The eNotes Blog A Government of Wolves Ten Writers SoundOff

A Government of Wolves Ten Writers SoundOff Like most of you, I am becoming more and more annoyed by the government shutdown. Yesterday, I heard a sick child will not get his weekly visit with a therapy dog because those non-essential workers had been furloughed. Here are ten quotes from writers, past and present, that may help you channel and articulate your own feelings and frustration with our elected leaders: 1.   A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.†Ã‚   Edward R. Murrow 2.   â€Å"People shouldnt be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people.†Ã‚   Alan Moore, V for Vendetta 4.   â€Å"You have to remember one thing about the will of the people: it wasnt that long ago that we were swept away by the Macarena.†Ã‚   Jon Stewart 5.   â€Å"The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out for himself, without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, and intolerable†Ã‚   H.L. Mencken 6.   â€Å"The greatest patriotism is to tell your country when it is behaving dishonorably, foolishly, viciously.†Ã‚   Julian Barnes, Flauberts Parrot 7.   â€Å"Laws are spider webs through which the big flies pass and the little ones get caught.†Ã‚   Honore de Balzac 8.   â€Å"It could probably be shown by facts and figures that there is no distinctly native American criminal class except Congress.†Ã‚   Mark Twain 9.   â€Å"Its all very well to run around saying regulation is bad, get the government off our backs, etc. Of course our lives are regulated. When you come to a stop sign, you stop; if you want to go fishing, you get a license; if you want to shoot ducks, you can shoot only three ducks. The alternative is dead bodies at the intersection, no fish, and no ducks. OK?   Molly Ivins 10.   â€Å"Good governance never depends upon laws, but upon the personal qualities of those who govern. The machinery of government is always subordinate to the will of those who administer that machinery. The most important element of government, therefore, is the method of choosing leaders.†Ã‚   Frank Herbert, Children of Dune

Mohs Scale of Hardness - Identify Rocks Minerals

Mohs Scale of Hardness - Identify Rocks Minerals There are many systems used to measure hardness, which is defined several different ways. Gemstones and other minerals are ranked according to their Mohs hardness. Mohs hardness refers to a materials ability to resist abrasion or scratching. Note that a hard gem or mineral is not automatically tough or durable. About the Mohs Scale of Mineral Hardness The Mohs (Mohs) scale of hardness is the most common method used to rank gemstones and minerals according to hardness. Devised by German mineralogist Friedrich Moh in 1812, this scale grades minerals on a scale from 1 (very soft) to 10 (very hard). Because the Mohs scale is a relative scale, the difference between the hardness of a diamond and that of a ruby is much greater than the difference in hardness between calcite and gypsum. As an example, diamond (10) is about 4-5 times harder than corundum (9), which is about 2 times harder than topaz (8). Individual samples of a mineral may have slightly different Mohs ratings, but they will be near the same value. Half-numbers are used for in-between hardness ratings. How to Use the Mohs Scale A mineral with a given hardness rating will scratch other minerals of the same hardness and all samples with lower hardness ratings. As an example, if you can scratch a sample with a fingernail, you know its hardness is less than 2.5. If you can scratch a sample with a steel file, but not with a fingernail, you know its hardness is between 2.5 and 7.5.   Gems are examples of minerals. Gold, silver, and platinum are all relatively soft, with Mohs ratings between 2.5-4. Since gems can scratch each other and their settings, each piece of gemstone jewelry should be wrapped separately in silk or paper. Also, be wary of commercial cleaners, as they may contain abrasives that could damage jewelry. There are a few common household items on the basic Mohs scale to give you an idea of how hard gems and minerals really are and for use in testing hardness yourself. Mohs Scale of Hardness Hardness Example 10 diamond 9 corundum (ruby, sapphire) 8 beryl (emerald, aquamarine) 7.5 garnet 6.5-7.5 steel file 7.0 quartz (amethyst, citrine, agate) 6 feldspar (spectrolite) 5.5-6.5 most glass 5 apatite 4 fluorite 3 calcite, a penny 2.5 fingernail 2 gypsum 1 talc