Using The Science Of Life As A Weapon Essays - Biological Weapons

Using The Science Of Life As A Weapon I Introduction 1) Definition of Biological Warfare 2) Talking Points II Biological Weapons 1) Different Types Used 2) Applications III History of Biological Warfare 1) How It Has Been Used in Past Wars 2) How We Can Expect It to Be Used in the Future IV Are We At Risk of Being Attacked With Biological Weapons? 1) Defending Ourselves Against Biological Weapons V Conclusion Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) warfare is one of the most dreaded forms of attack on the battlefield. In the last century, we learned a great deal about how life works, how it is organized. We have used that technology to save many lives by curing diseases and vaccinating against viruses. But it seems that whenever we have a breakthrough in science, there is an ever-present danger of a form of weapon resulting from the discovery. Biological Warfare is defined as bacteria, viruses, fungi or rickettsia, which are used in wartime to cause disease or death in people (Hay, 1984). It seems like a contradiction. Doctors work hard to find cures and vaccinations for the various diseases and viruses that plague our population. On the other side of the coin, however, there are people that would use disease as a weapon. They not only use the sort of disease that nature provides, but try to create more effective and horrific manmade diseases. Biological weapons, as opposed to chemical weapons, are effective with a relatively small quantity of agent. However, most of these agents have a limited shelf life, as their activity is continually declining (Hay, 1984). Most biological agents are dispersed in aerosol form. They can be sprayed from a small cylinder with compressed air, spread by guided missiles, dispersed as a powder from aircraft, or used in a cluster of bombs. The danger is the potential for these biological agents, if successful in infecting a population, can be spread quickly. The U.S. Navy tested the effectiveness of Biological weapons on a metropolis in November of 1950. They released harmless bacteria off the California coast, sufficient to contaminate 117 square miles of the San Francisco Bay area. Scientists reported that nearly all of the 800,000 inhabitants of the city had inhaled the bacteria (Hay, 1984). To cause an epidemic, an enemy would select a highly contagious virus or bacteria. They would decide whether to use an extremely lethal agent or one that would temporarily incapacitate a population or army to weaken defenses. Most biological weapons are influenza viruses or pneumonic plague bacillus. These meet the requirement of being highly contagious by human contact. As an example, an estimated 20 million people died in the great influenza pandemic of 1918 and 1919 just three percent of those infected. Surprisingly, then, this great loss of life actually represents a low mortality rate (Solomon, 1999). For incapacitating the target, brucellosis is preferred. This is a chronic infection caused by the Brucella species of bacteria. A person can be infected by skin contact, by eating or drinking infected material, or by inhaling the organism. This is also an agent that can be produced easily in fermenters. Symptoms vary, but common are a severe chill, a recurring fever, sweating, headache, loss of appetite, extreme exhaustion, aching joints and depression. The symptoms last upwards of four weeks, but relapses can continue for years (Hay, 1984). The most well known form of brucellosis is anthrax. Aggressors favor this primarily because it is lethal and relatively easy to manufacture. Anthrax is caused by the bacterium bacillus anthracis, and is spread by skin contact, contact with infected animals, or by inhaling or ingesting the agent. The mortality rate is highest when infected by inhalation, at eighty per cent of untreated cases. The danger of anthrax is long term as well. Forty years after being tested on Gruinard, the island is still contaminated with the bacterium (Solomon, 1999). Although the danger of biological weapons increases as technology progresses, it is not a new threat. One of the earliest reported uses was in the sixth century B.C., when the Assyrians poisoned their enemys wells with a fungus disease called rye ergot. The commander of British forces in America, Jeffrey Amherst, used biological warfare on the Ottawa Indians. He sent two wagons of blankets from the smallpox hospital to

About the Balfour Declaration of 1917

About the Balfour Declaration of 1917 The Balfour Declaration was a November 2, 1917 letter from British Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour to Lord Rothschild that made public the British support of a Jewish homeland in Palestine. The Balfour Declaration led the League of Nations to entrust the United Kingdom with the Palestine Mandate in 1922. Background The Balfour Declaration was a product of years of careful negotiation. After centuries of living in a diaspora, the 1894 Dreyfus Affair in France shocked Jews into realizing they would not be safe from arbitrary antisemitism unless they had their own country. In response, Jews created the new concept of political Zionism in which it was believed that through active political maneuvering, a Jewish homeland could be created. Zionism was becoming a popular concept by the time World War I began. World War I and Chaim Weizmann During World War I, Great Britain needed help. Since Germany (Britains enemy during WWI) had cornered the production of acetone- an important ingredient for arms production- Great Britain may have lost the war if Chaim Weizmann had not invented a fermentation process that allowed the British to manufacture their own liquid acetone. It was this fermentation process that brought Weizmann to the attention of David Lloyd George (Minister of Ammunitions) and Arthur James Balfour (previously the Prime Minister but at this time the First Lord of the Admiralty). Chaim Weizmann was not just a scientist; he was also the leader of the Zionist Movement. Diplomacy Weizmanns contact with Lloyd George and Balfour continued, even after Lloyd George became prime minister and Balfour was transferred to the Foreign Office in 1916. Additional Zionist leaders such as Nahum Sokolow also pressured Great Britain to support a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Although Balfour, himself, was in favor of a Jewish state, Great Britain particularly favored the declaration as an act of policy. Britain wanted the United States to join World War I and the British hoped that by supporting a Jewish homeland in Palestine, the world Jewish community would be able to sway the U.S. to join the war. Announcing the Balfour Declaration Though the Balfour Declaration went through several drafts, the final version was issued on November 2, 1917, in a letter from Balfour to Lord Rothschild, president of the British Zionist Federation. The main body of the letter quoted the decision of the October 31, 1917, British Cabinet meeting. This declaration was accepted by the League of Nations on July 24, 1922, and embodied in the mandate that gave Great Britain temporary administrative control of Palestine. The White Paper In 1939, Great Britain reneged on the Balfour Declaration by issuing the White Paper, which stated that creating a Jewish state was no longer a British policy. It was also Great Britains change in policy toward Palestine, especially the White Paper, that prevented millions of European Jews to escape from Nazi-occupied Europe to Palestine before and during the Holocaust. The Balfour Declaration Foreign OfficeNovember 2nd, 1917Dear Lord Rothschild,I have much pleasure in conveying to you, on behalf of His Majestys Government, the following declaration of sympathy with Jewish Zionist aspirations which has been submitted to, and approved by, the Cabinet.His Majestys Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country.I should be grateful if you would bring this declaration to the knowledge of the Zionist Federation.Yours sincerely,Arthur James Balfour

The Church, Synagogue, Mosque or Temple Next Door Essay

The Church, Synagogue, Mosque or Temple Next Door - Essay Example The Gothic style has strong vertical features and sharply pointed arches (Passikoff 85). The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception follows a neo-Byzantine style because of its dome that is the main exterior feature (Figure 1), and because of large open spaces (Figure 2) and lavish mosaics inside (Figure 3). The Mount St. Sepulchre Franciscan Monastery has a neo-Romanesque style because of its round arches (Figure 4) and pointed roofs (Figure 4), as well as barrel vaults (Figure 5). The Washington National Cathedral has Gothic style with its vertical emphasis (Figure 6) and interior columns and narrow windows (Figure 7). One of the oldest and nearest house of worship where I live is the Mount St. Sepulchre Franciscan Monastery. Architect Aristide Leonori designed this church. The building started in 1898 and finished in 1899. The Mount St. Sepulchre Franciscan Monastery has both Byzantine and Romanesque influences. It has a neo-Romanesque style because of its round arches and pointed roofs (Figure 1), as well as barrel vaults (Figure 2). There are also round arches outside and as part of the entrance of the church. These round arches are also designed with Christian word and sculptures (Figure 1). It also has several pointed roofs and heavy stonework (Figure 1). The outside facade of the church looks simple and dominated with horizontal lines. Aside from the Romanesque style, the church also has Byzantine influences because of its colorful mosaics and lavish decorations, aside from having large interior open spaces (Figure 2). Figure 3 shows colorful mosaic lavish decorations of the Portico. The arches and ceilings also have numerous colorful designs (Figure 2). Even the altar has a form of tall and ornamental structure around it which shows mixtures of Byzantine and Romanesque influences through having a

Literary Analysis of a text within a particular context Essay

Literary Analysis of a text within a particular context - Essay Example In a sense, her dominance over the male characters can be considered as her fantasy -of being free and to act freely- that continually shrinks due to the male expectation of loyalty from a wife. Hedda comes from a higher socioeconomic class. But her husband is much lower than her class and still depends on Aunt Julie for financial support. This sense of superiority provokes her internally to demand an equal play in the family that is obviously more than what male notion of a woman’s loyalty allows. In this regard, Hedenskooq comments, â€Å"In Hedda, we find a woman who is strong, brazen, and independent, yet is determined to live her life through the context of the society around her. She is a woman caught in a vicious cycle of expectation and disappointment.† (325) One of Ibsen’s motivations to juxtapose the husband-band wife patriarchal structure of modern family system is to show his readers how money matters in women’s loyalty to husband and how a woman reacts to this juxtaposition. What the society considers as women’s happiness, namely the material happiness in her husband’s house is merely emotional death by materialism. Also women continually go on to sacrifice their own share of equal play, to fulfill the male expectation, under the disguise of the social ideology of â€Å"loyalty of a wife†. Since in Jurgen Tessman’s household, the financial happiness is evidently not present, the crust of loyalty has simply melted down and Hedda seems to seek more of dominance or at least of an equal play than being subservient to him. Again as male dominated society will still not allow her to play an equal share, she exerts dominance on others in Jurgen Tessman’s family. Hedda was not willing to marr y Tessman since he is economically depended on his Aunt Julie and since he is a member of a social that is lower than Hedda’s. But for some reasons she was forced to marry him. Indeed Hedda is the product of patriarchal society. In it, she

Will consumers choose electric cars over traditional petrol cars in Literature review

Will consumers choose electric cars over traditional petrol cars in the future - Literature review Example The other government around the world is also concerned about the carbon dioxide emission in their country (Wells, 2010, p. 132). The biggest impact of such policies and concern will have on the transportation system which is considered the biggest emitter of carbon dioxide. This will lead to a rise in the demand for cars which are more environments friendly. The main cars available in this segment are the electric cars and the cars running on bio-fuel. The UK government proposes a subsidy of up to 5000 pounds for electric cars in 2011. Germany plans to invest 500 million Euro in 2009 to develop the infrastructure for electric cars. In this context a very important debate is that whether the petrol cars will be replaced by the electric cars. However Schroder (2009, pp. 7 -10) gives a summary of the problems faced by the electric cars. According to him the technology of the electric cars are yet to match the cost efficiency, speed and the comfort of the petrol cars. According to him t here are two alternatives for the consumer. They can either purchase a comfortable but highly expensive electric car or a less mobile and less comfortable but cheaper electric car. Therefore petrol cars still provide some advantage over the electric cars.

Essay --

Faith healing is an unbelievable phenomenon where diseases and medical conditions are cured solely through spiritual means. First demonstrated by Jesus Christ, many modern day faith healers claim they can heal any disease and offer their services as an alternative to modern-day medical treatment. There have been many displays of this faith healing over the years, but it’s a controversial topic that has many people for and against. There are many self professed faith healers in the world today. Some of them are famous and ridiculously rich, some are the opposite, but they all claim to have some sort of supernatural power capable of healing through faith alone. It’s the exact opposite of medical treatment and is hard to prove, but cases of cures are being reported often. For example, the Healing Rooms Ministry of Bethel Church in Redding, California have pages of testimonials of people claiming to be healed of things such as broken bones and cancer. But how is it possible to know whether these stories have been fabricated or not? How is it possible to know to what extent the faith healing actually had an effect on the cure. It isn’t possible. What often happens in these faith healing situations is what is called the placebo effect. People go into it expecting to be cured, and may end up no longer feeling the effects of their disease after being â€Å"healed†. The problem with this is the fallacial reasoning, whereby the participant affirms the consequent and also gets caught up in a post hoc, ergo propter hoc. The participant uses the faith healing method, and then if they get better they will assume that it was because of the faith healing and not any natural process or other medical treatment they may have received. There are many log... .... Putting the beliefs behind it aside, though, many groups and organisations have offered cash incentives for cured victims of particular faith healers to publicly come forward, but no-one ever has. Furthermore, previously mentioned James Randi has had a cash prize of one million dollars for anyone who can prove that they have supernatural powers to him. He has been offering this award for many years, but has not needed to pay up even once to date. Faith healing is something that many people have experienced, through themselves or a loved one, and some will speak only good of it, but many will argue the opposite. Despite the relatively large number of positive testimonials, faith healers have a bad track record, and as much as it would be nice for it to be at least somewhat reasonable, there is no solid or scientific evidence whatsoever to suggest that is the case.

Glutinous Rice and Cocoa Powder

Tricia Bugarin Katruz Albano BUS 100 15 Aug 2011 Champorado: The Breakfast of Champions Champorado is a Filipino chocolate cereal made with sweet sticky rice much like the kind of rice you would use to make sushi. Filipinos consider this as the oatmeal or porridge that people eat in the morning. Champorado is considered to be the breakfast of champions because this type of food is cooked with cocoa powder and mixed with sugar which is guaranteed to give you an amazing burst of energy for a long period of time.Champorado originated back when the Spaniards colonized the Philippines in the late 1500’s during their galleon trades where Spanish ships sailed twice a year across the Pacific Ocean between the Philippines and Acapulco. A lot of the trades consist of silk, ceramics, and spices, and because of the frequent sailing, a lot of the Spaniards decided to stay in the Philippines bringing with them their familiarity of making Champorado. Over the century, this dish was made in m any different ways.It can be served for breakfast, or as a snack. You can also eat champorado when it’s cold after putting it in a fridge. Usually some Filipino eats the champorado with the combination of a dried fish. Although, it can be considered as a poor man’s food because it does not cost a lot of money and it is relatively easy to make. Everything you will need can be bought at your local grocery store. All you will need is a cup of sticky white rice, half a cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, two and a half cups of water, and half a cup of sugar.You can also add a little bit of vanilla extract but that is entirely up to you. You will, however, need evaporated milk which will give the Champorado a little bit of creme color and to get the thickness down before you start indulging in this delight. Cooking this dish is very simple and does not require a lot of math. Boil the cup of sticky white rice in a medium saucepan stirring constantly because you do not want the rice to clump up together. The rice is ready hen it is transparent and thicker in texture and consistency. Add your cocoa powder and the sugar mixing and stirring these ingredients together. Ones the cocoa powder and the sugar are well blended with the rice turn the heat off and put a little serving in a bowl. Now, you are ready to serve this delightful dish with a swirl of evaporated milk on top. You can typically serve Champorado hot or cold. In our culture, we serve this with a side of salty fish or meat for breakfast.Our society is one big melting pot of cultures where a lot of things are being introduced. It is okay to expose yourself to the many types of delicatessen available out there. The worst possible thing that can happen to you is a swollen throat or you can even break out in hives due to your allergies, so just be aware of the ingredients being used. Despite of the differences that we may have, we do have one thing in common; we all love to eat.