Post #11-Research Paper Reflection:

            Writing this research paper has been an extremely difficult task for me, ranking with other difficult tasks that I have undertaken like completing my six-day eagle scout project, earning the swimming merit badge (I wasn't very buoyant), and completing my drawings for architectural design at the end of high school. The process of me writing this paper has taught me what not to do when I need to write a paper. Don't switch topics at the beginning of the last week to write. Don't choose a topic you don't really care about. Don't have thirty distractions around when you work. And finally, don't procrastinate.

            I chose the topic of the Kulturkampf  because it seemed to be related to my great-great-grandfather getting baptized in the night to avoid being found by the government. I also chose this topic to conform with the class theme of family stories. I wanted to do a research paper on the varying degrees of the stability of the isotopes of superheavy elements, but the only way that relates to my family story in any way is 1) my Grandpa Braun used to work with the air force and he might have dealt with nuclear warheads, and 2) my recent past where I have been interested in this worthy subject. Therefore, the superheavy element topic would have not satisfied the requirement and even the best paper about the varying beta decay, alpha decay, and spontaneous fission half-lives would have gotten me a meager score.

            On Thursday I looked up the lyrics to and listened to the song “How It Is” by Rush. One part is:

“It's such a cloudy day

Seems we'll never see the sun

Or feel the day has possibilities

Frozen in the moment . . .

The lack of imagination

Between how it is and how it ought to be”

I felt that these lyrics adequately described how I felt.

            On Thursday I also thought of the scripture Ether 12:27:

“And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.”

I thought this scripture was very applicable to my life right now. Tough trials in my life keep me off of my pedestal of perfect test scores and life achievements. Also if I have faith in the Lord, then he will strengthen my weaknesses.

Post #10-Rock Metamorphism and Life

When a rock is subjected to intense heat and pressure, it transforms into a metamorphic rock. Increasing intensities of metamorphism (metamorphic grade) may render a rock such as shale entirely unrecognizable. Different combinations of heat and pressure produce different facies of metamorphic rock. Zeolite-grade metamorphism includes the lowest heat and pressure. Granulite-grade metamorphism includes the highest heat and pressure and is the last refuge before partial melting of the rock.
When a small innocent piece of sediment falls to the ocean floor, it doesn't expect anything more than the calm deep ocean surrounding it. But as this piece of sediment nears the oceanic trench, it begins to anticipate the probable inferno of heat and pressure. Once this piece of sediment hits the trench, it is rammed against the accretionary wedge of the volcanic arc and is subjected to a low-temperature, high-pressure metamorphism. If this piece of oceanic sediment rides out the subducting plate, the temperature increases along with pressure. This piece of sediment is squeezed with many others into a crystalline, foliated rock called schist. If the piece of sediment survives is still in a recognizable form, it may melt along the subducting plate and eventually emerge as part of an andesite in a volcanic eruption. If this sediment survives all of these scenarios, it is eventually plunged deep into the hot, dense mantle to assimilate into oblivion.
When we are all plopped onto the conveyor belt of life, initially we are at peace because of the relative inaction of our surroundings. As we ride out the conveyor belt, we begin to see dangers to our peace coming. However, we are powerless to slow down or stop this conveyor belt, so we are dragged to our anticipated nightmares. Once we enter the phase that we have all feared, we are subject to a maelstrom of fear and regret. After the phases are over, we say, "Heck, I'm glad I got that over with," after we wipe the seventy gallons of perspiration off of our foreheads.

Post #9-Elements 119 and 120?

The article "Superheavy Element Research at TASCA at GSI" hints that the reactions to discover element 119 and 120, 249Bk+50Ti and 249Cf+50Ti, respectively, were successful. Unfortunately, the data is still being processed. I will be on the lookout for the published results in these reactions at the GSI. I will let everyone know on here when these elements are discovered, and the properties of their isotopes.

Post #8-Research Paper Topic #2

My more recent topic is if low-yield nuclear weapons should be banned or not. A ban on low-yield nuclear weapons would draw a stark contrast on nuclear weapon yield versus conventional weapon yields and would hopefully prevent nuclear escalation. However, this treaty would be impossible to enforce with such countries like Iran, Pakistan, China, and especially North Korea. These countries have repeatedly lost their trust of Western nations through blatant disobedience or undercover operations that threaten the stability of global relations. I currently do not have a thesis for this topic because I am unsure of what I should write about. I find that I dislike this topic too much for me to have adequate motivation to pursue such a topic.
My previous topic on the ethics of using nuclear weapon fallout-enhancers had very scant research online, and so the marginal cost of attempting such a research project (the risk of a low grade) outweighed any marginal benefit. Hence I switched topics.
I propose to switch my topic to the reasons behind the varying degrees of stability of the isotopes of super-heavy elements, but I fear that this topic lacks arguments. This topic has the advantages of that I would be doing it for more than a grade because it is one of my primary interests. I would refer again and again to a paper on this topic, instead of having the paper be a symbol of bad memories and me never looking at it again. Do any of you think that the reasons behind the varying stability of the isotopes of super-heavy elements is a good research topic?

Post #7-General Conference Review

The talk that struck me the most in the last general conference was Elder Cook's talk "Choose Wisely" in the Priesthood Session. Elder Cook uses imagery and examples to establish his stance on agency that choices are very important.
Elder Cook uses imagery to stress the importance of choosing wisely. "Sometimes it feels like we are drowning in frivolous foolishness, nonsensical noise, and continuous contention"(16). Elder Cook uses 'drowning' to describe the prevalence of foolishness, contention, and noise in that these have a potential to spiritually suffocate us if we make poor choices, much like water suffocates a drowning individual. Another literary device that Elder Cook uses in his statement quoted above is the same letters at the beginning of each word in each adjective-noun combination. He uses this literary device to magnify the wrong in the traits of foolishness, noise, and contention.
Elder Cook also discusses an interview he had with a certain young man. Elder Cook was impressed with this young man's goals to go on a mission and attend the temple, but Elder Cook was unimpressed with the conduct of this certain young man and how it contradicted his worthy goals. Elder Cook uses this example of somebody who isn't focused on worthy goals as an example to tell young men to prepare to be "emissaries of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ"(11).

Post #6-Research Topic #1

I thought of a very good topic to cover on my research paper over the last couple of days. I wanted to do something that I was interested in, yet have the topic be debatable and understandable. I wrote a "research paper" in my senior year of high school that was about a topic that I was interested in, but it wasn't debatable and it was fairly technical. After that prideful mistake I made in AP English last spring, I am determined to find a debatable, understandable topic that I am interested in.
My topic is going to be the ethics of using "salting agents" in nuclear weapons. A "salting agent" is a nuclide in the heart of a nuclear weapon that is designed to become very radioactive upon aborption of neutrons. Salting agents are deliberately added to nuclear weapons to increase the radioactivity of the fallout. The question is is it really necessary to increase the radioactivity of the fallout after the blast?



Comments:
That sounds like a very interesting topic! I've always liked blowing things up and learning how different things react. It might not be a good idea for me to read your paper... but I'd love to read it anyway! Good luck on the research! I guess as a suggestion I'd say look at all the points of view on nuclear fallout and what people determine is ethically correct.

-Charles