Religion and the media

Religion and the media Introduction: â€Å"These days politics, religion, media seem to get all mixed up. Television became the new religion a long time back and the media has taken over.† ~ Van Morrison (Inspires Today, 2007) With time, the media has attained great power, as they play a significant role in our everyday lives. The above quote by Irish singer-songwriter and musician, Van Morrison, would aptly describe how the media can be seen as the new religion for some people. People have begun to obliviously believe in what is presented to them and failed to criticize the world around us. Language, in fact, has gained a great influence on our lives. World renowned and long-serving British Linguist, Roger Fowler argued that â€Å"language influences thought, in the sense that its structure channels our mental experience of the world.† Language has become influential in our everyday lives, and media, especially television and the World Wide Web are the ones that have mastered this medium and greatly influence our perception of reality. This is because the way we think about the world around us is influenced by numerous factors, such as the society we live in, mass media, and the language itself. This in turn has influenced the manner in which we live, the politics that we preach and the way in which we practice the religions we follow. As we develop as a society and move further into the 21st, we can clearly see the trends that will govern our ideas of religious practices and society. These ‘challenges’ as I would like to call them, are the rebirth of religion as a national and global force. In contradiction with the past predictions that it would fade because of modern life and society, religion has instead gained a new identity and prominence throughout the world because it has been influencedby virtual religion and mass media. What is digital media? Digital media as defined by Microsoft Windows is â€Å"Digital media refers to audio, video, and photo content that has been encoded (digitally compressed) which can be easily manipulated, distributed, and rendered (played) by computers, and is easily transmitted over computer networks.† (Microsoft 2010). In layman terms it is any sort of storage device that can store digital data namely computers, smart phones, iPad’s etc. What is virtual religion? Virtual religion as opposed to digital media is difficult to define. Essentially it is religion in its electronic expression. Many religious leaders can argue at the point that it is simply a ‘copy and paste’ form of ‘old’ religion into a newer virtual world. Virtual religion goes beyond the physical boundaries of religious practices and brings religions into the immaterial territory of the web and Cyberspace. It aims to help explore the virtual realities made possible by new technologies. Popular Culture and Religion Popular culture as defined by urban dictionary, â€Å"simply denotes a group of practices or customs accepted by masses.† It is the form of culture where it is widespread and based on the ideas and tastes of ordinary people. Due to the rise of the realm of popular culture and media, technology has become convenient in this fast placed lifestyle. Media provides a platform for rich symbolism and visual pop culture, allowing space for ever changing identities. This fits the evolving patterns of the developing society we live in. The above, all dictate what is modern and what we accept culturally and socially. This is where the battle begins between religion, which is seen as ‘time-honoured’ and ‘authentic’ as compared to media which is ‘modern’ and ‘superficial’, as stated by Stewart M. Hoover in his thesis on media and religion. The question of ‘is new always better?’ is posed. The convergence of these two facets h as always been a topic for much debate but the eventual collaboration of these would lead to a mutualistic relationship as one would develop the other. It is said that through media, religion is slowly losing its authenticity and merely becoming a merely making scheme. It has slowly become a farce but on the other side of the coin, media has become far too etched in religion and religion in media. Online religion and religion-online Firstly, I would like to state a difference in diction between that of online/virtual religion and religion online. As stated above online/virtual religion is an electronic expression of religion, basically scriptures online or being able to practice rituals online while religion online as defined by Christopher Helland merely â€Å"presents information about religion.† (Helland 2000).Helland states that because of the difference between these two concepts there are different perceptions of how the Internet should be used for religious purposes. Religion online can be seen, in sporting terminology, as a golfer. He is solitary in is game and does not depend on his competitors and he lacks teammates. This is a rather solitary, one-to-many ideal. There lacks contribution between the members participating as they are unable to give feedback and share their views and beliefs. This notion is quite evident when visiting www.vatican.va, the official site of the Vatican. This one sided concept presents prayer and scriptures but lacks the sense of freedom of speech and belief, therefore restricting an external view. Many religious groups use professionally designed religious sites as a medium to merely convey information to their readers via religion online. This regulated space allows them to maintain institutional structure and control. They present the ‘chapter and verse’ of the religion. By keeping it as a one-to-many structure, they see this as a ‘tool’, as described by Helland, of not ‘losing control’ of their followers. In my opinion, this is a form of indoctrination as the readers only see what these religious groups want them to see. Is this any different from what Hitler and the Nazi’s were doing? They insist on such a manner because with the advancement of technology and the thinking of man, religious institutions have lost their prominence and their clerical authority has become less important in determining what people believe and the way in which they live their lives (Hoover 2008). This is a way of being subtle dictators trying to keep domination over their followers. Online religion can be viewed as if it is a team sport, a ‘many-to-many’ fashion, where you interactive and depend on one another. It allows the reader to interact and voice their opinion. This is permitted through opinions like hyperlinks, allowing activities like prayers online, meditation and chat rooms on sites like virtualreligion.net. The unofficial religious sites used for online religion are seen as far more accessible and user friendly. It caters to the needs of the reader rather than forcing religious material onto them. People now take responsibility for their own faith, spiritualities and religious identities. This non-domineering environment allows the expression of views and religious experiences. Online religion, unlike religion online, is not seen as a tool but rather a ‘place’ where you can find purely information but rather spiritual and religious enlightenment and liberation. This increased supply of mediated religion means that religion and spirituality are increasingly available outside the boundaries of ‘formal’ religions; such has world-charging implications for those institutions. (Hoover, 2008). An example would the 9/11Twin Tower bombing where online prayers and virtual candles were ignited in memory of the lives lost. Knowledge about Islam was also available to reader s and they were allowed to communicate those who follow the Islamic faith and in turn learn more about the religion and their beliefs. This prevented Islam form having stereotypical tags attached to them, as Osama Bin Laden gave the world the idea that it was a terrorist religion that killed for God. With this we can knowingly state that the internet itself cannot be seen as a medium that confines or liberates as the choice is ours to make. It also depends on religious leaders and webpage designers and whether they seen as a chance to enforce power and see it as a ‘tool’ or as a form of liberty and see it as a ‘place’. Therefore, it is fair to say that the internet can be described in a single quote by Frederick Langbridge: â€Å"Two men look through the same bars, one sees mud, the other sees stars.† Is Virtual Religion the answer to all our prayers After downloading an application on Google play called â€Å"Virtual Hindu Temple Worship†, I was rather surprised at the feeling of enlightenment experienced after participating in this online version of worship. I was able to turn a wicked lamp and ring a bell as if I were worshipping in a temple. A mantra, a Sanskrit word meaning sacred utterance, played in the background giving off this aura of calm and oneness with God. I was also able to choose a deity that I would like to pray to. This showed the convenience and ease of my access to this application. My initial opinion of this form of religion was one that was negative but with actually experiencing it first hand, the excitement of something unknown and different was what that captured my attention. I visited a blog by Dariush Nothaft on Yale Daily news; I was astonished to see the levels to which virtual religion had climbed. Here he spoke about stumbling uponsaranam.com, a virtual portal for ordering prayers at Hindu temples in India, for a fee, I might add. The founder ofsaranam.com, Mahesh Mohanan, had this eureka moment after the realization that post nuptial pilgrimages were becoming an arduous experience. These pilgrimages were customary as there had to be performed to further bless marriages and prevent the marriage from having ‘bad eyes’ or bad luck put upon the couple. The guru or ‘franchisees’ as they were called now perform this ritual; in your stead (Nothaft 2007). A ritual as defined by the Oxford dictionary is â€Å"A religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order†. The online version of these rituals was obviously shorter and avoided the inconvenience of attending a crowded temple. After participating on a similar ritual online, it was evident that I was done quicker and I could choose when and where I could do this prayer as well as fitting it into my schedule, rather than having to make time and then ending up complaining about something I should want to invest my time and effort in. As a person who is committed to the Hindu faith, I was astounded by this. My conscience would never allow me to participate in such practices. Even though it solved many problems and become an easier, more accessible route to those who lived fair away or were too busy, my thought would be that the sacrifice behind it all be it of your time or money was part of the ritual. The fact that you had made time for God was the important part. The question lies, ‘Are you really invested in this ritual?’ You are unaware of what is happening and this would result in it being conducted without reverence or much thought. In contention, we cannot blame Mohanan’s ingenuity as the demands of work, family and life make fulfilling all our religious obligations difficult. Nothaft concluded by stating that to participate in virtual religious activities one must be of ‘open, outward-looking mind’ and that he rather people invest in the religious processes in some respect than in no respect at all. An article posted on TechNews Daily (Fox 2010) recently stated that â€Å"Technology changes how people relate to each other, and that is what religion is concerned with†. With the introduction of applications such as Bible quotes and verse and Torah chanting practices on devices such as iPhones, it allows worshippers to mould a personal religious environment in this blasphemous society. Religious leaders argue that smart phones and their ‘attention-diverting’ nature result in worshippers being unable to engage in real time practices. They detected a vast change in the way worshippers process religion as a whole. They become disengaged from the communal society. The nervous, excitement now given off by them is quiteopposite to the usual calm and soothing nature that suppose to be surrounding a place of worship. Leaders fear that new followers will now see the ‘old’ religious ceremonies as strange and boring this will lead to their loss of prominence in our daily lives. Virtual religion and technological advances will lead to the end of familiar worship and begin a form that is unpredictable and uncontrollable.â€Å"The future is very bright, but we have yet to get our mind around a world were some people get their whole religious experience through a device.† said Dudley Rose, a Dean at Harvard University. Conclusion In the essay above, my focus was based on the practice of virtual/online religion with reference to media and religion. Firstly, the realm of popular culture was discussed showing how media and technology have become more culturally accepted in the 21st century. Secondly the differences between online religion and religion online were discussed in depth, concluding that religious leaders prefer the ‘religion-online’ format as they have far more structural control over their worshippers, while the worshippers themselves took a liking to online religion as it allowed them to express religious views and opinions and giving them the freedom of interaction. The positives of virtual religion were shown through its influence during the 9/11 attacks. Lastly, a blog and an online article were reference, highlighting views of real men and woman of how media, technology and virtual religion’s effect on ‘old’ religion and it is not merely a theory but a large part of reality. I would like to conclude by quoting Thomas Merton who once exclaimed: â€Å"Technology is not in itself opposed to spiritualityand to religion. But it presents a great temptation.† References: Inspires Today, 2007.Available from: http://www.inspirestoday.com/quote/41015.html [16 April 2014] Fowler, Roger. Language in the News : Discourse and Ideology in the British Press. New York: Routledge, 1991. Microsoft Windows 2010. What is Digital Media?Available from: [16 April 2014] Helland, Christopher 2000, â€Å"Surfing for Salvation†, Religion,Vol. 32, (4), 293-302. Available from: Google scholar citations[16 April 2014] Hoover, SM 2008, Media and Religion, University of Colorado at Boulder, USA, A White Paper from The Center for Media, Religion, and Culture. Nothaft, D 2007, ‘Virtual’ religion raises interesting questions. 9 February 2007. Yale Daily News. Available from [17 April 2014] Fox, S 2010, Technology changing the way we practice religion, smart phones allow religious practice in new times, spaces and ways, NBCNEWS.com, 7 July 2010. Available from: [17 April 2014]

explorers from 1500 :: essays research papers

ALBUQUERQUE, AFONSO DEAfonso de Albuquerque (14??-1515) was a Portuguese soldier and explorer who sailed to the Spice Islands (the Moluccas, a group of Islands in Indonesia) in 1507-1511, trying to monopolize trade with this area; from Europe, he sailed around Africa to the Indian Ocean. He was appointed the Viceroy of India by King Emmanuel in 1509. He forcibly destroyed the Indian city of Calicut in January, 1510, and took Goa (in southern India) in March, 1510, claiming Goa for Portugal. AYLLON, LUCAS VAZQUEZ DELucas Và ¡zquez de Ayllà ³n (1475-1526) was a Spanish conquistador and explorer who tried to start a colony in North America in 1526. He was the first European colonizer of what is now South Carolina. His attempt to settle the coast of the Carolinas (near the mouth of the Peedee River at Winyah Bay) was unsuccessful. BALBOA, VASCO NUNEZ DEVasco Nunez de Balboa (1475-1519) was a Spanish conquistador and explorer. He was the first European to see the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean (in 1513), after crossing the Isthmus of Panama overland. CABEZA DE VACA, ALVAR NUNEZAlvar Nuà ±ez Cabeza de Vaca [Cabeza de Vaca means "head of a cow"] (1490?-1557?) was a Spanish explorer who sailed to North America from Spain, leaving in 1527. He traveled from Florida to Texas on a raft, then walked from Texas to Mexico City. He also explored the Paraguay River in South America. De Vaca and his fellow travelers were the first Europeans to see the bison, or American buffalo. CABRAL, PEDRO ALVARESPedro à lvares Cabral (1467-1520) was a Portuguese nobleman, explorer, and navigator who was the first European to see Brazil (on April 22, 1500). His patron was King Manuel I of Portugal, who sent him on an expedition to India. Cabral's 13 ships left on March 9, 1500, following the route of Vasco da Gama. On April 22,1500, he sighted land (Brazil), claiming it for Portugal and naming it the "Island of the True Cross." King Manuel renamed this land Holy Cross; it was later renamed once again, to Brazil, after a kind of dyewood found there, called pau-brasil. Cabral stayed in Brazil for 10 days and then continued on his way to India, in a trip fraught with shipwrecks (at the Cape of Good Hope), and fighting (with Muslim traders in India). After trading for spices in India, Cabral returned to Portugal on June 23, 1501, with only four of the original 13 ships.

Cartoon Analysis

A Show For decades people have migrated to America from all over the world in hopes of having that beautiful home with a white picket fence and a yard big enough for two children and a dog. Today, people are still chasing that dream. They haven't realized that the American Dream is merely Just that, a dream. These immigrants believe that by coming to America their life will suddenly be better and easier. What's worse is that President Obama and the government led the immigrants on by portraying theAmerican nation to be a place where dreams come true and everyone is welcome. That is exactly what is being illustrated in The New York Times political cartoon, Undocumented Fun For Undocumented Children. Brian McFadden uses eye-catching colors, the southern United States borderline, and U. S. Representatives to show how the U. S. Government continues to act as if they are willing and prepared to receive more undocumented immigrants. The most flamboyant technique that the creator uses in th is strip is the eye-catching colors.Red and yellow are the two brightest colors used in the strip. Red is also a color known to cause a physical reaction within the human body. I believe the creator uses these two colors to highlight the most important points throughout the cartoon. For example, there is a large red stop sign with written on it. This seems to be the main goal and message that the creator wants to get across. Then, the creator's main concern stands out four times in yellow and reads, â€Å"U. S. BORDER. By using these bright and old colors Brian McFadden is able to complete the first step in sharing his message by catching his readers' attention. The image that is most vivid in this cartoon strip is the map of the United States with its southern border left open to connect the dots. This type of imagery is brilliant in conveying the cartoon's message. If this picture were to be presented alone anybody would easily be able to grasp the underlying message. It is in th is section of the cartoon strip where the creator's point is most Leary stated.The issue presented is obviously the U. S. Border, which is represented by the eight dots to be connected. The creator also uses humor in this piece to lighten the mood of the readers but still gets the point across. The last well- presented elements in this cartoon strip were the characters. The characters featured were President Obama, the border patrol, three other U. S. Representatives, and a young undocumented child. We learn a lot about the U. S. Government through these characters. These U. S. Preventatives reveal to us how the government publicly portrays that they want to help immigrants. Though, McFadden makes it clear that the government is doing this solely to please the American people who are for immigration. For example, the Senate passed the immigration bill. In the strip, a U. S. Representative expresses how he can't seem to find the bill. This shows us how the government is actually brus hing off the immigration concerns of the people. There is a lot being said in Undocumented Fun for Undocumented Children.

Discuss and critically appraise how personal experience informed the political thought of Mary Wollstonecraft

Mary Wollstonecraft has been seen to be the founder of feminism, with radical ideas in terms of education, marriage and female emancipation. However it is necessary to consider what shaped those ideas, which lead to the emergence of feminism. It is necessary to consider what circumstances events and ideas circulating at the time influenced the politic thoughts of Mary Wollstonecraft. In order to understand what formed the basis of Mary's thoughts we will need to identify their thoughts in the context of a number of factors. Mary's ideas could be regarded as liberal feminism. Her ideas focused mainly around the individual woman and her rights. Her proposals were mainly for women's equality with men. Mary believed women should be treated like men and placed a lot of focus around women's education as being inferior to men's when in fact women were as intellectual as men and therefore should have a more equal education. Her reasoning for this was based around the idea that women need to be well educated to be successful mothers. Mary also emphasized in her writing the need for sexual freedom and argued how marriage could be dangerous to women as it leads to further oppression. Equality was needed in domestic relationships. However all though initially her focus was on equality for women it eventually shifted to equality of humanity. It needs to be contemplated that there are a number of influences in the ideas outlined above these include Mary's own personal experiences, social change and other events occurring at that time. Many people suggest that Mary's political views are ‘grounded in experience'; her personal life explains much about her proposals for women's equality, education, marriage and humanity. 1 Mary had a very varied background, she moved house six times in total with each time representing a downward social and economic mobility. This gave her insight into in to regional, class and gender divisions of eighteenth century Britain, enabling Mary to perceive class inequalities in society, and campaign for equality of every class rather than just women. In addition to this it could also be argued that another way in which her personal experience shaped her views on class inequalities was working for the kingsborough's, which allowed her to observe the lives of an affluent aristocratic family compared to the lower classes. This shaped her political thought in terms of her â€Å"resentment of the power and emptiness of privileged lives†2 and the injustice faced by the working classes. However It could be argued that Mary Wollstonecraft ideas were centred round achieving equality for middleclass women as much of her work is focused on how disadvantaged so called ladies of leisure are in having mere existences rather than equality faced by working class men and women. Mary still regarded women's domestic role as acceptable she believed women should still have the role of caring for children, family and other domestic duties; â€Å"mothers should stay at home and care for their children†. 3 It could be argued that this was because of the role she had to play in regards to her position in the family. For example, Mary had to leave her job as a lady's companion in 1781 to go back home to nurse her mother, which was considered as a female's role in her family. It is evident that her ideas of equal education were actually to enable women to become better mothers (she still saw women in a domesticated role), which could have stemmed from experience in her family of having such roles. Conversely it could be considered that her ideas for women still looking after children could be due to the values of society at the present time. A great deal of Mary's political thought was based around the education of girls. In her book entitled â€Å"Thoughts on the education of daughters† she reflects concern on adequacy of female education. She believed that women were constrained in their education compared with boys and it should therefore be more rational. It could be said that these ideas about the inadequacy of girl's education were based around her experiences of education. Mary attended a local day school for girls. Her school discouraged ‘to high notions' and attended to housewifery and morals to make girls such as Mary marriageable. It could be assumed Mary was an intelligent girl and she found her education â€Å"short and inadequate†3 this may have influenced her view about how inadequate women's education was and pushed her to campaign for reforming women's education. Mary gained knowledge in male dominated areas such as arithmetic, which showed to her that women could be just as capable as having the same knowledge as men. However it could be contended that rather than personal experience influencing her ideas on education her class ideology directed her ideas on reforming education. This could be shown in Mary's belief of selected education where the mechanically minded children should be placed in separate schools to those of superior abilities5, which was a typical attitude of the middle/upper classes. In her book ‘A vindication of the rights of women' Mary highlights her views on the subordination of women in society. Mary argues against the social forces that keep women ignorant and the superficiality they are encouraged to engage in6this enables men to remain dominant over women as women become physically and economically dependant on men. Mary believed that women needed freedom as they were being dominated by male patriarchy and in this sense were open to abuse by males. It seems apparent that the above ideas and assertions on male abuse and dominance of women stemmed from her own life experiences and those of her female relations as she witnessed male abuse to family around her; As a young girl Mary used to be subjected to witnessing her fathers drunken violence against her mother. By viewing her mothers abuse and helplessness Mary came to realise the lack of protection available to women. Her past experiences of her and her family may have also influenced her views on relations with males including marriage. In a letter to George Blood in 1789 Mary describes marriage as â€Å"legal prostitution†6. Mary had witnessed cruelty of men to her mother, sister and friend fanny in their marriages. She believed that her sister condition of ill health was due to the mistreatment of her husband; she took steps to help Eliza arrange legal separation. â€Å"On three different occasions Mary did see the lives of women ruined by cruel dissipated, husbands† (Bouten 1922:131). Witnessing the abuse faced by three people close to her in their marriages may have guided her ideas on marriage which she regarded as slavery and influenced her decision not to marry through most of her life. Alternatively it could be said that her ideas arose from the laws of society at the time, as there was little recourse from the victims of abuse. The laws also gave rights to the husband and took them away from women at the same time in the procedure of marriage. The norms of society may have therefore informed Mary's political thought as it made obvious inequalities in marriage and the dominance of women. There were some aspects of feminism that Wollstonecraft didn't consider such as legal property rights of women and voting rights. This may be due to her not experiencing these issues in her life, which further confirms her ideas were based around her personal experiences. However it has to be considered that her personal experience was not the only factor contributing to her political thought. In the 18th Century Mary was subjected to experiencing and participating in a series of social revolutions both in Britain and in France. One was enlightenment, which put reason as the focus of human identity and as the main justification of rights. 7 This may have influenced Mary's political ideas as she based her argument for equal rights on the fact that both men and women had the same human identity, which echoes the ideas of enlightenment. Britain was also experiencing rapid change with the industrial revolution. These rapid periods of change may have influenced Mary to challenge the existing social order regarding the position of women as traditional institutions and conceptions were being outgrown; â€Å"The time was ripe for an intellectual questioning of society†8. Although Wollstonecraft's feminist thought went against the traditional ideas of sexual opinion reflected in 18th century Britain, it could be argued that her political ideas actually reflected the spirit of innovation around at the time; â€Å"the century prior to the rights of women had seen a steady flow of writings by enlightened literati of both sexes arguing for higher valuation of woman's characters and an enhancement of female intellect and status†. In which case it could be said that Mary's political thought was informed by changes in society. It also has to be considered that the late eighteenth century there was an expansion in literature as a profession for women. 9 This may have encouraged the thoughts of Mary's, which may have developed due to her writing. It is possible that the French Revolution that begun in 1789 with its struggle for social justice also influenced her political ideas especially in terms of her ideas on the rights of humanity. Prior to the French revolution Mary concentrated on the rights and freedom of women, but later on changed her focus towards the rights of humanity as a whole including men, This lead to her considering the rights of women in terms of the rights of men. â€Å"Her vindication was that of men but in relation to men, the human race, and the entire human experience† 10. Therefore it could be argued that the revolution influenced the change of Mary's political ideals from concentrating on women to human kind. On the other hand it could be argued that the French Revolution did not influence Mary's ideas, which were primarily based on equality for women, as the new constitution of France did nothing to remove the inequalities between men and women. Many supporters of social justice in the French revolution were the most active opponents of women's rights. 11 Religion is another possible factor outside Wollstonecraft's personal experience that may have influenced her political thought. Wollstonecraft believed that education would make women more virtuous. This could be regarded as one of the reasons for her views on education of girls. Mary believed education would give women the chance to prove in the reality of good and evil and she put her faith in to the goodness of god. 12 Alternatively there is also reason to suggest that Mary Wollstonecraft wasn't religious as she rejected many religious doctrines such as pacifism of Christ. An alternative argument regarding the reasons behind Wollstonecraft's feminist thought is put forward by Freudian Psychiatrists. They argue the basis of her political thought was due to her hatred of men. â€Å"Hers was hatred of creatures that seemed capable of doing everything while women seemed to her capable to her of doing nothing†13 They therefore argue her feminist thoughts arose out of her illness of being neurotic and compulsive. 7 However it could be argued that Freudian analysis is subjective and therefore has no objective basis for explaining reasoning for Wollstonecraft's political ideas. Overall it is clear Mary had many painful experiences and experiences of social changes in her life, which helped shape her political views. Therefore it can be attained that personal factors influenced political thought, although it also has to be taken into account that her political thought was also influenced by outside factors such as social change and institutions such as religion. This coincides with concept of the â€Å"personal is political† where the experience of our personal lives are defined by broader political settings. To feminism personal experience such as that encountered by Mary can be seen as a valid way of knowing the social world and deriving political thought. However it could be argued that the experiences of Mary didn't provide a sufficient claim of truth, as it doesn't necessarily mean that Mary has political insight. Therefore it could be said that this isn't the most objective way to gain an insight into the political sphere of society.

How to Make Nylon - Nylon Synthesis

How to Make Nylon - Nylon Synthesis Nylon is a polymer you can make yourself in the lab. A strand of nylon rope is pulled from the interface between two liquids. The demonstration sometimes is called the nylon rope trick because you can pull a continuous rope of nylon from the liquid indefinitely. Close examination of the rope will reveal that is is a hollow polymer tube. Nylon Materials a solution made from 6 g sebacoyl chloride in 70 ml heptanea solution made from 3 g 1,6-diaminohexane in 70 ml watermetal tweezers or forceps Make Nylon Use equal volumes of the two solutions. Tilt the beaker containing the 1,6-diaminohexane solution and slowly pour the sebacoyl chloride solution down the side of the beaker so that it forms the top layer.Dip tweezers into the interface of the liquids and pull them up to form a strand of nylon. Continue to pull the tweezers away from the beaker to lengthen the strand. You may wish to wrap the nylon rope around a glass rod.Rinse the nylon with water, ethanol or methanol to remove the acid from the nylon. Be sure to rinse the nylon before handling it or storing it. How the Nylon Rope Trick Works Nylon is the name given to any synthetic polyamide. Acyl chloride from any dicarboxylic acid reacts via a substitution reaction with any amine to form a nylon polymer and HCl. Safety and Disposal The reactants are irritating to the skin, so wear gloves throughout the procedure. Remaining liquid should be mixed to form nylon. The nylon should be washed prior to disposal. Any unreacted liquid should be neutralized prior to washing it down the drain. If the solution is basic, add sodium bisulfate. If the solution is acidic, add sodium carbonate. Reference Chemical Magic, 2nd Ed., Leonard A. Ford (1993) Dover Publications, Inc.

Genitically Engineered Food essays

Genitically Engineered Food essays The biggest experiment in human history has begun, with us as the guinea pigs and planets ecological system as the test site. Need more hints about the topic. We find it mixed in our food on the shelves in the supermarket and we find it growing in the test fields. Give up? The topic is genetically engineered food. Everyone is talking about it. Well whats the big deal? you ask. Its nothing new. Humans have been using bio-technology for the preparation and manufacture of food for hundreds of years; using yeast for making beer and bread and selecting the breeding plants and animals for higher productivity and nutritive value. (1) Genetic engineering is a new technology that breaks down the genetic barriers between species, humans, animals and plants. It combines genetic engineering with conventional breeding methods. Its the process of artificially modifying genes. In reality its frightening. Genetic engineering poses ethical and social concerns as well as serious challenges to the environment, human health and the future of agriculture, but is it really safe? Many are against it and are trying to find answers to the problem? First things first, to find out what genetically modified foods are, we will have to know what genetic engineering is. Well its the movement of genes from one organism to another and is often termed recombinant DNA technology, also known as genetic modification or genetic manipulation, but for those who prefer the ultimate truth, its cutting out genes and splicing in new genes from totally unrelated species. (2) Scientists are being able to transfer genes from fish to tomato, human to pig, scorpion to potato, and about any other unsavoury combination you can imagine. Each experiment in this field presents unique problems, but all share four separate stages: Stage 1. Cleavage. The first stage is the generation of specific DNA fragments by cl...

Biography of Diane von Fürstenburg, Fashion Designer

Biography of Diane von Fà ¼rstenburg, Fashion Designer Diane von Fà ¼rstenberg (born December 31, 1946) is a business executive and  fashion designer. She is most famous for her wrap dress, made out of knit jersey fabric, which was first popularized in the 1970s. Fà ¼rstenbergs clothes have been worn by such influential figures and celebrities as Michelle Obama, Madonna, Kate Beckinsale, Susan Sarandon, and Jessica Alba. Fast Facts: Diane von Fà ¼rstenberg Known For: Fà ¼rstenberg designed a wrap dress that had a huge influence on womens fashion.Also Known As: Diane Prinzessin zu Fà ¼rstenberg, Diane Halfin, Diane Simone Michelle HalfinBorn: December 31, 1946 in Brussels, BelgiumParents: Leon Halfin and Liliane NahmiasEducation: University of GenevaSpouse(s): Prince Egon von Fà ¼rstenberg (m. 1969-1972), Barry Diller (m. 2001)Children: Prince Alexander von Fà ¼rstenberg, Princess Tatiana Desirà ©e von Fà ¼rstenbergNotable Quote: Fashion is mysterious, as a rule. Why are blue jeans a classic? You just hit on something that happens to be timeless and right. Early Life Fà ¼rstenberg was born Diane Simone Michelle Halfin in Brussels, Belgium, on December 31, 1946. Her father Leon Halfin was a Moldavian emigre, and her mother Liliane Nahmias had been liberated from Auschwitz only 18 months before Dianes birth.  Both parents were Jewish. Education Fà ¼rstenberg was educated in England, Spain, and Switzerland. She studied at the University of Madrid and later transferred to the University of Geneva, where her field of study was economics. After college, Fà ¼rstenberg worked as an assistant to Albert Koshi, an agent for fashion photographers in Paris. She then moved to Italy, where she worked for textile manufacturer Angelo Ferretti and designed silk jersey dresses. New York and Independence At the University of Geneva, Fà ¼rstenberg met a German prince who was born in Switzerland, Egon zu Fà ¼rstenberg. They married in 1969 and moved to New York, where they had a high-profile society life. The princes family did not like that Fà ¼rstenberg was of Jewish heritage. Two children were born in quick succession: a son Alexandre in 1970, six months after the wedding, and a daughter Tatiana in 1971. In 1970, with the princes support and likely influenced by the rise of feminism, Fà ¼rstenberg sought financial independence by opening the Diane von Fà ¼rstenberg Studio. She designed her own prints and made easy-to-wear dresses made out of silk, cotton, and polyester knits. The Wrap Dress In 1972, Fà ¼rstenberg designed the wrap dress that was to bring her so much recognition. The dress was made of cotton jersey fabric; Furstenbergs intent was to create something both feminine-looking and easy to care for. The iconic original dress is now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (alongside famous garments by Thom Browne, Rei Kawakubo, Marc Jacobs, and other designers). Fà ¼rstenberg has described her design as simple, effortless, and classic: The wrap dress is the most traditional form of dressing: Its like a robe, its like a kimono, its like a toga. It doesnt have buttons or zippers. What made it different was that it was jersey; therefore, it was close to the body and it was a print. The design had a huge influence on 1970s fashion; by the middle of the decade, Fà ¼rstenberg had sold millions of dresses and made herself a household name. Divorce and Business Expansion In 1972, Fà ¼rstenberg and her husband divorced. She lost the right to the title of Princess zu Fà ¼rstenberg and rebranded herself as Diane von Fà ¼rstenberg. In 1975, she created the fragrance Tatiana, named for her daughter. The fragrance sold well, and by 1976 Fà ¼rstenberg was so well known that she appeared on the cover of Newsweek. Fà ¼rstenberg sold her studio and licensed her name to be used on other products. In 1979, products with her name represented sales of $150 million. By 1983, however, she had closed her cosmetics and fragrance business. Comeback From 1983 to 1990, Fà ¼rstenberg  lived in Bali and Paris. She founded a publishing company in Paris called Salvy, which released works in translation by authors such as Vita Sackville-West, Barbara Pym, and Gregor von Rezzori. In 1990, she returned to the United States, and the next year launched a new home shopping business, Silk Assets, which sold products on the cable channel QVC. Her first product did $1.2 million in sales in two hours. Selling on QVC was a success. In 1997, Fà ¼rstenberg went into business with her daughter-in-law Alexandra, re-launching her eponymous company. With the revival in the 1990s of 1970s fashions, Fà ¼rstenberg brought back the wrap dress in new prints and colors. Fà ¼rstenberg published a memoir in 1998, Diane: A Signature Life, recounting her life story and business successes. In 2001, she married businessman Barry Diller, who had been a friend since the 1970s. Fà ¼rstenberg also became involved in books and movies, producing Forty Shades of Blue, which won a prize at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. Fà ¼rstenberg released another memoir in 2014, The Woman I Wanted to Be, which one reviewer described as an honest an introspective look into the labyrinthine history behind one of the most iconic female entrepreneurs in fashion. Fà ¼rstenberg has also released a series of coffee table books, including Beds, a look at the intimate spaces of the rich and famous. By 2005, Diane von Fà ¼rstenberg boutiques were in operation in New York and Miami in the United States, and in London and Paris in Europe. Fà ¼rstenberg has served on a number of corporate boards. Her company is currently headquartered in the Meatpacking District of Manhattan. Fà ¼rstenberg has been named one of the most powerful women in the world. Notable Clients Fà ¼rstenbergs clients include a range of celebrities, artists, and other luminaries. former First Lady Michelle Obama- a woman known for her taste in fashion- wore a Fà ¼rstenberg wrap dress in 2009 for the White House Christmas card. Other major clients include Gwenyth Paltrow, Rooney Mara, Bella Thorne, Demi Moore, and Marisa Tomei. Causes Fà ¼rstenberg has supported numerous causes, among them the Anti-Defamation League and the Holocaust Museum. She has been honored for her work in redeveloping space in New York City and for her work against AIDS. With her husband, she funds a private family foundation, The Diller-Von Fà ¼rstenberg Family Foundation. In 2010, as part of an initiative by Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett, she pledged to donate half her fortune to philanthropic efforts. Sources Ferla, Ruth La. â€Å"The Dress Heard Round the World.† The New York Times, 15 Jan. 2014.Fà ¼rstenberg, Diane Von. Diane: a Signature Life. Simon Schuster, 2009.MacFarquhar, Larissa. â€Å"The Huntress.† The New Yorker, 25 Sept. 2006.