Gabriel Oak Essay

Thomas Hardy wrote the characters of Bathsheba Everdene and Fanny Robin with specific attributes and details. Both women have similarities and differences that either directly influence each other or other characters. The Victorian class system in the 1870’s (which is where Far from the Madding crowd is based) had four distinct classes. Two of those were the upper working class and the lower [working class]. Bathsheba would have probably become upper working or middle, when she inherited the farm. We can see that Bathsheba regards herself as being higher up in the social order, from the first time we see her in the book, by the way she treats Gabriel Oak. (QUOTE (Gabriel Oak giving her money for the gate). ) This expresses her individuality and the way she respects those in a lower class to her, or those she wishes to impress her social stature on. The nobility in the 1870’s didn’t mix with those lower than them, although they did have responsibility for their workers. For instance, when Fanny Robin goes missing, Bathsheba is worried and concerned about her whereabouts. (QUOTE. Bathsheba asking everyone to keep an eye out for Fanny). Bathsheba has dark hair and bold clothes which represents her personality. As she highlights herself as bold and dark throughout the book (QUOTE). This is in stark contrast to Fanny Robin, who has yellow hair and (QUOTE to describe her appearance). This attire is that of a poor woman and shows that she, aswell as not being able to afford rich clothing, does not have as much esteem as Bathsheba. I think Hardy makes this contrast to show the difference in class and the fact that women are not all the same. (As many men assumed in the 1870’s) A strong contrast between Bathsheba and Fanny is highlighted at the beginning of the book. As there is a social hierarchy between the mistress (Bathsheba) and the maid (Fanny) in all households. Bathsheba and Fanny both worked hard for a living. They were both pushed into situations where they were fighting in the wrong class and the wrong sex. For instance Bathsheba inherited a farm and money and had to purport herself as a man at the farmers market. (QUOTE of Bathsheba being at the market) Fanny Robin saw herself becoming the wife of an officer therefore moving herself up in the hierarchy. The Victorian Farming industry was male dominated and therefore Bathsheba was entering a traditionally male world. This allowed her to develop her character from an â€Å"unpractised girl of Norcombe† to a â€Å"supervising and cool woman†. This was noted by Gabriel Oak, who throughout the book acts as another pair of eyes, through which we can see Bathsheba. He speaks of her truthfully and helps the audience understand her and what she is doing. Bathsheba takes on the farming duties because she doesn’t want yo fail and is constantly trying to impress herself. Whereas Fanny seems to be desperate just to survive. She was â€Å"picking up a living of seampstering†. By saying â€Å"picking up† I feel that Hardy is trying to express her need to simply get by. Also in the time that this book was written, seampstering was known to be a tough trade, which was very poorly paid, and not a line of work to take up unless it was the last resort. Fanny’s actions contrast Bathsheba’s will, not to survive, but to impress. I don’t think Bathsheba would have allowed herself to be in such a position to have to take up seampstering, as she had too much pride and many more resources socially. Fanny Robin fits into the 1870’s conventions a great deal better than Bathsheba does. I think that this can be related to their childhood and parentage. Convention in the 1870’s was very much about women being seen and not heard. It was frowned upon for a woman to converse with strange men. Bathsheba broke this rule as soon as she met sergeant Troy, as she spoke to him and interacted instead of quickly leaving after she was untangled. (QUOTE. Bathsheba meeting Troy and flirting). A woman should always have used a soft voice. Fanny Robin was portrayed as a very quiet woman, and many of the local townsfolk described her as (QUOTE. Her quietness). Bathsheba, however, was very vocal and was able to take charge. For instance, when she took over duties as the bailiff. A woman was never expected to ask anything of a man in the 1870’s. Neither Fanny nor Bathsheba fitted this rule totally. In some respects Fanny did, she was very grateful to Gabriel for his help, and wrote a letter of thanks to him (QUOTE. Fanny’s letter). In other situations Fanny was not as respectable, for instance, she pushed Troy until he finally set a date for their wedding, instead of waiting for him to make his choice. Bathsheba also defies convention when she doesn’t thank Gabriel for paying her toll. This shows that she expects Gabriel to do it anyway, and considers herself higher than him. A woman was not to get onto a carriage or a horse. (QUOTE. Of Bathsheba riding horse alone). When Bathsheba rides alone and is, unbeknown to her, seen by Gabriel, she defies all convention. Even if she was alone, a normal Victorian woman would never take the same actions as Bathsheba. Fanny fits almost all convention, and is submissive to men. She would have been a model Victorian woman. This is in contrast to Bathsheba who simply had too much character to be a Victorian woman. For instance she travelled all the way to Bath, on her own, to find Troy. Which in the 1870’s would have been unheard of. Bathsheba’s parents were not typical of the Victorian era. The father himself was (QUOTE. To describe Bathsheba’s father. ) He had to pretend that he was single so that he didn’t have commit adultery to his wife. From this open and modern family, Bathsheba couldn’t have been expected to be typical and average. From her parentage she is bold and probably taught not to â€Å"fit in†. Fanny Robin, however, was looked after financially by Boldwood. She was very much closed as a child. The simple fact that she didn’t have a strong upbringing implies that she may not have a strong life, or character. The two women’s views on marriage are possibly one of the strongest difference’s between their characters. Bathsheba is quoted to have said â€Å"I hate to be thought men’s property in that way† when Gabriel asks her to marry him. This reflects her individuality and a slight insecurity about being tied down with another man. Perhaps because she doesn’t know what is round the next corner, and doesn’t want to have to be with her husband forever. Fanny Robin was very keen to marry Troy and when she finally had her date set she wrote a letter to Gabriel Oak saying â€Å"I am happy to say I am going to be married†¦ † This simple sentence shows the little girl inside Fanny. (That is shown many times during the book). This also shows another contrast between Bathsheba and Fanny. Bathsheba appears to be very much more mature than Fanny. For instance she doesn’t like to cry (QUOTE. Bathsheba holding back tears). The rustic characters in Far from the Madding crowd act as narrators throughout the book. They are the comic relief for the audience, and contrast the other characters by having a â€Å"common† view on people like Bathsheba and her family. The other characters such as Liddy, Bathsheba’s maid, see her as â€Å"almighty womanish†.

Cannibalism: Crime or Survival? Essay

Cannibalism has gone through stages of acceptance to morally corrupt and unspeakable. When faced in a dire situation, such as isolation and deterioration of the mind and body, cannibalism becomes an option of survival. When people confess of their actions, is it fair for us to judge? What would a person do in that situation, and can one honestly punish another for survival of the fittest? Cannibalism dates back as far as the earliest signs of human life. By definition, cannibalism is â€Å"the eating of any species by another member of the same species,† (â€Å"Cannibalism†). Wolves, for example, will eat another wolf if there is no other form of nutrition to be found. This is an example of survival of the fittest, an instinct born unto all living creatures. Cannibalism is primitive in human nature, dating back to the Carib Indians of the West Indies. In the Arwakan language, â€Å"carib† literally translates to â€Å"cannibal.† The practice of eating human meat, whether in ritual or punishment, has been practiced in nearly every part of the world. The reason for cannibalistic behavior has varied among the people. Headhunters, for example, believed eating parts of a victim’s body would grant them magical powers. Some tribes ate criminals to punish them or gain revenge for the crime. Primitive rites commonly involved human sacrifice, and it was not uncommon for the sacrifice’s family to eat certain parts of the body. This practice is labeled â€Å"endocannibalism.† As time progressed, cannibalism went from common practice in the east to an unspeakable sin in the west. Cannibalism is most commonly practiced due to the result of extreme physical necessity in isolated surroundings. It has been justified as â€Å"a model of behavior in food processing as a response to nutritional stress,† (Ellis et al. 4) Essentially, cannibalism in such desperation comes down to practical logic. If one is starving, one eats what  is offered. Examples of this include survivors of a plane wreck stranded without food; boat wrecks on isolated islands; or, more commonly, families trapped in a snowstorm in any large mountain range. One of the most recent cases of cannibalism known is that of Andes flight disaster. In 1972, an Uruguayan rugby team, along with their family and friends, were on their way to Chile to compete when the plane crashed in the Andes mountain range. Several died in the initial crash, and more died due to the harsh conditions and injuries from the wreck. Ten days passed before the little bit of food that was rationed ran out. The group lived for two months before rescue came, and in that time they had committed the unspeakable act. As a group, the survivors agreed to turn to cannibalism and endocannibalism in order to survive. Out of the original forty-five, only sixteen came from the mountains alive because of their survival technique. This group had indulged in what is called survival cannibalism. Survival cannibalism is an innate form of survival that anthropologists believe exists in all humans. When the rugby team was faced with their dire situation, they indulged on their native instinct to satisfy nutritional need before abiding to the morals of society. When rescued, the team told reporters that it was a sort of communion; they ate as little as possible so as not to desecrate the dead. â€Å"Jesus gave the disciples His blood and His flesh at the Last Supper, so we were kept alive through Him,† explained one of the survivors when the press demanded an answer as to what they ate to stay alive (Stranded Gonzalo Arijon). The Uruguayan and Chilean publics accepted these survivors, even though the media slandered them and called them inhumane and cannibalistic. Another, perhaps more famous case of survival cannibalism is the story of the Donner Party. The Donner Party was a group of families being led west by brothers George and Jacob Donner in the winter of 1846-47. The unfortunate groups of pioneers were trapped in the snowy Sierra Nevada Mountains because they did not foresee that they had set out too late in the year with too little provisions. The group traveled through the Great Plains, losing much of their cattle due to heat and starvation. As the group headed on, they left the warmth of the desert-like plains and entered the cold and snow of  the mountains. Their food supply dwindled as they tried to make a pass through the Sierra Nevada range, their remaining cattle became buried in the blizzard-like weather conditions, and many wagons had to be abandoned. The party set up camp in a valley, hoping to wait out the storm and continue on. The wait turned from a few days to weeks, then from weeks to months. The food supply ran out; leather books, oxen hide blankets, and tobacco became a daily meal. Relief parties were sent form California, but they could not take everyone at once. â€Å"If we do not find food, we will have to commence on the dead,† stated Tamsen Donner, wife of George Donner, when the first relief party came to take her oldest children out of the mountains (Burton 166). Tamsen was left with five children and her nieces and nephews to feed as well. The party ran out of oxen hides and leather to eat. The only way a mother was to keep her children alive was to feed them the only food source available. Careful not to choose their relatives, members of the Donner Party ate the only food source available: cadavers of those that had died. When reintroduced into the Californian society, the living members were shunned. Was it right of society to judge them so harshly? How could pioneers claim they would not do the same, when in reality it is more probable that they would? Louis Keseberg, the last member of the party to leave the mountains, was tried for murder. The public should not have demanded that that a survivor of such perils be ostracize d just for living. Another conflicting case is that of Alfred â€Å"Alferd† Packer, dubbed â€Å"Colorado’s Cannibal.† Packer was a mountain guide in 1873 Colorado. He was hired to take a group of men through Bingham Canyon, Utah. This expedition did not end as planned. As with the Donner Party, Packer had not realized that his company had set out too late and would lead to a fatal end. Many men turned around when they were rescued from the cold by a group of Indians, but five remained with Packer. The men set of, no heeding the warnings from the Indians. Sixty days after they left the campsite, only Packer emerged from the canyon. Questions arose to which Packer had no answer, so he lied. He told three versions of his story of survival, and only a few facts were found to be truth. Their food supply had run out and  the men agreed to eat whoever died from starvation. Shannon Bell had killed the four other men while Packer was searching for food. Packer killed Bell due to self-defense, and Packer did not resort to cannibalism until starvation overtook his guilt for the deaths of his men. Alfred Packer was called a murderer and sent to jail, even though he killed in self-defense. It was too quick of a decision to send this man, who was in a starved mindset, to a punishment in which he did not deserve. It is true that Packer was epileptic, and very possibly had several psychological problems, but that did not make him a killer. He was just trying to survive. Learned cannibalism is another category of cannibalistic behavior. It is when one is not driven by hunger to eat the flesh of another human. However, learned cannibalism is often thought of as the cause for Hannibal Lecter-style murders. Anthropologists deny that learned cannibalism is what such killers practiced; it is a method of ritualistic behavior that our human ancestors have passed down through generations. The Japanese army adopted such rituals during their last war. Why did the army commit such a primitive act? Some men state it was to bring to troop together, to give them nerves of steel, so to speak. Others claim it was to clear the taboo in case they ran out of food. Still, some say that it was because the soldiers wanted to gain the powers of the enemy, just as the headhunters had done so long ago. The Japanese military kept these cases filed away, not speaking of the ruthless acts the men committed. Now that the files have been uncovered, the question of whether or not this can be classified as a crime must be answered. With finding that answer comes more questions: Which men are right? Were they really starving, or were they just soulless beings? Was murder enacted to pursue this activity, or were the men already dead? So many questions arise that it is nearly impossible to have a clear, truthful answer as to whether this was a war crime or not. The psychological reason behind cannibalistic behavior ranges from starvation to perversion. â€Å"Cannibalism might be seen as the highest level of sexual perversion. This is closely related to the equally rare carving up of bodies, following sexual crimes and sadism,† state psychologists when asked if cannibalism can be considered a true crime, or if it is just a taboo of western culture (Capraro â€Å"Cannibalism is not a Crime†). Cannibalism isn’t listed as a crime;  the only trespasses a person can be tried for are manslaughter and rape. There is no sentencing to accompany the cutting up or eating of the body. Some people say that cannibalism should be labeled as murder. What if it was not murder that was committed? The custom of the sea dictates that, when a boat is crashed or stranded, survivors are to rely on the dead for food. There is no murder involved if the dead had come to be so due to natural causes. Society has become engrossed with stories of cannibals, murderers, and rapists. People gossip and read in depth about such crimes, feasting on the horrible tales which western culture has only read in stories from Edgar Allen Poe and the like. But what about when it happens in their own culture, to people on their own street? One name sticks out when cannibalism comes up: Armin Meiwes. The case of German native Meiwes is tricky because he could not be sentenced since cannibalism is rarely committed in today’s western culture and is not classified as a crime in Germany. Meiwes’s â€Å"victim,† Bernd Brandes, a man who was in a sexual relationship with Meiwes, had conceded to be killed and eaten by Meiwes. Meiwes could only be convicted for killing upon request and disturbing the peace of the dead (i.e. eating the body instead of burying it). Meiwes admits to being a true cannibal, and is acceptance of his branding as a murderer. But cannibalism does not always involve murder. Brandes consented to having part of him cut off and eaten, thus leaving him alive, and then later asked to be killed and consumed. Meiwes will be forever classified as psychotically disturbed and sexually perverse for his disposition on cannibalism. Society is unacceptable of cases such as Armin Meiwes simply because of the horrific act that is involved. The public demands stronger sentencing, or the death penalty as an eye-for-an-eye repayment. Cannibalism has been passed down through generations around the world, and as time has progressed it has become an ugly, horrible act. Yet, we are obsessed with learning about it. The famous book Hannibal by Thomas Harris spawned movies and general interest in the acts that the main character committed. Harris also gives the view of why cannibalism happens. Most cases of cannibalism occur from a deep psychological problem. Maybe the person who committed the act is  extreme obsessive-compulsive and cannot stand to have a mess; therefore, eating the body disposes of the mess and clears the act from the mind. As a child, the â€Å"cannibal† may not have had a strong relationship with their same sex parent and developed an over-dependent relationship with the opposite parent or a si bling. Such as Armin Meiwes, who had no apparent male figure in his life, consuming the flesh of someone he was close to was a way of keeping the person close to himself forever. As stated before, cannibalism can be seen as the highest level of sexual perversion, therefore many of Freud’s theories on oral fixation and sexual aggression can provide a possible explanation of the thought process of cannibalistic people. The perpetrator of the behavior is fixated on sexual pleasure resulting from the mouth. He or she enjoys the acts of sucking, biting, and chewing, often resulting in a need to have something constantly in his or her mouth. The way cannibalism fits in is that the act of eating another human is on a high level of sexual aggressiveness. The orally fixated person gets pleasure from eating another human, both sexually and orally. Many people who have been convicted of murder and the act of cannibalism have shown to eat those close to them. Either it is a companion, a lover, or a relative that is being consumed. The reasoning behind this is that the consumer wants to remain close to whomever it is for as long as possible, and when that person dies, the consumer sees eating them as a way of reincarnation because he or she is becoming a part of the consumer, thus their life continues. Obviously, this way of thinking is psychotically disturbing and when a person is convicted of such acts, they are put into an institution for the mentally disturbed. Can we send a person to jail for committing cannibalism even though they are psychologically unstable? Or do we take the risk of sending them to an institution to be â€Å"fixed,† and slowly reintroduce them to society? The world pretends to be blind of such acts and prefers to shut away those who do them. This is not taking care of the problem. Yes, the world o f the 1800s chose to shut their eyes against the survival techniques of the Donner Party, but that did not solve the issue of how to deal with the survivors. Survivors of such a tragic incident must slowly be reintroduced into the world. They should not feel that the world is an unsafe place just because they survived. People who willingly commit  cannibalism need to see the wrongs of what they did. On the other hand, people need to see why they did it in order to fully understand the reasoning. What the western culture claims is a taboo, the African culture deems it a ritualistic rite. Today, cannibalism has been turned into a sort of joke. In the cartoons, when two men are stranded on an island, one sees the other and imagines him as a big, juicy steak, thus invoking a chase of sorts. Is that not what happens when two people truly are stranded and starving? The custom of the sea states that when a boat is wrecked, the survivors must be willing to eat whatever is available, even if it is one another. Society does not realize that jokes, shows, and books influence the thoughts of everybody. Many times people will say in a joking matter that â€Å"he tasted just like chicken,† when referring to the eating of one another. In reality, people who make these jokes may someday be faced with the choice of living or dying, and the factor that will keep them alive is eating the person who â€Å"tastes just like chicken.† As disturbing as that thought may be, it is true. Humans’ first reaction in life or death situations is to preserve their own lives. When it comes to women in motherhood, they prefer to save their children’s lives first. If a family is faced with the obstacle of living or dying, such as the Donner Party families, their first choice is going to be to live. A mother wants her children to live, to experience life, even if that means do anything possible to survive. If the family must resort to cannibalism, is it a crime? Can the human race look dow n upon one another just for surviving? It would be ludicrous to believe that people should be abolished just because they chose to live instead of succumbing to death. When boiled down, Cannibalism is essentially only in two categories: survival cannibalism and learned cannibalism. The intrinsic side of modern Homo sapiens deals with survival cannibalism and justifies its cause. The moral side of the human brain cannot fathom the reasoning behind learned cannibalism. Why the ancestors began that tradition is a mystery. Was it first started from starvation? Did the first Homo sapiens not find food and decided to turn on one another? Or was it because of their belief in magic, the belief that humans contained magical powers and by digesting their flesh they absorbed the powers unto themselves? This mystery will remain unsolved, just as the mystery of who started the oral legends in Native American cultures. The reasoning behind society’s outlaws of cannibalism, either  survival or learned, is another mystery, yet it is one that can be solved. In native cultures, such as the Caribs, cannibalism was an everyday ordeal. As time progressed, people on the western hemisphere of the world chose to become more sophisticated. This involved the abolishing of all other cultural practices, from the clothes that were worn to the rituals that were participated in. Christianity was taught throughout the world, and cannibalism fell into the gray area of sins. Only anthropologists understood the need for converging into the act of survival cannibalism, and saw the importance of understanding why it was a ritual so long ago. The society that is shown cannibalistic behavior today is horrified by it because the behavior had not been practiced for so long that even the survival technique became unspeakable. Cannibalism started out as a ritual, a rite of sorts that was common to engage in. Then it moved into a state of survival, a technique only used when one is faced with death. Now, it is considered a perverse, revolting taboo that is blasphemed and blown out of proportion by media. Can one really take an opinion on this? Who can honestly, without a doubt, know for a fact that he or she would not turn to cannibalistic behavior when confronted with starvation? No one can give an honest answer to that question until they have been put in the situation. The brain switches from living by the standards of society to the survival instinct possessed by all living creatures. In all honesty, we are no different from the wolves that will eat a member of the pack in order to live. Works Cited Burton, Gabrielle. Impatient with Desire: The Lost Journal of Tamsen Donner. New York: Hyperion, 2010. â€Å"Cannibalism.† Compton’s by Encyclopedia Britannica. 2005 ed. Capraro, Ingo. â€Å"Cannibalism ‘not a crime.’† News24. 14 Dec 2002. Ellis, Meredith A.B. et al. â€Å"The Signature of Starvation: A Comparison of Bone Processing at a Chinese Encampment in Montana and the Donner Party Camp in California.† July 2010. U of Montana College of Arts and Sciences. Stranded: I’ve Come From A Plane That Crashed on the Mountains. Dir. Gonzalo Arijon. Pro. Gonzalo Arijon. 2007. Zeitgeist video, 2008. DVD.

History of Chess

The precursors of chess originated in India during the Gupta Empire,[2][3][4][5] where its early form in the 6th century was known as chatura? ga, which translates as â€Å"four divisions (of the military)†: infantry, cavalry, elephantry, and chariotry, represented by the pieces that would evolve into the modern pawn, knight, bishop, and rook, respectively. [6] Chess was introduced to Persia from India and became a part of the princely or courtly education of Persian nobility. 7] In Sassanid Persia around 600 the name became chatrang, which subsequently evolved to shatranj, due to Arab Muslim’s lack of ch and ng native sounds,[8] and the rules were developed further. Players started calling â€Å"Shah! † (Persian for â€Å"King! â€Å") when attacking the opponent's king, and â€Å"Shah Mat! † (Persian for â€Å"the king is helpless† – see checkmate) when the king was attacked and could not escape from attack.These exclamations persisted in chess as it traveled to other lands. The game was taken up by the Muslim world after the Islamic conquest of Persia, with the pieces largely keeping their Persian names. The Moors of North Africa rendered Persian â€Å"shatranj† as sha? erej, which gave rise to the Spanish acedrex, axedrez and ajedrez; in Portuguese it became xadrez, and in Greek zatrikion, but in the rest of Europe it was replaced by versions of the Persian shah (â€Å"king†).Thus, the game came to be called ludus scacchorum or scacc(h)i in Latin, scacchi in Italian, escacs in Catalan, echecs in French (Old French eschecs); schaken in Dutch, Schach in German, szachy in Polish, sahs in Latvian, skak in Danish, sjakk in Norwegian, schack in Swedish, sakki in Finnish, sah in South Slavic languages, sakk in Hungarian and sah in Romanian; there are two theories about why this change happened: 1. From the exclamation â€Å"check† or â€Å"checkmate† as it was pronounced in various languages. 2.From the first chessmen known of in Western Europe (except Iberia and Greece) being ornamental chess kings brought in as curios by Muslim traders. The Mongols call the game shatar, and in Ethiopia it is called senterej, both evidently derived from shatranj. Chess spread directly from the Middle East to Russia, where chess became known as (shakhmaty, treated as a plural). The game reached Western Europe and Russia by at least three routes, the earliest being in the 9th century. By the year 1000 it had spread throughout Europe. [9] Introduced into the IberianPeninsula by the Moors in the 10th century, it was described in a famous 13th century manuscript covering shatranj, backgammon and dice named the Libro de los juegos. Chess spread throughout the world and many variants of the game soon began taking shape. [10] Buddhist pilgrims, Silk Road traders and others carried it to the Far East where it was transformed and assimilated into a game often played on the intersection of the li nes of the board rather than within the squares. [10][11] Chaturanga reached Europe through Persia, the Byzantine empire and the expanding Arabian empire. 12] Muslims carried chess to North Africa, Sicily, and Iberia by the 10th century. [10] The game was developed extensively in Europe, and by the late 15th century, it had survived a series of prohibitions and Christian Church sanctions to almost take the shape of the modern game. [13] Modern history saw reliable reference works,[14] competitive chess tournaments[15] and exciting new variants which added to the game's popularity,[15] further bolstered by reliable timing mechanisms (first introduced in 1861), effective rules[15] and charismatic players. [16]

Bar Location Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Bar Location - Essay Example Therefore, there is a need for extra creativity because one can save more funds. When picking a site for opening up a bar, location is everything. But the factors that constitute a prime location are varying to different individuals (Blog.foodservicewarehouse.com). Most people will take a look at the current real estate market and find potential areas in one of the following ways. Speculation of a turnaround; some people choose to be prospectors and start their bars in areas that are yet to become popular. Prospectors pay less rent, but they will not have a built in customer base. They will, therefore, spend more on advertising and marketing to bring in the clients. People who start a bar in an area that is not trendy will have to wait longer to realize the bar’s potential. Sure thing; this is the route taken by the majority of bar owners. They open the bars in trendy places with the aim of making quick returns. Trendy places contain many people who are always mingling on regular intervals. Opening up a bar at such a location will attract such people and create a perfect customer base. These places are expensive in terms of rent (Mealey). The general ideas of finding the best location to open up a bar are; finding a spot that is close to offices, strip malls, residential neighborhoods or near sports venues. These areas form the most favored locations since people have already settled in these areas to take advantage of the offered services. Prospective patrons will quickly step by from their usual routines to and from these places. Corners are the most desirable places since people have the ability to view two streets instead of one. A bar situated at the edge gets more exposure than the one in the middle of the block. Corner locations are more expensive so it is important to calculate whether the added exposure will provide the best answers for your business. Situating the bar closer to freeway exits or highway exits makes it more accessible to

Ozone issue Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ozone issue - Research Paper Example The depletion of the ozone layer is changing the pattern of life and survival on earth. There have been changes in the atmospheric condition due to the loss of ozone on a large scale and hence causing catastrophic disasters as well. ‘A second catastrophic view of the effect of ozone loss depended on the resultant increase in the UV radiation reaching the earth’s surface.’ (Parson, 2003, p.24) The existence of ozone is essential for shielding the earth’s surface from high energy UV rays for the living beings to survive on earth as well as under the ocean. In the 1960’s Berkner and Marshall based their observations too on this fact that during some ancient times the earth’s shift to an oxygen atmosphere forming an ozone layer thick enough to screen surface UV was necessary to let life on earth including that under ocean survive (Parson, 2003, p.24) It is evident that the existence of ozone would to a large extent determine life as well as affect the ecosystem in various ways sometimes even leading to serious diseases like skin cancer. If one follows the proverb, â€Å"Prevention is better than cure†, then he can realize the true significance of the existence of ozone layer and how it is good or bad for life on earth. In the earlier paragraph, a very serious threat which might be caused due to lack of sufficient ozone has been unmasked. In other words, as ozone prevents the harmful UV rays from bringing unwanted effects on life on the earth, it can be understood as to what might lead to a disease like skin cancer –â€Å"Ozone depletion means more UV from the sun gets to the ground, leading to more cases of skin cancer, cataracts, and other health problems† (Tabin, 2008, p.143). Besides, ozone protects the earth’s surface by absorbing the harmful UV rays emitting from the sun thereby facilitating life on the planet. If looked from a very far distant location, the earth actually looks like a beauti ful blue sphere, which accounts due to the greenery surrounding the earth, and the vegetation as well as forests which again are seats of the vibrant flowers and eventually indebted to the existence of ozone layer. (Tabin, 2008, p.39) Investigating into the factors causing reduction in ozone, it would be paradoxical to state that human beings play the role of disturbing the ozone layer by unknowingly emitting chemicals that bring unwanted changes in the layer thereby disrupting the delicate balance established by nature. (Tabin, 2008, p.40) During winter, the polar night zone or the zone in South Pole where a stream of air swirls, receives little or no light from the sun, which allows nitric acid and water to form ice crystal’s clouds called polar stratospheric clouds. Apart from this, â€Å"chlorine and bromine containing chemicals can lead to a significant depletion of stratospheric ozone† (Sinha, 1998, p.8). Chlorine gas is produced in the ozone layer as a result of the chemical reaction of the surfaces of the ice crystals, which begins to accumulate in winter releasing chlorine atoms during spring with the sunshine, finally reducing the amount of ozone, which again creates the ozone hole. J. Hampson also performed several experiments, and found out hydrogen compounds produced from water vapor are capable of destroying ozone on a rapid basis. However, the deadliest ‘enemy’ to attack ozone layer seems to be the invention of chlorofluorocarbons

Conduct a Search for Potential Research Sources Paper

Conduct a Search for Potential Sources - Research Paper Example Baby Boomers in the Middle: Analysis of Social Supports Among African-American Caregivers (Gadling, 2010), attempted to answer the critical question whether the caregiver burden is a predictor of social supports for African-American baby boomers. According to the researcher, many baby boomers are in the ‘middle’, which means that they are caught in between their young children and their aging parents because of the commitments and responsibilities that they have towards both these groups. Due to these care-giving obligations, they are not able to focus on their own needs. The research focused on the African American community to find out if the caregiver burden were high because of the low level of social support. The researcher conducted a thorough review of literature where the concepts of care giving care giving stress and the peculiar case of African American caregivers was highlighted. The research methodology was to conduct personal interviews to a group that had f our specific groups belonging to the age group of 45-55, the African Americans, non-Hispanic Whites, Latinos/Hispanics and Asian Americans. The theme of the research was around four key variables like social support, caregiver burden, quality of life and family obligation. Even though these variables provide an overall picture, it would have been better to include variables that specifically stand out for the African American community, rather than including it in the broad variable of quality of life. In addition, as the answers to the survey were collated through the process of interview. However, the questions were strictly close ended, just like in a survey. If some open ended questions were also included, it could have provided an added advantage of some qualitative results too (Creswell, 2007). The research concluded that family obligations, caregiver burden and quality of living as composite variables were not predictors of social support among African-American baby boomers. Social support had an intense effect on the caregiver; hence, social support can have a very high impact on the caregiver. Overall, the research was very elaborate and was carried under ethical considerations. In the research Baby Boomers' Needs and Preferences for Retirement Housing: A Phenomenological Qualitative Study, Elridge explores the options that Baby Boomers have in retirement housing and tries to understand their requirements. Through a qualitative approach, the researcher has a goal to understand the specific housing requirements of baby boomers with regards to the retirement housing configuration. The research also identifies an additional issue of a huge population approaching the retiring age and hence, adequate housing options are increasingly important. The researcher carried out the research through the Qualitative phenomenological Q-sort method, which is a study individualizing subjectivity as a part of the observation of a phenomenon. This is a very interesting m ethod of research because phenomenology as providing information based on lived experiences. Hence, this method would be able to add the element of subjectivity in the research. However, the researcher has conducted the research with only a very limited sample of 20 respondents. The assumption in the research is

Current Events in Macroeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Current Events in Macroeconomics - Essay Example They are especially critical of many levels of government intervention, including the proposed guest worker program. The two concur in many areas, including the fact that despite the illegality of this immigration, it benefits the economic status we enjoy by having the illegal immigrants take positions which are those others would not take in service industries like housekeeping and landscaping and other such jobs. The two also state that there are many pluses, including the fact that taxes are often paid by these illegal immigrants. The negatives, unfortunately, are also easily seen, including the use of public education, fire and police protection, and all forms of government assistance including Medicaid, Food Stamps and other such assistance. The overall concept for this article is encompassing human factors, how humanity affects the economy. In this particular case, how the migration and immigration of people affects a particular economy in both good and bad ways. This is subjec t to a great deal of debate as to whether or not such immigration would be of benefit and whether the attempts to change the idea would be of any economic merit. In the Economy section David Wessel writes in A Tricky Move for the Fed, Wall Street Journal June 24, 2006 issue, that the decision to change the interest rate up or down is a tricky proposition in current economic times. The reason for this is that finding an appropriate level of balance is equally as tricky as regaining it once balance has been lost. In the case of current economic standings with inflation on the rise and a slowing economy it's a question of which fire would be the most urgent one to fight. Raising rates could slow the economy and cause a recession, something they don't want; lowering it too much might cause inflation to raise exponentially, also not something favorable in the eyes of economists. Consideration in either case causes concern in the employment factor, the consumer factor is also at issue and then we must also consider how they interact within the economy. Mark Whitehouse reveals, in the piece done in the June 26, 2006 Wall Street Journal titled A Housing Slowdown Can Put the Brakes on a Job Sector but Open Other Opportunities, that the housing boom which our country has been enjoying may be coming to an end and this end makes the appearance of a bad thing. In actuality, the revelations found within this potentially devastating slowdown, could in fact bring about benefits at first unseen. "From a macroeconomic perspective, the housing slowdown, and the attendant slowing of job growth, could be just what the economy needs."1 In essence, the fact that houses are not selling as swiftly as they can be built or as swiftly as someone needs to be transferred may actually prove beneficial in other areas of the economic landscape. This change can further cause a rise in movement elsewhere within the macroeconomic landscape, continuing the cycle that will bring economic relief. Isabelle Lindenmayer writes about the state of the US dollar in her article Dollar is to Enter an Unsteady Week Ahead of Fed Move. As in most cases, the dollar will have its good days and bad days on the market in regard to value, and on occasion, the Fed can influence those good and bad days. In an analysis of expert opinions, two factors,

BT CORN Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

BT CORN - Essay Example However, genetically modified foods are also produced from GMO crops. Genetically modified foods comprise of tortilla chips and corn syrup among others (Bessin, 2013). This paper intends to discuss on the transformation of corn plants with the assistance of Bacillus Thuringiensis gene along with the potential impacts of Bt corn particularly on the specific agricultural ecosystem and global ecosystem. Transformation of Corn Plants with Bacillus Thuringiensis Gene Bt- corn plants, as a donor organism emerges through soil bacterium known as Bacillus Thuringiensis (Bt). It is fundamentally regarded as a gene that helps in the production of a protein named Delta Endotoxin. In relation to the transformation of corn plants with Bt gene, it has been apparently observed that the gene that is produced through certain genetic characteristics are to be recognized initially and then segregated from the remaining materials that are produced from donor organism (Bessin, 2013). The protein named BT Delta Endotoxin can be taken into concern while transforming corn plants as it very effective in managing as well as controlling Lepidoptera larvae or caterpillars. This protein can be evidently used in order to control the corn plants from the damages of insects and other flies existing in the environment. It has been viewed that with the advent of technology in the genetic engineering process, the transformation process of corn plants with the support of Bacillus Thuringiensis gene has been enhanced considerably (Plant and Soil Sciences eLibrary, 2013). In order to determine the transformation of corn plants with Bt gene, it has been noted that Bt genes manufacture various proteins that help in safeguarding the corn plants from insects along with other animals present in the environment. The transformation of corn plants can also be possible with the use of biotechnological process by implementing Cry1Ab gene that would eventually facilitate in providing a significant solution for protecting the corn plants from the attack of corn borer. It has been identified that conventional treatment are not effective in protecting the corn plants from any sort of damage or environmental hazard. Notably, Bt-corn plants can be protected with the application of pesticides along with the proteins that are helpful in mitigating the damages that are perceived from the insects. It has been evidently viewed that Bt acts as a controller for the prevention of corn plants from the damages of insects as well as generating greater productivity along with quality grains for the environment (Syngenta, 2013). Potential Impact of Bt Corn On Individual Agricultural Ecosystem After acquiring a brief idea about the transformation of corn plants with Bt gene, it has been apparently observed that Bt-corn impose considerable impact upon individual agricultural ecosystem. In this modern context, the impact of Bt-corn on the agricultural ecosystem can be identified on the basis of the study tha t was propounded by the scientists of various nations regarding assessment of risks on the population of monarch butterfly. According to the researches, it has been viewed that assessment of risks might be exposed leading towards the toxic impact of Bt -corn on milkweed along with the population of monarch butterflies. This toxic impact ultimately benefits the farmers as well as the agricultural ecosystem by a considerable level. The other significant impact of Bt-corn on individual agri

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 10

Assignment Example Each of the puffy curved arms is 14 inches from outside seam to inside and the seat is 22 inches between the arms with the back extending up 29 inches. So it is large and a little squat looking with the total width including the seat and the two arms being 48 inches, making it wider than it is tall, even considering that part of each arm is curved, meaning that it truly only 45 inches measured across the seat from the outside of one arm to the outside of the other. The other three inches is puffiness of the arms. These chairs barely came through the apartment door with two people turning them on an odd angle and pushing them through while turning the frame. The chairs are light tan covered in microfiber that resembles fine Italian suede. The seat is divided into squares and overstuffed as is the whole chair. Everything is rounded. There are no square corners of sharpness of any kind on tis chair until you look at the little flat metal feet. The feet actually do not look large enough to keep the chair upright. The covering is clean mostly, except on its rounded corners. There are tiny little needle-like punctures on the bottom of one side of each chair where a tiny chocolate point Siamese loved it. And a slight tear in the fabric gotten during moving on the left side back corner, right on the 1† by 4† wooden framing piece, has been super glued together and is almost invisible. The wood underneath is a solid cut piece of light colored medium soft wood. There is a ofoam covering over the wood even on the back, and steel strips on the wood corners under the foam The wood across the back is a solid piece or well fitted matched p lanks, probably about  ¼ ‘ thickness from the sound it gives to a knock. The texture of the fabric covering looks like fine suede and feels like a baby’s bottom. It has little tiny wrinkles in it like skin and a subtle pattern that also looks like skin. Each of the arms has ample storage under the top,

Refletion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Refletion - Essay Example I intend to join college to continue with my career goals. I believe that the appropriate use of mathematical coding practices will play a key role in my success: Application of best practices will assist me in my research project in college i.e. when performing data analysis, when completing mathematical formula among others. I will also continue using coding practices in my University while performing data analysis or when tackling certain mathematical problems. In other classes i.e. Chemistry classes and Physics lessons, I apply mathematical formulas to complete certain tasks: Mathematical coding has played a key role in assisting me to complete these problems as well as instances of data analysis. The most important practice in mathematical coding is ensuring that it meets the recommended coding standards, which may involve asking questions such as: Is the coding system efficient? Is the coding practice usable, maintainable and dependable? This is important because it ensures that a lot of time is wasted by using inefficient coding practices that may lead to generation of inaccurate

Sports Activities at School Essay Example for Free

Sports Activities at School Essay Introduction The aim of this report is to analyse why so many students aren’t motivated to do a lot of sports activities at school. A number of students and teachers were interviewed and their suggestions for changes to the methods are summarised. The problem * There aren’t a lot of different sport activities offered at school There don’t seem to be a lot of sports that can be played at school. Only a few sorts of sports are offered and that are football, that isn’t even weekly and a real competition, and softball. If these sports don’t fit you, you haven’t got a lot of opportunities to play sports at school. * Students don’t intend to sport a lot anymore Students aren’t known for their plesure of moving and sporting a lot. The electronics swallow a lot of their spare time, and they aren’t motivated to play sports in their leisure time, because it’s less exciting. Improving the situation What steps can be taken to improve the situation? I would recommend that teachers place more emphasis on increasing the different sorts of sports that are offered at school, in order to get students more motivated. When they are allowed to choose the sport that attracts them most, they will become more motivated. When students are playing a sport they enjoy, they will easily resist the instant tempation of their electronic games. Conclusion Students aren’t as motivated for sports as they should be. There aren’t enough sports activities offered at school, which leads to low motivation on the part of students. In my opinion there should be given more choices to the students what sport they want to practice. When they get to choose from sports they enjoy, they will get more motivated.

Afghanistan War Essay Example for Free

Afghanistan War Essay Afghanistan has been in war with the U. S. mainly because, The Taliban refuses to follow through with the commands that the U. S. gave them, as well as ‘The Three Phases’, Also the planned attack in 2001, but mainly because the U. S. wants the mineral resources that are found in Afghanistan. The Taliban refused to undertake 3 simple tasks: shutting down the terrorist training camps, giving up the Al-Qaeda leaders and returning all American and Foreign citizens, which is part of the reason that we went to war with Afghanistan in 2001. The ‘Three Phases’ started in 1987-present the first phase was to topple the Taliban and destroy all terrorist camps from 1987-1997, the second phase was to defeat the Taliban military and re-build core institutes in the afghan state from 1997- September11, 2001, and the third phase was to turn to counterinsurgency doctrine due to increased military troop presence from 2001-present. America was planning an attack on Afghanistan to start off the third phase but what they didn’t know is that Afghanistan was planning an attack to the Twin towers to get back at the U.  S. for what they did in the past years. The main reason to the war in Afghanistan was to get most of the mineral resources in Afghanistan that are very valuable, and costs lots of money. Afghanistan and The U. S. A. are at war d The Taliban has refused to do the commands that the president of the U. S. (Mr. Bush) told them to do. More than two weeks ago from October 7th, 2001 the Taliban refused to shut down their terrorist camps, give up their leaders, and return all American and foreign citizens. Even though the U. S. s at war with Afghanistan, president Bush set up an arrangement so that afghan people who were suffering from starvation and medical issues could be cured with the droppings of food, medical aid and, clean drinking water so that they can survive and keep the afghan population alive, and for them to know what America can do when other Countries are in a time of need. George W. Bush on Sunday October 7th, 2001 said â€Å"The Military action is a part of our campaign against terrorism†¦We will win this conflict by the patient accumulation of successes, by meeting a series of challenges with determination and will and purpose. (Bush) This quote states that America will do everything in its power to get revenge on Osama bin Laden (Jerry Robinson) the person that President Bush thinks that he was behind the attack of the Twin Towers. Barack Obama dramatically increased the military troop presence in Afghanistan to have a larger force to protect the population from Taliban attacks due to, the ‘Three Phases’. The Three Phases consist of: 1) Toppling the Taliban 2) Defeating the Taliban military and rebuilding core institutions of the afghan state 3) a turn to counterinsurgency doctrine due to the increasing rates of military troops in Afghanistan(Witte). Phase one had lasted from 1979-1989 when soviet troops were withdrawn. Phase two lasted from1989-2001 the forces the United States and its allies had trained and armed now fought each other in complex coalitions for control of Afghanistan. The Third Phase lasted from September 11, 2001-present during Phase three on September 22, 2001 The United Arab Emirates and later Saudi Arabia withdrew their recognition of the Taliban as the legal government of Afghanistan, leaving neighboring Pakistan as the only remaining country with diplomatic ties. o some extent most of the Terrorist camps in Afghanistan were destroyed, and the government was ousted. Also, The Taliban surrendered within two months, much more quickly than expected. The Taliban and al-Qaeda began to regroup in 2003, after the United States shifted its military efforts to fighting the war in Iraq, and attacks on U. S. and NATO troops have continued since. The overall aim now is to ensure a stable Afghanistan that is no longer a hotbed for terrorist organisations. This all happened due to the Three Phases.

Decision Making Processes in Firm Partnerships: Case Study

Decision Making Processes in Firm Partnerships: Case Study Summary of Case Charles Tollison was in the middle of an audit engagement when his managing partner told Charles that he was passed on for the promotion to and audit partner. This was not the first time that he had failed to be promoted to audit partner while at his firm. Charles has very little faith when his managing partner, Linton, said, promised that the following year he would vigorously campaign for Tollisons promotion and call in all the favors owed to him (Knapp, 2014). He was already passed on the position twice and had little faith he would ever get the position. One option Tollison had was to have a permanent position as senior manager with his current employer. The case states that Tollison was easily counted on to answer the more difficult issues that came across his department. One thing that Tollison was not good at was obtaining new clients for the firm. This seems to be a key factor of why Tollison was not promoted this year or even ever. Charles Tollison Qualifications of Partnership Position The methodology of determining if an accountant is qualified for a partnership depends on the firms way of evaluating the accountant. The methodology may be based on quality of work, ability to obtain new clients, or even have a specialized knowledge. The decision will also depend on what the firm needs at that point in time. These decisions are not always fair and the wrong person might be promoted. It seemed that Charles does have excellent quality work and he seems like the go to guy for difficult issues. I do not think personally that he was fully qualified for a partnership position. Quality of work is not the only quality that should be looked at when promoting someone to a partner. Tollisons Firm Fairness is not always possible in all situations, especially in situations where there are limited resources. In this case, the lack of promotion is unfortunate but I dont think unfair. I dont think he had all the qualities needed for this particular firm needed at that point in time. He seemed to be the go to guy for difficult issues that other people couldnt figure out. If he was promoted to a partner he would likely not be able to take on these difficult issues and not help the firm as much as a partner rather than a manager. Yes, it might seem unfair not to get promoted but you also have to think about what is best for the company over all. Evaluation Individuals for Promotion Some criteria that should be looked at when evaluating potential partners is quality of work, ability to obtain new clients, specialized knowledge, interpersonal skills, dedication and commitment to the firm, integrity, ethical behavior, success with difficult assignments, and professional reputation. In my opinion, larger firms main motivation is revenue and how partners can generate revenue with getting new client. I know my boss has told me stories about his friends at bigger Public CPA firms having a requirement to get a certain dollar amount of new revenue by obtaining new clients. If they did not reach this level or new revenue they would be terminated as a partner. To me this is obserb, I know I am not a sales person nor would I want to spend my time finding new clients. I would rather review audits and train the people under me to be good auditors. I think smaller firms would more likely look at dedication to the firm and maybe interpersonal skills. I am sure it is hard for a smaller firm to have constant partner changes so they would look for someone who would be there for the long run. Advantages and Disadvantages of Up or Out Supporters of the up or out promotion policy highlights the vitality created within an organization. Members of the organization are under constant pressure to innovate and improve on an ongoing basis. In theory, this pressure drives people to be better and in turn making the organization better. People who are against up or out promotion policy point out that the self-preservation and competition that up or out policy creates is not always in the best interest of the firm or their clients. That kind of policy may bring in employees that are only focused on the short term and may inadvertently force out employees with valuable skill sets that are important to the firm. I do not think that instilling fear into your employees is the best approach to improve themselves or improve the company.

Life of a Sensuous Woman and A Vindication of the Rights of Woman Essay

Ihara Saikaku’s Life of a Sensuous Woman written in the 17th century and Mary Woolstonecraft’s A Vindication of the Rights of Woman written in the 18th century are powerful literary works that advocated feminism during the time when women were oppressed members of our societies. These two works have a century old age difference and the authors of both works have made a distinctive attempt to shed a light towards the issues that nobody considered significant during that time. Despite these differences between the two texts, they both skillfully manage to present revolutionary ways women can liberate themselves from oppression laden upon them by the society since the beginning of humanity. In Saikaku’s story Life of a Sensuous Woman, he uses his main character an Old Woman’s story to show how women can be as competent as men if they use their knowledge and experience in a right way. The two men who came to hear the old woman’s story and ask her to help them understand more about life indicates that women do possess the ability to be intellectual and use their knowledge to guide others (Saikaku 594). It is clear that how valuable the old woman’s opinion was to those two men that they came to seek her guidance instead of going to a man. The whole idea of men seeking guidance from a woman during the 17th century is revolutionary. One can comprehend that women are capable of using their knowledge and experience to lead the way to others including men thus becoming a vital member of society. Empowering women continues as the Old Women’s story progresses where Saikaku articulately shows how women can fulfill their own desire and not give into what men expect of them. Old Woman’s young self choosing the exceptional letter writer samu... ...together as equal members of society. Even though the progress has been massive in developed nations, there are still parts of the world that are centuries behind when it comes to women liberation. Therefore, now it is in the hands of liberated ones to pull those who are still living under the cave of oppression and show them the light of liberation. Works Cited Puchner, Martin. Mary Wollstonecraft. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. 3rd Ed. Volume D. Ed. Martin Puchner. New York: Norton, 2013. 133. Print. Saikaku, Ihara. Life of a Sensuous Woman. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. 3rd Ed. Volume D. Ed. Martin Puchner. New York: Norton, 2013. 591-611. Print. Woolstoncraft, Mary. A Vindication of The Rights of Woman. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. 3rd Ed. Volume D. Ed. Martin Puchner. New York: Norton, 2013. 134-136. Print.

The Ethics of Medical Animal Testing Essay -- Ethical Treatment of Anim

In all matters, including medicine, the well-being of the human race comes before any other consideration. This is the justification for the use of nonhuman animal testing in medicine. Of course this argument brings issues into play that are both ethical and professional and need exploring before a definitive answer can be given. The Rights of â€Å"Lesser Life Forms† Animals have rights. This is a statement that very few people will disagree with. Animal cruelty as an end unto itself (i.e. for entertainment) is just wrong. Short of being a sociopath I really can’t imagine anyone saying or thinking otherwise. The real ethical question comes when humanity can benefit from a â€Å"cruelty† committed against an animal. As far as life on this planet goes, we appear to be at the pinnacle of creation. Though we have only been here for less than the blinking of an eye, as far as our small planet is concerned, we have achieved heights unparalleled by any species to grace the world before us. Because of this we have looked at the rest of existence as lesser than us and therefore present for our use. A Respect for All Life This view of superiority has begun to diminish only very lately. The first reason for this elevated respect for nonhuman animals comes from the same source as our concern for our fellow human beings: compassion. As a species humans have, for whatever reason, developed the ability to conceptualize ourselves in the place of other things we observe. While this ability is strongest when dealing with other humans, it is even possible to do this with humans. This is of course followed by hard reasoning as to why nonhuman animals do have rights. Peter Singer, a professor in bioethics, is believed by some to have beg... ...ights movement; http://www.animalrights.net/ Research Defense Society; an organization supporting animal testing; http://www.rds-online.org.uk/home.html Seriously Ill for Medical Research; an organization supporting animal testing ( he has even posted his hate mail); http://www.simr.org.uk/pages/simr/index.html Federal Food and Drug Administration; The US’s legal authority on animal testing; http://www.fda.gov Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine; an organization against animal testing; http://www.pcrm.org/issues/Animal_Experimentation_Issues/animal_issues.html People for Ethical Treatment of Animals; Animals’ rights group; http://www.peta.com Seriously Ill Against Vivisection; an organization against animal testing; http://www.siav.com Peter Singer Links; A site dedicated to Peter Singer and his works; http://www.petersingerlinks.com/

Sparta: Why the May Fly Only Lives for One Day :: essays research papers

Sparta; Why the May Fly Only Lives for One Day   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Greece, a land of culture and philosophy, separated at its birth into two classes; Athens awoke to the cultural, intellectual side of life while its brother Sparta focused on mainly building up military power. Sparta was the brawn of Greece, while Athens was the brain. In an analogy, it would be comparing Rich Nastro (The Brawn, not to say that he has no brain, but he is the most muscle-built teacher at Saint Paul’s, and I needed an example that you, the teacher could relate with, and I know you could relate to yourself,) to Jim Buckler (The Brain, and even though he may know how to build nuclear weapons, he is not war-like enough to use them. In addition, he is not grading this, so I do not have to explain myself to him.) Sparta was located on the southern tip of the Peloponessus, and had little trade with other city-states. It also never set up any colonies, so financial wealth came from conquering other city-states. (Farah 115) Sparta focused so much on the military, they forgot about other important aspects of daily life, such as flossing, developing an artistic community, or creating a stable government. Poorly managed priorities in Sparta were prevalent and would have caused economic recession if they had not pillaged neighboring countries and city-states. However, Sparta was cruel to the people they conquered, and forced their victims into slavery, a.k.a. Helots. The Helots had to farm the land and honor the Spartans even though, much like the American south during slavery, the Helots outnumbered the Spartans. Despite slaves outnumbering the Spartans, the military ruled with absolute power, and crushed every rebellion the Helots attempted. The rebellion, attempted by the Helots, lasted for thirty years before the Spartans crushed it, and even with the Helots’ superior numbers (200,000 Helots to 10,000 Spartans), they still did not manage to overthrow the Spartan military because Sparta had develo ped the Phalanx. (Farah 115) Despite its initial success, the Phalanx was the ultimate boiling pot for the lobster of Sparta. The Iron Age came about when Sparta was establishing itself, iron weapons and armor were cheaper to produce than their predecessor of bronze, so weapons became readily available for any one who wanted one (just like now!) This meant that everybody and their brother was buying weapons and armor to arm themselves’ to become part of the Phalanx legions that were the pride and joy of Sparta.

Motivational Factors Toward Pursuing a Career in Special Education Essay

This study investigated factors which motivated individuals to initially pursue careers in special education, factors which contributed toward their plans to remain or leave the field, and their perceptions of school districts’ effective and ineffective recruitment and retention practices. The sample comprised of 15 individuals employed in public schools throughout north Texas who initially pursued careers in special education. Data were collected through the form of audio-recorded semi-structured telephone interviews. Empathy towards students, family, and opportunities to fill job vacancies were factors that participants cited the most for initially pursuing careers in special education. Furthermore, most of the interviewees reported satisfaction within their jobs, but noted excessive demands and lack of administrative support as contributing to job dissatisfaction. Motivational Factors toward Pursuing a Career in Special Education. Chronic shortages in the field of special education continue to pose challenges for public schools across the United States (Billingsley, Carlson, & Klein, 2004; Boe, 2006; Billingsley & McLeskey, 2004; Brownell, Hirsch, Seo, 2004; Singh & Billingsley, 1996; Strunk & Robinson, 2006; Thornton, Peltier, & Medina, 2007). The limited number of individuals entering and/or remaining in the field of special education has resulted in school districts’ inability to fill the necessary teaching positions; such shortages have been linked to difficulties in the recruitment and retention of qualified individuals (Olivarez & Arnold, 2006). Although difficulties with the recruitment of teachers, low retention, and high attrition rates are evident across all teaching professions, it is much more prevalent among special educators. Specifically, teachers of students with emotional/behavioral disorders exhibit the largest shortage, followed by those serving students with severe/profound disabilities, and learning disabilities (McLeskey, Tyler, & Flippin, 2004). Our national school districts are in a crisis. Specifically, districts are scrambling to find qualified special educators to fill the vacant teaching positions. According to Plash and Piotrowski (2006), a projected 611,550 positions in special education will need to be filled by the year 2010. However, the inability to recruit the necessary number of eligible individuals to fill positions continues to be a major problem for school administrators. An infinite number of research studies have been conducted in an attempt to identify barriers which deter people from entering the field (Billingsley, 2004; Gersten, Keating, Yovanoff, & Harniss, 2001; McLeskey et al., 2004; Olivarez & Arnold, 2006; Thornton, Peltier, & Medina, 2007). Studies have identified perceptions of low social status associated with being a special educator, poor working conditions, high rates of stress, excessive paperwork, and low salaries with the decreased number of individuals entering the field of special education (Barmby, 2006; McLeskey et al. , 2004; Rice, Goeling, & Peters, 2005). A vast amount of research also exists regarding factors which have contributed to the decisions of individuals to leave the field of special education (Billingsley, Carlson, & Klein, 2004; Singh & Billingsley, 1996; Thornton, Peltier, & Medina, 2007) and consequently contribute to the shortage of and high attrition rates of special education teachers (Barmby, 2006; Fish & Stephens, in press; McLeskey, Tyler, & Saunders, 2004). According to Plash and Piotrowski (2006), 13. 2% of special education teachers leave their position each year. While six percent of special educators leave the field of education altogether, 7. 2% transfer to general education positions. Prevalent variables identified as contributors to the exodus from the field include occupational stress, burnout (Botwinik, 2007; Greiner & Smith, 2006), weak support by administrators, unreasonable caseloads, large class size, low salaries (Darling-Hammond, 2003), testing and accountability pressures (Tye & O’Brien, 2002), and ineffective in-service programs (Kaufhold, Alverez, & Arnold, 2006; Plash & Piotrowski, 2006). A study conducted by Brownell, Smith, McNellis, and Lenk (1994) investigated the contextual variables related to teacher attrition. Findings indicated that those teachers who decided to stay in the field of special education were more committed to teaching students with disabilities, had a higher sense of efficacy, felt more prepared by their pre-service and initial teaching experiences, and exhibited more effective coping strategies than those who decided to leave the field. Two international studies were identified which focused on the motivating factors of individuals initially pursuing careers as general educators (Barmby, 2006; Watt & Richardson, 2007). Based upon a study conducted in England and Wales, Barmby identified intrinsic (e. g. , the activity of teaching children) and altruistic (e. g. , desire to help children succeed) reasons which contributed to the teachers’ decision to pursue careers within the field of education. Similar findings (e. g., working with children, shape future of children, and make a social contribution) were reported by Watt and Richardson who investigated the motivational factors which influenced Australian individuals to initially pursue a career in general education. In addition to investigating special educators’ job satisfaction and decisions to remain in the field, obtaining an understanding of individuals’ motivations for entering the field of special education have implications which may assist in the increased recruitment and retention of special educators. Such findings would contribute to enhanced teacher educational planning, curriculum design and policy decisions. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to obtain perceptions of special educators with regards to factors that contributed toward their (a) initial pursuit of special education careers, (b) job satisfaction and/or dissatisfaction levels and (c) decisions whether to remain on the special education career path. Participants were further asked to provide recommendations that school districts could take to effectively recruit and retain special educators. Design of Study Qualitative methodology was utilized in this study in the form of audio-recorded semi-structured telephone interviews to obtain the perceptions of special educators. Qualitative research is appropriate in dealing with potentially multiple realities, mutually shaping influences, and value patterns (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). Interviews serve the purpose of â€Å"obtaining here-and-now constructions of persons, events, activities, organizations, feelings, motivations, claims, concerns, and other entities† (p. 268). According to Bogdan and Biklen (1998), semi-structured interviews encourage interviewees to expand upon ideas, which provide the researcher opportunities to generate abstract ideas through descriptive material. Participants Respondents participating in this study consisted of 15 educators employed in public school districts throughout the north Texas area. This purposive sample was comprised of 11 special education teachers, three diagnosticians and one former special education teacher currently serving as a high school principal at the time of the interviews. Four of the 11 special education teachers within this study were previously general education teachers. Data Collection and Analysis The interview questions conducted for this study focused on factors which contributed toward special educators initially pursuing careers in special education in addition to conditions that would contribute toward them remaining in or leaving the field. Interviewees were additionally asked to provide feedback pertaining to their school districts’ special educator recruitment and retention efforts. The following open-ended questions were asked to each of the 15 participants.

Diabetes Paper

Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. The cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, although both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles. This Metabolic disorder causes the body to lose its main source of fuel considering that the blood contains large amounts of glucose (since diabetic people are usually obese people or people who have large contents of glucose in their bodies). After digestion, glucose passes into the bloodstream, where it is used by the human cells for growth and energy.In order for glucose to get into cells, a hormone called insulin must be present. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, a large gland behind the stomach. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy (glucose), this substance is essential for a human being’s continued existence. Upon food consumption, the pancreas automatically produces the right amount of insulin to move and synthesize glucose from the blood into the human cells.However, the pancreas either produces little or no insulin for people affected with diabetes, the cells in these cases do not respond appropriately to the insulin that is produced. Glucose builds up in the blood, overflows into the urine. This causes the glucose to be discharged out of the human body in the form of urine. This is basically a metabolism disorder – the problem lies with how the food is digested by the human body ingesting it (National Diabetes Clearing House).There are 2 main types of Diabetes; the first being known as â€Å"Insulin dependent diabetes† or what is now being termed as â€Å"Type 1 diabetes†, and the second type known as â€Å"Non- insulin dependent diabetes† also known as â€Å"Type 2 diabetes†. II. Type 1 Diabetes (Insulin Dependent Diabetes) Type 1 Diabetes (Insulin-dependent diabetes) is a disorder best characterized with the occurrence of frequent urination, extreme thirst, constant hunger, blurred vision, and extreme fatigue on the part of the subject.This strain unlike the type 2 diabetes strain is most prevalent in young individuals, who usually contract this disease around the age of 14. Type 2 diabetes is in contrast acquired during the latter stages of an individuals life probably due to an unhealthy lifestyle. The Insulin dependent diabetes strain — accounts only for approximately 5 percent or less of diabetes in the U. S. (Armstrong, C. 1990). People affected with Type 1 Diabetes like others affected with other diabetes strains, have defective pancreas glands.These glands are supposed to be the ones which secretes the insulin hormone. The insulin hormone is the hormone which facilitates the conversion of Glucose to a form which allows for assimilation by the human cells. Since the pancreas releases a very limited amount of insulin (in some cases none at all) the glucose which is not assim ilated is diverted to the bloodstream to be excreted by the kidneys in the form of urine. It is on this stage that the kidneys, would be forced to try to remove the excess sugar, excreting large amounts of water and essential body elements in the process.Kidney failure, and Heart problems are among those complications which may arise from the said illness. Modern Science has allowed type 1 diabetes victims another lease on life when alternative medical solutions were developed. As of the moment the only cure available today for type 1 diabetes is a pancreas transplant, which is needless to say quite dangerous, expensive and very rarely done. However, even if the said transplant was a success (new pancreas is rejected by half of the people who get this operation), the organ which was transplanted, incur a very high risk of being rejected by the subject’s body.If rejection occurs (as in most cases) this would entail constant usage of suppression drugs to maintain immune reactio n suppression. The side effects of immune-suppressive drugs can be very severe and even worse than the disease. Statistics show that one or two people out of every 10 who get the surgery die within a year. Of course it follows that if the surgery fails the disease would eventually return. Recently, experimental treatments with stem cells have shown some promise. For most people, type 1 diabetes is a life-long disease that can be effectively managed with insulin.Margolis S. 2006. ) II. Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes The Non-insulin dependent diabetes strain also known as type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. Some complications of type 2 diabetes would include: heart disease (cardiovascular disease), blindness (retinopathy), nerve damage (neuropathy), and kidney damage (nephropathy). The main difference between the first and second strain of diabetes is that the first one occurs in the early phases of an individuals life, while the latter occurs usually in the later sta ges.This type of diabetes is preventable but un-curable unlike the first type. It is a possibility for a human being to actually be affected with this kind of disease without actually knowing it. Scientists nowadays are still looking into the factors which may have caused insulin resistance. Unfortunately, the answer to this question is yet to be unearthed. In the case of Type 2 diabetes, the problem would either be caused by the fact that the body does not produce enough insulin or it may be that the cells ignore the insulin.It was found out by common observation and research that the frequency of occurrence of this disease usually occurs among obese or overweight individuals. It is a known fact that most people who develop this type of diabetes are overweight. Scientists are still looking for a clue as to why obesity increases the risk of developing diabetes, but the common consensus agreed upon is that obesity is a major factor leading to non-insulin-dependent diabetes.Scientists are continually studying cells to see why this might happen (What Causes Non-insulin Dependent Diabetes? . The usual symptoms to identify whether if an individual is affected or not would be the Increased thirst and frequent urination, Extreme hunger, Rapid weight loss, Fatigue, Blurred vision, Slow healing sores or frequent infections, and in some cases Patches of dark velvety skin in the folds and creases of Subject’s bodies — usually in the armpits and neck. This condition, called acanthosis nigricans, is a sign of insulin resistance (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2007).In this particular strain of diabetes the only possible action which could be done is prevention, since as mentioned earlier there is no known cure to this chronic disease. To combat the effects of this disease, the advisable things to do would be to watch or monitor the level of blood glucose, proper exercise, good eating habits, and occasional insulin dosages. Apparently the said measure is capable of reduci ng the risk and dangers brought about by complication of this disease to about 50% (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2007). III. ConclusionDiabetes is a chronic disease which still baffles even the most learned of physicians since as far as technology is concerned, the immediate, reliable and consistent cure is yet to be had. As far as affected individuals are concerned the best cure is still prevention, and this could be done by living a healthy lifestyle (eating healthy food and proper exercise), and by taking necessary medication. The hope that the cure is on the verge of being discovered still looms on the horizon. Hopefully, the said cure would be found soon to relieve the millions suffering worldwide.

Is the Port Authority Helping or Getting in the Way? Essay

The debate continues in Cleveland over the best use of our lakefront. For almost two centuries the lakefront in Cleveland has been mostly industry. Here, like in other cities, we want recreational access to the lakefront. The Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority plays a major role in increasing recreational opportunities in downtown Cleveland in two ways: first, it owns a good part of the lakefront (the number one source of land for recreation.); and second, it occupies much of its own land or leases it for industrial purposes. So, therefore, the port authority is one of the major players in the decision of where and how to put recreation along the lakefront. As with anything it is important to understand the past before we can understand the present. I have found a time line dating to 1818 that documents this history. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 1818: The first steamboat on Lake Erie arrived in Cleveland. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 1828: To improve shipping between the Great Lakes and the Ohio & Erie Canal, a new shipping channel – the current mouth of the Cuyahoga River – was cut to allow the river to flow directly into Lake Erie. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 1849: A pier was built at the foot of Water Street (West 9th Street). à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 1851: The Cleveland, Columbus & Cincinnati Railroad opened the first Cleveland depot on the lakefront at West 9th Street. By 1853, railroads constructed six piers east of the Cuyahoga River. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 1852: The first shipment of ore for smelting iron arrived in Cleveland from Marquette. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 1870s: Construction of a breakwater began in the 1870s to protect Cleveland’s harbor area. The United States Congress authorized funds for breakwater construction in 1875, 1886, 1896 and 1902. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 1912: The New York, Pennsylvania & Ohio Railroad opened an ore dock on fill placed along the lakefront on the north side of Whiskey Island to handle iron ore for Cleveland’s flourishing steel industry. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 1913: The East 9th Street pier opened to provide passenger ferry service between Cleveland and Detroit and Buffalo. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 1940: The United States Coast Guard Station opened on the eastern end of Whiskey Island at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 1959: The St. Lawrence Seaway opened providing access between Great Lakes Ports, including Cleveland, and international markets. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 1968: The Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority was established to operate Cleveland’s publicly owned lakefront docks. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 1970s: The Port Authority purchased land from several entities between the mouth of the Cuyahoga River and West 3rd Street in anticipation of the construction of an ore dock for Republic Steel that ultimately was built in Lorain. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 1978: The Port Authority received Foreign Trade Zone designation for part of Dock 20. This federal designation now extends to the entire dock area. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 1986: The State of Ohio and the City of Cleveland began construction of a seven acre inner harbor between Dock 32 and East 9th Street. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 1998: The Port Authority purchased the ore dock on Whiskey Island from Conrail to ensure the continued availability of ore deliveries at the lowest costs for local steel making operations.1 As you can see our port has a deep rooted history in our community and in our economy. Also, our port has some special features; for instance we have deep water docks allowing us to have large freighters come into our port. Additionally, our port is a destination port in that most of the goods that come in through the port are going somewhere within fifty miles of the dock. Lastly, our Cleveland Bulk Terminal (CBT)2 is amazing in that it has 1850 linear feet of dock with a loop track for ship to rail distribution. A couple of years ago the company removed the giant and obsolete huletts that used to unload the ships into trains, relying now on self-unloading equipment on ships. Trucks are not used because there is no haul road. This summer Oglebay Norton is hoping to bring the automatic loading equipment from the Lorain Pellet Terminal to enable easier re-loading of ships for International Steel Group. Through all of the current turmoil about the port it has been trying to exonerate it’s self and improve its image. The dispute has brought up two alternatives for the port; one is to leave the port as it is and make Whisky Island into a park; the second is to put the section of the port on the east bank of the river on Whisky Island and make the east bank area a park. Both are controversial as there are the Friends of Whisky Island who want the Island to become a park; while the port wants to just exist downtown. Some people believe that the port should go away all together. They don’t realize that the ships bring goods from overseas, and those goods come into the city’s factories, which either package them or make other products from them. Then, the factories ship the products out to be sold, thus, promoting trade and economic growth in the city of Cleveland and the whole country. As I mentioned before, the port is just striving to exist in downtown Cleveland. This is because of the deep water docks I also mentioned earlier the deep water docks are unique on the great lakes and very important to our economy. If the port were to be moved very far from its current locale there could be great expense taken to dredge a new location in an attempt to recreate deep water docks. In the current debate NOACA is the main intermediary; NOACA has set up a team of four city planners, one of which is from the city planning commission and three outside counsels, who have been holding meetings in different neighborhoods that might be affected and are taking in ideas. Many people like the idea to move the port to the west bank and free up land on the east, although it is unlikely. Thus, I can safely conclude, that the port is one of the biggest players in what will happen to our lakefront. It can either move or stay put. Although, it just wants to continue to exist and are continuously embellishing their own cause to make people think they are important. They are really important to recreation and our economy because they own the land and promote trade and economic growth. The port is a necessity and here to stay. BIBLIOGRAPHY http://www.citizensvision.org/friends-wi/plans/portplan.htm; â€Å"Port Authority Master Plan†; http://planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/lakefront/; â€Å"Lakefront Plan†; http://www.greatlakes-seaway.com/en/ports/portofcleveland.html; â€Å"Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System: Port of Cleveland†; Ehle, Jay C., William D. Ellis, Nancy A. Schneider; Cleveland’s Harbor: The Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority; Kent, Ohio and London, England; The Kent State University Press; (c)1996 1 http://urban.csuohio.edu/forum/waterways/portactivites/index.htm 2 The Cleveland Bulk Terminal is operated by Oglebay Norton Terminals Inc.; a division of the Oglebay Norton Company.

History of Psychology and concepts of human nature Essay

Since the beginning of the human civilization, there have been continuous efforts to explore the various complexities confounded in the human nature by our various philosophers. They have tried to bring out the various notions like fusion, interactions, integration or systems in relation to their environment and society. The study of the human nature began with various theories formulated by our classical economists like Sophists, and their contemporaries Socrates and Plato and then Aristotle. But before that, Thabes of Miletus of Greek (600 BC) studied the nature of Universe to predict solar eclipse. It is ardently clear that before the philosophical disposition towards the study of human beings started, philosophers were more delving into the mysteries of nature. Sophists were the first to fully formulate the study of human nature. Between 430 to 420, Antiphone in his essay â€Å"On Truth†, said that all men belong to human race, they are all fixed and in nature, they are all same whether they are non Hellenes or Hellenes. Other Sophists too described human nature as a â€Å"static essence†. (Reinhold 2002) They developed their concept while explaining their self -interestedness as the main essence of their human nature. Hippias too stated that, â€Å"it is human nature for the stronger to rule the weaker and to lead, and for the weaker to submit and follow†. (Reinhold 2002) Plato disagreed with this and stated that this law did not take into consideration the law for creation of humans, which they called nomos. He also always criticized relativism of knowledge and skepticism of Sophists. For Sophists, nothing existed and if there was something then, it was impossible for us to know it and if we knew it, we could not explain it. Plato explaining Sophists believed that â€Å"Man is the measure of all things, of those that are in so far as they are, and those that are not in so far as they are†. (Dillon 2003) He also did not agree on their conception of self-interestedness. He said that by understanding the man as self interested, Sophists had undermined morality, which is as much part of the human endeavors. All knowledge is based on contingent facts based on specific situation. Plato saw man’s nature as rational and civilized society must follow rational principles. Plato and Socrates both said that irrational desire should not over power reason. Following on the steps of Plato and Socrates, Aristotle too believed human as possession of two souls: the philosophical/ theoretical and the rational. Aristotle further stated that human nature could be divided into two parts: firstly â€Å"drives† and secondly â€Å"capacities†. (Leahy 2000) Human Nature cannot be defined as a nature of one person but for all human races on this Earth. There are some elements in human behavior which are common to all human beings, and by closely observing the actions of the people, one can see the reflection of this combined element of human behavior. Many philosophers consider this human nature as consisting of element which they called ‘power’ and it is this power that makes the humans behave in a way they ought to behave. For e. g. All human beings eat and it is hunger that induces humans to eat therefore hunger is a power and is common behavior in all human beings. There are two types of Powers- basic and secondary, for instance aggressive power is a basic power in humans, which might lead to aggressive conduct in normal situations. All living things Aristotle said are imbibed with inbuilt potentialities and it is natural among human beings to develop that potentialities to the full and from here arises the another question: what, however, is the potentiality of human beings? And the obvious answer to this question is the capacity to reason and to always strive to develop their power of reason is the ultimate aim of humans. The ability to reason is the best capacity and the power given to humans by nature and they should use it to the full capacity to make their life better. This power of reasoning enables humans to grasp their world around and this reasoning power starts with the children at young age. From the young age, they see in their behavior both the stability and change. Stability in the sense that they adopt themselves according to their environment yet see themselves modifying the environment and their behavior on the basis of their reasoning power which allows them to grow morally and physically. As compared to it, Jean Piaget of Switzerland born in 1896 studied the cognitive development of children in his what is known as Piaget’s theory to come up with the conclusion that children are not less intelligent than elders are. Children establish around themselves cognitive structures like mental maps, schemes, or networked concepts to better understand and reciprocate to his physical surroundings. With their most established inherent abilities, they try to modify themselves with their environment. But centuries later Freud contradicted this theory into notion that development takes place in the individual in the same way as in the other species like psychosexual changes in biological terms. Thomas Hobbes had been adequately presumed as most intricate materialistic philosopher who disbelieved in the concept that children are adoptable naturally to their surroundings. He believed that human beings are not free and they have to follow the pattern of this materialistic world of today. In Levathian in 1651, he said that, â€Å"Man is not naturally good but naturally a selfish hedonist —of the voluntary acts of every man, the object is some good to himself. † (Fonseca Online) All human beings are inherently selfish. Rene Descartes was a French philosopher and a mathematician (1596 to 1650) who delivered his voice on human nature when Renaissance was at its peak. He was the father of modern philosophy and believed that the essence of human nature lies in thought process and all things that we see or perceive are ultimately true. He had an ardent belief that it is the human reason or the power of reasoning that induces humans to entertain the certain knowledge and truth. Thomas Hobbes discovered the human nature more from his philosophical eyes and through his study on child development whereas Rene Descartes adopted scientific approach. As compared to Thomas, Descartes believed that truth could only be discovered through the process called as radical skepticism and analytical reasoning. He further said that the â€Å"Essence of human nature lies in thought, and that all the things we conceive clearly and distinctly are true. † (Cottingham 1986) Centuries later Karl Marx conveyed the society having a concrete definite pattern with a social formation, but with an interdependent economic, political, legal and cultural levels with several parts of modes of production and it is the relationship between these different modes of production that runs the society. Both Thomas and Karl Marx believed the nature and human behavior surrounding the concept of materialist wealth. During the Renaissance period, the scientific and technological developments lured the intricate selfish nature of human beings with the abundance of materialistic wealth at their disposal. Human behavior is not fixed but fluctuating and since centuries human beings have been cultivating their behavior according to the changes in the society and in the global world. Man is a social animal and it is ultimately the interaction between the man and his economical, social and political position on which his behavior depends. All the theories and studies on the human nature since the Greek time had been adopted and materialized looking at the adaptive nature of man to its surroundings and in the society in which he or she is living. Whether it is Sophists visualization of man as static personalities or Plato’s concept of man as rational or civilized or Aristotle’s man with great inherent capabilities, or Thomas Hobbes’s conception of man as selfish hedonistic or Descartes rational man and Karl Marx’s man as inherently and inborn social animal interdependent on society, all philosophers were the mouth pieces of their contemporary societies. And the study of the human nature has always been the study of society at large in context to the study of their relationships with their surroundings.

Automobiles in Short Fiction

Cars as symbols (freedom, false values, power) in stories by Louise Erdrich (Red Convertible), Flannery OConnor (Good Man Is Hard to Find) John Steinbeck (Chrysanthemums). The automobile is both a means of transportation and a symbol of American freedom, and it is used as a symbol of various aspects of American society by different authors. It becomes an explicit statement of freedom and a symbol of false American values in a story by Louise Erdrich, while its freedom is false in a story by Flannery OConnor. John Steinbeck makes use of the automobile as a metaphor for control and power in The Chrysanthemums. In The Red Convertible by Louise Erdrich, the automobile of the title becomes a central symbol for the relationship between the two Chippewa brothers and for the relationship of the American Indian to the modern world. The story subtly evokes ideas and attitudes about the plight of the Native American without actually addressing these issues overtly. The narrator