Some Reflections on Religion and Politics

In lieu of an abstract, below is the essay\u27s first paragraph. Religion and politics are intertwined historically, sociologically, maybe even genetically. They are practically inseparable. Yet many people seem to find this relationship appalling, unintelligible, or illegitimate. The topic of the connections between religion and politics excites tremendous passion, pro and con, in many. Some see the connections as appropriate, laudable, even necessary for the survival of civilized life and democracy. Others, looking at different dimensions, regard any influence on political life from religious quarters as fundamentally immoral, irrational, unconstitutional and hostile to democracy. There is truth in both views. My aim here is to discuss briefly the rationale(s) behind such contradictory views with an eye to encouraging a bit more detachment and tolerance, less rancor, and perhaps even dialogue across the gulf that divides these wildly differing perspectives. Even such a brief review of these dimensions should convince skeptics that the connections between religion and political life are profound, significant and worthy of serious examination

Skin Laceration on a Shetland Pony

On Dee. 24 1955, a 4-yearold Shetland pony was admitted to Stange Memorial Clinic. A rough incision had been made completely around the fore-arm just below the humero-radial articulation. The skin had been separated from the leg for 5 inches toward the carpus and this cuff of skin was turned down and inside out. This loose necrotic tissue was cut off. No anesthesia was necessary. The pony was given 1,500 units of tetanus antitoxin. The lesion was moist with a sticky exudate. The wound was covered with 5 percent sulfathiazole ointment and covered with a bandage. Every third day the wound was rebandaged

Topics in Phosphorus-Fluorine Chemistry

The reactions between primary amines and phosphorus penta- fluoride were complex and yielded alkylammonium hexafiuorophosphates, RNH+3 PF6- (R = Me, Et, But), and bis(alkylamino)trifluorophos- phoranes, (RNH)2PF3 (R = Me, Et, But). In addition a 2:1 adduct, 2MeNH2. PF5, was formed in the reaction with methylamine whereas 1:1 adducts, RNH2. PF5 (R = Et, But), were produced with ethyl-amine and t-butylamine. The preparation of alkylaminotetrafluoro-phosphoranes, RNHPF4 (R = Et, But), by the thermal decomposition of the 1:1 adducts was studied. Methylaminotetrafluorophosphorane could be prepared by the reaction between raethylaminotrimethyl-silane, Me3SiNHMe, and phosphorus pentafluoride. The formation of diazafluorodiphosphetidines from alkylamino-fluorophosphoranes was studied. Phosphorus pentafluoride and phenyltetrafluorophosphorane reacted with (MeNH)2PF3 to give (F3PNMe)2 and PhF(F2PNMe)2 respectively, but the yield of these products was low. The reaction between primary amines and phosphorus trifluoride proceeded by a two step process. Alkylaminodifluorophosphines, RNHPF2 (R = Me, Et, But, Bun), were formed in the initial step. The nature of the subsequent step is believed to depend on the steric properties of the attacking amine. Bis(alkylamino)difluoro-phosphoranes, (RNH)2PF2H (R = Me, Et, Bun), were usually isolated, but the bulky t-butylamine produced bis(t-butylamino)fluoro-phosphine, (But NH)2PF The compounds isolated above were characterised by their n.m.r., i.r. and mass spectra. Several fragmentation modes for molecules of the type RNHP(F) are discussed. Infra-red correlations for the RNH-P group are also made. The bulk of the evidence suggests that the extra molecule of amine in 2MeNH2. PF5 is co-ordinated to the 1:1 adduct by means of N---H hydrogen-bonding. Several routes to produce PNP bridges were investigated. Difluorophosphino(tetrafluorophosphoranyl)methylamine, PF2NMePF4, was best prepared from the reaction between phosphorus penta- fluoride and difluorophosphino(trimethylsilyl)methylamine, Me3SiNMePF2, which was itself prepared from the reaction between heptamethyldisilazane and chlorodifluorophosphine. A similar reaction between POF3 and Me3SiNMePF2 only gave low yields of difluorophosphino(difluorophosphoryl)methylamine, PF2NMePOF2. The latter was more conveniently synthesized from chlorodifluoro phosphine and methylaminophosphoryl difluoride, MeNHPOF2. The ease of reaction between Me3SiNMeX (X = P(F), SiMe3) and a phosphorus-fluoride could be correlated with the Lewis basicity of the former and the Lewis acidity of the latter. The spectroscopic properties of the bridged compounds produced were examined. Attempts to prepare PNS bridges by the above routes failed, and possible reasons for this are discussed. The products isolated from the reaction of SOF2 with either MeNHPF2 or Me3SiNMePF2 included methylaminothiophosphoryl difluoride, MeNHPSF2, and MeNHPOF2, which were fully characterised. The addition of HPSF2 to alkenes took place at room temperature under the influence of U.V. light to give alkylphosphonothioic difluorides, RPSF2 (R = Et, Prn, Bun), which were fully characterised. Evidence is presented which suggests that the ease of the U.V. induced addition of a phosphorus-halide to an alkene depends on the strength of the P-X (X = F, Cl, Br) bonds in the latter compound. It proved possible to isolate and characterise 2-bromoethylphosphonic difluoride, BrC2H4POF2, from the reaction between ethylene and bromophosphoryl difluoride

Feasibility and optimum design study of a low speed wind turbine rotor system for underground communication power

A need has been recognized to have battery charging capabilities in underground mines, independent of outside AC power sources. In the event of emergency, the radios located throughout underground mines stay charged for periods insufficient to ensure the safety of trapped mineworkers. Air is always being distributed to supply oxygen and to dilute explosive gases throughout all sections of the mine. An idea to charge the batteries using the energy stored in the moving air was recently proposed. The feasibility of using a small wind turbine to charge the batteries in this airlflow will be addressed by this thesis. If the proposal is feasible, a numerical model will be constructed to design an optimal rotor system for the device.;The use of a small wind turbine to aid in emergency mine communication was found to be feasible and a numerical model utilizing Blade Element Momentum theory has been developed to produce optimal solutions to the battery charging problem. Several rotor configurations have been found to produce the amount of power required to charge the batteries (4 Watts). Due to the structural concerns in an underground mine, a wind turbine should be shielded for the protection of workers. A diffuser shroud can provide this structure and also increase the power output of the system for a given size rotor. A simple diffuser shroud is evaluated and included in the model. Results from the model include the physical parameters needed to efficiently design a wind turbine system for use in this application

Effect of interface fields on the piezoelectric response of aluminum nitride thin films

Group III-Nitride wide bandgap semiconductors have attracted much attention in the optoelectronic and electronic research areas recently. III-Nitride semiconductor materials are attractive materials for use in optoelectronic and high speed electronics devices because they are direct bandgap semiconductors and the bandgap can be varied over a wide range. It has also been shown that the III-Nitride group of materials function exceptionally well in harsh environments. The piezoelectric properties of the III-Nitride material system have been studied and several of the III-Nitride compounds have been found to have non zero piezoelectric coefficients. This work shows that the observed piezoelectric coefficient of Aluminum Nitride (AlN) is directly related to the metal used as the topside contact. The data and preliminary analysis presented here indicate that AlN cannot be treated as an insulating material and must be treated as a semiconductor in order to model its piezoelectric behavior

Reduction in size and unsteadiness of a VTOL ground vortex by ground fences

A ground vortex, produced when a jet impinges on the ground in the presence of cross flow, is encountered by V/STOL aircraft hovering near the ground and is known to be hazardous to the aircraft. The objective of this research was to identify a ground-based technique by which both the mean size and fluctuation in size of the ground vortex could be reduced. A simple passive method was identified and examined in the laboratory. Specifically, one or two fine wire mesh screens (ground fences) bent in a horseshoe shape and located on the ground in front of the jet impingement point proved to be very effective. The ground fences work by decreasing the momentum of the upstream-traveling wall jet, effectively causing a higher freestream-to-jet velocity ratio (V(sub infinity)/V(sub j)) and thus, a ground vortex smaller in size and unsteadiness. At(V(sub infinity)/V(sub j)) = 0.15, the addition of a single ground fence resulted in a 70 percent reduction in mean size of the ground vortex. With two ground fences, the mean size decreased by about 85 percent. Fluctuations in size decreased nearly in proportion to the mean size, for both the single and double fence configurations. These results were consistent over a wide range of jet Reynolds number (10(exp 4) less than Re(sub jet) less than 10(exp 5)); further development and full-scale Reynolds number testing are required, however, to determine if this technique can be made practical for the case of actual VTOL aircraft

Agendas, Arguments, and Political Theory

If teaching is not the oldest profession, it certainly has a long historical pedigree. The frustrations teaching evokes likely have an equally long pedigree. One sees in Plato\u27s Republic, for example, Socrates\u27 frustration in trying to convey to Glaukon the aims of the educational scheme he is presenting to his interlocutors in Book 8. His evident difficulties relaying this information have doubtless struck sympathetic chords in the breasts of countless generations of teachers. Frustration has certainly been the case for the present authors, particularly in teaching the analysis and understanding of secondary commentary on classic texts; when reading such articles, students express puzzlement about the long debate over seemingly trivial points. Many come away from such classes convinced it is not worth investing time in understanding classic texts because the discussion of them centers on apparently arcane and obscure grammatical, historical, or technical questions. This essay presents an approach with which the authors have had some measure of success in helping students “see the point” of this especially difficult dimension of analyzing and understanding texts and authors. Our approach teaches students to identify and appreciate the “agenda argument” often put forward by such commentators. An “agenda argument” is a contemporary scholar\u27s effort to address a current problem or issue through critical reflection on an iconic text or author in the field. The term “agenda” is appropriate because it clarifies that the scholar has an interest in an underlying general claim through discussion of the technical points being debated. In other words, the scholar has a larger agenda in mind that guides the selection of issues and determines the use of points in the text