The math behind the Pendulum Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The math behind the Pendulum - Research Paper Example As the period of a pendulum is constant, pendulums were used to regulate the movement of clocks. Until the 1930’s pendulums were the most accurate time keeping devices of the world. In 1583, the Italian scientist Galileo first noted the constancy of a pendulum’s period by comparing the movement of a swinging chandelier in a Pisa cathedral with his pulse rate. He found that the time was not a function of how wide the chandelier swung. As the wind was blowing the chandelier, it was swinging different distances side to side or amplitudes. Galileo found that the pendulum swung more slowly. Over a shorter swing, the chandelier took just as many of his heartbeats to complete a swing with greater amplitude. Galileo made an error in the calculation of the angle of the chandelier. In 1656, the Dutch mathematician and scientist Christian Huygens invented a clock controlled by the motion of a pendulum (Huygens and the Pendulum, Princeton). The accuracy of mechanical clocks improve d in the span of a couple of decades in the early 17th century from plus or minus half an hour per day to one second per day. This quantum increase in accuracy of timing enabled previously unimagined degrees of precision measurement in mechanics, astronomy and other fields of study. Time then for the first time was expressed as an independent variable in the investigation of nature. For example, each of the following could be reliably investigated for the first time: The effect of force on objects over time The distance of fall over time The change of speed over time The radial movements of planets over time The progress of chemical reactions over time All these investigations required that the time could be accurately and reliably measured. Thus the pendulum held a very important place as a time keeping device. Competent time measurement was a requirement for modern science and the pendulum enabled this to happen (Story behind the science, Web). The pendulum played more than a scie ntific and technical role in the formation of the modern world. It also indirectly changed cultures and societies through its impact on navigation. Position on the Earth’s surface is given by latitude and longitude. A traveler sailing across the sea must know the coordinates of his present position as well the coordinates of his destination. Hence the knowledge of position was essential for reliable traveling and trading. Accurate time measurement was long seen as the solution to the problem of longitude determination which had vexed European maritime nations in their efforts to sail beyond Europe’s shores. Treasure fleets from Latin America, trading ships from the Far East were all getting lost and running out of food and water. The pendulum thus played a pivotal role in resolving the longitude problem and thus holds an important place in Physics as well as History. This thesis will focus on the interesting aspects about the period of a pendulum and its mathematical d erivation. According to Hooke’s law, the restoring force of a spring is directly proportional to its displacement. Fig 1: Physical representation of Hooke’s law The above figure shows a spring elongated through a length x. F is the force that wants to drive the spring back to equilibrium. By Hooke’s law, |F| ? |x| F = -kx where k is the spring constant measured in Newton/metre (N/m) Here, the negative sign represents that the direction of F is opposite to that of x. Moving further on, consider the case

On the Road Essay Example for Free

On the Road Essay Response: Chapters 1-2 From the very first pages of the book it becomes clear that the book is a novel of characters rather than a novel of plot. I think the novel captures the audience due to unexpected movements of the main characters. First chapters show that the whole plot centers on the character of Dean Moriarty. The novel starts with Sal’s descriptions of his life before Dead. He has just split up with his wife, has recovered from serious illness and, we see that he simply doesn’t know where to move and how to arrange his life. Sal seems to be weaker personality than Dean, who manages to direct Sal’s actions the way he likes. Sal feels tired and depressed and I think that he has lost sense of life. It is Dean that sparks Sal’s personality into motion. It is possible to say that Dean is personification of Sal’s dreams. Sal has always dreamed of moving to the West and Deans arrives from there. Dean lives in San Francisco, travels across the country. Dean drinks a lot, uses drugs and has many women. Moreover, he is a father of four children from two different women. In the first two chapters Kerouac juxtaposes the ideas of the East and the West. The East is presented as old, intellectual, critical, saddened and stagnant, whereas the West is presented as passionate, wild, young and exuberant. Sal and Dean are described with attributes of the places they are from. The West is a new horizon for Sal, and the East is a new horizon for Dean. The novel is told from Sal’s perspective and we are allowed only to see and to feel through Sal. In the first chapters Sal remain unchanged; he is only sparked with the idea of something new and unexplored. Sal is impressed by Dean’s impulsiveness and recklessness. I think that Sal is willing to have the same qualities as Dean, he realizes that he may change his life, to introduce something new and wild in his bored lifestyle. Response: Chapters 3-4 We see that Sal’s adventure with Dean begins. Sal is very excited as he will become acquainted with places he has never been to. Thus, his descriptions of the passing places are exuberant and vivid. I think Sal fees younger, stronger and more confident. Through the long sentences and paragraphs, Kerouac shows that Sal’s exciting feelings are constant, they are rolling in motion. Sal reminds a child who is allowed to something secret, forbidden, something he has never been allowed to do. Relative lull occurs in the Des Moines hotel, when Sal awakes in the morning and can’t understand where he is, who he is and what he is doing. He realizes he is somewhere halfway across America, between the East and West. I think Sal realizes he is halfway from his long-awaited dream. Sal’s emotions are paralleled with surrounding geography. Through geography Sal manages to provide his emotions, ideas and dreams with definite forms. Sal’s emotions are changing and geography is changing as well. Interestingly, Sal feels when approaching the west everything is better and bigger. Even the ice cream and apple pie are testier. All the characters Sal meets on the road are individuals, they are epitomes of the region, embodiments of better living standards. To signify all events and characters, Sal describes everything in superlatives – the best, the prettiest, the hugest, etc. It shows that he is really fascinated with his journey and really obsessed with the West. For Sal, Denver is the Promised Land, Nebraska resembles the Nile Valley, and San Francisco is the greatest among them. Sal visits Denver, where Dean was born. Again Sal thinks Dean is envisioning the West. These chapters are the climax of Sal’s compassion, excitement and clear-eyed tolerance. We see Sal simply follows Dean in everything; he even reshapes his values and beliefs. Response: Chapters 5-6 Sal’s adventure with Dean continues: new impressions, new acquaintances, new ideas and new dreams. Sal realizes that the West is approaching, and he feels more confident that his dream will come true. Nevertheless, we see that Sal remains modest about himself, although he envisions place and people in grand terms. Sal is constantly pleased, and, at the same time, he seems not to believe that he may approach the West. He has been dreaming of the West for many years, and I think it is difficult for him to understand that his dream may be accomplished. He is thankful to Dean for opportunity of self-expression and self-realization. In my opinion, I can’t say that Dean is positive character. Yes, he has influenced Sal showing him new opportunities and new horizons, but Dean is too wild and mad. Sal didn’t understand yet possible outcomes of their so-called friendship. Dean is zealous and wild personality, though he is captivating as well. And his wildness and craziness attracts Sal who used to live a calm life. Sal begins picturing himself in the eyes of his new friends. He stumbles into Denver considering the city mysterious. Nonetheless, we know that Sal is too earnest and infatuated to affect something or someone. Sal is the person who is affected, not the one who affects. Despite Sal is with his friends, he feels less- confident. When he gives a cryptic answer, he is criticized and, instead of defending his position, he explains that he doesn’t know what they try to get at. In these chapters Kerouac shows that Sal is more an observer rather than performer. He faces new world and he doesn’t know how to cope with it, how to behave, what to expect from it. I think that the majority of Sal’s idealistic visions are nothing more than facades, and in future they will definitely result in sadness and disillusionment. However, Sal is mot aware of that fact.

Eric Eazy-E Wright A Life Interrupted by Taylor Evans :: essays research papers

Eric Eazy-E Wright A Life Interrupted by Taylor Evans Born September 7, 1963, Eric "Eazy-E" Wright's early reputation on the streets of Compton, California, was a hustler eager to apply his street knowledge to his legitimate game. He dropped out of high school in the tenth grade, but refused that to interrupt his success. In the late `80's he turned to rap music. Along with Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, DJ Yella, and M.C. Ren established the most successful and controversial rap group in history. As N.W.A, they blasted police cruelty and challenged the establishment. They eventually took their message of inner-city struggle to millions of fans worldwide. As a soloist, Eazy's career was even more incredible. He launched Compton/Ruthless Records in 1987 and by 1988 had two hit acts-JJ. Fad and Michel'le. During the summer of the same year, N.W.A's Straight Outta Compton LP frightened the media into labeling the group "gangsters". This was a label the group wore and exploited with such force that by the time Eazy released his solo project Eazy-Duz-It that fall, the stage of musical funk and lyrical fight had long been set. "Boyz-N-The-Hood" , "We Want Eazy", "Eazy-Duz-It". His voice fueled a legion of hits. In the early `90's, he joined other West Coast rappers, including M.C. Hammer, Ice T, Tone-Loc, and Young MC, in a stop the violence campaign led by the single "We're All In The Same Gang". With N.W.A, Eazy broke down all the doors of mass exposure previously closed to rap music. Attempts to rock the young musician's foundation were generally useless. Arrests for performing N.W.A's biggest hit "F*** The Police", and other attempts at censorship only helped pave the way for his success. By the time the group had released its last album, Efil4zaggin, in 1991, they had sold more than six million records. As a businessman, Eazy had built a solid commodity with his Ruthless Records label. Some of his more famous signings were: Above The Law, Bone- Thugs-N-Harmo ny, and D.O.C. His ability to promote and market these acts was on the strength of his radio show, "Ruthless Radio Show". As an on-air personality, Eazy gave his audience tickets to his performances, talked to fans, and also became more famous with the young black Americans. Few really knew the man behind the scenes. His charitable nature benefited such organizations as Athletes and Entertainers For Kids, United Colors, and the Make A Wish Foundation.

Symbolism in A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flannery OConnor Essay

in "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" Flannery O' Connor uses symbolism to give more meaning to her short story. O'Connor writes a story of a Grandmother versus a Misfit, or good versus evil. This short story is about a family going to Florida, who takes a turn down a dirt road, which only causes them to get in an accident, and be found by the Misfit. This encounter prevented them from ever arriving Florida, because the Misfit ends their lives. Using symbolism, O'Connor creates a story with much meaning to the Grandmother, nature, sky, woods, their surroundings, roads, and cars to portray the constant battle between good and evil. In "A Good Man is Hard to Find" the Grandmother is a main character that symbolizes a savior. O' Connor describes the Grandmother as a savior with grace, who is saving the Misfit from evil. ." O’Connor determinues that the Grandmother shall be the Misfit’s savior, even though she may not seem so in the story† (Bandy, 151). She reaches out to the Misfit with a "touch of grace" because she is portrayed as the "good character" in the story. The Grandmothers purpose is trying to save the Misfit, or the "evil character." At the end of the story, when she was talking to the Misfit after she realized that he was going to kill her she murmurs, "'Why you're one of my own babies. You're one of my own children!' She reaches out and touches him on the shoulder. The Misfit sprang back as if a snake had bitten him and shot her three times through the chest" (O'Connor). Here the significance is that the Misfit was offered grace from the Grandmother, but denies it. â€Å"When the Misfit shoots the grandmother he is recoiling from whatever grace she offers. He is rejecting not just any warmth conveyed in the touch, but also th... ...993. 31-51. Print. Martin, Carter. "'The Meanest of Them Sparkled'" Beauty and Landscape in Flannery O'Connor's Fiction" Women Writers Texts and Contexts. By Flannery O'Connor. Ed. Frederick Asals. New Brunswick: Rutgers UP, 1993. 127-137. Print. Excerpt from Realist of Distances:Flannery O'Connor Revisited. Ed. Karl-Heinz Westarp and Jan Nordby Gretlund. Aarhus, Denmark: Aarhus University Press, 1987. 147- 159. Prunty, Wyatt. â€Å"’The Figure of Vacancy.’† Shenandoah 46.3 (1996): 38-55. Rpt. in Short Story Criticism. Ed. Janet Witalec. Vol. 61. Farmington Hill: Gale Group, 2003. 151-159. Print. Raiger, Michael. â€Å"’’Large and Startling Figures’: The Grotesque and the Sublime in the Short Stories of Flannery O’Connor.’† Seeing into the Life of Things: Essays on Literature and Religious Experience (1998): 242-70. Rpt. in Short Story Criticism. Ed. Janet Witalec. Symbolism in A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flannery O'Connor Essay in "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" Flannery O' Connor uses symbolism to give more meaning to her short story. O'Connor writes a story of a Grandmother versus a Misfit, or good versus evil. This short story is about a family going to Florida, who takes a turn down a dirt road, which only causes them to get in an accident, and be found by the Misfit. This encounter prevented them from ever arriving Florida, because the Misfit ends their lives. Using symbolism, O'Connor creates a story with much meaning to the Grandmother, nature, sky, woods, their surroundings, roads, and cars to portray the constant battle between good and evil. In "A Good Man is Hard to Find" the Grandmother is a main character that symbolizes a savior. O' Connor describes the Grandmother as a savior with grace, who is saving the Misfit from evil. ." O’Connor determinues that the Grandmother shall be the Misfit’s savior, even though she may not seem so in the story† (Bandy, 151). She reaches out to the Misfit with a "touch of grace" because she is portrayed as the "good character" in the story. The Grandmothers purpose is trying to save the Misfit, or the "evil character." At the end of the story, when she was talking to the Misfit after she realized that he was going to kill her she murmurs, "'Why you're one of my own babies. You're one of my own children!' She reaches out and touches him on the shoulder. The Misfit sprang back as if a snake had bitten him and shot her three times through the chest" (O'Connor). Here the significance is that the Misfit was offered grace from the Grandmother, but denies it. â€Å"When the Misfit shoots the grandmother he is recoiling from whatever grace she offers. He is rejecting not just any warmth conveyed in the touch, but also th... ...993. 31-51. Print. Martin, Carter. "'The Meanest of Them Sparkled'" Beauty and Landscape in Flannery O'Connor's Fiction" Women Writers Texts and Contexts. By Flannery O'Connor. Ed. Frederick Asals. New Brunswick: Rutgers UP, 1993. 127-137. Print. Excerpt from Realist of Distances:Flannery O'Connor Revisited. Ed. Karl-Heinz Westarp and Jan Nordby Gretlund. Aarhus, Denmark: Aarhus University Press, 1987. 147- 159. Prunty, Wyatt. â€Å"’The Figure of Vacancy.’† Shenandoah 46.3 (1996): 38-55. Rpt. in Short Story Criticism. Ed. Janet Witalec. Vol. 61. Farmington Hill: Gale Group, 2003. 151-159. Print. Raiger, Michael. â€Å"’’Large and Startling Figures’: The Grotesque and the Sublime in the Short Stories of Flannery O’Connor.’† Seeing into the Life of Things: Essays on Literature and Religious Experience (1998): 242-70. Rpt. in Short Story Criticism. Ed. Janet Witalec.

America Online Inc Case Study Essay

3. Was AOL’s policy to capitalize subscriber acquisition costs justified prior to 1995? Ans: AOL’s accounting policy was labeled aggressive and capitalized its subscriber acquisition costs when its archrival CompuServe didn’t. AOL’s biggest expenditure was the cost of attracting new subscribers and maximizing shareholders’ value: 1. Separate registration numbers and passwords were issued to customers. They cost more than $40 per new subscriber in 1994. 2. AOL aggressively marketed its online service both directly and indirectly. 3. To retain new subscribers and increase customer loyalty & satisfaction, AO The noteable accounting procedures followed by AOL were as follows: :a. AOL’s amortization period for subscriber acquisition costs was about 15 months, such aggressive accounting was attributed to the bundling & direct mail marketing practices b. During September 1995, the company modified the components of subscriber acquisition costs as incurred Analysis a. It is not advisable for AOL to capitalize the marketing costs because in 1990s Web was being established. This would definitely impact the sales. Instead of amortizing the Acquisition Costs for 15 months, if we treat it as single lumpsum cost, the Income statement shows a loss for the period. Capitalizing the expenditure for 2 years contained an implicit assumption for the coming two years. This was unlikely with the online industry as it had acquired most of its customers in the last 36 months, If AOL were to write off all capitalized subscriber acquisition costs the effect on the 1995 balance would be a $77,229,000 reduction in other assets and stockholders’ equity. If all the subscriber acquisition costs incurred in fiscal year 1995 were expensed in 1995, the effect on the income statement would be an increase in marketing expense of $50,837,000 and an increase in net loss of $50,837,000

Occipital Lobes and Visual Perception

Occipital Lobes and Visual Perception The occipital lobes are one of the four main lobes or regions of the cerebral cortex. These lobes are vital for receiving, processing, and interpreting sensory information. The occipital lobes are positioned at the posterior region of the cerebral cortex and are the main centers for visual processing. In addition to the occipital lobes, posterior portions of the parietal lobes and temporal lobes are also involved in visual perception. Location Directionally, the occipital lobes are positioned posterior to the  temporal lobes  and inferior to the  parietal lobes. They are located in the largest  division of the brain  known as the forebrain (prosencephalon). Located within the occipital lobes is the primary visual cortex. This region of the brain receives visual input from the retina. These visual signals are interpreted in the occipital lobes. Function The occipital lobes are involved in several functions of the body including: Visual PerceptionColor RecognitionReadingReading ComprehensionDepth PerceptionRecognition of Object Movement The occipital lobes receive and interpret visual information. Vision is the ability to detect images of visible light. The eyes transmit this information via nerve impulses to the visual cortex. The visual cortex takes this information and processes it so that we are able to determine colors, identify objects, identify shapes, and other aspects of visual perception. The visual information is then sent to the parietal lobes and temporal lobes for further processing. The parietal lobes use this visual information in conjunction with motor processes to perform such tasks as opening a door or brushing your teeth. The temporal lobes help to connect the visual information received with memories. Occipital Lobe Injuries Damage to the occipital lobes may result in a number of vision-related problems. Some of these issues include the inability to discern colors, vision loss, visual hallucinations, inability to identify words, and distorted visual perception.

Mine Disasters Essays

Mine Disasters Essays Mine Disasters Essay Mine Disasters Essay Essay Topic: Notes From Underground Mining disaster in the past have been referred to mining accidents claiming five or more lives. Mine disasters once were really common. In the single year of 1907 there were 18 coal mine disasters.. Among the disasters in 1907 was historys worst the Monongah coal mine explosion, which claimed 362 lives and impelled Congress to create the Bureau of Mines. I will discuss this disaster more later in this paper. Mine accidents have declined dramatically in number and severity through years of research, technology, and preventive programs. Today mine accidents resulting in five or more deaths are no longer common. However preventing recurrence of disasters like those of the past remains a top priority requiring constant attention by management, labor, and government. Thus, it happened in 1907 when the Fairmont Coal Companys mine at Monongah, West Virginia exploded killing 362 men and boys. Congress reacted to the disaster at Monongah by passing and toughening mining laws. Through disasters such as this one and many others it has forced laws and regulations, technology,and training which has brought us into mining as we know it. In 1910, following a decade in which the number of coal mine fatalities exceeded 2,000 annually, Congress established the Bureau of Mines as a new agency in the Department of the Interior. The Bureau was charged with the responsibility to conduct research and to reduce accidents in the coal mining industry. In 1968 less than five miles from Monongah another explosion had happened and the fire which resulted after killed 78 men at the Consol No 9 mines at Farmington, West Virginia. The Farmington explosion resulted in the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 a far reaching document that promised a new day for the men in an industry that had claimed more than 100,000 lives since 1900. Even before the Farmington mine had exploded in 1968, there were a push going on for a better mine safety law. The Johnson Administration introduced a measure in the fall of 1968 that would dramatically strengthen the governments enforcement tools. It went to Congress too late and didnt hold up. Then came the explosion at Farmington and there were new converts to the cause of mine safety. That is when the Nixon Administration expanded upon the Johnson Administration proposals of 1968 and addressed the potential for mine explosions in proposed legislation. President Nixon went on to sign the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 on December 30, 1969. Enforcement powers in coal mines increased greatly, at that time the Act required four annual inspections for each underground coal mine and two inspections for each surface mine. The Act for the first time established mandatory fines for all violations and criminal penalties for knowing and willful violations which was a big step in the right direction in my opinion. The act eliminated non gassy mines from special legal exemptions. All mines were considered gassy and additional inspections were required. The powers of the inspectors were expanded and the nspectors were given the power to close a mine for imminent danger. Miners were given the right to request a Federal inspection. Safety standards for all coal mines were strengthened under the 1969 Act and health standards were also adopted. The Act also provided benefits to miners disabled by black lung disease. The legacy of the Sunshine Mine disaster is reflect ed in greatly enhanced miner training programs and fire protection measures in metal and nonmetal mines across the country. In 1973 the (MESA) Mine Enforcement and Safety Administration was created out of the Bureau of Mines as the first Federal agency with the sole purpose of assuring miners of a safe, healthful working environment. Standards requiring mine emergency and self rescuer training, regular evacuation drills, and two mine rescue teams at underground metal and nonmetal operations were known by April of 1973. On March 9, 1977, the Agency was transferred from the Department of the Interior to the Department of Labor and was renamed the better known Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). The legislation which was signed by President Jimmy Carter, repealed the Federal Metal and Nonmetal Mine Safety Act and amended the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 to combine protection of coal and metal and nonmetal miners under a single law, the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (the Act). Following passage of the Act, additional required miner training, increased MSHA enforcement activities, and upgraded fire prevention standards continued to teach the hard learned lessons from fires at mines such as Cargill Salt Mine, Belle Isle, Louisiana and the Sunshine Mine at Kellogg, Idaho. The new Act of 1977 required at least four complete inspections of all coal and non coal underground mines and two f all surface mines each year. Among other important changes the new law provided for procedures to speed up the regulation making process and stronger ways force compliance with Federal health and safety standards. This included increased capability of dealing with the most dangerous mine hazards, increased emphasis on protection of miners healt h, greater involvement of miners or their representatives in processes affecting worker health and safety, and improved procedures for assessing and collecting civil penalties imposed for violating mine health or safety requirements. Mine accidents have declined greatly in both number and severity as a result of years of research, technology, education, and preventive programs. During my career mine accidents resulting in five or more deaths are no longer common. One thing remains the same preventing the recurrence of disasters like those of the past remains a top priority requiring constant attention by management, labor, and government. The Sago Mine disaster was a coal mine explosion that had occurred on January 2, 2006, the Sago Mine was located in West Virginia. The explosion had trapped 13 men for nearly two ays with only one miner surviving. It was the worst mining disaster in the West Virginia since the 1968 Farmington Mine disaster that killed 78 people. The previous year the mine had been cited by the MSHA 208 times for violating regulations, and had a history of roof falls. Violations had included failure to follow the approved roof control and mine ventilation plans and problems concerning emergency e scape ways and required pre-shift safety examinations. The explosion occurred at approximately 6:30 a. m. at the beginning of the first shift after the mine reopened after New years holiday weekend. An examination conducted at 5:50 am by a mine fire boss had cleared the mine for use. Two man buses of miners were making their way into the mine to begin work. Early reports noted that there was a thunderstorm in the area at the time and suggested a lightening strike near the mine entrance may have ignited methane but no one reported seeing such a strike. Sensors from the U. S. National Lightning Detection Network indicated at least two lightning strikes near the mine. Another early theory was that lightning struck a methane well that had previously been drilled from the surface to an area behind the seals. Methane wells are used to extract methane from coal seams and sometimes from sealed areas when methane levels are high. Fourteen men on the second man bus escaped the initial explosion. The 12 trapped miners were on the first man bus which apparently passed the point where the explosion occurred. The foreman on the second trip whose brother was among those trapped the mine superintendent and three others entered the mine to rescue the trapped miners. They into the mine until gas detectors indicated there was too much carbon monoxide to continue. Although they were false reports of he 12 miners found alive there were only 1 Randal Mcloy jr. Randal McCloy Jr. wrote a letter to the families of the victims. McCloy wrote that three weeks before the explosion he and Junior Toler while drilling a bolt hole a gas pocket which detectors confirmed the presence of methane. He said they immediately shut down the roof bolter and the incident was reported up the line to our superiors. He stated he noticed the following day that the gas leak had been plugged with glue normally used to secure the bolts. On the day of the explosion just after exiting the man trip the mine filled quickly with umes and thick smoke and that breathing conditions were nearly unbearable and that at least four of the emergency oxygen packs were not functioning. He shared his rescuer with Jerry Groves, while Toler, Jesse Jones and Tom Anderson sought help from others. He said they were not enough rescuers to go around. Because of the bad air they had to abandon their escape attempt and return to the coal rib where we hung a curtain to try to protect ourselves. The curtain created an enclosed area of about 35 feet. They attempted to signal their location to the surface by beating on the mine bolts and plates. That effort caused them to breathe much harder and use more oxygen. After becoming exhausted they stopped trying to signal. The air behind the curtain grew worse so he tried to lie as low as possible and take shallow breaths he said he could tell that it was gassy. According to McCloy, Toler and Anderson tried to find a way out. The heavy smoke and fumes caused them to quickly return. There was just so much gas. At that point the miners began to accept their fate. Toler led them all in the Sinners prayer. They prayed a little longer then someone suggested that they each write letters to their loved ones. He said he became very dizzy and lightheaded and that some drifted off into what appeared to be a deep sleep and one person sitting near him collapsed and fell off his bucket not moving. It was clear that there was nothing he could do to help him. The last person he remember speaking to was Jackie Weaver who reassured him that if it were their time to go then God’s will would be fulfilled. As my trapped coworkers lost consciousness one by one the room grew still and he continued to sit and wait unable to do much else. He have no idea how much time went by before he also passed out from the gas and smoke, awaiting escue. There we many investigation which came up with possible theorys as followed:Lightning strike and seismic activity, Use of foam rather than concrete seals, Proximity with active gas and oil wells, Sparks from restarting machinery after holiday. After the disaster there were many provision that would, mandate equipment to communicate with miners, locate miners, a nd provide sufficient caches of air, Rescue teams must be staffed and on site, Operators must notify the MSHA immediately when there is an accident, Any coal operator who fails to do so will be ubject to a $100,000 fine and/or 12 to 15 years imprisonment, The bill would mandate a rapid notification and response system, The bill would create a new mandatory minimum penalty of $10,000 for coal operators that show negligence or reckless disregard for the safety standards of the Mine Act,The bill would nullify an MSHA rule issued in 2004 that authorizes the use of belt entries for ventilation, which may have caused fire in another accident at Alma, The bill would create a science and technology transfer office in MSHA to pull research and development ideas rom other federal agencies for use in the mines,The bill would create an ombudsman in the Labor Department’s Inspector General office for miners to report safety violations. Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response (MINER) A ct after the Sago and Darby Mine explosions in 2005 and 2006 I have read many notes left to the families of the miners trapped in disaster not only this one and we keep one posted on our mine rescue station door to remind us why we are doing what we do he is the letter: Ellen, darling, goodbye for us both. Elbert said the Lord has saved him. Do the best you can with the children. We are all praying for air to support us, but it is getting so bad without any air. Horace, Elbert said for you to wear his shoes and clothing. It is now 1/2 past 1:00. Powell Harmon’s watch is in Andy Woods’ hand. Ellen, I want you to live right and come to heaven. Little Elbert said he trusted in the Lord. The bad air is closing in on us fast. Dear Ellen, I leave you in bad condition, but set your trust in the Lord to help you raise my little children. Elbert said for you all to meet him in heaven, for all of the children to meet us both. Raise the children the best you can. Oh how I wish to be with you. Goodbye, all of you, Goodbye. Bury me and Elbert in the same grave by little Eddie. Goodbye Ellen, Goodbye Lillie, Goodbye Jimmie, Goodbye Minnie, Goodbye Horace. Oh God, for one more breath. Ellen, remember me as long as you live. Goodbye darling. It is 25 minutes after 2:00. There are few of us alive yet. Jake and Elbert. The Aracoma Mine accident had happened when a conveyor belt in the Aracoma Mine No. 1 at Logan WV caught fire. The conveyor belt ignited on the morning of January 19, 2006, pouring smoke through the gaps in the Stopping line and into the intake that the miners were supposed to se for their escape, obscuring their vision and ultimately leading to the death of two of them. If the stoppings had been in place they would have prevented any smoke from the conveyor belt to the intake the primary source of air for workers inside the mine. Instead investigators now believe, smoke flooded into the air intake, which also serves as an escape route, disorienting two of the min ers, who became lost and died in the fire. The two men, Ellery Hatfield, 47 and Don Bragg, 33, died of carbon monoxide poisoning when they became separated from 10 other members of their crew. The others held hands and edged through the air intake amid dense smoke. As the federal agency that conducts research to advance mine safety and personal protective technologies, moves the results of research to workplace practice, and tests and certifies respirators for workplace use, NIOSH is working with diverse partners to plan, support, and carry out research that addresses those needs. Areas of focus include:Innovative designs for SCSRs that will provide air to users for longer durations. NIOSH is interested in new technologies for training that simulates actual respirator use. Realistic training that can be done frequently and efficiently will improve miners’ ability to escape. Changes in requirements for evaluating and testing SCSRs . Collaboration with the Mine Safety and Health Administration to update current training modules for donning SCSRs. Updates will incorporate guidance on the donning of multiple SCSRs during an emergency escape, reflecting new requirements under the MINER Act of 2006. Those provisions require mine operators to provide individual miners with immediate access to at least two SCSRs, and to store extra units along escape ways. Aracoma brought about more of training and provision to strengthen their ability to inspect better and enforce laws and regulations in place such as:better tools for cracking down on companies with patterns of violations, stronger protections for whistle blowers, stiffer criminal penalties and quick fix injunctive relief that would let the Department of Labor act decisively against an operator when it identifies an immediate threat The Upper Big Branch Mine disaster occurred on April 5, 2010 underground at Massey Energys Upper Big Branch mine at in Raleigh County, West Virginia. Twenty nine out of thirty one miners at the site were killed. The explosion occurred at 3:27 pm. The accident was the worst in the U. S. since 1970. High methane levels were detected and subsequently an explosion from an unknown source occurred. Twenty five men were initially killed. Four days later the four missing men were found dead for a total of 29 deaths. While investigations is still ongoing, officials have speculated that it may have been caused by a spark from a mantrip. Due to the large area and concentration of toxic gases mine rescue teams were able to enter and kept getting ulled out delaying rescue and recovery efforts until holes were drilled for ventilation. They were many problems in the past with violations as with many mine who have had disasters miners were scared some even left notes before the explosion and due to the size of the explosion there had to be large amounts of dust as well as methane of course Massey is denying their responsibility they have already prosecuted some officials I would write more on this disaster that we all have heard many reports and are familiar with this disaster but I do not wish to speculate ore until the investigations are complete and I am stating facts instead of opinions I would not like to speculate on something that has effected so many lives of my fellow miners and their families. Although they have not really been any changes in laws and since the Upper Big Branch explosion other than the non-combustible material has raised to 80% or better in returns instead of 60%. Since the April 2010 explosion the safety agency has also ramped up enforcement created new mine safety screening procedures and conducting 228 impact inspections at mines with poor safety records or other warning signs of problems. The agencys new screening procedures were put in place after officials discovered that a computer error had allowed Upper Big Branch to evade heightened scrutiny. The agency has also proposed new safety rules that would result in speedier enforcement for mines that have shown a pattern of serious violations. The Monongah Mine disaster of Monongah, West Virginia occurred on December 6, 1907 and is labeled as the worst mining disaster in American History. The explosion was said to be caused by the ignition of methane which ignited the coal dust in mines number 6 and 8, killing hundreds of workers. Rescue workers could only work in the mines for 15 minutes due to the lack of breathing equipment. Some of those workers also perished due to suffocation caused by methane oxidation. The lives of 362 or more workers including children were lost in the underground explosion, leaving 250 widows and more than 1000 children fatherless. The exact death toll remains unknown. The worst of the explosion occurred in the No. 8 mine and so great was its force that the concrete roof of the engine house was torn into fragments and one piece weighing more than 100 pounds was blown more than 500 yards. The victims came to their deaths suddenly. Many were found sitting upright in the positions they were in when the explosion came with its spread of deadly gases. The scenes at the mines during the work of rescue were pitiful in the extreme. For several days frantic women grouped about the opening of the mines and their shrieks of agony were enough to move the hardest heart to pity. Grief stricken mothers, wives, sweethearts and sisters waited and watched and cried and prayed. Although the village of Monongah was unprepared for the disaster relief work was quick nd effective. Relief parties were rapidly formed and additional forces were hurried from Fairmont and adjacent cities and towns. But with a few exceptions there was no need for the physician and the rescuer -death to those in the mines came fully and suddenly and without suffering. The mine officials as well as the officials of the B. O. Railroad Company took an active part in the relief and many acts of bravery were performe d by the volunteers who entered the mines in search of the victims. Appeal for funds with which to carry on the relief work mong the families of those who perished met with a quick response. The sole survivor of the blast was Peter Urban. He found a small foxhole to climb out before the toxic gases reached him. Some believe that several other men escaped with him but there is little evidence to validate that. Although they are some difference in these explosions they are similarities between them. Most of them the true cause may never be known. Many of them had also been repeat offenders of violations. From all mining disasters they have been new laws or regulations with stiffer compliance, improved training and technology. If you couldnt tell from the Upper Big Branch you can see that when a disaster happens in the mines West Virginia supports each other all miners are familys and close and we support each other. Although the mining industry remains dangerous we have took great strides for improved safety and will continue to pursue that goal, not only have we made great strides in the mining but also in Mine Rescue from training and equipment improvements and hopefully many more will come in to be better prepared to save the lives of fellow miners if such a disaster was to happen again.