Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Generalized anxiety disorder Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Generalized anxiety disorder - Essay Example Prior to the conclusion, the researcher will provide some recommendations on how a person could avoid experiencing GAD. A generalized anxiety disorder is normally characterized with chronic anxiety or exaggerated worry or tension. (Haines, 2005) In the process, people who are going through GAD are normally restless, easily fatigue and irritable. (Medscape Medical News, 2003) In fact, most of these patients often expect serious problems to happen with regards to their health, money, family life including their work or school activities and performance. The problem with GAD is that patients are unable to control the degree of their worrying. In most cases, extreme worrying, fear and anxiety significantly affect the normal functioning of their everyday life. months. (Robins and Regier, 1991) Several studies also reveal that GAD can be triggered by a person’s genes (Kendler et al., 1992) or the abnormal level of neurotransmitters in the brain. (Stephens, 2005) Environmental factors such as the death of a loved one, divorce cases, losing or changing jobs or schools and any other traumatic and stressful situations like physical, mental or emotional abuse could trigger the presence of GAD. People who are suspected to experience GAD are normally diagnosed through questioning of their medical history combined with physical examination. (Haines, 2005) Basically, there is not laboratory test that could diagnose GAD. Instead, physicians normally base their diagnosis by looking for any signs of physical illness and the causes, duration, and seriousness of these symptoms. Among the common symtoms of GAD includes stiff muscle, inability to relax, irritability, insomia and other physical symtoms like fatigue, trembling, muscle tension, headache and irritability. (Stephens, 2005) GAD is commonly treated either through proper medication particularly the benzodiazepines or tranquilizers such as Valium, Ativan, Librium and Xanax. Other pharmacological drugs

Monday, October 28, 2019

Accident, Illness and Emergency Policy for Childminders Essay Example for Free

Accident, Illness and Emergency Policy for Childminders Essay The safety of children in my care is paramount and it is my policy to take necessary steps to keep children safe when they are in my care. I will promote good health, will prevent accidents and take steps to prevent the spread of illness and infection. I have a responsibility to all children in my care to ensure that a safe and healthy environment is provided at all times. I hold contact details of parents (or another appropriate person, such as grandparent) at all times, provided by parents and stored securely within the child’s records. I hold written permission from each of the children’s parents in the child’s record form files to enable me to seek emergency treatment for their child if it’s needed. As a registered childminder I am required to notify Ofsted of any serious accidents, illnesses or injuries of any child whilst in my care within 14 days of an incident occurring. I will ensure that my pets are safe to be around children and do not pose a health risk. ACCIDENT POLICY As a registered childminder, I am legally required to have a valid first aid certificate. This enables me to administer basic first aid treatment, and my first aid boxes are clearly labelled and easily accessible and are stored in the outside and inside play-room’s. Parents are asked to sign an accident book if injuries occur whilst in my care. Also if a child should come into my care with an injury of any kind, the parent will be asked to sign the book reporting the injury.  Parent/guardian will be contacted immediately. I will use my best judgement as to how other children will be looked after. You would be consulted about this by phone. There is a parent ring round provision in the event of an emergency to inform all parents of children under my care. If an accident or incident involving a child in my care may result in an insurance claim I will contact my public liability insurance provider to discuss my case and be allocated a claim number. This may involve discussing details of the child in my care with a third party. ACCIDENT PROCEDURE In the event of an accident whilst the child is in my care, I will: †¢ deal with any minor accidents. †¢ record all information, including names of witness(es), in the accident book. †¢ request parents, on picking up the child / children, to sign the accident book and read the information regarding the incident. †¢If I am unable to get hold of parents or other named appropriate adult, he/she will immediately be taken to see a doctor at Bishops Waltham Health Centre – or hospital if necessary and I will stay until parent arrives In the event of an accident in the home: †¢ Parents must inform me of any accident at home and record it in the accident at home area of the accident book. Further observation of injury on a child which has not been reported to me by the parent nor occurred whilst in my care, parents will be asked for information on the incident and instructed to write in the back of the accident book. In the event of me being subject to an accident: If I have an accident, I will get the nearest responsible adult to help, while my emergency back-up people are being contacted. I will do my best at all times to make sure the children in my care are safe, reassured and kept calm. ILLNESS POLICY I will do everything I can to take care of your child if they are feeling unwell by comforting them and giving them appropriate medicine you have approved and have signed a declaration permitting me to administer. If I am in need of support or advice regarding a serious illness or incident involving a child in my care I may contact National Childminding Association who will log information regarding the incident with regard to their safeguarding policy. A NCMA designated officer will be assigned to my case and all the information given to them will be kept confidentially unless their appear is to be a child protection issue which will be reported accordingly. ILLNESS PROCEDURE You must inform me if your child has been ill overnight or the previous day. I might have other children I am taking care of and need to ensure your child does not have an infectious illness. Medicines will be kept in a safe place and will be logged in the ‘medicine book’. However, if you child arrives ill, I will take a decision as to whether the child is fit to attend or not. If not, the parent will be asked to take the child home. If your child becomes ill whilst in my care, I will: 1.Contact you for agreement to administer ‘calpol’ (if appropriate and agreed) and if your child remains ill after one hour you will be asked to collect your child and make a doctors appointment. 2.You will be required to keep your child at home until they are recovered so that your child can be cared for on a one to one basis at home. 3.In the following circumstances children may be required to stay at home: Diarrhoea and/or vomiting, a rash, conjunctivitis. 4.If I am unable to get hold of parents or other named appropriate adult, he/she will immediately be taken to see a doctor at Bishops Waltham Health Centre – or hospital if necessary and I will stay until parent arrives Infectious illness: In the event of your child contracting chicken-pox, mumps, measles etc, or a fever or temperature of 101 degrees Fahrenheit, or 38 degrees centigrade or over your child will not be able to attend under my care and must remain at home. EMERGENCY POLICY Parent/guardian will be contacted immediately. In the event of an accident requiring hospital treatment, I will attempt to inform the parents immediately and take the child to hospital. I will stay with the child until the parents arrive. EMERGENCY PROCEDURE As a registered Child-Minder and trained paediatric first aider, I will ensure that the most appropriate treatment is given or acted upon for your child in my care; however if I have more than 1 child in my care, I will use my best judgement as to how other children will be cared for. Initial action will be reporting the incident to the parent by phone. We practice a parent ring round provision in the event of an emergency to inform all parents of children under my care. If parents do not arrive or I am unable to contact them, I will stay with the child until the appropriate treatment has been given and then return home where your child would be cared for until the arrival of the parent

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Oxymorons :: essays research papers

OXYMORONS A  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Act naturally  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Advanced BASIC  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Almost exactly  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Alone together  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  American English  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Authentic replica  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Awfully good B (Top)  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bad luck  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Baked Alaska  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bittersweet  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Black light  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Blank expression  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Business ethics  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Butthead C (Top)  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  California expressway  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cardinal sin  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Christian Scientist  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Civil war  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Classic novel  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Classically modern  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Clearly confused  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cold comfort  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Communist leader  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Conspicuous absence  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Constant change  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cowardly lion  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Criminal justice D (Top)  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Deafening silence  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Death benefits  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Definite maybe  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Deliberate thoughtlessness  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Down escalator  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dry wine  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dynamic equilibrium E (Top)  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Eloquent silence  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  European Community  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Evaporated milk  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Even odds  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Exact estimate  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Extensive briefing  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Extinct life  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Eyes Wide Shut G (Top)  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Fairly dark  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Famous Belgians  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Feminine logic  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Forgotten memories  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Found missing  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Free love  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Freezer burn  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Fresh-frozen  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Friendly fire  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Front end  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Fun run  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Fuzzy logic G (Top)  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Genuine imitation  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Good grief  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Government organization  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Government service  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Great Britain  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Great Depression  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Guest host H (Top)  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hell's Angels  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Highly underestimated  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Holy war  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Homeless shelter  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hopelessly optimistic I (Top)  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Idiot savant  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ill health  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Include me out  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Industrial park  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Instant classic  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Intense apathy J (Top)  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Job security  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jumbo shrimp L (Top)  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Least favorite  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Light heavyweight  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Liquid gas  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Little giant  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Live recording  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Living dead  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Loosely packed  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Loose tights M (Top)  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Make haste slowly  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Managed competition  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Microsoft Works  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mild abrasive  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mild enthusiasm  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Military intelligence  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Minor crisis  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Modern history N (Top)  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Natural additives  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Noble savage  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Non-alcoholic beer  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Non-working mother  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Normal deviation  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nothing much  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Numb feeling O (Top)  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Oddly appropriate  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Old news  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Only choice  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Open secret  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Original copy P (Top)  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Paid volunteer  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Paperless ofice  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Passive aggression  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Peace force  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Peace offensive  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Peacekeeper missile  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Plastic wood  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Positively cynical  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Press release  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pretty ugly  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pronounced silence R (Top)  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Random order  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rap music  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Real potential  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Recorded live  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Resident alien  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rock opera  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rolling stop S (Top)  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Safe sex  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Safety hazard

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Part Six Chapter I

Weaknesses of Voluntary Bodies 22.23 †¦ The main weaknesses of such bodies are that they are hard to launch, liable to disintegrate †¦ Charles Arnold-Baker Local Council Administration, Seventh Edition I Many, many times had Colin Wall imagined the police coming to his door. They arrived, at last, at dusk on Sunday evening: a woman and a man, not to arrest Colin, but to look for his son. A fatal accident and ‘Stuart, is it?' was a witness. ‘Is he at home?' ‘No,' said Tessa, ‘oh, dear God †¦ Robbie Weedon †¦ but he lives in the Fields †¦ why was he here?' The policewoman explained, kindly, what they believed to have happened. ‘The teenagers took their eye off him' was the phrase she used. Tessa thought she might faint. ‘You don't know where Stuart is?' asked the policeman. ‘No,' said Colin, gaunt and shadow-eyed. ‘Where was he last seen?' ‘When our colleague pulled up, Stuart seems to have, ah, run away.' ‘Oh, dear God,' said Tessa again. ‘He's not answering,' said Colin calmly; he had already dialled Fats on his mobile. ‘We'll need to go and look for him.' Colin had rehearsed for calamity all his life. He was ready. He took down his coat. ‘I'll try Arf,' said Tessa, running to the telephone. Isolated above the little town, no news of the calamities had yet reached Hilltop House. Andrew's mobile rang in the kitchen. †Lo,' he said, his mouth full of toast. ‘Andy, it's Tessa Wall. Is Stu with you?' ‘No,' he said. ‘Sorry.' But he was not at all sorry that Fats was not with him. ‘Something's happened, Andy. Stu was down at the river with Krystal Weedon, and she had her little brother with her, and the boy's drowned. Stu's run – run off somewhere. Can you think where he might be?' ‘No,' said Andrew automatically, because that was his and Fats' code. Never tell the parents. But the horror of what she had just told him crept through the phone like a clammy fog. Everything was suddenly less clear, less certain. She was about to hang up. ‘Wait, Mrs Wall,' he said. ‘I might know †¦ there's a place down by the river †¦' ‘I don't think he'd go near the river now,' said Tessa. Seconds flicked by, and Andrew was more and more convinced that Fats was in the Cubby Hole. ‘It's the only place I can think of,' he said. ‘Tell me where – ‘ ‘I'd have to show you.' ‘I'll be there in ten minutes,' she shouted. Colin was already patrolling the streets of Pagford on foot. Tessa drove the Nissan up the winding hill road, and found Andrew waiting for her on the corner, where he usually caught the bus. He directed her down through the town. The street lights were feeble by twilight. They parked by the trees where Andrew usually threw down Simon's racing bike. Tessa got out of the car and followed Andrew to the edge of the water, puzzled and frightened. ‘He's not here,' she said. ‘It's along there,' said Andrew, pointing at the sheer dark face of Pargetter Hill, running straight down to the river with barely a lip of bank before the rushing water. ‘What do you mean?' asked Tessa, horrified. Andrew had known from the first that she would not be able to come with him, short and dumpy as she was. ‘I'll go and see,' he said. ‘If you wait here.' ‘But it's too dangerous!' she cried over the roar of the powerful river. Ignoring her, he reached for the familiar hand and footholds. As he inched away along the tiny ledge, the same thought came to both of them; that Fats might have fallen, or jumped, into the river thundering so close to Andrew's feet. Tessa remained at the water's edge until she could not make Andrew out any longer, then turned away, trying not to cry in case Stuart was there, and she needed to talk to him calmly. For the first time, she wondered where Krystal was. The police had not said, and her terror for Fats had obliterated every other concern †¦ Please God, let me find Stuart, she prayed. Let me find Stuart, please, God. Then she pulled her mobile from her cardigan pocket and called Kay Bawden. ‘I don't know whether you've heard,' she shouted, over the rushing water, and she told Kay the story. ‘But I'm not her social worker any more,' said Kay. Twenty feet away, Andrew had reached the Cubby Hole. It was pitch black; he had never been here this late. He swung himself inside. ‘Fats?' He heard something move at the back of the hole. ‘Fats? You there?' ‘Got a light, Arf?' said an unrecognizable voice. ‘I dropped my bloody matches.' Andrew thought of shouting out to Tessa, but she did not know how long it took to reach the Cubby Hole. She could wait a few more moments. He passed over his lighter. By its flickering flame, Andrew saw that his friend's appearance was almost as changed as his voice. Fats' eyes were swollen; his whole face looked puffy. The flame went out. Fats' cigarette tip glowed bright in the darkness. ‘Is he dead? Her brother?' Andrew had not realized that Fats did not know. ‘Yeah,' he said, and then he added, ‘I think so. That's what I – what I heard.' There was a silence, and then a soft, piglet-like squeal reached him through the darkness. ‘Mrs Wall,' yelled Andrew, sticking his head out of the hole as far as it would go, so that he could not hear Fats' sobs over the sound of the river. ‘Mrs Wall, he's here!'

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Explore the presentation of revenge in ‘Hamlet’ Essay

Revenge is a key theme in Hamlet. It is not only essential to understanding Hamlet’s character, it forms the structure for the whole play, supporting and overlapping other important themes that arise. Though it is Hamlets revenge that forms the basis for the story, tied into this is the vengeance of Laertes and Fortinbras, whose situations in many ways mirror Hamlets’ own. By juxtaposing these avengers, Shakespeare draws attention to their different approaches to the problem of revenge and how they resolve these. see more:theme of revenge in hamlet The idea of revenge is first introduced by the appearance of the ghost in act 1 Scene 5, and linked to this is the theme of hell and the afterlife. At the end of this scene, Hamlet is irreversibly bound to revenge for the duration of the play, ‘speak, I am bound to hear’ ‘So art thou to revenge’. The ghost appears with the sole aim of using his son to obtain revenge on his brother, and so every word he speaks is designed to enrage Hamlet and stir in him a desire for vengeance. He uses very emotive language to exaggerate the enormity of the crime, and he concentrates Hamlet’s attention on the treachery of Claudius. His description of the murder itself demonises Claudius and contains many references to original sin, ‘the serpent that did sting thy fathers life now wears his crown. ‘ Hamlet, who has been brought up with absolute notions of good and evil, is susceptible to these religious references, ‘o all you host of heaven! O earth! And shall I couple hell? ‘ It is ironic that the ghost refers to his own torment, trapped in purgatory, in order to demonstrate to Hamlet the injustice of the situation, yet this serves only to warn Hamlet of the possible consequences of revenge. Instead of enraging him, Hamlet is now wary of acting rashly or without proof as it could place him in a similar situation to his father. The other revengers in the play do not have this wariness, they act immediately without considering the spiritual consequences and it is unclear whether Hamlet would have had a similar attitude had he not been inadvertently alerted to this danger by old Hamlet’s ghost. Though Hamlet’s immediate reaction to news of his father’s murder is one of anger and a desire for action, by the end of the scene his desire for revenge is already blunted, for a number of reasons. Unlike Laertes and Fortinbras, Hamlet receives the information of his father’s murder from a secret and unreliable source, which means that not only is he unsure of the truth, he is forced to act out his revenge in secret. Throughout the play, Hamlet frustrates the audience with his lack of action, especially as all around him his contemporaries are visibly taking their own revenge. Fortinbras is in a similar situation to Hamlet, as his father had been murdered by old Hamlet and his land taken. The land itself is worthless and Fortinbras stands to lose more than he can gain; yet like Hamlet it is a matter of honour. Both are exacting revenge for something that nobody else cares for or remembers; a dead king for whom nobody grieves and a patch of worthless land. Part of Hamlet’s dilemma is the moral question of whether his desire for revenge is worth disrupting and endangering the lives of all those around him, ‘whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing end them’ However, unlike Hamlet Fortinbras does not pause to contemplate the idea of revenge; he acts on it, ‘sharked up a list of lawless resolutes’ and marched on Denmark. The difference in their characters is obvious; Fortinbras’ character matches his name, ‘strong in arm’. He is a man of action, not of words, he has a strong presence and a commanding attitude which demands obedience, ‘Go captain, from me greet the Danish king’ ‘I will do’t my lord’. Fortinbras’ situation is infinitely less complex than Hamlet’s own; the boundaries between good and evil, personal and public, right and wrong, are for him, clearly defined. He is able to act openly, uninfluenced by friends and family. Hamlet on the other hand is surrounded by people who have obligations to both himself and the king, and is therefore unsure of whom to trust. Hamlets dilemma is founded on this; that any action he takes carries with it risks and possible consequences which could destroy the foundation of his very existence, so he hesitates and does nothing, all the while hating himself for his inaction, ‘makes us rather bear those ills we have than fly to others that we know not of’. The problem for Hamlet is that the murder is too close to home, so he is unable to define the boundaries between personal and public. He cannot publicly confront Claudius without proof because he risks losing his claim to the thrown, alienating his friends and family and being exiled from Denmark, as it would be seen as an attempt by the prince to regain the throne, rather than a son avenging his fathers murder. On top of this Hamlet hopes to avoid jeopardising his relationship with his mother, but at the same time he wants revenge on her for her betrayal. In order to fully understand Hamlet’s psyche and therefore the reasoning behind his actions, it is important to understand how religion affected all aspects of life in Elizabethan times. It was believed that a person who was able to confess his sins before death would be absolved and therefore go to heaven, but if a person were unable to do this their soul would be condemned to purgatory until they were able to confess and repent. Old Hamlet’s soul is in purgatory and Hamlet wants Claudius to suffer the same fate, ‘a villain kills my father and for that, I his sole son do this same villain send to heaven. Why, this is hire and salary not revenge. ‘ For this reason Hamlet has to wait for the opportune moment to kill Claudius, ‘when he is drunk asleep, or in his rage, at game, a-swearing or about some act that has no relish of salvation in it’. However, the other problem which religion creates is that of Hamlets own afterlife. If murder for revenge is wrong then by killing Claudius, Hamlet condemns his own soul along with that of Claudius’. On the other hand, Hamlet is honour bound to exact revenge for his father’s murder, and the consequences of not doing so could be even more drastic. Even suicide offers no solution, as ‘the dread of something after death, the undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveller returns, puzzles the will, and makes us rather bear those ills we have than fly to others we know not of’. Hamlets indecisiveness is not just a result of his uncertainty about the consequences his actions will have. He is in emotional turmoil at this point in the play, and is feeling betrayed and rejected by those whom he had relied on so far in his life. His anger and frustration at his mother’s behaviour is amplified by her lack of grief, and his desire for revenge at the start of the play is mainly fuelled by his own grief and a sense of injustice. His anger towards Claudius diminishes, as he is distracted form revenge by more immediate concerns, such as his relationships with Ophelia and with his mother. Part of Hamlets feelings of isolation stem from what he sees as betrayal by his friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and his lover Ophelia. Hamlets critical relationship with Claudius forces all three to take sides, and decide to whom they owe the strongest allegiance. Ophelia’s father Polonious, Claudius’ right hand man, instructs her to shun Hamlet and, as his dependant she is forced to obey him. Women were viewed as property during Shakespearian times, and without a male protector her future prospects were slim. Also, the emphasis placed on family duty and loyalty was far greater, so to disobey her father would be tantamount to treason. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were given a direct order from their king, so to disobey would actually have been treason. Added to this was their ignorance of Hamlets situation due to both Hamlet and Claudius’ deceit, which meant that they were unsympathetic with Hamlets mental instability and obsession with old Hamlets death. Hamlet refuses to recognise the impossible situation his friends were placed in, and resents them for abandoning him when he needs them most, even though it is his feud with Claudius that has forced them to into it. Feeling betrayed, he has no compunctions in using them to further his own gains. All three are, ultimately, fatalities of Hamlets vendetta against Claudius, as Hamlet brings about the deaths of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and drives Ophelia to madness and suicide. Ophelia especially is very much a victim, as in obeying her father she loses Hamlet, and when Hamlet kills Polonious she loses him as well. With Laertes away, she has no-one left to protect her and is very much alone. In many ways, Hamlet himself is a victim of revenge, as he used as a tool by his father, to instigate revenge against old Hamlets killer. By placing this obligation on Hamlet, on top of all his emotional instability, Old Hamlet effectively pushes his son over the edge and renders him incapable of decisiveness. It is unsurprising that Hamlet is unable to take revenge or in fact make any significant decisions, as he is under considerable emotional and mental strain. Laertes is in a similar situation, as Hamlet his friend has murdered his father and driven his sister to madness. His vulnerable state of mind makes it easy for Claudius to use him as a tool against Hamlet, so the two friends become instruments in the power struggle between the two brothers, a struggle which crosses the divide between life and death. Laertes’ situation resembles Hamlet in other ways. They are joined by their love for Ophelia, Hamlet as a lover and Laertes as a brother. When Laertes returns to find his father murdered, he faces the same dilemma that Hamlet originally had in that, as far as he knew, the king of Denmark had murdered his father. Unlike Hamlet who promptly chose to employ deceit in order to combat Claudius’s deceit, when Laertes discovers this he immediately confronts Claudius. By doing this he achieves his revenge far sooner than Hamlet, but consequently becomes a tool for Claudius against Hamlet. These two revengers differ in their approach to revenge, but ultimately they come to the same end. They both fall victim to the corruption that surrounds the court of Denmark, with Claudius at the centre. Claudius’ use of deceit throughout the play hides the truth under a veil of dishonesty. Claudius uses other people as tools to achieve his aims, so if they fail he escapes the brunt. He uses Polonious, he uses the king of Norway against Fortinbras, and finally he uses Laertes against Hamlet himself. His corrupting influence means that nobody in Denmarck knows the truth, and Hamlets only attempt to break this veil of deceit causes the death of Polonious instead of Claudius. In act 3 scene 3, Shakespeare uses the curtain concealing Polonious as a metaphor for the corruption surrounding Denmark, making it impossible for Hamlet to take revenge as he is unaware of the truth. Though Hamlet tries to cut through the curtain, he fails and ends up killing the wrong man. This shows him that it is no good trying to confront the problem, he must remove the cloak of deceit and reveal Claudius for what he truly is before he can take his revenge. Though Hamlet tries to get around this problem by being deceitful himself, and Laertes tries to confront the problem face on, both end up being used as weapons in a fight that kills them both. The ending of the play is very satisfying despite, or perhaps because of, the deaths of nearly all the characters. For a neat ending, it was necessary that all the characters achieve their revenge, and as there were so many intertwining strands of revenge, it was inevitable that a large proportion of characters would be killed. The play ends with a new beginning, as the corruption at the heart of Denmark dies with Claudius and Hamlet. Hamlet succeeded in taking revenge on Claudius and revealing the truth about his character, and Laertes succeeded in killing Hamlet but died in the process. All this clears the way for Fortinbras, who we see is far more suited to leadership than the indecisive Hamlet. Fortinbras was more successful in his revenge than Hamlet and Laertes for a number of reasons. He is not held back by the dilemma that freezes Hamlet; of having to choose between betraying his fathers trust or losing the throne and alienating everyone he loves. Hamlet is held back by his proximity to Claudius and the situation, whereas Fortinbras is free to act uninfluenced by the people around him. Another factor in Fortinbras’ favour is that, unlike both Hamlet and Laertes, Fortinbras made the decision to take revenge alone, so it was entirely his responsibility. Revenge has to be nurtured in Hamlet and Laertes, and both are used as tools in the ongoing feud between the two brothers. Fortinbras is a man of action, and doesn’t waste time pondering the philosophy behind the revenge mentality, as Hamlet does. And unlike Laertes, he plans and organises his revenge, he doesn’t rush straight into confrontation unprepared. In fact, he represents the best qualities of both of them, so it is fitting that it is he who emerges with not only his life, but the throne of Denmark to go with it.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Difference Between French and American Revolution Essays

Difference Between French and American Revolution Essays Difference Between French and American Revolution Essay Difference Between French and American Revolution Essay While there are quite a few striking similarities between the French and American Revolutions, there are equally as many differences. Both the French and the American Revolution stem from ideals of Enlightenment, wherein the public wanted to be free from oppressive and tyrannical rulers, and put power back into the hands of the people. The French revolution was a result of lower classes fighting to overthrow a government within their own country out of a need for welfare and financial security. The people of France were starving as taxes kept rising in order to keep aristocrats in the lap of luxury. The American Revolution started because of the need to feel justice, fairness and equality; America already had a large degree of self government. Britain treated the America’s as a territory instead of an extension of their land and their people which resulted in Americans fighting an overseas king to become and independent nation breaking away from British rule. Both the American and the French Revolution had key leaders, impacting the direction each countries Revolution would take. Both the American and the French leaders had a huge impact on how violent each war would turn out to be. American’s had Thomas Jefferson and George Washington who helped shape the country, the government, and the people in a positive and significant way; leading to an almost non violent transition. France had leaders who, although are an crucial part of history, didn’t have a constructive impact on the country or the people. Unlike the leaders of America, the leaders of France caused more destruction and harm than good. The French people looked to these leaders for help in deciding which kind of government would be most advantageous for them. Debatably, one of the most prevalent leaders of France was Maximillien Robespierre, who demanded a republic; his demands were met when the monarchy was overthrown, and King Louis XVI was executed. Maximillien Robespierre brought about was the â€Å"rein of terror† killing anyone who was in support of a monarchy or tyrannical type government, where up to as many as forty thousand people were killed by guillotine. In the French Revolution, people were fairly split on what they wanted to happen resulting in a radical change of goals throughout the war; which later led to a civil war. The American people sent a Declaration of Independence stating our intention to break away from British rule and become our own independent country. The goals of the American people remained nearly the same from start to finish. The Americans were never violent towards supporters of British monarchy, like the French were. In conclusion, The American and French Revolution were started on the same basic fundamentals such as leaders, enlightenment, and ideology. The French people looked toward America as an example of what they sought for their own country; however, because of the difference in leaders and ideals, each country’s Revolution took a fundamentally different turn, but having almost the same conclusion. In France, leaders such as Robespierre and Napoleon with their eventual dictatorship helped France rid itself of a monarchy indefinitely, leading to a democracy. In America Leaders such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson also helped America evolve into a democratic government.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Standardized Testing vs Portfolio Assessment

Standardized Testing vs Portfolio Assessment Free Online Research Papers Portfolios and standardized testing are two ways of assessing individual progress. Portfolios can be used to assess students on an individual basis, but this type of assessment may be difficult to use to compare one student to another. To make it standardized across large groups of people in a meaningful way could be too subjective. Standardized tests like ACT and SAT are generally better at comparing one student to another because they minimize the subjectivity. Standardized testing can be used as a system to assess students from different schools. Different methods of assessing students are useful in a variety of settings and for an assortment of purposes. David Boyanton (2009) and a group of educators conducted a study to determine if the emotions felt by a student could affect the outcome of the student’s learning. Although emotion usually is not considered in assessing learning, this study showed that emotion played a significant role in the learning process. Emotions are used during the procedure of learning, and as a result of learning. â€Å"When a student is truly engaged in learning, he will naturally produce some emotion during or at the end of the class. Further, this emotional involvement does not have to be always positive. Rather, it can be either positive or negative† (Boyanton, 2009, p. 67). The study encompassed a type of learning system that students engaged in. The students were then assessed using portfolios based upon this system, known as CES. â€Å"CES proposes that student learning can be inferred through three student characteristics: cognitive continuity, emotional involvement, and social harm ony† (Boyanton, 2009, p.69). Most students engage in conversations or communicate with each other outside of the classroom. Cognitive continuity refers to this type of interaction. A display of strong emotion, either negative or positive, incorporates the emotional involvement component. Social develops when students feel a sense of belonging and the students feel a connection to each other (Boyanton, 2009). According to the study, these three characteristics are reliable indicators of classroom learning. Traditional assessments judge the students’ performance by comparing them to others (norm-referenced testing) or by criterion-referenced testing which uses certain standards (Boyanton, 2009). CES examines learning on an individual level by observing changes made by each student. These changes are compared and assessed to determine growth. The CES model evaluates student learning inside of the classroom as well as behavior outside the classroom (Boyanton, 2009). Learning takes on many forms and constantly changes. The perspective of an individual differs from one person to the next. Common learning assessment tools generally look at learning as stable and within a whole group. CES takes the approach to learning as a changing, individualized, and building experience (Boyanton, 2009). â€Å"CES was to provide a model for instructors to determine how well the students have learned, it does not indicate what the students have learned, how much they have learned, or how wel l they are able to apply what they have learned† (Boyanton, 2009, p. 70). Furthermore, CES does not consider whether the knowledge will be retained, whether student behavior will be influenced or whether students will be able to generalize the information they learned (Boyanton, 2009). Motivation can be a powerful emotion as related to learning. The relationship between student’s motivation to read and their performance on standardized testing is one factor to consider in assessment (Mucherah, 2008). Students who are motivated in some way to read at school or at home, often score higher on certain standardized tests (Mucherah, 2008). â€Å"Students who had high self-efficacy in reading, enjoyed reading challenging material, and who enjoyed reading different kinds of literary material [are the ones who] performed better†(Mucherah, 2008, p. 229). However, those who were motivated to read more for social reasons did not do as well on the test. Mucherah (2008) points out that reading motivation itself does not necessarily predict performance on a standardized test in reading. While reading for personal interest does not improve performance on standardized tests, reading challenging materials and different types of books does have a positive effect on reading tests (Mucherah, 2008). Even though motivation to read might increase achievement, students should not always be rewarded for reading. Teachers may want to increase intrinsic motivation by varying the ways students are rewarded. â€Å"Further understanding of middle school students’ reading motivation will contribute to the design of classroom and school contexts that expand and strengthen readers’ intrinsic reading motivation and the benefits it provides† (Mucherah, 2008, p. 230). Some critics believe there are several faults with standardized testing. Often these tests mainly assess â€Å"rote memorization and dead facts† (Eisner, 1999, p. 568). Eisner believes that it can be difficult for standardized tests to assess a student’s ability to think critically or problem solve. This type of testing only tells how well the students can store and retrieve information, but not apply the information to different settings (Eisner, 1999). Because of these limitations, a learning assessment model based on learning experiences and projects in the classroom may reflect a more individualized assessment. Other critics of criterion referenced testing, such as Dr. Douglas Reeves, believe that such testing can be detrimental. During the assessment and evaluation symposium Dr. Reeves delivered a presentation titled, â€Å"Toxic Grading Practices.† In the presentation, he described how zeros, big final exam, and using an average for a final grade are harmful to students. Dr. Reeves (2008) strongly advocated teachers to make students accountable by making them complete the assignment rather than giving a zero for the missed work. Jay McClain, principal at Bailey’s Elementary School in Fairfax County, Virginia has similar opinions. In a podcast on PBS.org he explained, â€Å"Data is dangerous if it’s not data that is built on what you feel is important to look at† (2008). When students take a test and you get the results back later, it does not help the teacher to go back and retest. The education reform bill known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB), has int ensified accountability for teachers. The focus should be on the whole child rather than on what the child has been taught. McClain believes that NCLB is too restrictive and does not allow for individual expression (Renaud, 2006). Throughout history, there have been many different ways to educate students. Progressive Education philosophers include John Dewey and William Heard Kilpatrick (Gutek, 2009). Both Dewey and Kilpatrick believed that education should be more than textbooks. Students should be engaged in learning and teachers should consider different aspects of the individual child. Kilpatrick was a strong advocate for a project-based learning environment. Students had hands-on opportunities and developed important skills such as cooperation and analytical thinking (Gutek, 2009). The teaching method developed by John Dewey incorporated some similar concepts. Dewey believed that students learned best through the scientific method and experiences within their environment (Gutek, 2009). Both philosophers seem to embrace a portfolio type of assessment that would more accurately reflect individual learning. Because progressive education ideas center on being engaged, portfolio assessment would clos ely fit with these ideals. Accountability has become an increasingly integral part of education. Most states in the United States embrace a system of accountability for teachers and schools. As the accountability system increases, standardized and norm-referenced testing seems to be the assessments of choice for data collection. This method is generally better for collecting data that compares one student to another or one school to another. Many aspect of education are tied to the results of testing. Funding for schools and teacher salary is often a large component of the data results. Freedom of expression and individualism appear to be lost when schools embrace numerical growth rather than student growth. Each assessment method has a purpose and a specific use. Finding the right balance can be difficult, but is important in order to accurately reflect progress and individual growth. References Boyanton, D. (2009, March). How Do You Know They Are Learning: Introducing the CES Classroom Learning Assessment Model. International Journal of Learning, 15(12), 67- 77. Retrieved June 30, 2009, from Education Research Complete database. Eisner, E. W. (1999). The uses and limits of performance assessment. Phi Delta Kappan, 80(9), 658-660. Retrieved June 30, 2009, from Education Research Complete database. Gutek, G. (2009). New Perspectives on Philosophy and Education., New Jersey: Pearson Education. Mucherah, W., Yoder, A. (2008, May). Motivation for Reading and Middle School Students Performance on Standardized Testing in Reading. Reading Psychology, 29(3), 214-235. Retrieved July 1, 2009, doi:10.1080/02702710801982159 Reeves. D. (2008, Jan.). Toxic Grading Practices. retrieved June 30, 2009 from teachertube.com/members Renaud, J., Merrow, J. (producers). (2006, Oct.). Daily, Weekly, Monthly. Podcast retrieved June 30, 2009 from pbs.org/merrow/rss/media/88.mp3. Research Papers on Standardized Testing vs Portfolio AssessmentStandardized TestingThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseResearch Process Part OneIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalThree Concepts of PsychodynamicArguments for Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS)Assess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married Males

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Agave Plants of Ancient Mesoamerica

Agave Plants of Ancient Mesoamerica Maguey or agave (also called the century plant for its long life) is a native plant (or rather, lots of plants) from the North American continent, now cultivated in many parts of the world. Agave belongs to the family Asparagaceae which has 9 genera and around 300 species, about 102 taxa of which are used as human food. Agave grows in arid, semiarid, and temperate forests of the Americas at elevations between sea level to about 2,750 meters (9,000 feet) above sea level, and thrives in agriculturally marginal parts of the environment. Archaeological evidence from Guitarrero Cave indicates that agave was first used at least as long as 12,000 years ago by Archaic hunter-gatherer groups. Main Species of Agave Plants Some of the major agave species, their common names and primary uses are: Agave angustifolia, known as Caribbean agave; consumed as food and aguamiel (sweet sap)  A. fourcroydes or henequen;  grown primarily for its fiberA. inaequidens, called maguey alto because of its height or maguey bruto because the presence of saponins in its tissue can cause dermatitis;  30 different uses including food and aguamielA. hookeri, also called maguey alto, is used primarily for its fibers, sweet sap, and sometimes used to form live fencesA. sisalana or sisal hemp, primarily fiberA. tequilana, blue agave, agave azul or tequila agave; primarily for sweet sapA. salmiana or green giant, grown mainly for sweet sap Agave Products In ancient Mesoamerica, maguey was used for a variety of purposes. From its leaves, people obtained fibers to make ropes, textiles, sandals, construction materials, and fuel. The agave heart, the plants above-ground storage organ that contains carbohydrates and water, is edible by humans. The stems of the leaves are used to make small tools, such as needles. The ancient Maya used agave spines as perforators during their bloodletting rituals. One important product obtained from maguey was sweet sap, or aguamiel (honey water in Spanish), the sweet, milky juice extracted from the plant. When fermented, aguamiel is used to make a mildly alcoholic beverage called pulque, as well as distilled beverages such as mescal and modern tequila, bacanora, and raicilla. Mescal The word mescal (sometimes spelled mezcal) comes from two Nahuatl terms melt and ixcalli which together mean oven-cooked agave. To produce mescal, the core of the ripe maguey plant is baked in an earth oven. Once the agave core is cooked, it is ground to extract the juice, which is placed in containers and left to ferment. When the fermentation is complete, alcohol (ethanol) is separated from the non-volatile elements through distillation to obtain the pure mescal. Archaeologists debate whether mescal was known in pre-Hispanic times or if it was an innovation of the Colonial period. Distillation was a well-known process in Europe, derived from Arabic traditions. Recent investigations in the site of Nativitas in Tlaxcala, Central Mexico, however, are providing evidence for possible prehispanic mezcal production. At Nativitas, investigators found chemical evidence for maguey and pine inside earth and stone ovens dated between the mid- and late Formative (400 BC-AD 200) and the Epiclassic period (AD 650-900). Several large jars also contained chemical traces of agave and may have been used to store sap during the fermentation process, or used as distillation devices. Investigators Serra Puche and colleagues note that the set up at Navitas is similar to methods used to make mescal by several indigenous communities throughout Mexico, such as the Pai Pai community in Baja California, the Nahua community of Zitlala in Guerrero, and the Guadalupe Ocotlan Nayarit community in Mexico City. Domestication Processes Despite its importance in ancient and modern Mesoamerican societies, very little is known about agaves domestication. That is most likely because the same species of agave can be found in several different gradations of domestication. Some agaves are completely domesticated and grown in plantations, some are tended in the wild, some seedlings (vegetative propagules) are transplanted into home gardens, some seeds collected and grown in seedbeds or nurseries for market. In general, domesticated agave plants are larger than their wild cousins, have fewer and smaller spines, and lower genetic diversity, this last a result of being grown in plantations. Only a handful have been studied for evidence of the onset of domestication and management to date. Those include Agave fourcroydes (henequen), thought to have been domesticated by the Pre-Columbian Maya of Yucatan from A. angustafolia; and Agave hookeri, thought to have been developed from A. inaequidens at a currently unknown time and place. The Mayans and Henequen The most information we have about maguey domestication is henequen (A. fourcroydes, and sometimes spelled henequà ©n). It was domesticated by the Maya perhaps as early as 600 AD. It was certainly fully domesticated when the Spanish conquistadors arrived in the 16th century; Diego de Landa reported that henequen was grown in house-gardens and it was of much better quality than that in the wild. There were at least 41 traditional uses for henequen, but agricultural mass production at the turn of the 19th-20th century has depressed the genetic variability. There were once seven different varieties of henequen reported by the Maya (Yaax Ki, Sac Ki, Chucum Ki, Bab Ki, Kitam Ki, Xtuk Ki, and Xix Ki), as well as at least three wild varieties (called chelem white, green, and yellow). Most of them were deliberately eradicated around 1900  when extensive plantations of Sac Ki were produced for commercial fiber production. Agronomy manuals of the day recommended that farmers work towards eliminating the other varieties, which were viewed as lesser-useful competition. That process was accelerated by the invention of a fiber-extracting machine which was built to fit the Sac Ki type. The three surviving varieties of cultivated henequen left today are: Sac Ki, or white henequen, most abundant and preferred by the cordage industryYaax Ki, or green henequen, similar to white but of lower yieldKitam Ki, wild boar henequen, which has soft fiber and low yield, and is very rare, and used for hammock and sandal manufacture Archaeological Evidence for the Use of Maguey Because of their organic nature, products derived from maguey are rarely identifiable in the archaeological record. Evidence of maguey use comes instead from the technological implements used to process and store the plant and its derivatives. Stone scrapers with plant residue evidence from processing agave leaves  are abundant in Classic and Postclassic times, along with cutting and storing implements. Such implements are rarely found in Formative and earlier contexts. Ovens which may have been used to cook maguey cores have been found in archaeological sites, such as Nativitas in the state of Tlaxcala, Central Mexico, Paquimà © in Chihuahua, La Quemada in Zacatecas and at Teotihuacn. At Paquimà ©, remains of agave were found inside one of several subterranean ovens. In Western Mexico, ceramic vessels with depictions of agave plants have been recovered from several burials dated to the Classic period. These elements underscore the important role that this plant played in the economy as well as the social life of the community. History and Myth The Aztecs/Mexica had a specific patron deity for this plant, the goddess Mayahuel. Many Spanish chroniclers, such as Bernardino de Sahagun, Bernal Diaz del Castillo, and Fray Toribio de Motolinia, stressed the importance that this plant and its products had within the Aztec empire. Illustrations in the Dresden and Tro-Cortesian codices show people hunting, fishing or carrying bags for trade, using cordage or nets made from agave fibers. Edited by K. Kris Hirst Sources Casas A, Blancas J, Otero-Arnaiz A, Cruse-Sanders J, Lira R, Avendaà ±o A, Parra F, Guillà ©n S, Figueredo CJ, Torres I et al. 2016. Evolutionary Ethnobotanical Studies of Incipient Domestication of Plants in Mesoamerica. In: Lira R, Casas A, and Blancas J, editors. Ethnobotany of Mexico: Interactions of People and Plants in Mesoamerica. New York, NY: Springer New York. p 257-285.Colunga-Garcà ­aMarà ­n P. 2003. The domestication of henequen. In: Gà ³mez-Pompa A, Allen MF, Fedick SL, and Jimà ©nez-Osornio JJ, editors. The Lowland Maya Area: Three Millennia at the Human-Wildland Interface. New York: Food Products Press. p 439-446.Evans ST. 1990. The Productivity of Maguey Terrace Agriculture in Central Mexico during the Aztec Period. Latin American Antiquity 1(2):117-132.Figueredo CJ, Casas A, Colunga-Garcà ­aMarà ­n P, Nassar JM, and Gonzlez-Rodrà ­guez A. 2014. Morphological variation, management and domestication of ‘maguey alto’ (Agave inaequidens) and Ã¢â‚¬Ë œmaguey manso’ (A. hookeri) in Michoacn, Mà ©xico. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 10(1):66. Figueredo CJ, Casas A, Gonzlez-Rodrà ­guez A, Nassar JM, Colunga-Garcà ­aMarà ­n P, and Rocha-Ramà ­rez V. 2015. Genetic structure of coexisting wild and managed agave populations: implications for the evolution of plants under domestication. AoB Plants 7:plv114-plv114.Freeman J, Anderies JM, Torvinen A, and Nelson BA. 2014. Crop specialization, exchange Human Ecology 42(2):297-310.and robustness in a semi-arid environment.Parsons JR and Parsons MH. 1990. Maguey Utilization in Highland Central Mexico: an archaeological ethnography. Anthropological Papers 82. Museum of Anthropology, University of Michigan.Piven NM, Barredo-Pool FA, Borges-Argez IC, Herrera-Alamillo MA, Mayo-Mosqueda A, Herrera-Herrera JL, and Robert ML. 2001. Reproductive biology of henequà ©n (. American Journal of Botany 88(11):1966-1976.fourcroydesAgave ) and its wild ancestor Agave Angustifolia (Agavaceae). i. Gametophyte developmentRakita GFM. 2006. Emergent Complexity, Ritual Practices, and Mortuary Behavi or at Paquimà ©, Chihuahua, Mexico, in Religion in the Prehispanic Southwest, edited by VanPool CS, VanPool TL, Phillips, Jr. DA. Lanham: AltaMira Press Robertson IG, and Cabrera Cortà ©s MO. 2017. Teotihuacan pottery as evidence for subsistence practices involving maguey sap. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences 9(1):11-27.Serra MC and Lazcano CA. 2010. The Drink Mescal: Its Origin and Ritual Uses, in Pre-Columbian Foodways. Interdisciplinary Approaches to Food, Culture, and Markets in Ancient Mesoamerica, edited by Staller J and Carrasco M. London: Springer.Serra Puche MC. 2009. Produccià ³n, circulacià ³n y consumo de la bebida del mezcal arqueolà ³gico y actual. In: Long Towell J, and Attolini Lecà ³n A, editors. Caminos y Mercados de Mà ©xico. Cuidad de Mà ©xico: Universidad Nacional Autà ³noma de Mà ©xico, Instituto de Investigaciones Histà ³ricas. p 169-184.Stewart JR. 2015. Agave as a model CAM crop system for a warming and drying world. Frontiers in Plant Science 6(684).

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Control Structures in programming Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Control Structures in programming - Essay Example s control structures for the statements have been held up for the reason that the primeval control structures of a digital computer that has a sequential uni-processor that is adequate to replicate some other control structure. The compensate of extraordinary as well as meticulous control structures are for the most part in simplicity plus briefness of appearance and in programming effortlessness, events which are tough to determine and normally in unpredictability by competence of accomplishment proceedings. It is accessed that "language programmers should by no means be pleased by languages that give permission to them to program the whole thing, on the other hand to computer program not anything excluding attention simply"(Fisher, 1990). The control arrangements of programming have not reserved rate by the augment (Fisher, 1990). The next important control structure is the selection that permits the selection in the middle of diverse ways. For instance the C++ offers dissimilar ranks of assortment: we have the one-way choice by means of an â€Å"if structure† then we have the 2-way choice by means of an â€Å"if-else structure†. The last selection can be used for the multiple choices by means of a â€Å"switch statement†. The last type of the control structure is the iteration control structure that guides to the looping of the programming statements. In the C++ we have 3 types of the iteration control structure lopping structures:2 This type of the control structure permits single set of programming language statements to be performed if an outcome is correct plus one more group of proceedings to be performed if a statement is false.   A selection structure is as well acknowledged as an "If-Then-Else" arrangement, its pictorial representation is given below in picture # 1. Here in the selection control structure the state in the â€Å"if statement† is the expression that is calculated for the decision of the â€Å"if statement†. If this statement is correct,

CLUB IT Part Two Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

CLUB IT Part Two - Essay Example Ruby’s existing website is currently being updated. Ruby’s already has one desktop work station equipped with at 320 GB hard drive and the latest version of Microsoft business software. The club is already equipped with high speed internet access. At the same time, in order to make use of these resources, Ruby’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) must incorporate the acquisition of new hardware, software and human resources. The required upgrades will include: Hardware: One new desktop, with similar specifications as the existing work station. Three new hand-held point-of-sale devices, one wireless internet router, and four additional power points in customer dining areas. Human Resources: Ruby’s will hire one new employee full-time with basic skills in programming and network management. Maintaining the website and in-store network will be this employees primary function, but he or she should also have basic customer services skills and be able to assist and fill in for wait staff and hostesses during IT â€Å"down time.† These resources will allow Ruby’s to expand its online sales as well as to adapt to future IT changes, thus allowing Rub’s to take full advantage of our customer base. First, Ruby’s will expand its online ordering system to include not only advance ticket sales, but also an expanded line of merchandise as well as exclusive online sales of featured artists’ mp3’s and compact discs. Finally, in addition to Ruby’s new schedule of live hip hop, R &B and Latin music and community events, Ruby’s plans to host weekly Tuesday and Thursday â€Å"quiet† happy hours designed to appeal to millennial and net users; students and creative workers who work from home. Customers will be able to access free wireless and numerous power-points throughout Ruby’s customer seating area. Supply Chain and Customers: In addition to failing to take advantage of existing resources and customer base,

Friday, October 18, 2019

The Minister's Black Veil by Nathaniel Hawthorne Research Proposal

The Minister's Black Veil by Nathaniel Hawthorne - Research Proposal Example veil, a message regarding the power of the symbol itself as a symbol and the importance of considering individual interpretation as a part of this meaning. Nathanial Hawthorne wrote from a deep immersion in the Puritan world, having had ancestors that landed on North American soil with a Bible in one hand and a sword in the other, ready to tame the wilderness (Swisher, 1996). His hometown of Salem, Massachusetts was the setting for the most brutal witch trials documented in this country and his education reinforced the beliefs espoused by such trials and the religion that made them possible. These influences figured strongly in his writings, often forming the basis of his tales. This is true whether he was writing short stories or longer novels, whether he was writing of times long past or of a more contemporary period and whether he set his stories in his homeland or moved them all the way across the sea into Italy. The way that Hawthorne used this influence reveals a deep questioning of the validity of the beliefs to which he’d been raised to adhere (Erlich, 1984). Few of his stories offer straight-forward tales that are easil y understood on first reading. Some, like his short story â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil†, leave a great deal open for speculation. The meaning of the minister’s black veil has been debated since the story was first printed, but it seems clear that the veil is intended to symbolize something much greater than a quick assessment might imply. The story itself seems simple enough. It opens as the village people are called to the church for a normal Sunday mass and the minister emerges wearing a heavy black veil. The veil permits his mouth and chin to be seen, being just long enough to be touched by his breath, but keeps his eyes constantly shrouded from the rest of the world. The congregation responds to this strange appearance of their minister as he takes his place in the church, delivers his sermon and then attempts to

Addiction is a brain disease Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Addiction is a brain disease - Research Paper Example Addiction has been considered a major society’s problem and it is because of this that some experts believe it as a brain disease at some point. This paper tries to explain that addiction is indeed a disease of the brain. Addiction defined Addiction is a specific behavioral problem that is usually manifested with lack of control of using and seeking something just like drugs, sex and gambling (Gamonet & Piazza, 2010; Goodman, 2008). It is also known as a syndrome in which there is a considerable focus on the impaired control over a behavior (West & Hardy, 2006). Addiction therefore is something that takes control over someone’s life. Someone who is addicted to something else is after of uncontrolled longing for self gratification. Although addiction may differ from what a habit is, the entire point is that its manifestation can always be observed from a behavioral point of view. However, addiction can also be explained from the biological context and this primarily invo lves the study of the brain and its other related fields. Brain disease defined From a biomedical model, disease is defined based on the context of four assumptions in which one of them states that it is a deviation from normal biological functioning (Mishler, 1981). From this assumption, a brain disease therefore is implied as the brain’s inability to function well based on what a normal one can potentially do. This is a generic point of view, but the entire argument in the above assumption is that a deviation from the norm especially when there is involved biological functioning is ground to be considered as a disease. Evidences about addiction is brain disease In order to consider addiction as a brain disease, it is important to trace the very nature of a normal brain and its potential functions in the human body. The normal human brain is said to have the capacity to take control over the entire body. However, aside from the biological stand point, the brain does not only control the whole activities of the body, but primarily thoughts and behavior (Feldman, 2003). This implies that a normal brain has the capacity to create normal thoughts and behavior. Since addiction is a behavioral problem, the brain therefore has specific problem by itself considering that it should have the capacity to create normal thoughts and behaviors in the first place. Furthermore, based on the assumption about normal biological functioning of the body, a normal brain therefore has to function well as expected resulting to create normal thoughts or behaviors. Doctor Alan Lesbner, director of the National Institute of Drug Abuse personally believes that addiction is a brain disease (Walsh, 1997). This is based on the idea that drug addiction is just a result of one’s brain inability to take control of a certain behavior. Doctor Lesbner argued that not all of those who abused drugs resulted to addiction because the brain has a certain capacity to control human behavi or. In fact, not all of those who tried prohibited drugs are addicted. Furthermore, not all of those who start gambling and having sex are addicted to such of these activities. However, the abuse of drugs for instance leads to some changes in the brain and to some extent they are harmful for its normal functioning (Heyman, 2009). Some recent findings showing addiction is a brain disease supported the idea of Doctor Lesbner. Recent findings suggest that addiction is associated with dysfunction of brain tissues resulting to the disruption of regions in the brain which are capable of controlling the normal process of motivation, reward and inhibitory control (Ries et al., 2009; Heyman & Brownsberger, 2001; Flores, 1997). The advent of technological breakthroughs makes this

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Geo Ass 3 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Geo Ass 3 - Assignment Example The rapid growth of Seoul City has attracted many people into the city, transforming it into a megacity. The city is considered so because it has a population estimated at about 11.8 million residents. In fact, the city’s metropolitan has a population of about 25.6 million. Because of Seoul’s large population and small area, the city is extremely densely populated estimated at about 44,776 people per square mile. Since the space available in the city cannot accommodate the residents, people in the city live mainly in high-building apartments. Despite the beauty of the city, Seoul has witnesses a traffic mess due to the many number of cars in the city. As a result, the city municipality has been forced to construct large highways to ease the traffic flow in the city. However, it is becoming a key concern that the traffic flow might get messier if the population of the city continues to grow this fast. Additionally, life in Seoul is relatively hard because of the high prices of commodities, which has become a big concern for its

Abraham Lincoln and the abolitionist of Slavery Essay

Abraham Lincoln and the abolitionist of Slavery - Essay Example Personally, Lincoln believed that the extension or expansion of slavery into the southern part of America would hinder the acquisition of free labor on free lands. Despite his positive thoughts, he came into fierce conflict with the abolitionists as he did not call for an instant end to slavery in the whole nation. It was not until the proposal of the 13th amendment that formed an instrumental platform of the campaign in 1864 general election. The paper examines the reasons why Abraham Lincoln hated slavery with a passion but failed to join the abolitionist camp. Historians can best explain the question as to why Abraham Lincoln did not openly pronounce himself as an abolitionist though he hated slavery by the examination of his personal attitudes and his proposal for ending it. Wyatt-Brown (2009) notes that despite the clarity of historical presentation of facts, the comprehension of Abraham’s position has been confusing. Many individual include him as one of the personalities that openly campaigned for the abolition of slavery. In reality, he knew that slavery was a practice that had no place in the moral laws. Furthermore, according to him the law sanctioned the practice. However, on most occasions he recognized the rights of the slave owners and opted for the retention of slaves. He argued that the constitution guaranteed such a position (Lee 2011). Additionally, before the commencement of the civil war, Abraham made no decision to challenge the rights of the slave owners that he believed were guaranteed by the constitution. Lee (2011) posits that his position sharply distinguished him from the individuals in the abolitionist camp who actively participated in the support of the immediate release of slaves. During that time, all the abolitionists viewed the idea of returning fugitive slaves as unacceptable regardless of what the constitution may guarantee. In most cases, the radical

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Geo Ass 3 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Geo Ass 3 - Assignment Example The rapid growth of Seoul City has attracted many people into the city, transforming it into a megacity. The city is considered so because it has a population estimated at about 11.8 million residents. In fact, the city’s metropolitan has a population of about 25.6 million. Because of Seoul’s large population and small area, the city is extremely densely populated estimated at about 44,776 people per square mile. Since the space available in the city cannot accommodate the residents, people in the city live mainly in high-building apartments. Despite the beauty of the city, Seoul has witnesses a traffic mess due to the many number of cars in the city. As a result, the city municipality has been forced to construct large highways to ease the traffic flow in the city. However, it is becoming a key concern that the traffic flow might get messier if the population of the city continues to grow this fast. Additionally, life in Seoul is relatively hard because of the high prices of commodities, which has become a big concern for its

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Sports in Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Sports in Culture - Essay Example From thi' corpu', The Martial Art' draw' more than two hundred beautifully reproduced and pertinent illu'tration' of it' 'ubject matter. It would be no exaggeration to call thi' book the mo't important work on hi'torical fencing and European martial art' in more than 100 year'. With it Dr. Anglo e'tabli'he' him'elf a' the unque'tioned modern expert on the 'ubject of Medieval and Renai''ance martial art' hi'tory . He doe' not merely 'hed light on long held myth' and mi'conception', he unlea'he' a white-hot 'potlight on many mi'taken belief' and 'acred cow'. Dr. Anglo make' an airtight ca'e that the 'kill' de'cribed within hi'torical European fighting text' mu't be properly 'tudied a' "martial art'", and not a' the traditional view of merely "fencing" (in the modern 'en'e of the word). For mo't all of it' hi'tory "fencing" meant not ju't 'wordplay, but the armed 'kill' of fighting with weapon' and alway' included unarmed technique' (Anglo, 11-32). At 384 page' and with more than 200 illu'tration' thi' i' an immen'e trea'ure-trove for all tho'e intere'ted in 'word'man'hip and the hi'tory of European combat. The magnitude and wealth of information contained on ma'ter' of arm' and their work' from the 13th to the 17th centurie' i', to put it 'imply, incredible. Dr. Anglo begin' hi' volume not with a "hi'tory of fencing", but with the documentation for "ma'ter' of arm'" (or ma'ter' of defence) within European civilization. Hi' primary concern i' how they created 'y'tem' of notation to convey information about combat movement, the variou' way' they went about achieving thi' communication, and what they thought they were achieving a' a re'ult. He e'tabli'he' that, fitting within the cla''ic We'tern tradition of art' and letter', many ma'ter' of arm' were purpo'ely recording their martial teaching' a' literary work' for the education of future 'tudent'. He achieve' a detailed ta'k of putting the work' of the ma'ter' of arm' into the ir hi'torical and 'ocial context while di'cu''ing the limitation' of re'earching the'e text'. He al'o pre'ent' the material with frequent dry humor and appreciation for irony (Holling', 1453-1659). The book i' hard to put down and plea'antly written to avoid either academic jargon or lightheartedne''. Mo't any chapter can be opened and read on it' own. Though at time' not an ea'y read (keep your dictionary handy) and while occa'ionally leaving the reader begging for further clarification at hi' tea'ing reference', the range of the material covered i' impre''ive. The work contain' fa'cinating 'ection' on definition' of 'word' and rapier' in hi'torical document' a' well a' other' 'uch a' "Foot Combat With 'word': Myth' and Realtie'", "Diagram', Mathematic', and Geometry in 'wordplay", "Lawyer', Humani't', and the Martial Art'", and "Arm' and armor". Annoyingly however, the footnote' are all in the back, which make' it inconvenient to look up what are in many ca'e' highly relevant comment'. Intere'tingly, what the book i' not i' a chronological 'ummary of every hi'torical fencing ma'ter from the period with a detailed de'cription their 'ignificance and their technique'. In'tead, we are given many valuable in'ight' and ob'ervation' on the work' of the

Monday, October 14, 2019

Click Film Review Essay Example for Free

Click Film Review Essay Click film review What if you had a universal remote control that remote controlled your universe? Click follows the story of Michael Newman (Adam Sandler), an architect whose long hours and unkind boss (David Hasslehoff) have driven him to a near breakdown. Whist watching TV, he longs for a universal remote to control everything and he finds exactly that in department store ‘bed, bath and beyond’. He soon realises that ‘everything’ is not as it seems as he mutes a barking dog and pauses his wife in mid sentence. When Michael realises can do anything he wants, he fast-forwards an entire argument with his wife and skips a scene to his all-important promotion. But the remote soon becomes damaged by all this fast-forwarding and starts to skip Michael through his life. However I longed for a similar remote to skip to the end of the film! The truth is click can’t decide whether it’s a sentimental tale or a string of hilarious gags. The film certainly is sentimental, but most of the jokes aren’t very funny. For example when a female jogger runs by and Michael uses slow-mo. Or the time when Michael pauses his boss to fart in his face. The film tends to drag on and can get quite boring at times. However, if you look beyond the bad jokes you will find some decent comedy but unfortunately bad jokes are the majority. Comedy aside though, Click will have you in tears. I can’t reveal any more about the plot but I can tell you jokes or no jokes, you will be crying by the end. The film carries a very important message: family comes first. I feel there was no clear line between comedy and sentimentality and for this reason I did not enjoy the film and would rate it 6/10. Sam Marroncelli 7EY

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Fearful of Paying too Much when You Purchase a Web Site? :: website websites

Fearful of Paying too Much when You Purchase a Web Site? Reprinted with permission of VotanWeb.com I receive a lot of email from potential website buyers. Recently I received a note from a buyer who was very excited about a particular website but he was very fearful of overpaying. The website was a perfect fit for the buyer’s interest and experience. The website was in the same market that the buyer had worked in for the past 9 years. The web site had great traffic and the buyer could see potential to grow it. However, the buyer was still fearful of paying too much. The bottom line was that the buyer believed the seller was demanding about 15% more than the website was worth. This had caused the negotiations to reach a stalemate. The solution to this problem was very clear to me. The buyer himself had provided me with a very compelling reason why this website was an excellent fit for him. He would have the opportunity to grow an existing website in which his experience would allow him to hit the ground running. One way to approach this type of decision is to consider your best available alternative. If you don't buy this website, what is your best alternative? Is it a website with considerably less traffic? Is it a website in a market where you have less experience and so may be blind to potential pitfalls? Is it sitting on your money while this website is purchased by another buyer? Your best alternative may be quite less attractive than paying 15% more for the website. Perhaps this buyer had calculated the acquisition price as a multiple of sales, as is the norm. These calculations are merely guidelines – not straightjackets. These calculations must be adjusted to fit the reality of the buyer. If the buyer were to acquire a cheaper website with less traffic then how long would it take him to build traffic to the level of the superior website? The buyer could invest a lot of time sending email to other website requesting link exchanges to increase the visibility of the websites. But what is the value of the buyer’s time? Perhaps $50 an hour, or $60? The buyer should divide the amount that he would need to "overpay" by $50 -- his hourly rate – to determine the equivalent number of work hours. Perhaps the buyer will quickly justify paying the larger amount when he realizes the actual cost of his time if he purchased a lower quality website. Fearful of Paying too Much when You Purchase a Web Site? :: website websites Fearful of Paying too Much when You Purchase a Web Site? Reprinted with permission of VotanWeb.com I receive a lot of email from potential website buyers. Recently I received a note from a buyer who was very excited about a particular website but he was very fearful of overpaying. The website was a perfect fit for the buyer’s interest and experience. The website was in the same market that the buyer had worked in for the past 9 years. The web site had great traffic and the buyer could see potential to grow it. However, the buyer was still fearful of paying too much. The bottom line was that the buyer believed the seller was demanding about 15% more than the website was worth. This had caused the negotiations to reach a stalemate. The solution to this problem was very clear to me. The buyer himself had provided me with a very compelling reason why this website was an excellent fit for him. He would have the opportunity to grow an existing website in which his experience would allow him to hit the ground running. One way to approach this type of decision is to consider your best available alternative. If you don't buy this website, what is your best alternative? Is it a website with considerably less traffic? Is it a website in a market where you have less experience and so may be blind to potential pitfalls? Is it sitting on your money while this website is purchased by another buyer? Your best alternative may be quite less attractive than paying 15% more for the website. Perhaps this buyer had calculated the acquisition price as a multiple of sales, as is the norm. These calculations are merely guidelines – not straightjackets. These calculations must be adjusted to fit the reality of the buyer. If the buyer were to acquire a cheaper website with less traffic then how long would it take him to build traffic to the level of the superior website? The buyer could invest a lot of time sending email to other website requesting link exchanges to increase the visibility of the websites. But what is the value of the buyer’s time? Perhaps $50 an hour, or $60? The buyer should divide the amount that he would need to "overpay" by $50 -- his hourly rate – to determine the equivalent number of work hours. Perhaps the buyer will quickly justify paying the larger amount when he realizes the actual cost of his time if he purchased a lower quality website.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Masculinity vs. Femininity in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart Essay

Masculinity vs. Femininity in Things Fall Apart   If viewed on the surface the story line of Things Fall Apart is a tragedy, but when viewed in a wider perspective it is a story of deeper conflict. The main issue is that the British have come to establish a mission and receive converts. Less evident is the conflict this intrusion inserts between the Ibo and British. The underlying issue is masculinity versus femininity. By this I mean to say that the Ibo are an agrarian people who are a patriarchal and see any sign of weakness as being less than desirable. The protagonist in the story, Okonkwo, is the champion of this thought. As what would happen to him seems to happen to the Ibo. When Okonkwo disagrees he is usually correct and the tribe would suffer the same fate and vice versa. In the novel the Chi is a powerful spirit that determines a man's lot in life. One such instance is when Okonkwo was disbanded from his home for a Feminine murder; Clearly his personal god or Chi was not made for great things. A man could not rise above the destiny of his Chi. The saying of his elders was not true---that a man who said yea his Chi also affirmed. Here was a man whose Chi said nay despite his own affirmations. (p. 131) The Chi then is the most important aspect of Ibo society. The most compelling argument for conflict between the British colonists and the Ibo lies directly within the tribes Chi. Chi, as stated, is the will of a man. The Ibo are guided by this and believe that they can only rise to the level to which their personal God will allow. (p.131) This being the case the Ibo themselves are destined to rise only as far as their cumulative Chi will allow. If the Chi of the British is strong, eve... ...ung lazy and reliant on the whites. When Okonkwo's own son joins the church he must have felt a great sadness that his son was weak in mind, and would become softened by the white culture. Feminine versus masculine traits is the controversy in this instance. Okonkwo has built his whole life on the masculinity of the tribe. The masculinity is what helps the tribe survive. Chi as discussed in this novel is the concept most important to understanding the conflict within. Okonkwo's Chi is strong, and immersed the Umuofia in a battle with the British. Further underlying conflict resides in the lack of written law in African society, which led the British to assume they were not civilized, and in a constant state of anarchy. These characteristics coupled with an effeminate church led to the tragic end to Okonkwo's life, and eventually the Umuofia culture.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Prosecuting Cyber Bullying

Technology is frequently being used to display personal Information on social networking sites for everyone In the world to see. With this Instantaneous technology, the school bully has access to an easier, more harmful, and anonymous way to intimidate their victim. Cyber bullying has become a form of harassment that is creating a myriad of problems for teenagers and, therefore, needs to be dealt with properly.The sense of anonymity and the ability to disguise ones identity online increases Weber bullying activity by â€Å"making fun of, telling lies, spreading rumors, threats and sharing private Information or pictures [online]† (Lulls lines 31-32). In spite of the recent technological advancements, problems with bullying has existed for generations. At the click of a button, the threatening information that can be posted online can be seen throughout the world for anyone to see.Because more people have access to someone's private or embarrassing information, â€Å"an increa sed audience can often lead to more harmful bullying Incidents† (Macaque 27). Cyber lulling can be committed any where and at any time, therefore â€Å"the cyber bullies may not fully understand the Impact of their behavior on their victims† (Lulls line 9). Cyber bullying can negatively affect an individual and even lead to depression and thoughts of suicide. There are many well known stories of teenagers compelled to desperate, even suicidal acts after having been exposed to recurrent harassment by others online.For Instance, the devastating and well-known case off 13-year-old girl named Megan Meier, committed seclude allegedly due to cyber bullying (Macaque 141 After coming friends with a boy she met online, Megan, who had a lifelong struggle with weight and self-esteem, finally met a boy she thought she could trust. After weeks of friendly conversations online Megan was eager to strengthen their relationship by finally meeting each other in person. Flirtatious messag es from her online boyfriend â€Å"Josh† suddenly turned into disturbing and confusing remarks such as â€Å"the world would be a better place without you† (Macaque 16). Josh† even began to post spiteful comments on his site about Megan. Megan committed seclude to escape the main and humiliation she was put through (â€Å"Social Networking Web Sites† 3). Investigators soon discovered that the profile of â€Å"Josh Evans† was created by a 48- year-old woman named Lori Drew. Loris's intentions were to tease and embarrass Megan, her next door neighbor and a former friend of Loris's 13-year-old daughter (Macaque 28). This case brought national attention to the dire consequences of cyber bullying. The community was outraged and demanded charges to be brought against this mother.Lori went to court but was never convicted because there was no law against cyber bullying. Another instance of the horrific effects of cyber bullying is portrayed in the tragic s tory of 18-year-old Tyler Clementine. Tyler started his freshman year with a big future ahead of him and a great outlook on life. Invading Teller's privacy, his college roommate streamed private footage online from a WebMD that he held In their dorm (â€Å"Key Events in the History of Prosecuting Cybernetics† 8). Comments about his sexuality flooded through his inbox that night.Days after the video went viral, Tyler could not handle the embarrassment and committed suicide by â€Å"Jumping off of the George Washington Bridge† (â€Å"Prosecuting Cybernetics† par. 1). These are two highly publicized and tragic cases resulting from abuse online. There are thousands of other people that are being threatened and bullied through technology every day and no one knows about it. There is nothing positive that results from bullying, but some people still believe that cyber bullies should not be prosecuted because it is not a crime.Critics say that cyber bullying is not an issue that should have legal attention, â€Å"but a dilemma best solved by schools and parents† (â€Å"Prosecuting Cybernetics† par. 2). Many school districts throughout the country are attempting to educate their students about online safety and protection. In order to solve the problem of cyber bullying, the critics believe that schools should concentrate on â€Å"spreading messages of tolerance and civility to all young people† (â€Å"Prosecuting Cybernetics† par. 2). Another point that critics stress is that prosecuting cyber bullies violates â€Å"the First Amendment's guarantee of free speech† (Hayward 21).Opponents to the prosecution of cyber bullies need to take into account the innocent people that are being terrorized online ND their rights to protect themselves. Supporters of the prosecution of these online abusers agree that cyber bullying leads to many emotional problems for the victims. Cyber bullies purposely â€Å"target their vict ims, revealing personal information on the Internet or harassing them through frequent or threatening messages† (â€Å"Prosecuting Cybernetics† par. 16). More often than not, school administrators and parents fail to identify and stop cyber bullying before it is too late.Prosecutors need to take action in order to protect students online. Students are apprehensive to tell an adult about abuse online because they fear the bullying will only get worse. Victims feel that they are on their own in the endless abuse and â€Å"allegedly saw no choice for escape except to kill themselves† (Lulls 22). Historically, a person repeatedly bullied is not only a danger to themselves, but may even have the urge to harm others. For example, in the article â€Å"Prosecuting Cybernetics†, research has determined that â€Å"perpetrators of school violence?such as the two students who went on a shooting rampage at ColumbineHigh School in Colorado in 1999?often have a history of both bullying and being bullied themselves† (par. 31). Even though the cyber bully is not physically shoving the victim around, they are still able to instill a sense of fear and hopelessness in their victims. In order to punish cyber bullies for their conduct, new, up-to-date laws need to be passed for the protection of the innocent victim. With technology being the most popular form of communication, it is important to establish a law to â€Å"deter future bullying with a legal means to punish those who cause harm†.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Maximizing the Unearned Dollar

â€Å"Workin’ 9 to 5, what a way to make a living; barely gettin’ by, it’s all talkin’ and no givin’ (Parton, p.1)†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Dolly Parton had the right idea when she wrote this song. We have to work to be able to pay for necessities such as housing, clothing, and food. In addition to necessity, having enough money left over at the end of the month to go watch a show or eat at a nice restaurant is an added bonus. Most of us put our nose to the grind stone only to live by the old â€Å"pay check to pay check† creed. Payday arrives and it’s smiles all around. Money makes us happy, but more money makes us ecstatic.There are the lucky few who win the Publisher’s Clearinghouse sweepstakes or the lottery, but the rest of us have to stretch our dollars as far as they will go.   If you aren’t rich, stretching the dollar is a way of life. However, not everyone wants to live that way. For them, there are several alternatives. They can hit up their wealthy relatives, further their education, chose to work a not-so-glamorous job, or they can turn to crime.Unfortunately, not everyone has wealthy relatives, not everyone has their mind set to get their Masters degree, and not everyone has the body to swing on a pole for hundreds of dollars a night. What’s left? That’s right†¦crime. Somewhere out there people have figured out that you don’t have to work that hard to maximize your bucks. True-be-it that not all of us will turn to crime to make more money, from big corporations to mom and pop shops, maximizing utility is what it’s all about.In the movie â€Å"Friday†, the character â€Å"Big Worm† sells the drugs he produces to make money (Gray, 1995). His operation is based on delegating sales to others, such as â€Å"Smokey†, a  drug addict himself. In addition to owning a classic vehicle, which is decked out in style, Big Worm also owns a snack vending truck, which he uses to check out the progress of his sales people†¦incognito.Big Worm’s character is dressed in name brand clothing, wears gold necklaces, rings and diamond earrings, and appears to have his hair professionally styled. His character seems to be so powerful that when Smokey fails to give him his due profits from sales, Big Worm has access to â€Å"guys† that are willing to put a scare in Smokey by driving through the neighborhood shooting guns. Sure†¦this is just a movie, but what Big Worm’s character does is no different than what big corporations do†¦he is utilizing his resources to maximize his utility. The only difference is that Big Worm is an undiscovered criminal, and big corporations are operating legally.Without the assistance of a writing staff, some real-life criminals don’t have the same results with their efforts. Hollywood gave Big Worm nice clothes, a nice car and nice hair, so it appeared that as a criminal, he had his business in a position good enough to create a profit. Unfortunately for real-life criminals, however, the way they handle their profit-maximizing decisions can prove that not all criminals are utility maximizers.Striving to achieve happiness can lead to extreme measures. Being financially set, though sometimes an unattainable objective, can relieve numerous stresses in one’s life, which can lead to happiness. For some, this goal is so important that they are willing to do not-so-legal things to get there. Occupational crimes, or crimes committed by altering records, overcharging customers or cheating a client (Wikipedia, p.1) is an example of an attempt to maximize utility. But the key word here is attempt. An attempt can be unsuccessful, which translates to the aforementioned criminal type not being a utility maximizer after all.Take a bank teller, for example. While the money people deposit daily into their bank accounts in no way belongs to the bank teller, the teller has access to an available source. Over time, the teller discovers that by accompanying his or her deposit slip with the daily customer deposits, they are able to obtain hundreds, or maybe thousands of extra dollars in their own bank account.After much research, the bank discovers that the teller is responsible for the discrepancies in so many people’s bank accounts. Upon the teller’s arrest, it is demanded that all monies embezzled be returned. To the bank’s horror, the teller is unable to make restitution because the money was poorly spent on material items such as clothing and electronics. In this instance, the crime was committed without the intention of creating financial security.   This particular criminal was not interested in being a utility maximizer.Back to the flip side of criminal utility maximization, insurance fraud is a good example to work with. In July of 2004, the owner of a grocery store in Everett, Washington lost everything to a f ire that was being investigated as a case of arson, more specifically, a hate crime (SPI Staff Writer, p.1). It was later discovered that the owner of the store was the culprit, spray painting hate messages throughout the building’s exterior, then dousing it with gasoline before setting it on fire. This was far from a hate crime, the investigative team determined. The reason for setting his store ablaze was to obtain the insurance he had on the store in order to alleviate some financial stresses he was experiencing. The investigation team determined that this was a case of arson for profit.On the legal side of multiplying your dollars, businesses, such as Enterprise Rent-A-Car, operate quite similarly to the style of our undiscovered criminal mentioned earlier within the text. Dubbed by â€Å"Business Week Magazine† as one of the best places to work (ERAC, p.1),Enterprise Rent-A-Car is a prime example of how utilizing your resources will maximize your profits. The stru cture consists of the sales team, the managers, the regional managers and the executives. In combination with pushing upgrades with their rentals, the sales team also pushes damage waiver insurance. Good performance will earn bonus checks.The managers then direct the sales team in order to receive higher commissions. The regional managers push the managers for increased pay scales, and the chain continues. The key to this process is using what you have to make more of what you want. Incentives help this system. As noted, the ERAC team is compensated for increasing the company’s profits. When you compare both criminal and legal operations side by side, the basics are the same.Though we have only compared corporations and criminals, we are all utility maximizers in one way or another. We have gambling, which comes in forms of scratch-offs, lotteries, bingo games, bets and casinos. Seeking to multiply their wealth, one might use their entire pay check to maximize his dollar. On the safer side of multiplying what you’ve got, we have people who invest.Conservative maximizers will place their money in low-interest savings accounts, while the more daring types will play the stock market. Making the most of what you have is, for most of us, human nature. On our own accord, we may choose to leave things as they are, or we may chose to make an attempt at becoming self-made millionaires. Maximizing legally or illegally, how we get there matters. After all, you can’t enjoy your maximized utilities from a jail cell.Works Cited1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Dolly Parton. â€Å"9 to 5†. Greatest Hits. RCA Country, 1980. www.dollyon-line.com/archives/lyrics/9to5.shtml.2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Friday. Dir. F. Gary Gray. Ice Cube, Chris Tucker. 1995. DVD. New Line Cinema. 1997.3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Enterprise Rent-A-Car. 2000/Rev. 2006. ERAC.com. January 2007. www.erac.com.4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Wikipedia. 2001/Rev. 2004. Wikipedia.org. January 2007. www.wiki pedia.org.