Stories about Great Thinkers and Inventors

Stories about Great Thinkers and Inventors The following stories about great thinkers and inventors will help to motivate your students and enhance their appreciation of the contributions of inventors. As students read these stories, they will also realize the inventors are male, female, old, young, minority, and majority. They are ordinary people who follow through with their creative ideas to make their dreams a reality. FRISBEE  ® The term FRISBEE did not always refer to the familiar plastic disks we visualize flying through the air. Over 100 years ago, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, William Russell Frisbie owned the Frisbie Pie Company and delivered his pies locally. All of his pies were baked in the same type of 10 round tin with a raised edge, wide brim, six small holes in the bottom, and Frisbie Pies on the bottom. Playing catch with the  tins  soon became a popular local sport. However, the tins were slightly dangerous when a  toss  was missed. It became the Yale custom to yell Frisbie when throwing a pie tin. In the 40s when plastic emerged, the pie-tin game was recognized as a manufacturable and marketable product. Note:  FRISBEE  Ã‚ ® is a registered trademark of Wham-O Mfg. Co. Earmuffs Baby, Its Cold Outside Baby, Its Cold Outside may have been the song running through 13-year-old Chester Greenwoods head one cold December day in 1873. To protect his ears while ice skating, he found a piece of wire, and with his grandmothers help, padded the ends. In the beginning, his friends laughed at him. However, when they realized that he was able to stay outside skating long after they had gone inside freezing, they stopped laughing. Instead, they began to ask Chester to make ear covers for them, too. At age 17 Chester applied for a patent. For the next 60 years, Chesters factory made earmuffs, and earmuffs made Chester rich. BAND-AID  ® At the turn of the century, Mrs. Earl Dickson, an inexperienced cook, often burned and cut herself. Mr. Dickson, a Johnson and Johnson employee, got plenty of practice in hand bandaging. Out of concern for his wifes safety, he began to prepare bandages ahead of time so that his wife could apply them by herself. By combining a piece of surgical tape and a piece of gauze, he fashioned the first crude adhesive strip bandage. LIFE-SAVERS  ® Candy During the hot summer of 1913, Clarence Crane, a chocolate candy manufacturer, found himself facing a dilemma. When he tried to ship his chocolates to candy shops in other cities they melted into gooey blobs. To avoid dealing with the mess, his customers were deferring their orders until cool weather. In order to retain his customers, Mr. Crane needed to find a substitute for the melted chocolates. He experimented with hard candy which wouldnt melt during shipment. Using a machine designed for making medicine pills, Crane produced small, circular candies with a hole in the middle. The birth of LIFE SAVERS! Note on Trademarks  ® is the symbol for a registered trademark. The trademarks on this page are words used to name the inventions. Thomas Alva Edison If I were to tell you that  Thomas Alva Edison  had shown signs of inventive genius at an early age, you probably would not be surprised. Mr. Edison achieved enormous fame with his lifelong contributions of volumes of inventive technology. He received the first of his 1,093 U.S. patents by age 22. In the book, Fire of Genius, Ernest Heyn reported on a remarkable resourceful young Edison, though some of his earliest  tinkering  clearly lacked merit. Age 6 By the age of six, Thomas Edisons experiments with fire were said to have cost his father a barn. Soon after that, it is reported that young Edison tried to launch the first human balloon by persuading another youth to swallow large quantities of effervescing powders to inflate himself with gas. Of course, the experiments brought quite unexpected results! Chemistry and electricity held great fascination for this child,  Thomas Edison. By his early teens, he had designed and perfected his first real invention, an electrical cockroach control system. He glued parallel strips of tinfoil to a wall and wired the strips to the poles of a powerful battery, a deadly shock for the unsuspecting insect. As a dynamo of  creativity, Mr. Edison stood as decidedly unique; but as a child with a curious, problem-solving nature, he was not alone. Here are some more inventive children to know and appreciate. Age 14 At age 14, one schoolboy invented a rotary brush device to remove husks from wheat in the flour mill run by his friends father. The young inventors name?  Alexander Graham Bell. Age 16 At 16, another of our junior achievers saved pennies to buy materials for his chemistry experiments. While still a teenager, he set his mind on developing a commercially viable aluminum refining process. By age 25,  Charles Hall  received a patent on his revolutionary electrolytic process. Age 19 While only 19 years old, another imaginative young person designed and built his first  helicopter. In the summer of 1909, it very nearly flew. Years later,  Igor Sikorsky  perfected his design and saw his early dreams change aviation history.  Silorsky  was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1987. The are more childhood problem-solvers that we can mention. Perhaps youve heard about: Samuel Colts  childhood experience with underwater explosives;Fourteen-year-old Robert Fultons manually operated paddlewheel; andGuglielmo Marconis early mechanical/electrical tinkering.Even television tinker,  Philo T. Farnsworth, conceived his optical scanning idea at the tender age of 14. Inventions Inventions tell something about the inventors place in the society in which they live, a closeness to certain kinds of problems, and possession of certain skills. It is not surprising that up until the mid 20th Century, womens inventions were often related to childcare, housework, and healthcare, all traditional female occupations. In recent years, with access to specialized training and broader job opportunities, women are applying their creativity to many new kinds of problems, including those requiring high technology. While women have frequently come up with new ways to make their work easier, they have not always received credit for their ideas. Some stories about early women inventors show that women often recognized that they were entering a mans world, and shielded their work from the public eye by allowing men to patent their inventions. Catherine Greene Although  Eli Whitney  received a  patent for a cotton gin, Catherine Greene is said to have posed both the problem and the basic idea to Whitney. Furthermore, according to Matilda Gage, (, 1883), his first model, fitted with wooden teeth, did not do the work well, and Whitney was about to throw the work aside when Mrs. Greene proposed the substitution of wire to catch the cotton seeds. Margaret Knight Margaret Knight, remembered as the female Edison, received some 26 patents for such diverse items as a window frame and sash, machinery for cutting shoe soles, and improvements to internal combustion engines. Her most significant patent was for machinery that would automatically fold and glue paper bags to create square bottoms, an invention which dramatically changed shopping habits. Workmen reportedly refused her advice when first installing the equipment because, after all, what does a woman know about machines? More about  Margaret Knight Sarah Breedlove Walker Sarah Breedlove Walker, the daughter of former slaves, was orphaned at seven and widowed by 20.  Madame Walker  is credited with inventing hair lotions, creams, and an improved hair styling hot comb. But her greatest achievement may be the development of the Walker System, which included a broad offering of cosmetics, licensed Walker Agents, and Walker Schools, which offered meaningful employment and personal growth to thousands of Walker Agents, mostly Black women. Sarah Walker was the first American woman  self-made millionaire. More about  Sarah Breedlove Walker Bette Graham Bette Graham hoped to be an artist, but circumstances led her into secretarial work. Bette, however, was not an accurate typist. Fortunately, she recalled that artists could correct their mistakes by painting over them with gesso, so she invented a quick drying paint to cover her typing mistakes. Bette first prepared the secret formula in her kitchen using a hand mixer, and her young son helped to pour the mixture into little bottles. In 1980, the Liquid Paper Corporation, which Bette Graham built, was sold for over $47 million. More about   Bette  GRaham Ann Moore Ann Moore, a Peace Corps volunteer, saw how African women carried babies on their backs by tying cloth around their bodies, leaving both hands free for other work. When she returned to the United States, she designed a carrier which became the popular SNUGLI. Recently Ms. Moore received another patent for a carrier to conveniently transport oxygen cylinders. People needing oxygen for breathing assistance, who were previously confined to stationary oxygen tanks, can now move about more freely. Her company now sells several versions including lightweight backpacks, handbags, shoulder bags, and wheelchair/walker carriers for portable cylinders. Stephanie Kwolek Stephanie Kwolek, one of Duponts leading chemists, discovered the miracle fiber, Kevlar, which has five times the strength of steel by weight. Uses for Kevlar are seemingly endless, including ropes and cables for oil drilling rigs, canoe hulls, boat sails, automobile bodies and tires, and military and motorcycle helmets. Many Viet Nam veterans and police officers are alive today because of protection provided by bullet-proof vests made from Kevlar. Because of its strength and lightness, Kevlar was chosen as the material for the Gossamer Albatross, a pedal airplane flown across the English Channel. Kwolek was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1995. More on  Stephanie Kwolek Gertrude B. Elion Gertrude B. Elion, 1988 Nobel laureate in Medicine, and Scientist Emeritus with Burroughs Wellcome Company, is credited with the synthesis of two of the first successful drugs for Leukemia, as well as Imuron, an agent to prevent the rejection of kidney transplants, and Zovirax, the first selective antiviral agent against herpes virus infections. Researchers who discovered AZT, a breakthrough treatment for AIDS, used Elions protocols. Elion was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1991, the first woman inductee. More on Gertrude B. Elion Did you Know That.. windshield wipers were patented by  Mary Anderson  in 1903?dandruff shampoo was patented by Josie Stuart in 1903?a dishwasher was patented by  Josephine Cochrane  in 1914?the first disposable diaper was patented by Marion Donovan in 1951?a compact portable hair dryer was patented by Harriet J. Stern in 1962?a dough product for frozen pizza was patented by Rose Totino in 1979?the Melitta Automatic Drip Coffee Maker was patented by Melitta Benz in Germany in 1908? Between 1863 and 1913, approximately 1,200 inventions were patented by minority  inventors.  Many  more were unidentified because they hid their race to avoid discrimination or sold their inventions to others. The following stories are about a few of the  great minority  inventors. Elijah McCoy Elijah McCoy  earned  about 50 patents, however, his most  famous one  was for a metal or glass cup that fed oil to bearings through a small-bore tube. Elijah McCoy was born in Ontario, Canada, in 1843, the son of slaves who had fled Kentucky. He died in Michigan in 1929. More about  Elijah McCoy Benjamin Banneker Benjamin Banneker created the first striking clock made of wood in America. He became known as the Afro-American Astronomer. He published an almanac and with his knowledge of mathematics and astronomy, he assisted in the surveying and planning of the new city of Washington, D.C. More about  Benjamin Banneker Granville Woods Granville Woods  had more than 60  patents. Known as the Black Edison, he improved Bells telegraph and created an electrical motor that made the underground subway possible. He also improved the airbrake. More about  Granville Woods Garrett Morgan Garrett Morgan  invented an improved  traffic signal. He also invented a safety hood for firefighters. More about  Garrett Morgan George Washington Carver George Washington Carver aided the Southern states with his  many inventions. He discovered over 300 different products made from the peanut which, until Carver, was considered a lowly food fit for hogs. He dedicated himself to teaching others, learning and working with nature. He created over 125 new products with the sweet potato and taught poor farmers how to rotate crops to  improve  their soil and their cotton.  George Washington Carver  was a great scientist and inventor who learned to be a careful observer and who was honored throughout the world for his creation of new things. More about  George Washington Carver

Test Tube Thunderstorm Chemistry Demonstration

Test Tube Thunderstorm Chemistry Demonstration You can react chemicals to produce what looks like a thunderstorm in a test tube. This is a spectacular chemistry demonstration that is suitable for chemistry class or lab. Safety You must be careful with this demonstration and keep any students away from the setup. It involves corrosive acid, flammable alcohol or acetone, and a slight chance of glassware shattering as a result of the vigorous chemical reaction. The test tube thunderstorm demonstration should only be performed by qualified individuals, wearing full protective gear and using proper safety precautions. Materials 95% alcohol (any type) or acetonesulfuric acidpotassium permanganateglass pipettetest tube Perform the Demonstration Wear gloves, a face shield, and protective clothing. Pour some alcohol or acetone into a test tube.Use a glass pipette to introduce a layer of sulfuric acid below the alcohol or acetone. Avoid any mixing of the two liquids, since the demonstration wont work if too much mixing occurs. Do not handle the test tube beyond this point.Drop a few crystals of potassium permanganate into the test tube.Turn out the lights. The sulfuric acid and the permanganate react to form manganese heptoxide, which explodes when it comes into contact with the alcohol or acetone. The reaction looks a bit like a thunderstorm in a test tube.When the demonstration is concluded, inactivate the reaction by using metal tongs to place the test tube into a large container of water. Be very careful! There is a chance the test tube could shatter.

Inghir-Jerusalem Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Inghir-Jerusalem - Essay Example The synagogue is no more but the Kamal’s grandfather seems to vividly remember that it once stood at the position. As Kamal speaks with some people, the mixing of Arab, French, and Berber languages is evidence enough of their ties to Tinghir. The documentary explores the 2000 years old Jew shelters in the author’s village of Tinghir, situated in Morocco. Throughout the film, Kamal moves back and forth between Tinghir and Israel in search for answers. As the film advances, Kamal meets some Jews who still hold tight to their Moroccan identity. This is great step towards finding out the real events that triggered the Jew migration from Tinghir. The film is based on a true story that shows the collaboration between Jews and Muslims that fell apart after the Jews moved to Israel. Although the Jews did not have it all, the coexistence was still a great one. As Kamal speaks to both sides, Jews and Muslims, they seem to cherish and desire a reunion to the great coexistence that they once had. Kamal tries to discover what happened with an aim that the two once friendly communities will one day reunite. The film has an interesting and captivating story line that gives the viewers a desire to watch more as the events unfold. The film has an important lesson and can be used to stop the raging conflicts that are recurrent in today’s world. From time to time, the Israelites are in conflict with the Arab nations and as a result, a great hostility has escalated. How could the once peaceful coexistence turn into raging conflicts and everyday war? What went wrong? What can be done? These are among the many questions on peoples’ minds as they try to bring to an end the seemingly unending conflict. This film can be used as a starting point to remind the two conflicting sides of the enviable cooperation that once was. In addition, the Muslims were not the reason for the Jew

Why were the Americans unable to prevail in Vietnam whilst the British Essay

Why were the Americans unable to prevail in Vietnam whilst the British succeeded in Malaya - Essay Example The war was viewed by the American people as redundant as they were not convinced of any potential danger from the rising communism in the Asian regions. This resulted in the U.S. presidents of the Cold war era losing the votes of the common people in support of the war. Moreover, the war proved to be expensive and the economic repercussions were felt for more than a decade. After the end of the war which happened more because of the agitation among the American people, the final consequences became a learning experience of the U.S. leaders for what strategies to adopt in any future conflicts. The Malayan emergency was a guerrilla war between the Malayan National Liberation Army (MNLA) and the British and Commonwealth forces. The MNLA communists were mainly comprised of the poor Chinese population who were based in jungles. The MNLA and its allies termed the combat as Anti-British National Liberation War. The guerrillas focused on rescuing Malaya from the controlling power of the Bri tish colonial administration. The conflict which started on 18 June 1948 was termed as Emergency after three European plantation managers were killed by the guerrillas in the northern state of Perak (â€Å"The Malayan Emergency: Background†). . ... For instance, the Battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775, the capture of Fort Sumter in 1861, the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, and the North Korean invasion of South Korea in June 1950. Unlike these events, the American war in Vietnam had no concrete reasons nor was there any fixed beginning point. The American participation in the Vietnam War was a result of series of events that occurred during the period between 1950 and 1965. In the month of May 1950, the then American President Harry S. Truman sanctioned to initiate a modest program for helping the French. Truman sanctioned economic and military assistance to the French who were engaged in battles to retain their controlling power of their Indochina colony, including Laos, Cambodia as well as Vietnam. When the Vietminh army which was originally formed to protect Vietnam from the French colonial power defeated the French armed forces at Dienbienphu in 1954, the French were left with no other choice but to create a Communist Vietnam north of the 17th parallel. Then the south of that line remained as a non-Communist region. The United States however did not agree with this kind of arrangement. When Dwight D. Eisenhower became the U.S. president, his administration attempted to take over and build a nation in South Vietnam which was by then holding a fake political entity. The U.S. concocted a government in South Vietnam, subjugated the French army and also sent military advisers to prepare a South Vietnamese army. U.S. also unleashed the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in order to conduct a psychological warfare against North Vietnam. In early 1961, President John F. Kennedy designed another strategy that contributed towards

Morality and Relagion Essay Example for Free

Morality and Relagion Essay Morality refers to a set of principles that guide an individual on how one evaluates right and wrong. People believing in religion consider morality is shaped by religion because they believe that morality can be understood only in the context of religion; therefore, those religious people insist if there were no religion, people would be out of control. However, religious beliefs give people a wrong definition of moral value, indeed, morality is shaped only by instinct and environment. Regardless of religion, morality comes from instinct. Human beings are social creatures; they have to live in groups for reproduction and survival that has not changed at all since the ancient time. Looking back to history, people live in groups to share food, to take care of infants and build social networks to meet the daily challenges of their environment. Similarly, at the present time, people value their society for the same purposes. Even though the way to live has changed for instance, in the Stone Age people hunted and shared foods for their living, unlike people who do business for their living nowadays; they still depend on each other for reproduction and survival. Therefore, people instinctively have to keep their relationship between each other, and morality is formed to maintain the relationship. Consequently, every human being has morality regardless of religious beliefs. If the religious people insist that religions shape morality, non-religious people or atheists shouldn`t have morality. However, those people do have morality and they can judge the things right or wrong like other people who believe in religion. Furthermore, people who believe in religion said that the religion shapes morality, yet there are so many different religions around the world. Some people believe in Christianity, other believes in Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam etc. Each religion worships different Gods, and has difference belief systems. Christians, for instance, believe in Jesus Christ while Buddhists venerate Gautama. Even though the same religion, there are different branches. Christianity, for instance, has Catholics and Protestants; on the other hand, Buddhism separate to Mahayana and Theravada. Therefore, if the morality is formed base on religion, the definition of morality should vary since there are many different regions. However, morality that people use in an attempt to do the right thing is the same. â€Å"Trolley Problem†, posted by Phillipa Foot in her 1967 paper, â€Å"Abortion and the Doctrine of Double Effect† help for clear understanding about morality (Clark). She was a British philosopher, and she explained if a person put in dilemma to choice for saving five people`s lives or a person`s life, he or she must choose five people`s lives to save instead of one no matter whatever religion he or she believes. Therefore, religion does not affect morality. If the religions control people`s moral values, different religions will define different moral values, and the answer about â€Å"Trolley Problem† may vary. On the other hand, not only humans but also animals have morality. Frans de Waal, Charles Howard Candle professor of Primate Behavior in the Emory University, shared the experimental results that showed the moral behavior in animals. Chimpanzees help each other to get food, and they reconcile after fighting. Those behaviors pretty much indicate their morality (Waal). Since both human and animals have morality, religion that only existence in human world could not be a source of forming moral. Environment shapes moral values. Religion does not affect moral values, but environment does affect because adaption on environment is very important for survival. Darwin`s evolutionary theory â€Å"Natural Selection† proved that all living organisms modified to adapt the environment. Consequently, moral value is different from each environment where people live. Western countries are more individualistic while Asian countries are more collectivistic. Americans, for example, individuality is a moral value; however, helping each other is a moral value in China. Mr Meier, ESL 33B professor, who has an experience for teaching both American and Asian students, mentioned that American students do not willing help each other during the test because they believe self-1 / 2 reliance as a moral value. Contrast, Asian students prefer to help each other during the test because using each other to achieve their gold is a moral value for Asian countries. Consequently, governments get involved in defining the different moral values. The US government has less control on the society; therefore, people have more freedom, and it leads to enhance the self- reliance as a moral value. However, Asian countries, where government strictly controls various aspects, have less freedom and people in those countries have to rely on each other to get to their goals. Therefore, those people regard helping each other as a moral value. In addition, cultures, which co-exist in different environments, also define the moral values. In Asian cultures, people are taught to respect and care elder people. Therefore, people from Asia believe respecting the elder and taking care of those people as a moral value. For instance, in Japan, national health insurance system is running very well because people are willing to pay insurance fees, which helps elder people who need health care services. People consider even though they do not need health services right now, elder people who need health care gain the benefits from insurance system, and they are happy to help those people by paying monthly insurance fees. However, in Western culture, people regard self-belief as a moral value, and they do not prefer to help elder people. Therefore in the US, national health insurance system does not exist, and even though President Obama tried to construct the health insurance system, it did not work well because of different moral values. Therefore, moral value is pretty much related to environment. Religious beliefs exacerbate the collapse the morality. Religion controlled its believers, and people believing in religion tend to believe whatever the rules that religion lay down. For instance, sky burial, which is take place in Tibetan Buddhism, is the most gross burial way if we think from our common sense of morality. Human corpses are placed on a mountaintop as a prey for birds such as vultures, eagles and other scavengers. Buddhist monks are subjected to the sky burial funerary. They go to the mountaintop by themselves to conduct the funeral ceremony. However, that is normal for people who believe in Tibetan Buddhism because religion teaches the believers â€Å"Humans are part of nature. (People) arrive in the world naturally and they leave it naturally. Life and death are part of a wheel of reincarnation. Death is not to be feared. † (Xinran 159). Therefore, they were controlled by religion to believe conducting sky burial is the way to return the body back to the nature. On the other hand, religious belief ignite the people`s competitive spirit that lead to break morality. Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is one of the examples that easy to understand for how religious belief stir the people`s competitive spirit. ISIS, the biggest Islamic terrorist group, attempts to create a new Islamic country in Middle East. ISIS has rapidly expanded by taking over Iraq and Syria territories. ISIS has killed so many innocents who do not follow Islam. This immoral behavior occurred because of ISIS, which was created by extreme Muslim believers, who regard their religion as the best on the world. They want to spread their religion; therefore, they force other people to become a part of Muslim believer by using immoral ways. Therefore, religious beliefs lead people to collapse the morality. In conclusion, morality is important to maintain our society. Every living organism that depends on each other to maintain life cannot survive without morality. However, humans misunderstand that religion shapes morality, but if we think critically, we can understand that morality is formed not because of religion but because of instinct and environment. Works Cited Clark, Josh. â€Å"How the Trolley Problem Works. † How Stuff Works. N. p. ,n. d. Web, 24 Oct. 2014. Waal, Frans De. â€Å"Moral Behavior in Animals. † TED. N. p. , Nov. 2011. Web. 24 Oct. 2014 Xinran, Xue. â€Å"Sky Burial. † Sky Burial. New York: Anchor Books, July. 2006. Print. POWERED BY TCPDF (WWW. TCPDF. ORG).

The Ambiguous and Separate Natures of Mosca and Volpone :: Volpone Mosca

The Ambiguous and Separate Natures of Mosca and Volpone The "dynamic duo" consisting of Mosca and Volpone in Ben Jonson's play Volpone are consistently and inconsistently similar. Strangely enough, appearances can be both correct and deceiving indicators of each character's traits. The obvious notions of each player are often replaced by the intricacies of individuality. Considered together, Mosca and Volpone both are childless, unmarried, and cunning deceivers. They are both guilty of unbridled materialism and sordid betrayals. Also, each character depends on some form of disguise- either physical or mental (1.1. 1,31; 1.2.73). Both lustfully desire women, are presumably childless, and unmarried (1.2.117-118). Mosca and Volpone are both alike in their linkage to their personalities by metaphor. Differences, however, arise soon enough. The play's establishment of a societal hierarchy is a worthy consideration in the comparison of Mosca and Volpone. Mosca is bound and resistant to his subservience as a "parasite" to his equally dishonest benefactor (Volpone) (1.1.69). Mosca's pla ce in society is much less considerable than Volpone's as his longer, more severe punishment reveals. Mosca is left without the saving graces of the status of gentleman (5.12.18). Increasingly, Mosca's metaphorical affiliation (the housefly) conveys his common existence and non-influential social class. Further, Mosca resents being Volpone's support system and setting up his wealthy well-wishers for swindlings. Mosca is (at best) praised for being a "fine devil" (5.3.46). Also, as a parasite, Mosca f eels the need to be appreciated for his services- "You see, sir, how I work/ Unto your ends..." (4.6.91-92). Another distinction between both characters is that Mosca feels proud (even in reliable soliloquies) of his prosperous misdeeds. Mosca remarks, "I fear I shall begin to grow in love/ With my dear self..." (3.1-2). His pride grows into viciousness and a plot to kill his own master in a "Fox-trap" (5.5.18). Volpone, while equally witty and deceptive, demonstrates he has more power in the relationship. Volpone uses this capability to attempt to claim Celia's hand despite Mosca's non-verbalized attempt to do likewise (1.5.108-116). As a nobleman, it st ands to reason that Volpone is more "wrong" for his aspirations. However, in his pursuit, Volpone has real ethical problems (unlike Mosca) with his actions. He talks of expelling a conscious "humor from [his] heart" and cries "What a vile wretch was I" (5.11.12-15). Mosca is also the driving force for rekindling Volpone's evil in the duo's attempt to "gull the court" (5.

Rising food prices

The economic and political ramifications of rising oil prices are astounding. It is interesting how far they reach, and also how deeply dependent countries are on this commodity. It shows that the extent to which oil might be considered fundamental is a significant one, given its impact on the most basic human need: food. The economics of oil demonstrates itself as being perhaps the most intricate of all commodities, as it has the ability to affect not just the economy of its suppliers by also the economy of the entire world. The idea that food (or the lack thereof) can stir national conflict does not appear to be very far-fetched. However, the connection that food has to oil prices certainly places oil (as a commodity) in a much higher place than it perhaps should be. Oil is usually considered closely connected to such non-essential (yet highly used) commodities as gasoline and by extension motor vehicles. The importance of oil on the world market may for this reason have been considered an enigma. However, this connection that it has to food makes it understandable why the demand for oil is so inexorably high (Whitelaw, 2008). Of concern is the realization that the rising food costs have also been affecting the ability of the United Nations’ food aid agency and other philanthropic organizations to provide food for the economically struggling countries. The international aspect of the rising prices may spell doom for certain countries that have benefited from such aid in the past. More frightening is that fact that it may also create further shortages in areas that before had needed no aid, and it has been affecting the chances for relief possessed by refugees fleeing famine in their own countries (Whitelaw, 2008). These implications make it more exigent that alternative energy sources be sought. It may end up being more economical to spend millions on research that will result in a more sustainable form of energy. The prospect of oil depletion in the coming years is clearly not the only problem humans now face in regard to concentration upon this particular energy source. More immediate effects resulting in economic and political tension are clearly serious consequences of humans’ dependence on oil. Reference Whitelaw, K. (2008). â€Å"The dangers from rising food prices: costlier commodities could trigger   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   unrest in poor countries and may curtail food aid to refugees.† U.S. News World Report.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   New York. Available