Abstract
Paper refers to thesis of McClellan and Horn (1999) to do with technology propelling science, in contrast with historians who tend to see science as driving technology. Example given of Christiaan Eijkman's medical breakthrough in what is now Indonesia, finding the cause and cure of Beriberi, the lessons of technology and ordinary curiosity underlying his discovery of thiamine deficiency. Science till Eijkman's day had not clue as to what caused a deadly, still mysterious disease; last discussion of technology helping scientific knowledge -- but what to do if science is not used?

From the Paper
Technology Enables Science - a Medical Example from Indonesia. Introduction McClellan & Dorn pointed out a very important error in how we tend to view World History. (1999) Historians have a habit of seeing Science as creating Technology when, in fact, Technology seems to be much more responsible for new Science. This paper describes an interesting example in the medical discovery of what causes beriberi, a once very important and fatal disease for thousands of people in most of Asia and Africa. Its cause remained unknown till the later 19^th century and early 20^th century. The breakthrough

Tags:beriberi, eijkman, technology

Abstract
In this article, the writer introduces, discusses and analyzes the topic of Very Light Jets (VLJ). Specifically, the paper discusses what this new class of planes is. The writer looks at what impact they could have on air travel in the United States. The writer notes that the VLJ is targeted primarily to smaller companies needing air travel, air taxi service operators, and higher income individuals tired of airline travel. The writer points out that some experts feel the VLJ may revolutionize the way many people travel by making commercial air travel obsolete. The writer concludes that it remains to be seen how the VLJ market will affect travel and transportation, but it seems poised to truly change the face of the way the world gets around in the skies.

Outline:
Background of Very Light Jets
The Difference Between VLJs, Propeller Aircraft, and Business Jets
Disadvantages of VLJs
Training
The Players
The Impact of VLJs

From the Paper
"There are several key differences between the VLJs. First are foremost is cost. Their price range runs from under $1 million to around $3 million, while business-class jets can cost upwards of $45 million for long-range jets such as the Gulfstream 550. Even low-end business jets cost about twice as much as the VLJs. Second, they are lighter in weight than business jets, with a take-off weight of under 10,000 pounds, while business jets are all over 10,000 pounds take off weight. They also are much more cost-efficient than larger jets, so they give the promise of more profits for their owners. They can cruise higher and faster than propeller-driven aircraft, and while they do cost more than prop planes, such as the Cessna 175, they offer many more features, and so, could be extremely attractive to the owner-operator in addition to small jet taxi and other commercial services."

Tags:VLJ, small, jets, travelers

Abstract
This paper discusses how Al Qaeda conceptualises the western world and in turn how the West chooses to envisage what is arguably its most potent threat. The paper first looks at the religious assumptions of Islamic fundamentalism and, in particular, how these conceptions of the Islamic faith impact upon the outlook of Al Qaeda and the religious factors that facilitate its continued development and increasing appeal amongst Muslims around the world. The paper then assesses how Al Qaeda impacts upon the individual and general society in the Islamic world and discusses the links between Al Qaeda and the previous Taliban rulers of Afghanistan.

From the Paper
"We must take it as sacrosanct that the existence of Al Qaeda is destabilising and thwarts any wish to inaugurate a period of history based on peace and stability. However, the actions of the western world, in particular the United States does not in any way facilitate a move in this direction. There exists, within the bastions of American republicanism unfounded and misguided conceptions of how to deal with the question of Islam and international terrorist networks such as Al Qaeda. Such outlooks go a long way to compete with Islamic extremism in terms of their destabilising and dangerous connotations. Personally, I believe that if progress is to be made in understanding the current international situation, and if we are to safeguard a brighter future, free of extremism both Muslim and Western, it is the centre that has to prevail. We all have a role to play."

Tags:western terrorism, bin Laden, Taliban

Abstract
This paper analyzes Earnest Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea" about the troubles and the travails that the old man is willing to face to restore his lost pride. It shows how with only a very few characters and no real plot Hemingway has managed to evolve a novel rich in themes and symbolic import. It discusses how pride and self respect are the motivating factors and the driving force that propels the old man to fight it out in the face of adversity and that the essential theme of this novel is that man is not honored by victory alone rather honor comes from the resoluteness of purpose and perseverance.

From the Paper
"The Marlin (the big catch) in the sea represents the cherished goal (wealth, fame or any other thing) that people go after. Just like Santiago the Marlin also symbolizes valor. It does not meekly succumb but puts up a great fight against the old man. Even the old man acknowledges the bravery of the Marlin when he states it as a brave opponent. The Marlin symbolizes or represents the cherished accomplishment or the achievement of man. If we take a slightly different viewpoint we can also ascribe a different symbolic meaning. It is generally perceived in the literary circles that Hemingway was constantly bogged by literary critics and even under these adverse circumstances he managed to hold on to his gifted art. (Of writing). Now if we look under this pretext we can easily infer that the Marlin represents the "ART" and the sharks that try to eat away the Marlin represent the critics who were cynical to Hemingway's literary creations. The triumph of the old man implies the triumph of Hemingway in the world of literature. "

Tags:Marlin, fiction

Abstract
This paper discusses the story of "The Color Purple", an emotional and inspiring story of Celie, a woman who has faced nothing but abuse and violence in her life. It examines the significance of reawakening in the work and how as the novel progresses, Celie experiences a reawakening of her self-worth which propels her life in a new direction. It evaluates how this reawakening could not have happened without her letters, her spirituality and the input of people like Sofia.

From the Paper
"Celie's sister Nettie is really the catalyst for Celie's transformation. She writes to Nettie when she has no one else in the world. It is Nettie who she looks up to, and Nettie who has gotten away from the family and made her own successful life. Nettie is one of only two people Celie has allowed herself to love, which makes her all the more important. It is through her letters to Nettie that she first begins to understand herself, and start on the path toward her reawakening. When she finds out Albert has been hiding Nettie's letters, she has gained the strength to stand up to him."

Tags:letters, abuse, violence, reawakening, celie, nettie, sofia

Abstract
This paper examines how the Sherpas are a unique and intriguing culture that live in and throughout the Himalayan Mountains. The paper explains how, after being separate from the influence of the "modern" world for hundreds of years, the advent of mountaineering has propelled them into the modern age. It shows how rather than completely assimilate into a modern society, the Sherpas have risen to the occasion and created their own identity using the contemporary world as a model while staying true to their cultural beliefs.

From the Paper
"The westernization of the Sherpas had begun in earnest. Prior to 1950 the mountaineers romanticized the Sherpas, claiming that the conquering of the mountain is what truly drove the Sherpas to assist with the expeditions. (Ortner 44) This was not true. For the Sherpas "climbing mountains had no indigenous value whatsoever, and was religiously problematic" (Ortner, 203) The trade system by which the Sherpas had survived upon was being slowly dismantled and income was needed, mountaineering fit the bill. Prior to 1950 the Sherpas had to travel to procure work as porters "because Nepal was closed to foreigners in the first half of the twentieth century, climbing in the central Himalayas was organized out of Darjeeling." (Ortner, 30 ) This changed after the 1953 Hillary expedition much to the Sherpas advantage."

Tags:mountaineers, assimilation, culture

Abstract
Napster is a program allowing users to directly transfer music files without the aid of a centralized file server. Full-length songs may be exchanged in mere minutes through the program, and neither the artists nor the record companies are compensated for their work. The daunting prospect of consumers freely downloading complete libraries of music propelled the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) to successfully sue Napster for trafficking in piracy. This paper analyzes the arguments made by both sides, investigates the virtues of the verdict, and discusses other court outcomes that would have been more beneficial to all parties involved. In addition, lawsuits of other file-sharing applications are discussed, including the likely outlook of Internet peer-to-peer sharing for the future.

From the Paper
"The advent of the Internet has enabled users to promptly and effortlessly share information between one another as never before. While the vast majority of individuals embrace this new technology as a blessing, the capacity to impart so much data has produced a crisis regarding copyright infringement. Napster is a program allowing users to directly transfer music files without the aid of a centralized file server. Individuals are able to gain access to an immense library of copyrighted music, thus rattling the record industry.1 Full-length songs may be exchanged in mere minutes through the program, and neither the artists nor the record companies are compensated for their work. The daunting prospect of consumers freely downloading complete libraries of music propelled the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) to successfully sue Napster for trafficking in piracy. The following will analyze the arguments made by both sides, investigate the virtues of the verdict, and discuss other court outcomes that would have been more beneficial to all parties involved. One such result would incorporate monthly fees and bonus features into the software, which would appease the RIAA's concerns and also allows Napster to continue its operations. In addition, the lawsuits recently launched against Morpheus, Kazaa, Grokster, and My.Mp3.com are predicted to result in the continuance of their operations, given that illegitimate files are removed from their respective systems."

Tags:application, artist, audio, company, copyright, download, files, freenet, gnutella, industry, infringe, internet, kazaa, law, lawsuit, legal, midi, morpheus

Abstract
This paper examines the role of the Italian mafia as a business like any other, and its long history in the United States. The author discuses how the mafia's illegal and legal enterprises help propel our capitalist society, and how their ties with major labor unions enable them to dominate major industries. The paper also looks at how the Italian mafia works with other ethnic crime organizations, such as the Russian mafia, and Colombian drug cartels.

From the Paper
"The mafia is a loose term in our country, as we as Americans are fascinated by the mysteriousness of it. Movies, books, plays, and now even a television series have been made depicting different real life stories regarding the mafia. The television show The Sopranos gives a great rendition about life in New Jersey as a mobster. This show allows viewers to see both sides of the story when thinking about gangsters. One is able to see their ruthless side in some situations, and then also the way they conduct business. Much of the business they conduct is with people who know what situation they are in, and are willing to accept the terms, based on a mutual agreement. In recent years, there have been several cases where a mafia member would go against their former family in order to lighten their jail sentence, breaking their code of conduct known as Omerta. The United States is a capitalist and free market society. The mafia helps in the expansion and existence of this capitalist society by their influences in legal and illegal businesses, with the help of political parties and leaders that are best placed to help them."

Tags:crimes, drugs, gambling, government, labor, laundering, loan, sharking, mob, money, organized, politicians, pornography, prostitution, unions

Abstract
This paper focuses on the history and the discovery of the ninth planet in the Solar System, Pluto, and its lone moon, Charon. The paper discusses various theories about what originally propelled astronomers to search for this mysterious planet, known as Planet X, and how its name Pluto finally came about after its discovery.

From the Paper
"John Murray, an astronomer from Open University in the U.K. proposes a theory in which two large objects may gravitationally affect the orbits of long period comets. These two objects would have to be about 32,000 AU from the Sun and extremely massive, about the size of Jupiter. John J. Matese of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette proposes a similar theory. His involves two to three Jupiter sized objects orbiting at about 2.3 trillion miles from the Sun. He says that their gravity is responsible for the deflection of roughly 25% of the known 82 Oort Cloud comets into the inner solar system. Matese says that these massive objects do not necessarily have to be planets; they may be undetected brown dwarfs undetected because the IRAS (Infrared Astronomical Satellite) of the 1980s was not sensitive enough to distinguish an individual brown dwarf against the galactic plane."

Tags:astronomy, hershel, outer, physics, space, Camille, Flammarian

Abstract
This paper examines the Solar Sailor, a Hybrid powered watercraft which utilizes its sails as a means of also collecting solar power, so while the boat is being propelled by the wind the energy collected via the solar panels run the two extremely efficient electric motors. The Solar Sailor is very ecologically and environmentally friendly since the cost of running it is very low when compared to the cost of running a diesel-powered boat. The paper looks at potential uses of the craft and discusses relevant ethical issues such as the cost of the craft itself over the environmental advantages. It concludes with the impact of the Solar Sailor on society, particularly in Australia where it was invented such as a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and landscape protection.

From the Paper
"A 21 meter Solar Sailor costs around $3 million compared to $2 million for an equivalent diesel engine model. Even though over a 15 yr period taking into consideration fuel and maintenance costs the Solar Sailor works out to be considerably cheaper. The only thing that is stopping the Solar Sailor from becoming a worldwide success is the fact that the older style propulsion technologies enjoy a huge comfort zone, which is bolstered by the world's fiscal policies and risk-averse conservatism. The view of Dane is that "Until we start taxing people for carbon emissions, or taxing diesel for the costs it imposes on the environment, the attractions of these kinds of technologies will increase only slowly". Over time he hopes that his patience, hard economic numbers and the day-to-day performance of his Solar Sailor will win buyers over."

Tags:australia, boats, design, environment, technology