Future of Nuclear Power in Sustainable Development Essay Example for Free

Future of Nuclear Power in Sustainable Development Essay With the population increase and economic growth, energy is becoming an essential part for development. To some extent, in any development process, reliable access to modern energy services is needed. However, the world is facing the energy imbalance: that of energy generation have consequences for the environment so meeting this growth in demand while safeguarding the environment poses a growing challenge. To date, the use of nuclear power has been concentrated in industrialized countries, which might play in filling the growing gap between what the world wants to consume in terms of energy and what the environment tells us we can sustain is considered. 1〠Development of Neural Power In the last few years, the nuclear power is mainly used in the industrialized countries. More and more countries pay their attention to the introduction of nuclear power programs, such as Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, etc, not limited to Asia. Also, other countries such as Argentina, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, and South Africa are working to expand their works. As is shown by statistics, of the worlds 439 currently operating nuclear power reactors, 403 (or 91%) are in either OECD countries or countries with economics in transition [1]. In terms of electrical generating capacity, 349 GWCe) out of 368 GWCe) , or 95% of nuclear generating capacity is installed in these countries. At present, nuclear power is a proven technology which has provided more than 16% of world electricity supply [2]. In the future of nuclear power, many different views are raised on its sustainable development, particularly to innovative reactors and fuel cycles [3]. There are a number of significant environmental benefits arising from the use of nuclear power, but it does raise its own environmental issues. During the operation, some radioactivity is released at a very low level into the environment either via filtered emissions to the atmosphere or in liquid form in the cooling water discharged to sea. Thus, on one hand, nuclear power is a hazardous energy and should be phased out. On the other hand, the nuclear power can be sustainably used. Comparing with the fossil-based energy, nuclear power does not emit CO2 and other hazardous emissions, which the impact of the nuclear power chains on the health and environment is less negative than those for fossil-based energy. Currently, Europe, North America and some countries in Asia have been enjoying the advantages of nuclear power. 2〠Status of Neural Power To date, the use of nuclear power is increasing. In terms of new construction, however , the pattern is different, 16 of the 30 reactors now being built are in developing countries and most of the recent expansion has been centered in Asia China, for example, currently has four reactors under construction, and plans a more than five- fold expansion in its nuclear generating capacity over the next 15 years. India has seven reactors under construction, and plans roughly a seven-fold increase in capacity by 2022. Japan, Pakistan and the Republic of Korea also have plans to expand their nuclear power capacity [4,5]. In the near future, additional countries in the Asia-Pacific region will choose the nuclear power option. Vietnam intends to begin construction of its first nuclear power plant in 2015. Indonesia plans to build two 1000 MW reactors in central Javaa. Recently, the Energy Generating Authority of Thailand announced plans to build two large nuclear plants, with construction to be gin in 2015. In Malaysia, a comprehensive energy policy study – including consideration of nuclear power- is to be completed by 2010 [6]. The resurgence of interest in nuclear power [7-9] is not limited to Asia. Other countries such as Jordan and Turkey are seriously considering or planning for the introduction of nuclear power programs. And many others, such as Aragentina, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan and South Africa, are working to expand existing programs. In the USA, where no new reactors has been ordered in 28 years, these trends, plus excellent performance of the existing nuclear fleet and financial incentives in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, have led to a race to develop new nuclear power plants. Twenty countries now have new plants either under construction or under development with well over half of these new nuclear plants likely to be built over the next two decades in five countries- China, India, South Korea, Japan and USA. Also, in the USA, several dozen reactors are in various stages of proposal development, while international nuclear vendors and service providers are forming new alliances. Finally, rising uranium prices have led to development of new mines. 3〠Rising Interest of Neural Power Any negative impact on the population health and environment is unacceptable. Once it happens, it will be phased out. The negative consequences for nuclear power would be the same. If it is not possible or too expensive to improve sufficiently their safety, we must insist on their closing. The international conventions for nuclear safety were carried out, which legally enhance nuclear safety. Also, the IAEA updated the safety standards for reflecting the best industry practices [10]. Importantly, both the IAEA and the world Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) , created international networks to conduct peer reviews and exchange operating information to improve safety performance. Another important factor is the strong performance of nuclear power that drives the renewed interest in nuclear power. Up to date, with more than half a century of operating experience, nuclear power is becoming a mature technology. In the past two decades, more and more significant improvements are made in nuclear power plant reliability, as well as lower operating costs and a progressively improved safety record. 4〠Problems of Nuclear Power a) Management of radwaste Annually, the spent nuclear fuel produced is about 10,000 tons, which is small when compared with the nearly 28 billion tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) waste from fossil fuels [11, 12]. In addition, the radwaste is most concerned point in public. Based on the expert experiences, the reasonable geological disposal of high level radioactive waste is safe and feasible. But for public, it is likely remain skeptical, which the nuclear waste disposal will likely remain controversial. The emphasis in the problem of radwastes should be in obtaining the support of people. On one hand, we should provide true information on comparative assessment of different energy sources. We should provide a clear report that there is no risk for the population health and environment from radwaste repositories. On the other hand, as soon as possible the countries with suitable places for repositories should license them and start the disposal process. Moreover, cooperation will be effective to share the burden of the waste disposal cost for countries with small nuclear power programs. b) Technological innovation If we want to develop the new reactor or fuel cycle technologies, technological innovation is needed. Currently, the nuclear Research and Development (RD) projects are focused on enhancing nuclear safety, reducing proliferation risks, minimizing waste generation and improving economic performance [13]. In particularly, many developing countries, such as some countries in Asia, have been devoted to develop small and medium size reactor designs. These designs allow a more incremental investment than is required for a large reactor, and provide a better match to grid capacity in many developing countries. To some extent, these reactors are more adapted in applications [14]. c) Nuclear non- proliferation With the increasing expectations for nuclear power, there are concerns regarding the spread of nuclear weapons and sensitive nuclear technology. However, at the same time, the nuclear proliferation should be prevented. Now, a safeguard system has been established to guarantee the peaceful application of nuclear technology. An integrated system of safeguards can and should permit effective control of non-proliferation by a combination of technical measures and the extension of institutional measures [15]. It would occur in two steps. The first step would create a mechanism for the assurance of supply of nuclear fuel, possibly including fuel bank to be managed by the IAEA. For countries that use nuclear fuel for electricity generation, this mechanism would severe as a supplier of last resort, thereby removing the risk of having their fuel supply interrupted for non- commercial reasons. The second step would seek to bring any new operations for uranium enrichment and plutonium separation under multinational control. These multinational controls should also be extended to facilities that already exist- to ensure that all countries are treated equally in terms of their nuclear capabilities. d) Economic cost Although cost is perhaps not a major factor affecting plans for nuclear power in most areas of the world, in the United States, which has the worlds largest nuclear program and sufficient growth in electricity demand to support substantial growth in generating capacity, the cost of electricity has been the dominant factor in determining what type of capacity gets built [16]. As the United States has moved to reduce the economic regulation of electricity generation, cost has become a competitive focus, and â€Å"capital cost is the single most important factor determining the economic competitiveness of nuclear energy† (University of Chicago, 2004, p. xi). In 2009 the U.S. National Academies published a large study of energy technologies. After reviewing many previous studies, the authors noted that â€Å"cost estimates in the open literature have varied by more than a factor of two. Recent estimates have ranged from $2400/kW to as much as $6000/kW† (Committee on Americas Energy Future, 2009, p. 526). These are cost estimates for the United States. High costs are seen in the much-delayed new Finnish reactor, discussed further below. Until new plants are built in the United States, costs will remain a major uncertainty and an obstacle to growth of the industry. e) Public opinion Dana Mead, chairman of the MIT governing body, commented that â€Å"Nuclear power generates the most varied public opinion of any power generation type. According to MIT studies, 39% of those polled feel it should be reduced, 35% feel in should be increased and 11% dont believe it should be used at all — the highest fraction of people who are opposed to any type of generation† (remarks at the American Nuclear Society Annual Meeting, as quoted in Power Engineering, August 2007). In addition to proliferation and economic cost, the main controversies regarding nuclear power are whether the public will accept new nuclear plants, whether sites can be found where the public will accept a geological repository for their spent fuel, and whether future development should be based on the once-through or the closed fuel cycle [17]. Bringing the public into decision processes early will substantially improve the climate for nuclear power to go forward. (In the United States, the la w requires that the federal agencies make the final decisions.) 5〠Future of Nuclear Power While there are still uncertainties ahead, it seems quite likely at this point that, in the near-term, new nuclear power plants will be built, both in countries that already have substantial nuclear programs and in new countries. Thus, the number of countries with nuclear power plants will increase, and since some of these countries have small grids and limited infrastructures, it is likely that smaller reactors will be used to meet some of these needs [18, 19]. In the near-term, nuclear power growth will likely be met by existing technologies and those technologies for which substantial development has already occurred. Nuclear power development will not be the only source of power to meet growing energy demands and growing concerns about global warming. The near term is also likely to see the development and deployment of more renewable power of current or evolutionary design, and possibly of clean coal technology. Other options, such as increased conservation and the deployment of more energy efficient end-use technologies, will also be exploited. In the longer term, more advanced nuclear power plants, such as the Generation IV power plants, will likely be deployed. These will be able to meet a more diverse range of energy needs than the current generation of large, centralized electricity-generating power plants can meet. Possible applications include process heat for industrial applications, the generation of fuels such as hydrogen for transportation, and a variety of possible off-grid applications [20-23]. Likewise, other energy-generating technologies will continue to develop and will be deployed as appropriate. In the much longer term, these could potentially include fusion power. If that is successful, it could ultimately replace some of the technologies of today, including perhaps nuclear fission power. 6〠Conclusion Nuclear energy alone is not a solution, but it is likely in the near Future to have an increasing role as part of the global energy mix. Through the analysis and investigation, it is clear that nuclear power can bring significant long term benefits in terms of increased access to energy and security of energy supply. Nuclear power at present does possess proven technologies that ensure adequate safety level and safe radwaste disposal. Non-proliferation of nuclear materials is effectively supported by the system of IAEA safeguards. This structure is sound and it provides the basis for the further development of nuclear energy. However, the nuclear industry needs to work on new, innovative technologies in order: on one hand, to reduce the costs and thus answer the strong challenge of competing energy generation technologies, on the other hand, to facilitate the dialogue between the nuclear industry and the public by providing more transparent, convincing solutions and designs A success ful development of innovative nuclear technologies addressing these two key challenges would permit a large-scale development of nuclear energy in the next century. Thus, in the foreseeable future, the need for the development and deployment of more advanced versions of today’s energy production technologies will continue, and all promising technologies should be pursued. It is likely that different technologies could be favored in different circumstances. These circumstances could be based on a variety of factors, including national policy, regulatory and other mechanisms in different countries, and geopolitical situations (remoteness, availability of particular resources, etc.). Globally, it appears that the world is likely to need substantial new contributions from all sources, particularly those capable of supplying significant amounts of clean, low-carbon energy. Nuclear power is one of the most promising of these sources. References [1] International Automatic Energy Agency , Nuclear Technology Review, August 2006, IAEA, Vienna , Austria. [2] Energy, Electricity and Nuclear Power Estimates for the period up to 2020, Reference Data series No. 1, July 2002, IAEA, Vienna , Austria. [3] International Automatic Energy Agency IAEA Bulletin, volume 49/1. September 2007, IAEA, Vienna, Austria. [4] Global Nuclear Energy Partnership, . [5] IAEA, 2008b.Nuclear Power Reactors in theWorld. IAEA Reference Data Series no. 2. Vienna. [6] IAEA, 2009. Energy, Electricity and Nuclear Power Estimates for the Period up to 2030. IEAE Reference Data Series no. 1. Vienna. [7] Jones, J.M., 2010. U.S. support for nuclear power climbs to new high of 62%. Gallup.com, March 30. 2010. [8] Sustainable Development in a Dynamic world, world Development Report- 2005, World Bank. [9] Bharadwaj, A., Krishnan, L.V., Rajgopal, S., 2008. Nuclear Power in India: The Road Ahead. Center for Study of Science. Technology Policy, Bangalore (September). [10] Bilboa y Leon, S., 2009. Development of advanced nuclear reactors worldwide. Nucl.Plant J. September October. 27 (5), 36–42. [11] Rashad S.M. , Hammad , F.H.; Nuclear Power and the Environment ;Compartative Assessment of Environmental and Health Impacts of Eelectricity Generating Systems, Applied Energy 65 (2000) 211-229. [12] Rashad S.M. , Nuclear Power and the Environment Prospects and Challenges, Proceeding of Energy for Sustainable Development and Science for the Future of the Islamic World and Humanity Conference , Organized in Kuching / Sarawak , Malaysia 29 Sept-2 Oct. 2003 Islamic World Academy of Sciences, Amman , Jordan, 2006. [13] Innovative Technologies for Nuclear Fuel Cycles and Nuclear Power , Proceedings of International Conference held in Vienna, 23-26 Hune 2003 organized by IAEA et a1 , Vienna, Austria, 2004. [14] International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycle, . [15] Nuclear Power and Proliferation Resistance: Securing Benefits, Limiting Risk. American Physical Society, College Park, MD (May). [16] Chicago, University of., 2004. The Economic Future of Nuclear Power: Study Conducted at the University of Chicago. 2004(August). Cirincione, J., 2009. Chain reaction. Foreign Policy (May 7). [17] Nuclear Energy Study Group, American Physical Society Panel on Public Affairs, 2005. [18] MIT, 2003. The Future of Nuclear Energy: An Interdisciplinary MIT Study. . [19] Deutch, J.M., Forsberg, C.W., Kadak, A.C., Kazimi, M.S., Moniz, E.J., Parsons, J.E., 2009.Update of the MIT 2003 Future of Nuclear Power Cambridge, MA. [20] InterAcademy Council, 2007. Lighting the Way Toward a Sustainable Energy Future. Amsterdam. (October). [21] MacFarlane, A., Asselstine, J., Ahearne, J., 2008. The future of nuclear energy: policy recommendations . Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (December 11). [22] MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), 2003. The Future of Nuclear Power: An Interdisciplinary MIT Study. Cambridge, MA. [23] Nuclear Energy Agency (France), 2008. Uranium Resources Sufficient to Meet Projected Nuclear Energy Requirements Long into the Future. Paris (June 3).

Crisis :: essays research papers

On the 2nd of July 1997, Asia was hit by one of the most devastating financial crises it has ever seen. Of all the financial crisis that have taken place, this was one of the most distressing in that it was totally unexpected. The purpose of this paper is to show that particular developmental strategies employed by these economies eventually led to their downfall. It will attempt to find out where the origins of the crisis lie, and what events started the cycle that eventuated with this disaster. In order to trace the events that led to the eventual collapse of the Asian economies, one must venture across the ocean to the United States. The issue of liberalisation first gained attention in the US during the Regan Administration. However, it was during the Clinton era that liberalisation became a top priority. Whereas previous governments had pushed for the liberalisation of Japan, one of Clinton’s main foreign policy objectives was the liberalisation of the Asian economies. T his process was pushed forth in Asia with such vehemence because the region held a lot of investment opportunities for American Banks, Brokerages, and other financial sector businesses. Unfortunately, Asia’s economies were not structurally ready to deal with the influx of capital that was headed their way. They had weak banking and legal systems that were unable, or unwilling, to regulate the flow of foreign capital in the country. The Americans eventually persuaded Korea to relax its capital flow regulations by giving it the option of joining the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Even then, Korea was concerned that its financial institutions may not be able to deal with an influx of foreign capital. One fatal mistake that Korea, as well as other Southeast Asian countries made, was that they opened their capital markets in the wrong way. They did not allow long term investments in Korean companies, but rather, only short-term investments that could be re moved easily. One example of the sort of quick investments that were being made in Asia can be seen in the Japanese. In Japan the interest rates were very low, so investors would borrow at 2 percent and then convert their currency into Thai baht. Due to the interest rate differential, they were able to make a lot of money off simple currency conversion. Other Asian economies were quick to follow suit, and soon there was a movement of huge amounts of capital into the region.

Succubus Revealed Chapter 13

Roman was impossible to live with after that. He refused to tell me any more details, only that Seth needed to undergo hypnosis and that more would be revealed once that happened. â€Å"But don't you think I should know now?† I demanded, for what felt like the hundredth time the following day. â€Å"I don't want to influence either of you,† came the response. â€Å"Just in case I'm wrong.† â€Å"I thought you said you'd figured it out! You're saying now that there's a chance you might be wrong?† â€Å"There's always a chance,† he said pragmatically. â€Å"But I don't think I'm wrong.† And with that infuriating response, there was nothing I could do except wait and speculate. I couldn't figure out what exactly Roman planned on doing with hypnosis, but at least it seemed relatively safe. I wouldn't have put it past Roman to say, â€Å"Let's stage a trap for some demons and use Seth as bait.† There were worse things than being hypnotized into clucking like a chicken, I supposed. It took a number of days to get an answer. The delay came from finding a time when both Seth and Hugh were available. Despite his many formidable skills, hypnosis apparently wasn't in Roman's repertoire. It was, however, in Hugh's, which I found kind of surprising. When I asked him about it, he explained that he'd once been at a medical conference, during which participants were required to take a certain number of seminars. He'd chosen hypnosis because he thought it would be a blow-off class. â€Å"It was actually harder than it seemed,† he remarked. â€Å"I did some more follow-up on it after the conference. Dabbled here and there. Haven't put it to much use since then, aside from an ill-fated date last year.† â€Å"Are you going to be able to do what Roman needs you to today?† I nodded toward my living room, where Roman was pacing like a caged animal. We were all waiting on Seth to show up, and Roman kept obsessing over small details necessary to create â€Å"the perfect hypnotic environment.† He was constantly adjusting the lighting and moving the recliner. Sometimes he'd put it in the center of the room. Other times, he'd drag it to the side, where there were more shadows. We'd given up on trying to advise him. He was too irritable and wound up. Hugh frowned, watching Roman. â€Å"I don't know. What he asked me to do . . . well, it's pretty basic, as far as technique goes. It's what he wants me to do with it that's kind of wacky. I've read up on it a little this week, and honestly . . . I don't know if it's going to work.† I still didn't know what â€Å"it† was and had resigned myself to patience. Seth arrived shortly thereafter, mood bright and optimistic. Andrea's improvement after Carter's visit had been remarkable, and it was affecting everyone in the household. I crossed my fingers every day that Hell wouldn't send someone back to undo what Carter had done. Seth gave me a half hug and kissed me on the lips, a further sign of his good mood since he was usually so reserved in front of others. â€Å"You missed a good time,† he told me. He was wearing a Princess Bride shirt today. â€Å"I took Kendall and the twins Christmas shopping. They got Ian some used copies of The Metamorphosis and Candide.† â€Å"He's into those?† I asked. â€Å"I mean, they're great books, but I just never thought of them as his thing.† â€Å"Well, they aren't mainstream best sellers – like some people's sellout books – so he's into the elitist appeal. He likes to go to coffee shops – obscure ones that you've never been to, naturally – and pretend to read counterculture literature. He'll be glad to have the new material.† Seth's amusement faded as he took in the living room, with all its drawn shades and Roman carefully arranging the recliner (again). Noticing our attention, Roman paused and glanced between the three of us. â€Å"I wasn't sure what background noise would work best, so I loaded a few different things onto my iPod. I've got ocean waves, wind chimes, and white noise.† Hugh shrugged. â€Å"Makes no difference to me. I'm not the one being hypnotized.† â€Å"I'm still not sure I can be hypnotized,† said Seth. â€Å"But if it doesn't matter . . . hmm, are there seagulls with the ocean waves?† â€Å"Yes,† said Roman. â€Å"Then let's go white noise.† Roman obligingly started it up, filling the room with what sounded more like faulty radio reception than soothing neutral sounds. â€Å"Maybe you should keep it at a low volume,† I suggested delicately. â€Å"You know, you don't want it to be so soothing that Seth falls asleep.† Roman looked dubious, but at a nod from Seth, the volume decreased. I might not understand how hypnotizing Seth was going to play into Hell's greater plans, but so long as Roman believed it was necessary, Seth got to call the shots. Seth gave me a quick hand squeeze and a smile that was meant to be reassuring. He didn't like immortal affairs but had accepted this crazy venture for me. Following Roman's direction, Seth settled himself into the recliner and eased it back. Hugh pulled up a stool near Seth, but Roman and I sat on the periphery of the living room. Hypnosis required a minimum of distractions, which we clearly were. I'd even had to lock the cats up in my bedroom earlier, to make sure Aubrey and Godiva didn't decide to jump on Seth's lap mid-session. â€Å"Okay,† said Hugh, after clearing his throat. â€Å"Are you ready?† He took out a small notepad, filled with his illegible writing. It was the most low-tech thing I'd seen him use in a while. â€Å"Ready as I'll ever be,† said Seth. Hugh glanced at Roman and me briefly, perhaps in case we had a last-minute change of heart, and then returned to the notepad. â€Å"Okay, close your eyes and take a deep breath. . . .† I was familiar with some of the basics of hypnosis, and the exercises that Hugh began with were pretty standard. Although Seth had been joking, I too honestly wondered if he could be hypnotized. Part of his nature as a writer was to focus on all the details of the world, making it difficult to hone in on one thing sometimes. Of course, he could also show single-mindedness for his work, and that was the attribute that soon came out. After a few minutes of guided breathing, it became clear that Seth was definitely growing more and more relaxed. I almost thought he'd actually fallen asleep, until Hugh began asking him questions. Seth responded, eyes closed, voice perfectly steady. â€Å"I want you to go back,† said Hugh. â€Å"Back in your memories. Go past your thirties, into your twenties. From there, think about your college years. Then high school.† He allowed a pause. â€Å"Are you thinking about high school?† â€Å"Yes,† said Seth. â€Å"Okay. Go further back in time, back to middle school. Then elementary school. Can you remember a time before then? Before you started school?† There was a slight delay before Seth spoke. Then: â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"What is your earliest memory?† â€Å"In a boat, with my father and Terry. We're on a lake.† â€Å"What are they doing?† â€Å"Fishing.† â€Å"What are you doing?† â€Å"Watching. Sometimes I get to help hold a pole. But mostly I just watch.† I felt a knot form in my stomach. I didn't fully understand Roman's strategy here, but there was something terribly personal and vulnerable about what we were doing, listening to these memories. Seth rarely spoke of his father, who had passed away when Seth was in his early teens, and it seemed wrong to â€Å"make† him do it in this state. â€Å"Go back even further. Can you remember anything before that? Any earlier memories?† asked Hugh. He seemed uneasy, a sharp contrast to Seth's utter calmness. † No. â€Å" â€Å"Try,† said Hugh. â€Å"Try to go back further.† â€Å"I . . . I'm in a kitchen. The kitchen at our first house, in a high chair. My mom's feeding me, and Terry's walking through the door. He runs to her and hugs her. He's been gone all day, and I don't understand where he's been.† School, if I had to guess. I tried to put an age on this memory, using what I knew of the age difference between the brothers. How long did kids stay in high chairs? And how young would he have to be to not understand the concept of school? Three? Two? â€Å"That's great,† said Hugh. â€Å"That's really great. Now keep going even more. Go back to something even earlier.† I frowned, thinking they were kind of pushing it now. I was no expert in human memory, but I thought I'd once read about how two was the age when memories really began forming. Seth seemed to struggle with this as well, frowning despite his otherwise calm exterior. â€Å"Okay,† he said. â€Å"I've got one.† â€Å"Where are you?† said Hugh. â€Å"I don't know.† â€Å"What do you see?† â€Å"My mother's face.† â€Å"Anything else?† â€Å"No. That's all I remember of that.† â€Å"That's okay,† said Hugh. â€Å"Now find something else before that. Any memory. Any image or sensation.† â€Å"There's nothing,† said Seth. â€Å"Try,† said Hugh, not looking nearly as confident as he sounded. â€Å"It doesn't matter how vague it is. Anything you can remember. Anything at all.† â€Å"I . . . there's nothing,† said Seth, the frown deepening. â€Å"I can't remember anything before that.† â€Å"Try,† repeated Hugh. â€Å"Go further back.† This was getting ridiculous. I opened my mouth to protest, but Roman caught hold of my arm, silencing me. I glared at him, hoping I could convey all my frustrations at what they were doing to Seth in one look. Roman simply shook his head and mouthed Wait. â€Å"I remember . . . I remember faces. Faces looking at me. Everyone's so much bigger than me. But they're mostly shadows and light. I can't see . . . can't comprehend much detail.† Seth paused. â€Å"That's it. That's all there is.† â€Å"You're doing good,† said Hugh. â€Å"You're doing great. Just listen to the sound of my voice, and keep breathing. We need to go back even earlier. What do you remember before that? Before the faces?† â€Å"Nothing,† said Seth. â€Å"There's nothing there. Just blackness.† Roman shifted in his chair, going rigid. He leaned forward, eyes bright and excited. Hugh glanced over questioningly, and Roman gave an eager nod. Swallowing, Hugh turned back to Seth. â€Å"I need you . . . to go past the blackness. Go to the other side of it.† â€Å"I can't,† said Seth. â€Å"It's a wall. I can't cross it.† â€Å"You can,† said Hugh. â€Å"Listen to my voice. I'm telling you, you can. Push back in your memories, past the memories of this life, to the other side of the blackness. You can do it.† â€Å"I . . . I can't – † Seth cut himself off. For a moment, there was no other sound save the white noise on Roman's iPod, though it was a wonder I couldn't hear the pounding of my own heart. The frown that had been intensifying on Seth's face abruptly smoothed out. â€Å"I'm there.† Hugh shifted awkwardly, disbelief registering on his face. â€Å"You are? What are you doing? Where are you?† â€Å"I . . .† The frown returned, but it was different in nature. It was distress from the memory itself, not the effort. â€Å"I'm bleeding. In an alley.† â€Å"Are you . . . are you Seth Mortensen?† Hugh's voice was a whisper. † No. â€Å" â€Å"What's your name?† â€Å"Luc.† The frown smoothed again. â€Å"And now I'm dead.† â€Å"Go back to the alley,† said Hugh, regaining his courage. â€Å"Before you . . . before, um, Luc died. How did it happen? Why were you bleeding?† â€Å"I was stabbed,† said Seth. â€Å"I was trying to defend a woman. A woman I loved. She said we couldn't be together, but I know she didn't mean it. Even if she didn't, I still would've died for her. I had to protect her.† It was about that point that I stopped breathing. â€Å"Where are you?† Hugh reconsidered his question. â€Å"Do you know the year?† â€Å"It's 1942. I live in Paris.† Roman reached across me to a stray catalog on a chair. Producing a pen, he scrawled something on the catalog's cover and then handed it to Hugh. Hugh read it and then gently placed it on the floor. â€Å"Tell me about the woman,† he said to Seth. â€Å"What's her name?† â€Å"Her name is Suzette.† Someone let out a strangled gasp. Me. I stood up then, and Roman jerked me back down. A million protests sprang to my lips, and he actually had the audacity to clamp a hand over my mouth. He shook his head sharply and hissed in my ear, â€Å"Listen.† Listen? Listen? He had no idea what he was asking. He had no idea what he was hearing. For that matter, I wasn't sure either. All I knew was that there was no way this could be happening. Much like the night I'd gotten into bed with Ian, I had the surreal feeling that the only way any of this could be real was if I'd accidentally stumbled into someone else's life. â€Å"Tell me about Suzette,† said Hugh. â€Å"She has blond hair and blue eyes,† said Seth levelly. â€Å"She moves like music, but none of the music I make can compare to her. She's so beautiful . . . but so cruel. Not that I think she means to be. I think she believes she's helping.† â€Å"Go back now,† said Hugh. â€Å"Back to your childhood, Seth – I mean, Luc. Go back to your earliest memories as Luc. Are you there?† â€Å"Yes,† said Seth. â€Å"What do you see?† â€Å"My mother's funeral, though I don't understand it. She was sick.† â€Å"Okay. I need you to go back again, younger and younger, back until you hit more blackness. Can you do that? Can you find it again?† Again, the rest of us held our breath, waiting for Seth to respond. â€Å"Yes,† he said. Hugh exhaled. â€Å"Go to the other side of that blackness, back before Luc. You can cross it. You did it before.† â€Å"Yes. I'm there.† â€Å"What is your name now?† â€Å"My name is Etienne. I live in Paris . . . but it's a different Paris. An earlier Paris. There are no Germans here.† â€Å"What do you do for a living?† â€Å"I'm an artist. I paint.† â€Å"Is there a woman in your life? Girlfriend? Wife?† â€Å"There's a woman, but she's none of those. I pay to be with her. She's a dancer named Josephine.† I began to feel ill. The world was spinning, and I lowered my head, willing everything to settle back to its rightful order. I didn't need to hear Seth next describe Josephine. I could've done it down to the last curl. â€Å"Do you love her?† Hugh asked Seth. â€Å"Yes. But she doesn't love me back.† â€Å"What happens to her?† â€Å"I don't know. I ask her to marry me, but she says she won't. That she can't. She tells me to find someone else, but there is no one else. How can there be?† Hugh had no answer for that, but he had his rhythm now. He kept repeating the pattern, pushing Seth back further and further through impossible memories, always crossing that black wall, always asking Seth's name and location, where he was, and if there was a woman who'd broken his heart. â€Å"My name is Robert. I live in Philadelphia, the first of my family born in the New World. We run a newspaper, and I love a woman who works for us. Her name is Abigail, and I think she loves me too . . . but she disappears one night without a word.† â€Å"My name is Niccol. I'm an artist in Florence. It's 1497 . . . and there's this woman . . . this amazing woman. Her name is Bianca, but . . . she betrays me.† â€Å"My name is Andrew. I'm a priest in southern England. There's a woman named Cecily, but I can't allow myself to love her, not even when the plague takes me. . . .† On and on it went, and with each step Hugh helped Seth take back, part of my heart broke. All of this was impossible. Seth couldn't have lived all these lives and times he was describing – and not just because of the obvious problems of life and death as we knew them. Seth wasn't just describing his lives. He was describing mine. I had lived every one of these lives that Seth described. I had been Suzette, Josephine, Abigail, Bianca, Cecily . . . They were all identities I'd assumed, people I'd become when Hell had transferred me to new places over the centuries. I would reinvent myself, take on a new name, appearance, and vocation. For every one of my identities Seth mentioned, I had lived a dozen more. But the ones he talked about . . . the ones he claimed to know as well, they were the ones that stuck out to me. Because although I'd had countless lovers, in countless places, there were a handful who had struck some part of my soul, a handful whom I had truly loved, despite the impossibility of our situations. And Seth was touching upon every one of them, checking them off like items on a grocery list. Only, he wasn't just talking about these men I'd loved. He was talking about being them. Whereas I had created these lives, he was acting as though he'd been born into them, born as these lovers I'd had, only to die and be reborn again in some other place with me. . . . It was impossible. It was terrifying. And eventually, it stopped. â€Å"That's it,† said Seth at last. â€Å"I can't go back further.† â€Å"You know you can,† said Hugh. â€Å"You've done it before. Are you at the blackness again?† â€Å"Yes . . . but it's different than before. It's not like the others. It's more solid. Harder to cross. Impossible to cross.† â€Å"Not impossible,† said Hugh. â€Å"You've already proven that. Cross back to the next life.† â€Å"I can't.† The thing was, I was beginning to agree with Seth. I didn't think there was anything else he could go back to, not if he was paralleling my lives. I'd jumped ahead of him at one point and made some educated guesses on what he would say, and I'd been right each time. I knew how many great loves I'd had as a succubus, and there were none left. Before Seth, there had been eight. â€Å"Push through,† urged Hugh. â€Å"I can't,† said Seth. â€Å"They won't let me. I'm not supposed to remember.† â€Å"Remember what?† â€Å"That life. The first life.† â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"It's part of the bargain. My bargain. No, wait. Not mine. Hers, I think. I'm not supposed to remember her. But how can I not?† It was another of those rhetorical questions, and Hugh looked to Roman and me for help. The imp had been confident there for a while, once the lives began rolling off so easily, but this was something different. Seth wasn't making a lot of sense, not that this had all been particularly crystal clear so far. Roman made gestures that seemed to be both encouraging and impatient, with a general notion that Hugh should improvise. â€Å"Who's this bargain with?† asked Hugh. â€Å"I . . . I don't know. They're just there, waiting for me in the blackness. After the first life. I'm supposed to go on to the light, but I can't. There's something missing. I'm incomplete. My life has been incomplete . . . but I can't remember why. . . .† Seth furrowed his brow, straining with the effort of remembering. â€Å"I just know I can't move on. So they make a bargain.† â€Å"What's the bargain?† â€Å"I can't remember.† â€Å"Yes, you can,† said Hugh, surprisingly gentle. â€Å"You were just talking about it.† â€Å"I don't remember the details.† â€Å"You said it was about you being incomplete. Something was missing.† â€Å"No . . . someone. My soul mate.† Seth's breathing, which had been so steady throughout all of this, grew a little shaky. â€Å"I'm supposed to go on with her, into the light. I can feel it. I wasn't supposed to live that life alone. I wasn't supposed to go to the light afterward alone. But she's not there. She's not anywhere I can get to now. They say they'll give me a chance to find her, a chance to find her and remember. They say I can have ten lives to be with her again but that one is used up. Then I have to go with them forever.† â€Å"This life that you can't remember,† prompted Hugh. â€Å"You said it's your first life, right? The one that's on the other side of this, uh, extra thick wall of blackness? The life they say you've already used?† â€Å"Yes,† said Seth. â€Å"That's the first. The one I'm supposed to forget.† â€Å"You can remember it,† said Hugh. â€Å"You're already remembering parts of it, things you aren't supposed to. Go to the other side of the blackness, before the bargain, before your death. What do you remember?† â€Å"Nothing.† â€Å"Do you remember a woman? Think about the bargain. The soul mate. Can you remember her?† Seth's silence stretched into eternity. â€Å"I . . . yes. Kind of. I feel her absence, though I don't understand it at the time.† â€Å"Have you made it back yet?† asked Hugh. â€Å"To the first life?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"What is your name?† â€Å"Kyriakos.† â€Å"Do you know where you are? Where you live?† â€Å"I live south of Pafos.† The name meant nothing to Hugh, but it meant everything to me. I began to slowly shake my head, and Roman gripped hold of my arm again. I'm not sure what he was afraid I'd do. It seemed to be an all-purpose attempt to keep me from interrupting the nightmare unfolding before me, either with word or movement. He needn't have worried. The rest of me was frozen. â€Å"Do you know the year?† asked Hugh. â€Å"No,† said Seth. â€Å"What do you do?† Hugh asked. â€Å"What's your job?† â€Å"I'm a musician. Unofficially. Mostly I work for my father. He's a merchant.† â€Å"Is there a woman in your life?† † No. â€Å" â€Å"You just said there was. Your soul mate.† Seth considered. â€Å"Yes . . . but she's not there. She was, and then she wasn't.† â€Å"If she was, then you must be able to remember her. What's her name?† He shook his head. â€Å"I can't. I'm not supposed to remember her.† â€Å"But you can. You're already doing it. Tell me about her.† â€Å"I don't remember,† said Seth, the faintest touch of frustration in his voice. â€Å"I can't.† Hugh tried a new tactic. â€Å"How do you feel? How do you feel when you think of her?† â€Å"I feel . . . wonderful. Complete. Happier than I ever believed possible. And yet . . . at the same time, I feel despair. I feel horrible. I want to die.† â€Å"Why? Why do you feel both happiness and despair?† â€Å"I don't know,† said Seth. â€Å"I don't remember.† â€Å"You do. You can remember.† â€Å"Roman,† I breathed, finding my voice at last. â€Å"Make this stop.† He only shook his head, eyes riveted on Seth. Roman's entire body was filled with tension and eagerness, anxiously straining forward for the last pieces of info to fill out the theory he'd put together. â€Å"She . . . I loved her. She was my world. But she betrayed me. She betrayed me and tore my heart out.† â€Å"Her name,† said Hugh, catching some of Roman's excitement. â€Å"What was her name?† â€Å"I can't remember,† said Seth, shifting uncomfortably. â€Å"It's too terrible. They made me forget. I want to forget.† â€Å"But you didn't,† said Roman, suddenly standing up. â€Å"You didn't forget it. What is it? What is the woman's name?† Seth's eyes flew open, either because of his own inner turmoil or from Roman breaking the trance. Either way, the calm state of relaxation was gone. Raw emotions played over Seth's features: shock, sorrow, hate. And as he gazed around and reoriented himself to his surroundings, his eyes – and all of those dark, terrible feelings – focused on me. â€Å"Letha,† he gasped. â€Å"Her name is Letha.†

The Matrix ( 1999, Lana And Lilly Wachowski Essay

The Matrix (1999, Lana and Lilly Wachowski) is an action filled, futuristic view of what the world would be like if artificial intelligence were to take over. The movie covers many of the issues associated with the human experience, such as gender equality, figuring out what is real versus what is an illusion created by society, and finding and then defining one’s faith. Much like every person in the world today the characters in The Matrix struggle with finding their faith, whether it be faith in themselves, a god, or an oracle. With an array of religious references within the film to Buddhism and Christianity, there is no wonder as to why religion and the various roles it plays in the plot is one of the most highly debated subjects of the film. Gregory Bassham’s article â€Å"The Religion of The Matrix and the Problems of Pluralism† is an analysis of the film through the lens of theological meanings and pluralism. This paper will explore Bassham’s use o f secondary evidence and transitions to make his claims of religious meaning and hidden pluralistic views in The Matrix believable and easy to follow, and how the effectiveness of his argument is weakened by its poor structure. To accomplish the feat of proving the existence of Christian, non-Christian and pluralistic themes within the film The Matrix, Bassham expertly employs the rhetorical technique of secondary evidence. Secondary evidence in Real Texts: Reading and Writing Across the Disciplines by Dean Ward and ElizabethShow MoreRelatedProduction And Release Of The Matrix Essay2220 Words   |  9 PagesProduction and Release The Matrix was produced by Warner Bros. studios, and released in the U.S. on March 31, 1999. It was written and directed by Lana and Lilly Wachowski, also known as the Wachowski Brothers. The principal cast included, Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Hugo Weaving among others. During its opening weekend, it made $27,788,331 and it grossed $171,383,253. It won an Oscar for, best film editing, best sound, best effects (sound effects editing, and bestRead MoreAre There Actual Female Characters? Sci Fi?2012 Words   |  9 Pagesfiction have been overly-sexualized and objectified since day one. Though the original author was a woman, Sci-Fi has since been a boy’s world, full of men creating their fantasy women. In The Matrix, there is one lead female character, Trinity. She is a strong computer-programmer and hacker who escaped the matrix like the rest of her team, but something about her character is different from the rest. Though she appears to be strong and independent, she is also over sexualized in her appearance. In