Royal Family Trees

Filed under: Science Portal — admin at 11:50 am on Monday, January 5, 2009

If you are interested in genealogy or history, royal family trees are excellent illustrations of the strange, convoluted, and always interesting tales of kings, queens and nobility. Take a look at a few them and you will be able to find the most remarkable tales with every line.

Thanks to both the adequate resources and the bookkeeping available to the nobility, royal family trees are among the most complete, most accurate, and longest kept family trees in the world. The nobility is often very interested in the genealogy of its members, as it is important to figure out just who is noble and who is not. Once upon a time, it was assumed that those with royal blood were superior to those without, so a precise role of all the members of the nobility was necessary to ensure that nothing was spoiled by mixing with those of inferior birth.


However, one of the problems with that was the fact that there was a very limited number of noble persons available. Thus, intermixing was a severe problem in the gene pool. So, when you look at a royal family tree, there will be lines that diverge, then suddenly meet up again a few generations down the road, when two distantly related, or sometimes not so distantly related people joined together and started creating new nobility. Thus, the generations started having that many more congenital problems, simply because they were receiving several genes that weren’t quite formed right and were being passed down with every generation, instead of being diluted by spreading them out amongst the general populace.


As well, there constant marriages and remarriages of many members of the nobility make some interesting viewing. King Henry XIII of the England comes immediately to mind. This kind was marriage six times during his reign, meaning that he needed to either divorce or kill off his first five wives at the very least. When reading a royal family tree, every line is a story and every person a somebody. You don’t need to wonder who any of the names are, they will show up in history books somewhere.


If you would like to read more about royal family trees, it is very easy to find them. They can be found on the Internet, in history books, and in the library. So feel free to take a look at them and dive into the strange world of the royalty and their often bizarre but never boring histories. Check one out today and start one of the most exciting history lessons you can ever receive.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

http://www.familytreeshistory.com is a categorized resource directory to help explore the world of genealogy, or family trees, including the history of our ancestors.

Lube Oil Purifier, oil filter, oil recycling, oil filtration, oil purification, oil filtering, oil r

Filed under: Science Portal — admin at 6:49 am on Thursday, December 18, 2008

LV — Lubrication Oil Purifier Application LV series oil
purifier are suitable especially for purifying and restoring
hydraulic oil, machine oil, coolant oil and various other
lubrication oil. The most breakdown of machinery which has
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which has water, gas, impurities etc. LV series can rapidly
remove water, gas, particulate matters and impurities from
lubrication oil and improve properties of lubricating oil so as
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system.

Another Doomsday, Another Dollar: Shifting Science Towards Peace and Ecology

Filed under: Science Portal — admin at 6:24 am on Thursday, December 18, 2008

In his book, Our Final Hour, Cambridge professor and Britain’s “Astronomer Royal” Martin Rees predicts humanity has no more than a 50/50 chance of survival into the next century and that by 2020 a million people will perish due to scientific error or terror. Some would call him prescient, while others would interpret his words as alarmist, resembling a layer cake with environmental fears on top of nuclear fears on top of chemical and biological threats, ad infinitum. With a sci-fi flare, he warns of runaway technology, human clones and an ability to insert memory chips into the brain.

Doomsday predictors get much the same respect as the “toxic fumes” sign at the local service station; they impart their wisdom, yet we yawn. Situations which seem grim and overwhelming, even potentially lethal, tend to be ignored. Attention on more immediate and “American” concerns, such as consumer goods and personal advancement, monopolize our daily thoughts. This is arguably foolhardy and indicative of the “another doomsday, another dollar” mentality.

Rees is not a lone voice on the scientific stage. The “Bulletin of Atomic Scientists” reports we have seven minutes until our final bow at midnight. Other reputable experts surmise that a “gray goo” or nanotechnological catastrophe poses the greatest threat. This involves the invention of miniature, self-replicating machines that gnaw away at the environment until it is devoid of life. It need not be deliberate sabotageas in technological warfare by one nation against another–but could result from a laboratory mishap.

Astronomers speak of fugitive asteroids that could destroy major sections of our planet within the next 30 years. Others point to atom-crashing tests and their potential for a lethal strangelet scenario. Strangelets are malformed subatomic matter, which could distort all normal matter and dissolve the earth in seconds.

There are streams of alerts from environmental experts who tell us natural disasters are on the rise. They warn of climatic change and tell us the world’s species die at a rate 1000 times greater than they did prior to human existence due to habitat destruction and the introduction of non-indigenous species into the ecosystem. Their conclusion? If we do not reverse the damaging trend, Earth itself will be extinct.

Should we open our minds to doomsday predictions? And if we accept them, what is the next step to insure or increase our chance of planetary survival?

In his book, Science, Money and Politics, Daniel Greenberg follows a trail of suspicion. He condemns what he believes to be the self-serving, greedy scientific community with its bungled research, conflicts of interest and findings that never see the light of day due to suppression by corporate sponsors. But this seems to be an overly cynical, embellished perspective; there are surely many scientists dedicated to discovery and social responsibility, apart from any personal gain. And we should not forget that offering controversial insights can be at a cost; proponents of “radical” theories often expose themselves to public and professional ridicule.

Regardless of skepticism, the “Pascal’s Wager” game plan seems a good bet. This essentially means we should not gamble with eternity, but instead urge the scientific community to take precautions since Armageddon allows no second chance. Better to err on the side of life, even if it means some black holes will go unexplored and some research grants will be pulled.

Precaution means building contingency plans–such as shields and containment measures–into emerging technologies so that if an experiment goes awry, a safety net will kick into place. It means the scientific community should better police itself. It means committees or boardsboth local and internationalshould be established for oversight and regulations, much like Albert Einstein proposed in 1947 to maintain worldwide peace. Many nation-states and multinational corporations are known for fighting even minimal efforts to regulate dangerous technology, and they must be countered.

There are pragmatic hurdles to be negotiated when trying to impose rules on private parties or on authorities in renegade lands, but the ozone hole “near disaster” demonstrates how the world can cooperate when it comes to life-and-death matters. As cultures dovetail, as communications rise, as borders become more porous, and as the world figuratively shrinks, it will be easier to impose structure and scientific parameters on nations that seem combative today

Science must shift its course and find new mountains to climb. It looks to us for cues. Due to our materialistic bent as a culture, our cursory endorsement of “progress” and our captivation with the Prometheus-like aura of technology, we subtly ask the scientific community to scale those mountains that are the highest (great accolades can be received), the easiest (the path of least resistance) or the most profit-oriented (grant money from special interests or an emphasis on reducing labor so companies can realize greater proceeds) rather than those that are the most ecological and peace-enhancing.

The research community has rivers of creativity and forests of energy that could instead be directed towards rivers and forests. It could move towards ecological preservation and restoration, peaceful alternatives to conflict and a furthering of life on this planet.

We will know a cultural transition is underway when news reports following fires, earthquakes and other disasters address the impact on natural systems and nonhuman species, rather than just the human and economical consequences, such as the number of homes lost. Our capitalistic culture thrives on the fact that nature is cost-free, which in turn, reinforces the notion that it is expendable and devoid of value. This reality must change. Our reality must change. And science must change. It must shift towards peace and ecology. It’s as plain as doomsday.

Computer e-waste recycling now fueled by lack of Australian legislation.

Filed under: Science Portal — admin at 1:16 pm on Monday, October 13, 2008

Motivated by the lack of Australian government legislation and limited options available concerning the disposal of computer e-waste, IT Recyclers has initiated a much needed computer recycling service aimed primarily at Sydney business who wish to play an essential part in reducing computer landfill.

Due to an affluent lifestyle and a growing population, Australia is the world’s second largest waste creator after the United States, according to the Federal Department of Environment. Compared to countries such as the US, Japan and parts of Europe, Australia is yet to introduce significant national legislation that would help reduce the amount of computer waste ending up in landfill. Australia’s emerging computer recycling industry, such as IT Recyclers, can’t remain solely responsible for managing e-waste, state and federal governments must also take an active role.

“The rate of technology is moving so fast, businesses as well as consumers tend to update their computer equipment on average every 3 years,” said David Allman - IT Recyclers business founder.

“We’ve discovered that many businesses throughout Sydney just aren’t aware of computer recycling, nor the increasing problem e-waste is to Australia’s environment. They tend to dispose of their equipment straight to landfill. On the other hand we’ve found many concerned business owners taking interest in the way they treat the environment, but don’t know what to do. Until we approached them with our service, they’ve reluctantly been disposing their unwanted computer equipment straight to waste. The fact is there hasn’t been a convenient or viable recycling solution on offer until now”, David Allman said.

Estimates by the Australian Federal Department of Environment say that by next year, 1.6 million obsolete computers and associated equipment will be sent to landfill, 1.8 million will be sent to storage, and 16 million will already be sitting in storage awaiting an undetermined fate.

ENDS

For further information, contact David Allman at IT Recyclers on:

+612 0432 937 452, dave@itrecyclers.com or visit www.itrecyclers.com

insulation oil recycling plant

Filed under: Science Portal — admin at 4:19 am on Monday, October 13, 2008

VFD–Double-Stage High-Efficiency Vacuum Insulation Oil Purifier
Application VFD series is mainly used to improve the properties
of insulation oil. It can remove trace water, gas, particulate
matters etc. from the insulating oil effectively and rapidly so
as to boost performance of transformers, circuit breakers,
mutual inductors, cable and capacitors which has insulation
system. VFD series specialize in purifying branded oil,
insulating oil of high voltage and super high voltage
transformer. Additionally, it is suitable for treating low
viscosity lubrication oil.

Prestige Oil Disaster

Filed under: Science Portal — admin at 3:43 am on Monday, October 13, 2008

On November 13th 2002, the Liberian owned tanker, The Prestige, ran into trouble in heavy weather off the coast of Galicia. The 240 metre single-hulled ship had burst one its tanks and was starting to leak oil. The ships Greek captain called the Spanish authorities for aid but instead of the expected tow-in he was told to steer away from the coast and head North West. Similar responses were sent out from Spanish and Portuguese coastal authorities who were keen to see the foundering tanker kept away from their shores. This ship got into serious trouble on the sixth day of drifting when a 40 ft section of the hull came away; she split in two that afternoon spilling a huge amount of her 85,000 m cargo of oil into the Atlantic 250km from the coast of Galicia. The Prestige sank entirely later that day in over 3000 metres of water starting Spain’s worst environmental disaster.

The decision to take the ship away from the coast was not a good one; by this time 5000 tons of fuel was already spilt and the strong westerly winds that are prevalent in the region at this time of year were already pushing a huge slick of oil towards the Galician coastline. Galicia is one of Spain’s most remote regions and the population is very much coast dwelling with a huge portion of the areas income coming from the sea - renowned as an extremely rich fishing ground, the area is also home to coral, sharks and thousands of seas birds. The oil hit Galicia in droves; thousands of acres of beach were covered in oil with thousands of dead puffins and razorbills (amongst other birds and fish) washed up on the regions shores. With the wreck still leaking 125 tons of its cargo everyday, the clean up operation would have to get under way swiftly. 6000 seaman and an estimated 2500 boats were stuck in port in the region which includes Vigo, Europe’s largest fishing port. The huge fishing industry was crippled overnight - and it wasn’t just the fishermen who were affected, distributors and vendors saw their livelihood shattered too.

The clean up operation was huge with a lot of volunteers lending their weight to the effort. Thousands of tons of oil were removed from beaches and aid was provided for hundreds of birds covered in the Prestige’s noxious cargo. Estimates reckon that the disaster could cost somewhere in the region of 5billion in the ten years following the spill. It was six months until the fishing fleets dropped their nets again and locals still maintain that old fishing spots they frequented before the disaster are now completely barren.

In the wake of the accident, huge international pressure has raised many questions about the safety level of oil tankers. 80% of the Prestige’s 77,000 ton cargo was lost from the ship and concerns about its safety were raised before the voyage. In the wake of the incident many have called for the ban of single-hulled tankers, the IMO (International Maritime Organisation) called for their phasing out to be brought forward and the European Commission did exactly that by moving the date forward from 2015 to 2005. Pressure has also come from within Spain about the governments handling of the crisis; it took almost a year for the Spanish authorities to finally tell the public exactly how much oil was spilt. Galician Environmental movement “Nunca Mais” (Galician for “Never Again”) felt the government tried to cover up the scale of the damage and exactly a year after the tragedy, they led a march in Santiago de Compostela under the banner “We continue to demand solutions and justice”.

The effects of the disaster not only affected the Galician coast - oil was washed up in Portugal, on the beaches of Normandy and even England’s south cast did not escape unscathed. Such is the quantity of oil contained in tankers that that a spill can have catastrophic affects - with thousands of single hulled tankers still in operation there are fears that we’re endangering our environment unnecessarily.

Can sustainable development work? What then will be the impa

Filed under: Science Portal — admin at 5:43 pm on Tuesday, October 7, 2008

First we must define sustainable development. Sustainable is to say that something such as resources or an environmental system can be continued indefinitely without depleting any of the material or energy resources required to keep it running.

Development is the act, process, or result of developing. Combined together it is an idea brought forward by the World Commission on Environment and Development defined by them as a form of development or progress that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. We must also understand that we are the stewards of the natural environment and the entire planet, and as such we are responsible for what ever happens to any of the ecological systems.

Can sustainable development work? This question is more complex than it seems. A simple yes or no answer does not apply to this question due to all of the factors involved, which must be considered and evaluated. On the one hand you would have to say no. The reasons you would have to say no are, because of the opposition you would receive from changing human habits, which have been set for thousands of years. Structure and cost to big businesses and trying to control other countries and governments and the economical impacts such major changes could have on any societies economy. It would be impossible for the United States to order or police all of the other nations and possibly unethical to force them into our ideas and ways of life. This approach has brought the United States into many wars. Wars negatively impact many ecological systems by either invading them or totally destroying them. War also destroys and uses vast amounts of natural resources. Yet the United Nations, if given more power could possibly perform this task of policing and regulating without resulting in war if all of the nations of the world joined the United Nations, but at what cost. In the United States big business is able to influence our politicians. If big business felt this was economically unsound they could afford to spend billions of dollars to fight any legislation that would help this cause or tie up legislation, regulations or mandates in our court systems for years.

Then you have human nature, which resist change especially when it comes to giving up something that makes life easier or that is the economical source of their survival. If people survive or derive their income or livelihoods from these natural sources it will be almost impossible to get them to change their habits of destruction to the natural environment.

Then you have the anti-environmental groups, which work hard to confuse the issues or hide the facts with extra facts or manipulate the data with the help of big business and skeptical scientist they hire. All of these factors and more would be reason to say that sustainable development would not work.

The impact on the environment would be devastating and our world would eventually be unable to sustain any life and we would have to move or perish with it. When all the resource started disappearing businesses would run out of materials and be forced to eventually close forever.

Now, onto the idea that sustainable development can work for this environment and the entire planet. You have many people all ready starting to see the impacts we have on the environment. There are many groups and businesses and governments, which are working towards this goal. The groups are working to get the politicians to bring about more regulations and laws to help protect the natural environment and the entire planet.

By starting with smaller portions of the human population such as communities and cities, we can slowly work towards sustainable states and countries and eventually the entire planet. Some businesses are helping by means of recycling, using less resources, cutting pollution and a host of other environmentally sound practices.

The United States is one of the fore runners in this struggle, to change the way humans interact with the natural environment. More and more political leaders are stepping up to the plate and doing their part to bring about positive change. Recently President Bush unveiled plans on reducing global warming and pollution, which is first meant to stop these effects and then reverse them.

Sound scientist are stepping up and reporting on sound scientific facts about environmental issues such as greenhouse gases, pollution, El Nino and any other environmental conditions, that are destroying our natural environment, which in turn will lead to the destruction of our entire planet.

As more people are educated to what is happening to the natural environment and learn that we the humans of this planet are the ones responsible for the depletion and destruction of the natural environment, then that is the more people who will help in the struggle to maintain and fix what has happened and sustainable development will become a complete reality.

One of the main concepts of sustainable development that must be understood and practiced by every human is stewardship, because like it or not we are the stewards of the entire planets environment.

The impact of sustainable development working is that the businesses will continue to function and grow and they will have customers to buy their products and the resources to produce them. The impact of sustainable development working for the environment is obvious. If we the inhabitants of this natural environment take care of it, the natural environment will continue to take care of us and we will not perish or have to move to another planet.

Instead of asking if sustainable development will work or not we need to look at the facts of do we need it to work or not. I believe that it has been shown that we have no choice in this matter we either make sustainable development work or we will perish from our own lack of effort and humanity will be no more.

About the Author

BBA student @ Northwood University

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