Why was there an economic crisis in Germany in 1923 Essay Example

Why was there an economic crisis in Germany in 1923 Paper There are several causes to the economic crisis in Germany in 1923. The Great War contributed greatly to this, but Germanys problems had begun even before the War had started. In 1914 the German Government decided to come off of the Gold Standard. This was a system in which every bank note had an equivalent sum of gold, kept in the vaults of the German Central Bank. You could go to the bank and would be able to swap your note for gold, although people would normally use the notes to buy things, like an IOU, as it was easier to do this than to use pieces of gold. When the First World War began in 1914, Germany needed more money to pay for food and weapons. The German Government found that the easiest way to obtain more money was to print more notes. This decreased the actual value of the money, as there was more money in circulation. During the War there were food shortages, this meant that there was too few goods to buy for the amount of money that there was in circulation. We can see that inflation occurred, because of the drastic fall in the value of money. In January 1921, there were 64 marks to the dollar, by November 1923; this amount had risen drastically to 4. trillion marks to the dollar! Inflation had been occurring since 1914, so was a long-term cause of the economic crisis. When Germany lost the Great War to the allies, they had to agree with the terms of the treaty of Versailles. One of the terms of this treaty was that Germany had to lose land to France, Belgium, Denmark, Poland and the League of Nations. When losing this land, the German Government lost the tax income from it. The tax income could have helped to pay the reparations of  £6,600 million, which was also a term of the Treaty of Versailles. We will write a custom essay sample on Why was there an economic crisis in Germany in 1923 specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Why was there an economic crisis in Germany in 1923 specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Why was there an economic crisis in Germany in 1923 specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Reasons for the economic crisis, involving the Treaty of Versailles were short-term causes because they happened quite suddenly, rather than over a long period of time. The land lost contained 14% of arable farmland. It produced food and work for the surrounding area. There was now even less food, making the problem of food shortages even worse. This land also contained 74% of Germanys iron ore, 68% of her zinc ore and 26% of her coal- most of the countrys wealth. Germany could not afford to pay her reparations. This was linked to the invasion of the Ruhr. The Treaty of Versailles also meant that Germany had to reduce its army to 100,000 men. As France no longer felt as strongly under threat by the German army and wanted their reparations paid up, they felt that they could invade the Ruhr. The Ruhr is the most industrialised part of Germany. Poincarre, the French leader, sent in five divisions of French soldiers to acquire the reparations they were owed. A division of Belgian soldiers joined them. They intended to take control of the German factories and mines in this area. All goods produced would be shipped off to France, until the reparations owed to the French were paid. This was a short-term cause to the economic crisis, as it only happened over a matter of days and weeks, unlike inflation, which was occurring for years. Germany could do nothing to stop this. This made Germany very ashamed, especially after losing the War and having to agree with the terms of the Treaty of Versailles as well. The Government ordered passive resistance. The French had no one to work for them as the Ruhr workers were ordered to go on strike. They were ordered to refuse to co-operate with the occupiers. The French then kicked 150,000 German workers out of the Ruhr. They fled as refugees. This produced yet another problem for the already suffering Government and people of Germany. How could they afford to feed, clothe and house the refugees? All their money was already being used to pay reparations, how could they afford this? These problems were solved, but by causing another problem. It seemed that the only way to overcome the problem of the refugees was to print more money. The money in circulation now was growing greatly and the cost of living was increasing. The economic crisis was a vicious circle, by solving one problem they were creating another. It seemed as though it was never going to end. Although there were many causes for the economic crisis, I believe that one made a bigger impact than the others. The Great War, the costs of which were astronomical, both during and after. The War increased the effect of inflation, as the Government printed more notes to try and cope with the problems the War was bringing, therefore decreasing the value and making problems worse. After the War, the Treaty of Versailles produced many difficulties. All of the problems caused by this linked with each other and then back to inflation. The German economic crisis was inevitable because the Government did not know that coming off of the Gold Standard would cause inflation- it was going to happen, they thought it would be better, not worse. They could not have prevented the Treaty of Versailles as they lost the War. They didnt purposely lose the War to cause themselves problems,the problems were inevitable. The economic crisis was waiting to happen, Germany could not have stopped it!

Neon Facts - Ne or Element 10

Neon Facts - Ne or Element 10 Neon is the element best-known for brightly-lit signs, but this noble gas is used for many other purposes. Here are neon facts: Neon Basic Facts Atomic Number: 10 Symbol: Ne Atomic Weight: 20.1797 Discovery: Sir William Ramsey, M.W. Travers 1898 (England) Electron Configuration: [He]2s22p6 Word Origin: Greek neos: new Isotopes: Natural neon is a mix of three isotopes. Five other unstable isotopes of neon are known. Neon Properties: The melting point of neon is -248.67Â °C, boiling point is -246.048Â °C (1 atm), density of gas is 0.89990 g/l (1 atm, 0Â °C), density of liquid at b.p. is 1.207 g/cm3, and valence is 0. Neon is very inert, but it does form some compounds, such as with fluorine. The following ions are known: Ne, (NeAr), (NeH), (HeNe). Neon is known to form an unstable hydrate. Neon plasma glows reddish orange. The discharge of neon is the most intense of the rare gases at ordinary currents and voltages. Uses: Neon is used to make neon signs. Neon and helium are used to make gas lasers. Neon is used in lightning arrestors, television tubes, high-voltage indicators, and wave meter tubes. Liquid neon is used as a cryogenic refrigerant, as it has over 40 times the refrigerating capacity per unit volume than liquid helium and over three times that of liquid hydrogen. Sources: Neon is a rare gaseous element. It is present in the atmosphere to the extent of 1 part per 65,000 of air. Neon is obtained by liquefaction of air and separation using fractional distillation. Element Classification: Inert (Noble) Gas Neon Physical Data Density (g/cc): 1.204 ( -246Â °C) Appearance: colorless, odorless, tasteless gas Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 16.8 Covalent Radius (pm): 71 Specific Heat (20Â °C J/g mol): 1.029 Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): 1.74 Debye Temperature (K): 63.00 Pauling Negativity Number: 0.0 First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 2079.4 Oxidation States: n/a Lattice Structure: Face-Centered Cubic Lattice Constant (Ã…): 4.430 CAS Registry Number: 7440-01-9 References: Los Alamos National Laboratory (2001), Crescent Chemical Company (2001), Langes Handbook of Chemistry (1952), CRC Handbook of Chemistry Physics (18th Ed.)

What Polypropylene Plastics Are and How Theyre Used

What Polypropylene Plastics Are and How They're Used The world of plastic is not a cut and dried one. There are around 45 different types of plastic and each one has its own properties and uses, from commercial to residential. Polypropylene is one type of plastic that is used for a number of different products, due to its wide variety of properties. Understanding the chemical properties, history and advantages of this plastic can allow you to see the importance that this type of plastic has on your everyday life. What are the chemical properties of this plastic? Chemical Properties of Polypropylene Polypropylene is located between low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) on the crystallinity level. It is flexible and tough, especially when it is copolymerized with ethylene. This copolymerization allows this plastic to be used as engineering plastic that is in a number of different products and uses. The flow rate is a measure of molecular weight and this determines how easily it will flow during processing. A higher MFR allows the polypropylene to fill the mold more easily. As the melt flow increases, some of the physical properties of the plastic decreases, however, such as impact strength. History of Polypropylene German chemist, Karl Rehn, and Giulio Natta first polymerized propylene to a crystalline isotatic polymer in March 1954. This discovery soon led to a commercial production of polypropylene starting in 1957. Others claimed the discovery, as often occurs when a general body of knowledge is used, and this litigation was not resolved until 1989. This very popular plastic is one that many different manufacturers use for a number of different products. What Is Polypropylene Used For? Polypropylene is used for a wide number of different products. Due to the resistance to fatigue, this means that it can be used on items that are going to have high stress, such as hinge mechanisms on water bottles and more. It is also used in manufacturing piping systems, as well as chairs, and in medical or laboratory use. The colorfastness means that it is also used in carpeting, rugs, and mats. Ropes, cable insulation, roofing membranes, storage boxes, disposable bottles, plastic pails and other items are also made using this type of plastic. When you consider the impact of this plastic on your everyday use, you will see that it is one plastic that most people just cannot live without. PP plastics are also used in fiber reinforced composites. Common trade names for FRP glass fiber reinforced polyproplyene include Polystrand and Twintex. Polypropylene Advantages Polypropylene offers many different advantages. These advantages allow it to be used for a wide variety of different products and uses, from high heat to cold weather and more. What are some of these advantages? -Low cost makes it budget friendly for a wide number of uses -Has a moderate strength and stability -Has flexibility, which makes it easy to mold into different shapes -Colorfast, which means that any colors will stay bright and beautiful -Resistant to fatigue, which allows it to be used for things such as water bottle hinges and spouts -Offers good insulation for pipes, cables, and more -Chemically resistant to most oils and solvents -Excellent impact strength -Low coefficient of friction -Excellence moisture resistance -High temperature resistance, which means it can be used in laboratories When you look at polypropylene, you can see that it has many different properties that explain its widespread use. From clothing to pipes to carpet and more, this type of plastic is one that is used in a number of different products. Understanding its importance will allow you to appreciate it to the fullest. Polypropylene is one plastic that can be used for products now and can be recycled into products for the future as well.

Describe how you would distinguish between the chronic forms of Essay

Describe how you would distinguish between the chronic forms of leukemia. The answer should include difference in presenting features of the patient, the prognosis and treatment - Essay Example Thus, four main types of leukemia emerged and include: acute and chronic myeloid leukemia (AML and CML) and acute and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (ALL and CLL) (Ruddon, 2007, p. 75). The chronic forms of leukemia (CML and CLL) will be the focused of the paper. A gradual onset, a prolonged clinical course, and relatively long survival distinguished chronic leukemia from acute leukemia. The two types of chronic leukemia vary in terms of prevalence, presentation, treatment and prognosis. Chronic myeloid leukemia typically developed among men ages 40 and 50 while chronic lymphocytic leukemia rarely strikes before age 45 but most of the victims are over age 65 (Daniels and Nicoll, 2012, p. 771). Presenting features of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia varies. Majority of patients are asymptomatic, however, CBC can detect leukocyte counts of more than 100,000/ mm3 and patients may experience shortness of breath, slight confusion, and enlargement and tenderness of liver and spleen (Day, Paul and Williams, 2009, p. 1005). Lymphadenopathy is rare in CML and patients develop more symptoms (malaise, anorexia, and weight loss) and complications as the disease progresses. Meanwhile, patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia present features of lymphadenopathy, elevated lymphocyte counts, fatigue, infection, experience of anxiety and lower quality of life, and social isolation (Daniels and Nicoll, 2012, p. 771). Available treatments for treating chronic myeloid and lymphocytic leukemia also vary. According to Rosdahl and Kowalski (2008), treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia includes observation, chemotherapy, multi-drug chemotherapies, and bone marrow transplant (p. 1050). Oncologists observe the patients for signs and symptoms of the disease prior to the initiation of treatment. Once necessity for treatment is determined, patient will receive chemotherapy or monoclonal antibody but this will not cure the disease. Patient may also receive radiation therapy in

Classroom Management Competency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Classroom Management Competency - Essay Example By doing this, the needs of the students were put first because alternatively, I could have chosen to teach the whole class together by applying a single teaching style, which would have been more convenient from the perspective of teaching. A class I recently taught in which I also developed a skill together with my students was during a lesson on how to improve listening ability in order to get a higher score on the listening section of the IELTS. Students were taught to re-read the questions and the answers before the listening passage started. From this, they could then narrow their focus and concentrate on the nature of the answer, be it a telephone number, a name, a street address etc. I conducted a thorough research for this in the area of pre-listening and on how to develop the appropriate listening ability for taking standardized tests, and then applied the knowledge I gained to practical use for the guidance and benefit of the students. I believe that when teaching a class of mixed ability students, it is necessary to adapt the material to suit the needs of a particular group of those students within the class itself. Therefore, I have often divided students into different groups, usually into lower, intermediate and advanced. By using the same material, I normally differentiate instructions for each group. This is achieved by using the same material in the class, but varying the assignment for each group according to their ability. The course materials are thus adapted by simplifying them for struggling students and using them in a challenging way for students that are abler.

The divine comedy Essay Example for Free

The divine comedy Essay One may ask whether or not the scriptwriters or directors of the movies to be mentioned in this paper were able to actually read the Divine comedy; or perhaps the depiction of Heaven, hell, and the purgatory made my Dante was simply so vivid that it has become a staple of the mainstream literary views (in all its modes). Let us begin with the scenery comparison of Heaven and hell as depicted in the â€Å"What Dreams May Come† (1998) and that of Dante’s Hell and Paradise. The protagonist of the film named Chris awoke in a garden called Summerland, which if we would view using Dante’s paradise is quite similar to the Garden of Eden portrayed in the book. In travelling to hell in order to rescue his wife, he was accompanied by a guardian angel (similar to Virgil in a loose kind of way). The parallelism is heightened when we see that the hell in the film reflects the same coldness, and eerie feeling as that of Dante’s Inferno. In terms of storyline, we ought to refer to the film entitled the Purgatory (1999), the setting is different in a sense that it was set in Wild West, and the place of judgment is a town. Those who are yet to gain entry in heaven are sent to the said town to repent their sins by changing the way they lived. They are to resist temptations as well as go to church to repent, or perhaps it was to reflect on their sins. This is similar to how Dante portrayed the souls in his purgatory. In a way that, both depictions showed experience of toiling to make amends for one’s sins, waiting for judgment to come, and the fulfillment of one’s punishment for his shortcomings in his lifetime in order to be allowed passage into paradise. Lastly, the eternal suffering of the condemned in hell is a theme of Dante’s Inferno that can be seen in the comedy Little Nicky (2000), wherein one’s sins receives the tantamount turmoil in hell. We could also take reference to the angels in the said film that implied the dominance of femininity in the gates of heaven like that of Dante’s Paradise i. e. Beatrice et al. Reference: Dante Alghieri, The Divine Comedy: Inferno; Purgatorio; Paradiso, One Vol. Ed. Everyman’s Library, (1995).

Violence in the Media is Not to Blame for the Effect on Children Essay

The Effect of Violence in the Media on Children Television, movies, and video games are a big part of children’s lives in today’s technologically advanced society. However, there is a big controversy questioning the effects of these media outlets on children. Much of society claims to have proof for the belief that media violence affects children negatively. However, I am skeptical of the evidence that is stated to prove that claim. I feel that society has placed the blame on these mediums for the violent acts, however serious or trivial, that children commit way too easily, before they even begin to examine the parenting of today’s society. Television, movies, and video games are not the primary causes for acts of violence and other crimes committed by kids. They are only singled out due to the violent images and plots that they depict which leads one to believe that since children view these violent scenes they will imitate unconditionally for lack of better judgment. When a kid commits a violent act, the crime is often blamed on the television program that the child watched, the movies the child saw, or the video game the child just played. But if one were to actually go about censoring television shows, cartoons should be censored first. People will start trying to stop kids from viewing violent images such as shows like the Power Rangers or The Ninja Turtles. I do not think that shows like this should be censored so a kid can’t watch them. I think that by censoring the images it will just make kids want to see them more. Kids are attracted to violence and if they can’t see it on television or in movies, they will easily see it outside when they play at the playground or something. Violent television, movies and especially video games offer a way for kids to see what violence is without actually committing any crimes or hurting anyone. Before humans could see or engage in virtual violence, we watched or committed real violent acts. Take, for example, the ancient acts of the Romans. They would watch gladiators fight and kill each other before they could find their violent entertainment in television. Most people won’t admit that they like violence in television, movies, and video games, but I think that they offer a way to see the violence without actually hurting anyone. If we censor or ban it, we will be forced to find our violence elsew... ... is engulfed with opinion and restrictions on studies that are looking for a single answer, in most cases one that points the finger at violent media. But, if we can properly make parents and people aware with good information, we can start paying attention to the real problems, rather than television, movies, or video games. Our society would become much better overall as well. People are quick to blame violence in our society on television, movies, or video games because they are simple and easy targets. I think we have to stop looking at television for the cause of kids and violence and attack the real causes for the violence in our society. Violence in television, or movie, or video game will not make a kid kill someone else. A lot of kids watch violent images all the time, and only a very small percentage of them actually commit violent crimes. In conclusion, violence on television, movies, and video games is not the real problem. The problem is that we wrongfully blame these media sources for violent crimes and if we can get rid of this theory on this issue, then and only then do I believe that we can start solving the real p roblems of kids and violence in our society.

DBQ Atomic Bomb Essay

In August of 1945, the United States launched two atomic bombs on Japan; the first, in Hiroshima on August 6, and the second in Nagasaki a few days later. Despite the obvious diplomatic advantage to implementing one of the most intimidating weapons of that time, the United States’ tactics and goals behind dropping the atomic bombs were purely military oriented; the political benefit was merely an added bonus. The atomic bomb was necessary due to the Japanese’s refusal to surrender and the hundreds of thousands of lives at stake. Although there were attempts at peace, Japan showed no signs of agreement towards a peaceful and unconditional surrender. Japan’s reluctance to stop fighting could have left to months more of fighting and thousands of more deaths. The atomic bomb ensured an enormous display that could quickly end the war. As Cuhrchill proclaimed, â€Å"the end of the Japanese war no longer depended upon the pouring in of their armies for the final and perhaps protracted slaughter†¦ this nightmare picture [has] vanished†¦ in its place the vision of the end of the whole war in one or two violent shocks† (Doc E). Churchill summed up the gist of America’s reasoning for implementing the bombs. The United States did not have to depend on the slaughter of millions of people in bloody, messy fights, and , instead, â€Å"a speedy end to the Second World War† could be reached with one machine (Doc E). However, once the first bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, the Japanese continued to resist. It wasn’t until a second bomb was dropped that Japan surrendered with a simple stipulation that their emperor remain in his position. This alone proves the military necessity of the bombs. Despite the attack on Hiroshima, Japanese still wished to continue their war. If not for the second bomb, who know how many lives would have been lost. In Document B, General H. H. Arnold mentions that, even before the atomic bombs were dropped, Japan was already in a state of disarray and on the verge of collapse (Doc B). His argument was that Japan would not have lasted much longer and would not have been able to â€Å"carry on a large-scale war† (Doc B). However, despite this, the Japanese refused to surrender, and, though they may have been on the verge of a complete depletion of supplies and resources, there is no way to determine how long Japan could have or would have continued fighting. This could have meant months more of fighting and  Americans dying. As of July 1945, the Japanese army surmounted to over 5 million men (Doc A). Had the Japanese not surrendered- which they showed no inclination towards doing so u ntil after Nagasaki was bombed- Americans, and possibly the Soviets, would have been â€Å"faced with the enormous task of destroying an armed force of 5 million men† in unfamiliar terrain with 5 thousand suicide bombers overhead (Doc A). According to Henry Stimson, if the United States had continued with their original plans, – a combination of naval blockades and land invasions- the war could have lasted until â€Å"the latter part of 1946† (Doc A). The atomic bombs obviously affected diplomatic relations after implemented, but, despite the obvious benefits, the United State needed this advantage of nuclear weapons to win the war. Had the bombs not been implemented, Japan would not have surrender so quickly and peacefully, and hundreds of thousands of lives could have been lost in the fight for peace. Had the United States not come out with the bomb, Germany would have undoubtedly discovered it, and the results of Germany using the bomb would have been much more devastating than the results of America’s excursions. The bombs were definitely a military strategy to win the war and any diplomatic advantage was simply an added benefit that ensured future peace.

Poicies and Procedures That Are in Place to Protect Children and Young People

Explain policies and procedures that are in place to protect children and young people and adults who work with them Policies and procedures in place at Northfield primary to protect the children and those that work with them are the child protection policy, equalities policy, PSHE and citizenship policy safeguarding policy and anti-bullying policy. Strategies from all of these policies are combined in all areas of the school day to protect all who work and learn in school.Northfield believes that promoting positive behaviour is the way forward as children learn best and behave best when they know what is expected of them and when they are positively encouraged to behave well. They need to have opportunities to experience success and also need to be aware that if they do not behave appropriately they will be consistently but fairly treated. Each child knows the code of conduct which is displayed around the school, included in the home/school agreement and is reiterated during assembl y/PHSE times.Children that are bullied are not singled out or treated differently, they are comforted and encouraged to talk openly about what has happened and reassured that everything will be done to resolve the situation with the best possible outcome. Buddy systems are in place so that no one has to be alone at playtimes and older children look out for children on their own and help them to join in with others.As well as the children the policies and procedures are there to also protect the adults that work with children. It is essential that all professionals follow safe working practices too, as this protects everyone. For example if a disclosure is made by a child it must always be taken seriously and the correct procedure followed as in the safeguarding policy even if this turns out to be a mistake or untrue.An example of this happened to a friend of mine a few years back who is a nurse, her daughter had gone back to nursery school after the weekend having been absent for a few days beforehand, when asked what the children had been doing over the weekend the child had replied â€Å"Daddy been putting smarties up me bum†. Child services were called in and in the end it turned out that my friend had been doing the weekend shift at the hospital and her husband had been left the job of administering the suppository when required.This turned out to be a misunderstanding but was taken seriously as it could quite easily have been sexual abuse and was quickly sorted out. The child should be listened to in a calm, supportive manner and they should be allowed to speak openly. They should be reassured and the designated safeguarding officer should be told as soon as possible. When adults working within the school adhere to the policies and procedures while working they are not putting themselves into a position where allegations can be made true or false.For example if a child needs a nappy change there should always be two members of staff present, or if a child has an injury the adult should query it if it has not happened at school and inform the class teacher or safeguarding officer as necessary. If the injury has occurred at school then an accident form should be filled in and the appropriate first aid carried out by the designated first aider. All injuries should be timed and dated and an explanation or drawing of the injury should be documented for future reference.

Around the World in 80 Days Review

'Around the World in 80 Days' Review Jules Vernes Around the World in Eighty Days is a rip-roaring adventure story set primarily in  Victorian England but spans the world following its protagonist Phileas Fogg. Written with a cosmopolitan and open view of the world, Around the World in Eighty Days is a brilliant tale. Vivid in its descriptions, Fogg, a cold, brittle man, who slowly shows that he does have the heart of an Englishman. The book wonderfully captures a spirit of adventure that was bubbling around the turn of the century and is impossible to put down. The Main Plot The story begins in London where the reader is introduced to an incredibly precise and controlled man by the name of Fogg. Fogg lives happily, although a little mysteriously, for no-one knows the true origin of his wealth. He goes to his gentlemans club every day, and it is there that he accepts a wager to travel around the world in eighty days. He packs his things and, along with his manservant, Passepartout he sets out on his journey. Early on in his voyage, a police inspector begins to trail him, believing Fogg is a bank robber. After a reasonably uneventful start, difficulties emerge in India when Fogg realities that a train line he was hoping to take has not been finished. He decides to takes an elephant instead. This diversion is fortunate in one way, for Fogg meets and saves an Indian woman from a forced marriage. On his journey, Fogg will fall in love with Aouda and, on his return to England will make her his wife. In the interim, however, Fogg faces a number of challenges, including losing Passepartout to a Yokohama circus and being attacked by Native Americans in the Midwest. During this incident, Fogg shows his humanity by going off personally to save his manservant, despite the fact that this could well cost him his bet. Finally, Fogg manages to get back onto British soil (albeit by leading a mutiny aboard a French steamer) and seemingly in enough time to win his bet. At this point, the police inspector arrests him, delaying him just long enough to lose the bet. He returns home saddened by his failure, but brightened by the fact that Aouda has agreed to marry him. When Passepartout is sent to arrange the wedding, he realizes that it is a day earlier than they think (by traveling East across the International date line they have gained a day), and so Fogg wins his bet. The Human Spirit of Adventure Unlike many of his more science-based fiction stories, Jules Vernes Around the World in Eighty Days is interested in the capabilities of technology in his own time. The things that human beings can achieve armed only with a sense of adventure and an exploratory spirit. It is also a brilliant dissection of what it is to be English in the time of empire. Fogg is a brilliantly drawn character, a man who is stiff-upper-lipped and precise in all his habits. However, as the novel goes on the icy man begins to thaw. He begins to place the importance of friendship and love above his usual concerns of reserve and punctuality. In the end, he is willing to lose his bet to help a friend. He doesn’t care about defeat because he has won the hand of the woman he loves. Although some would argue it doesnt have the great literary merit of some novels written around the same time, Around the World in Eighty Days certainly makes up for it with its vivid descriptions. The undoubtedly a classic story is peopled with characters who will be long remembered. It is a breathtaking roller-coaster ride around the world and a touching view of an older time. Filled with the thrill of adventure, Around the World in Eighty Days is a wonderful story, written with skill and no short order of panache.

How to Make Sulfuric Acid at Home

How to Make Sulfuric Acid at Home Sulfuric acid is a useful acid to have on hand for a variety of home chemistry projects. However, it is not easy to obtain. Fortunately, you can make it yourself. Homemade Sulfuric Acid Materials This method starts with diluted sulfuric acid, which you boil to make concentrated sulfuric acid. This is the safest and easiest method of making sulfuric acid at home. Car battery acidGlass containerOutdoor source of heat, like a grill Battery acid, which may be purchased at an automotive supply store, is approximately 35% sulfuric acid. In many cases, this will be strong enough for your activities, but if you need concentrated sulfuric acid, you just need to remove the water. The resulting acid will not be as pure as reagent-grade sulfuric acid. Safest Method If you arent in a hurry, you can concentrate sulfuric acid by allowing the water to evaporate naturally. This takes several days. Place an open container of sulfuric acid somewhere with good circulation, safe from the possibility of a spill.Loosely cover the container to minimize contamination with dust and other particulates.Wait. The water will evaporate out of the solution, eventually leaving you with concentrated sulfuric acid. Note that sulfuric acid is highly hygroscopic, so it will retain a certain amount of water. You would need to heat the liquid to drive off the remaining water. Quickest Method The fastest method to concentrate sulfuric acid is to boil the water out of the acid. This is fast but requires extreme care. Youll want to do this outdoors so you wont be exposed to acid fumes, using borosilicate glass (Pyrex or Kimax). There is always a risk of shattering a glass container no matter what you are heating, so you need to be prepared for that possibility. Do not leave this project unattended. Heat the battery acid in a borosilicate glass pan.When the liquid level stops dropping, you will have concentrated the acid as much as you can. At this point, the steam will be replaced by white vapor, too. Be careful to avoid inhaling the fumes.Allow the liquid to cool before transferring it to another container.Seal the container to prevent water from the air getting into the acid. If the container is left open too long, the sulfuric acid will become diluted. Safety Notes Its advisable to keep baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) or another base on hand. If you spill some acid, you can quickly neutralize it by reacting it with the baking soda. Simply sprinkle baking soda on the spill.Be careful to avoid contact with the sulfuric acid. Sulfuric acid is one of the strong acids. It is extremely corrosive and will react vigorously and unpleasantly with skin, mucous membranes, clothing and just about anything else it touches. Do not breathe the vapors, do not touch the acid, and do not spill it. Tie long hair back, wear goggles and gloves and cover exposed skin.Dont use metal pans or utensils. Sulfuric acid reacts with metal. Also, it will attack some types of plastic. Glass is a good choice.Sulfuric acid reacts with water in an exothermic reaction, but dilution with water is the best way to deal with an acid spill. Be sure to have copious amounts of water available, just in case something goes wrong. You can flood a small amount of acid with water. One the ac id is diluted, it can be neutralized with a weak base, such as baking soda, Caution: Sulfuric acid will splash when mixed with water. If you are going to work with this acid, know and respect its properties. Fast Facts: Making Sulfuric Acid Diluted sulfuric acid may be concentrated by boiling the liquid.Because fumes will be involved, its best to concentrate sulfuric acid outdoors or under a fume hood. Sulfuric Acid Projects and More Once you have sulfuric acid, its a good idea to learn more about it before using it, including the risks associated with using it and what projects you can do with it: How to Prepare Sulfuric Acid Solutions/DilutionsSulfuric Acid and Sugar DemoMixing Sulfuric Acid and WaterWhat Is Battery Acid? Notes About Battery Acid Battery acid is about 35% sulfuric acid. You can purchase it at an automotive supply store. It may not be on the shelf, so ask for it. Battery acid may be sold in five-gallon boxes, with the acid in a heavy-duty plastic bag and a plastic tube to dispense the liquid. The box is heavy; it would be disastrous to drop it. Therefore, its a good idea to know what to expect. Its practical to dispense a working volume of acid rather than try to deal with the entire container. Although the acid may come in a plastic container, its best to store this acid in a glass bottle. Sulfuric acid reacts with some types of plastic and may corrode a plastic container. The example mentioned used a glass wine bottle that had a plastic screw-top cap. Whatever container you use, be certain to label it as sulfuric acid and poison and store it somewhere that children and pets cant get to it. Also, dont store acid with ammonia because the two chemicals mix to release toxic fumes.

Italy History and Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Italy History and Politics - Essay Example Certainly all 4 families flex their muscles throughout Italy and beyond its borders, but the strength of corruption's grip is felt most noticeably in the South. Consider this: although a large flow of cash is continually funneled through political parties and persons in positions of power [reference Silvio Belusconi's rise, fall and subsequent rise to power as an example], Italy's underworld makes it's biggest profits from the lowest common denominator: the public sector. Hence the existence of the "tangenti" better known as the bribe or kickback. Used as a means to buy into businesses and the lucrative contracts that come with it; in areas as diverse as construction, trash removal and produce distribution to name just a few ( Moody 1 ). The rampant use of the tangenti reached epic heights during the 1980's and 1990's. Paul Ginsborg touches on the phenomenon is his epic volume Italy and It's Discontents where he briefly examines the kickback scandals inherit to the later half of the 90's as well as the murky relationship between seven-time Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti and the Mafia. Money wasn't buying power so much as it was buying position. Consider one of the most well known Italian kickback scandals of the last 20 years involving computer giant Olivetti. In a face-to-face admission with Milan prosecutors, Olivetti Chief executive officer Carlo De Benedetti confessed that his company $6.8 million in tangenti between 1988 and the end of 1991. Most of the money, he said, was funneled to the Socialist and Christian Democrat parties in return for contracts to nearly $400 million worth of computers and printers to Italy’s national postal service (Moody 4). Why the motivation to play with the bad guys? Before Olivetti involved itself in tangenti, the company's annual sales to the post office totaled just over $1 million. The next year after tangenti payments kicked in and money was delivered to the political parties Olivetti revenues soared to nearly 4150 million. A coincidence Recalled De Benedetti: When I stopped paying, we (Olivetti) didn't get any more business with the Italian post office.But what hurt more is that our business outsideof Italy suffered. It was impossible to sell any-anything to the Dutch, for instance, since we couldn't get a good reference any longer fromwithin Italy. (Moody 3) Thirty years later and same type of hardball is still played. As recently as 5 October 2005, Federal investigators were unraveling a huge kickback scandal involving the Mafia and construction companies bidding for multi-million dollar lucrative contracts to build a bridge that will link Reggio Calabria and Mesina and cut travel time in half.(La Republica, 6). In sharp contrast, it's not like Italians haven't at least tried to rebel against this type of underhandedness. Widespread state corruption, historically endemic in the country, accelerated during the 1980's and both the ruling parties were systematically involved in clientism, and stealing from the public purse. The mafia thrived thanks to collusions of the state. Key figures in Italy's various crime families did deals with politicians which guaranteed votes of immunity