Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Molecular Biology and Molecular Diagnostics Essay

Molecular Biology and Molecular Diagnostics - Essay Example The magazines are always aimed at the general public, therefore the language employed is standard and can be comprehended by any age group, individual. This paper aims at exploring the form and nature of molecular biology with the particular interest in understanding the interactions between the distinct systems of a cell. The paper will look at the interaction between RNA, DNA, protein biosynthesis, and how the interaction can be used in the diagnosis of a named disease. Molecular biology is concerned with the development, structure, and function of macromolecules critical to life (Carson, Miller, and Witherow, 2012, p. 19). The field digs deeper to explore the role of macromolecules in cell replication and how genetic information is transmitted from one stage of life to another. Basically, molecular microbiology aims at analyzing how the DNA can be manipulated in order to mutate or sequence it. A mutat3d DNA is usually inserted into the genome of a living being to offer some mutation effects caused by the phenomenon. Of late, there has been an increase in the study of molecules (Carson, Miller, and Witherow, 2012, p. 59). The studies have either been direct or indirect in their approach to the study of molecules. Direct studies have focused on the interactions of molecules (cell biology and developmental biology). Other indirect studies have focused on inferring historical attributes of species/masses (populations). A molecular diagnostic is a method that is employed to assess biological markers in an individual’s genetic code (in the genome and proteome). This aspect of cellular microbiology focuses on how the cells of individuals express their genes in the form of proteins. Molecular biology is applied in medical testing to monitor and diagnose diseases, identify risks, and decide on the kind of therapies that will achieve the maximum results (Clark, 2010, 170). ). Molecular biology has contributed to the detection and characterization of the management of disease-causing micro-organisms.  Ã‚  

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Improving Health Rural Areas Nigeria Health And Social Care Essay

Improving Health Rural Areas Nigeria Health And Social Care Essay This paper talks about poverty and how we can improve the health structure of people living in rural areas of Nigeria. Poverty creates ill- health because it forces people to live in environments that make them sick, without decent shelter, clean water or adequate sanitation. Poverty creates hunger, which in turn leaves people in danger to disease. Poverty denies people access to reliable health services and affordable medicines, and causes children to miss out on routine vaccinations. Poverty creates illiteracy, leaving people poorly Informed about health risks and forced into dangerous jobs that harm their health. It also seeks to discuss ways in which healthcare could be improve in the rural areas with the use of ICT. Furthermore, this paper seeks to document the problems associated with the lack of ICT in rural areas in Nigeria. On the other hand also it seeks to analyze the benefits of ICT when applied with healthcare delivery in the rural areas. Also it talks and suggests about medical practice like telemedicine, sharing of data through a database and sharing of experience that only ICT can bring about in the rural areas are only one of its kind approaches that can improve healthcare in the rural areas. Also how government would attempt or help to solve and reduce poverty in rural areas in the Nation such as electricitys, good roads for transportation and good communication network systems, well qualified doctors with adequate drugs for treatments. Introduction Health care is the treatment and prevention of illness. Health care is delivered by professionals in medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy and allied health. People living in rural area of Nigeria lack qualitative health care system such as good hospitals around, drugs and good professionals to examine them and even health education or health awareness program that could help educate them on how to live a healthy life. The whole idea of this project is to explain how we can improve healthcare in rural areas through the use of ICT. In Urban areas of Nigeria, so many health care deliveries are introduced such as Federal Medical Centres, Teaching Hospitals, Private Hospitals and Clinics located in states which have more equipments than rural areas that provide good equipments to examine patients at different kind of diseases. In Rural areas, health care is very poor and has no good equipments to treat patients with a particular disease. Also the people have to walk too far to receive bad treatment in a hospital that has neither professional doctor nor good drugs for treatment. Based on my private interview with a man in yola bye pass explain how healthcare affecting his own village saying: People are too poor and receiving lower income as such they cannot afford to go to the urban areas to receive good treatment because they are very poor and they cannot afford to go to school so as to maintain good health and no good health centers nearby. So if a woman has a difficult delivery, a traditional cloth is tied between two sticks and we carry her for seven kilometers to the health center. You know how long it will take to walk like that? And no one will help at the process. Lack of good food is the most frequent problem that brings sickness to the rural areas. Hunger and malnutrition are seen as underlying causes of many diseases. They cause weakness and exhaustion and making people more susceptible to infections. Many people say they eat only once a day and sometimes have nothing for lunch or dinner at the end. The poorest people rely on what they can find growing natural or by catching fish and shellfish. In towns, Hunger is less remarkable or noticeable than it is in rural areas. Hunger is highly seasonal, in both rural and urban areas. In rural areas, the season is determined by the agricultural cycle. In urban areas, it often corresponds to the rainy season, when there are fewer jobs in construction and vending. Women in rural areas are so weak by hunger as they do not have enough breast milk to feed their babies. Parents worry constantly about providing enough food for their children. Methodology My Research is based on online sources and interviews which help me to gather information. I also asked questions to people around me about rural health clinics to witness the healthcare situation in area of poverty in the Nation. How can we improve poor peoples health by the used of ICT? It is unquestionable that healthcare in rural Nigeria is in a terrible stage where needs suppose to be address by the help of the governments. There are many ways in which it can be improved. Yet, we are focusing more on the development with the assist of information technology. In the rural areas of Nigeria, information are usually composed and analyzed to provide information for health employees as well as global health programs in the nation. These information help out to bring useful health care to the people. This data is significant so that they can make important decisions as to the healthcare of the people. But, this is not easily done as most of the data are collected manually on paper. This leads to several problems. We as people due make mistakes and incorrect data maybe recorded and inconsistencies may result. The loss of data can be very detrimental to the process of providing healthcare to the people. The introduction of ICT will go a long way to check these constraints to healthcare provision. A structure can be developed to serve as an inner information storeroom which will provide information to healthcare workers in different rural areas. It will be designed at collecting, storing and analyzing data for each rural region. For instance, we can regularly collect data about those infected with HIV/AIDS. This data can be analyzed to get an close into the spread of the disease and the annual growth of the population living with AIDS. The implementation of this system will serve many purposes. Most importantly, it will aid the government in better policy-making as regards to healthcare. Also, government will be able to make more informed decisions as regards to areas where more resources are to be focused. Statistical figures can be derived from the data collected, which researchers in the field can make use of. Patients will benefit from the system, through faster and better service delivery. Ultimately, the provision of healthcare to rural areas can be made in more organized manner, while conserving such resources as money, time and effort. Telemedicine in Rural Healthcare areas of the Nation One of the good qualities of ICT in rural areas healthcare is telemedicine. Telemedicine is the use of ICTs to give healthcare over long distances and can also be used to improve healthcare (Darren Wilkins, 2009). Telemedicine helps in the upgrading of healthcare in a number of ways to save lives. One of the good advantages of telemedicine is that it saves the cost of transportation as well as providing quality healthcare to people living in the rural areas who dont have access to good hospitals, drugs and qualified doctors. Also, it could save the cost and time of people in rural areas going all the way to the cities to receive treatment. A patient in a remote village where there is no clinic may not have to travel the long distance into the city to get medical attention. If a system can be set up, so that doctors can give patients remote assistance, the time and risk spent travelling to the cities can be reduced. This can be done through the use of mobile phones. If it is a minor i llness, the patient can call doctor and explain the symptoms he or she is experiencing, and the doctor can prescribe some drugs and send the prescription to the person at the moment. Then the patient can buy the prescribed medicine from the local stores nearby. Solutions to the Problems of health care in Rural Nigeria by using ICT. Provision of power to the hospitals: The government should kindly improve to put solar systems to all the hospitals in rural areas because it will help in having lights when NEPA took off and it will help also when a doctor is in theater room operating or any emergency machine which requires light to operate. Condition for internet: Hospitals should have access to the internet so as to enable them get access to E-learning to people across. Government should get to know the real meaning of ICT into the healthcare system as of keeping of staff records, payroll and access to the internet. Government should allow private institutions and nongovernmental organizations to facilitate healthcare services There is a need to show up the affordability of basic healthcare solutions to the rural areas using ICTs. Conclusion Generally, integration of ICTs into the health care system will go a long way in fostering better healthcare coverage and affordability to the rural populace. Endemics would be better handled and responded to incase of occurrences. The use of databases would give a foundation for coming up with funding plans, study and analysis of diseases and their causes in the rural communities. Also all my solutions and suggestions would be meant if and only if the government will intervene in this so as to make it easier for the people living in rural area of Nigeria.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Third World Technology Use Essay -- Mexico Internet Web Mexican Essays

Third World Technology Use In recent years, information has been a hot topic. What is information and what purpose does it serve? Is information a commodity or a necessity? The insurrection of this interest is partly, if not entirely, a product of the increasing popularity of the Internet , the information superhighway and of Information technology. Deedee Halleck points out in her article, "Zapatistas On-Line" , how in the past two years, the indigenous people of the Mexican state of Chiapas have clearly answered many of these questions. It is ironic that the Internet has been used at a very powerful potential by people whom we would never even picture in the same room as a computer. The Zapatistas have used information as a high-tech weapon, proving that words are the best weapon. Their discussion and dissemination of information on the net has helped to publicize the Zapatistas' issues in alternative media outlets, and to mobilize caravans which have brought medical and food aid to Chiapas(Cleaver 1995). Mo st amazing is the pressure that these powerless peasants have been able to put on the Mexican government. Perhaps some background on the Zapatistas may be helpful here. On New Years Day, 1994, peasant rebels took over six towns, including San Cristobal de las Casas, in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas and declared war. Chiapas is one of the poorest states in Mexico, suffering from job declines in coffee and oil production, and with a large ethnic population of Mayan Indians. The rebels call themselves the Ejercito Zapatista de Liberacion Nacional (EZLN). The Zapatistas are a group of rebels which includes both men and women whose purpose is to fight for their rights, particularly for work, land, housing, food, h... ...lity Debate" Chiapas95. Online. U of Texas. Internet. 21 March 1995. Cleaver, Harry M. "The Chiapas Uprising and the Future of Class Struggle in the New World Order" U of Texas at Austin. Internet. 22 March 1995. hmcleave@mundo.eco.utexas.edu Cleaver, Harry M. "Propaganda: White Washing the Mexican Crisis" Chiapas-1. Online. U of Texas at AUstin. Internet. 18 September 1995 Halleck, Deedee. "Zapatistas On-Line" Report on Culture, NACLA Report on the Americas. Sept/ Oct 1994. Watson, R. et al. "Rebels use Internet" Newsweek. Feb 27, 1995 Wood, Darin. "Netwars. Chiapas: The Revolution will not be Televised (but it will be on-line)" Online. Internet. June 1995. Available WWW: http://www.oneworld.org/index _ oc/wood.html Young, Elliot. "Netwars? or Cyberspace and Ungovernability" Chiapas-1. Online. Colegio de la Frontera. Internet. 20 March 1995.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Ford Motor Company Case Study Essay

Question 1. During the year 2006, Ford Motor Company suffered its biggest operating loss to date at the cost of $12.6 billion. A year later in 2007, things didn’t improve much as Ford posted a $2.7 billion loss. This corresponded with increasing deterioration in market share, with the majority of these losses being captured by other competitors. Ford had seemingly fallen down a slippery slope, and found itself in a hole it was struggling to surface from. This was all gearing up to the three-year recession that hit the U.S. and Global economies extremely hard. Ford’s competitors, General Motors and Chrysler, found themselves also struggling to get a foothold suffering such losses that both companies had to ask the government for massive bailouts while also filing for bankruptcy. Ford was apparently heading for the same disastrous bailout, but then Alan Mullaly stepped in as the new CEO and implemented a series of crucial strategic maneuvers. These strategic maneuvers that he coined as â€Å"One Ford,† aided them in getting a foothold out of the hole in which they dug for themselves by losses in market share. One such important strategic maneuver utilized by Ford was the reorganizing of its product line. It did so by standardizing components and making a stable of products that is more clearly defined for each market segment (Senna, 2013). Some benefits Ford has achieved through reorganizing its product line come from standardizing components globally and making a stable of products that is more clearly defined for each market segment (Senna, 2013). Before the change in demand, vehicles in Europe verses the U.S. were made with different components which built variations for their respected continents. These different unique components complicate production and with that complication came more cost. Ford then, under Mullaly’s direction, began to address this problem by building different models with the same or similar high quality components over the globe (Zboch, 2009). They use common parts to streamline the production line and reducing the number of unique vehicle parts. By standardizing components and reducing the number of different  platforms it offers, Ford is able to achieve better economies of scale and flexibility, which contributes to lower production cost for each new product (allowing them to prod uce hybrid and electric models more affordably for consumers) and also shift production to address changes in customer demand quickly (Ky, 2012). The Focus and Fiesta lines now use a single platform for each international market. Ford has also started making a stable of products that is more clearly defined for each market segment (small, medium, and large cars, utilities, and trucks), which also comes with benefits for the organization. Ford reduced its nameplates portfolio from 97 to between 25-30 and also brought over the Fiesta from Europe to the United States. The reduction allowed them to focus on global customer demand more intimately, by adapting the vehicle platforms to meet specific regional needs and produce vehicles that customers really want. This change still offers customers a large range of options despite the reduction in Ford’s nameplates (Zboch, 2009). Question 2.Ford has made various product modifications to the Ford Explorer with emphasis on safety and improving the customer experience to increase customer loyalty. They are consistently thinking of new design modification and exploring new opportuni ties with regards to new technology. They are using these new technologies to create new solutions for recurring safety problems. One such new technology is the curve control technology which works by measuring how quickly the vehicle is going and comparing that with how quickly the diver is trying to turn. When the vehicle is not turning as much as the driver is steering it activates and applies the precise amount of breaking required on each wheel to enhance the traditional stability control system. Ford also introduced the radar-enabled adaptive collision warning system to the Explorer, which helps drivers avoid potentially dangerous crashes by using radar to detect the position of other vehicles and warn the driver of these vehicles. Ford also instituted the first rollover-activated side curtain airbags (called Safety Canopy) and the first inflatable rear seatbelts into their Explorer (Ford, 2013). Ford also puts emphasis on going green, as the engine of the Explorer can have an EcoBoost which gives the engine high horsepower without losing fuel economy (Ford, 2012). Question 3.The new products coming out from Ford have recently put more attention on greater fuel efficiency as they have become a leader in fuel economy. Before the recession, Ford and most of its  competitors focused more on manufacturing vehicles with high fuel consumption and largely overlooked the increasing market for small cars. The oil shock of 2008 hit it resulted in rising fuel costs and brought about a change in consumer demand as a trend developed for â€Å"green† fuel efficient small cars (Zboch, 2009). Ford then changed its focus to a science-based strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and also increase fuel efficiency of their vehicles. With this strategy they developed an assortment of hybrid vehicles, which can qualify owners for a tax deduction and lower gas prices throughout the year. Ford has moreover enhanced its product line to be more â€Å"green† with the EcoBoost engine that has improved fuel-economy producing responsible resource saving results. Ford is also exploring and investing in alternative fuel opportunities in order to stay on the cutting edge of innovative new alternative fuel technologies like fuel cells, hydrogen power, and ethanol fueled engines. All these fuel saving innovations and opportunities will help increase its market share, while also giving them a competitive advantage (Ford, 2012). Ford has moreover made enhancements to safety technologies like side curtain airbags and inflatable seatbelts, and driver assist technologies like the Curve control and radar-based collision warning systems. Ford has become known as global leaders in vehicle safety by offering these innovative new enhancements ( Ford, 2013) . Question 4.Mullaly made a strategic rationalization when he reversed the discontinuation of the flagship brand line of Taurus. Taurus was once one of the most successful Ford’s cars and he was astonished that Ford had initially planned to discontinue this powerful name (Dolan, 2009). It costs many billions of dollars to build the brand loyalty that the Taurus name invokes and for Ford to throw this significant name recognition away seems to be a waste of a huge asset and a major oversight of the corporation. Mullaly made this fact aware and then strived to recharge the brand in order to bring it back to its former glory. The revamped Taurus is sleeker with a more muscular design and offers a range of technological options, from safety features to the voice-activated entertainment system (Dolan, 2009). Furthermore Mullaly made a strategic contraction by divest ing Ford’s noncore brands like Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover, Volvo, and Mercury. This dissociating allowed them to give the necessary focus they need to revitalize the central Ford brand. Also they  are able to contribute extra attention to revamping their core-platforms by concentrating on accessible market opportunities in order to increase market share, not just here in the U.S but on a global scale (Zboch, 2009). Although this divesting could be considered a form of strategic inconsistency, because these names have brand loyalty and name recognition in and of itself. By selling these brands off, Ford is losing the valuable brand equity that leaves with them, but Mullaly wanted to reinstate the Taurus for its brand equity and not lose the loyalty around that brand. Although it Taurus was once a core-platforms, it still shows somewhat of a strategic inconsistency. Question 5. In the past five years Ford has made changes to their product lines that follow their four pillars. These pillars are quality, green, safe, and smart. In the quality section they have made changes by buying the best quality parts possible and standardize the components that are used in many d ifferent platforms to get the best quality at the lowest cost possible (Ford, 2012). They are in addition working to design and improve engineering characteristics in line with the customer’s wants and needs for their vehicles. An example would be the hands-free Sync entertainment system. In the green pillar, Ford has been developing new ways to produce more fuel efficient vehicles. They have made great leaps in changing to a more eco-friendly manufactures that continue to improve their products fuel-economy (Zboch, 2009). In this example they have started to produce hybrid vehicles and an EcoBoost engine which they are very excited about. For Safety category, Ford is continuing to develop the best quality safety technologies for their vehicles, with the thought of greater protection and avoidance measures on their mind. They are the first to offer systems like side-curtain airbags and inflatable seatbelts in a large variety of platforms and in addition have created new technologies like the curve control and radar-based collision warning system (Ford, 2013). The changed in the smart pillar, Ford has made strides to deliver technologies that not only make the customers riding experience more entertaining, but also make the gives the vehicle added safety. An example of this is the Sync system which works through voice commands and in addition the newly improved safety technologies. Ford has been using these pillars and will continue use them into the future, as guild-lines to be followed as they make changes to their product lines (Zboch, 2009). They believe that with this strategy they  will be able to stay innovative in order to create a competitive advantage that will lead to an increase in global market share. Citations Dolan, M. (2009, Jun 23). Ford’s Mulally sees a Taurus in his future -CEO hopes to revive sedan that once was best-seller; high price, large size are obstacles. Wall Street Journal Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.gvsu.edu/docview/399050980?accountid=39473 Ford. † Ford introduces new curve control technology to help protect against crashes on curves.†Http://corporate.ford.com/news-center/press-releases-detail/pr-ford-introduces-new-curve-control-32869?cmp=ford_rss_tags%7CTechnology. 2014. Web. 28 Sept. 2014. Ky, Samantha. â€Å"Chapter 10 Product Items.† Prezi.com, 12 Oct. 2012. Web. 03 Oct. 2014. . Senna, Alvin. â€Å"COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE FORD MOTOR COMPANY.† NEWS WEEKLYLOGISTIC. 2013. Web. 27 Sept. 2014. . Ford. â€Å"Year in Review.† – Sustainability 2011/12. Ford Motor Company, 2011. Web. 29 Sept. 2014. Zboch, Heather. â€Å"Innovation and Its Importance at Ford Motor Company.†HubPages. Phoenix Business, 28 O ct. 2009. Web. 27 Sept. 2014. .

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Why Standardized Tests Are Ineffective at Measuring a Student’s Capabilities

A Test Destined For Failure In America, standardized testing has become a prevalent method for testing the educational ability of students. Tests such as the SAT for College and the California STAR for elementary and junior high students have been administered since the beginning of the 20th century. These tests are often considered by many as crucial for the academic progression of students into further education, such as an elementary student being promoted from third to fourth grade or a high school senior applying to college. However, standardized tests have setbacks which could jeopardize a student’s future academic progression given he/she fails to pass. Therefore, I believe standardized tests are ineffective at measuring a student’s capabilities and hence interfere with true academic learning. Standardized tests assess the capability of the student to react to the test in an appropriate manner. It does not factor in true knowledge retention, the key element to a successful academic exam. Students who are faced with any form of disadvantage are most drastically affected by the consequences of standardized testing. The National Center for Fair and Open Testing (FairTest) calls these tests â€Å"very inaccurate and encourage the use of overly academic, developmentally inappropriate primary schooling. † â€Å"Inappropriate schooling† is described as â€Å"schooling not appropriate to the child's emotional, social or intellectual development and to the variation in children's development. † Students who are incapable of possessing necessary test-taking skills such as focusing for long durations, budgeting time, etc†¦ fail these tests while their true knowledge of the material may prove otherwise. Students who rely on rote memorization and superficial knowledge pass the test when in fact they should not. Standardized tests are commonly and widely criticized for their bias towards children of â€Å"privileged background[s]† who more likely than others possess â€Å"a set of knowledge and skills† that result in higher scores. Alfie Kohn, an author on education writes â€Å"affluent families, schools, and districts are better able to afford [test preparation materials], and the most effective versions of such [materials]. It is fair to say then, that those receiving a poorer quality education will be at a significant disadvantage compared to those who can or already received quality instruction and education related to the test. Charles Murray, a former Harvard graduate writes in his article â€Å"Abolish the SAT† for the journal The American,† The SAT test isn't the problem. The children of the well educated and affluent get most of the top scores bec ause they constitute most of the smartest kids. They are smart not because their parents are well educated, but because their parents are smart. † Murray summarizes his whole point with a bold claim, â€Å"if you’re rich, you can buy your kids a high SAT score. † Although the topic of standardized testing is widely debated and argued, the notion of such an important test with many innate flaws existing in the education system is shocking and appalling to many. Standardized tests were created to assess a student’s true academic potential. However, the variables and factors that influence these tests cause standardized testing throughout the world to be ineffective at that task. Works Cited FairTest. â€Å"How Standardized Testing Damages Education. † FairTest. The National Center for Fair and Open Testing, 20 Aug. 2007. Web. 9 Sept. 2011. . Kohn, Alfie. â€Å"Standardized Testing and Its Victims. † Education Week. Alfie Kohn, 27 Sept. 2000. Web. 9 Sept. 2011. . Murray, Charles. â€Å"Abolish the SAT. † The American. The Journal of the American Enterprise Institute, July 2007. Web. 9 Sept. 2011. .

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Ethanol Discussion Essay Example

Ethanol Discussion Essay Example Ethanol Discussion Paper Ethanol Discussion Paper Essay Topic: Discussion The author refers to the success story of Brazil where Ethanol produced from sugarcane is being extensively used as a fuel supplement. It should be clarified that, ethanol being produces from molasses; it is a by-product in the sugar production. As such, unlike ethanol production from corn, ethanol production from sugarcane hardly affects the production of sugar, and does not threaten the food security. When the author highlights the CBS’s 60 min Dan Rather show, I tend to agree with the point that ethanol production from corn may affect the food security adversely. However, if we are to consider the effect of bio-fuels in general and not confine to the usage of ethanol alone as a fuel supplement, the scenario changes altogether. With the increasing awareness and acceptance of Jatropha oil as a fuel supplement, there should no longer be a threat to food security from the production of bio-fuel. Jatropha, not being a food crop, would not affect the food security. Moreover, Jatropha being a crop that is cultivable in degraded and less fertile soils, most of the existing cultivated areas will not be affected, thus securing food security for one and all, and yet lessen the mankind’s dependence on fossil fuels like petroleum. Feedback Response – Use of Gasoline may be reduced in an experimental basis. It may be replaced with ethanol to a certain percentage, say 15 % for a target period of 5 years. With observations made on the experimentations and its resulting outcome, the future course of action may be decided. It will decide if the percentage of ethanol be increased, be fully used or eliminated depending on the reading available worldwide regarding, pollution level, emissions, increase or decrease of greenhouse effect, its cost efficiency etc. The question of availability of food is an important one. If agricultural produce is to be used for replacing gasoline, it is imperative that the issue of availability of food to people around the globe be taken care of. It also has to be made available at a price that is purchasable. Once an edible crop is to be used for extracting or converting to ethanol, the price of the crop will tend to increase manifold, thus depriving the poor people of food. While using crops like sugarcane, where the availability of sugar remains unaffected, this problem does not seem to arise. So, as a crop, sugarcane is more viable. In fact, if ethanol fetches more money, sugar prices may tend to come down. Yes, it is possible feeding the world as well as using crops for fuel, if the crop selected is not corn. Use of sugarcane instead of corn may well be able to solve the problem. If 7 millions tons of sugarcane can turn into 300 million liters of ethanol for Brazilian cars and 500 tons of sugar for Saudi Arabia; I think the answer is quite clear. Even the sugarcane waste ‘biogases’, when burnt, can generate heat and power (as alternative fuel). Besides, sugarcane ensures a higher return than corn in the ratio for energy generation. If the fuel efficiency of ethanol is proved, it might well be considered for replacing gasoline. Expert estimate says that, burning sugarcane ethanol generates 55 to 90 percent less carbon-did-oxide than gasoline. If the food element is taken out of ethanol and plant by-products are used to yield ethanol, the question of food scarcity does not arise. NREL laboratory has led a pilot project converting 1 ton of bio-mass to 70 gallons of ethanol in a week. Cellulose ethanol may greatly increase vehicle efficiency too. By considering a non food crop like Jatropha, that can be grown in abundance in waste and degraded lands, there should not be any adverse impact on the food security of the world.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Fibonacci essays

Fibonacci essays Leonardo Pisano Fibonacci, or more commonly known as Fibonacci, was born in Pisa, Italy in 1175. He was the son of Guilielmo Bonacci, a secretary of the Republic of Pisa. His father was only a secretary, so he was often sent to do work in Pisan trading colonies. He did this for many years until 1192. In 1192, his dad got a permanent job as the director of the Pisan trading colony in Bugia, Algeria. Sometime after 1192, Bonacci brought Fibonacci with him to Bugia. Bonnaci expected Fibonacci to become a merchant and so arranged for him in instruction of calculation techniques. One of the major themes in this involved the Hindu-Arabic numerals which had not yet been introduced into Europe. Eventually, Bonacci enlisted his son's help in carrying out business for the Pisan republic and sent him on trips to Egypt, Syria, Greece, Sicily, and Provence. Fibonacci took this grand opportunity offered by his father, to study and learn the mathematical techniques in use in these various re gions. Around 1200, Fibonacci returned to Pisa where, for at least the next twenty-five years, he worked on his own mathematical compositions. Fibonacci produced his most famous book, Liber abaci (the book of the Calculator). The book consisted of four parts, and was revised by him a quarter of a century later (in 1228). It was a thorough article on algebraic methods and problems which strongly emphasized and advocated the introduction of the Indo-Arabic numeral system, comprising the figures one to nine, and the innovation of the "zephirum" the figure zero. Dealing with operations in whole numbers systematically, he also proposed the idea of the bar (solidus) for fractions, and went on to develop rules for converting fraction factors into the sum of unit factors. At the end of the first part of the book, he presented tables for multiplication, prime numbers and factor numbers. In the second part he demonstrated mathematical applications to commerc...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Character Analysis of Molieres Comedy Tartuffe

Character Analysis of Moliere's Comedy Tartuffe Written by Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (better known as Molià ¨re), Tartuffe was first performed in 1664. However, its run was cut short because of the controversy surrounding the play. The comedy takes place in Paris in the 1660s and pokes fun at gullible people who are easily fooled by Tartuffe, a hypocrite who pretends to be deeply moral and religious. Because of its satirical nature, religious devotees felt threatened by the play, censoring it from public performances. Tartuffe the Character Although he does not appear until half-way through Act One, Tartuffe is discussed extensively by all of the other characters. Most of the characters realize that Tartuffe is a loathsome hypocrite who pretends to be a religious zealot. However, the wealthy Orgon and his mother fall for Tartuffe’s illusion. Before the action of the play, Tartuffe arrives at Orgon’s house as a mere vagrant. He masquerades as a religious man and convinces the master of the house (Orgon) to stay as a guest indefinitely. Orgon begins to adhere to Tartuffe’s every whim, believing that Tartuffe is leading them on the pathway to heaven. Little does Orgon realize, Tartuffe is actually scheming to steal away Orgon’s home, Orgon’s daughter’s hand in marriage, and the fidelity of Orgon’s wife. Orgon, The Clueless Protagonist The protagonist of the play, Orgon is comically clueless. Despite the warnings from family members and a very vocal maid, Orgon devotedly believes in Tartuffe’s piety. Throughout most of the play, he is easily duped by Tartuffe – even when Orgon’s son, Damis, accuses Tartuffe of trying to seduce Orgon’s wife, Elmire. Finally, he witnesses Tartuffe’s true character. But by then it is too late. In an effort to punish his son, Orgon hands over his estate to Tartuffe who intends to kick the Orgon and his family out into the streets. Fortunately for Orgon, the King of France (Louis XIV) recognizes Tartuffe’s deceitful nature and Tartuffe is arrested at the end of the play. Elmire, Orgons Loyal Wife Although she is often frustrated by her foolish husband, Elmire remains a loyal wife throughout the play. One of the more hilarious moments in this comedy takes place when Elmire asks her husband to hide and observe Tartuffe. While Orgon watches in secret, Tartuffe reveals his lustful nature as he tries to seduce Elmire. Thanks to her plan, Orgon finally figures out just how gullible he has been. Madame Pernelle, Orgons Self-Righteous Mother This elderly character begins the play by chastising her family members. She is also convinced that Tartuffe is a wise and pious man and that the rest of the household should follow his instructions. She is the last one to finally realize Tartuffe’s hypocrisy. Mariane, Orgons Dutiful Daughter Originally, her father approved of her engagement to her true love, the handsome Valà ¨re. However, Orgon decides to cancel the arrangement and compels his daughter to marry Tartuffe. She has no desire to marry the hypocrite, yet she believes that a proper daughter should obey her father. Valà ¨re, Marianes True Love Headstrong and madly in love with Mariane, Valà ¨re’s heart is wounded when Mariane suggests they call off the engagement. Fortunately, Dorine, the crafty maid, helps them patch things up before the relationship falls apart. Dorine, Marianes Clever Maid The outspoken maid of Mariane. Despite her humble social status, Dorine is  the wisest and wittiest character in the play. She sees through Tartuffe’s schemes more readily than anyone else. And she is not afraid to speak her mind, even at the risk of being scolded by Orgon. When open communication and reasoning fail, Dorine helps Elmire and the others come up with their own schemes to expose Tartuffe’s wickedness.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Fundamental of Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Fundamental of Finance - Essay Example In our case, proposal A takes 4 years to recover the investment and proposal B takes only 3 years for the recovery of such investment. Accordingly the proposal B is ranked above the proposal A. The limitation in this method is that it does not consider time value of money. Net present value is a discounted cash flow approach to capital budgeting. â€Å"If the present value of future cash flow is greater than the initial cost, the project is worth undertaking. On the other hand, if the present value is less than the initial cost, a project should be rejected because investor would lose money if the project were accepted.†(Angelico A. Groppelli and Ehsan Nikbakhat, page 159)ii Assessing from this point of view, both proposal have a positive net present value. But as the net present value of proposal A is more than that of proposal B. Accordingly NPV method ranks proposal A ahead of proposal B. There are various shortcomings in methods of evaluation of capital projects that do not consider time value of money. It is generally felt that discounted cash flow methods provide a more objective basis for evaluating and selecting investment projects. These methods take account of both the magnitude and the timings of expected cash flows in each period of project’s life. Internal rate of return, like net present value method, is such a method that uses the discounted cash flow criteria to evaluate different capital projects. â€Å"The IRR for an investment is the discount (interest) rate that will make the present (or discounted) value of the cash flows from the operation equal to the initial outlay of the investment. An IRR above the minimum rate of return specified by management (called hurdle rate) is considered acceptable. When mutually exclusive projects are being compared, the project with highest IRR will be preferred.† (Ralph S.

Friday, October 18, 2019

America's Involvement in World War Two and How it helped contribute to Research Paper

America's Involvement in World War Two and How it helped contribute to America becoming a Super Power - Research Paper Example America was not directly involved in the war in the early stages. The necessity increased after the fall of France, the Pearl Harbor incident but mainly when Hitler declared war on U.S. This led to America’s direct involvement in the World War II and helped America to transition from a great power to a super power. World war II started by the deep seated anger in German due to the loss in World War I. Hitler a new leader in Germany transformed it from a defeated state to powerful one with a large army of up to 400,000 men which led to the breaking of the treaty of Versailles (Langley). March 16th 1935 Hitler tore up the treaty of Versailles when he started to build up his army (Hills & Barber 10) .Although U.S.A had always been an ally in the Second World War its direct involvement did not came after much later. In 1939 its only involvement was to provide arms and ammunition in turn of cash from countries. America was indirectly helping the allies by starving Japan of oil. Winston Churchill repeatedly tried to convince Franklin D. Roosevelt to enter the war but it was after Hitler’s declaration of war, the attack by Japanese on USA naval base in Pearl Harbor, America got directly involved in the war. ... This attack led to allies invading Italian mainland leading to the capture of Rome. The United States along with other allies continued to attack the Axis powers which led to the retake of Paris in the D-Day Invasion (Hills & Barber 17, 25). In the Tokyo Bombing Raids American bombers destroyed up to 250,000 buildings and killed 83,000 in massive fire bombing. It continued to play an important part in the attacks on the Axis Powers, till the end of the war where it dropped two atomic bombs in Japan bringing the war to an end. These included the two nuclear bombing the world had ever seen one being in Hiroshima and the other in Nagasaki. Both bombings left the city with massive destruction with large number of causalities breaking the strength of Japan totally and only six days after the bombing of Nagasaki Japan surrendered. It is clearly seen by the events of the war that although America was not involved directly at first in the war it played a pivotal role once it became directly involved and it’s most important role was that of bringing the war to an end by destroying one of the main Axis powers, Japan, completely (Langley 56). It is often wondered how U.S.A reached its position of dominance in the world. And it would not be wrong to link its rise a super power to the results and events of World War II. The characteristics of super power are firstly having a strong stable economy, secondly overpowering military, thirdly immense international political power and lastly strong national ideology. Before the war America was seen as a great power along with many other powerful strong nations like Russia and Britain. It was only after the war that U.S.A emerged as a strong super power and still holds that position. Even in years

Time is of the Essance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Time is of the Essance - Essay Example Increasing the daily working hours can reduce the working days of a week, whereby ensuring the smooth functioning of the organization. Having a 4/10 routine has some advantages and disadvantages for the organizations as well as the employees, which are analyzed below: The reduced working days in a week give more time to the employees to handle their personal / domestic affairs in a better way. So it is very unlikely that they will require time away from their work for visiting the doctor or any other domestic need. The 4/10 schedule i.e. 4 days a week and 10 hours a day gives employees 52 extra days in a year, providing them freedom of action to meet their personal commitments. Once the employees will be mentally free from their individual issues, their work performance will automatically increase. The other advantages of 4/10 routine can be economy in use of energy i.e. gas and electricity as the organization will remain closed for an additional day. The expenditure incurred on transportation of employees to workplace and back to their homes will be reduced as a complete trip per vehicle will be reduced for a week (Maklan, 1977). Besides having a number of advantages, there are a few drawbacks as well of the 4/10 routine. Although it is giving a day off, but on the other hand it is increasing the workload and committed time during the working days. The biggest drawback is for those organizations which are related to customer service; as such a routine will make them deprive their customers of their services for more days. It may affect the repute as well as social rating of the organization in total. In addition to this, there is an element of boredom attached to such long working hours which will eventually result in less enthusiasm during work. Working ladies, who leave their children in day care, are bound to extend the care timings as well, which ultimately keep them away from their children for

Annotated Bibliography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Annotated Bibliography - Essay Example Clardy, A. (2008). Policies for Managing the Training and Development Function: Lessons from the Federal Government. Public Personnel Management. Vol. 37 (1):. 27+. Retrieved 13 April, 2011 from Questia. Clardy (2008) undertook a literature review on the policies of human resource development and archival data in order to determine whether the framework used by the federal government workforce could be applicable to other employment environments. He found that while they cannot be considered as a means of solving all problems in the management of training functions, they can provide a scaffold from which training can be more effectively managed and how human resource development policies can better focus, shape, and guide a company’s human resource. De Meuse, K., Hostage, T., Eau, C. & O’Neill, K. (2007). A Longitudinal Evaluation of Senior Managers' Perceptions and Attitudes of a Workplace Diversity Training Program. Human Resource Planning. Vol.30 (2): 38. Retrieved 1 3 April, 2011 from Ebscohost. This study, a pilot study undertaken within a large manufacturing company aiming to implement a new program of diversity, aimed to find out whether the training would be effective. The pilot study involved 57 mangers and senior managers across 70 locations throughout North and South America. A survey was administered a week prior and after the training and gain 3 months later. The results proved positive in terms of increased scores both directly after and further after the training, which provides a number of positive implications for diversity training of senior management. Druskat, V., Sala, F. & Mount, G. (2006). Linking Emotional Intelligence and Performance at Work: Current Research Evidence with Individuals and Groups. Mahwah, New Jersey:Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. The primary aim of this book is to provide discussion on current and leading edge research into the link between emotional intelligence and workplace performance for future researcher s and organizations and human resource departments. The main objective is to provide evidence and applied research for increasing knowledge and thus capabilities of improved workplace outcomes. Gray, R. (2007). Climate of Success: Creating the Right Organization Climate for High Performance. Amsterdam: Elsevier/Butterworth Heinemann. Gray (2007) explores the notion of organizational climate by using case studies to depict the causal links and effects of different climate issues and making recommendations on how to make improvements. He also shows how climate characteristics occur, how they impact on performance, and how managers can manipulate these characteristics and use their knowledge and understanding to benefit others as well as themselves. Grugulis, I. (2009). Skills, Training and Human Resource Development: A Response. Economic and Labour Relations Review. Vol.19 (2): 123+. Retrieved 13 April, 2011 from Questia. Grugulis’ (2009) article is a response to an earlier cri tique written by Ian Hampson (n.d) in relation to her book entitled ‘Skills, Training and Human Resource Development’. In her response Grugilis (2009) reiterates her motives for writing the book and thus the focus of her book, which was questioned by Hampson. She states that her book is intended to make academic research in human resource development (HRD) more

Thursday, October 17, 2019

The Chocolate War Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Chocolate War - Case Study Example The war has also set back attempts by the world’s large chocolate companies to curb the use of child labor and help improve the lives of the people in the Ivory Coast by teaching them new farming techniques and business practices.  Worse still for the Ivory Coast, where the incomes of six million people – about 35% of the population – are linked to cocoa farming, is that chocolate companies may begin rethinking their reliance on the country amid fears of continuing political instability.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"If things don’t improve,† says Anne Prendergast, an analyst with the commodities trading firm Refco in New York, â€Å"over the next five years one may see a gradual erosion of production from the Ivory Coast.†Ã‚  In the succeeding weeks the rebels and the government have made progress toward peace. The next several months are critical. If the Ivory Coast can begin to mend its shredded political and social fabric, it may be able to undo the damage already don to its cocoa economy. But if unrest continues, the situation could become dire for both the country’s cocoa farmers and the world’s companies.  The war turned any of the major cocoa centers in the western part of the Ivory Coast in the battlefields. Farmers abandoned their crops to flee the rebel advance. Iberian mercenaries fighting alongside the rebels seized the entire northern half of the country before French peacekeepers intervened to separate the warring sides. The prospect of further political problems spooks international chocolate executives. So far, no chocolate company has pulled out.

Investigate an aspect of Western Society Term Paper

Investigate an aspect of Western Society - Term Paper Example There is a contradiction and conflict within ‘liberalism’ between those who maintain that less government and more freedom are the correct course of action, against those who think that the government ought to play a stronger role in areas such as the enforcement of equity or affirmative action. Therefore, while Liberalism can be said to be a core value in Western Civilization, it is also responsible for some of the most deeply embedded conflicts in the West too. It will be argued that the central conflict in liberalism, is the role of the state in individuals lives. It is difficult to pinpoint an absolute juncture for the origins for liberalism. However, it can be said that the origins of liberalism are inseparable from the beginning’s of the modern form of British Parliament. By this, what is referred to is the revolution in England in the mid to late sixteen hundred’s which culminated in 1688 [Walsh, 1997: 14]. During this revolution, what was fought ove r, was the fact that there was a growing number of bourgeoisie land owners, who could not gain representation in government. In short, this rising middle class contested to the government that as significant property holders they had a significant stake in the countries politics, and as such, they argued that Parliament should represent those who were not simply aristocrat’s, but any other land owner as well [Dickerson and Flanagan, 1994, p. 94]. Thus, liberalism is coextensive with democratic politics to some extent in its origins, and further, its origins can be found within those who fought for greater representation in the British Parliament in the Seventeenth century [Goodwin, 1992, p. 41]. What is important about the origins, is that it is essentially coextensive with market capitalism itself. The central protagonists in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century of liberalism, were figures such as John Stuart Mill and Adam Smith, and further, the American Fathers of the Constitution [Garry, 1992, p. 49]. Thus, although it can be said that liberals are interested in making changes within the system, and indeed, liberals have been key in various political reforms in almost all Western nations, it can also be said that the history of liberalism is a history that has little part in any attempt to actually change the system itself -- that is, market driven capitalism. This said, more must be said about both the history of liberalism on the one hand, and the central tenets of this political philosophy, or ‘ideology’, depending on whether one agrees with liberalism or not. As mentioned in the introduction, one of the key figures of liberalism is John Stuart Mill, who was a philosopher and also the son of a philosopher named James Mill, who was also a close friend of Jeremy Bentham. Mill’s central works were On Liberty, Utilitarianism and his major treatise on Political Economy. In many respects, Mill might be argued as a good e xemplar of modern or contemporary liberalism. By this, it is implied that he was interested in the following aspects which remain as general concerns. First, he maintained a certain primacy for individual freedom, and in particular, he thought that aspects like the absolute right to free speech was an unquestionable cornerstone of liberalism. At the same time that he expressed a concern for the lack of government restraint on the individual, he was also a champion of

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

The Chocolate War Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Chocolate War - Case Study Example The war has also set back attempts by the world’s large chocolate companies to curb the use of child labor and help improve the lives of the people in the Ivory Coast by teaching them new farming techniques and business practices.  Worse still for the Ivory Coast, where the incomes of six million people – about 35% of the population – are linked to cocoa farming, is that chocolate companies may begin rethinking their reliance on the country amid fears of continuing political instability.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"If things don’t improve,† says Anne Prendergast, an analyst with the commodities trading firm Refco in New York, â€Å"over the next five years one may see a gradual erosion of production from the Ivory Coast.†Ã‚  In the succeeding weeks the rebels and the government have made progress toward peace. The next several months are critical. If the Ivory Coast can begin to mend its shredded political and social fabric, it may be able to undo the damage already don to its cocoa economy. But if unrest continues, the situation could become dire for both the country’s cocoa farmers and the world’s companies.  The war turned any of the major cocoa centers in the western part of the Ivory Coast in the battlefields. Farmers abandoned their crops to flee the rebel advance. Iberian mercenaries fighting alongside the rebels seized the entire northern half of the country before French peacekeepers intervened to separate the warring sides. The prospect of further political problems spooks international chocolate executives. So far, no chocolate company has pulled out.

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

London Stock Market and Capital Budgeting Essay

London Stock Market and Capital Budgeting - Essay Example Winning in business is characterised by net profits. There are two ways of generating funds. They are borrowing and investing. The best place to invest funds is visiting the London Stock Exchange. The following paragraphs explains clearly why investing in capital assets is a risk that can be tailored to generate profits and not left to chance (Datta, and Jones 1999, 21). The above computation shows that sales for the first year is 7,000,000. The direct materials and variable operating expenses amount is 2,500,000. The direct labor amount is 2,000,000. The factory overhead is arrived at by multiplying the direct labor amount by fifty percent. The amount arrived at is 1,000,000. The annual depreciation of 675,000 is arrived at by dividing the investment cost of the equipment amount of 3,375,000 by five years. The net profit result is 825,000.The cash inflow is arrived at by adding back the annual depreciation expense to the net income because there is no actual cash outflow generated by the depreciation expense. The net cash inflow computed for the first year is 1,500,000. This generates a first year present value using the net present value discount table for varying annual cash inflows is 1,485,000(Dayananda et al. 2002, 5). The above computation shows that sales for the second year is 7,700,000. ... The net profit result is 975,000.The cash inflow is arrived at by adding back the annual depreciation expense to the net income because there is no actual cash outflow generated by the depreciation expense. The net cash inflow computed for the second year is 1,650,000. This generates a first year present value using the net present value discount table for varying annual cash inflows is 1,617,000. The above computation shows that sales for the third year is 8,400,000. The direct materials and variable operating expenses amount is 3,000,000. The direct labor amount is 2,400,000. The factory overhead is arrived at by multiplying the direct labor amount by fifty percent. The amount arrived at is 1,200,000. The annual depreciation of 675,000 is arrived at by dividing the investment cost of the equipment amount of 3,375,000 by five years. The net profit result is 1,125,000.The cash inflow is arrived at by adding back the annual depreciation expense to the net income because there is no actual cash outflow generated by the depreciation expense. The net cash inflow computed for the second year is 1,800,000. This generates a first year present value using the net present value discount table for varying annual cash inflows is 1,747,000. The above computation shows that sales for the fourth year is 6,300,000. The direct materials and variable operating expenses amount is 2,250,000. The direct labor amount is 1,800,000. The factory overhead is arrived at by multiplying the direct labor amount by fifty percent. The amount arrived at is 900,000. The annual depreciation of 675,000 is arrived at by dividing the investment cost

Monday, October 14, 2019

Trends in Social Welfare and Crime Control

Trends in Social Welfare and Crime Control Georgiana Raluca Andrei Explain and illustrate the claim that contemporary trends in social welfare and crime control policy are indicative of a punitive turn. In contemporary Western societies the division between crime control and welfare is blurred, with the two coming together to produce a complex and sometimes ambiguous policy mix, within which crime control policy substitutes for welfare but may also incorporate welfarist notions of care and protection. The threat and fear of crime has impacted on public and policy attitudes towards welfare and crime control through a process of innovation in law and policy that blurs the boundaries between traditional crime control and welfare fields. Punitivity is a term which means that systems of punishment have become harsher and that though measures have a large degree of popular support (Cochrane and Talbot, 2008, p. 11). Allan Cochrane and Deborah Talbot (2008) suggest that the security/insecurity nexus illuminates a set of connections between the worlds of social welfare (broadly, the search for security) and crime control (broadly, responses to threats of insecurity). The policy worlds of social welfare and crime control need to be understood in relation to one another. In the contemporary world, demands for security and fears of insecurity are present and visible in personal lives, in political agendas and in policymaking domains. The search for security is likely to be unfinished as efforts to ensure security paradoxically heighten personal and societal senses of insecurity, in turn leading to further searches for more security. The emergence of security as a personal, governmental and policy concern is reflected in the work of social theorists and policy analysts, who have debated how the search for security may be understood as shaping social relations and social policy. There are competing app roaches to achieving security. Some emphasize the need to extend criminal justice and legal systems to address the behaviors of those that threaten ‘our’ security; others highlight the need to address broader social divisions, inequalities and problems that undermine the security of societies. Security is a concept with multiple dimensions at individual, group, national and global levels. It’s sometimes argued that the responsibility for achieving security rests with us as individuals rather than with governments. Collective responses to the search for social and economic security are visible in the work of institutions, such as trade unions, credit unions, charities, businesses and governments. These organisations and institutions work to ensure economic security through work, welfare benefits, or pensions, and health security through medical support and care in times of illness and infirmity. They also work to ensure the air we breathe is free from pollution, the water we drink is clean, and the food we eat is uncontaminated. The loss of any one of these will undermine the security of individuals and potentially of societies. Government seek to defend the nation from perceived threats, such as terrorism, political dissent and foreign aggression, and to secure the resources necessary to support their economies and population’s water, food and energy. They enter into international agreements with other governments to address threats of global crime. For example money laundering and trafficking of humans, environmental degradation such as problems of global warming, pollution and waning biodiversity; and also to cooperate with other countries on matters of policing and justice. Security has meanings at every level of human existence from the most private needs and relationships to the broadest currents of international relations and global problems. Focusing on different sources of insecurity leads to different ideas about how we can achieve security. Focusing on security may heighten the anxieties and feelings of insecurity whether now or about the future. They may lead us to try to achieve our own security and that of our families in ways that make others less secure. For example, securing the houses with cameras, alarms, and fences, a nd having police officers visible on the streets, may make us feel safer. But it may also make others more fearful of crime. Actions taken by governments in the name of protection from internal and external security threats sometimes come at the cost of personal freedoms and civil liberties of entire populations. Measures used in pursuit of security often fail to deliver it, and may often, paradoxically,increasea sense ofinsecurity. Security is increasingly being sought (by those who can afford it) through private solutions. Examples of such solutions include living in secure residential enclaves or driving sports utility vehicles (SUVs). This recourse to private solutions represents a form of risk management and social retreat. The media is one of the main drivers of insecurity. The news organisations create a false picture of the problem of crime, exaggerating certain categories of offending, such as random and violent attacks by strangers, and ignoring or underplaying other types, such as the crimes of governments and powerful organisations, or domestic crimes within the family. This can result in a distortion of public perceptions about crime, with greatest level of fear attached to crimes which are least likely to affect them. It has been noted that fear of crime often exceeds the actual risk of personal harm (Jewkes, 2008, p. 33). As individuals, people seek to manage risk by creating safe spaces in a variety of ways. At one extreme these strategies include narrowly delimited places of retreat for personal safety, which might incorporate a range of security devices including barred windows, spy glass, intercom systems. Families are a site of both individual and social security; that is, they are seen as being a key social formation that ensures personal security, as well as a ‘building block’ of society and social order. Families have tended to remain at the top of political and policy agendas, with strong families being equated with strong societies. However, families can also be understood as sites of insecurity – for individuals, who experience family life as harmful or neglectful, and for societies more broadly. While recent debate has centred on whether family change represents some kind of social decline or descent into social disorder, ‘family breakdown’, ‘problem families’ or ‘failing’ families are not new anxieties. For many decades, families who were thought to be ‘failing’ in some way have been a target of social welfare interventions and, increasingly, of crime prevention strategies. Families mirror the contradictio ns in relation to security – they offer a range of securities and act as sites of safety and social welfare, but they also present a range of insecurities, threats and dangers. This means that families are the focus of not only social welfare policy but also crime control policy. Some families are perceived as ‘better’ and more competent than others, and some families are perceived as problematic, disorderly and threatening, and therefore in need of different kinds of policy intervention, including crime control and social welfare policies. These perceptions can be normative and influenced by assumptions based on class, ethnicity and sexuality. Families are closely connected to child welfare issues. Contemporary anxieties about the nature of childhood, together with conflicting ideas about children – as vulnerable and in need of protection and care, and as threats to society and in need of control – are reflected in child and family policy intervent ions. These tensions and ambiguities about children inform social policies aimed at providing both welfare support and reducing crime. Antisocial behaviour and hate crime legislation can both be understood as sites in which the criminal justice system has been extended into new areas. In this way, there is an increasing shift to a more punitive approach within criminal justice systems, particularly in the UK and the USA. Anti-social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs), were part of an increasingly large and complex set of New Labour measures for managing and governing populations. Wacquant stated that â€Å"various neo-conservative think tanks in the USA were able to valorise the diminution of the social or welfare state† and that punitive measures were spreading from USA through Europe. According to the article, the USA/UK policy is being defined by â€Å"mass imprisonment, curfews, interventions based on risk assessment rather than need, zero tolerance, naming and shaming† , becoming more punitive and affecting everyday social relations. States all around the world seem to take a puntive turn to young offending. The depth of the punitive turn in USA in the 1990s is undeniable and Wacquant’s thesis is being supported by quantitative data that shows an increase of children detained in â€Å"juvenile secure estate† in UK and Wales. The American intolerance for those under 18 is getting more popular in the rest of the world. A punitive turn in juvenile justice in a number of countries in Western Europe has been more repressive but not necessarily more efective. It has achieved a political legitimacy to the detriment of traditional principles of juvenile protection and support. The article provides important data that shows the high number of immigrants and minority groups under arrest or in detention and the more punitive elements of juvenile justice. It is difficult to estimate the total amount of the juvenile secure population in various countries at various times due to differences in defining a child, a juvenile. Different countries have different ages of criminal responsability, there is also a difference in definition of offences which make it difficult to compare the countries. Security cannot be fully understood without reference toinsecurity, the idea of security implies the threat of insecurity, so that insecurity and security are intertwined. The ways in which welfare and crime control policies intersect and are entangled help to shape experiences of social inequality. Families can be sites of both security and insecurity. Identifying differences in experiences of security and insecurity is important for understanding, in turn, the different responses of policy and legislation to the (in)securities of family lives. In order to keep under control juvenile and adult crime rates, the system becomes punitive and adopts extreme solutions that will only lead to more drastic consequences. Words: 1652 words References Cochrane, A. and Talbot, D. (2008) ‘The search for security’, in Cochrane, A. and Talbot, D. (eds)Security: Welfare, Crime and Society, Open University; Jewkes, Y. (2008) Insecurity, fear and social retreat, in Cochrane, A. and Talbot, D. (eds)Security: Welfare, Crime and Society, Open University; Muncie, John (2008). The ‘punitive’ turn in juvenile justice: cultures of control and rights compliance in western Europe and the USA. Youth Justice, 8(2) pp. 107–121. Reflection I found it challenging to incorporate in my essay the details from the journal article due to the large amount of information provided. The journal article was written in a different way than the course materials from OU and it needed extra attention. The language used was complex and specialised and required further investigation. I developed the ability to integrate a journal article into my essay. I have used the skills that I have practiced before such as gathering ideas from different sources and create an essay, reading and interpreting different types of evidences such as journal articles or quantitative data. I have used my tutor’s previous feedback and tried to be more confident with using references.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Magical Realism as a World View :: Magical Realism Literature

Magical Realism as a World View Magical Realism is the way in which a person views the world through a type of art. Magical realism deals with emotions, and it also discovers what is mysterious and meaningful in life. According to Franz Roh, in painting, is the way a person views the world through art (18, 20). Magical Realism has many characteristics that include many other ideas. Magical Realism can be observed in other subject areas, too, such as the logotherapy of Victor Frankl. Simpkins mentioned that "real life" is the "Real magic" (152). He also said that realism is heightened by magic (148-152). However, Leal felt that Magical Realism focuses on the marvelous in the real (122). Amaryll Chanady feels that Magical Realism is focused more toward reality (131). In Victor Frankl's novel Man's Search for Meaning, Frankl discusses finding this magic in life in what he calls will-to-meaning. Frankl, a twentieth century psychiatrist, states that "life ultimately means taking responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual" (122). This concept is what he called will-to-meaning. Some forms of will-to-meaning are hunger, humiliation, fear, and deep anger at injustice (8). Some importance of will-to-meaning is that he had to find a sense of responsibility in his existence (9). One of the characteristics from will-to-meaning was finding responsibility. In the story Like Water for Chocolate, a magical realist story, a girl named Tita found her circumstances so awful that she found the meaning in her cooking and gave responsibility for life. She was always getting her heart broken because she loved a man named Pedro and could not be with him. Therefore, she learned to have a responsibility for cooking. She could have rebelled and left, but she knew that she had a responsibility to cook for her family and the man whom she loved. Tita found magic in her circumstances and viewed the mundane as beautiful helping her to live successfully in these terrible circumstances. Magical Realism can be observed in other subject areas, too, such as the logotherapy of Victor Frankl. Finding examples in other "real-world" fields of study helps in understanding Magical Realism as a

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Teaching Argument Evaluation in An Introductory Philosophy Course Essay

Teaching Argument Evaluation in An Introductory Philosophy Course ABSTRACT: One of the greatest challenges in teaching an introductory philosophy course is convincing students that there are, indeed, reliable standards for the evaluation of arguments. Too often introductory students criticize an argument simply by contesting the truth of one of its claims. And far too often, the only claim in an argument that meets serious objections is its conclusion. For many students, the idea that an argument displays a structure which can be evaluated on its own terms is not very difficult to grasp. Unfortunately, the idea is grasped only in an abstract way, with insufficient appreciation of how structural problems manifest themselves in concrete arguments, and without the vocabulary for formulating structural criticisms. But this paper is not simply about teaching logic, it is about pedagogy. Our task is to instill in the student the habit of clear thinking. When we send our students out into the world, we have to ensure that they are prepared for it. Introduction One of the greatest challenges in teaching an introductory philosophy course is convincing students that there are, indeed, reliable standards for the evaluation of arguments. Too often introductory students criticise an argument simply by contesting the truth of one of its claims. And far too often the only claim in an argument that meets serious objections is its conclusion. For many students, the idea that an argument displays a structure which can be evaluated on its own terms is not very difficult to grasp; unfortunately, the idea is grasped only in an abstract way, with insufficient appreciation of how structural problems manifest themselves in concrete arguments, ... ... extended arguments can be explained in terms of sufficiency, a concept that the student can easily grasp by seeing how a proposition presented as belonging to one of the linked arguments may also be employed as a premise in another of the arguments. Assignments: Several chain syllogisms. Session 6 This session should be devoted to the examination of the limitations of term logic. It has proved useful to consider simple arguments that make use of very basic truth-functional logic (modus ponens, modus tollens, and the hypothetical syllogism are easily enough explained). While these can usually be translated without too much effort into the form of a categorical syllogism, the awkwardness of doing so is clearly prohibitive. At this point, however, the battle is already won. The students are actively engaged in the logical analysis and evaluation of arguments.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Equality, Diversity And Inclusion In Work With Children And Young People

Dominic might be feeling excluded, lonely, confused and have low self esteem as he could feel that the children he sees attending the school have a higher status in society as they are allowed to attend the school. He is old enough to have probably attended school in his home country before moving to Britain and may be missing it and may make him feel anger towards the country/system he has moved to. He will be worried for his Uncle in prison without understanding why he is there.Dominic may also feel an amount of resentment to his parents as he might not understand why they have not tried to get him into the school if this has not been discussed with him. He may feel disempowered as at such a young age he might not feel able to express his feelings succinctly to his parents. 4. How might the discrimination affect other children in the setting? If there are other children within the hostel who are attending the school they might feel that Dominic is different as he doesn’t go to school like them.This can lead to them not wanting to socialise with him as children have a propensity to shy away from people/situations that are different to their â€Å"norm†. The children that are living in the surrounding area would wonder why this child is not going to school like most of their peers. This could lead to them thinking that Dominic, and other asylum seekers are different to them and perhaps lower in the social sector. They may not want to socialise if they see him outside school in a park or play area for instance.This can perpetuate the problem. 5. What could be done to prevent the discrimination? The managers of the hostel, who will be getting income from the government to house the family, should have information on a notice board or in a folder in the room, for example, in many different languages about local authority contact details. It would also be hoped that they would notice that Dominic is not attending school and, if they could not communic ate effectively with his parents, contact the nearby school and explain the situation.As it is the governments’ policy to provide education for all children of compulsory school age, it is the LEA’s legal duty to ensure this happens. Therefore, when the family applied for asylum and they listed Dominic as being 7, the LEA should have been notified and have contacted Dominic’s parents. This is irrespective of the asylum status. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in work with children and young people Case Study 2 1 Who is being discriminated against? The travelling community are being discriminated against.This case study highlights Sally in particular within the school setting. 2 What kind of discrimination is taking place? Cultural discrimination 3 How might the child experiencing the discrimination feel? Sally might be feeling a loss of motivation as she does not have a progress file, she may feel it is not worth trying her best as she may feel that there is no point as it is not cherished in the same way as her peer’s work is. This could also lead to resentment and anger.A child in this situation could feel depressed and confused, and that her work, and therefore herself as an individual, is not as valued as the other children in her class. This could bring on low self esteem. 4 How might the discrimination affect other children in the setting? The fact that Sally has settled into the nursery school well and that she is enjoying certain activities suggests that the discrimination is stronger amongst the adults in the setting rather than the children.As it is a nursery school the children will be younger and, to a certain extent, less likely to discriminate against Sally because she is a traveller. Another factor to this is that Sally has been there for 3 months which is a long time for children in this age range (normally 0-5 years old) to create friendship bonds, this however may be challenged if the other children notice that sh e is not being treated in the same way by not having a progress file. One very negative aspect is that it is stated that the local community have started a campaign to get the travellers removed from the area.The children within the homes of adults with this view may hear discussions and opinions that have a negative impact on how they see travellers themselves. This could be made worse if they learn that Sally, who is a traveller, is attending the same nursery as their own children and they may see her as someone they wish their children should stay away from. 5 What could be done to prevent the discrimination? The most obvious course of action would be that Sally’s key worker is challenged and reprimanded for her comments and for not having created a progress file for Sally.It should be explained to the key worker how this may make Sally feel and that especially as her key worker, it is the key workers role to make Sally feel included. Colleagues should have questioned why there was not a progress file for Sally, and a discussion, perhaps involving the parents of Sally, as to whether a progress file could be made for her to take with her if she did end up moving out of the area. This could be given to another nursery school as part of continuity in monitoring her progress in key stage 1.It can be difficult in an area where there is a lot of local opposition to a group in society but it would be the responsibility of the nursery to try to educate the children attending, about the travelling community, perhaps with stories and wall displays about their way of life and cultural beliefs. This could help to break the cycle of prejudice and the children may then challenge their parents views, making the parents stop and think about their own actions. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in work with children and young people Case Study 3 1Who is being discriminated against? Daniel 2 What kind of discrimination is taking place? Stereotyping 3 How might the chil d experiencing the discrimination feel? Daniel might be feeling a sense of disempowerment as he might believe that he is unable to challenge the practice of the playgroup even if there are other children who would prefer not to the run around game before snack time as it is insinuated that the children are not asked what they would like to do. There may be other reasons why Daniel doesn’t enjoy the afterschool club that are not explained in the text.He may have hearing problems and more sensitive to noise, this could be made worse by there not being a separate room for the children to go to for some peace and quiet. It may be simply that he needs some quiet time after a long day at school but feels ostracised to a certain extent as, for him to do what he wants he is not only physically, but socially put outside the group to the corners of the room. Although Daniel is happy to play by himself at home, he is of an age and maturity, where he may feel that this is socially unacce ptable when in a large group. This may lead Daniel to feel depressed.How might the discrimination affect other children in the setting? There are probably other children in the setting that, like Daniel would benefit from some quiet time after school, they may be physically and mentally tired but feel that the expectation to join in with the group activity it too much to say no. This can, like Daniel, lead to them feeling disempowered as the playworkers will be encouraging them to conform to the rest of the groups activities. There may also be children with other disabilities, whether they are physical or behavioural that excludes them from joining in the activity.They might then feel depressed or angry that they are not able to participate in something that is done every day. The exclusion could then give them a sense of lowered self esteem. 5 What could be done to prevent the discrimination? The play group should look into finding a separate â€Å"chill out† area for the ch ildren to use. Ideally it would be a room adjacent to the hall so that the noise levels would be greatly reduced, but failing this, a partitioned area that had a television and perhaps a games console would be useful.There could be soft furnishings like bean bags and oversized comfortable pillows for the children to relax on and perhaps read a book at the opposite end of the â€Å"chill out† area to the television. There should also be a weekly rota as to what group activity happens, this could be based on asking the children themselves what group activities, if any, they would like. This could mean that the children who like taking part in a fun quiz, or craft session for example, would be able to participate in a group activity.This would still allow the children who enjoy the run around games the opportunity burn off some energy. Daniel should be assigned a key worker who should notice the difference in his attitude between the morning and afterschool club. If he is assign ed a different person or the key worker does not work both sessions, then there should be discussion between the staff. It should then be raised gently with Daniel and his parent/carer to find out what was wrong. Question 2 Consider how your own attitudes, values and behaviour could impact on work with CYP.My own culture, background and upbringing can have an effect on my attitude towards the children I am working with. It would be important to understand and recognise this as any personal prejudices may lead to me discriminating against certain groups or individuals. It is my legal duty to protect the rights of children and young people. I could overcome this by researching different cultures and disabilities, especially of those children I am working with and by knowing and understanding any special educational needs it would enable me to help and communicate better with the children.If I find out about their own back grounds, abilities and individual needs, it will enable me to b e more effective and provide more appropriate and personalised support for those children. It would also be personally empowering when dealing with a new situation I hadn’t expected.Question 3 Describe what is meant by the term ‘inclusion’ and how this is implemented in schools. Inclusion or inclusive practice is a method of identifying and understanding barriers to participation and belonging. It is then being able to breakdown these barriers to ensure that the children are able to fully participate in all aspects of their school.In a school where inclusion is practiced everyone feels valued. It is not about viewing everyone as the same, or providing everyone with the same equipment, but giving them all the same opportunities to achieve their best through a high quality of education and understanding. Differences and similarities are understood, accepted and celebrated. Pupils should be educated along side their class mates and not segregated when they need supp ort. An example of this could be a child with a sight disability having a magnifier on hand for work books, or the same information in large print ready for him for each lesson.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Effect of computer usage to the academic performance of the selected senior students Essay

INTRODUCTION Video games have come a long way since today’s adults sat down at a computer to play Pong or Donkey Kong. The newest-generation gaming consoles are as powerful as personal computers, and can accomplish many of the same things. And today’s games are increasingly realistic and technologically advanced. Social networking has even made its way into the video game industry with online gaming. These virtual worlds can be complicated and perplexing to parents, which is why it’s important for you to understand what your child is playing and when to get worried. Did You Know? In 2009, over 11 million people played World of Warcraft, an online, subscription fee-based multiplayer game. According to one study, nearly 1 in 10 young gamers displayed behavior patterns similar to addiction.1 The Kaiser Family Foundation found that 8- to 18-year-olds are exposed to an average of 10 hours and 45 minutes of media each day. Whether your child is an avid gamer or rarely picks up a controller, it’s important to understand the world of video games–especially in the age of online gaming–so you can make your child’s experience with games both a positive and a beneficial one. ————— 1. Douglas Gentile, â€Å"Pathological Video Game Use among Youth 8 to 18: A National Study,† CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Background of the study The youth of today no longer seem to spend their leisure activities like in the olden days; outdoor games or playing with toys, instead, they spend their free time in their homes, internet cafà ©s or computer shops simply to satisfy their hunger; and that hunger is Online Gaming. Online gaming has such a profound impact on not only the young, but dynamically every age group as well. So far, virtually anyone is able to go on a computer and  punch through the keys and mouse in order to get a high score, chat with players, get the rarest items, and level up as fast as possible. Yes, there seems to be no restriction as to whom, how or what online gaming can extend to. As in any situation where new technology is introduced, the social impact of the Internet is being looked at. One social problem that has been observed is that the Internet cafà © has become mainly game centres. About one-half to two-thirds of the computers in a typical Internet cafà ©, according to one study, are devoted to games (violent and gory games). The use of the remaining computers was roughly split between browsing, email, online chat, word processing and research. The Internet cafà ©s have become not just game centres. They are becoming centres off addiction among the youth, mostly boys, including elementary school pupils. According to one concerned Internet cafà © entrepreneur, â€Å"Internet cafà ©s are seducing youths to a new form of addiction, one which may not destroy their bodies as drugs do, but which is certainly twisting their minds. To the young play is reality and reality is play.† (Maslog C. (1998) Internet and Social Issues, Philippine Communication Today, Quezon City: New Day Publishers). Online gaming has emerged as a popular and successful source of entertainment and play for people of all ages, especially for the students. It refers to the games that are played over some forms of computer network, typically on the internet. These games are played online, in which you can connect with multiple players. It is normally platform independent, relying on the web browser and appropriate plug-in. It is one of the best inventions that is made ever by human beings. It has the ability to link players together. It has been one of the most popular activities in entertaining for younger people. Because of this, almost everybody is into it. Its fantastic characteristic makes a lot of students become hook on it. It provides entertainment and at the same time, online socialization with different kind of people. But sometimes, it causes negative effects. Development in technology brings many things that people don’t have many years back. One of these things is online gaming that is provided by the internet. Online gaming is one of the widely used leisure  activities by many people. Teenagers who are playing these online games said that they are playing these games just for fun, to keep away from the heat of the sun, without knowing that there are a lot of effects of playing these games that are more than what they think. Playing online games, according to some research is beneficial. It enables the mind of the players to be more active, especially those puzzle-based games. It helps the player to come up with decisions in tight situations, especially those adventure games that keep the players to be alert, active and strategic. Playing these types of games makes the player experienced different feelings because it is as if the player is really the one taking the challenges. Introduction As time passes by, technology continues to evolve. Because of technology, new things were created that sustains and lightens human work. Computers were created because of technology. Computers were the greatest thing ever invented by man itself. In the modern age, computers have become a part of man’s life. Almost all the things around us were made by computers with the aid of modern machines. From the edited books, design, special effects in movies, and televisions etc., were all made by computers. Along with the evolution of technology, computers continue to upgrade as well until the time that computer has now become a part of man’s everyday life that are hooked to computers. Computers can now edit documents to your PC, play mini games, search information you need using the internet, save documents to your PC and play online games. It’s like an all-in-one gadget that can do all the things you want anytime you need it. From 1990 to the present year, online games had a big impact to us especially teenagers. Online games have many genres, including FPS games, MMORPG, Casual games and multiplayer games. A game will become an online game if it involves in using a computer or a series of computers with one player in each computer to battle it out with other players using the Internet depending on the game genre. â€Å"Effects of computer usage to the academic performance of students† Chapter II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE The scope of Computer effects derives a wide scope of related literature that is worth mentioning. In this regard, this literature review concerning the effects of computer usage to the academic performance of students, will address the following areas relevant to this study: History of the Computer; Importance of Computers, Negative Effects of Gaming; Computer Crime; Computer Use recommendations; and conclusion. HISTORY OF THE COMPUTER Many people do not know how, or even when computers were first made. Even before the first electronic computers were made, many people believe that computers started with the abacus, a simple counting device. The abacus is believed to have been built in Babylon in the fourth century B.C. The â€Å"First Generation† of computers started in the very late 1930’s. These computers were grotesquely slow, colossal in size, created much heat, used hundreds of kilowatts of power, and were about as reliable as a used up match (www.pbs.org). As time went on, these computers evolved from using vacuum tubes to transistors. Transistors mark the beginning of the â€Å"Second Generation† of computers in 1947. Unfortunately, the 2nd Generation did not advance as much as most people hoped, but eventually, the â€Å"Third Generation† was brought about by the invention of integrated circuits in 1958. Integrated circuits replaced transistors, and many computer languages came out in this time. Many more computer companies were born during this time, and eventually this led to personal computers for everyday use. Microprocessors introduced the beginning of the â€Å"Fourth Generation† and a time where computers were in almost every house. What Is The Importance Of Computer? Computers are extremely important in the modern world of today. In the fast moving life of the modern world of today, computers hold tremendous significance. Many of us will feel crippled without a computer, as we have gotten so used to this machine. The importance of computers can not be denied in the corporate or business world, at the work place and even in one’s personal life. In the modern work place, pen are paper are becoming extent. It will not be long ,before pen and paper stop to exist altogether. Same is the case in schools and colleges. Children today are forgetting how to write and many blame their awful hand writing on this machine which has taught everyone to type at a speed of at least 50 to 60 words per minute. The children of today have bad handwritings and the children of tomorrow may not even know how to hold a pen. Thanks to the computer. Computer has become an important tool for keeping databases, filing systems, track records. It has made record keeping and account keeping much much easier than it ever was. It helps an organization save tons of times. It has made data analysis extremely easy, and it can be done at a single click of the mouse. Computers also serve as useful tools for communications . Normal post is now commonly referred to as snail mail, as the must faster email has replaced it. INTRODUCTION Development in technology brings many things that people don’t have many years back. One of these things is online gaming that is provided by the internet. Online gaming is one of the widely used leisure activities by many people. Teenagers who are playing these online games said that they are playing these games just for fun, to keep away from the heat of the sun, without knowing that there are a lot of effects of playing these games that are more than what they think. Playing online games, according to some research is beneficial. It enables the mind of the players to be more active, especially those puzzle-based games. It helps the player to come up with decisions in tight situations, especially those adventure games that keep the players to be alert, active and strategic. Playing these types of games makes the player experienced different feelings because it is as if the player is really the one taking the challenges. Despite those benefits, playing these games also bring negative effects. It requires much of the player’s time, leaving school activities and home works unattended. DEFINITION OF TERMS Online gaming —– are games that are played online via the Internet Internet ————— an electronic network of computers that includes nearly every university, government, and research facility in the world. ICAD——————- Internet Cafes Association of Davao City Eyestrain————- pain and fatigue of the eyes, often accompanied by headache, resulting from prolonged use of the eyes, uncorrected defects of vision, or an imbalance of the eye muscles. Obesity————— the condition of being obese; increased body weight caused by excessive accumulation of fat. Aping—————– the act, practice, or art of copying the manner or expression of another Epidemic———— as used in the study, is a widespread or scattering youth violence

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Antony and Cleopatra Essay

Explore the presentation and effects of love in Antony and Cleopatra Antony and Cleopatra is Shakespeare’s peculiarly fluid and intimate historical retelling of the love tale of the Roman soldier, Mark Antony, and the Egyptian queen, Cleopatra. The male protagonist, Antony, is a noble Roman soldier. That being so Shakespeare introduces him as having many cultural personality traits which in this play are affected, alongside with his judgement, by the love he feels for Cleopatra. From the outset of the play, the audience can see that Antony’s judgment has been affected by love. This can be observed from the people in Antony’s company. While it is obvious they regard him as a powerful figure they also disapprove of his relationship with Cleopatra. The audience can see this from Philo’s description of Antony’s â€Å"dotage† that â€Å"O’erflows the measure† (1, 1, 2)1. This shows that his obsession with Cleopatra surpasses a sensible level. Philo says that Antony’s heart has â€Å"become the bellows and the fan/ To cool a gypsy’s lust†. (1, 1, 7-10)2 This shows that some of his former greatness has gone as he has been degraded to serving, what others see as a â€Å"gypsy†. In addition to this the word â€Å"gypsy† also reinforces the Romans disapproval of their relationship as â€Å"gypsy† would give the audience connotations of a promiscuous woman. However moments before this Antony is described to have â€Å"goodly eyes† (1, 1, 2)3 which â€Å"glowed like plated Mars† (1, 1, 4)4. Philo’s reference to â€Å"Mars† the powerful Roman God of war, presents Antony as a powerful, invulnerable God-like being. However this is a demonstration of hyperbole as the reader knows that Antony, no matter how magnificent, is still a fragile and breakable mortal. This use of hyperbole adds humor to the play as the reader identifies the exaggeration and knows that Antony is mortal. This description enables us to see the vivid change in Antony’s judgement. As the play progresses the audience can further observe the deterioration of Antony’s greatness mainly because of awful decisions made by his affected judgement. This mainly happens because he struggles with the choice of whether to devote himself to a life of work, or a life of love. As a powerful Roman military leader and one of the three Roman rulers Antony should have extremely strong work ethics and ideologies, which in turn means any decisions he makes should favour work and responsibility. However this is not the case and his judgement is often affected by his feeling for Cleopatra. In turn this dramatically affects his actions, which contradicts with his ethics of work and responsibility: â€Å"Let Rome in Tiber melt, and the wide arch of the ranged empire fall† (1, 1, 33-4)5. Antony expresses his love for Cleopatra by saying he does not care if the Roman Empire falls. This shows the height of Antony’s love for her and the great deal that she has affected his judgement. This is more so as although this comment rejects Rome it also shows its greatness. As Antony is one of three rulers of Rome it should be his primary concern to uphold the Roman Empire rather than dismissing it for love. In addition to this Antony describes the empire as having a â€Å"wide arch† this metaphor illustrates to the audience that he believes that the Roman Empire is strong and will remain strong without him. Thus he can have a more pleasurable and relaxed lifetime. This quotation is also suggestive of Antony’s highly regarded position in the triumvirate. This is reveled due to Shakespeare’s use of the literary technique of iambic pentameter. As it is very complex to write in it enhances the importance of his speech, this is done primarily because he is stating his passion for Cleopatra which he believes is more important than anything else. During Act 3 Antony catches Thidias kissing Cleopatra’s hand. His jealousy enrages him and he commands his men to â€Å"Take hence this Jack and whip him† (3, 13, 94)6. This is less noble as he displays irrational behavior and angry which are seen as Egyptian traits rather than Roman cultural traits, as Romans are precise, measurable and rational. His treatment of Thidias can be seen as an Egyptian trait mainly because it recalls Cleopatra’s similar treatment to the messenger in Act 2 scene 5 as she also says: â€Å"Thou shall be whipped† (2, 5, 65)7. This again shows irrationality due to love, which both the lovers share. This parallel implies a similarity in their passionate temperament that can be provoked beyond self control. In turn this shows their height of passion as they both are envious and irrationally jealous, which displays the intensity of their love. In addition to this the lack of self control demonstrated by Antony shows his affect of judgment as Romans see self control as an act of responsibly, which is held just as high as their ethics of work. Despite Antony’s less than accurate judgment in previous scenes he is still a Roman at heart and shows certain aspects which benefits Rome and the notion of work. Antony experiences a major emotional struggle when he marries Caesar’s sister Octavia. Antony participates in the marriage for political reasons hoping to cement himself to his responsibilities. However, he was still caught in a struggle between Rome and Egypt.