Profile the general biotechnology development in the USA Essay

Profile the general biotechnology development in the USA - Essay Example The government has increased its funding to the research and development field through the ministry of agriculture. The overall funding has been steadily increasing in the past four decades, for example in the year 1986, the total funding was estimated at USD 4.4 million, an amount that grew the following year to USD 5.7 million. Majority of the funds allocated are thus used in the development of newer technologies like recombinant DNA which help in the creation of genetically engineered organisms and other products that are highly financially viable (United States Office of Technology Assessment, Congress, 1984, p. 118). Since its inception in the 1980s, the biotechnology industry has also enjoyed a heavy support from friendly and protective policies and laws. The US is known for its long history of regulating both the public and the private sectors. These regulations are meant to ensure safety of the public health while maintaining a good public health (Just, Alston, & Zilberman, 2006, p. 59). Such regulations include the regulation of the type of products that are produced as a result of the technology. The laws demand that any nascent product should be tested extensively to ascertain its toxicity and efficacy (Just, Alston, & Zilberman, 2006, p. 243). The rational regulation of products of the transgenic technology is anchored in the fact that the risks that are posed by the product are far outweighed by the benefits (Just, Alston, & Zilberman, 2006, p. 243). The biotechnology field is also heavily supported by the heavy labor force that is present from experienced research scientists and other scholars. Majority of the funds that are allocated in the research and development field are channeled into the field for employing new workers with experience and skills. Historically, records show that the field has employed the most innovative and well trained personnel and entrepreneurs in the research,

McCarthyism versus The Crucible by Arthur Miller Essay -- Compare Cont

"Reasonable doubt" was all that was necessary to accuse and sometimes convict someone of un-American activities in the late 1940's, early 1950's. This period of time was known for McCarthyism--a time of extreme anticommunism, lead by Senator Joseph McCarthy (McCarthyism). The United States pledged to contain the spread of communism globally, as well as locally, and did what it could to keep this promise. Americans began to fear that communism was leaking into the media, government, arts, schools, and other areas. This was called the "Red Scare" (Brinkley). One writer that used this era as a basis for his play, The Crucible, was Arthur Miller. He was able to capture the panic and mere insanity of many Americans in an allegorical way. The "crusade against subversion" played a significant role in the following: the actions and tactics of McCarthy, the reasons why Miller and other artists were targets of McCarthyism, and the relationship of his play The Crucible to the events of the late 1940's to the early 1950's (Brinkley). Senator Joseph McCarthy used many tactics to persuade Americans to oppose communism and indict those who supported it. Communism had tangible shape, and Americans were worried that people in the U.S. would start leaning to the far left like several other countries such as the USSR and China (Schrecker). In order to prevent this, the Congressional House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) was founded. The Committee's purpose was to investigate those organizations and individuals it deemed "un-American." They first went to Hollywood because the movie industry was considered "corrupted". Ten individuals, called the Hollywood Ten, were asked to testify against other Hollywood residents who were questionable com... ...C_Rise_AntiCommun.html>. "McCarthyism". 22 Nov 2006. Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia. 23 Nov 2006. . "Miller and McCarthyism". Anglia Campus. 10 Nov 2006. . Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. Elements of Literature: Fifth Course. Eds. Kylene Beers and Lee Odell. Orlando: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2007. Miller, Arthur. "Why I Wrote The Crucible." Elements of Literature: Fifth Course. Eds. Kylene Beers and Lee Odell. Orlando: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2007. "Salem witch trials". 19 Nov 2006. Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia. 20 Nov 2006. . Schrecker, Ellen. "Blacklists and Other Economic Sanctions". 02 Aug 2004. 20 Nov 2006. . McCarthyism versus The Crucible by Arthur Miller Essay -- Compare Cont "Reasonable doubt" was all that was necessary to accuse and sometimes convict someone of un-American activities in the late 1940's, early 1950's. This period of time was known for McCarthyism--a time of extreme anticommunism, lead by Senator Joseph McCarthy (McCarthyism). The United States pledged to contain the spread of communism globally, as well as locally, and did what it could to keep this promise. Americans began to fear that communism was leaking into the media, government, arts, schools, and other areas. This was called the "Red Scare" (Brinkley). One writer that used this era as a basis for his play, The Crucible, was Arthur Miller. He was able to capture the panic and mere insanity of many Americans in an allegorical way. The "crusade against subversion" played a significant role in the following: the actions and tactics of McCarthy, the reasons why Miller and other artists were targets of McCarthyism, and the relationship of his play The Crucible to the events of the late 1940's to the early 1950's (Brinkley). Senator Joseph McCarthy used many tactics to persuade Americans to oppose communism and indict those who supported it. Communism had tangible shape, and Americans were worried that people in the U.S. would start leaning to the far left like several other countries such as the USSR and China (Schrecker). In order to prevent this, the Congressional House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) was founded. The Committee's purpose was to investigate those organizations and individuals it deemed "un-American." They first went to Hollywood because the movie industry was considered "corrupted". Ten individuals, called the Hollywood Ten, were asked to testify against other Hollywood residents who were questionable com... ...C_Rise_AntiCommun.html>. "McCarthyism". 22 Nov 2006. Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia. 23 Nov 2006. . "Miller and McCarthyism". Anglia Campus. 10 Nov 2006. . Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. Elements of Literature: Fifth Course. Eds. Kylene Beers and Lee Odell. Orlando: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2007. Miller, Arthur. "Why I Wrote The Crucible." Elements of Literature: Fifth Course. Eds. Kylene Beers and Lee Odell. Orlando: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2007. "Salem witch trials". 19 Nov 2006. Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia. 20 Nov 2006. . Schrecker, Ellen. "Blacklists and Other Economic Sanctions". 02 Aug 2004. 20 Nov 2006. .

Analysis of ‘Creep’ by Radiohead Essay

* How does the use of simile contribute to the persona’s expression of alienation? (2 marks) The simile â€Å"just like an angel, you’re skin makes me cry† compares the object of the persona’s desire to an angel, an ethereal being, in order to convey how unreachable and unapproachable she seems to him, thus contributing to his expression of alienation. * What is the effect of the repetition of the word â€Å"perfect†?(2 marks) The repetition of the word â€Å"perfect† emphasises the importance of achieving perfection to the persona. * Is the use of obscenity effective? Why? Why not? (2 marks) I believe the use of obscenity in this song is effective as it conveys the frustration and anger the persona feels at not belonging as well as his jealousy towards those who do. (â€Å"You’re so f**ing special, I wish I was special†) * How would you describe the tone of this song? (2 marks) The tone in this song ranges from calm and quiet reflection in the verses to anger and frustration during the choruses. * How is contrast used in these lyrics? (2 marks) The lyrics in the songs opening contain very soft, gentle imagery of things like angels and floating feathers â€Å"in a beautiful world.† Contrast is then created through the use of obscenity and a change from poetic language into blunt speech (â€Å"What the hell am I doing here?†) This contrast heightens the impact the persona’s anger and frustration over not belonging has upon listeners, emphasising how strongly he has been emotionally affected by it.  [That contrast is much greater, by the way, when you listen to the scala & kolacny brothers choir sing it because they’re children and their voices are so angelic, contributing to the angelic imagery in the lyrics] * How is a sense of realism and verisimilitude created through these lyrics? (5 marks) The realism in this song is achieved through the use of obscenity and the frank tone to lines like â€Å"What the hell am I doing here?† A sense of verisimilitude is also established through the use of slang words such as â€Å"creep† and â€Å"weirdo† which contextualise the song as describing what could be seen as a typical aspect of the teenage experience. Realism = achieved through obscenity, straight-talking, conversational-style (2nd person pronoun?) Verisimilitude = Perhaps to the teen, this is such a typical thing feeling like a â€Å"creep† and a â€Å"weirdo† just because you don’t belong. How do these lyrics contribute to your understanding of the Area of Study â€Å"Belonging†? (10 marks) These lyrics reinforce my understanding of the need to belong as an essential aspect of human nature that stems, in part, from a belief that there is a benefit in belonging; that it brings with it privileges which cannot be found in isolation. They also highlight for me the irony in people wanting to belong in order to â€Å"be special,† as the persona puts it, when in fact it is not belonging that really makes someone stand out as an individual. The persona in this song wants to belong with a person he uses simile to describe as an â€Å"angel,† a symbol of perfection. The repetition of â€Å"perfect† in the lyrics of the song emphasises the importance of achieving perfection to the persona, because it will allow him to belong with this â€Å"angel.† The persona is even jealous of the angel for being so â€Å"perfect† and â€Å"special†, as conveyed through the tone of jealous anger created by the use of obscenity in the line, â€Å"You’re so f**ing special / I wish I was special.† The persona thinks that if he can be â€Å"perfect† like the angel then he too  will be special and privileged. The irony of the song is that it is clear to the reader that it is the persona, and not the angel, who is really special. The persona is â€Å"special,† or different from what is usual, because he does not belong. If he were to be â€Å"perfect† like the angel then he would be just another beautiful person â€Å"in a beautiful world.† In other words, he would become ordinary. To conclude, the lyrics of this song show me how essential the need to belong is in humans and how this stems from a belief that there is a privilege in belonging; that it makes you special. More importantly, however, the lyrics demonstrate that, ironically, it is actually through not belonging that we make ourselves stand out as unique individuals.

Rohypnol (aka Flunitrazepam, Roofies) Fast Facts

Rohypnol is the trade name for Flunitrazepam, a drug that acts as a sedative, muscle relaxant, hypnotic, and antidepressant. While Flunitrazepam is called Rohypnol when marketed by Roche, it is also sold by other companies under the names Darkene, Flunipam, Flunitrazepam, Fluscand, Hipnosedon, Hypnodorm,  Ilman, Insom, Nilium, Silece, and Vulbegal. What Does Rohypnol Look Like? Rohypnol is available as a pill that is commonly crushed and mixed into food or drinks and ingested. It can also be dissolved into a liquid and injected. The present form of the drug is imprinted with the number 542 and supplied as a 1-milligram dose in an olive-green, oblong tablet. It contains a blue dye that is supposed to be visible in the event the drug is added to a drink. Prior to that, Rohypnol was sold as a white 2-milligram tablet. Why Do People Use Rohypnol? As a prescription medication, Rohypnol is used as a pre-anesthetic medication and as a short-term treatment for insomnia. It may also be used to treat the depression resulting from the use of cocaine, methamphetamine, and other stimulants. As a recreational drug, Rohypnol—commonly known as a roofie (singular) or roofies (plural)—may be found at nightclubs, parties, and raves. The drug is used in connection with date rape and robbery to incapacitate the victim and prevent him or her from recalling the crime. What Are the Effects of Rohypnol Use? The effects of Rohypnol use are usually felt within 15 to 20 minutes of administration and may last for more than 12 hours. Symptoms include drowsiness, lowered blood pressure, muscle relaxation, headache, visual disturbances, dizziness, slurred speech, poor reaction time, confusion, memory impairment, upset stomach, retention of urine, tremors, and nightmares. One side effect associated with Rohypnol use is retroactive amnesia during which the person who took the drug cant remember events that occurred while under its influence. Although Rohypnol is a depressant, it may produce excitability, talkativeness, or aggressive behavior. An overdose of Rohypnol produces sedation, impaired speech and balance, respiratory depression, and potentially coma or death—which is why Rohypnol is sometimes used to commit suicide. Why Is Rohypnol Illegal in the United States? It is illegal to manufacture, sell, or use Rohypnol in the United States because taking it can produce physiological and psychological dependence and benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome. The drug is legal in other countries, however, (e.g., Mexico) and is smuggled into the country through the mail or other delivery services.