9 Different Minerals Used as Abrasives

Abrasives today are largely precision-manufactured substances, but natural mineral abrasives are often still used. A good abrasive mineral is not just hard, but  also tough and sharp. It must be plentiful -- or at least widespread -- and pure. Not many minerals share all these attributes,  so the list of abrasive minerals is short but interesting.   Sanding Abrasives   Sanding was originally done with (surprise!) sand -- fine-grained quartz. Quartz sand is hard enough for woodworking (Mohs hardness 7), but its not very tough or sharp. The virtue of sand sandpaper is its cheapness. Fine woodworkers do occasionally use flint sandpaper or glass paper.  Flint, a form of chert,  is a rock made of microcrystalline quartz. Its no harder than quartz but its tougher so its sharp edges last longer. Garnet paper is still widely available. The garnet mineral almandine is harder than quartz (Mohs 7.5), but its real virtue is its sharpness, giving it cutting power without scratching wood too deeply. Corundum  is the workhorse abrasive of sandpaper.  Extremely hard (Mohs 9) and sharp, corundum is also usefully brittle, breaking into sharp fragments that keep on cutting. Its great for wood, metal, paint, and plastic. All sanding products today use artificial corundum -- aluminum oxide. If you find an old stash of emery cloth or paper, it probably uses the real mineral. Emery is a natural mix of fine-grained corundum and magnetite. Polishing Abrasives   Three natural abrasives are commonly used for polishing and cleaning  metal:  enamel finishes, plastic, and tile. Pumice is a stone, not a mineral, a volcanic product with a very fine grain. Its hardest mineral is quartz, so it has a gentler action than sanding abrasives. Softer still is feldspar (Mohs 6), which is most famously used in the Bon Ami brand household cleaner. For the most delicate polishing and cleaning work, such as with  jewelry and fine crafts, the gold standard is tripoli, also called rottenstone. Tripoli is microscopic, microcrystalline quartz mined from beds of decomposed limestone. Sandblasting and Waterjet Cutting Applications of these industrial processes range from scrubbing rust off of steel girders to inscribing gravestones, and a wide range of blasting abrasives is in use today. Sand is one, of course, but airborne dust from crystalline silica is a health hazard. Safer alternatives include garnet, olivine (Mohs 6.5) and staurolite (Mohs 7.5). Which to choose depends on many factors other than mineralogical considerations, including cost, availability, the material being worked, and the experience of the worker. Many artificial abrasives are in use in these applications, too, as well as in  exotic things like ground walnut shells and solid carbon dioxide. Diamond Grit The hardest mineral of all is diamond (Mohs 10), and diamond abrasive is a large part of the world diamond market. Diamond paste is available in many grades for sharpening hand tools, and you can even buy nail files impregnated with diamond grit for the ultimate grooming aid. Diamond is best suited for cutting and grinding tools, however, and the drilling industry uses lots of diamond for drill bits. The material used is worthless as jewelry, being black or included - full of inclusions - or too fine-grained. This grade of diamond is called bort. Diatomaceous Earth The powdery substance composed of the microscopic shells of diatoms is known as diatomaceous earth or DE. Diatoms are a kind of algae that form exquisite skeletons of amorphous  silica.  DE is not abrasive to humans, metals, or anything else in our everyday world, but at the microscopic scale, its very damaging to insects. The broken edges of crushed diatom shells scratch holes in their hard outer skins, causing their internal fluids to dry out. Its safe enough to strew in the garden or to mix with food, such as stored grain, to prevent infestations. When they arent calling it diatomite, geologists have another name for DE, borrowed from German: kieselguhr.

The Transcendentalist Movement Shaped America - 1603 Words

The transcendentalist movement shaped America in the 1860s by inspiring citizens to be free thinkers and hardworking individuals who would lead their lives to the fullest. The movement was led by three revolutionary writers named Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Walt Whitman, three icons who challenged Americans to be individuals. Through his works â€Å"Self Reliance† and â€Å"Nature†, Ralph Waldo Emerson preached of nonconformity and creating a personal destiny. Henry David Thoreau emphasized simplicity and making the most of life by seizing every opportunity presented, in his work â€Å"Walden†. Walt Whitman encourages real life experience and the value of hard work throughout his various poems. The principles preached by the†¦show more content†¦Keating due to his unorthodox teaching styles and the fact that Mr Keating is trying to get Todd to be more outgoing by â€Å"forcing† him to write and read poems for the class. As Mr Keating makes Todd create an impromptu poem for the class, Todd realizes that he has a creative side and is actually a fabulous poet- causing his confidence to grow sky high as the class claps for him and him to be proud of himself. After this event, Todd becomes more and more outgoing, leading to the solidification that Mr Keating effectively taught him Emerson s principles of being his own person and not being afraid to say what s on his mind ADD QUOTE HERE. â€Å"For the first time in my whole life, I know what I wanna do! And for the first time, I m gonna do it! Whether my father wants me to or not!† This is a quote from Neil as he decides to pursue his dreams of doing what he truly wants- to become an actor. This shows that Mr. Keating effectively taught Neil the principles of Emerson because he is finally being his own person and not conforming to the rigorous structure of a person that his father wants him to be. Throughout the entire movie, Charlie dalton refuses to conform. He takes every single lesson that Mr Keating teaches to heart about nonconformity, and while he acts as though he doesn t appreciate it, he definitley emulates all of mr keatings lessons. For example, towards the end of the movie, Charlie Dalton writes in the school paper about letting girls into

Grendel Essay Example For Students

Grendel Essay Nihil ex nihilo, I always say(Gardner 150). These are the words of the infamous Grendel from the novel, titled that same character, by John Gardner.They represent the phrase life itself is meaningless which is taught to Grendel by a few different people throughout this novel. In the following essay, the explanation of this phrase, the way Grendel learns about nihilism, and how Grendel develops the concept of nihilism, as it is known, will be discussed. First, we attack the nihilism itself. What is Nihilism? Well, this is one of the main components of the book. It means life itself is meaningless. What is meant by that phrase is that anything you do or decide to do, means nothing. For example, if you make a huge decision that you think will affect you for the rest of your life, according to a nihilist it means nothing. To them, it will all turn out how it is supposed to turn out and that is that. Nihilism also refers to people who do not believe they should be told how to live their life by the government. One major example of a nihilism uprise was in Russia during the 1860s. During this decade, nihilism was primarily a rejection of tradition and authoritarianism in favor of rationalism and individualism. In Laments terms, live your lives how you want to live it and do not let anyone tell you how. In the novel, Grendel first learns this theory indirectly from the hypocrisy of man. This starts in chapter three where Grendel is observing man for the very first time. He watches in horror as they fight and scream over land and treasure. After all of this nonsense and chaos, they still have the nerve to make speeches about how honorable or great they or their king is, even though they still kill one another. This is an early sign in the book of the hypocrisy of man. From chapter three: Terrible threats, from the few words I could catch. Things about their fathers, and their fathers fathers, things about justice and honor and lawful revenge, their throats swollen, their eyes rolling like a newborn colts, sweat running down their shoulders.(Gardner 35). This quote is Grendel talking about what he sees and only what he sees. This is where he is wrongly taught about how the humans live out their hypocrisy. You could compare this situation to a toddler watching an adult and learning by repeating and mimicking everything done by the older one. This is exactly how Grendel is learning. In Chapter four, Grendels learning is furthered even more when he comes in contact with the people of Herot. At first, he comes to the hall and offers peace and mercy. Immediately the humans hack away at him with their swords. This really gets Grendel angry since he just offered his peace. He then becomes part of this hypocrisy by fighting man himself. From chapter four: I staggered out into the open and up toward the hall with my burden, groaning out, Mercy! Peace! The Harper broke off, the people screamed. (They all have their own versions, but this is the truth.) Drunken men rushed over with battle-axes. I sank to my knees crying, Friend! Friend! They hacked at me yipping like dogs., . I crushed the body in my hug, then hurled it in their faces, turned, and fled.(Gardner 52) This was the event that really made Grendel into a nihilist. The only thing left was to develop this daring n ew concept. Enter stage left, the Dragon. The Dragon, the mentor, the teacher to Grendel of nihilism. Grendel is awakened by the dragon and is brought to his lair. The Dragon, not caring at all about Grendel as a person, helps Grendel develop his nihilist ideas. To do this, he explains to him that repetition is the key to nihilism. No matter how hard the universe trys to stop repetition, it always goes on. For example, if Grendel were not there, some other evil would be tormenting the humans. From chapter five: The essence of life is to be found in the frustrations of established order. The universe refuses the deading influence of complete conformity.(Gardner 67) The Dragons teachings do not get through to Grendel very well and finally the Dragon just lets it all out. You drive them to poetry, science, religion, all that makes them what they are for as long as they last. You are, so to speak, the brute existent by which they learn to define themselves. (Gardner 73) After that comment, Grendel stubbornly blurts out that he d oes not want to be the brute. The dragon sarcastically replies by telling him to feed the hungry and help the poor. The dragon knows that it is inevitable for Grendel to be the brute but Grendel does not yet understand this. By chapters seven and eight, Grendel realizes his role in the hypocrisy. He realizes that when the queen is brought to Hrothgar that letting her live is the best thing to do after she loses her trust in the king. In chapter eight Hrothulf is the student of nihilism as Grendel observes. Grendel learns by listening to Red Horse about the corruption of the government. This is all in contribution to Grendels developing of his idea of nihilism. By chapter ten, Grendel says to the reader, Nihil ex nihilo, I always say. (Gardner 150) He now knows his role. In conclusion, this essay has gone through the development of the idea of nihilism throughout the book. From its early stages in chapters three and four, to its development in chapter five, to its full blown out ideas in chapters seven and eight. Grendel at the end of chapter ten sums up the whole hypocrisy in a simple phrase. A stupid business. (Gardner 150)Difference of Character Development inBeowulf and GrendelThe main difference between the Anglo-Saxon poem, Beowulf, and John Gardners modern retelling, Grendel, lies in the development of the characters. In the epic poem, the characters are basically static, and their actions are predictable. In Grendel, Gardner calls this stereotypical thinking about heroes and monsters into question. In particular, the monster in this modern work is dynamic, and his awareness grows as the action unfolds. Gardner remakes Grendel from the Anglo-Saxon incarnation of blind evil, unthinking and senseless, to a conscious, rational force, and Beowulf from a honorable, courageous, and epitome of goodness, to a irrational, psychotic, cold blooded killer. The epic poem Beowulf describes the most heroic man of the Anglo-Saxon times. The hero, Beowulf, is a seemingly invincible person with all the extraordinary traits required of a hero. He is able to use his super-human physical strength and courage to put his people before himself. He encounters hideous monsters and the most ferocious of beasts but he never fears the threat of death. His leadership skills are superb and he is even able to boast about all his achievements. Beowulf is the ultimate epic hero who risks his life countless times for immortal glory and for the good of others. Beowulf is the prime example of an epic hero. His bravery and strength surpass all mortal men; loyalty and the ability to think of himself last makes him revered by all. Beowulf came openly and wholeheartedly to help the Danes which was an unusual occurrence in a time of war and widespread fear. He s et a noble example for all human beings relaying the necessity of brotherhood and friendship. Beowulf is most definitely an epic hero of epic proportions. A heroic trait of Beowulf is his ability to put his peoples welfare before his own as well as his inhuman strength. Beowulfs uncle is king of the Geats so he is sent as an emissary to help rid the Danes of the evil Grendel. Beowulf risks his own life for the Danes, asking help from no one. He realizes the dangers but fears nothing for his own life. After Beowulf had served his people as King of the Geats for fifty years, he goes to battle one last time to fight a horrible dragon that is frightening all of his people. Beowulf is old and tired but he defeats the dragon in order to protect his people. Even in death he wished so secure safety for the Geats so a tall lighthouse is built in order to help the people find there way back from sea. The most heroic of traits within Beowulf is that he is not afraid to die. He always explains his death wishes before going into battle and requests to have any assets delivered to his people. And if death does take me, send the hammered mail of my armor to Higlac, return the inheritance I had from Hrehtel, and from Wayland. Fate will unwind as it must! He is aware of the heroic paradox; he will be glorified in life or death for his actions. He knows that when he fights an enemy like Grendel or Grendels mother he will achieve immortality as the victor or the loser. When we crossed the sea, my comrades and I, I already knew that all my purpose was this: to win the good will of your people or die in battle, pressed in Grendels fierce grip. Let me live in greatness and courage, or here in this hall welcome my death! Even with the enormous amount of confidence Beowulf possesses, he understands that Fate or Wyrd will work its magic no matter what and he could be killed at any point in his life. He faces that reality by showing no fear and preparing for a positive or a fatal outcome. An Unsuitable Job For A Woman: Two Detectives EssayGrendel is an unhappy soul in John Gardners book Grendel, because he feels useless in society and doesnt want to accept his given role. Throughout this whole book Grendel feels he has no friend in the outside word and no one to except him besides his own mother. He doesnt want to except his role in society which is to be the Great Destroyer. Man creates a huge problem in Grendels life and has had a major effect on the way he lives with man. Grendel is unhappy in many ways. He wants to be accepted by man but never knew why he was always shunned out of there society. Grendel in the beginning never set out to hurt man just understand him. When Grendel shows up the first time in the mead hall he yells Mercy! Peace! But no one even gives him a chance when he walks in holding a dead body and using it for protection against the drunken men swinging axes and swords at him. Grendel dose not understand this as he says they were doomed, I kne w, and I was glad. showing the hope for destruction of the human race. In Grendels eyes humans are going to destroy themselves and he will be glad when it happens. Grendel is very lonely in the world of man. He has only one person close to him and that is his mother. She cares for Grendel but just with the natural motherly instincts which Grendel sees as mechanical. Grendel doesnt understand, Why cant I have someone to talk to? as the world starts to look darker in his eyes. Animals of all sorts are enemies of his because they dont understand him. Grendel is more superior Grendels role in society is to be the great destroyer. The Dragon tells Grendel this You improve them, my boy! You stimulate them! but Grendel dose not want to except it. HE want to be part of the humanistic world. He want a different role in society. This makes Grendel very unhappy that he cannot be accepted. The Dragon puts a spell on Grendel that lets weapons not harm him. At first he dose not like this because he thinks that the fun of destroying men would be to easy at this point. He starts to grow into this though and plays his role as the great destroyer. This book shows how Grendel put up with man and learned to adapt to the humanistic ways of life. It took him a while to adapt but he did find it fun to reck the humans world. Since he was not excepted he would have to take the role of the great destroyer at the end of the story.GRENDEL FRANKENSTEINAN ANALYSIS OF THE TWO MONSTERS AND THEIR SUPERIORITY TO MANKIND GRENDEL FRANKENSTEINAN ANALYSIS OF THE TWO MONSTERS AND THEIR SUPERIORITY TO MANKINDInthe desert I saw a creature, naked, bestial, Who, squatting upon the ground, Held his heart in his hands, And ate of it. I said, Is it good friend? It is bitter-bitter, he answered; But I like it Because it is bitter And because it is my heart.-Stephen Crane This reflects how both Grendel and Frankenstein must have felt duringtheir lonely lives. Seeking friends, the fiends found enemies; seekinghope, they found hate(Neilson back page). The monsters simply want tolive as the rest of us live. But, in our prejudice of their kind, webanish them from our elite society. Who gave society the right to judgewho is acceptable and who is not? A better question might be, who isgoing to stop them? The answer, no one. Therefore, society continues toalienate the undesirables of our community. Some of the greatest mindsof all time have been socially unacceptable. Albert Einstein lived aloneand rarely wore the same color socks. Van Gogh found comfort only inhis art, and the woman who consistently denied his passion. Edgar AllenPoe was different to say the least. Just like these great men,Grendel and Frankenstein do n ot conform to the societal model. Alsolike these men, Grendel and Frankenstein are uniquely superior to therest of mankind. Their superiority is seen through their guile to live in asociety that ostracizes their kind, their true heroism in place ofsocietys romantic view, and the ignorance on which societys opinion ofthem is formed. Grendel, though he needs to kill to do so, functions very well in hisown sphere. Grendel survives in a hostile climate where he is hated andfeared by all. He lives in a cave protected by firesnakes so as tophysically, as well as spiritually, separate himself from the societythat detests, yet admires, him. Grendel is the brute existent by whichhumankind learns to define itself(Gardner 73). Hrothgars thanescontinually try to extinguish Grendels infernal rage, while he simplywishes to live in harmony with them. Like Grendel, Frankenstein also learns to live in a society thatdespises his kind. Frankenstein also must kill, but this is only inresponse to the peoples abhorrence of him. Ironically, the very doctorwho bore him now searches the globe seeking Frankensteins destruction. Even the ever-loving paternal figure now turns away from this outcastfrom society. Frankenstein journeys to the far reaches of the world toescape from the societal ills that cause society to hate him. Heventures to the harshest, most desolate, most uninhabitable place knownto man, the north pole. He lives in isolation, in the cold acceptanceof the icy glaciers. Still, Dr. Frankenstein follows, pushing hiscreation to the edge of the world, hoping he would fall off, never to beseen or heard from again. Frankenstein flees from his father until theDoctors death, where Frankenstein joins his father in the perpetual, silent acceptance ofdeath. Frankenstein never makes an attempt to become one with society, yet heis finally accepted by the captain to whom he justifies his existence. Frankenstein tracks Dr. Frankenstein as to better explain to himself thenature of ow n being by understanding the life of his creator. Unstoppable, Frankenstein travels to the ends of the earth to destroyhis creator, by destroying everyone Dr. Frankenstein loved (Shelleyafterword). As the captain listens to Frankensteins story, he beginsto understand his plight. He accepts Frankenstein as a reluctant, yetdevoted, servant to his master. Granted that Frankenstein does notbelong, he is accepted with admiration by the captain. The respectthat Frankenstein has longed for is finally given to him as he announceshis suicide in the name of his father, the late Dr. Frankenstein. On the other hand, Grendel makes numerous attempts to assimilate intosociety, but he is repeatedly turned back. Early in his life, Grendeldreams of associating with Hrothgars great warriors. Nightly, Grendelgoes down to the meadhall to listen to Hrothgars stories and thethanes heroism, but most of all, he comes to hear the Shaper. TheShapers stories are Grendels only education as they enlighten him tothe history of the society that he yearns to join. The Shaperchanged the world, had torn up its past by its thick gnarled roots andhad transmuted it, and they, who knew the truth, remembered it his way-and so did Grendel(Gardner 43). Upon Grendels first meeting with Hrothgar, the great hero tries to kill himby chopping him out of a tree. The king (Hrothgar) snatches an ax fromthe man beside him and, without any warning, he hurls it atGrendel(Gardner 27). After being attacked by those he so admires, heturns against them to wreak havoc on their civilization. The more that society alienates Grendel and Frankenstein, the more theycome to realize the invalidity of social heroism. As Grendelsoppressors see it, heroism consists of the protection of ones name, thegreater glory of their line, and most of all, their armor collection. Beowulf, so movingly compounded with self-vindication, looks to carefor his own name and honour(Morgan xxxi-xxxii). According toFrankensteins time, a hero is someone who protects their ladys name,earns greater glory for themselves and their country, and has a largecollection of prestigious degrees to hang on their walls. Socialheroism is not a single event, it is properly defined as arevolution. It is an on-going, ever-changing series of heroicevents. This revolution is not the substitution of immoral for moral,or of illegitimate violence for legitimate violence; it is simply thepitting of power against power, hero against hero, where the issue isfreedom for the winners and enslavement of the rest(Gardner 119). Thi srevolution is built on intimidation by the powerful of society tooppress the undesirables. Murder and mayhem are the life and soul ofthe revolution(Gardner 118). This revolution is most evident in John Gardners Grendel. InHrothgars meadhall, his thanes are discussing the heroic revolution with the Shaper. According to the Shaper, the kingdom, those in power,pretends to be protecting the values of all people. Supposedly, therevolution causes the kingdom to save the values of the community-regulate compromise-improve thequality of the commonwealth. In other words,protect the power of thepeople in power and repress the restIt rewards people who fit theSystem best. The Kingsimmediate thanes, the thanes top servants, andso on till you come to the people that dont fit in at all. Noproblem. Drivethem to the darkest corners of the kingdom, starvethem,arrest and execute a few, or put them out to war. Thats how it works. (Gardner 118) In Grendels time, violence is the common denominator in allrighteousness. The incitement to violence depends upon totaltransvaluation of the ordinary values. By a single stroke, the mostcriminal acts may be converted to heroic and meritorious deeds(Gardner117). Certainly the only difference between appalling acts of violenceand heroic deeds is the matter of who commits them. What might beappropriate for a king would be unheard of by a peasant. This isobviously a social commentary that fits today as well, if not better,than it did then. The rich and powerful still succeed in oppressing thepoor and helpless in every culture around the world. If the Revolutionever comes to grief, it will be because the powerful have becomealarmed at their own brutality(Gardner 117). Then, as the richdescend, the poor will rise to power in order to complete the revolution. The total ruin ofinstitutions and heroism is in itself an act of creation(Gardner118). To break the circle would cause evolution, forward progress,that would enhance the natural progress of mankind. But, according toGardner, this will never happen because the powerful enjoy their presentstate of grace; and when they helpless rise up, they are immediatelyrepressed in a cry of common good(Gardner 119). Though not as overt as Grendel, the concept of revolution is alsodisplayed in Frankenstein. Frankensteins society ostracizes itsundesirables by chasing them to the darkest corners of the world in muchthe same way that Grendels society does. Frankenstein is driven fromhis birthplace by his creator only to find that he must hide in shadowedallies to avoid social persecution. In the theme of revolution, therich control what is acceptable, and to them, Frankenstein definitelydoes not fit the mold. Next, Frankenstein seeks asylum in the barn of asmall farmer. The place where he finds refuge is a cold, dark cornersymbolic of how society forces the non-elite from their spheres toplaces where they cannot be seen, nor heard, and therefore do notexist. After Frankenstein saves t he starving family by harvesting theircrops, they repay him by running him off their land. This incidentrepeats itself throughout Frankensteins journeys. Finally,Frankenstein is forced into the cold wasteland of the Arctic circle. Inthis uninhabitable place there is no one to persecute him. Yet thedoctor maliciously continues to follow Frankenstein, hoping tocompletely destroy his creation. When Dr. Frankenstein dies, his monster is the first to come to lay his body torest and follow him into the afterlife. Frankenstein fits the idea of a true hero, rather than the romanticview of heroism shared by society. He is chivalrous, loyal, and true tohimself. Frankenstein shows his chivalry by helping a family in needand still accepting their hatred of him. He acts to help othersalthough he receives nothing in return. Frankenstein holds absoluteloyalty to his creator. Dr. Frankenstein shuns his creation,Frankenstein, and devotes his life to killing the monster, yetFrankenstein is the first to show respect to his fallen master after hisdeath. Frankenstein builds a funeral pyre to honor his master andcreator who despised him during his life. Frankensteins loyaltyextends as far as the ritual suicide he commits while cremating the bodyof his creator. Most importantly, Frankenstein is true to himself. Society wishes that he would cease to exist, so their opinion isirrelevant to him. His creator shuns him, but Frankenstein learns tocope with his own emotions in order to support himself. Frankensteinrelies solely on what he believes in, not in what society believes to beimportant. His actions are based upon his own assessment of situations,rather than what is socially acceptable. Grendel is also isolated from society, and his actions also classifyhim as a true hero. Like Frankenstein, Grendel has little outsideinfluence and has to rely on his own emotions to make decisions. Grendel possesses bravery, yet he does not have the foolish pride ofBeowulf. The first virtue of her oism is bravery, but even more, it is blind courage(Nicholson 47). Grendel is theepitome of blind courage. For example, when the bull attacks Grendel,he simply calculates the bulls movements and fearlessly moves out ofthe way. Even when the bull rips through his leg, Grendel is notafraid. Grendel repeatedly charges into the meadhall and destroys itsbest warriors without a second thought. Grendel even has the courage totaunt Hrothgars bravest thanes by throwing apples at them. Grendelbreaks up their wooden gods like kindling and topples their gods ofstone(Gardner 128). It is this type of blind courage that Grendelbelieves saves his life in battle. Fate will often spare a man if hiscourage holds(Gardner 162). Beowulf, on the other hand, is foolish inhis approach to battle. He goes to fight an immortal opponent, thedragon, and is killed because of his pride. His very valor, wisdom, andmagnanimity, expended unstindtly, lead only to a heros grave in a landsoon to be conquered(Brodeur 105 ). Grendels blind courage is farsuperior to the blind stupidity of Beowulf. Just as societys heroes fight foolishly, their opinions are made byprejudice and reflect the ignorance of humankind. Both monsters areseen as the minions of evil, and even of Satan himself. Grendel isplaced in a Biblical lineage of evil reaching back to the firstmurder(Hamilton 105). Even the author of the poem alludes to thedescent of the race of Grendel from Cain(Donaldson 1688). Frankensteinis proposed to be of accursed origin(Milton 130). However, neither ofthe two can be properly defined as Satanic, especially on the information known to the rest of society. Continuing,this belief causes extended prejudice of the monsters even in oursociety today. Through the predetermined opinions of society, Grendel is seen as anevil come to destroy all of mankind. Grendel is a victim of society, he was not born inherently evil. Woe to him who is compelled, throughcruel persecution, to thrust his soul into the embra ce of fire, to hopefor no solace(Kennedy 9). Society unduly restrains Grendel to heinousstereotypes that he does not fit. For example, another character moreclosely fits the description of Cain than Grendel. The only one of thepersonages of the poem who is clearly said to be destined to suffer inhell is Unferth, who, in his responsibility for the death of hisbrothers, has committed the sin of Cain(Brodeur 218). Clearly, it isnot Grendel that should be condemned. He only tries to assimilate intosociety, but after being continually rejected he turns to violence inresponse to societys hatred of him. Similar to Grendel, Frankenstein is also pictured as satanic. Brooksconcurs in saying that society views Frankenstein to be a uniquecreation, like Adam united by no link to any other being inexistence'(Milton 129), yet by his condition more resemblingSatan(210). There are times when he scarcely seems to be of thisearth(Venables 59). Also like Grendel, Frankenstein was not born evil,he was f orced into his way of life by the society that rejected him. After this rejection, Frankenstein like the arch-fiend, bore a hell within him(Shelley 136). To each man his own god, and to each manhis own devil as well. Frankenstein, like Coleridges wedding guest,leaves a sadder and wiser man'(Scott 201). He now better understandshis existence and how society wrongfully rejects it. Frankensteinsimply wants society to have the knowledge that might enable him tomake them overlook the deformity of his figure(Shelley 114). Manhow ignorant art thou in thy pride of wisdom!(Shelley 201). Grendels and Frankensteins superiority to humankind is made obviousby their ability to live in a society that has ostracized them, themonsters true heroism in place of humankinds romantic view, and theignorance on which societys opinion of the monsters is based. Themonsters not only embody our fears of the way certain entities canartificially pervert nature in ourselves and our society, they alsospeak to us knowledgeably of nature and in a human voice, to tell us weneed not be afraid of them(Scott201).

Social Security Reforms Implication Of Reinvesting Social Security Surpluses In Favor Of The Beneficiaries Essay Example

Social Security Reforms: Implication Of Reinvesting Social Security Surpluses In Favor Of The Beneficiaries Essay Social security has been adopted as a policy and programme of government to secure and provide for needs of the aged, disabled or those who are financially disabled. In the United State of America, the social security programme of the country has being on for 70 years now. And it is considered by scholars and their likes that it is the most successful programme in U.S. history (Smith, 2005). Social security top most agenda of the US. And, it is one that has incurred rigorous debate. Thus, it has become increasingly politicized in contemporary times. Many politicians now use social security issue as an item for political campaign and manifestos display. Hence, promises are made on ways and pattern to reform existing social security programme in fashion tat would make it more beneficial to the beneficiaries. Social security has been synonymous to nomenclature such as Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance program. But as Smith (2005), rightly puts it, the program is broad and not just for retirees. It is an insurance program, one that provides insurance against a destitute old age and also protects survivors and those with disability. â€Å"Social security provides benefits to retired and disabled workers and their dependents and survivors; social security provides assistance to the needy, aged, blind, and disabled† (Horst, 2001). Government has over the years allocated huge public funds for the administration of social security. For example, in US 1996 fiscal year, Social Security Administration (SSA) had expenditures totaling $386 billion; almost one-forth of the United States $1.6 trillion federal budget. And in that year over 50 million beneficiaries nearly one out of every five individuals in the country- received benefits from SSA each month, and the numbers have been steadily growing (ibid). The scale of social security is huge: nearly 500 billion dollars shared by over 47 million social security benefit was $926 in 2004† (Smith, 2005). Social security constitutes a major source of income for most retirees. For those with lower incomes, nearly three quarters of their total income comes from social security. And a third of all without social security (ibid). Social security has been of an immense benefit and thus advantageous in making the aged and senior citizens maintain their dignity and hence, make them to depend less on financial support from their families. Also, widows, dependents and disabled persons condition of living have being uplifted with no cause for them to go on wanting. We will write a custom essay sample on Social Security Reforms: Implication Of Reinvesting Social Security Surpluses In Favor Of The Beneficiaries specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Social Security Reforms: Implication Of Reinvesting Social Security Surpluses In Favor Of The Beneficiaries specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Social Security Reforms: Implication Of Reinvesting Social Security Surpluses In Favor Of The Beneficiaries specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The administration of social security has come up with certain problems that make many people to call for the reform to the current programme in the United States. According to Steiner (2005), social security the nation’s paternalistic retirement program has a two- part-financing problem. The first component is the imbalance, which pertain to the amount of money the system takes and spend on social security. Here, projected revenues and expenditures are not in balance. The second component is the surplus, which is derived from the tax revenue on social security. Today, the government takes in more social security tax revenue than it spends, which create surpluses. The government invests the current surpluses in special – issue government bonds and spends rather than invests them. The situation of things s made current financing arrangement lowers savings and raises the national debt, instead of potentially increasing national savings, which could fund the benefits for f uture retirees. A as way out of the problems facing social security in the United States, it is suggested that social security surpluses should be invested in private securities rather than government bonds. This would effectively remove trust fund assets from the unified budget and force Congress to get along without them. This approach is suggested to preserve social security’s current defined benefit structure. The advantages associated with private securities trust fund; include: first, it would increase expected returns on trust fund assets, potentially increasing national savings. The higher investments risk associated with private securities would be spread over all program participants. Also, benefits would be payable to participants as intended, rather than leaking out of the program to serve other purposes. It then become necessary to avoid exorbitant increases to payroll taxes in the future and resolve both the imbalances and surplus problems, it may make sense to invest social sec urity assets in private investments or reduce future benefits and encourage individuals to save more themselves (Steiner, 2005). But the disadvantage associated with the above approach is that the government would select the private securities. Defenders maintain that government involvement could be mitigated by investing the trust fund in indexed mutual funds selected by an independent board of trustees charged with representing the interests of program participants (ibid). Pay-As-You-Go financing with adjustments is another option to be adopted in reforming the existing social security. â€Å"Chile, the first country in the world to shift from a pay-as-you-go defined benefit social insurance model to a funded defined contribution model† (Rix, 2005). This approach involves the financing short falls ahead to bring tax rates and benefits into balance within social security’s current structure while avoiding significant surpluses. The pay-as-you-go financing with adjustments had the advantages f simplicity, but it could come at the cost of relatively steep increases in taxes or significant reductions in benefits or both (ibid). Using the adopted reform of social security in United Kingdom as a referral point, the Voluntary Carve Outs (VCO) in the United Kingdom has a defined benefit and a defined contribution plan as the alternative to social security. â€Å"The United Kingdom is the only high- income country that allows VCOs with the worker establishing an individual account defined contribution plan† (Blake, 2005). Under the VCO programme in the UK, workers can ‘contract out’ of social security, replacing part of their social security benefits with private pensions, either through a defined benefit plan or, since 1988, an individual account defined contribution plan. In the VCO programme, the UK government receives and disburses contributions to individual accounts; it does not have a record keeping function for the VCO accounts. Rather, the government serves as the record keeper for the entire system. Here, each worker has an account with the company managing the investments of the VC O, usually an insurance company. Workers must contract with an insurance company to receive the annuitized benefits. The workers are responsible for investigating the prices charged by insurance companies (ibid). A VCO account differs from the traditional social security benefits in the sense that VCO account is like a loan from the government because the workers accept reduced future socials security benefits in exchange for the diversion today of socials security of the assets between contributions to an individual account and reductions in future social security benefits are a key aspect of the structure of VCOs because they affect the decisions workers make as to whether to take the VCO. The need to make reform to existing social security program, in order to better the lots of beneficiaries, brought about this research study. Thus, the study would focus on social security reforms: implications of reinvesting social security surpluses in favor of the beneficiaries. The United State social security program would be the case study for the research work. 1.2 STATEMENT OF RESEARCH PROBLEM The following are those problems that underline the study which the research study intend proffering solution to: Social security administration is bedeviled with an imbalance in the amount of money government collect as tax for social security and the actual amount that is spent for beneficiaries of social security. This imbalance has led to growing shortfalls in the out-years of social security administration. Hence, projected revenues and expenditures are not in balance. How could administration of social security be administered in order to make a balance between collected tax (revenue) and expenditures on social security? As a result of imbalance between expected revenue and expenditures, there are surpluses in accumulated fund not disbursed. How would these surpluses be invested in order to further better the lot of beneficiaries of social security? The current social security leaves the beneficiaries with no room to make choice on how and where  Ã‚   to invest for their future benefits. Unlike the case with the Voluntary Carve out (VCO) program of the UK, where the beneficiary has the choice to make decision on which insurance company to manage their securities, the social security as being practice in the US demands for mandatory account.   Workers in VCO have the choice to make many decisions, which affect their lives unlike the social security. Lower income workers are restricted only to social security, unlike those in upper income level. Thus, they bear more risk averse concerning the investment of their retirement savings than upper income workers. And the lower income workers have no room for the diversification of their source of retirement income. 1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE S TUDY The following under listed are those objectives, which the research study tends to attain. To proffer the best method on which the reinvestment of surpluses in social security, that would be of immense benefits to the beneficiaries and safeguard the programme to last and be capable to meet future demands in the ever-increasing beneficiaries of social security. To determine ways of reforming social security administration that would make beneficiaries have room to make choice and be in position to make decision that would best benefit them To determine ways in which the imbalances of revenues generated for social security and the expenditures made are balanced in order to make the programme more effective and beneficial to stakeholders. To determine the implications of reinvesting surpluses of social security in favor of the beneficiaries. 1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY The importance of this research work includes: The study would enable government know ways of investing and administering surpluses in social; security so as to better the lot of the beneficiaries and improve on the effectiveness of the programme. The study would also enable government to know ways of administering social security so as to remove any form of imbalances that would prevent proper forecasting and future plan on social security programme. The research work would also enable beneficiaries of the social security programme to know ways and roles they would play in order to improve their status in the programme. The research work would contribute to the body of knowledge. Researchers on the same field of study can make reference to this study in course of further research work. The research work is significant in the sense that it would contribute to   social concern and the ways of further improvement on social well-being of the masses in a state. 1.5  Ã‚   RESERCH METHODOLOGY 1.5.1  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Research Design method The survey research design would be used in conducting this research work. A survey design is a research method where data are collected from a defined population to describe the present condition of the population using the variables under study. â€Å"Survey design does more than merely uncover data. They interpret, synthesis and integrate these data and point to implications and interrelationship† (Bankole, 2003:15). Since the subject matter for this study is a social issue that affects a large group and the generality of people, the survey research method becomes most feasible and more appropriate in the conduct of the study. 1.5.2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Subjects for the study The total population for this study would constitute the majority of beneficiaries of social security especially those in the United States. Since they are the users and direct stakeholders in social security, it is appropriate that they constitute the subjects of the study. Also, government workers in agencies that administer social security policies would constitute subject for the study. These two groups become appropriate as the subject of the study, because they have first knowledge on how social security is being administered and they partake in the outcome of the implemented programme. 1.5.3  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sample Size The sample size, i.e., the number of subjects top be i8ncluded for the study would comprise of 100 respondents. 70% of the respondents, constituting 70 people, would be those who are beneficiaries of social security. While 30% of the respondents would be workers and other people that have direct link with governmental agencies that administers social security. The categorization of the subjects for the study in the above giving proportion becomes appropriate, since there are greater numbers of beneficiaries of social security than the workers administering the programme. The number of sample size is adequate because it could be properly managed and data derived would be adequately analyzed, than larger sample size. 1.5.4  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sampling Method The quota sampling method would be used in selecting the subjects for the study. Quota sampling is a non-probability sampling method, a form of accidental sampling done in line with quota or strata in the total population. According to Odiagbe (1999:48), quota sample is selected in such a way that various components appear not only in proportion to their sizes in the target population but selection is stopped as soon as enough of the sub-group is selected. The quota sampling method is adequate for this study since there is a placement of quota selection on those to form the research respondents. Also, quota sampling being a non-probability method would make the selection of the respondents for the study to be easy. Anyone can be included in the group selection, so far the number of selection do not exceed the 70-30 percentage ratio apportioned for beneficiaries and workers of government agencies for social security administration. 1.5.5  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Data Collection Methods In the course of conducti8ng this re search, both primary and secondary data would be  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   utilized.; the primary data would be generated from self administered questionnaires to the respondents. The questionnaires would contain two sections. Sections A,, would have the bio-data of the respondents, while section b would have questions relating to the study and the research questions. The questionnaires would be sent through e-mail and postal mail to reach wide areas and prevent the restriction of selecting the respondents to a particular area. This would also save cost of reaching respondents in distant areas. The choice of choosing questionnaire as an instruments for data collection boils to the fact that it would allow for ease in data collection and also position the respondent in a calm atmosphere, devoid of threat and victimization when giving answers to the questions. Also would be secrecy and protection of respondent privacy when questionnaires are administe red. Linkert 5 scale measurement would be used to grade the answers given b y the respondents. Below are the grade apportioned to each answer given Options  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Apportioned score Strongly agree  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   5 Agree  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   4 Uncertain  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   3 Disagree  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2 Strongly disagree  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1 The secondary data would be used in deriving data and comparing previous findings and drawing conclusions for the study. The secondary data would be derived from journals, textbooks, newspapers articles, Internet materials and government gazettes. 1.6  Ã‚   MEASUREMENT The topic of this research study is ‘Social Security Reforms: Implication Of Reinvesting Social Security Surpluses In Favor Of The Beneficiaries’. From the topic the independent variable is ‘ Social security reforms’, while the dependent variable is ‘ the implication of reinvesting social security surpluses in favor of the beneficiaries. To operationalized the topic, we say, the implications derived from the r e investing of social security surpluses in favor of the beneficiaries is a function of the level of reforms made on the existing social security policy. In other words, the implications that are obtainable from the reinvesting of surpluses from social security to favor the beneficiaries, this is determined by the outcome of the type of reform carried out on current social security policy. For instance, if no thorough reform is carried out it means the level of change would be minute, thereby resulting in the status quo of modus operandi. 1.7 DATA ANALYSIS The quantitative analysis method would be use for the analysis of the data for the study. Chi-square (X2) would be used in testing the r e search questions. The formula for the chi-square (x2) is: X2+ (O-E)2 E Where ‘O’ represent the observed frequency ‘E ‘ represents the expected frequency. The decision rule for the chi- square (X2) include: Accept the null hypothesis (h0), when the calculated value of X2 is lesser than the table value of X2. Hence, reject the alternate hypothesis (H1). Reject the null hypothesis (H0), when the calculated value of X2 is greater than the table value of X2. Hence, accept the alternate hypothesis (H1). The findings of the research study would be derived based on the conclusion reached from the statistical analysis carried out. 1.8 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS The ethical considerations to be put in place in the course of conducting this research work include the following: 1. The data for the research work would not be falsified. Hence, it would be generated based on the actual response the respondents give. 2 the privacy of the respondents would be protected; any  Ã‚   given information would only be utilized for the conducting the research study. 3. All used secondary data would be adequately referenced in order to prevent plagiarism. REFRENCES Bankole, A.R. (2003), research methods: an introductory approach. Lagos: Adeshina Print Production Publication. Blake, David Turner John, (2005), voluntary Carve Outs for Social Security reform: Lessons from the United Kingdom† http://assets.aarp.org/rgcenter/econ/20005_20_uk.pdf (20/02/06) Hprst, Cindy (2001), â€Å" Vital link in social security: Somali refugees in the Dadaab camps, Kenya† working paper no.38. New Issues in refugee research. Social security Administration (SSA) publication. No 05-10008. Odiagbe, Martin (1999), A Handbook of Research Methods, Seminar Presentation Term paper writing. Lagos: Win Computer System. Rix, Sara E. (2005), â€Å"reforming Social security: Lessons from Abroad† http://www.aarp.org/research/socialsecurity/reform/social_security_abroad.html (20/02/06) Smith, Marie F. (2005), â€Å" The  Ã‚   Future of Social security Speech† July 18. http://www.aarp.org/research/socialsecurityreform/socail_security_confrence.html. (20/02/06) Steiner, Kenneth A. (2005), â€Å" Social Security Reform: What’s the Best Fix?† http://www.contingencies.org/novdec05/social_security_reform_1105.asp (11/02/06).