Nuclear Power Essays (789 words) - Nuclear Technology,

Nuclear Power Nuclear Power Nuclear energy in California has produced 36,186 million Kilowatt/hours of electricity in 1995. The total dependable capacity of Californias nuclear-supplied power is 5,326 megawatts, including the two operating nuclear power plants in California and portions of nuclear plants in other states owned by California electric companies. There are two ways to release energy from nuclear reactions: fission and fusion of atomic nuclei. Electricity generating technologies are available, whereas fusion is still in the early stages of research and development. Nuclear fission is the process of splitting the nuclei of atoms, which releases energy from within those atoms. Nuclear fusion is the process of joining, rather than splitting, these atoms with similar releases of energy. There are several types of fission reactors in the United States but the most common is light water reactors. The reason they are called light water reactors is because normal (light) water is used to cool the reactor core; some reactors use heavy water, which contains hydrogen atoms with an additional neutron in the nucleus. Pressurized water reactors (PWR) and boiling water reactors (BWR) use uranium-235, a naturally occurring radioactive isotope of uranium, as a fuel. As the nucleus of a uranium-235 atom is hit by a neutron, it splits into smaller atoms of other elements, and releases energy and extra neutrons. Those neutrons hit more atoms of the original uranium-235 creating a fission chain reaction that releases more energy and neutrons. In a PWR, water passes through the nuclear core and is heated. The power plants primary circulating system passes water through the reactor core, where the water is heated by the nuclear reaction. That water (under high temp and pressure to prevent boiling) is passed through a steam generator, where it releases its heat to the secondary circulating system. Water in secondary circulating system is allowed to boil, and the resulting steam is used to drive a steam turbine-generator. In a BWR, there is no need for a steam generator and a secondary circulating system, as the water in primary circulating system is allowed to boil before exiting the reactor and is then routed directly to a steam turbine-generator. There are only two nuclear power plants out of six that are still used in California. The first one is owned by PG&E named Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant near San Luis Obispo. The Plant has two units; the first unit is a 1,073-megawatt PWR, which began operation in May 1985. The second unit is 1,087-megawatt PWR, which began operation in March 1986. The second plant is owned by Southern California Edison Co. and San Diego Gas & Electric named San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. Unit two of that station is a 1,070-megawatt PWR that began operation in August 1983, while unit three is a 1,080-megawatt PWR that began operation in April 1984. Below is a chart of nuclear power plants in California: Nuclear Power Plants in California Name of Plant Capacity (MW) In Service Owner Diablo CanyonUnit 1Unit 2 1,0731,087 19851986 PG&EPG&E San OnofreUnit 1Unit 2Unit 3 4361,0701,080 1968 - 199219831984 SCE/SDG&ESCE/SDG&ESCE/SDG&E Humboldt Bay Unit 3 * 65 1963 - 1976 PG&E Rancho Seco 913 1975 - 1989 SMUD Vallecitos 30 1957 - 1967 PG&E/GE * Units 1 and 2 are natural gas-fired thermal power plants on the same site. There are many reasons and issues why we dont have a lot of nuclear power plants in California here are a few: ? Nuclear plants may not be economically feasible in the United States. No American utility has proposed to construct a new nuclear power plant since the late 1970s. ? Need for a spent fuel disposal facility and a decommissioning plan ? Use of large amounts of water for cooling purposes (if wet cooling ? towers are used) ? Biological impacts on the ocean due to thermal discharge (if seawater cooling is used) ? Designing for seismic safety ? Public safety concerns ? Transportation issues associated with the development of an emergency evacuation plan ? Changes in visual quality due to the power plant structures, including the reactor vessel containment structure, and cooling towers (if applicable) ? Potentially significant amounts of land ? Potentially significant public opposition Nuclear power plants produce a lot of energy but they serious environmental problems. I think that these plants are

Salem Witch Trials

Salem Witch Trials Introduction Salem Possessed† is a book written by Paul S. Boyer and Stephen Nissenbaum which focuses on Salem Witch Trials. The writers explain that the problem began in the year 1691 and was marked by the behaviour of some girls in the same village who were involved in fortune telling. They were using a makeshift crystal ball to foretell their future and were aided by a slave couple which had come from Western India.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Salem Witch Trials specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The first trial began on February in the year 1692 after the arrest of three women who were being accused of witchcraft. The women were inclusive of Sarah Osborn and Sarah Good who did not did not agree to the charges and Tituba who voluntarily agreed to the charges and did not plead innocent. Around one hundred and eighty five people had been accused by the time the trials came to an end of which one hun dred and forty one were women while the rest were men. The same study explains that out of the total number of the accused, there were fourteen women and five men. Those who faced trial were fifty two women and seven men and finally, those who were convicted were twenty six women and five men (Linder Para. 6). Since Salem was a religious community, the trials came to and end following a sermon by Increase Marther. The preacher was for protecting innocent people from being persecuted. With that background in mind, this paper shall describe the Salem witch trials and narrow down to women and property in relation to the same. The Plot Summary The introductory part has highlighted the main points of Salem Witch Trials and it is equally important to discuss the summary of activities which were taking place to be in a position to analyze some themes of the same. The plight of Salem started when one of the church elders by the name John Putman invited Samuel Paris to preach in the village. Paris latter agreed to become the minister of the village after he was given a better remuneration which included a better salary, privileges as well as allowances.Advertising Looking for research paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More During that period, studies indicate that people were divided into two groups of people: the Porters and the Purtnams and all were competing for political as well as religious leadership (Boyer and Nissenbaum pp. 124). Witchcraft accusations were stirred by the sickness of a young girl who was known as Betty Paris. The girl was complaining of pain and fever and although there was a likelihood that the symptoms were as a result of a disease or some condition like child abuse, it was not possible by then to know the cause of the misery. Nevertheless, some people in the village suspected witchcraft to be the underlying cause. Villagers started to think more about witchcraft wh en close friends of the sick girl started to experience the same symptoms. The three girls who were experiencing similar symptoms were known as Mary Walcott, Mary Lewis and Ann Putnam. Although a doctor was consulted to treat them, studies indicate that he diagnosed the problem to have been caused by a supernatural cause (Murphy, Par. 3). Since the villagers believed that young children were the main target of the witches, there was little cause to doubt the diagnoses. In view of the fact that Salem villagers supposed that dogs were used by witches to bewitch people, one woman proposed the same dogs to be used to verify whether the victims were actually bewitched or not. To affirm, this dogs were given a cake that was mixed with the urine of the victim and in case the dog and victim displayed similar behaviour, it was concluded that the victim was actually bewitched. The number of the bewitched girls continued to increase and it turned out to be a matter of concern since villagers b ecame obsessed with it. The trial began when the two girls; Betty and Abigail named the people whom they thought were responsible for their misery. Nevertheless, the analysis of the trial and accusations revealed that the two girls drafted their accusation stories collaboratively. Other girls who were likewise afflicted maintained that they had seen witches flying during winter and were supported by the family of Putnam which was very prominent (Boyer and Nissenbaum pp. 126). As highlighted in the introductory part, the first group to be accused was composed of three women namely Osborn, Good and Tituba. While Osborn was old and querulous, Good was a beggar who never had a permanent dwelling place and survived mainly by begging for food and shelter from the villagers.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Salem Witch Trials specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The two magistrates who were dealing with witchcraft case s were John Hathome as well as Jonathan Corwoin. The girls and the villagers volunteered to offer information concerning the accused women. While the girls explained that they suffered greatly in the presence of the accused, villagers maintained that their animals disappeared or were born with deformities once the accused visited their compounds. It was clear that the judges believed that the women were guilty especially due to the questions which they asked them such as whether they had either seen Satan or whether they believed whether they were witches or not (Sutter, Para. 5). The trial would have taken another course were it not for Tituba who confessed to the accusations. The woman explained that she was once approached by Satan who was a tall man from Boston and latter was requested to be his servant and affirm the same by signing a book. The woman explained that the tall man would either appear as a dog or even as a hog. Although she tried to seek religious counsel; the woma n described that she was prevented from doing so by the devil. Most surprisingly, Tituba explained that she had around four witches who were serving Satan with her, Osborn and Good included. Consequently, due to her confession, the ministers started to look for more witches and majority of the witchcraft sceptic also became silent (Boyer and Nissenbaum pp. 90). Some other women were accused of witchcraft especially after the girls reported that they were being attacked by them. Young girls were also accused of the same evil; as young as four years of age. The audience had no other reason other than to believe especially due the confession of the afflicted girls who even confessed of being made dumb by the same witches. As time went by, one accused by the name Deliverance Hobbs also confessed to witchcraft accusations. Due to the increased witchcraft cases, Phips the governor by then established a new court for the purpose of conducting witchcraft trials and appointed five judges for the same purpose. The trials involved close examination of the accused by the judges and even use of gossip, stories and hearsay. The accused were most disadvantaged as they were not allowed to appeal or to have witnesses to testify on their behalf.Advertising Looking for research paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The trials continued to take place even after the trial of Bridget Bishop who was the first man to be tried and hanged. It was risky for anyone to be against the accusations and such a person also stood a chance of being victimized. Some of the people who confessed were allowed to live but most of them were hanged, stoned and some died in prison (The Salem Witch Trials Par. 8). Further studies indicate that the trials came to an end in the year 1693 and some of the accused who were still prison were pardoned and allowed to continue with their normal lives. Analysis Women and Property Most scholars have been committed to analyze the issue of Salem witch trials and have come up with different conclusions. To begin with, a virtual analysis of the accused witches indicates that the total number of the accused women were far much more than men. Most importantly, although some couples were accused, studies indicate that most of the women who were accused were widows. It is also important to note that young girls were also accused of the same crime (Sutter, Para 5). The critical analysis of the whole issue indicates that there was a big difference between the accusers and the accused. Studies of Campbell (Para. 4) illustrate that most of the people who were accused were living in the south and they were wealthier than the accusers since they had much property. In addition, most of the accused families were aimed at gaining properties from the accused once they were convicted. Religious factors also came into play since studies indicate that while most of the accused witches were in support of George Burroughs, the accusers and their families were against him and actually contributed greatly in forcing the ex minister to leave their territory (Murphy, Par. 3). Conclusions As much as men were accused and convicted of witchcraft, women were the main victims. Majority of the women who were accused and convicted were aged forty years and above. In most cases, men who were accused happened to be the relatives of the women witches. Most of the people who were accused were rich, relatively rich or powerful. A critical analysis of the issues in Salem indicates that there were underlying causes to the problem which may be inclusive of economic factors as well as sexual and doctrinal threat (Linder, Par. 8). This is the main reason why most of the people who were accused were wealthy widows. They were viewed as a threat to some traditions involving the transfer of property from the fathers to the sons. In addition, women who never had male children were also at a greater risk of being accused due to the same issue. Women who inherited property from their husbands were also at a greater risk of being accused especially when there were male children in the same family (Campbell Para 8.). However, there were some who never had property but were still accused like Martha Carrier. Therefore, it cannot be an understatement to conclude that Salem witch trials we re spurred by economic, social and religious issues. Boyer, Paul S. and Stephen Nissenbaum. Salem possessed: the social origins of witchcraft. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1974. Print. Campbell, Donna M. Salem Witch Trials as Fact and Symbol. Web. Linder, Douglas. The Witchcraft Trials in Salem: A Commentary. Web. Murphy, Kate. Salem Possessed: The Social Origins of Witchcraft. Web. Sutter, Tim. Salem Witchcraft: The Events and Causes of the Salem Witch Trials. 2000. Web. The Salem Witch Trials. 2010. Web.

Railroad Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Railroad - Essay Example By the early 1850's the Harlem Line had revenues of one million dollars a year and transported nearly three million passengers at a fare of two and a half cents per mile (Drury 54-57, 61). In 1853, the New York Central Railroad was organized to consolidate 10 railroads that paralleled the Erie Canal between Albany and Buffalo. Cornelius Vanderbilt won control of the New York Central in 1867 and combined it with his New York and Hudson railroads running from Manhattan to Albany. The railroad helped boost population and travel to this region. The freight trains carried mainly iron ore, animals, and dairy products. Dairy, lumber, mining, and circus businesses in Putnam County benefited from the new mode of transportation. Trains helped carry heavy material for these businesses including both raw and processed materials. The railroad also dispersed large quantities of material that could not be used locally. Initially, farmers were against the development of the railroad as the train tracks frequently ran through their property.

Social and Political Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Social and Political Philosophy - Essay Example Locke was amongst earliest thinkers who subject the problem of freedom to empirical analysis with the help of theory of social contract. From 1675, having clarified his socio-political ideology, he flitted between England to the continental Europe according to how well the regimes matched his ideas. The Glorious Revolution of 1688 in UK had much to further strengthen Locke’s ideology. In his political thought Locke reasoned against the inalienable, divine and hereditary right of the monarch to rule. Locke professed that the power of good governance gets invested in the ruler with surrender of right to life, liberty and property by the citizen as a rational purpose to secure his freedom. Such laws applied to communities as a whole with exception of none. If the ruler trampled upon the rights of his citizens, his forfeited the right to rule. A relationship of trust existed between man and the Government. He set forth his political agenda in the ‘The Two Treatises of Government.’ At the psychological level, he agreed with Hobbes that compatriot empiricist, that all perception occurred through the sense but stating his political ideology, but at the political level he argues against Hobbes of the right to rule is invested in the monarch through divine intervention. With Hobbes, Locke endorses the idea of ‘self-interested’ of man but disagrees with him that he is desire-driven and selfish. Man, according to him is naturally social and altruistic (Ess, n.d). Endorsing the Glorious Revolution of 1688, he argued that right to rule could be forfeited if the ruler failed to protect the rights of the citizens. Locke wrote that man was moral and equal in the state of nature and he willingly enters into ‘social contract’ of the civil society, to advance his ends of peace and security People surrender unto a government a measure of their natural rights to secure the

Perfect competition V. Monopolies Essay Example for Free

Perfect competition V. Monopolies Essay In the American Economy, business is controlled by the government and the consumer. When a person is the owner of a business that is alone in its product that it provides for the consumer, it is said to be a monopoly. As a monopoly you have sole control over price. Monopolies are regulated by the government in order to prevent the misuse of power that a monopoly has. If a person can only get turkey, for example from one store. Then the store can charge a lot more for that turkey than it could if the store next door was selling it too because then there would be competition. Also, the store would not have to produce a better quality of turkey because there would be no reason for it to do so. In this situation the consumer is taken unfair advantage of by the business owner, in this case the store. Government regulates monopolies to promote a perfect competition economy and to get rid of the turkey situation discussed above. The benefits of a perfect competition economy benefit consumers. For example, if we go back to the store, in a perfect competition economy all of the stores have turkey. Now the stores want to make sure that the turkey that they sell is the best turkey and cost the least. In this situation they are competing for the consumers business. However, business owners of a monopoly situation disagree with the government. When there is a business that has the potential to become a monopoly the government watches it very closely and the business has to go through the government for mergers and such. The more the business becomes a monopoly, the more the government says no to the businesss requests. For example, there is Microsoft. The government has been working to keep Microsoft from being the big business that it is today. So, in conclusion, a perfect competition economy makes benefits for the consumer. Likewise, a monopolistic economy makes benefits for the business owner. On the flip side, a perfect competition shows drawbacks for the business owner and a monopolistic economy shows drawbacks for the consumer. The best way to run an economy is to have a balance between the two options. Americas economy does this.

Catcher In The Rye :: essays research papers

In JD Salingers' Catcher in the Rye, a troubled teenager named Holden Caufield struggles with the fact that everyone has to grow up. The book gets its title from Holden's constant concern with the loss of innocence. He did not want children to grow up because he felt that adults are corrupt. This is seen when Holden tries to erase naughty words from the walls of an elementary school where his younger sister Phoebe attended. "While I was sitting down, I saw something that drove me crazy. Somebody'd written 'Fuck you' on the wall. It drove me damn near crazy. I thought how Phoebe and all the other little kids would see it, and how they'd wonder what the hell it meant, and then finally some dirty kid would tell them- all cockeyed, naturally- what it meant, and how they'd all think about it and maybe even worry about it for a couple of days. I kept wanting to kill whoever'd written it. I figured it was some perverty bum that'd sneaked in the school late at night to take a leak or something and then wrote it on the wall. I kept picturing myself catching him at it, and how I'd smash his head on the stone steps till hew as good and goddam dead and bloody." (201) His deep concern with impeccability caused him to create stereotypes of a hooligan that would try to corrupt the children of an elementary school. Holden believed that children were innocent because they viewed the world and society without any bias. When Phoebe asked him to name something that he would like to be when he grew up, the only thing he would have liked to be was a "catcher in the rye." He invented an illusion for himself of a strange fantasy. He stated that he would like to follow a poem by Robert Burns: "If a body catch a body comin' through the rye." He kept "picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody's around- nobody big, I mean- except me. And I'm standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff- I mean if they're running and they don't look where they're going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them.

Poetry Response Essay

I really love this poem by Wendy Copes because of the message that it tells me. For some reason there are those people who wish to pull someone down. Sometimes it is because of jealousy, envy and pride. In reality, no matter how hard you try to be good and to appreciate everyone, you really cannot please anybody. There will always be those who are against you.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The poem tells me that I should not let anyone interfere with what I am doing or to let anyone block my way to greater heights. That I should always do my best and show everyone what I can do, what I am able to do, my talents and abilities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Everyone has his or her own goal in life and we must focus on that goal, not looking to anyone but on that goal alone. We should not get our attention off our goal and let someone mess with that. We should always remain focused in achieving that goal or else we may not be able to achieve it. It is true that no one can live alone and that we need others to be able to live and be happy. Still we should not let those who dislike us or envy us to be the reason for our failure, if we do so, we will certainly achieve nothing. Every time that an opportunity for us to be recognized is given grab it. We should not favor or look onto anyone who wants the same opportunity like us. Every opportunity is a stepping stone in achieving our goal, our desire, and our future. The world is a place wherein the strongest is given greater opportunity over the weak, the talented above those that are not, and the wise over the fools.   We should let our light shine, and our talents to be revealed in order to be acknowledged both by man and society. Also, the poem tells us that we should not be move or hindered by anyone. We should not be ashamed in showing our talents and as well as emotions. We must be true to ourselves and not compromising to anyone. If we are glad let it show in our own way. Dance or jump or shout if you want to. We should not let anyone to be reason for our sadness and downfall. Works Cited The British Council. No date. â€Å"Wendy Cope†. November 19, 2007   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚