Wemmick - Character Analysis Essay Example for Free

Wemmick Character Analysis Essay In an abstract manner Doyle uses Watson to represent the reader in terms of resemblance of attributes; for instance both the reader and Watson are both ignorant of many important intricacies of the case so that they both rely on Holmes to decipher the details for them. Also it could be suggested that both Watson and the audience are trying to escape a much more tedious life and indulge in the exhilarating escapades of Sherlock Holmes. Furthermore the questions that Holmes asks Watson also probe the reader to answer the question for themselves; this is major attraction to this genre, the sense that they are solving a crime. This teamed with the fact that a Victorian audience would be able to relate even more specifically, on different levels, with Watson due to the relevance of him being a Victorian gentleman of which the readers would have been familiar with. Watson is particularly descriptive which gives the reader a real sense of the location and atmosphere. The vocabulary is also characteristic of Watson with the many words being adjectives repeated from story to story. An illustration of this point is the word ejaculated to describe the abrupt vocalizations of someone; this all gives a sense of familiarity with the stories and also a rapport with Watsons character. This sense of security that familiarity brought was badly needed by a Victorian audience who were unsure of their safety due to the lacklustre crime prevention of the police force. Unlike the Victorian police Sherlock Holmes always captured the criminal which was exceptionally reassuring at the time. Holmes and Watson are two very different characters with one common goal, to apprehend the guilty party in whatever mystery they are both entangled in. This contrast in character serves again to glorify Holmes as a gifted detective, this works in the way that Watson is a rather passive character or Holmes foil if you will, which leads most of the proceedings to be conducted by Holmes which shows in a positively intellectual light. The contrast in the logical awareness of Watson and Holmes leaves Holmes appearing almost omniscient compared to the usually clueless Watson. This technique is also used with the numerous police inspectors Holmes employs to do his bidding, each time they look the fool whilst Holmes seizes the acclaim. This is technique used by Doyle to idolise Holmes to the reader. The language used throughout the Sherlock Holmes stories is intensely descriptive as to quench the readers thirst for all the aspects that could have effected the mystery incurring. In historical context this ultra-descriptive style of writing was a more necessary feature in a pre-television era, however in the twenty-first century a readers desire for a detailed picture of other human life is fulfilled by other more advanced forms of media. This is perhaps why, in my experience, readers of the present time period are not exhilarated by the, at the time innovative, detailed style of writing. Watson is very much used as tool by Doyle, in all the ways suggested throughout this essay but also in a different, more political manner. In the Holmes stories Watson conveys the generalised views of an upper class society at the time. The ideals concerned included a negative look upon drugs and an opinion that they are used, or abused, by the subordinate social groups. Watsons, or Doyles, views are shared in this quote You should be ashamed of yourself! This is Watson taking a stern view upon one of his own noble friends indulging in a couple days in an opium den. Watson is also especially respectable of all women throughout the stories, chivalry being an exceptionally valued commodity in Victorian times. Watson, or better still Doyle, is a voice of the Victorian era, which is why the stories were so popular at the time. Further still Watson gives a social commentary of Victorian London which, as you can imagine, would be most interesting to not only Victorian Londoners but also Victorians that lived in other areas but were curious of the cosmopolitan lifestyle of London. Watson teamed with Holmes gives them this along with a descriptive and arguably a thrilling story. In conclusion my belief is that, yes, Watson is a better suited narrator for a Victorian audience rather than a modern audience, this being because of the chronologically social relevance that would supply greater interest for a Victorian reader. However disagreement is found with the statement that Watson is an inadequate narrator for twenty-first century reader as the stories still raise a lot of interesting issues and remain a thrilling read due to the exciting adventures Holmes embarks upon. An objection modern readers have is that the stories are formulaic and therefore tiresome however for the Victorian audience this was an essential feature to bring a sense of security into their generally uncertain lives. There is no doubt that the Sherlock Holmes stories are written for a Victorian audience however this does not exclude modern readers from finding the same overall enjoyment from the stories. The fact is that certain features may not be relevant to a modern readers interests or experiences in a modern life. A plus point is that because of the impression made, upon the stories, by Victorian life that Sherlock Holmes is a useful research tool for that time period. Additionally it is not a question of Watson being unsuitable for a modern audience but instead it is an issue of the crime stories themselves being relevant and therefore enjoyable for a modern audience. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Arthur Conan Doyle section.

Theory of the Prism Spectrometer Experiment

Theory of the Prism Spectrometer Experiment Introduction When a beam of light is transmitted from air to glass, the ray is bent according to Snells law sin0air= nsin0glass Where the angles are measured from the surface normal (the line perpendicular to the surface) and n is the index of refraction of the glass. The index of refraction is a dimension-less number and is a measure of how strongly the medium bends light. The greater n is, the more the light is bent. The index of refraction of air is 1. For glass, n varies from 1.3 to 1.8, depending on the type of glass and on the wavelength of the light. White light is made up of all the colors of the rainbow red, yellow, green, blue, and violet. Different colors correspond to different wavelengths. Human eyes are sensitive to light with wavelengths in the range 390 nm (violet) to 750 nm (red) (1 nm = nanometer = 10-9 m). Range of human vision Glass has a greater index of refraction at shorter wavelengths, that is, it bends blue light more than red light. So a prism can be used to disperse white light into its component colors. Blue red wavelength In this experiment, we will use a prism spectrometer to measure the dispersion angle of various wavelengths. From the measurements, we will make a graph of the index of refraction vs. wavelength. The form of the curve of index of refraction as a function of wavelength, known as the Cauchy formula, is n = A + B/l2 Or n = A + (b/l)2 As a light source, we will use a mercury lamp, which emits light at several discrete wavelengths. The device we are using is called a prism spectrometer because, once the prism is calibrated, it can be used to measure the wavelengths of the lines in the spectra produced by various atoms. The spectra contain bright lines at particular wavelengths, which correspond to light emitted during the transition between different energy states of the atoms. You see distinct lines because the atoms exist only in distinct, quantized energy states. Trying to explain the data from such experiments— the existence and pattern of sharp spectral lines—led to the development of quantum mechanics. When a ray of light is refracted by a prism, the angle between the incoming and outgoing rays is called the angle of deviation (b). For a given prism and a given wavelength, the value of b depends on the angle between the incoming ray and the surface of the prism. b is minimum when the angles of the incoming and outgoing rays make equal angles with the prism surfaces. In this special symmetric case, the prisms index of refraction (n) is related to b and the apex angle of the prism N= The prisms that we will use all have a = 60 ° (exactly, we assume).There exist extensive tables of the line spectra of many elements. In the first part of the experiment, you will be using the known spectrum of mercury to calibrate your prism spectrometer. As a result, you have measured the curve of index of refraction as a function of wavelength. So if you measure a new line of a spectrum, you can calculate the index of refraction and use your curve to look up the wavelength for the new line. This process is used in identifying the elements present in unknown samples, such as the atmospheres of distant stars. The element helium, now used to inflate birthday balloons, was first discovered by observing the atmosphere of a nearby the star, the sun (helios is Greek for sun). In the last part of the experiment you will have the opportunity to measure the spectrum of a gas in this fashion. The fine prism spectrometers used in this lab were purchased in 1970 for $700 each. Today inferior models are available for $1700. Handle them with respect! Never force any parts!à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã†â€™ OBJECTIVES: Learn the theory of the prism spectrometer, and be able to explain the functions of its various components. Observe the spectrum of a mercury discharge lamp and record the angle of deviation for the spectral lines. Determine the index of refraction of a glass prism for various wavelengths. Use the calibrated prism to measure unknown wavelengths. Observe color sensation caused by light of particular wavelengths. Methodology 1. Become familiar with the spectrometer a) Identify each component: the black table, the prism table, the collimator, and the telescope b) Note the clamping screws and the fine adjustment screws for the telescope and the black table. Note the clamping screw for the prism table. c) Note how to adjust the telescope focus and the eyepiece. d) Note how to adjust the slit focusing in the collimator tube. Note how the slit width can be adjusted and how the slit orientation can be rotated. 2. Practice reading the angle from a precise protractor scale on the rim of the black table. Use the Vernier scale with the little magnifying glass to read the angle to the nearest arc minute. 3. Align the spectrometer In order to correctly measure angles with the spectrometer, we must first align it. To do so, use the following steps: a) Telescope focus: Do not put the prism onto the silver table yet. That will come later. Notice that there are two knobs associated with the telescope. They are located directly under the telescope barrel. One points along the barrel and one is perpendicular to it. The knob that is along the barrel will lock the telescope’s position and will prevent it from rotating. When it is locked down in this way, you can use the other knob for a fine adjustment, to rotate it by very small amounts. If the telescope is not unlocked, turn the knob that is parallel to the barrel counterclockwise until you can freely rotate the telescope. Turn the telescope so that it is not pointing at the collimator but is instead aimed at something as far away from you in the room as possible. Now rotate the focus adjustment (See diagram on page 5) until you can see through the telescope clearly. You may notice that the image is upside down. This is normal. Just ensure that it is as clear and in focus as you can. After this adjustment, you should not adjust the focus of the telescope again. b) Telescope alignment: Now place a white light (desk lamp) in front of the slit on the end of the collimator (in the diagram on page 5, the desk lamp goes where the â€Å"HG lamp† is pictured). Now rotate the telescope until it is pointed at the collimator. You should imagine a straight line going from the lamp through the collimator, and through the telescope. By looking through the telescope, you should be able to line up the crosshair with the slit in the far end of the collimator. By locking down the telescope and using the fine adjustment (the knob perpendicular to the one that you used to lock down the telescope) you should be able to do this very accurately. If you are unable to see the slit, it may be closed too tightly. You can widen and narrow the slit by rotating the adjuster on the collimator (it is located on the far end of the collimator, much like the focus for the telescope). This will adjust the slit width, but will not focus the slit. If the slit does not have very crisp edges when you look through the telescope, move the end of the collimator near the lamp in and out to focus it. If your slit is not vertical in the telescope, you can also rotate it so that it is. Once you have a nice thin, well-focused slit, with your crosshairs centered on it and your telescope locked down, you are now ready to align the scales to read the angle. c) Angle adjustment: If you look below the set of knobs that control the telescope, you will see another pair of knobs that look identical to the ones for the telescope. These knobs perform the same functions (locking down and fine adjustment) for the black table itself. If you unlock the black table, you can rotate it. Notice that there are two windows in which you can read an angle. We want to rotate the table until one of the windows has 0 (zero) lined up with 0 (zero) or 360 (since a circle is 360 degrees, 360 is the same as 180. If at all possible, we should try to use set it so that this window is to the left of the telescope (as we are looking over the barrel toward the lamp) because this will make reading our angle easiest. (Please have a look at the diagram on page 5) On some scopes there is a small magnifier attached to the black table over one window, and this would also be advantageous to use. Once you have aligned them, you will lock down the black table and will not rot ate it again. From now on, we will only rotate the telescope. d) Prism placement: Now you should place the prism in the center of the silver table. Recall that light is bent toward the base of the prism, so it should be placed on the silver table so that the gray plastic part makes a â€Å"C† shape if you were to look at it from the telescope side of the apparatus. Now, without moving the telescope, move your head to the left (about to where the telescope is rotated to in the diagram on page 5) and look into the prism. You will have to put your head down at the height of the telescope/collimator. Now rotate the silver table clockwise until you can see a nice rainbow like spectrum â€Å"inside† the prism. (You should notice that the rainbow is inside of a black circle. You are seeing the light coming out of the collimator and bent through the prism.) If it does not look like a very nice, bright, well-formed rainbow, you probably do not have your head in the right place; move further left and try to rotate the silver table back and forth. Once you have found it, unlock the telescope (not the black table) and rotate it to the left where you were looking. Now look through the telescope, and you should be able to find the rainbow. We are now in about the right place to find our spectrum with the mercury vapor lamp and to adjust for the minimum angle of deviation. e) Minimum angle of deviation: Now, remove the white light and replace it with the mercury vapor lamp. You will want to move the lamp until it is aligned with the slit. To do this, look through the telescope and move the lamp back and forth until it is nice and bright in the telescope. Instead of a complete rainbow, you should now see only certain bands of color. If your bands do not look nice and sharp, you may have to adjust your slit focus or width. Some lines are better seen if you tighten the slit. (The lamp should be very close to the slit.) Move the telescope back and forth until you get the crosshair lined up on the green band. Now look back to the diagram on page 5. We want to make the angle b as small as possible. To do this, rotate the silver table back and forth just a little bit. You should be able to get the green line to move to the right. Now realign the crosshair on the green line and rotate the silver table a little bit again. Then realign the crosshair on the green line. You should repeat this process until no matter which way you rotate the silver table, the green line goes to the left, not the right. When this occurs, and the green line is as far as you can get it to go to the right, you are at the minimum angle of deviation. This angle should be around 51 or 52 degrees for the green line. If it is not, you may not have aligned the scales correctly, please repeat steps c, d, and e from above. (Record it below). Every time that you do a different color, you will have to repeat this process. f) Record the prism number and read the deviation angle on the protractor. Prism # _______ b = _______  ° _______ ’ = ___________ ° 4. Measure the angle of deviation for each of the spectral lines of the Mercury lamp. The wavelengths and colors of the spectral lines are given in the table below. While making measurements, unclamp and rotate the prism table to check that the prism is oriented for minimum angle of deviation for the red, green, and blue lines. When measuring very closely spaced lines, like the double yellow lines, make the slit very narrow and check the focus. When measuring dim lines, make the slit wider.

Louis Braille Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Louis Braille Louis Braille was born in the Coupvray, France on January 4, 1809. His mother and father were Monique and Simon Renà © Braille. Louis was the youngest of four other children. Their names were Louis-Simon, Catherine-Josephine, and Marie-Celine.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Louis’ father, Simon Renà ©, was a saddler. He made saddles and harnesses for horses. His father had also been a saddler. Louis family led a simple, ordinary life. They owned their farmhouse and seven and a half acres of land. Louis dad’s workshop was also on this land. The Braille’s didn’t have that much money, but there was always plenty of food on the table. The family lived on a road called Chemin des Buttes. It would later be renamed to Rue Louis Braille.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Louis would often visit his dad in the workshop. To Louis the shop was an exiting adventure every time he would walk in there. The workshop smelt of leather, and bridles, reins, and straps hung everywhere. In the middle of the workshop stood a bench with many sharp tool. Not a very safe place for a three year old.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The tragedy is not known in perfect detail. Nor is the exact date known. But it happened sometime in the year 1812. The investigating three-year-old boy climbed onto the workbench in the workshop when his father was not looking. Louis reached for an awl or knife. Soon after, people nearby heard yelling coming from the workshop. Louis was crying, and blood gushed down his face. His hands had slipped off the sharp tool, and the awl had cut into his eye. Louis mom and dad did every thing they could for the helpless child. They cleaned the bleeding eye and covered it up with bandages. When the bleeding stopped, they took Louis to the doctor. In those days doctors didn’t know a lot about helping infections. Powerless the doctor and the Braille family looked on as Louis’ infection spread to the other eye. Every thing became blurry for Louis. He began to bump into things; he would drop things, and began to stumble constantly. His family took him to an eye doctor in a adjacent town, but the doctor couldn’t help the poor child. Louis’ sight got even worse each day. Eventually, he lost all sight in both eyes.   Ã‚   ... ... of teaching for two years before he was able to come back to work. Only about a week after he was teaching he began to bleed. So the doctor sent him home once again.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many years past before he go back to school. When he was able to get back on his feet there was a new school in place. Many famous people visited the school. The new buildings were ready in 1843. The students moved to the new school with all their belongings. The new building was clean and airy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By 1850, Louis was feeling very sick again. The school director let Louis stay at the school and teach a few piano lessons. By December 1851, Braille knew he was dying, so Louis put his will in order. He left many of his belongings to his friend Coltat, who gave them to the students who loved Braille. Louis gave the rest of his stuff to his mother.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Louis Braille died on January 6, 1852. He had just turned forty-three. Louis was buried at Coupvray. His final ride home was the same road he had traveled to Paris with his father. In 1854, France adopted the Braille system as its official system for blind people.

Essay --

With reference to no more than four art works, discuss the state of public art in Singapore or any one in SE Asian country. Does it integrate into its physical environment or otherwise? What function does it perform? Introduction on Public Art According to Wikipedia, public art refers to works of art in any media with the specific intention of being situated or staged in the physical public domain. In other words, they are known as artworks that are displayed anywhere in public; in an indoor or outdoor setting. These artworks are carefully planned and executed so that they compliment and integrate with its physical environment. According to Henry Moore (XXXX), displaying sculptures outdoors is best because the artwork is able to relate to the sky, rather than trees, buildings, and people because these elements may cause conflict in the artwork’s interest which will definitely lose its true meaning. In relation to the sky, only then will the public be able to contrast infinity with reality so that they are able to discover the artist’s true intention behind the artwork without making a comparison. Public art may come across to the general public as a form of physical engagement. The notion of â€Å"can see, can touch† of accessible artworks as compared to the artworks displayed in museums which is usually, in a rather controlled setting. Public art breaks that rigidity and restricted boundaries. These artworks are usually aesthetically pleasing as they humanize and provide a touch of decor to the physical environment, thereby invigorating public spaces. It provides an engaging intersection between the past, present and future across various ideas and disciplines. Public art also reflects the country’s public history and evolving cult... ...t. It activates the public’s imagination and it encourages them to pay close attention to the artwork in the physical environment. It transforms a city or country through public spaces, into something more vibrant and interesting with the expression of the artists’ imagination. Carefully conceived public art installations are able to capture the eye and mind of public walking through the public spaces. It allows the public to experience and celebrate the essence of rich connections to the history yet at the same time, it helps to define & reach out to the community within the community itself through the conceptual idea behind the artwork. Such example will be, Goh Yixiu’s site-specific installation with raffia string entitled â€Å"Paranoia†. Vito Acconci quoted, â€Å"If you want change, you must be prepared to think differently. The function of public art is to de-design†.

Praise of Chain Stores by Virginia Postrel Essay example -- wal-mart, e

â€Å"So what’s wrong if the country has 158 neighborhood California Pizza Kitchens instead of one or two?† Virginia Postrel inquires in her In Praise of Chain Stores essay (Postrel 348). In rebuttal, I plan to answer her question with more reasons than one. However, the responses I intend to offer apply not only to the CPKs of America, but for all the national retailers, big box stores, chain stores, and the like. National retailers destroy the local character of small towns. Chain stores should be limited to only run in a few highly populated urban areas. Furthermore, the costs saved in the convenience and familiarity of chain stores do not outweigh the negative economic impact and damaging effects that they can have on a community’s well-being. Postrel develops her support of national retailers throughout the essay, offering the opinion that it isn’t the stores that give places their character, but instead, aspects like the terrain, weather and culture that do (Postrel 347). While terrain, weather and culture can set apart regions, such as New England from The Deep South, and Southern California from the Midwest, it’s the community that gives each town their own special character. A community consists of the residents, their restaurants, hardware stores, pharmacies, ice cream parlors, farmers markets, and so on. These places, and the interactions that occur daily at each establishment, are the fabric that differentiate them, and create the breeding ground for diverse characteristics to flourish. While Postrel argues that wildly different business establishments across America in the past is a myth , it’s actually not necessarily that the products that varied from store to store, but more the aforementio ned factors that truly set ... ...he amount of a certain retailer’s establishments constructed within a certain amount of mileage. For example, a Wal-Mart on the north side of town and the south side of town is excessive. There is no question that chain stores have a detrimental effect on the measurable character and community of small towns. Not only are residents effected economically and collectively, but the character of the area is also threatened or compromised. In conclusion, we should all take a step back and see how we can give back to our community by leveling the playing field for local businesses. The first step in doing so is to realize the negative influences chain stores impose on small towns. Works Cited Postrel, Virginia. â€Å"In Praise of Chain Stores.†Model Essays: A Portable Anthology. Eds. Jane E. Aaron and Ellen Kuhl Repetto. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2013. 345-49

Emission Testing Essay

With this paper I hope to gain a better understanding of emission pollution and the emission testing process. With my research and my visit to the local Clean Air Car Check site, I have compiled information that will prove valuable. I will define emission pollution and the major contributors. I will answer the why we have to emission test. I will also take you through the testing process. My overall goal of this paper is to ascertain whether or not emission testing is an effective way to reduce or prevent emission pollution when one owns a vehicle. Emission Pollution Emissions describe the gases and particles that are released into the air by many different sources, including vehicles. According to the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) web site, the sources of emissions are put into four categories: point, mobile, biogenic, and area. Point sources include factories, mobile sources include vehicles, biogenic sources include gas seeps, and area sources include dry cleaners (EPA, 2006). For this paper, we will focus on mobile sources. Driving is the most polluting thing that we can do. The National Safety Council (NSC) states that motor vehicles release millions of tons of pollutants, classified as toxics, into the air each year. These toxics cause around 1,500 cases of cancer every year. Car emissions also contribute to acid rain and global warming (NSC, 2006). Vehicles emanate three major pollutants: hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide. The Coalition for Clean Air (CCA) web site states that hydrocarbons are defined as compounds containing various combinations of hydrogen and carbon atoms. Nitrogen Oxides pertain to compounds of nitric acid, nitrogen dioxide, and other oxides of nitrogen. They are typically created during combustion processes, and are major contributors to smog and acid deposition (CCA, 2007). The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) website displays the text book, Chemicals, the Environment and You. They define carbon monoxide as a colorless, odorless poison gas produced by incomplete combustion of organic matter (NIEHS, 2000). The Clean Air Car Check (CACC) web site says, â€Å"Cars and light duty trucks contribute 30-50 % of the pollution that cause harmful ozone and also contribute significantly to the amount of air toxics and particulate matter in the environment† (CACC, n. d. ). They also state that if our vehicles are properly maintained, there will be less contamination released in the air and ground water (CACC, n. d. ). What effect does emission pollution have on our environment? The Clean Air Car Check answers this by stating, Hydrocarbons are unburned gasoline particles that contribute to the formation of ground level ozone, often referred to as smog. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas formed from partially burned fuel that can adversely affect mental function, visual focus, alertness, and can even cause death. Nitrogen oxides, when mixed with other compounds, can contribute to ground level ozone, acid rain, water quality deterioration and global warming. Ozone is an irritant produced from emissions from gasoline powered vehicles. It can cause eye and throat irritations, respiratory distress, and damage breathing passages, making it difficult for the lungs to work. Ozone is formed near the ground in a photochemical process: 1) Gasoline, paints and solvents evaporate, thereby releasing hydrocarbons. 2) Cars and factories burn fossil fuels, releasing nitrogen oxide and reactive hydrocarbons. 3) Heat and sunlight trigger a photochemical reaction between these emissions, transforming them into ozone (CACC, n. d. ). Emission Testing The time is here again; time to take the car in to be emission tested. What a pain in the neck! You might think that emission testing is a waste of time, and an inconvenience. What some people may not realize is that motor vehicle manufacturers are required to meet more and more severe pollution emission standards, and it is our responsibility to maintain our vehicles (CACC, n. d. ). Recognizing faulty emission control systems and having them repaired has reduced ozone emissions by more than 4,000 pounds each summer day. Testing is just part of the 1990 federal Clean Air Act. The goal of the act is to improve our quality of air by reducing hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides (CACC, n. . ). The testing procedure may differ slightly depending on the age of the vehicle being tested. All vehicles, however, will get a gas cap pressure check. This test is used to see if the vehicles gas cap is keeping fuel vapors from escaping (CACC, n. d. ). Vehicles made from 1996 or newer will receive the on-board diagnostics test (OBD). This tests the vehicles on-board computer to make sure there ar e no malfunctions. The next test is the inspection and maintenance test (I/M 93). Vehicles made from 1981-1995 will be put on a treadmill, called a dynamometer. The exhaust is captured to evaluate the effectiveness of the emission control equipment (CACC, n. d. ). The last test is for vehicles from 1976-1980. A metal probe is inserted into the tailpipe while it is idle and a sensor is put on the hood to measure the engine speed (CACC, n. d. ). Vehicles that were made in 1975 or older are not required to be emission tested. I recently took a trip to my local Clean Air Car Check site to watch the testing procedure. A man told me that having people stand outside the waiting area is not usually allowed, but since I was doing research for school he allowed it. He also did not want his name to be used in my final paper. He did not want me to be in the way so he asked me to stay as far away as possible and he offered me a face mask. The first vehicle to be inspected was a 1990 Ford Ranger. The inspector walked around the vehicle with a long mirror, making frequent stops. I asked him what this step was for and he replied that it was to check for fluid leaks, holes in the exhaust system, or any modifications that may cause a safety hazard. Once the Ranger was inspected, the driver was asked to leave the vehicle and sit in the waiting area. The inspector checked the Ranger for a catalytic converter and then attached a device to the gas cap. This was the gas cap pressure check that makes sure that no fuel vapors are escaping. After that, the inspector drove the Ranger onto a treadmill device and had attached a large hose to the tailpipe. As he watched a screen he drove the Ranger as if he were driving it on the road. Accelerating and braking when necessary. The large hose collects the exhaust to check for emissions. The inspector let the driver return to the Ranger while he gathered the results. With a smile he politely said, â€Å"Congratulations, you passed†. The next few vehicles went through the same process. There was a different test, however, performed on a 2000 Chevrolet Blazer. After the inspector performed the gas cap pressure check, he plugged something into the bottom of the dashboard. I asked him what this process was and he said it was a scan tool and it is plugged into the OBD connector on the Blazer. He said it will read the Blazer’s computer and analyze whether or not the OBD system is working properly. I was at the Clean Air Car Check site for a little over an hour. Unfortunately, I did not see any vehicles that were from 1976-1980 so the probe test was not performed. Before I left, I asked the inspector why diesel engine trucks do not have to be tested. He said, â€Å"Unlike regular gas exhaust, the exhaust from a diesel engine has really low levels of the carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons. They just aren’t as polluting as regular cars†. Not necessarily agreeing with his last statement, I asked him how long he had worked there. He said with a smile, â€Å"10 long years. I have learned a lot, almost too much†. Effectiveness How effective is emission testing? It is effective enough to reduce emission pollution by 4,000 pounds every summer day. I asked the emission test inspector his opinion on the effectiveness of emission testing. â€Å"If our cars were not tested, the air would be much worse. † He said, â€Å"I think that having your car tested and repaired is keeping that much more crap out of our air†. My friend, who we will call Jan, said, â€Å"Emission testing is a big pain in the butt, and only three counties in Indiana do it, and I think THAT alone is bull. Doesn’t make sense. I think that if they are going to do it, it should be in all fifty states, and all counties. † She continued, â€Å"But, â€Å"if it is helping reduce the pollution in the air we breathe, I guess I will have to put up with it†. I think that testing is effective because if a vehicle does not pass, it has a time period to be repaired or it will not be able to get registered. This car will not be allowed to drive on the road, and that is less emission toxics flowing into our air. Conclusion Emission pollution is a major issue in not only Indiana, but the rest of the country. If these toxics are released from our vehicles, and emission testing can help reduce the flow, then I strongly believe it is a step in the right direction.

Identities and Belonging Essay

As social animals, human beings have a need to belong. Human beings need the stimulus of other human beings to reach their full potential. One’s identity is formed and influenced by the groups one belongs to. Humans are by nature sociable beings that must learn to cooperate for peaceful existence to occur but are also individual personalities who seek their own self fulfilment. Belonging to groups; family, social or environmental groups, can have immeasurable benefits. But while groups do provide one with a sense of identity, security and protection it can however result in sacrifices to selfhood and can entail certain inevitable costs. Groups tend to be self policing and apply criteria for membership and not everyone can fit that criteria. In order to belong, it is necessary to possess certain characteristics, and those that do not have these characteristics, are apt to be excluded. So great is the human desire for acceptance and inclusion, however that the individual may well absorb many costs in their efforts to meet the standards that is asked of them. Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else’s opinions, their lives are mimicry, and their passions are quotations. When we were born, our thought is just like a white piece of paper. During the time we grow up, our relationships and behaviours with others shape our way of thinking and our thought of life. In the text â€Å" five ways to disappoint your Vietnamese mother â€Å" Diana Nguyen ,talks about her negative relationship with her mother and how she managed to disappoint her because she wanted to follow her dreams. Diana never felt like she belonged somewhere until the day she could actually perform. * I don’t know what else I should say here* Who am I and where do I belong? These are questions we may ask ourselves on a daily basis. As you may know I was born in Greece , and I moved to Australia 1,5 years ago. I wasn’t really thrilled about it but I had no choice. I had to leave my country and go to a completely new and different place. I had to sacrifice my language so I can belong here. When I stepped into the plane to leave , the only thing that went through my head is that I had to redefine myself again , show people how I really am and try to make new friendships from the start. I remember my dad saying to me â€Å" you don’t ave to worry, this is a new start , a new life. You can be a new you ! no one knows you so you can present yourself the way you want ! † But really who was I? who am I? For the past 17 years I was Doris , a girl that wasn’t always a great student but the greatest female rower on my age group . I knew from the start that I wouldn’t be able to follow my passion here , to row . I had to stay home ,study and try to fit in! Fitting was the hardest thing to do – it still is- the first day of school it was like year 1 all over again , new people everywhere , everyone had their own groups and then it was me . Different groups have expectations that force you to sacrifice aspects of your identity. Positive and negative aspects. Also sacrificing parts of your culture so you could be â€Å"one of them†. One of the post positive and impressive things that happened to me was that in Australia , I had time to experience different greek traditions that I never did in greece ! Greek people in Melbourne try harder to keep their greek identity and culture. In Greece on the other hand we never try , we know who we are and that we will always be Greeks . We might not celebrate GreeK Easter as they do here but we know the actual meaning of it and we respect it without going to the extreme. However ,I might miss my country but I learnt a lot of stuff this past year and I can’t wait to learn more. After fitting in and finding where I belong I family found some spear time to continue what I love more , rowing. So that’s me I am just a Greek girl , who is a different person in Australia and a another one back in Greece.