshops and public sessions the group published a report in October 2007 outlining options for the field and its researchers. Most recently in December of 2008, JCVI received funding from the Alfred P. Sloa n Foundation to examine ethical and societal concerns that are associated with the developing science of synthetic genomics. The ongoing research is intended to inform the scientific community as well as educate our policymakers and journalists so that they may engage in informed discussions on the topic.About the J. Craig Venter Institute The JCVI is a not-for-profit research institute in Rockville, MD and La Jolla, CA dedicated to the advancement of the science of genomics; the understanding of its implications for society; and communication of those results to the scientific community, the public, and policymakers. Founded by J. Craig Venter, Ph. D. , the JCVI is home to approximately 400 scientists and staff with expertise in human and evolutionary biology, genetics, ioinformatics/informatics, information technology, high-throughput DNA sequencing, genomic and environmental policy research, and public education in science and science policy. The legacy organizations of the JCVI are: The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR), The Center for the Advancement of Genomics (TCAG), the Institute for Biological Energy Alternatives (IBEA), the Joint Technology Center (JTC), and the J. Craig Venter Science Foundation. The JCVI is a 501 (c) (3) organization. For additional information, please visit http://www. JCVI. org. Media Contact: Heather Kowalski, 301-943-8879, hkowalski(AT)jcvi. org

Alternative Energy Helps Decrease Consumption Of Oil Environmental Sciences Essay

For several centuries, people use rough oil in their mundane life. It is used in signifier of gasolene, Diesel fuel, or different industrial lubricators. From oil, it is able to make besides heat or electricity. For a long clip, the most seeable merchandises of petroleum oil used every twenty-four hours are fuels for autos. As the figure of people on Earth is increasing, more autos are used, more electricity must be produced, more heat must be generated. All these facts show how people are dependent on oil and its merchandises. As Miller explains in the book Living in the environment, 82 % of the universe used energy in 2004 came from unrenewable resources. 33 % of it came from oil ( Miller, 2007 ) . It is true that the oil militias are still sufficient. On the other manus, it is of import to understand that the ingestion of oil is increasing each twelvemonth and oil, as the unrenewable resource, will be one twenty-four hours wholly depleted. Therefore, today it is of import to seek for other options. Wind, Sun, and H2O can be considered the new energy beginnings, which can diminish the dependance on oil and other unrenewable resources. Wind energy is considered one of the cleanest and the longest used energy in universe. The primary signifiers of use of air current energy can be found in early history. As the web page Alterenery.org explicates, â€Å" The first known usage was in 5000 BC when people used canvass to voyage the Nile River. Persians had already been utilizing windmills for 400 old ages by 900 AD in order to pump H2O and swot grain. Windmills may hold even been developed in China before 1 Ad † ( Alterenergy, n.d. ) . Besides in many European states, for illustration in Slovakia, air current Millss had been used for different intent like chattering the flour. Today, air current energy has gained first topographic point in many European provinces. Harmonizing the information of European air current energy association, Germany is on the top of list of states which used air current energy at most. Germany reported 28777MW in the terminal of twelvemonth 2009. The 2nd topographic point belongs to Spai n with 19149MW. Merely to compare, Slovakia reached merely 3MW in the terminal of twelvemonth 2009. This figure is really low. In twelvemonth 2008, Austria had installed new 14MW of air current power which helped it to make 995MW in the terminal of twelvemonth 2009 ( EWEA, 2010a ) . As the beginning continues, aˆzA sum of 19,651 MW of new power capacity was constructed in the EU last twelvemonth [ 2008 ] . Out of this, 8,484 MW ( 43 % ) was wind power ; 6,932 MW ( 35 % ) gas ; 2,495 MW ( 13 % ) oil ; 762 ( 4 % ) MW coal and 473 ( 2 % ) MW hydro power capacity † ( EWEA, 2009b ) . Detailed information about air current energy for the old ages 2000 to 2008 is posted in Appendix A. As it was already mentioned, there several tools for coevals the electricity from air current energy. The most seeable are windmills, like those in Austria. There is besides aA new device called Magenn power air rotor system ( MARS ) . As the web page of alternate energy beginnings explains, this de vice is filled by He and rotates in horizontal degree. As the beginning continues, the He inside the device keeps MARS high about the land. This distance can be maximal 1000ft. The web page besides explains that thanks to Magnus consequence, MARS can remain at its topographic point. The electricity is produced when the air current goes throughout the particular unit in MARS, which starts to whirl. Then, thanks to a overseas telegram, the electricity is transited into aA transformer located on land ( AES, n.d.a ) . For better visual image of this drifting air turbine, see image 2, 3, 4, and 5 in Appendix A. As it is seeable from the images, this Magenn power air rotor system can be located practically anyplace. It can be used on little islands, where the conveyance of other sort of electricity is impossible or excessively dearly-won. This system can be applied besides in polar countries, where people have to utilize diesel generators. But this is non the lone advantage. As the AES ex plains, these turbines are non so dearly-won, are friendly to environment, and are more efficient than other systems. Ability of the MARS to run on higher velocity of air current compared to other air current turbines is the following difference advantage mentioned on the web page of AES. Another advantage is connected with the tallness in which this system operates. This system is non every bit seeable as classical air current turbines. Therefore, as AES explains, ocular and noise impacts on land are reduced. Mobility of this system can be considered another advantage. As AES expounds, in instance of some catastrophe, the system can be easy abjuring. Therefore, the system will non be damaged ( AES, n.d.c ) . But the best thing on this air current energy is that it does non hold negative impact on environment as oil or other beginnings of energy that pollute the Earth. All the mentioned facts and advantages of air current energy show that this beginning of energy can vie with oil or other unrenewable resources. Wind energy can be considered the replacement of rough oil or other unrenewable resources in field of bring forthing electricity. Solar energy is considered for a long clip cleanest a cheapest beginning of energy. Harmonizing to Solar energy industries association, the history of solar panels has started in 1820 when Henri Becquerel noticed so called photovoltaic consequence. First photovoltaic solar contraption bring forthing convenient sum of electricity was created in 1954 ( SEIA, n.d. ) . Solar energy is practically unlimited because of life rhythm of the Sun. As the web page solarviews.com explains, Sun has still sufficient sum of fuel, dwelling of H and He, for about following five billion old ages ( Solarviews, n.d. ) . Energy from Sun comes on Earth in signifier of visible radiation and heat. Both of them are created during thermonuclear mergers in a nucleus of Sun. Radioactive Sun air current is a secondary merchandise of this merger. Earth is, fortuitously, protected from this radioactive air current thanks to magnetosphere, which works like a shelter. For better imaginativeness, see picture 1 in Appe ndix B. In country of poles, this solar air current is seeable as a phenomenon called aurora borealis. Use of solar energy is really popular for several old ages. Besides tonss of people have started to put in solar panels on their houses. In the last old ages, photovoltaic systems started to hold taking place in this industry. As a web page toolbase.org explains, â€Å" Photovoltaic systems use solar electric panels to straight change over the Sun ‘s energy into electricity † ( Toolbase, n.d. ) . As the beginning continues, there are different sizes of the photovoltaic device. As it is written on the mentioned web page, there exist two types of photovoltaic panels: stiff and flexible. Harmonizing to the beginning, â€Å" stiff PV [ photovoltaic system ] faculties typically have a glass screen while the flexible faculties have a really lasting movie screen. Both types of PV faculty building have been strictly tested to last storm and hail harm and are immune to debasem ent from ultra-violet beams † ( Toolbase, n.d. ) . As the research is in advancement, new possibilities are invented. Merely recently, as it was published on web page sciencedaily.com, scientists form the Freiburg Materials Research Center and Department of Microsystems Engineering invented new intercrossed solar cell that will increase the efficiency of solar cells. As the mentioned web page explains, â€Å" photoactive bed of intercrossed solar cells consists of a mixture of inorganic nanoparticles and an organic polymer † ( Albert-Ludwigs-Universitat Freiburg, 2010 ) . As the beginning continues, â€Å" it is theoretically possible to use the method developed by the research workers to many nanoparticles, [ so ] this discovery opens up new potency for increasing the efficiency of this type of solar cell even further † ( Albert-Ludwigs-Universitat Freiburg, 2010 ) . For elaborate position of this new engineering, see image 2 and 3 in Appendix B. These solar sys tems have batch of advantages. The biggest advantage is that it does non harm environment because it is clear manner of production of electricity. As it was mentioned in the beginning of the paragraph, solar energy is unlimited, which is the following advantage of this system. As the web page of AES explains, this system â€Å" works best in the sunniest, frequently the poorest, parts of the universe † ( AES, n.d.d ) . This can guarantee these states independency in a field of demand for electricity. As the beginning continues, solar energy is safe and flexible ( AES, n.d.d ) . Solar energy can besides assist to bring forth heat or warm up the H2O needed for families or houses. This vision is portion of ecohouses. The mentioned facts confirm that solar energy has great possible and future, and for certain, it will assist to cut down humanA?s dependance on oil in field of bring forthing electricity and heat. Water energy is besides considered one of the hereafter energy beginnings because of its advantages. Water has large power, particularly its flow. This fact is a basic premise for utilizing H2O in hydro power workss. As the web page U.S. geological study explains, â€Å" hydroelectric works uses falling H2O to turn the turbine † ( USGS, n.d. ) . As the beginning continues, â€Å" a hydraulic turbine converts the energy of fluxing H2O into mechanical energy. A hydroelectric generator converts this mechanical energy into electricity † ( USGS, n.d. ) . For more inside informations, see image 1 and 2 in Appendix C. This type of bring forthing electricity is really common in the universe. As web page of Slovenske elektrarne explains, besides Slovakia has several hydro power workss in H2O impound like Orava, Nosice, or Liptovska Mara, and pumped storage hydro workss located for illustration in Liptovka Mara or A?ierny Vah ( Slovenske elektrarne, n.d. ) . Not merely the H2O in rivers but besides H2O in seas can be used for bring forthing electricity. In the instance of sea H2O, tidal power is utilised. Harmonizing to company Verdant power, â€Å" free Flow Kinetic Hydropower System uses three-bladed, horizontal-axis turbines deployed underwater to bring forth clean renewable energy from tidal and river currents † ( Verdant power, n.d. ) . As the beginning continues, it â€Å" is installed to the full submerged and operates automatically and unseeable from shore. The system does non necessitate dikes or other major civil plant, and does non airt the natural flow of the H2O † ( Verdant power, n.d. ) . For elaborate position, see image 3 and 4 in Appendix C. This tidal power is really utile, because, thanks to Moon and Sun, the H2O is moved without any human aid. This means that this system is non so dearly-won. As the AES explains, this system has more other advantages. The best is that this system is ecological and environmental friendly. As the beginning continues, this system is besides cheaper than some device utilizing tidal power built on seashore. The system is safe and can be placed practically anyplace under the H2O ( AES, n.d.e ) . The mentioned advantages show that H2O energy can efficaciously bring forth electricity. Therefore, it can assist to cut down the usage of petroleum oil and other unrenewable resource. Although all the mentioned beginnings of energy seem great, all of them have some disadvantages. High initial costs are the common disadvantages for all of them. The 2nd disadvantages common for all the mentioned energy beginnings is non really high efficiency. These beginnings still can non bring forth the needful sum of electricity or heat that can be produce from oil or other unrenewable resources. It is true that these â€Å" green † beginnings of energies are non on the same degree as unrenewable resources, but as the development improve, besides these engineerings are improved. Therefore, the better efficiency of these alternate energy beginnings is merely a inquiry of clip. These new energy beginnings can assist to diminish the dependance on oil. In the hereafter, for certain they will be use as primary beginnings of energy. In the hereafter, air current, Sun, and H2O energy can replace unrenewable resources for production of electricity. It is true that batch of scientific research is needed for bettering the systems, but there is large potency. It is merely up to the authoritiess to back up the research in a field of alternate beginnings of energy. In the hereafter, the puting money will convey cleaner environment and independency from unrenewable resources. It is a great vision, and it is merely up to human race how it will work with these new engineerings.