Our Visual Culture in Arts and Crafts Essay

Ours is a culture of spectacle, which is to say that we thrive on visual entertainment of all sorts (Mulvey, 2002). We love films, television, drama, ads, in addition to the art of the land expressed in art galleries throughout the world. We thrive on these visual entertainers, and so there is a huge industry involved in marketing visual thrills and using them on the people for a purpose. Visual culture is meant to influence the individual that enjoys it, so therefore advertisements add meaning to our lives by informing us about what is new and what is not in the all-important market of goods and services. Experts study the impact of their visual messages to people. In return for their efforts they have come to know that people are influenced by visual messages even if these messages last only a few seconds in an advertisement; and that the mind is like a long-term-memory photographer that may somehow retain everything in the subconscious part of itself. Henceforth are born marketing campaigns selling billions worth of goods and services to humanity. Films, too, cost billions of dollars. They, too, rely on the visual medium to make a living. What is more, films are seen as a necessity of modern life in terms of the culture that they allow ordinary individuals to relate to. Yes, films allow us to feel like we are a part of the culture they represent. Through films, humanity can connect. Connection and communication are the only essential facets of the media (that is, all mediums of communication). Visual art is special not only because it is related to the five senses of humanity; but also because it reveals a culture of science and imagination that we are invited to feel a part of. Every medium of communication is important in the modern world. The Internet plays an important part in the visual culture by bringing the world of visual arts into our homes. It shows us museums as well as the movies, icons of cultural visuals. Visual culture should be a subject of the communication field, as well as psychology and sociology, besides the fine arts. There are various understandings about what constitutes the visual culture, and so there are experts in visual arts that say paintings and similar art forms must not be open to visual-cultural interpretations. In other words, paintings are best left to the human soul to understand and judge (Kamhi, 2004). Visual culture is about quietude, just as much as it is about flourishing through science fiction movies such as the Matrix, and science fiction tv series like the Star Trek. These visual arts and crafts rely on the power of â€Å"effects† (which should also be read as special â€Å"affects†) seeing that these movies rely on the visual medium to produce pictures in the subconscious mind that would hopefully leave a lasting impression on the mind, depending on how powerful the visual message is. A very good medium of communication, such as the Internet encyclopedia by the name of Wikipedia, has a bad reputation because it is written by many experts and people do not always know whether those experts are real or not. Such reality conflicts are also obvious in the visual arts. Star Trek relied on special effects to make a lasting impression on the audience and also by its use of excessive, unique clothes and implements that never appeared real to the audience. We know that Star Wars is a lie, and yet we enjoy it. The reason appears to be that we enjoy unreal kinds of entertainment because they open the mind, allowing us to imagine things through the mind’s eye. All mediums of communication are open to competition and comparisons. Wikipedia may be compared to the Open Course Ware of MIT, for example, because many people find the encyclopedia useful. Wikipedia’s definition for â€Å"visual culture† appears very professional, concrete, correct and real: Visual culture is a field of study that generally includes some combination of cultural tudies, art history, and anthropology, by focusing on aspects of culture that rely on visual images. Among cultural studies theorists working with contemporary culture, this often overlaps with film studies and the study of television, although it can also include video game studies, comics, traditional artistic media, advertising, the Internet and any other medium that has a crucial visual component (â€Å"Visual Culture,† 2007). The above is actually just a part of the definition of the important culture of spectacle. Our generation of men will have literature about our visual culture in the days to come. Earlier generations of humanity did not perhaps have the kind of riches in visual culture that our generation possesses. We have excessive tv and movies that earlier generations did not have because they had not managed to make optimal use of electricity as well as scientific brains. This, indeed, is an important part of the definition of ‘our visual culture. ’ Like Wikipedia, there are visual means of communication that are rejected by certain kinds of people. In the Middle East, for example, it is considered a bad thing to enjoy Western television with girls kissing, beach babes, etc. And so, certain types of visual arts are not acceptable to particular groups of society. To put it another way, no visual culture or any other medium of communication can perhaps fully satisfy all people at the same time. Perhaps only nature can satisfy all people. Nature is an extraordinary feast to the eyes – a free form of visual art available for all and acceptable to all. Besides, nature could be compared to the films we watch and the photography we admire on the covers of golf magazines. Nature is represented by rivers, streams, oceans, mountains, lakes, green spaces, etc. What is a better feast to the eyes? We next explore how and why the visual culture of science fiction movies and tv shows is a visual form of entertainment. A viewer of both Star Trek and the Matrix may believe that one is better than the other, or that none of these visual entertainers are truly entertaining. In order to understand science fiction, it is necessary to know something about the science behind the phenomena being investigated in the film. Day after Tomorrow was a film that explored the possibility of an ice age suddenly hitting humanity when it’s time for global warming to show its true colors. It was a science fiction movie, and yet it was not an excellent representation of visual culture because the director(s) did not pay attention to good cutting/editing of the film. Similarly, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is a famous name, a movie that cannot truly be understood unless one has read a book by the name of Guide to Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Tom Cruise’s episode of the Matrix, on the other hand – a movie about the most handsome man losing his face after he had been in a dream machine – is more interesting because it is filmed beautifully. Beauty is a universal language, and so a viewer does not have to know the ‘secret beyond matter’ to understand the science behind the movie. It was not important to understand the science in this case because beauty was caught on tape. Both Cruise and his girlfriend in the movie are breathtakingly beautiful, and so the movie is a definite hit – one that would leave a lasting impression on the viewer. Then there was an Arnold Matrix with a similar story, and of course, the true Matrix with Keanu Reeves. Both were action-packed, and telling a different story about afterlife, or another life. Yet, Keanu and Arnold were not as handsome as Cruise perhaps, and the latter’s movie left a longer lasting effect on the girls as opposed to the boys. Keanu’s version was a hit especially among boys, although girls enjoyed eyeballing Keanu very much. Genders have differing interpretations of the visual arts. So therefore, it can be imagined that boys enjoyed Keanu’s Matrix more than the girls because boys like violent films – a sociological question to ponder, with reference to the visuals of the culture. The best visual culture of arts and films is made by the minds that work on lasting impression. Our visual culture has the capacity to change and shape people, which is why foreigners refer to Americanization as the standardization/globalization of American films and television shows available in all countries abroad. Those who enjoy Americanization and take comfort in a culture that appears tolerant and good to them, are lovers of the visual arts of the West. For them, movies such as the Matrix (all episodes) and shows such as Star Trek are culture definers. The world understands us better because of our visual arts. Thus, it is very important to concentrate on what we want others to know about us in the future. It is essential to ask: Is our visual culture going to be admired by our descendants? It would be easiest for future generations to understand us by looking at our visual arts preserved in museums, homes, books, and the on the World Wide Web. Improved technology has also made it possible to preserve films and television shows in good packaging and systems such as the DVD’s. We are providing improved quality of visual arts to our culture at all times. What we keep in our records will be taught in schools of tomorrow. Hence, it is very important to leave good messages behind, and in good quality films that easily leave a lasting impression on people. Science is a defining attribute of the modern era. What we leave behind in visual arts in terms of science fiction movies has got to reveal that we, as a society of the twenty first century, were thoroughly drenched in scientific facts and we were exploring the universe by the use of imagination. The latter generation of the twentieth century was already exploring time relativity in Back to the Future series. Besides time traveling, our society is interested in a lot more scientific details, such as volcanoes, trips to Mars, etc. Mission to Mars is a new film of bad-to-good quality, perhaps as well filmed as old Back to the Future series. Matrix is perhaps the most modern specimen. It is an unforgettable story, after all. I believe that Matrix is the paragon of modern science fiction films. But then, this is just a single person’s opinion. What society thinks collectively about a visual arts project is generally considered more acceptable an interpretation of the art form, although this argument may not necessarily be true. In the case of Matrix and its contemporary films, the fact is nevertheless that the episodes about life versus dreams were more important for the general public to enjoy in the era of quantum mechanics. Films such as Back to the Future were good in their own time – right after Einstein. Science is constantly moving ahead, and so we may expect science fiction films to improve further. Damien Broderick’s (2000) â€Å"Tearing Toward the Spike† is truly a work of art as far as the imagination of the author is concerned. Mankind is seeking knowledge at greater depths than ever before. What is the future of humanity? – Broderick’s paper answers the question with various creative scenarios, including a future that resembles a black hole, and a â€Å"‘dinosaur-killer’ asteroid† that strikes humanity in the middle of the day. At the same time, the author invites the reader to imagine any number of scenarios on his or her own. As a matter of fact, Broderick’s paper is an invitation for the reader’s very own stream of consciousness to burst forth. It is a mind opener, as well as an attempt to analyze unlimited possibilities. It is very easy to make a visual art treat using the imagination of the paper. Even so, it may very well be that the evolutionists would read the paper differently from the creationists. This is because the creationists are typically those that would like to remain compatible with their belief that the world would end when the Day of Judgment begins. On the other hand, there is no restriction on the faculty of the imagination in both the theory of creation and that of evolution. Both God and chance allow for unlimited possibilities, after all. What is more, in visual arts, it is best to have competitions of quality as well as theory. If evolutionists and creationists both make science fiction movies, they would most probably add to the spice of life in the modern world of spectacle. A variety of different visual treats is definitely good for the human soul. Besides, the greatest thing about visual arts is that it is possible for anybody in the world to join in and become an artist and/or an entertainer/performer. The quality of the visual medium must be taken care of. At the same time, since visual culture refers specifically to â€Å"culture,† it is an unforgettable truth about our world that certain forms of art are still not acceptable to all people of the world. In Iran, Buddha’s sculptures would be rejected. Similarly, Star Trek may be more entertaining than Matrix depending on what we are concentrating on in our appreciation of the craft of moviemaking. Various perspectives are involved in understanding visual culture. The fact remains, still, that our visual culture is a necessity in our lives, and must be good at all costs.

Sand Dust Storm in China

Global Conference on Natural Disasters | Sand dust storm in China | Focus on China | | Contents 1. 0 Introduction2 2. 0 Sand Dust Storm in China2 2. 1 Definition2 2. 2 Location2 2. 3 When did it happen? 2 2. 4 What caused the event? 2 2. 5 What areas were affected? 2 3. 0 Effects and Damage of Sand Dust Storm2 3. 1 Short and long term effects2 3. 2 Extent of the Damage2 4. 0 Historic Records and Extent of effects of Sand Dust Storm2 4. 1 Historic Records of Sand Dust Storm in Beijing2 4. 2 Main damage ways of Sand Dust Storm2 4. 3 Damage of Sand Dust Storm2 . 0 Prevention and Positive effects of Sand Dust Storm2 5. 1 Causes of Sand Dust storm2 5. 2 Prevention2 5. 3 Positive outcomes from the disaster2 6. 0 The End2 Conclusion2 Recommendations2 Reference list2 1. 0 Introduction This report is authorised by the attending of a global conference on natural disasters. It focuses on one of main problems of China and uses a descriptive statistical method to analyse the historical overview o f global natural disasters to ascertain the influence of sand dust storm on China. 2. 0 Sand Dust Storm in China 2. Definition â€Å"A sand storm is basically a wind storm that carries sand through the air, forming a relatively low cloud near the ground† (Coenraads 2006, 234). â€Å"Most sandstorms occur in the sandy areas of deserts. Some occur on beaches; dry riverbeds; or deposits of gravel, sand, and silt called alluvial fans† (Dirks 2010, 110). â€Å"Dust storms form in semi-arid and arid regions where small dust and sand particles are blown into the air† (Coenraads 2006, 234). â€Å"A dust storm may occur hundreds of miles and rise to a height of more than 305 meters.It carries as much as 875 metric tons of dust particles per cubic kilometre of air† (Dirks 2010, 392). 2. 2 Location Strong dust storms hit Xinjiang Autonomous Region, Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei, Beijing, Hong Kong and Taiwan. (2010 China drought and dust storms 2010) 2. 3 W hen did it happen? It happened on March 22, 2010. (2010 China drought and dust storms 2010) 2. 4 What caused the event? Beijing meteorological offices director GuoHu said, â€Å"This influence of Beijing's dust source is in Mongolia and in middle Inner Mongolia region.The dust was wafted from thousands of meters altitude by the conveying of strong winds. From the perspective of meteorology, this is unstoppable climate phenomena† (Xinhua NET 2010). 2. 5 What areas were affected? The other areas were affected where were â€Å"South Korea, North Korea and Japan by March 22, before being carried across the Pacific Ocean by the jet stream, with some dust reaching the West Coast of the United States† (2010 China drought and dust storms 2010). 3. 0 Effects and Damage of Sand Dust Storm 3. 1 Short and long term effects â€Å"The dust storm in late March spiralled around a strong low pressure system.Many areas recorded an extremely rare level 5 â€Å"hazardous† rating f or air quality. Many flights in Beijing were also delayed or cancelled. Air pollution readings in Hong Kong reached a record high, reaching at least 15 times the recommended maximum levels by the World Health Organization. Taiwan also reported a new record for worst sandstorm conditions. A strong sandstorm tore through Turpan in Xinjiang on April 23, sparking fires that killed two people and forcing a shutdown of rail and road traffic for six hours† (2010 China drought and dust storms 2010). . 2 Extent of the Damage According to the news releases of the state forestry administration desertification monitoring centre of China on March 28 2010, Extent of the Damage of Sand Dust Storm affected 304 counties of 11 provinces and the air of 6 key cities was severely Polluted. The affected area is about 1. 20 square kilometres, the affected population is about 70 million people, and cultivated land area was affected more than 6. 4 million hectares, garden area was more than 1. million hectares, grassland area was more than 65 million hectares. (2010 new composition in the exams preparation material: climate and environment 2010) 4. 0 Historic Records and Extent of effects of Sand Dust Storm 4. 1 Historic Records of Sand Dust Storm in Beijing Sand Dust Storm does not only appear in the present times, it has already appeared since ancient times. The Sand Dust Storm has appeared since 1425 in Beijing. It normally mainly appeared in Beijing from January to April in Chinese calendar. The probability is 83. 6%. It has appeared almost annually since 2000. (Dr. Mars 2010) 4. 2 Main damage ways of Sand Dust Storm Firstly it is the strong wind. The strong wind uses sand and dust to destroy buildings and public facilities and cause the casualties of people and livestock. Secondly it is sand buried. The wind-drift sand causes a lot of events they are farmland, channel, cottages, railway and pasture were sand buried, and especially cause serious threat for transportation. Th e third way is wind erosion, and the last way is air pollution. Dr. Mars 2010) 4. 3 Damage of Sand Dust Storm The sand dust storm mainly causes 5 results. They are ecological environment deterioration, damage of production and life, losses of lives and property, damage traffic safety and harm to human health. (Dr. Mars 2010) 5. 0 Prevention and Positive effects of Sand Dust Storm 5. 1 Causes of Sand Dust storm The causes of sand dust storm might be degeneration of grassland and vegetation and excessive reclamation. 5. 2 Prevention The Sand Dust Storm has not been prevented yet.Beijing meteorological offices director GuoHu said,† As long as the sediment sources exist, sandstorm will not disappear† (Xinhua NET 2010). 5. 3 Positive outcomes from the disaster Although there is much harm of sandstorm, but the whole process of sandstorm is a part of natural ecosystem. It can slow the damage of greenhouse effect and slow the acid rain or soil acidification. (TT Aixuan 2010) 6. 0 The End Conclusion The sand dust storm is caused by degeneration of grassland and vegetation and excessive reclamation.Although it is a part of natural ecosystem, it causes lots of damages like: ecological environment deterioration, damage of production and life, losses of lives and property, damage traffic safety and harm to human health. We should try to prevent it with the ways like establish forecast system of sandstorm and improve environmental governance and environmental protection. Recommendations From this research report, we can find a nature rule that is if human cannot protect earth and make the ecological balance ourselves; earth will use its own way to make the balance.But here is a problem that is normally the method of earth uses is more harmful for human than our own way. Reference list 2010 China drought and dust storms. 2010. Wikipedia. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/2010_China_drought_and_dust_storms#cite_note-21 (accessed November 24, 2010). 2010 new compositi on in the exams preparation material: climate and environment. 2010. http://peng99. com/zuowen/Article/2852_2. shtml (accessed November 25, 2010). Coenraads, R. 2006. Natural disasters and how we cope. Victoria: The Five Mile Press. Dirks, A. 2010. Dust storm in The World Book Encyclopedia.Vol. 5. Chicago: World Book. Dirks, A. 2010. Sandstorm in The World Book Encyclopedia. Vol. 17. Chicago: World Book. Dr. Mars. 2010. Beijing sand dust storm. http://baike. baidu. com/view/3381041. htm (accessed November 26, 2010). TT Aixuan. 2010. Sand duststorm. Bai Du Encyclopedia. http://baike. baidu. com/view/2097. htm (accessed November 24, 2010). Xinhua NET. 2010. Meteorological experts: as long as the sediment sources exist, Beijing sandstorms will not disappear. http://news. sina. com. cn/c/2010-03-20/114119905302. shtml (accessed November 26, 2010).

Are Advertisements Aimed at Teenagers Effective? And, are They Ethical?

Questions to research: Are advertisements aimed at teenagers effective? And, are they ethical? My Response: Most advertisements aimed at teenagers are effective, but usually are not ethical. Most marketers have many ways of gathering information on teenagers spending habits and what is most important to teens. With this information they’re able to create advertisements that will appeal to most teens and create profit. Many people argue that some or most of these ads aren’t ethical because they will create a problem or insecurity and then give the solution to that problem in the form of their product.Teens will listen to other teens in ads. http://www. utalkmarketing. com/pages/article. aspx? articleid=14465&title=teens-will-listen-to-other-teens-in-ads Central Idea: The most effective ads show teens using and enjoying a product. The least effective were those that caused an emotional response. A teen’s acceptance of ads varies according to the media platform. The medium with the lowest teen ad acceptance was texting. The â€Å"Teen Advertising Study†, compiled with the help of the University of Massachusetts, showed that teens were more susceptible to online ads if they could relate to it and if they found it funny.Advertising to Teens http://suite101. com/a/advertising-to-teens-a14289 Central Idea: Marketers love teens because they easily spend money on â€Å"luxury† items such as clothing, electronics, and music. They mostly make their purchase decisions independently, have significant influence on family purchases, and companies know that once they have â€Å"branded† a child, they are likely to be customers for life. They reach kids by advertising in magazines, movies, TV shows, and on the internet. Companies get info about kids spending habits from internet â€Å"quizzes† and â€Å"surveys†.Marketers know how to capitalize on important teen issues and anxieties, like body image, peer acceptance, cooln ess, and need for power. Marketers often use a theme or attitude like sex or alcohol and drug use that seems to raise the â€Å"coolness factor† of their product. Advertising is so effective because it creates insecurities about things such as appearance. Successful ads convince the viewer that they have a problem and then offer the solution, which is the product they’re selling.This gives off the messages that teens aren’t good enough the way they are and many kids unwillingly buy into that message which is causing kids to grow up in the most materialistic society we’ve ever had. Most of the things that are advertised to teens do not promote healthy development.Central Idea: In one year, teens view more than 40,000 ads on TV alone while also being exposed to ads on the internet, in magazines, and in schools.Teens are often the main target for marketers because they are always willing to spend money on the newest â€Å"luxury† items. Teens strive t o have the newest electronics, clothing, and other overly advertised items. Marketers know how to target teen issues such as body image, peer pressure, and the need for acceptance. On average, teens are exposed to 3,000 ads per day. Teenagers, on average, spend $155 billion per year on advertised products, also influencing their parents to spend another $200 billion per year. Recent studies have shown tobacco companies use their ads to target teens as young as 13-years-old.Another major advertiser is the alcohol industry, using ads that feature young, attractive people drinking or posing with their beverages. Ads affect teen psychologically by exposing them to ads that suggest they are not what the entertainment business considers attractive. Ads can be harmful to teens by lowering their self-esteem. Children, Adolescents, and Advertising http://pediatrics. aappublications. org/content/118/6/2563. full Central Idea: Children and teens view 40,000 ads per year on TV alone even though the Children’s Television Act of 1990 limits advertising on children’s programming to 10.5 minutes/hour on weekends and 12 minutes/hour on weekdays.M-rated video games, which are not recommended for children younger than 17-years-old, are frequently advertised in movie theaters, video game magazines, and publications with high youth readership. Young people see 45% more beer ads and 27% more ads for hard liquor in teen magazines than adults to in their magazines. An increasing number of web sites try to get teens to make direct sales. More than 100 commercial websites promote alcohol products.Most advertisers use techniques that children and teens are more vulnerable to, like product placement in movies and TV shows, action figures, kid’s clubs, and celebrity endorsements. Sex is used in commercials to sell almost anything now. American ads constantly use thin female models, which contribute to the development of self-esteem issues in young girls. Thesis Statem ent With marketers aiming their advertisements more towards teens every day, researchers are looking into how effective and ethical these advertisements really are. OutlineThe Ethics and Effectiveness on Advertising toward Teens Thesis statement: With marketers aiming their advertisements more towards teens every day, researchers are looking into how effective and ethical these advertisements really are. I. Teens are being exposed to advertisements more each day. a. . Companies gather info about teens’ spending habits from internet â€Å"quizzes† and â€Å"surveys†. b. Children and teens view more than 40,000 ads per year on TV alone. c. More than 160 magazines are now targeted towards teens. II. Different factors will make an ad effective.a. Teen’s acceptance of ads depends on the media platform. i. Sponsorships of live events had the highest level of acceptance. ii. Text messaging had the lowest level of acceptance. b. Least effective ads were those tha t caused an emotional response.The advertising strategies marketers use have been shown to be unethicalM-rated video games are frequently advertised in movie theaters, video game magazines, and publications with high youth readershipYoung people see 45% more beer ads and 27% more ads for hard liquor in teen magazines than  adults to in their magazines.Advertising is so effective because it creates insecurities about things such as appearance.American ads constantly use thin female models, which contribute to the development of self-esteem issues in young girls.Gives off the message that teens aren’t good enough the way they are.Body Paragraphs I believe that the advertisements aimed at teens are effective, but unethical. Through a number of research tactics marketers are finding ways to keep up with the ever changing trends in teen culture.With the information they gather they’re able to produce advertisements that ultimately pressure their audience into buying their product. With marketers aiming their advertisements more towards teens every day, researchers are looking into how effective and ethical these advertisements really are. Technology based advertisements are effective among teens because of how often they are exposed to ads, the ads appeal to their lifestyles, and even sometimes pressure teens into buying their products. Advertisements have rapidly been integrated into the world around us.â€Å"Young people view more than 40 000 ads per year on television alone and increasingly are being exposed to advertising on the Internet, in magazines, and in schools. † Teens are heavily influenced by these ads because of how often they are exposed to them. Marketers are gathering information about teens’ spending habits through quizzes and surveys. ‘Teen Advertising Study’, which was compiled in conjunction with the University of Massachusetts, revealed that teens were more susceptible to online advertising if they co uld relate to it and if they found it funny. †With information like this they’re able to determine what type of ads would be effective on the teens of today. Different factors can make an ad effective, such as how they’re viewed and if it’s relatable to their audience. The most effective ads showed teens using and enjoying their product. For example, in this PlayStation 4 Interface commercial, you’re shown teens happy with their product and you’re given a glimpse of some features. This is considered an effective ad because it features the newest upgrade of their product, they’re being shown new features and games, and seeing other teens happy  with the product would give them a positive feeling about having it.This ad also shows both genders enjoying their product, suggesting they support both genders using the PS4. An example of an ineffective ad would be the Microsoft Surface commercial, in this commercial you can see people enjoyi ng their product but you’re not given a look at what their product can do. It’s a fun ad to watch, but it doesn’t provide enough information for a teen to considering buying their product. Lastly, many advertisements aimed at teens have been said to be unethical in order to be effective.Marketers will bring up a problem in their advertisement; this problem might be based on social status, then they will provide a solution in the form of their product. For example, in this Samsung Galaxy S4 commercial you see only younger people using their product while the older people are just learning about this product. This suggests that if you have their product you’d be cool and up to date with the world around you. This ad seems to guilt the target into thinking what they have isn’t good enough and their product would make them cooler. Conclusion In conclusion, I think advertisements aimed at teens are effective, but unethical.Teens are being exposed to adv ertisements more each day. Advertisements can be found all around them, in schools, online, through T. V. , etc. Marketers are constantly doing research to improve ads to be more appealing to their target audience, teens. Through the information they gather, they can create advertisements that will persuade their audience into buying their product. An effective ad would feature other teens enjoying their product. An effective, but unethical ad, would be an ad that brings up a problem, such as a teen’s social status, and then present a solution in the form of their product.

Lung cancer Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Lung cancer - Research Paper Example In the United States, about 203,536 people are found to suffer from the disease regardless of sex with death of over 157, 000 victims in 2010 (www.cdc.gov/cancer/lung). Other countries have showed the same trend. In Europe, many countries showed high rate of deaths with Hungary in the top list having deaths that reached over a hundred victims a day. In Canada, lung cancer accounts for 30% death with cases of women on the rise. Far East Asia is not spared from the disease. Philippines alone have 43 daily cases of deaths. Taiwan and Japan share the same sentiment regarding the disease. China also has continual increase in numbers who die from the disease (Pastorino, 102). This scenario provides a picture that lung cancer is prevalent worldwide regardless of sex. Limiting the incidences of the lung cancer involves understanding the pathophysiology, causes, signs and symptoms, and diagnosis to be able to treat the disease at an earlier stage and to prevent high prevalence of its occurren ces. Pathophysiology The normal lung cell consist of two layers namely the columnar cells and basal cells. The columnar that contains mucus and covered with cilia makes up the surface layer. Basal cell which is the second layer contains the nuclei and basement membrane which in turn composes the glands, blood, blood vessels and lymphatic vessels. The initial response to a carcinogenic agent occurs in the tracheobronchial epithelium within the basal cells. Number of cells increase as it is triggered with the inhalation of any carcinogenic agents and referred to as carcinomas. This happens because oncogenes which make the body susceptible to cancer are activated. When a carcinogen enters the body, it binds with the DNA of the lung cells causing changes and differentiation of the cell. The structures of the cells are damaged which may cause abnormal growth. As the cell division continues to occur, the damaged DNA is also passed to the daughter cells and undergoes further mutations. Cel l growth becomes unstable and genetic changes accumulate. The pulmoepithelium in turn undergoes malignant transformation from normal epithelium to invasive carcinoma (Day, et al, p 558). Among the lung cancer type, adenocarcinoma is the most prevalent. However, when cancer cells metastasize, the tracheal and broncheal lymph nodes are the earliest to show signs of the spread to distant lymph nodes, organs, kidneys and brain. On the other hand, broncheoalveolar type is usually slow in nature than other types. Pleural effusion results as an effect of direct involvement of the pleura, obstruction of mediastinal lymphatics, throracic duct, pulmonary lymphatics, and atelectasis with pneumonitis and pulmonary embolus. Causes Lung cancer is believed to have many causes. It could be provoked with many carcinogens like tobacco smoke, radiations and viral infections. Although the disease is known to be a familial tendency, the risk depends with the exposure to carcinogenic risk factors. Almost all types of lung cancer are caused by tobacco smoke. About 90% of patients seeking medical help are found to be directly exposed to it. The most affected cells are the small squamous types. Tobacco contains multiple components however, not all of these may cause lung cancer. It is known that there are only a few that may really trigger the cells to undergo changes. Mazzone (p1) in his study identified N-nitrosamines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to be the two most carcinogens that are

An report for the subject Contemporary Developments in Business and Essay

An report for the subject Contemporary Developments in Business and Management - Essay Example The problem does not finish here. In fact, it emanates from here. There is an array of internal and external influences cast upon any contemporary business organization. Economic conditions fluctuate, systems and processes undergo changes, competitors launch fresh assaults and shareholders pressurize. But the organization explores specific ways to deal with all these crests and troughs. In fact, organizations develop strategic approaches to adapt and flourish with the constantly changing internal and external environment. There are various external and internal factors that influence the functioning of a business enterprise. Researches and studies have brought forth the following major parameters that affect the business process: These are broad outlines. Different factors interact with one another to give rise to a complicated business management problem. For instance, analysis of contemporary organizational and people management issues in the context of change, innovations and imitations brings forth issues of leadership style, facilitation of creativity and the systemic management of complex change. Similarly, the role of technology has to be analyzed as both a source and enabler of change. All this implies that different factors affect the overall business environment. Therefore, it becomes important to analyze them both from a larger and a specific perspective before adopting a new approach to deal with a situation. The tasks of crafting, implementing and executing company strategies are the heart and soul of a business enterprise. Therefore it is imperative to strategize keeping into consideration the gamut of external and internal factors that affect the business on the whole. Successful companies recognize and respond profitably to all these factors, which actually are a host of unmet needs and trends. These companies realize that the business environment presents a never-ending series of opportunities and threats. Consequently, the

Smart House for Senior with Alzheimer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Smart House for Senior with Alzheimer - Essay Example According to (Latfi,2000, pg.1-10)â€Å"The life of a person suffering from Alzheimer’s is literally governed by the disease which keeps on progressing as time goes on. As the disease progresses, the subject become more vulnerable and finds it harder and harder to adapt to new situations, even very simple ones†. One group of people who has benefited enormously from the smart home facility is the senior citizens of America. The American population with Alzheimer and who are in their 60s and 70s are able to live intelligently with this medical facility. Since this medical facility offers many technological devices for the patients to use the life comes with much ease to them. Senior citizens with Alzheimer’s mostly have memory loss and physical impairment which can be overcome with smart home technology. An old person can engage in daily chores with smart home facility as they can participate in verbal and physical activities with less difficulty. Senior citizens can age gracefully with smart home and this point will be further established with following explanation of smart phone medical facility. Smart home is a haven for Alzheimer patients as it is a solution to them to lead a healthy life. These intelligent houses fit well with the needs of senior citizens as they give cognitive assistance in the form of prompts and technical devices. These technical devices are embedded within the house amenities they use and co- ordinate well with their home environment. Thus senior citizens who are AD patients can adapt well to their living environment as smart homes gives efficient lifestyle to them. The smart homes offer automation technology and innovative home atmosphere which gives senior citizens with AD a life of comfort and health. In his article (Mahoneya,2007,pg.217-226) states that â€Å"Residential monitoring technologies are applications designed to be used in consumers’ personal living spaces, ranging from private homes to multiple-unit

Japanese Tea House Architecture Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Japanese Tea House Architecture - Research Paper Example One would think that, with the profound implication of the tea ceremonies, that the tea houses would be elaborate. Actually, just the opposite is true – the houses are austere, simple. The features of the houses afford a way for the guests to hide from the outside world. This is because, as the opening sentence stated, they house another world, another reality. After all, the participants in the house, noblemen, peasant, warrior alike, are all equal. This is indicative of an alternate reality. Also, the ceremonies are a way for the people to leave their real life behind, and concentrate only on the moment. The tea house thus serves the same function as the tea ceremonies themselves – they are a way, if only for a few hours, to destroy class structure and the real world. Tea ceremonies came about through the practice of Buddhist Monks who needed to stay awake during their meditations, and later became a part of Zen rituals in honor of Bodhidharma, the Zen monks first patriarch.1 From this, the tea ceremonies became a place where friends gathered to discuss certain objects and their artistic merits, such as various paintings and calligraphy, flower arrangements and the utensils used for these ceremonies. 2 The tea host himself had to be adept at certain knowledge, such as what scrolls to hang during the ceremony, and the meaning of these scrolls, which presumed knowledge of classical literature.3 He also must have been conversant about the articles that are either displayed or used in the tea ceremony: utensils, the flowers, the distinction of the burning incense, the incense burner itself, the dipping ladle, the water heater vessel and the tea container. 4 He must have known the protocol of the ceremony – greeting and conversing with guests p roperly and the manners and courtesies that must be observed. In short, the tea host, or tea master, must have been cognizant of Japanese culture, as these ceremonies

Brief assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Brief - Assignment Example then the enforcement would operate to deprive the Shute’s the clear day to the court to pursue justice following the evidence given by the petitioner indicating that they was hindrances when pursuing ligation be it due financial capability or physically challenged ( Phillip134) Reasoning: Since the statement that was produced by the petitioner was freely acted they negotiated on the issue to board the ship thus, does not support fully determination of the court order on the forum brought forward by the plaintiff. The clause in a passage contract is not enforceable in an easy manner simply because the contract was not subjected for bargaining. In this case it is completely out of reason to assume that cruise passenger would bargain the term of the contract regarding to the cruise ticket form. Nevertheless, it is permissible in such of kind of contract to follow he clause that cruise could subject a cruise line to ligation in different interest hence, expelling confusion on the filed suit when defended thereby sparing the plaintiff time and operating cost ( Charles 96) Decision and Remedy: Following a serious inconvenience caused by the plaintiff Carnival Cruise are enforced to stick to the agreement despite of Shute bargaining for the ticket thereby litigation is pursued on Plaintiff (Phillipe 65) Fact: The plaintiff suit a case on a assumed action in California state court against T-mobile claiming breach of the state’s unfair business practices statute occurring out of early termination fees charged the service providers through telephone line hence, the sale contract locked cellular phones making it not easy for customers to use following switch of another carrier (Dan 34) Issue: The compelled arbitration pursuant to the service agreement negotiation clause which propels they class action waiver to T- Mobile service provider hence, causing the provision statement unenforceable (Dan 300) Reasoning: According to federal Arbitration Act anticipate

Film Michael Collins Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Film Michael Collins - Movie Review Example Collins, one of those who participated as a foot soldier in the rebellion, was captured after the crushing of the Easter Rebellion. However, he was released and began carrying out and played an important role in revitalizing the armed resistance. He pioneered urban guerrilla warfare. He established a grassroots army of volunteers made up of young idealists and poor workers to fight for freedom. Others acted as an intelligence network that looked for information to expose British informers and spies, Irishmen who by working for the British were seen as traitors to the cause of national independence. This basic formula of forming an informal army, acting in small effective and closely-knit teams, consisting of poor and marginalized idealists, most of them young, who then used violence, force, and fear to intimidate an overwhelmingly powerful and organized ruling government, has been copied by later rebel leaders and Marxist revolutionary thinkers, notably Che Guevara and Carlos Marighella. Collins realized that attacking an organized force on the latter's own terms characterized by larger numbers and superior firepower would be futile. Having small forces attacking specific targets with impunity and relying on precise information would, and proved to be, more effective. What resulted were years of brutal violence. However, instead of pressuring the British to capitulate, there would be an escalating spiral of death and conflict, leading to the formation and growth in size and power of what would later become the Irish Republican Army (IRA). This background of violence, brutality, and revenge is the basis of the troubles that continue to wreck Northern Ireland and has served as the inspiration for terrorist groups that endanger the world to this day. The film showed that while Collins deep in his heart was not in favor of brutal violence to achieve the noble end of freedom for which he fought, he found it the best way to catch attention and increase the popular support for their cause. In retaliation to the Irish's guerrilla tactics, every act was met with greater impunity by the British Army, which in turn had a legitimate reason of its own for suppressing an armed rebellion of what it believed to be a part of the United Kingdom. Realizing that violence was not a long-term solution but was becoming part of a problem that was becoming bigger, Collins showed his willingness to compromise after the British agreed to allow the Irish to establish a political party that legitimately participated in the British parliament. This strategy of legitimizing rebellious groups by making them participate in the democratic mainstream has likewise been used by nations to diffuse violence and allow due process to take its course. But it was short-lived, as the newly-elected Sinn Fein party representatives changed their minds and declared independence for Ireland, organizing the IRA to counteract British efforts to suppress the rebellion. This turned out to be the cause of his downfall, because as his power within the independence movement grew, his comrades

Dualism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Dualism - Essay Example In Metaphysics, it holds that there are two realities: material and immaterial whereas, in the Philosophy of the Mind, it holds that the body and soul are categorically two completely different substances. In addition, the Minds’ Philosophy adjoins that the mental fact comprises of a small number of aspects that are by nature non-physical (â€Å"Dualism – Mind/Brain†). This concept is justified because we have a conscious state since we are able to have thoughts, emotions, desires, sensations and beliefs. In addition, that if the mind was merely a material substance comprising only of physical aspects, we would not be able to classify actions as intelligent or otherwise. Fundamentally, this concept opposes that of materialism, as the mind does not operate on a pre-set manner (Mastin). Scientifically, dualism can be explained using the fact that if one wanted to read our thoughts, they would not merely do so by looking at the brain waves; they would have to ask us. From a religious viewpoint, dualism is explained by the fact that people have faith in a Supreme Being; therefore, ascribe themselves to various religions, which consequently determine their actions in certain situations (Mastin). Property Dualism- this classification argues that the brain is an indistinct substance constituting of independent attributes that arise from the brain; hence, mental attributes come up because of the manner in which living human beings are made up. Predicate Dualism- this classification maintains that the psychological occurrences we have cannot be reduced to physical predicates in our innate languages; thus, we cannot explain the reality of the world through mere predicates i.e. description of the subject of a proposition. Initiated by Immanuel Kant in the 17th century, categorical imperative is the core principal behind moral evaluation. It proposes that every action we take when in a particular situation

How the women in two stories are treated by the men in their lives Essay Example for Free

How the women in two stories are treated by the men in their lives Essay Examine how the women in two stories are treated by the men in their lives Two short fiction stories which show how women are treated by the men in their lives are The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion and Weekend. The first story is a pre-1914 story called The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion and it is written by Thomas Hardy. The story is set in 1801 and it was published in 1891.The other story is a more modern story as it is set in the late twentieth century and was published in 1981. It is called Weekend and it is written by a feminist writer called Fay Weldon. The main theme of The Melancholy of the German Legion is how a woman is treated with little independence and how the main female character, Phyllis Grove, tries to find her own freedom by forming a strong friendship with a German soldier that escalates into a relationship. Phyllis is a shy, young character who lives in a secluded manor house with her father, Dr Grove, who was a professional and well-respected gentleman. There now appears to be a lack of money in the Grove household. She is very wary of people due to her sheltered life of solitude, which is mainly the result of her fathers own seclusion, her social condition was twilight. She doesnt appear to have a job as she is the unmarried daughter and she has to look after her father. This was very common for women in the nineteenth century as they didnt have the freedom to go to work and make a career for themselves. Women who were of a low social class would have done very menial jobs, such as maid or dairy maid. Martha is the female in focus in the story Weekend. The story appears to be set in the late 1980s to the early 19990s. The social class of the family in focus is working class as they do not appear to be poor or extremely rich. Martha is a middle-aged market researcher who is married to Martin, a freelance designer and together they have three children called Jolyon, Jenny and Jasper. She has a rather hectic lifestyle looking after three children, running a home, holding down a full-time job and being at her demanding husbands beck and call there was the car to unpack and the beds to make up and the electricity to connect, and the supper to make and the cobwebs to remove. The main theme of this story is how hard Martha has to work and how little recognition she receives in return. She has to play the role of the happy little housewife to please her domineering husband and informs us of how hard her life was made by her husband, the man who is meant to love her. Despite the way she is treated by her husband, she is educated to university standard and she is most probably going to overtake her husband in earnings. The main male characters in The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion each treat Phyllis in a different manor. Her father, Dr Grove, seems very over-protective of her and likes his life of seclusion. This may be because he lost his wife and feels that it is his duty to make sure that no harm comes of Phyllis and that he thinks he knows what is best for his daughter. When Humphrey Gould asked Mr Grove for his daughters hand in marriage, Mr Grove accepted without even consulting Phyllis. Mr Grove considered this to be a good move for his daughter as Humphreys family had a respectable social position in the community and he could provide for her. Even though Mr Grove treats his daughter with the respect she deserves, he still refrains her from having her freedom and the right to chose who she wants to marry. Humphrey Gould himself was a thirty-year-old bachelor from an old local family, who was neither good-looking nor positively plain. He seemed extremely happy to have Phyllis as his wife-to-be and gave the impression that he would take good care of her and had great respect for her. He treated her as a lady with great respect, but despite the good image we get of Gould in the beginning of the story, we soon see a different side of him. He goes away to Bath and doesnt keep Phyllis informed of his whereabouts and she is left questioning whether the engagement is still on or not. When he eventually returns he tells her that he has married another young woman, who he describes as being a dear young belle. This action wasnt very thoughtful on his behalf and even though Phyliss didnt really want to marry him and didnt love him, she still fells slightly betrayed. The only male in The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion who doesnt treat women as though they are objects and treats Phyllis with the amount of respect and freedom she truly deserves is Matthaus Tina. He was a German soldier in the York Hussars regiment and was staying close to where Phyllis lived. He had travelled to England with his brother Christoph, due to The War of the Second Coalition, and had left his mother in his native town of Saarbuck. After Phyllis had first met Matthaus she couldnt stop thinking about him and described him as so striking, so handsome, and his eyes were so blue. He was twenty-two and had quite a high position in the German Army as a corporal. He treated Phyllis as though she were equal to him and there was no hint of a divide between them due to her being female. He respected her fully and never let her down, unlike Humphrey Gould who broke off the engagement. He may have treated her with more respect and freedom than the other main men in her life as he was German and in his country they may have been more hospitable towards women. Martin is the male in focus in Weekend and his is a very obnoxious character. He is married to Martha and he is a freelance designer and there are clues in the story which suggest that he is in his forties, for example he watches the BBC2 news, which is typical of a middle-aged person. Martin treats Martha as more of a servant than a wife and he puts all of the responsibilities onto her. He seems to think that he is too good to be doing housework and odd-jobs and Martha is left to do long lists of chores, prepare tea and sandwiches for the family: then she would strip four beds, the chores seem endless. Martin is also very particular about how he like things to be done, which means extra work for Martha. Martin thinks mash is stodgy and ordinary and instant mash is unthinkable, which means Martha has to take a long time to sautà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ the potatoes and he thinks pork is a dull meat if its not cooked properly, so she has to spend ages cooking it just how he likes it. Martha doesnt say much in the story as she cant get a word in edgeways because in his eyes he is the man of the house, even though Martha runs the household. She doesnt have much of a chance to voice her opinions directly, but she does voice them in her thoughts as the story is mainly written in first person narrative with her as the narrator. She helps us to get inside her head and with her use of lists she helps to inform us of just how many things she has to do. She seems to scared to disagree with Martin and goes along with whatever he says I expect your right, just to keep the peace. Martha and Phyllis are similar in many ways, even though they are in different situations and from different backgrounds. They are both overpowered by the men in their lives who are closest to them and they are both deprived of having their own lives. Neither of the women seem to have a say about what happens in their lives, for example Phyllis was told who to marry by her father and Martha was told what to with her life by her husband. Despite the number of similarities between the two women there are also some differences between them. Martha put up with her way of life and didnt question it much, but Phyllis did decide to change things. She chose to carry on the affair with Matthaus Tina as she saw a break from her regimented lifestyle and went against her fathers wishes. Phyllis became quite rebellious when she was planning to escape to Saarbuck with Matthaus and Christoph. This is something that Martha would never have considered doing. Both of the women are victims in each of the stories, but I think that Marthas suffering was worse than that of Phyllis as hers was constant and she never got a break from it. Phyllis is treated better than Martha in that respect as she had someone in her life who was treating her very well. That person was Tina as he was the only one who saw the true Phyllis and respected the true Phyllis. To me, Marthas victimisation is worse than that of Phyllis as in 1981 Martha should have had more chances and opportunities due to the development of society, than Phyllis did in1801. I felt very sympathetic towards both of the female characters due to the fact that they are seen as victims and I also felt sympathetic towards Matthaus Tina. I felt sympathetic towards him as he did so much for Phyllis and did his best to keep her happy. It was very sad when he was killed at the end of the story and I again felt very sympathetic towards Phyllis as she lost the one person she truly trusted. The rest of her life is touched by the scandal, even though she was blameless for what happened. The type of language used in each of the stories is suited to the time that it was written and they are very different to each other. The language in The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion is formal and uses traditional English, such as unsrupulous and melancholy, as that type of language would have been used in the nineteenth century. It contains more complex sentences than that used in Weekend and they are sometimes harder to comprehend. The narrative in The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion starts in first person, which is Hardys narration to introduce the characters and scene to the reader. It then progresses into third person narrative to involve the reader in the story, before returning to first person narrative to tie of all loose ends in the story, for example Matthaus date of death. The use of third person narrative enables the reader to see more deeply into the story and become more involved in what is happening. The narrative style and language used in Weekend is less formal than that used in Hardys stories. There are many non-sentences, such as Katy versus Janet, which do not contain a verb and are more of a thought .There are many compound sentences that use words such as then, but, and, so, which helps Martha to express how many jobs she has to do. This use of language is well suited to the date in which the story was set. The role and rights of women changed quite a lot in the period of time between when the two books were written. In 1801, nobody had the chance to vote and your right to a say depended on your position in society. Men with homes got the vote in 1867, all men got the vote in 1916 and women didnt get the vote until 1926. This meant that for along time women were seen as being lower than men and were provided for by their husbands. Other turning points for women in this time span were that they were able to get jobs and were protected by The Sex Discrimination Act,1975. This explains why Martha had a job and Phyllis didnt, but there is still no explanation to support why Martha was treated so badly in modern day Britain. My conclusion is that Fay Weldon was trying to get across that some traditions never change.

Column and Thin Layer Chromatography Essay Example for Free

Column and Thin Layer Chromatography Essay Abstract Spinach extract was separated into fractions containing compounds of similar polarity by column chromatography. Based on solid-liquid phase partitioning, this separation technique exploited the different polarity of the compounds in the spinach extract. Three fractions with different colors were obtained. The extract and its fractions were analyzed using thin layer chromatography (TLC). The TLC results showed that there was one compound (Rf=0. 979) in the first fraction; there were three compounds (Rf1=0.839, Rf2= 0.691, Rf3=0.149) in the second fraction; there was one compound (Rf=0.017) in the third fraction. The separations of compounds which went to the first and third fraction were relatively satisfying, while the second fraction had several kinds of compounds. Introduction Chromatography is the separation of compounds or ions by distribution between two phases—a mobile phase and a stationary phase. The technique is based on the differential absorptivities of the constituents between these two phases, due to different properties of the compounds to be separated and the nature of the two phases involved. If one constituent adheres more to the stationary phase than the mobile one, separation will be achieved. There are several different types of chromatography, such as thin layer chromatography (TLC), gas chromatography (GC) and column chromatography. All the chromatographic methods are based on partitioning of molecules between a stationary phase and a mobile phase. In order to measure the amount of partitioning between the two phases, each compound has an unique Partition Coefficient (Kp), which is defined as the ratio of concentrations of the compound between the stationary phase and the mobile phase: Kp=[x]sp/[x]mp. Therefore, if Kp is greater than 1, the substance adheres more to the stationary phase; if Kp is smaller than 1, the substance adheres more to the mobile phase; if the Kp is equal to 1, the probabilities of the substance to adhere to the two phases are roughly the same. The Kp value is depended on a multitude of factors: â€Å"polarity, solubility in the solvent, hydrogen bonding, volatility in the case of gas chromatography.† After the injection, the sample molecules will either stay in the mobile phase or adhere to the stationary phase. When the mobile phase is pushed through the stationary phase by the eluent, the mobile phase, the molecules will move through the column at a rate that depends on their different Kp value. For example, if one constituent is more polar than other and adheres more to the stationary phase when the stationary phase is more polar than the mobile phase, this constituent will lag behind; while the constituent that is less polar and adheres less to the stationary phase will move ahead. In this way, the sample can be separated into fractions containing compounds of similar polarity. The differences among the various types of chromatography are mostly depended on the nature of the two phases involved. Column and thin layer chromatography use solid stationary phase and liquid mobile phase; while GC uses a gas as mobile phase and a liquid as stationary phase. Compared with TLC and column chromatography, GC is a more sophisticated method. Discussion The intent of this experiment was to successfully separate the constituents of spinach extract using column chromatography. The results of the separation were analyzed by TLC to reveal in which fraction the compounds of the mixture were. Since both of the samples of the first fraction and the third had only one developed spot on the TLC plate, the separation of the compounds in the first and third fractions were relatively satisfying. However, there were 3 different compounds reveled for the second fraction. Since the color of the first fraction was yellow and the color of the second and third fractions were green, the major compound in the first fraction should be Carotenes, the yellow-orange pigment; while the major compounds in the second fraction and the third fraction should be Chlorophyll. During the process of column chromatography, the first band gained in the column was very clear and the color was yellow. The second band gained in the column was green and the thickness of t he second band was greater than the first. Also, the green color of the second band varied, and colorless area was observed in the second band. Compared with the first band, the second band showed an unsatisfying separation result. Since there was colorless area and various green colors in the second band, the second fraction must contained several constituents, which was examined by the TLC results—there were 3 developed spots of the second fraction sample on the TLC plate. As for the third fraction, there was no clear band in the column while adding the last eluent. The concentration of the compound in third fraction was relatively small, resulting in a very small Rf value, 0.017. Compared with the spots of the second fraction sample, which had a much clearer spot with similar Rf value, 0.839, the compound in the third fraction must existed in a large amount in the second fraction. In addition, these 2 spots had the same light green color, which can also examine this conclusion. The lower concentration can also due to the unsatisfying spotting. The diameter of the undeveloped spot in the third fraction was larger than the first and second one, because too much solvent was used. Also, multiple times of spotting was needed. Observing the spots color, the clearest spot in the second fraction had a more intense green color, which showed that the compound in this fraction should be Chlorophyll a. While the major compound in the third fraction should be Chlorophyll a, with a lighter color and lower Rf value. The ideal solvent system should result in Rf values ranging from 0.24 to 0.54. However, in this experiment, none of the Rf value was in this range. Therefore, the polarity gradient of the eluents should be narrowed, which can result in more spots in the ideal range. Since there were 3 spots in the second fraction sample, over 4 eluents are needed to give a better separation, assuming the spot with lowest Rf value in the second fraction had the same compound as the spot in the third fraction sample.

Simplified Soft Decision Decoding of LDPC codes

Simplified Soft Decision Decoding of LDPC codes MARUTHI L N K S GURUMURTHY Abstract LDPC codes gained importance since its re-discovery by Mackay and Neil based on Tanner Graph. This paper presents the implementation of forward error correction soft-input, soft-output decoding process that efficiently decodes the received set of data under low signal-to-noise ratios due to which the errors are reduced and hence transmission time is greatly reduced. The implemented algorithm is less complex and does not require knowledge of signal-to-noise-ratio of the received data-path. INTRODUCTION Error correction coding techniques came into existence after existence of channel capacity theorem by Shannon, the father of information theory in 1948 on reliable communication over noisy transmission channels. Thereafter, many coding techniques were developed for efficient coding techniques, like Hamming, Golay and many other techniques were developed. Though Gallagher in 1962 developed LDPC codes, the method employed was not optimal. Hence it was not reviewed for last 3 decades, until 1992, when a paper â€Å"Near Shannon limit error correcting coding and decoding: turbo codes† presented by Berrou, Glavieux and Thitimajshima changed the trend followed by researchers for the past 5 decades. And now, we are aiming to develop such codes through another strategy. The coding gain provided by this method is much higher when compared to other coding systems. The LDPC codes are becoming more popular because of their reduced power for transmission and less complex logic to achieve l ow BER’s which is very essential for reliable transmission over noisy channels. LDPC CODES Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) codes are a powerful class of forward error correction codes developed by Gallagher in 1962, practically implemented by MacKay in 1995. Low Density refers to less number of 1’s in the Parity Check Matrix (H) of Block Codes. Block codes are a type of Error Correction Codes which uses a Generator Matrix(G) to produces a Code-word of length n for message(D) of length k, where n-k is the redundancy bits added to make a Code-word of length n, higher the redundancy higher the error correction capability and higher the Bandwidth. Hence, there is a trade-off between error correction capability and bandwidth. C=D.G The size of the Matrix G is (n, n-k) and the size of the Matrix H is (n-k, n). Usually redundancy is defined by the term â€Å"code rate† which is given by R=k/n This varies from  ½ to 1/6. The Encoder produces a Code-word which satisfy the condition C.HT=0 If R is the received data from the Transmitter then the acknowledgement of the correct data received is given by the Syndrome(S). S=R.HT The value of S obtained by the above calculation determines whether the received data is free from error or not, i.e. if S=0 then the received data is free from error, otherwise the received data has an error. Since this property is very useful to reduce the calculation time if we receive the data correctly as soon as we receive data. The probability that the received data needs to be retransmitted which in the range of 10-6 to 10-8. Encoding the data as required is an easy process, but decoding the data effectively and efficiently is a very hard process. The proposed algorithm uses the basic concept of block codes, i.e. R=C+E Where R=noise corrupted vector C=Code vector transmitted over noisy channel E=Error vector. The receiver does not know C and E; its function is to decode C from R, and the message D from C. PROPOSED ALGORITHM The base for LDPC decoding algorithm proposed is as described by MacKay and Neil in 1997. Following are the steps that briefly describe the algorithm STEP 1: INITIALIZATION Let rj be the received vector, i.e. the data received from the Gaussian channel We calculate the components of the vectors d02( j), and d12( j) as: d02( j)= (rj+1)2 d12( j)= (rj-1)2 j = 1, 2, . . . , n (1) These first soft estimates of the code symbols are used to initialise the algorithm by setting the following coefficients q0ij and q1ij at each symbol node q0ij= d02( j) q1ij= d12( j) j = 1, 2, . . . , n, i = 1, 2. . . , . n-k, (2) To eliminate the effect of zero in the calculation the expressions for the calculations can be reduced as shown below ln(em+en) = max(m,n) + ln(1+ e-|m-n|) log2(2m+2n) = max(m,n) + ln(1+ 2-|m-n|)(3) The tables required for calculations are computed using the above formula. The complexity is greatly reduced and the reliability of the transmission of signal is increased. STEP 2: HORIZONTAL STEP aij= f+(q0ij , q1 ij ) bij= −f−(q0ij , q1ij) if (−q 0ij ) ≠¥ (−q1ij ) sij= 0 else sij= 1 cij= ikik if ik is even r0n,ij= −f+(0, cij ) r1n,ij= f−(0, cij ) if ik is odd r0n,ij= f−(0, cij ) r1n,ij= −f+(0, cij ) STEP 3: VERTICAL STEP q0ij= d02 (j) + 0n,ij q1ij= d12 (j) + 1n,ij STEP 4: DECISION rm0ij=r0n,ij+ q0ij rm1ij=r1n,ij+ q1ij if rm02(j)12(j) then c(j) = 1 else c(j) = 0 The LUT entries used in the proposed algorithm for equation (3) and the exact value obtained will vary as shown in the figure. Comparison of BER performance of (8 * 12) LDPC SSD decoder (10 iterations) Comparison of BER performance of (8 * 12) LDPC SSD decoder (50 iterations) As explained above, for higher precision the number of iterations is increased to obtain the same performance of the exact equation. The obtained results approach towards the complex algorithm developed by Gallagher with simple iterative approach and provides a high coding gain compared to uncoded signal. And it provides higher performance at larger iterations. This algorithm provides even higher performance for large length codes. CONCLUSION In this paper we have described Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) codes and decoding of these codes using low complexity algorithms. LDPC codes are used now-a-days in communication systems that take advantage of parallelism, good error correction and high through put. This led to the new algorithm which could decode the errors and yet give similar BER performance as the complex algorithms without the knowledge of the channel noise parameters like variance. This new algorithm is based on repeated use of an antilog-sum operation, and has been simulated on the Tanner graph representation of several LDPC codes and this algorithm can be regarded as a generalized form of belief propagation, where the belief propagated is Euclidean distance estimate rather than a probability estimate. The advantages of the new algorithm are that the performance is as good as the complex algorithm provided the value of base of the logarithm is used properly; that knowledge of noise is not required and that in the simplified form the algorithm needs only additions/subtractions, comparisons and two look-up tables avoiding the use of quotients and products operations that are of high complexity in practical implementations especially using FPGA technology. REFERENCES 1] R.G. Gallager, â€Å"Low Density Parity Check Codes†, IRE Trans. Information Theory, IT-8, 21-28 (1962). 2] D.J.C. Mackay and R.M. Neal, â€Å"Near Shannon limit performance of low density parity check codes,† Electronics Letters, vol. 33, pp 457-458 (1997). 3] L. Arnone, C. Gayaso, C. Gonzalez and J. Castineira, â€Å"Sum-Subtract Fixed Point LDPC Decoder,† Latin American Applied Research, vol. 37, pp 17-20 (2007). 4] Castineira Moreira, Farrell P.G.: â€Å"Essentials of error control coding†, Wiley (2006). 5] Castineira Moreira J., Farrell, P.G.: â€Å"Soft-decision SISO decoding of error-control codes†, Proc. 13th Int. Conf. on telecommunications (SENACITEL ’08), Valdivia, Chile, 12-15 November 2008. 6] L. Arnone, Castineira Moreira, Farrell P.G.: â€Å"FPGA implementation of a Euclidean distance metric SISO decoder,† Int. Symposium on communication theory and applications (ISCTA’09), Ambleside, UK, July 2009. 7] P.G. Farrell, L.Arnone, J. Castineira Moreira: â€Å"Euclidean distance soft-input soft-output decoding algorithm for low density parity check codes,† IET comm. Vol.5, Iss. 16, pp. 2364-2370, (2011). 8] J. Castineira Moreira, M. Rabini, C. Gonzalez, C. Gayaso, L. Arnone: â€Å"FPGA implementation of two very low complexity LDPC decoders,† IEEE papers, (2011). 9] Simon Haykin: â€Å"Digital communications†, John Wiley sons (2006). 10] Bernard Sklar, Pabitra K. Ray: â€Å"Digital communications: fundamentals and applications†, 2nd edn. Pearson education (2009). 11] Shu Lin, Daniel J. Costello Jr.: â€Å"Error Control coding†, 2nd edn. Pearson education (2004). 12] Moon T. K.: â€Å"Error correction coding- mathematical methods and algorithms†, Wiley (2005).

Beowulf Prepares for Battle Once Again :: Epic of Beowulf Essays

Beowulf Prepares for Battle Once Again The section in which Beowulf gets ready for another monster begins with Hrothgar informing him of Aeschere's death. The murder has been committed by Grendel's mother who comes to avenge her son's death. This is the proper thing for her to do in this society. Revenge was of great importance in Pagan society. It was the norm to avenge a murder, especially if no wergild was paid. Hrothgar offers Beowulf additional wealth if he can find and kill the female monster. This arrangement Hrothgar makes with Beowulf, for a second time, is referred to as comitatus. Beowulf tells Hrothgar not to worry, that Aeschere's killer will be found. He reminds Hrothgar that time must not be wasted on sorrow when revenge must be taken immediately. He promises Hrothgar that the woman will "not be lost." Beowulf will seek her out at the bottom of the lake, where her home is located, and kill her. This promise that Beowulf makes is called a boast. Hrothgar thanks God that Beowulf has said this because his frie nd's murder must be avenged and the murderer stopped before she kills again. Hrothgar and his thanes gather and go with Beowulf to search for the woman's home. They know it is in a pool not far from the hall. By following the monster's tracks through a narrow, difficult path, they soon find the lake. The Danes are then horrified to see Aeschere's head on the "sea-cliff" above the water. Through all this action, the horn that continually plays the war song is mentioned. The pool is described as hot and bloody in the passage. This may be a reference to the Christian element of hell. The lake may allude to hell, not only because of the bloody appearance of the water, but also because of the grotesque serpents swimming in it. Serpents have been associated with evil in Christianity. In the Biblical story of Adam and Eve, Eve was tempted by an evil serpent. The snakes in the lake are probably there to enhance the atmosphere of evil in the region. A third reason why the home of the monsters may be likened to hell has to do with who Grendel is. Hell, in Christianity, is a place where people who have sinned must go to suffer. Grendel is a descendant of Cain, who committed fratricide, (killing of one's own brother or a brother-slayer), probably the most horrible act one could be guilty of, especially in this warrior society.

The Affect of National Culture on Human Resources Essay -- Human Resour

INTRODUCTION In today’s business environment, the complexity of international business has increased and international competition has been highlighted as an essential element for multinational firms (MNCs). Thus, in order to gain competitive advantage, various resources are utilized, such as financial capital, technology location or human resource (HR). Moreover, HR could be seemed as one of the most important resource which has also become a focus of attention of senior managers in MNCs. As suggested by MacMillan(1984), MNCs can gain competitive advantage through use of HR practice, such as training, compensation, socialization, selection, performance appraisal and career development, as long as other firms are unable to duplicate their efforts easily and quickly. However, while HR practices and policies are performing across countries, culture would be a key point. Culture can be defined not only at the national, but also at the group, organizational, and even international level. All t hese cultures have certain effects on the choice and efficiency of HR policies and practices. Between national and other types of culture, therefore, need to be divided clearly because national culture makes a unique contribution to understanding HR policies and practices. Therefore, there is no doubt that national culture is a key factor on HR practices or polices, as a functional activity in international business. In this paper, the role and effects of national culture in HR will be discussed firstly. And then the potential problems that MCNs may have if they do not consider national culture as a key factor in HRM success. In the final stage, the solution of those problems will be presented in this paper. THE ROLE OF NATIONAL CULTURE IN HU... ...aeger, A. M. (1986) ‘Organization development and national culture: Where's the fit? , ‘ in Academy of Management Review, Vol. 11, Iss. 1, pp. 178-190. Hill, C.W.L. (2005) International Business: Competing in the Global Marketplace (5th ed.), New York: Mc Graw-Hill/Irwin Hofstede, G. (1993) ‘Cultural constrains in management theories,’ in Academy of Management Executive, Vol. 7, Iss. 1, pp. 81-93. MacMillan, I. C. (1984) ‘Gaining competitive advantage through human resource management practice,’ in Human Resource Management, Vol. 23, Iss. 1, pp. 241-255. Punnett, B. J. & Ricks, D. A. (1992) International business, Boston: PWSKent. Schuler, R. S. & Jackson S. E. (1994) ‘Convergence or divergence: Human resource practices and policies for competitive advantage worldwide,’ in International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 5, Iss. 2, pp. 267-99. The Affect of National Culture on Human Resources Essay -- Human Resour INTRODUCTION In today’s business environment, the complexity of international business has increased and international competition has been highlighted as an essential element for multinational firms (MNCs). Thus, in order to gain competitive advantage, various resources are utilized, such as financial capital, technology location or human resource (HR). Moreover, HR could be seemed as one of the most important resource which has also become a focus of attention of senior managers in MNCs. As suggested by MacMillan(1984), MNCs can gain competitive advantage through use of HR practice, such as training, compensation, socialization, selection, performance appraisal and career development, as long as other firms are unable to duplicate their efforts easily and quickly. However, while HR practices and policies are performing across countries, culture would be a key point. Culture can be defined not only at the national, but also at the group, organizational, and even international level. All t hese cultures have certain effects on the choice and efficiency of HR policies and practices. Between national and other types of culture, therefore, need to be divided clearly because national culture makes a unique contribution to understanding HR policies and practices. Therefore, there is no doubt that national culture is a key factor on HR practices or polices, as a functional activity in international business. In this paper, the role and effects of national culture in HR will be discussed firstly. And then the potential problems that MCNs may have if they do not consider national culture as a key factor in HRM success. In the final stage, the solution of those problems will be presented in this paper. THE ROLE OF NATIONAL CULTURE IN HU... ...aeger, A. M. (1986) ‘Organization development and national culture: Where's the fit? , ‘ in Academy of Management Review, Vol. 11, Iss. 1, pp. 178-190. Hill, C.W.L. (2005) International Business: Competing in the Global Marketplace (5th ed.), New York: Mc Graw-Hill/Irwin Hofstede, G. (1993) ‘Cultural constrains in management theories,’ in Academy of Management Executive, Vol. 7, Iss. 1, pp. 81-93. MacMillan, I. C. (1984) ‘Gaining competitive advantage through human resource management practice,’ in Human Resource Management, Vol. 23, Iss. 1, pp. 241-255. Punnett, B. J. & Ricks, D. A. (1992) International business, Boston: PWSKent. Schuler, R. S. & Jackson S. E. (1994) ‘Convergence or divergence: Human resource practices and policies for competitive advantage worldwide,’ in International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 5, Iss. 2, pp. 267-99. The Affect of National Culture on Human Resources Essay -- Human Resour INTRODUCTION In today’s business environment, the complexity of international business has increased and international competition has been highlighted as an essential element for multinational firms (MNCs). Thus, in order to gain competitive advantage, various resources are utilized, such as financial capital, technology location or human resource (HR). Moreover, HR could be seemed as one of the most important resource which has also become a focus of attention of senior managers in MNCs. As suggested by MacMillan(1984), MNCs can gain competitive advantage through use of HR practice, such as training, compensation, socialization, selection, performance appraisal and career development, as long as other firms are unable to duplicate their efforts easily and quickly. However, while HR practices and policies are performing across countries, culture would be a key point. Culture can be defined not only at the national, but also at the group, organizational, and even international level. All t hese cultures have certain effects on the choice and efficiency of HR policies and practices. Between national and other types of culture, therefore, need to be divided clearly because national culture makes a unique contribution to understanding HR policies and practices. Therefore, there is no doubt that national culture is a key factor on HR practices or polices, as a functional activity in international business. In this paper, the role and effects of national culture in HR will be discussed firstly. And then the potential problems that MCNs may have if they do not consider national culture as a key factor in HRM success. In the final stage, the solution of those problems will be presented in this paper. THE ROLE OF NATIONAL CULTURE IN HU... ...aeger, A. M. (1986) ‘Organization development and national culture: Where's the fit? , ‘ in Academy of Management Review, Vol. 11, Iss. 1, pp. 178-190. Hill, C.W.L. (2005) International Business: Competing in the Global Marketplace (5th ed.), New York: Mc Graw-Hill/Irwin Hofstede, G. (1993) ‘Cultural constrains in management theories,’ in Academy of Management Executive, Vol. 7, Iss. 1, pp. 81-93. MacMillan, I. C. (1984) ‘Gaining competitive advantage through human resource management practice,’ in Human Resource Management, Vol. 23, Iss. 1, pp. 241-255. Punnett, B. J. & Ricks, D. A. (1992) International business, Boston: PWSKent. Schuler, R. S. & Jackson S. E. (1994) ‘Convergence or divergence: Human resource practices and policies for competitive advantage worldwide,’ in International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 5, Iss. 2, pp. 267-99.

Medieval Ballad vs. Modern Interpretation in Get Up and Bar the Door Es

Medieval Ballad vs. Modern Interpretation in Get Up and Bar the Door  Ã‚   An often used literary form in Medieval English literature was the folk ballad, an example of which is "Get Up and Bar the Door." A typical ballad is humorous, its author is unknown, and it focuses on one subject. This subject and the events of the story are conveyed both by the words written and those implied. The implied thoughts are conveyed and emphasized using a variety of literary techniques such as symbolism, repetition, and rhyme. The anonymous author of "Get Up and Bar the Door" tells his story make use of these and other literary techniques. The basic conflict in this ballad is one if not widely used, easily recognized: man vs. woman, or more specifically, husband vs. wife, a battle of the wills. The setting of this story is mid-November, in the home of a man and his wife, most likely of the lower two-thrids of society, since the wife must do her own housework. The wind is blowing and coming in through the door, and the man, in the typical male fashion, tells his wife to shut the door. She repl...

Characters in Hamlet and Young Hamlet

The theme of revenge is a primary source of discord among the characters in Hamlet. Vengeance affects each person who is exacting it and those present around them. In particular, Hamlet, Laertes, and Claudius’s retribution leads to their demise. William Shakespeare's Hamlet can be defined as a revenge tragedy. In Shakespeare's Hamlet, the reader sees a noble, heroic central character that is destroyed because a defect in his character either causes him to involve himself in circumstances which overpower him, or make him incapable of dealing with a destructive situation caused by another character or by circumstances. The play ends with the death of the central character. But before he dies, he achieves insights which make him a more perceptive human being than he was when the play began. This central character, Hamlet, shows his love directly and indirectly to the reader. Hamlet is noble in birth and person, a prince of extraordinary intelligence: and, as the action of the play proves, he is heroic. His defect (indecision, excessive imagination, irrationality, madness, etc. ) prevent him from seizing control of the world Claudius has created. His death closes the play, but only after he experiences and expresses illuminations about human life and death. After Hamlet's Father died, it cast an unwanted and heavy cloud upon Hamlet's soul. Throughout the play Hamlet learns that his Father's death was no mistake, but it was Hamlet's Uncle's plan to murder him. This, of course, throws a much larger burden on Hamlet's hands and the thirty year old prince seeks revenge continuously. Hamlet learned from the ghost of his Father about the betrayal Claudius had planned. The ghost of his Father tells him to â€Å"Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder,† Act 1, Scene 3; Line 74]. He also directs Hamlet away from killing his Mother. Revenge causes the characters in Hamlet to act blindly through anger and emotion, rather than through reason. It is based on the principle of an eye for an eye; this action is not always the best means to an end. Fortinbras, Laertes, and Hamlet were all looking to avenge the deaths of their Fathers. They all acted on emotion driven by the want of revenge concerning their Father's deaths, and this led to the downfall of two, and the rise to power of one. Since the head authority figures of the three major families were each murdered, the eldest sons of these families felt that they needed to take some kind of action to avenge their Father's deaths. This need to bring honour to their respective families was ultimately the demise of Laertes and Hamlet. Firstly, Hamlet displays anger toward his Uncle, King Claudius for marrying his Mother, Queen Gertrude, so quickly after the tragic death of his Father, King Hamlet. However, the main source of his anger begins with his feelings of despise for his Mother who chose to marry Claudius so soon after her own husbands’ death. Hamlet constantly allows this incident to brood in him and overrule every other thought and action he takes. Hamlet is convinced that the level of grief he feels for his Father’s death is the standard that everyone around him should be following. Since Gertrude does not express the same intensity of sorrow that Hamlet does, he is left furious at her and those in similar standing. ‘Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother, Nor customary suits of solemn black, Nor windy suspiration of forced breath, No, nor the fruitful river in the eye, Nor the dejected haviour of the visage†¦Ã¢â‚¬  [Act 1, Scene 2; lines 77-86]. Secondly, King Hamlet’s ghost shares with Hamlet the cause of his death and how his murderer, Claudius, seduced Gertrude even before his death. â€Å" ’Tis given out that, sleeping in mine orchard, A serpent stung me; so the whole ear of Denmark Is by a forged process of my death,† [Act I, Scene 5; lines 35-37]. â€Å"The serpent that did sting thy father’s life Now wears his crown. [Act 1, Scene 5; lines 39-40]. â€Å"O wicked wit and gifts, that have the power So to seduce! – won to his shameful lust The will of my most seeming-virtuous queen;† [Act 1, Scene 5; lines 45-47]. Nevertheless, the ghost warns Hamlet to leave Queen Gertrude alone, to kill Claudius but not harm her. â€Å"Taint not thy mind, nor let thy soul contrive Against thy mother aught; leave her to heaven,† [Act 1, Scene 5; lines 86-87]. In response to the ghost’s news Hamlet does not take action instantly, but instead, records the event in his journal showing a fascinating personality characteristic. Interestingly, there were three major families in the tragedy of Hamlet. These were the family of King Fortinbras, the family of Polonius, and the family of King Hamlet. Fortinbras, King of Norway, was killed by King Hamlet; slain by sword during a man-to-man battle. â€Å"†¦ Lost by his father, with all bonds of law, to our most valiant brother. â€Å"[Act 1, Scene 2; lines 24-25]. This entitled King Hamlet to the land that was possessed by Fortinbras because it was written in a sealed compact. Furthermore, Hamlet is slow to act in regards to killing Claudius but he does act rashly, without thinking. He is presented with numerous opportunities to kill Claudius but does not take those chances, which result in Hamlet being the murderer in the accidental death of Polonius. Polonius was an advisor to the King, and Father to Laertes and Ophelia. He was definitely a prying Father who did not trust his children, and at one point in the play, used his daughter to probe Hamlet. Young Hamlet killed Polonius while he was secretly listening in on a conversation between Hamlet and his Mother. â€Å"How now! A rat? Dead, for a ducat, dead! â€Å"[Act 3, Scene 4; Line 25]. King Hamlet of Denmark killed King Fortinbras, only to be killed by his brother, Claudius. â€Å"†¦ My offence is rank, it smells to high heaven; A brother's murder†¦ † Each of these events affected the sons of the deceased in the same way. Laertes discovered his Father's death, and immediately returned home. He confronted King Claudius and accused him of the murder of his Father. Claudius told Laertes that Hamlet was responsible for his Father's death. Laertes takes action, deciding to scheme and kill Hamlet in order to avenge the death of his Father. In addition, he and Claudius concoct a plot to kill Hamlet. â€Å"I will do’t: And for that purpose I’ll anoint my sword. I bought an unction of a mountebank, So mortal, that but dip a knife in it, Where it draws blood no cataplasm so rare,† [Act 4, Scene 7; Lines 140-144]. Laertes and Claudius follow with a proposal of a duel to Hamlet, which he accepts, even though he senses a foreboding. Hamlet does end up dying of wounds from the poisoned tipped sword Laertes used. â€Å"†¦ Hamlet, thou art slain†¦ the treacherous instrument is in thy, unbated and envenom'd†¦ ‘[Act 5, Scene 2; lines 306-313]. Throughout the play Hamlet proceeds to try and prove his Uncle's guilt, and then finally kills him while he himself is dying of poisoned wounds inflicted by Laertes during their duel. â€Å"The point envenomed too! Then venom, to thy work†¦ Here, thou incestuous, murderous, damned Dane, drink off this potion, is thy union here? Follow my mother. â€Å"[Act 5, Scene 2; lines 314-315, 317-319]. This left the King dead, and his Father's death avenged, with Gertrude dying shortly beforehand of the poisoned wine she drank as Claudius watched her. â€Å"No, no, the drink, the drink! O my dear Hamlet! –The drink, the drink! I am poison’d! [Act 5, Scene 2; lines 301-303]. The lack of thought used in exacting the revenge led to the deaths of Laertes, Hamlet, Claudius and Gertrude. Laertes planned with Claudius to kill Hamlet with the poisoned tipped sword, but they had not thought that the sword might be used against them. With Laertes believing the King's accusations th at Hamlet had murdered his Father, he fights Hamlet and wounds him once with the poisoned tipped sword. Hamlet proceeds to wound Laertes with the same sword, exacting his death. Hamlet had many chances to kill his Uncle, but his rage outweighed his better judgement; and he chose to wait until he assumed God could see no good in Claudius, and then strike him down into a world of eternal damnation. â€Å"Now might I do it pat, now he is praying†¦ A villain kills my father; and for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send to heaven. â€Å"[Act 3, Scene 3, lines 74-98]. Hamlet waits until he can kill his Uncle while he is performing a sin but unfortunately for Hamlet, his next chance to exact revenge on Claudius is his own death. Revenge, being the driving force in the play Hamlet, is also one reason why it is a tragedy. Hamlet allows his revenge for his own justice to become his everything, consuming him. It is this rage that eventually drives him to madness and murder. Ironically, Claudius, Laertes, and Hamlet all died of the same sword. Revenge was the core strength behind three of the main characters of the play, ensuing in each of their downfalls. â€Å"If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart, Absent thee from felicity a while, And in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain, To tell my story. Act 5, Scene 2; lines 339-342]. The self interest demonstrated by Claudius, Laertes and Hamlet caused destruction in their own lives, which of course affected many lives around them. Driven by retribution, they did not consider the affect their anger would have on themselves or those they loved. â€Å"Of accidental judgments, casual slaughters, Of deaths put on by cunning and forced cause, And, in this upshot, pu rposes mistook Fall’n on the inventors’ heads: all this can I Truly deliver. † [Act 5, Scene 2; lines 375-379].

Analysis on Gender Discrimination

Do you ever wonder why your parents never make your sister cut the lawn or maybe if you are a female, your parents automatically make you wash dishes? Moms get their girl†s ears pierced at age two yet will not let their sons get their ears pierced until they are out of the house. What gives? These are examples of how decisions are based on whether you are male or female, otherwise known as gender bias. Because of their sex, people do not get jobs they are well qualified for, are paid lower wages, and are overlooked for job promotions and many other opportunities. Gender discrimination is all around us; you can find it everywhere. Gender discrimination is an ongoing problem in the Fox Valley, the state of Wisconsin, and the United States. Samantha Miller and Mark Dagostino report an example of this discrimination at Boston College. They explain that for the past twenty-five years, Mary Daly, 70, has barred men from her classes, insisting that her female students learn better without male distractions. â€Å"The point of my class is that there be a space where women can create our thoughts and our own philosophy, unencumbered by patriarchal invasions,† Daly stated. â€Å"It†s not about discrimination at all.† Boston College recently fired Daly when she rejected the school†s ultimatum to admit men after a male student threatened to sue the school claiming Daly was violating federal law. Boston College officials maintain Daly†s stance violated the landmark 1972 Title IX legislation that bars gender discrimination at schools receiving federal funds (1). She may have good reasons for wanting an all-female class, but the law states everybody is entitled to an equal opportunity for education. Gender discrimination dates back as far as Adam and Eve. Can you imagine the world starting out with a woman in control? As gender discrimination continued to invade all aspects of life, the government began to step in. Laws were passed so women could vote and become public officials. President Richard M. Nixon signed Title IX of the Federal Education Law in 1972 that banned gender discrimination in classes. Barbara Bitters reports there are schools in Wisconsin that are not complying with the law because they still have separate boys† and girls† choirs. Little Chute High School, a small community located in northeastern Wisconsin, has a women†s† choir. Are they in compliance? Jean Beschta, an Appleton high school guidance counselor, remembers when the law was passed in the seventies. â€Å"There were a lot of nervous fathers who were worried what would happen to their boys if someone introduced them to cookbooks, recipes, and dish towels.† Some of Wisconsin†s well-known colleges are also battling with gender bias. Julie Sneider from the Business Journal Serving Greater Milwaukee reported a study done in 1998 that shows only twenty-five percent of Marquette†s full-time tenure track faculty are women, and only six of the school†s one hundred and fourteen faculty members with full professor status are women. The federal government has criticized UW-Madison for not bringing the number of female faculty closer to the number of female students who constitute more than half of the student body. Gwen Carleton from the Capital Times reports part of the problem is that many of the deans and administrators making hiring decisions continue to believe women are unqualified or uninterested in faculty positions. How are we doing as a nation? The Capital Times, cites a study released by the AFL-CIO, indicating that Wisconsin is among the worst states for a gender pay gap among full-time workers. â€Å"Across the nation, women earn 74 cents for every dollar earned by men. A typical woman in Wisconsin earns 69 cents for every man†s dollar, or $193 less per week,† (1). The U.S. President Bill Clinton said, â€Å"Equal pay is not a political issue. It is not even a gender issue. It is, at heart, a national issue, a family issue, and a matter of principal – a question of what kind of country we want America to be today, and in the twenty-first century,† (Zadrozmy). If our own president thinks equal pay among both sexes isn†t a political problem, whose problem is it? Gender bias is seen at all levels but without the support of laws to enforce equality between the sexes, what can be done? Each of us as individuals needs to do our part. Vote to keep politicians in office that favor equality for men and women in all aspects of their lives – equal employment opportunity, equal rights to a good education, equal pay for the same job, and so on. Support schools that offer equal opportunities for their teachers and students regardless of their gender. Teach your children to keep open minds and not judge people and their capabilities by whether they are male or female. Most importantly, base your decisions without letting bias interfere with your outcome.