Famous Stones and Their Legends and History

Certain stones started out as dumb common boulders, like all the rest. But one day they got a lucky break, and now theyre genuine rock stars. Here are a few of them. Famous Stones Family pride leads me to start with Plymouth Rock, that sturdy icon of American strength and faith. Its a chunk of Dedham Granodiorite that, the legend goes, was sitting where John Alden of the Plymouth Colony first stepped on American soil in 1620. The legend isnt actually true either. In fact, Plymouth Rock is a fraction of its old self, having suffered many indignities during its up-and-down history. We prefer the idealized image of the rock in its better days, as shown on a souvenir plate from the John Alden Shop in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Surely no humbler-looking object has ever been depicted by the porcelain artists at Jonroth Co., England unless they made a plate to commemorate mashed potatoes (which would be a good idea). Somewhat more exalted, if only in being higher off the ground, is the Blarney Stone, set in the battlement of Blarney Castle in Cork, Ireland. Kissing the stone gives you the gift of persuasive speech. Legend has it that this boulder is half of the Stone of Scone, awarded to the great Cormac McCarthy for supporting Robert the Bruce in the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. The Stone of Scone itself is the rock upon which the kings of Scotland were crowned, and the Scots know it as the Stone of Destiny. The English took it in 1296 when they conquered Scotland and had the stone-built into the royal coronation chair to keep the tradition alive. You see already that if the English took it in 1296, then Robert the Bruce could not have split it with Cormac McCarthy in 1314. The Stone of Destiny is a block of yellowish sandstone of uncertain origin. Legend traces it to ancient times as the very stone upon which Jacob laid his head in Genesis chapter 28, and thus it is a solid symbol of the Promised Land. But a legend says the stone the English took in 1296 was a fake! That would solve the discrepancy with the Blarney Stone if we assume that one is also a fake. Perhaps the most exalted rock in every sense is the Black Stone of the Kaaba, a dark boulder set in silver on the wall of Islams central shrine, the Kaaba, in Mecca. It marks the starting point of the walk around the Kaaba at the heart of the holy pilgrimage called the hajj. Islamic experts make it clear that the Black Stone is not holy in itself. For instance, the Black Stone was once taken away for many years, and the hajj was not affected. The Black Stone has its own story, a good one. It is said that when the patriarchs Abraham and Ishmael were building the Kaaba, the stone was delivered to them by the archangel Michael. That story is consistent with the Black Stone being a meteorite, and indeed meteorites have been prized and revered by many different peoples around the world. But we wouldnt ask anyone to waste one second of their hajj examining the stone to satisfy my curiosity. Scientists too have given names to stones; even geologists, who you think might know better. For example, there are the rocks on Mars, sitting around the landers. But my favorite example is the roster of 162 sliding rocks of Racetrack Playa, in the California desert. Each one is being mapped with GPS technology by geologist Paula Messina of San Jose State University, and each of them bears a womans name. Every year the stones are found sitting on the vast dry lakebed, but not in the same position. Behind each one is a shallow track in the cracked playa mud, proof that some rare combination of wind, water, and physics animates them when no one is there to see.

Medieval Kings and Popes Essay - 658 Words

The Pope was the title give to the head of the church, to which he was changed with the religious care taking of the clergy and other believers. For military aid and expansion, early popes looked to medieval kings like Clovis of the Franks, but by the time of Charlemagne’s coronation by Pope Leo III, it became questionable whether the pope or the king was the higher authority. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Europe was decentralized with the development of feudalism, and this allowed the only unifying establishment, the Church, to become more powerful. Though the Pope and medieval kings originally held separate roles, with the rise of feudalism the popes gained greater political power despite challenges from kings and lay investiture.†¦show more content†¦During this time, feudalism developed. In the feudal system, weak kings granted lands to greater lords in return for military aid. Greater lords in turn granted lands to lesser lords below them. These nobles gove rned all people, including clergyman to whom they granted a ‘fief† of land. When a clergyman, who were to pay their loyalty to the pope, became a vassal, or under the charge of a lord who granted him land, it gave the nobles and kings power. But because the papacy had the unified support of the larger peasant class and there were no strong kings to challenge him, the pope gained greater secular power than the nobility in addition to religious influence. Not only could he banish people from the Church through religious excommunication, but he could establish secular decrees like the Peace and Truce of God, which limited the appropriate locations and days for war. Secular powers such as these were previously reserved to kings, and illustrate that the pope due to the weakening of kings in the feudal system, held greater authority. Originally medieval popes and kings held separate roles: the pope was a religious caretaker and the king was a secular head. Beginning with the b aptism of Clovis of the Franks in 481 A.D., a mutual alliance grew between the two powers, and throughShow MoreRelatedThe Medieval Period Of The Middle Ages1183 Words   |  5 Pagespowers comes great responsibility. The Medieval period began from the 5th century when the Western Roman Empire collapsed, to 15th century. During the Medieval Period the Roman Church was the dominated church. The church controlled religion, philosophy, morals, politics, art and education. In addition, many practices from the Middle Ages laid the foundations to today’s modern world. Charles the Greats of the franks, also known as Charlemagne was a Medieval Emperor during 800. Ruling majority ofRead MoreThe Structure Of Medieval Society Essay1238 Words   |  5 Pageson the structure of medieval society . The Structure of Medieval Society This essay is a revision of the first chapter in ‘The flowering of the Middle Ages’ edited by Joan Evans, published in 1966. This chapter ‘The Structure of the Medieval Society’ was written by Cristopher Brooke’. This takes the original medieval pyramid and talks about is in detail with several stories and he also expresses his own thoughts on what was going on during that time. When discussing Medieval European society, feudalismRead MoreCity, Church, And The Empire1627 Words   |  7 PagesEmpire Many often depict medieval Europe as times of kings, knights, and epic battles that end in great bloodshed and loss. While these things are true, the medieval Europe was much more than that. It was a time of controversy, strong and terrible leaders in politics as well as the church, and many changes in population and how the Europeans structured their societies. Writers and historians throughout this time period produced many works that told of the events in medieval Europe. A few overarchingRead MoreThe Roman Catholic Church in Medieval Times Essay1295 Words   |  6 Pages In the Medieval times, the Roman Catholic Church played a great role in the development of England and had much more power than the Church of today does. In Medieval England, the Roman Catholic Church dominated everyday life and controlled everyone whether it is knights, peasants or kings. The Church was one of the most influential institutions in all of Medieval England and played a large role in education and religion. The Churchs power was so great that they could order and control knightsRead MoreFeudalism1025 Words   |  5 PagesExplain how the system known as â€Å"feudalism† worked in Medieval Europe. The bases of feudalism is best described as a social system in Europe throughout the Middle Ages where individuals worked and battled for upper class who gave them protection and the use of the land in return for their services (Merriam-Webster). â€Å"Feudalism† is not a medieval term and not even a translation of a medieval concept (Abels 2010; Brown 2010; Bouchard 1998). In our day and time Feudalism would be difficult and bafflingRead MoreThe Importance of the Clergy during the Middle Ages1039 Words   |  4 Pagesthe middle ages like? What were the religions they believed in? What was the* Medieval Feudalism like? What was Medieval Feudalism? These questions will all be answered and a more that you might ask. In these pages you will learn about the Middle ages and mostly about the Clergy, one of the most important and busiest parts of Medieval Feudalism.*First, what was Medieval Feudalism? Medieval Feudalism was when the King was the most powerful person who also contr olled all the land. But he couldn’tRead MorePostive Effects of Medieval Social Classes Essay752 Words   |  4 Pagesclasses in medieval England affected life for the people in many positive ways. It served as a means of organization to base their daily lives off of, and also gave the peasants and trade classes protection from the rulers and the clergy class in return for their labor and allegiance (â€Å"Quizlet†). Life in the Middle Ages was based on the framework of social classes so they could flourish socially and economically. The British class structure was a configuration of five main classes. The King ownedRead MoreMedieval Vs. Medieval Era1506 Words   |  7 PagesThe Medieval, or Middle, Ages in Europe have often been called the Dark Ages, since they seem to have been lacking in many ways. However, the Church was always shining the light of the Gospel in even the darkest of places. â€Å"In the very bosom of this doomed society, a power remained which was capable of giving meaning to the drama, of bringing order out of disorder, of integrating the Barbarians into civilization and of using their youthful energies to restore the world to vigor and health. ThisRead MoreHow Does Machiavelli Bring Us From A Medieval View Of Politics Of Power And Interests?1402 Words   |  6 Pagesexcellent work and ideas but I dub incomplete without the added works of Niccolo Machiavelli. Furthering this discussion, what is the new road Machiavelli sets out on, how does he differ/compare to Aristotle and how does M achiavelli bring us from a medieval view of politics to a modern view of nation state politics of power and interests? Machiavelli, unlike many philosophers and historians before him, embarked on a trail less traveled. He did this by the nature of his studies on how to keep a republicRead MoreThe Christian Church in the Middle Ages Essay1114 Words   |  5 PagesAges The Christian Church in the Middle Ages played a significant role in society. Unfortunately though, the church is often regarded as the capital of corruption, evil, and worldliness. Today, so many people depict the medieval church as being led by materialistic popes, devouring tithes from poverty-stricken peasants, having various illegitimate children, and granting indulgences for money from wayward believers. Yes, circumstances like this may have been the case, and is often hard to disapprove

Management and Organization in Global - Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the Management and Organization in Global Environment System. Answer: Introduction: All humans are social beings. We tend to spend time with others. Instead, we like to spend time with others. We dont feel living alone somewhere. There is a sense of happiness as well as security when someone is in a group. It is a primary tendency which human beings feel from centuries. It helps them to feel protected when from outside attacks (Bandura, 2015). The actions of becoming social is inbuilt in human genes from centuries. If all the above is a fact, then the very fact that living in a group make us think in accordance of the group, is true. Soloman Asch conducted various experiments based on these theories (Rock, 2014). The experiments were conducted by him near 1950s. However, still many psychologists are using the same details and experiments to know about the functioning of the people in a group. The experiment studied that individuals tend to give in to the opinions if that is different from the group majoritys opinions. They tend to feel low and thats when they leave their own opinion and follows the groups opinion. The reason for doing this can vary. Either the person thinks that he is wrong and the group collectively is right or he dont want to be a subject of criticism in front of the entire group. We might have seen several cases where the concept works. Mob mentality is one of the catchphrase which is used for the cases where peoples are influence from an ongoing trend. The Mob Mentality situation can be well seen in Protests, Stadiums during a match etc. These situations depict the mentality of the people when they are in a group. Situations may go sideways if some people goes against the group (Walker, 2013). It can even be tried in s simple shopping activity. Suppose a group of friends from any organization went on for shopping in a shopping mall. One of the guy picks a t-shirt and thinks that he would look good in that. However, his other colleagues were of different opinion. This made him rethink twice and ultimately leave the t-shirt which he liked so much. In another group, a few colleagues said a dress will look pretty on one of their friends. They collectively thought that it would be best of her and purchased it instead of the different opinion of the person for which it was being purchased. Thus, the groups opinion can sometime override our own opinion and ultimately we start to think that the groups thoughts are right (Niu, 2013). In the above case, if the guy went alone for shopping, he must have purchased that t-shirt. It is not necessary in all cases. The person above may show some confidence and go ahead with the purchasing of T-shirt. However, he still have some confusion i n the back of his mind whether he did correct or not. Linear Programming Word Problem Linear Programming has long been used for making decisions. It is a technique to maximize or minimize a function with factoring in certain constraints available at the time. It is a technique which is used for the optimization of various functions with the help of graphical methods and provides the best solutions to use to reduce efforts in terms of cost and labor (Dorfman, 2012). Linear Programming was reportedly used during the World War II. At that time, it was used for the calculation of scheduling time, transportation related issues and many more. Linear programming helped the armies to solve certain bottleneck issues. Linear Programming can be related to as a branch of Math. In this technique, certain mathematical calculations are done and solutions are put forward to the organizations so that the management can take decisions based on the solutions. The manufacturing companies gain a lot from this technique as it helps in scheduling, planning the production, planning of resources, material management etc. There are certain constraints everywhere and this technique takes into consideration all the constraints while calculating (Cleman, 2013). The video in the activity was a good source to get the required details regarding the product mix problem. From the application point of view, the chemical and the pharmaceutical industry makes best use of the linear programming to factor in all constraints and calculate the data during the synthesis and production of drugs and chemicals. The focus of using the linear programming model is the maximize the profits by minimizing the costs (Ficken, 2015). The technique helps the organization to get alternative options in case one of the options fails to deliver the required output. The constraints and the variables can be tweaked to get the results based on the organizational need. The application of the Linear Programming technique is wide in manufacturing industries. They tend to use the same in their daily operations. Production planning and scheduling uses the linear programming to fine tune their planning so that no stones are left unturned. The technique is used here to run various jobs at the same time which reduces the effort and time. Linear programming model can be used only in case of linear equations. However, most of the industrial issues are quadratic in nature. The constraints also need to be a constant value to calculate the results. Linear programming usually tends to provide fractional answers which cannot be applied in industrial situations, such a labor and machinery calculation (Vanderbei, 2014). Though linear programming has limitations, its use in the industrial data derivation is still extensive. These drawbacks are there but still this is one of the most used technique in manufacturing industries. The technique is centuries old but stil l proving its point and is one of the widely used mathematical technique by the organizations. References Bandura, A., Ross, D. and Ross, S.A., 2015. Social Skills Training. Phobias: The Psychology of Irrational Fear: The Psychology of Irrational Fear, 8, p.358. Clemen, R. and Reilly, T., 2013. Making hard decisions with DecisionTools. Cengage Learning. Dorfman, R., Samuelson, P.A. and Solow, R.M., 2012. Linear programming and economic analysis. Courier Corporation. Niu, H.J., 2013. Cyber peers influence for adolescent consumer in decision?making styles and online purchasing behavior. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 43(6), pp.1228-1237. Rock, I. and Rock-DECEASED, I., 2014. The legacy of Solomon Asch: Essays in cognition and social psychology. Psychology Press. Walker, A., 2013. What can a crowd do?: revisiting Tarde after the demise of the public. Distinktion: Scandinavian Journal of Social Theory, 14(2), pp.227-231 Ficken, F.A., 2015. The simplex method of linear programming. Courier Dover Publications. Vanderbei, R.J., 2014. Linear programming. Springer

Pantheon Essays - Domes, Pantheon, Rome, Ancient Roman Architecture

Pantheon Introduction I chose to report on the pantheon because I've seen pictures and I am also very fascinated by all the Roman monuments. I looked all around the internet and libraries. The Pantheon was very hard to find information about. It was very challenging but I found enough information to complete this report. This famous building stands in the business district of Romemuch as it was built some 18 centuries ago. Amazingly, it has withstood the ravages of both the elements and war permitting a firsthand view of a unique product constructed by Roman hands. Now, it is exposed to acid rain and fumes from passing automobiles and overshadowed by buildings of inferior taste; but, with trust in the future, the Pantheon will survive. Unrecognized, the design of this ancient concrete building reveals unparalleled features not encountered in modern design standards. Recent studies reveal several major cracks in the dome, but it still functions unimpaired. This condition will surely excite the curiosity of our structural engineers. The building was built entirely without steel reinforcing rods to resist tensile cracking, so necessary in concrete members, and for this concrete dome with a long span to last centuries is incredible. Today, no engineer would dare build this structure without steel rods! Modern codes of engineering practice would not permit such mischief. No investor with knowledge of concrete design would provide the funding. Additional constraints when attempting to build a structure as large as the Pantheon will be discussed later, but briefly they include the use of inadequate hand tools and unsafe lifting devices. I believe we can learn from this activity. Workers can build from a plan and can successfully use their proven practices only if construction quality controls are maintained. History tells us that the Pantheon is a Greek word meaning to honor all Gods (particularly the Olympian divinities). It is ironic that our building has existed throughout many wars while being dedicated to all Gods; one can readily perceive this to be a temple for our one God. And, the Church has claimed this holy structure as a resting place for its most famous Popes, so we continue to honor its magnificent divinity. The first incarnation of this ancient temple was built by Agrippa, the son-in-law of the Roman Emperor Augustus, about 27 B.C. Today, above the entrance carved in stone are the words M. AGRIPPA L. F. COS. TERTIUM FECIT which is translated, Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, in his third consulate, made it. Indeed, it is worth mentioning that Agrippa's engineering talents were used in building the famous Pont de Gard aqueduct in France. As with many cities, tragedy in the form of large fires such as those of 60, 64, 79, 100 and 110 A.D. seemed to strike Rome. Originally, many Roman buildings contained travertine (limestone rock) which easily cracked in fires. The first Pantheon was severely damaged and required replacement except for some pa rts of the lower porch section and foundation. The Pantheon was rebuilt by the Emperor Hadrian during the period 118 to 128 A.D. (a time given by Ward-Perkins).2 But the Ward-Perkins's period is disputed by, Lugli who said the building was started sometime after 123 A.D. and was finished by Emperor Pius about 140 A.D.3 However, most of the bricks were made and placed in the Pantheon in 123 A.D., a date that the maker stamped on his bricks. This was discovered in 1892 by the French archaeologist, George Chedanne. It appears the construction of the rotunda walls took a period of 4 to 5 years, and the dome required a like period because of its height and the meager tools the Romans used. This long construction period was fortunate as it gave this pozzolan concrete ample time to cure and gain strength. Was the second temple like the first? Yes, the fundamental principle of the old Roman religion required that the temples be rebuilt without changes in original form. Tradition required th at the main entrance face north, and thus the whole building was oriented on the north-south axis of the building. A description of its structural features is separated into the configuration, foundation ring, circular walls, and dome to more clearly define various

And Your Name Is Jonah Essays

And Your Name Is Jonah Essays And Your Name Is Jonah Paper And Your Name Is Jonah Paper In the movie, And Your Name Is Jonah (1979), there is a family that is going through some tough times. Jenny and Danny Corelli (Jonah’s parents) are seen walking into an institution to pick up their son, Jonah. There had been some confusion on the diagnosis; it appears that Jonah was diagnosed as mentally retarded. Jenny kept questioning and questioning if the new diagnosis was in fact correct, and was just dumbfounded. They could not believe that Jonah had been in the institution for three years for being mentally retarded. They arrived at home where the grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins were throwing a welcome home party. They were just having cake and music was playing in the background and Jonah saw his grandpa dancing and he joined in. It was pretty apparent when the music went off that he was deaf because he just kept dancing and dancing until they tapped him on the shoulder. After the party, Jenny and Danny were trying to get the family back on track and living normal lives, but little did they know it would be disruptive to the family. The parents set up an appointment with an audiologist to determine if he was deaf. The audiologist informs the parents that she is not sure if Jonah would benefit from wearing hearing aids, just that the sounds would be amplified but not hearing clear sounds that he never heard before, so he gets hearing aids. The audiologist also recommended speech therapy. Jenny enrolls Jonah into a school but was informed by the supervisor there that they only teach the oral method at this school. Jenny goes along with this and Jonah is now attending the school. After a while, there seems to be some dysfunction in the family dynamics as the parents are struggling to figure out what to do with Jonah. There was a birthday party for Jonah and Danny; Jonah’s father bought him a bike. As Jonah is riding the bike out in the street, someone is honking at him to move, but Jonah is oblivious to what is going on around him. His parents are frantic and yelling at him to move, and the driver of the car hits Jonah, the accident was not fatal but did scare everyone. Danny and Jenny get into an argument because they do not know how to deal with Jonah’s deafness. His father is clueless, not sure what he believes or understands what is going on and during the argument he leaves the house. It is now up to Jenny to figure out how to deal with Jonah and living life as a single parent with his younger brother and has applied for welfare. As time progresses, Jenny is trying to help Jonah speak and is having a difficult time with this. And Jonah continues going to school and is struggling during this time. During the movie, you can see that Jonah is attached to grandpa, as he visits him at work at the market. They always do things together, even though neither one of them know any signs or any form of communication. Grandpa loves him and Jonah loves grandpa. One day, grandpa has a heart attack and passes away. And Jonah is not sure what to make of this, as he does not understand what is going on. Shortly after the death of grandpa, Jonah steals money from mom’s purse and hops on a city bus to go visit grandpa but he is no longer there. After he discovers grandpa is not there, he wanders off and shortly after that the police get a hold of him. He is taken to a hospital and because he is unable to speak and was acting belligerent they strapped him down. As his mother finds out where he is, she walks into the hospital just in time to see him being strapped down and is devastated; she demands that they release him, as he is just deaf not retarded. But as time goes on, Jenny, Jonah’s mother, is taking him to speech therapy and sees a deaf couple with a deaf child. She goes chasing after them on the sidewalk to find out some information. They inform her that they have a deaf club and she is more than welcome to come and meet other deaf people. She goes to the deaf club with another parent that has a child that attends the oral school that Jonah goes to. While they are there, Jenny and her friend meet an interpreter that explains what is going on and Jenny stated that teaching the children sign language was a big controversy. But after sitting there with the deaf group, she realizes that sign language is an option for her family as she is learning it herself. After a few days, a deaf friend visits Jenny and her sons in the park, teaching Jonah different signs. Jonah did not understand at first but after a while he finally got the concept and wants to learn more and more. As they get near a pond, Jonah picks up an empty turtle shell and asks the friend what that was. The man said it was a turtle but it died and shows him the sign for that. Jonah had a flashback to his grandpa dying and now understands this. Jenny has decided to allow Jonah to enter a deaf school so he can learn sign language and be with other kids like him. The movie that provided examples of the materials that were learned in class was about a deaf child who has a hearing loss. Most likely a sensorineural earing loss but it was never explained how he became deaf in the movie. It really devastated the family to find out that their child was not disabled and had been institutionalized for three years. Jonah had no clue how to communicate with his family and vice versa. At that time, the social worker probably would have done the same thing as everyone else. I am not sure how things would have been handled; although, I believe that they probably were not big advocators in stressing that the parents have the right to choose what is best for their child or they were never assigned a social worker. I believe that in this day and age, there would be issues on how it was handled. I would ask the family what their understanding of the functioning of the human ear, what happened, what did the previous doctor/audiologist say. As a social worker, I would have advocated that the child needed a proper hearing test, and determine what kind of hearing loss it is or how it happened; for example, was it a disease like German measles or medications that could have caused the deafness in the child. I would ask the parents to tell me their life story, what they can remember or think of in terms of his deafness. I think also, it would have benefited the family to have counseling support, to help them with their child and themselves. It would have given them more of an idea of what to expect. I would schedule home visits with the family to see how they were interacting with the child and assist them in learning/teaching them sign language if they choose. I would also counsel them on the pros and cons of attending public schools and deaf school. Education wise, it would be better to attend public schools and have deaf education classes in the school. But attending a deaf school is better for the child socially because they would be around others that are the same; they can communicate and will not feel left out socially. Explain to the parents that the deaf child, Jonah, is just like a hearing child but unable to hear. I would encourage them to attend sign language classes to help them learn to communicate with their child and let him feel as he was part of the family. Allow Jonah to have the freedom to be who he wants to be within reason, if they have strict rules about things, and then they need to follow through with it. But otherwise, let him have freedom as the hearing child does. As a social worker, I would work closely with the audiologist to determine what type of hearing aid would be best for Jonah and then discuss with the parents, and how they feel about this. As well as the primary doctor, as to keep everyone informed of what was going on in the situation. I would also recommend that Jonah receives speech therapy/lip reading to help him with vocalizations; also discuss if they would consider cochlear implants and explain how it works. I would encourage the family to apply for Social Security Income (SSI); I can provide information for them if needed. I can explain the different devices they have for the deaf/hearing impaired people. They have closed captioning on televisions to help follow along with the conversations, have flashing lights for doorbells/telephones. They also have Telecommunications Devices for the Deaf (TDD/TTY maching), which helps deaf/hearing people communicate on the phone, and would explain how that works. They also have vibrating alarm clocks with or without flashing lights to help the deaf people wake up, would also explain how that works. I would also refer them to Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) to apply and receive proper devices, as well as hearing aids for Jonah. I can set up for the family to meet other parents who have a deaf child/children to help them feel better, and they can discuss among themselves how they feel or what they believe and share with each other. I would need to find out about the family’s health insurance coverage and explain that most insurance companies do not pay for hearing aids, batteries, etc. It would be all out-of-pocket expenses, would also explain that they can refer to DARS for any of these needs and that DARS would help them. If they have any questions or problems with this, they can come see me anytime. I would stress to the family, what they choose for Jonah would be their options, I am there to help them and provide information and to answer any questions they have.

Essay on Dementia Death and family Members

Essay on Dementia Death and family Members Essay on Dementia: Death and family Members When most people hear the words dementia they think of a condition that causes memory loss and decreased brain functioning. Not many people are aware that it is an incurable progressive and terminal disease Dr Susan L Mitchell an Associate professor at Harvard Medical School say "Dementia is a terminal illness; as the end of life approaches, the pattern in which patients with advanced dementia experience distressing symptoms is similar to patients dying of more commonly recognized terminal conditions, such as cancer." However many people (physicians included) have a difficult time with Dr. Mitchells mind set of placing cancer and dementia into the same category. For starters Dementia is a gradual loss of cognition and function that could take anywhere from 4-10 years until the patient shows sign of advanced end stage dementia. On the slight chance that family members and physicians are able to acknowledge dementia as a progressive incurable disease many of them have no insight as to what their loved ones actually died from. As Neeraja discussed previously pneumonia is the most common â€Å"cause of death† seen on the death certificates of patients with dementia. When families see this listed they tend to think that it was the infection that caused the death and want to aggressively treat the infection in hopes that their loved ones will live longer. However it was the dementia that caused the apraxia dysphagia and decrease mobility that lead to an increased risk for infection and the end development of pneumonia. We see our loved ones suffering in pain and immediately want to give them aggressive medications so that WE feel better. Family members feel uncomfortable watching their loved ones in pain while doing nothing about it. But there is no evidence that antibiotics promote any more comfort than just providing supportive care," she said. We can achieve the same amount of comfort by giving them oxygen, Tylenol to curve the fever, and medications to dry up the secretions. This is palliative care. Holding off treatment is a very difficult decision to make but it is one that must be discussed before a patient reaches the end stage and can no longer make informed decisions about their care. For Most end stage patients die from pneumonia or other respiratory illnesses and most effective way to treat is antibiotics Medications for pneumonia and palliative care medications are similar in their side effects Antibiotics do not prolong life and the patients have the same mortality rate as those who do not take them.

J. Alfred Prufrock Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

J. Alfred Prufrock - Essay Example It is possible to trace the major patterns of abstract images related to time, inertia, sickness, fear and failure in the poem. When taken as a whole, all these may be seen as the contributive aspects of the unpromising prospects of human relationships. The â€Å"you and I† of the poem remain undefined until the end of the poem, but the psyche of the speaker, â€Å"I† is characterized by the image of a â€Å"patient etherized upon a table†. The image of sickness and inertia overshadows the whole poem. The â€Å"half-deserted streets†, â€Å"muttering retreats† and the winding streets hrough which the disintegrated self of the narrator walks leads to â€Å"an overwhelming question† which reminds one of Mathew Arnold’s Dover beach, where a similar question, seemingly on love, raises the reader’s expectations momentarily. But the emphasis is shifted to somewhere else, when he mentions like a refrain, The narrator’s indecision regarding the social mingling and the eventual meeting of these women are expressed in the latter part of the poem, though the reason for his indecision and fear are not properly accounted for. It seems that the image of the women and that of their talking about art are just representations of a pretentious life that the narrator is unable to cope with, or rise up to, and these images are presented in a specific order so that they constitute more towards the rationale of the theme than any logical reasoning. Hence it is possible to analyze these images as part of the impressionistic technique that modernist poets followed. F.R Leavis , after his question â€Å"Can this be poetry†, quotes these lines and observes: â€Å"And yet there are passages that, for all their oddness of imagery and tone, do not immediately condemn themselves as ‘unpoetical’ even by anthological standards† (Leavis, 66). Even for the contemporary reader who has an overview and clear

US company expanding to Italy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

US company expanding to Italy - Research Paper Example Mostly, foreign businesses are exploited through regulations, practices and laws that are usually protective of the local businesses. These are the challenges that a U.S. firm expanding to Italy will face as it tries to gain grounds and remain competitive in foreign environment. U.S. business regulations do not discriminate against small or large corporations as they are all subject to the same regulations. The country has a host of laws that govern business in the country and must be adhered to by any business. Employment and labor laws are stringent in how they regulate treatment of employees by businesses. These laws cover every aspect of employees’ relations. Further, the laws keep on changing as the government and labor bodies continue to protect employees more. The first labor law is Minimum Wage Law which sets the least possible wage for workers of every category. Other laws include Fair Labor Standards Act, Equal Opportunity Employment, Employee Retirement Income Security Act and many other laws that regulate employees’ welfare. The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) seeks to make sure that every employee receives retirement benefits according to her own choice (Cihon & Castagneria, 2013). The Immigration and Nationality Act prevents any business from discriminating against any U.S. citizens. Advertising and marketing laws are also stringent on businesses activities. The Federal Trade Commission ensures that business comply with these laws. The laws are intended to safeguard consumers’ interests, while protecting them from scrupulous business who cheat through advertising and marketing. Businesses are required to give the truth in adverts, to enable Americans make purchasing decisions well. Failure to comply with these laws attracts lawsuits and heavy fines. The advertisements must not be unfair to competitors. Privacy law is another major business law that affect running of

Students and Politics Essay Example for Free

Students and Politics Essay The student community, being young and energetic, are a bundle of inflammablematerial, which at the touch of a spark ignites into a large uncontrollable fire like forestfire. They, being young have no patience, are lively and malleable. In India, the trend of students actively participating in politics began in the early 20thcentury, when India was fighting for its freedom. The elders being busy with their breadearning, they actively encouraged the youngsters to enter the arena of politics. Besides,they were young and would be easily enthused to join the mass movement at the drop of a hat. Political parties at that time started enlisting the support of the young students whoorganized themselves happily, to help one party or the other. This trend started in theearly years of 20th century and continued and even expanded up to date. However, once independence was won, it was to be reconsidered if students should beallowed or couraged to enter politics. Some sections of society now started believing thatstudents should stay away from politics and keep to their study schedules only. While thesociety kept debating on this issue, the politician took the younger generation as their work cum energy tanks and this participation of students in politics has come to stay. The present scenario in India is thus a keen struggle of political parties engaged inenlisting support of students. This obviously results in the students getting sharplydivided as if they were of this political party or that so much so, even the campuselections become tainted with a touch of politics. There is of course nothing without advantages and disadvantages, so does thisinvolvement of students in politics. There are both serious disadvantages and may be fewadvantages too of students being on the centre stage of politics. Disadvantages outnumber the advantages. Firstly, while the students, have primarily entered college for studies theyget distracted from their prime objective and become entangled in the dirty game of politics. The energy and time they use or waster in masterminding political moves, couldwell be used to study. This entry of politics in the premises of educational institutions hascaused many a damage to several students. Students have got rusticated owing to their active participation in politics, thus losing their hold on studies. Politics teaches studentsto put an end to all rules and regulations and become rowdy and violent. This leads to closure of institutions which again take a toll of students study time. Thevery innocent and loving appearance of children gets lost and they become rude, arrogantand disobedient. When there is too much of hooliganism entering into educationalinstitutions, even police is to be called sometimes and there is utter disorder in thecampus and even bullets find their way among the students. The disadvantages of students entering politics are numerous and destructive. When we study the advantages of this system, they do exist but, are very few and hardlysignificant. Children entering the arena of politics learn the art of public speaking. Theylearn to be assertive and impressive. This medium is a good stepping stone to the art of leadership. The important and real advantage is that students in these prime years of life gain a lot of knowledge of politics which gives them training to enter the arena as trained politicians. After studying the pros and cons of students participation in politics, the disadvantagesare more damaging than the gains acquired in the sequence. For, all the advantagesstudents gain, can as well be achieved so in other ways also and there is no need for their entry into politics. Students must stay away from politics and retain their interest in studies which alone canhelp them steer the ships of their lives. The most progressive, articulate, inspired and dynamic segment of the country’spopulation is the student’s community. The formative period of student’s lifeshould be utilized for an all round balanced development of his/her personality. Political experience constitutes an essential part of this learning experience. Thisperiod prepares one to face the challenges better and enables one to succeed inlife. The much hyped dirty murky nature not with standing. Politics has the potentialto inculcate qualities like general awareness, keeping abreast with current happenings and above all leadership qualities in an individual. Student’s who joinpolitics are good orators. They become assertive by shedding their timid nessand shyness. Tackling problems and solving disputes and handling crisissituations however small or big they may be, infuses confidence in them. It helpsin developing skills to deal with people from all backgrounds and of all shades of opinion. Moreover, politics cannot be divorced from a student’s life as he continuouslyinteracts with the Student’s Union and various other student associations incollege. Students also have a great deal of exposure to mediums like the press,television, cinema, etc. hich are important agents of political expression. Political science is a vital part of the syllabi both at the school and college level. This underlines the role that politics plays in various stages of a person’s life. Hence, it is futile to shut out students from politics. History is replete with examples of students playing a vital role in over-throwingcorrupt dictatorial regimes, freeing their people from foreign yoke and launchingrelentless crusades against social injustice and exploitation. Majority of the greatleaders entered politics during their student life. Therefore, political education or training during student life is important for success in life. Many students’organizations like all Manipur students union (AMSU) are big and powerfulstudents’ organizations in the north eastern part of India. Their clout is so greatthat they could even go against the general people’s verdict. Where politiciansfail, they succeed easily. The power of the youth is a mighty river, waiting to bechannelized. The politics of a particular system determines whether this happensin a constructive or destructive manner. However, there is a limit to the extent of a students’ involvement so that abalanced participation does not affect his main purpose, which is to study. Whilehe is not expected to remain passive in the face of criminalization of politics,dismantling of democratic organizations, corruption, communalism and casteism,he should not indulge in factional or partisan politics, or give into the unjustdirections of senior party leaders. The student wing should herald the new, onlythen do they deserve to be called the promise of tomorrow. A better tomorrow.

Written and Unwritten Rules on the CUE Bus :: Projects Driving Buses Papers

Written and Unwritten Rules on the CUE Bus I have been riding the CUE bus regularly for a period of about two years now, and through that time have learned a lot about what goes on on the bus. The thing that has stood out to me the most is the many written and unwritten rules that govern behavior for both passengers and bus drivers. There are certain things one needs to do to be a "successful" passenger, and I have learned many of them along the way through experience and observation, without even really noticing it. For the past two months I have consciously observed people and how they relate to these rules, and the patterns have become even more clear to me. Rules for Bus Drivers One main thing that one needs to do be a successful passenger is to understand the rules that govern how the bus drivers behave, because this will effect the choices that you make. The bus drivers have a lot of rules they have to follow that are given to them by the management. For instance, they are supposed to do everything in their power to arrive at each bus stop at the posted time on the schedule. They are also supposed to only pick up passengers or let them off at designated CUE bus stops. The bus drivers must constantly balance these rules with another, unwritten rule - that they should be friendly and considerate to the people who are riding the bus. Sometimes these two principles come into conflict, and that's when things really get interesting. Some examples of times when they come into conflict are the following: The Bus Driver is Ahead of Schedule It is bad for the bus driver to arrive at a bus stop late, but it is even worse for him to arrive there early, because then people who have not gotten there yet may miss the bus. I have seen bus drivers stop at Rite Aid pharmacy (on the intersection of Lee Highway and Chainbridge road) and at George Mason and sit for several minutes because they were ahead of schedule. This creates an awkward situation for the people riding on the bus, who are now just sitting stopped for no apparent reason. The longer the bus sits, the more awkward it feels. Although nobody has ever complained about it out loud, there is an unspoken pressure.

How does Steinbeck make use of the natural setting in of mice and men Essay

The Brush by the Salinas River is one of the most important locations in the entire novel. Steinbeck creates a beautiful and natural setting by his use of figurative language. â€Å"Willows fresh and green with every spring† and â€Å"leaves lie deep and so crisp† create an image in the mind of the reader that evokes a calm and peaceful mood. Steinbeck then uses the setting to introduce the two main protagonists. The arrival of the protagonists interrupts the harmony of the river bank, but before any sign of them is visible or within earshot, the birds fly away, the rabbits scatter, and all the other animals flee the area. This lets us know that something or someone is coming. Steinbeck introduces to the two main protagonists. They are the described identically but it is not until Steinbeck describes their different features that we learn their differences .We don’t know their names until the dialogue starts. Through their dialogue we learn that the larger man is Lennie and the smaller man is George. Both physically and character wise, George and Lennie are completely different, almost exact opposites. Lennie is not very bright, and acts like a big baby. He likes to pet soft things, he throws tantrums once in a while, and when he senses his advantage in an argument he takes that opportunity and is whiny, immature, and unrealistic about the situation. â€Å"If you don’ want me I can go off in the hills an’ find a cave. I can go away any time.† George, on the other hand, is very mature, and although he gets angry and frustrated with Lennie sometimes, he always ends up feeling sorry that he was mean, and apologizes sadly. â€Å"I been mean, ain’t I?† George and Lennie are very close friends, they travel together, they stick together, and they look after each other. George and Lennie have a dream, one that they’ve had for apparently quite some time. George and Lennie want to own and live in a little house of their own, with animals and vegetables and fires for the winter. They want to have their dream house, a place where they can live on their own, without worrying about anyone or anything. Steinbeck creates a setting of this dream which is used as motivation for George and Lennie but more specifically for George to keep Lennie safe. The dream links with the American Dream, what they aspire is only a microcosm of the American Dream. The whole setting of the dream is so minimal that is really nothing like the American Dream.

Hispanic Social Justice Issue Essay

Domestic violence is an issue that affects women and men of any age, race, cultural or even economical background. Those in the Latino communities face cultural boundaries when they find themselves in an abusive relationship/marriage. Many Latinos identify as Catholic or being raised Catholic, whom do not believe in divorce. Often time’s men are identified as the leader of the family and women are expected to obey their husbands. Latinos who are middle class or low income families find themselves financially strapped to the abuser, with no way out literally. According to this week’s readings the community development model â€Å"has five functions that communities should serve to include: Production-distribution-consumption of goods and services-that are a part of daily living; socialization-which is a process that society transmits prevailing knowledge or social values; social control-where a group influences the behaviors of its members; social participation- which i s the level of involvement of people in social, political and economic processes; and lastly mutual support-which involves encouragement, assistance and cooperation of people in the community† (Kirst-Ashman, 2011, pg. 437). This developmental model is important to most domestic violence causes because the assistance must be readily available both physically and monetarily, plus knowledge of such resources needs to be made known both in English and Spanish so that women have a way out. If society could change people’s behavior towards domestic violence (i.e. reducing stereotypes like she will never leave), and encourage people to seek help this would be a lot less prevalent in Latino communities. There needs to be support and encouragement given to these women that it is indeed ok to leave. The children who are caught in between a physically abusive parent and non-abusive parent need more laws to protect them. There is so much more knowledge out there today about signs of domestic violence and where to start getting help in a local community yet the one thing that holds many women back is the children. Courts often times tie up cases, put the victim at risk, allow the children into potentially dangerous situations and then bash a woman for not leaving her abuser. (I am focusing on women being beaten by men because it is more prevalent even though I am aware that men can be beaten too). Many of these places are underfunded because much of  the money is aimed at awareness, but many of these women leave with practically nothing. The community development model is a good tool yet like social actions while it brings issues to light or creating organizations to deal with the issu e but it get stuck along the way (Holman, 2011, pg.65). Holman said it best regarding social action â€Å"To become truly empowered, a community must move beyond reaction and assert its own agenda, cultivating the internal assets that can provide its members with a high quality life† (2011, pg. 65). With domestic violence a woman needs to be empowered and given the opportunity to move on with her life. But it shouldn’t stop there, some of these women do give back to others of to the domestic violence organizations to ensure this vital asset always remains available to others in need. Communities must become self-sufficient and they are only as good as they believe they are. Reference Kirst-Ashman, K. K. (2011). Human behavior in the macro social environment. Belmont, CA: Thomson Brooks/Cole Publishing Company. Homan, M. S. (2011). Promoting community change: Making it happen in the real world. Belmont, CA: Thomson Brooks/Cole Publishing Company.

Investment Utilization Essays

Investment Utilization Essays Investment Utilization Essay Investment Utilization Essay Profit margin is a good ratio to look at to compare companys profitability in a similar industry. To completely consider return on investment one would need take into account both the companys total investment (assets or liabilities shareholder equity) and its to sales and income. As shown in the above chart, Best Buy and Radio Shack were close in 1999 and 2000, but Radio Shack lost ground in 2001. Circuit City has just been behind the entire period. Best Buy has been involved with many acquisitions and has been aggressively expanding. Best Buy is a clear winner with this type of profit margin in an expansion. Once this stage of expansion is complete shareholders should be pleased with the results (and market share prices). Earnings per share shows how well a company performs on a per share basis. Best Buy has steadily increased its earnings per share probably due to its increasing expansion and even more increasing sales. Circuit City and Radio Shack have been loosing market share from Best Buy and the EPS shows it. The 2001 value would be even higher if the acquisitions were not included. Best Buys stellar EPS performance show why their stock price is much higher than it s competition. The following ratios, Days Receivable, Days Inventory, and Inventory Turnover give investors and idea of how quickly inventory is sold and money for them is collected. The Days Receivable ratio measures the average collection period for goods sold. A low Days Receivable ratio indicates that there is a short period or time between when a customer picks up his or her goods and the time the seller actually receives payment for the sale. A longer Days Receivable period might indicate that a company is subject to higher bad debt risk. In many cases an aging schedule should be created to account for these. For instance we see that Best Buy Days Receivables ratios are short, whereas Radio Shack Circuit City are longer and should be more concerned with bad debt. The other possibility is that Circuit City and Radio Shack have customers who take advantage of paying by credit. Similar to Days Receivable, Days Inventory indicates how many days a company has money tied up in inventory. The shorter the period, the more a company can use the money for other aspects of the business. Both Circuit City and Best Buys Days Inventory are very short compared to Radio Shack. With both of those indicating that Best Buys Inventory is quickly sold and paid, it is no surprise that Best Buys Inventory Turnover ratio is high. Inventory Turnover measures how fast items move through the company. For Best Buy, the high turnover shows that Best Buy either buys just enough merchandise to sell to customers, or that customers are buying inventory quickly off the shelf. These three ratios indicate that Best Buy is a strong company and the consumer favors them. The current ratio is a measure of a companys ability to pay its short-term debt. Since Best Buy is expanding they have been using more of their liquid funds in that effort. Radio Shacks Current Ratio is high compared to the others. Either they are not investing enough, or plan on pleasing shareholders with large dividends. Best Buys number is very close to 1 (1. 08 to be exact). They should investigate before the company has a negative working capital. Financial Condition The Debt/Equity Ratio (or Debt Ratio) measures how much money a company should safely be able to borrow over long periods of time. This number indicates how much a company is leveraged. Best Buy has a low long-term debit equity ratio and a low current ratio. Together that indicates financial weakness. Of course both Circuit City and Best Buy are in expansion so much of the money is tied up in Liabilities. Radio Shack is in excellent financial condition with the high (probably too high) debt/equity ratio. With Radio Shack having lots of liquidity (as seen from the current ratio) and financial strength it could use the leverage to invest and expand. Once Circuit City and Best Buy slow their expansions, these numbers will rise and with continued success regain financial strength.

Encountered amongst methods Essay Example

Encountered amongst methods Essay Example Encountered amongst methods Essay Encountered amongst methods Essay Evaluation: During this trip, and whilst we were recording data, there were problems which were encountered amongst methods, results and therefore the conclusions. The first one we came across was the longshore drift survey part. The cork that was thrown into the sea was lost (poor methodology); therefore the results for this section were inaccurate as the direction/speed of the cork was not known with certainty making the results inaccurate. Because of this, the conclusion would have to be questioned as we are not able to draw a firm or accurate conclusion about the survey on longshore drift. A poor method was when we only received one cork and we were asked to record longshore drift data at two locations. This meant that only one of the two locations would be used, meaning that the results were not accurate overall making the conclusion questionable again for the longshore drift survey section. With the groyne measurements, the most accurate data available was not obtained due to safety reasons, because it would not be safe to climb onto a slippery groyne and take measurements, therefore the most accurate estimates of the groyne measurements were recorded. This was the fault in the method leading to inaccurate results as they were largely based on accurate as possible estimates. Despite this, a conclusion was made, which matched predictions we had made, meaning the data could be pretty accurate. There were limitations during the day which led to the best results possible in all categories not being obtained. There was not enough time I felt as there were some tasks which could not be completed on the day, such as the measurements of the beach and the study area, or time to repeat a couple of methods to gain the best possible results. Another limitation was not being able to go onto the top of the groyne to record data, but this is a good limitation as it is keeping our safety in mind. If this entire study was to be repeated, I would want to spend more time on all of it to get the most accurate results, to get a more accurate conclusion. As well as this, the methods used to find out data for some of the sections would have to be altered to make it better. If the methods were altered for the better, for e. g. we are given two corks and made to repeat some of the results, then more accurate data would be acquired to result in a more accurate conclusion. As well as this, not only would I want to spend more time on the practical side of the study, but also spend more time on this write-up to put the data recorded into good words and to make it as good as possible. The final matter that I would want to do if I were to do it again is to go to another coastline area and take exactly the same data as from Folkestone to compare them thoroughly as well as taking pictures to see visually how Folkestone compares to other coastlines, as well as similarities between the two. Overall, I feel this all has been pretty successful despite the inaccuracies.

Suicide after Combat in the Military Research Paper

Suicide after Combat in the Military - Research Paper Example The effects of this on the military personnel’s psychological well being has been adverse and contributed greatly to the military suicides since the inception of the missions. Discussion Military deployment negatively affects the lives of the military personnel and their respective families - their family life is altered forever- as it entails four distinct phases; pre-deployment, deployment, reunion and post deployment. The events in these phases affect the military official mentally as they have to deal with issues related to the changes occurring in their lives; they are shifting from their normal life schedules to others they have no idea how they are likely to turn out and if they would actually be back to their families or not. Pre-deployment issues include dealing with the separation from the social support network they are used to, dealing with the increased workload and the shift in daily duties. In the deployment, they may encounter issues like physical injuries, exp osure to traumatic events and lack of communication with their loved ones among others. The re-union and post deployment phases pose their own challenges as the individuals strive to readjust to their old lifestyles and social networks as well as deal with the reality of their experiences during the deployment (Hoge,  2006). The effect of the entire deployment experience is can be devastating and the individual is unable to effectively fit into the society and options of suicide make more sense to appease their conscience. Why does this happen? The deployment experience has negative impact on the military official’s mental health. Stressors and experiences related to the post-deployment, deployment, and post deployment experiences together put the service member at a risk of mental health problems such as post traumatic stress disorder, depression and drug and substance abuse. The experience in one way or the other impairs the service members quality of life; a decrease in the emotional well being, social functioning and the general health of the concerned individual. According to military surveillance data, mental health related concerns and behavioral health among the service members rise 3-6 months after deployment and sometimes it exerts a lasting effect on the military personnel. Other than the experience in the military deployment and combat, mental health is triggered by the interpersonal concerns and stressors throughput the four phases of the deployment. A study conducted on the 2008 OIF veterans showed that mental health was impacted by the post-deployment social support. The study participants reported not getting the desired family and friends emotional and instrumental support they desired during and after the deployment. The respective families experienced financial difficulties, spousal arguments, physical aggression and sometimes abuse of a spouse and child abuse during the post deployment period. Long deployment periods increase the s ervice a member distress levels and shows more psychiatric and physical health symptoms compared to the short deployments, however, the effect of the location and duration of deployment on the peoples’ mental health of depends on the types and severities of the stressors.

Yunees The student hunter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Yunees The student hunter - Essay Example Yunees speaks fluently in giving out opinions about hunting and the way he does it. He says, â€Å"I go hunting every weekend because as a student that is the only time I have free from early morning.† He maintains that hunting involves patience since it involves stalking rabbits and other animals in the fields to allow for an easy hunt of the rabbit. Yunees says, â€Å"I like to hunt rabbits the most because then I can cook them for dinner and enjoy them with my friends; the rabbits taste delicious. Other animals are not often hunted because, they run away very fast before I can hunt them†. It means during the hunting expeditions of Yuness and his friends, they sometimes face various challenges in the fields. Ahmed, a friend to Yunees, often does not go hunting with his friends, since he thinks it is prohibited to hunt wild animals. However, Yunees and his friends use different slang such as â€Å"they taste great,† to give them more reasons for hunting the animals as they communicate to each other during their hunting expeditions. During the interview, Yunees says, â€Å"Most of the time I have two of my friends accompanying me and they have the same hobby.† Besides, different expressions such as â€Å"PETA† to mean people eating tasty animals, used by the group during hunting expeditions gives them confidence and courage to pursue animals during the hunting of rabbits and other animals in the field. In addition, Yunees performs unique rituals such as painting his gun with previous rabbit shot blood. He paints his gun talking in Arab languages to influence good luck in the next hunting expedition. Moreover, he believes that the ritual allows him have another successfully hunting adventure with even better experience during the hunting period. He maintains the habit of painting his gun during hunting experience to enable him has courage to look for the animals and shoot them during

The growing human population Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The growing human population - Essay Example This rate of increase has had a severe impact on the environment. The world most populated country is China with the population of 1.2 billion people. The population of China is expected to double in the next 60 years. This will happen despite China’s government enacting policies of one child per couple. Additionally, the population growth in USA is growing at the rate of 1%, with current population of 270 million, it is estimated that the population will be double in the next 70 years (Pimental 1) Increasing population is attributed to fertility rate, this is evident when developed and developing countries populations are compared. Analysis of developed countries such as in Europe and USA shows that they have less population growth. The study of population growth in the developing countries shows that their population is increasing at alarming rate. This could be attributed to the fact that couples in developed countries are well aware of the cost of large families. Approximately 2 billion of the world populations are malnourished; this number is expected to double in the future. Populous countries like India have the high number of poor people, to add this, food production is a problem, and these are just some of the negative aspects of large

Video games in pop-culture Essay Example for Free

Video games in pop-culture Essay Video games and computer games (from here on both categories will be simply referred to as video games for simplicity) have entered the domain of pop culture fairly recently. Although the first video game was developed in 1958 by William Higginbotham, their popularity didn’t occur until the seventies with the appearance of Pac-man and Frogger in the arcades (Computer and Video Games). If the younger generation of video game consumers would take a look at what was out there when the video game boom begun they wouldn’t be able to understand what was so attractive (and addictive?) about Pac-man and Frogger? The truth is, video games from over three decades ago share the same basic principles with the games we have out there right now. Let’s face it, we like video games because they provide us with interactive entertainment. In other words, we’re genuinely entertained by colorful objects that move on the TV/computer screen when we press certain buttons. I suggest that it is the overwhelming gratification that we experience from actually having absolute and unconditional control over something in our lives. Another suggestion that I have is that video games share the same elements or even directly imitate traditional games such as tag, ping-pong, chess, hopscotch etc. ; video games allow us to engage in these games easily, without any stigma or significant effort on our parts. Video games are fun, inexpensive, can become a social activity allowing friends to play along, and sometimes they’re even mentally stimulating if not challenging. They’ve been a real hit every since they came out and today the video game industry has grown significantly. However, let’s examine the circle of people that are involved in production and design of video games. As long ago as video games first became popular their manufacturers turned them into sellable products. It seems a bit ridiculous that a video game can cost as much as $50 (for a good video game), however, this amount seems almost justified if we consider all the effort put into the creation of a good video game. There are perhaps more steps involved in the creation of video games then in a production of a music album. First of all, behind every great game there’s a great idea, which most often have been proven to be interesting to human brain in real life (tag, chess, checkers, etc.). However, this idea has to be turned into machine language, so then it could be displayed on the TV/computer screen in the digital format. Second, there’s a wealth of robust and â€Å"well-polished† computer software behind every good video game. Good video games are well-implemented and, therefore, run with no problems – example of good computer design. Bad games are poorly â€Å"written†, therefore, crash often and require frequent resets (turning the video game console/computer off and back on). Third, there’s the testing stage, where beta-testers (pro gamers, hired by manufacturers) test the games for â€Å"bugs†, â€Å"glitches†, and â€Å"crashes† (various code problems). If the game passes the tests with few problems it gets released and advertised. Highly anticipated games are advertised long before their release by means of internet teaser videos, information from the developers and screenshots taken during the development/testing phase. Games that are expected to make it big are even advertised on television. But why do we listen to these ads and buy video games, one might ask, don’t we have more important things to occupy our free with? This question brings to the discussion of the social world involvement in the video game industry. Indeed, we, as consumers, both passive and active, create the context and content for video games. A lot of games, as I’ve already mentioned earlier in this essay revolve around activities we enjoy in real life such as analog games, sports, social interactions, operating various devices, working a job, solving problems, managing finances, dancing but most importantly fantasizing. Most people given the possibility would love to engage in a variety of activities that are outside their usual mundane existence. While the living out these activities might be a bit complicated for a variety of reasons starting from time and ending with money, their virtual representation are readily available in a digital format. There are literally tons of video games out there that simulate all sorts of sports, their popularity is especially high among Americans who idealize a fit, toned and healthy body image and an active lifestyle. Video games also burrow heavily from other forms of popular entertainment such as movies, cartoons, books, music, television game shows, commix etc. These genres sometimes attempt to do the same and burrow content from video games only to fail miserably every single time (Bloodrayne, Doom, Dungeons and Dragons). Perhaps, the reason why this happens is because video games in addition to mind blowing special effects and often great story lines and excellent voice-over/soundtrack also offer interactivity (active participation f the player). Refined of participation element video game-to-movie adaptations are like about as entertaining as a video game with no controller to manipulate the characters and the outcomes. This gives evidence that shows that although video games represent a humongous industry and have a great diversity of products, they are nothing without the social world. Whether we’re simulating a football game, controlling an army of monsters or flying on a magic carpet we’re doing nothing else but living out our fantasies which are based on something we’ve (a) actually participated in, (b) would like to participate in or (c) simply heard of, read about or saw on pictures/video. However, there are of course more complex situations when games come very close to offer the players a virtual reality filled with possibilities limited only by the context of the game. There are games that offer entire virtual islands with their own flora and fauna for players to explore. In a sense, this puts the idea of content of video games being dictated by reality under question and opens a debate on whether video games will ultimately become substitutes for reality. As consumers it is up to us to answer this question for ourselves. Before we explore our options, however, let’s take a look around and see who the consumers of video games are. Video games have gained massive popularity due to their dramatically increasing variety. Decades ago when video games were just starting to develop this domain of the market was aimed primarily at high-school age boys. This was primarily due to the character of older video games, which centered on shooting, fighting and other activities typical (although not exclusive) to males. Now, as games are becoming more and more diverse women have been steadily joining this entertainment industry branch and now constitute 26% of the entire gaming world (Ulmer). Adult males (18+) are currently the world’s biggest video game consumers (38%), younger boys (ages 6-17) now only represent 21% of the total consumers. The mean age of video game consumers has risen to 29 (Ulmer), which means that this sector of the entertainment market is now dominated by college students and young working professionals, as opposed to high school boys. Other data from presented by James Ulmer of hollywoodreporter. com reveals that video games is a multi-billion dollar industry which keeps growing larger each year. It has shifted its consumer base by expanding towards a more mature audience and towards women as well. A direction of such character, based on the data, did not only help this industry acquire new customers but also dramatically increased this industry’s annual profits worldwide. Returning to the consumers, as we’ve observed, video games today are no longer an exclusively younger male entertainment; by expanding the market to both sexes and raising the target age average video game industry has now become inseparable from pop-culture. Movies, books, music and other segments of pop-culture inevitably influence content and context of video games; in fact video games are so closely tied to the rest of the media these days that one can find these products bundled together in one item at stores like Virgin, Borders, Best Buy and others. However, video games is multi-faced phenomenon; it’s as much a part of world’s pop-culture as it is an art form and a simulator of reality. It is only a matter of time before people realize and experience a fuller range of applications of video games. These discoveries are, however, in minds and hands of researchers and developers, we are but passive observers of their innovations and active participants of their popular products. Only time will show. Works Cited â€Å"Computer and Video Games†. 8 Mar. 2006. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 7 Mar. 2006. Ulmer, James. â€Å"Broadband rules in rapidly expanding global video game market†. TheHollywoodReporter. com. 27 Sep. 2004. VNU eMedia, Inc. 7 Mar. 2006.

Claude Monet: More than an Impression Essay -- Artists Painters Impres

Claude Monet: More than an Impression From Alaska to Australia, Claude Monet is renowned for his contribution to the artistic world. Specifically, Monet is accredited with inspiring the subfield of impressionism. His painting, Impression, Rising Sun, (1873) is said to be the first impressionist painting (Taschen 31). This canvas vaguely pictures a small, lonely boat floating in front of a brilliant orange sun. This sun is surrounded by blue and grey tones that leave the viewer slightly chilled from the brisk early morning sense of the painting. The fact that the lines are blurred and the picture is without graphic detail led Louis Leroy to call its creator an impressionist. The impressionist movement stormed through Europe in the latter part of the 19th century. Today in museums from St. Petersburg to Chicago, people peruse Monet’s vision of the world. What many people do not realize, however, is that he left more than an impression. Aside from pleasing the eye, Monet’s works also paint a picture of 19th ce ntury France. France in the 19th Century Monet’s artistic career started much before the impressionist movement. While today he is famous for his landscapes and nature scenes, it wasn’t until 1858 that Monet began to paint outside, focusing on the natural beauty of France (Interagir.com). At this time, Napoleon III had gained power and France was beginning to feel the affects of the Industrial Revolution, which had started in 1830 (Francegate.com). Napoleon’s right hand man, Baron Haussman, redesigned the Europe District of Paris (Steele 35). He added huge boulevards and transformed Paris’ first train station into the magnificent station, Gare Saint Lazare. The changes that happened in the Europe District eventually spr... ... of his life he wanted to return to God. The speed and virility of trains can be equated with his younger life, while his older years are represented by true monuments of time and piety: cathedrals. Works Cited Francegate.com 17 Sept. 2003. History of France. 2001. http://ydelta.free.fr/history.htm. Interagir.com. 17 Sept. 2003. Biography of Claude Monet. 8 May 1999. http://www.intermonet.com/biograph/index.htm. National Gallery of Art. 17 Sept. 2003. Manet, Monet and the Gar Saint-Lazare. 2003. http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/pjmanet.htm. Steele, Ross, Susan St. Onge, and Ronald St. Onge. La civilisation franà §aise en à ©volution I. Boston : Heinle and Heinle, 1996 Taschen, Benedikt. Monet. Trans. Michael Hulse. Germany: Holhenzollernring, 1994. Wilson-Bareau, Juliet. Manet, Monet, and the Gare Saint-Lazare. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1998.

Primary School classroom Essay

These Poets write Honestly about their Experiences. Explore the Memories Expressed in their Poems and consider what Views they are sharing about Growing Up  Carol Ann Duffy expresses her views and gives her true experiences to do with childhood and growing up. She uses a range of techniques in her poems, like similes to emphasize her feelings and emotions and imagery, where she uses metaphors to help create the picture and mood of the atmosphere of each poem. For example, the Primary School classroom. Simon Armitage also writes about everyday experiences, childhood, growing up, changes and regrets. He uses less imagery than Carol Ann Duffy, but in one particular poem ‘Kid’, he uses a great more rhyme. They both include experiences towards school life, where Carol Ann Duffy writes about the younger years and Simon Armitage writes about the older years at school. These two poets are similar in some ways, but can be quite different in others. For example, in Duffy’s ‘Stealing’ it shares the feelings of a child who steals for no reason and Duffy adds comments from her own experiences. It can make the reader feel quite depressed and sad, whereas in ‘I am very Bothered’ by Simon Armitage, it is again about a child with regret for something he did at school, but instead of being sad it uses black humour and is more horrible â€Å"†¦stench of branded skin†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In ‘Mrs Tilscher’s Class’, Carol Ann Duffy starts with â€Å"you†, which makes it personal and sets the scene â€Å"travel up the Blue Nile†.  She identifies things like Primary School aspects very well â€Å"†¦with your finger, tracing the route†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This is a good reminder to what children do when they are little. She creates the picture of the blackboard â€Å"chalky Pyramids rubbed into dust†. This suggests break time and â€Å"the laugh of a bell swung by a running child† creates a jolly, happy time that all the kids look forward to. This gives a comparison between home and school. â€Å"This was better than home†. There are more interesting things to be found at school, like â€Å"enthralling books†, which is obviously what she doesn’t have at home.  She uses similes to describe the classroom. â€Å"The classroom glowed like a sweet shop†. This creates the idea of colour that a sweet shop would have.  She tells of a negative memory â€Å"Brady and Hindley†, which â€Å"faded, like the faint, uneasy smudge of a mistake†. School has so many good memories that it is able to make the bad ones disappear. She uses emotion â€Å"Mrs Tilscher loved you†, and alliteration â€Å"good gold star†, which makes the poem flow easier. It also sounds a bit like a child’s expression.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"A xylophone’s nonsense† gives the impression of tuneless playing, which kids do in Primary School, they don’t care about accuracy, just about having fun. It also appeals to the senses by using sounds as well as visual images.

Cultural Awareness Essay

The popular book Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice is a novel that is responsible for the revitalization of the vampire genre in popular fiction. The book itself tells an interesting story about three vampires: Lestat, Louis, and Claudia. The tale is told from the perspective of Louis, a Creole American plantation owner in pre-Civil War America who catches the eye of Lestat, a vampire who is roaming the world alone, in need of a companion. Louis is depressed because of losing his family and therefore is suceptible to Lestat’s eagerness to make him into a vampire, which he does. The plot of the book revolves around these two characters as they live together. Louis hates what he has become and loathes taking life but makes Claudia, a little five year old girl, into a vampire as well. The relationship between Lestat and Louis, and their shared love of Claudia, is depicted throughout the novel as Louis struggles with his immortality, Lestat faces the betrayal of Louis and Claudia, and Claudia matures mentally without every growing physically. Their struggles with each other and against each other becomes the driving force behind the novel. The setting of Interview with the Vampire is primarily Paris and New Orleans before and after the Civil War. The vampires live together in a flat, where much of the action takes place between all of the characters. The reader is led through the torment of the plague in Paris, the customs of the slaves in New Orleans, and the underbelly of these two cities where Lestat, Louis, and Claudia find the people that they feed off of each night for their sustenance and strength. The characters found within this book are Lestat, Louis, Claudia, and Armand. These main characters show themselves throughout the novel to be interesting and complex. The character of Claudia emerges as a young girl whose mother has died of the plague and who Louis feels extremely sickened about when he feeds off of her. Lestat then helps him create a vampire out of her. Armand is the leader of the coven in Paris and becomes a close companion of Louis after Lestat and he go their separate ways. Each character brings a new dimension to the story.