Lead: A Vessel of Power!

[savingprivateyang]

So, for my English 102 class I decided to write a paper on Lead as my subject. My paper is supposed to be an inquiry based research paper so the questions I've decided to inquire on are: How is lead a vessel of power? What are the effects of lead on the environment (plants and animals included in environment) and people? How are we (mankind) combating the pollution of lead?

So far I've already discussed how lead was used in ancient Egyptian times in makeup as a status symbol. I've also talked about how lead is used, in more modern times, in lead-acid batteries as a storage device for electricity. These two examples were used as a means to show lead as a vessel of power. I also have the story of how and why Doe Run shut down and am planning on using that as a way to show that the regulations on the lead industry are the main driving forces behind the technological advancement of the lead smelting/refinement process (reduction of pollution).

Background info on Doe Run incase some are wondering: Doe Run shut down because they found the regulations imposed on them to be too stringent. They were planning to switch to a wet extraction method, which would reduce their sulphur dioxide and lead emissions, but ultimately found it too expensive causing them to shut down. They still own and operate a secondary lead smelting plant in Missouri.

I guess what I'm looking for is if anyone could help me brainstorm up ideas on how lead can be used as a "vessel of power". I've thought of how lead as projectiles in munitions could symbolize power, but can't really find a way to articulate it.

Let me know if anyone is interested in seeing what I currently have and I can either e-mail it or pm it to them.

Thanks,
Yang

Edited to add: If this isn't the right place for this, or it isn't wanted/allowed here, please feel free to delete it.

[AricTheRed]

WWII u-boat and submarine batteries. Diesel-electric subs are/were quieter than nuke boats as the only moving parts were ventilation and the direct drive propulsion system...

Then there is always Mao's quote "Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun."

Rather succinct.

[Cowboy_Dan]

I am, or at least used to be, a certified writing consultant (not sure if it has lapsed yet). If you want someone to look over a draft, I'd love to help. Let me know.

[725]

Roman soldiers used lead, "egg shaped", projectiles in their slings just like David used smooth stones to confront Goliath.

[btroj]

Sounds like a disjointed paper to me. Discussing the environmental aspects has nothing to do with power. Stick to lead as a basis of power or discuss lead as a substance that has beneficial properties and potential for toxicity.

Don't forget the ancient Romans and lead piping. Running water is a huge deal in developing a reasonably modern city.

[dragonrider]

Speaking of the toxicity, in ancient Rome lead was added to wine, it imparted a sweet taste. Lead poisoning was the result but they did no understand that.

[Bigslug]

I guess what I'm looking for is if anyone could help me brainstorm up ideas on how lead can be used as a "vessel of power". I've thought of how lead as projectiles in munitions could symbolize power, but can't really find a way to articulate it.

A useful quote from antiquity is that "God made man; Sam Colt made them equal". The lead projectile is what essentially repealed the Law of the Jungle. A 95 pound, 80 year old woman can now successfully defend herself from a 220 pound weightlifter with less than a half-ounce of well-directed lead. The weak no longer need the strong to protect them from the strong with bad intent (who will protect them from liberal politicians is a topic for another paper). This turns a few billion years of evolution on it's ear. If that isn't power, we need to re-define the word.

[RogerDat]

Modern electronics and infrastructure was built using lead. The bell telephone buried cables were at one time all sheathed in lead, as were electrical wires intended to be buried. Going back to tube radios and tv's the connections are soldered with lead/tin as are many printed circuit boards which includes the computer. So there you have modern communications covering much of the industrial age.

Not only the romans used lead for water pipes I still see lead plumbing pipe at scrap yards.

Then of course there is printing, going back to mono type where single letters were arranged to print news sheets. Printers lead goes back to Gutenberg who invented it. On through lino type that made the large multi page newspapers possible. Moving and shaping public opinion through print represents power before radio and tv became the prime means of this activity.

Oh and books and lead type, I would say books, knowledge and ideas that can be mass produced and are affordable would qualify as vessel of power. The ability to pass on knowledge and ideas and disseminate it certainly has an impact. Wikipedia mentions movable type printing as the being the most important invention of a millennium.

I would agree with poster that said the doe run piece is hard to fit into the vessel of power concept. Doe run does work for the concept of lead as important material having had huge impact with some downsides and considerations.

[BNE]

Not sure how to put it in, but lead is also used for shielding nuclear radiation ane even nuclear medicine. Power for your home and power to heal.

Good luck, my experience with English teachers 20+ years ago was not so great. They tended to be the MOST liberal on the campus.