Time Machine Essays - The Time Machine, English-language Films

Time Machine In The Time Machine, H.G Wells depicts the workings of a Capitalist society very well. His representations of the classes might be subtle, but the Morlock is an obvious attempt at representing the lower class on several levels. The upper classes in history have been very scarred of the size and capabilities that the lower classes hold over them. The very notion that the Morlocks are underground not only puts them physically under the Eloi's but also represents to me, a ghetto like existence, that we see in our society today. They are depicted as a dark, aggressive people. Much like how the upper class may look at the lower classes today. The Morlocks come up and snatch an Eloi from above down into their existence. This might be a similar fear that someone of the upper class might have today. This notion, whether true or not, shows a common fear of the upper class to the subordinate group. In history most revolutions occur because of the differences in financial status. The French revolution occurred towards the Bourgeois and the American Revolution, fought to stop taxation without representation (a financial reason). I recently walked through New York City and felt that the biggest problem was not between the races (although that is a problem), but the ever-widening difference between the haves and the have-nots. I believe it might have been Karl Marx that foreshadowed a society with a huge chasm between rich and poor, that results in a revolution from the lower class and overthrows the upper. In his view the lower class would then create a Utopian society (of which Marx did not give detail into) ridding the culture of all the problems imposed on them. This has yet to happen in any revolution of significance. Even many years after the book was written, Wells is still able to depict the fears that the class systems today fear. Nothing has really fundamentally changed, and the Eloi's and Morlocks represent this well.

Detecting Counter Arguments To Defend An Argument Coursework

Detecting Counter Arguments To Defend An Argument Coursework Detecting Counter Arguments To Defend An Argument – Coursework Example Detecting Counter Arguments to Defend an Argument Detecting Counter Arguments to Defend an Argument There are a number of opposing views to my thesis that the media has contributed to the rising cases of early pregnancy among teens. Although nearly everyone agrees that teenage pregnancy is currently a serious major social problem in the contemporary society, there seems to be a divided opinion regarding whether the media is beneficial or detrimental to the fight against early pregnancy among teens (Thompson, 2007). One of the main opposing arguments is that the view that the Media particularly through reality shows such as MTVs â€Å"16 and pregnant† and â€Å"Teen Mom† are actually contributing to the fight against early pregnancy among teenagers by demonstrating the hardships and difficulties of teenage pregnancy to the viewers thereby acting as a cautionary tale to the vast majority of teens (NCPTUP, 2010). According to NCPTUP (2010), the media is one of the greatest tools available for fighting early pregnancy among teens and programs such as â€Å"16 and pregnant† have resulted in a noticeable reduction of the teenage pregnancy rates across the United States by up to 5.7 percent as at the year 2010. The authors attribute this to the perceived role of the media in demonstrating the hardships of being a young parent and fostering the conversation of how teenagers might end up in such circumstances as well as the available mitigation measures. However, contrary to the views contained in these opposing arguments, it is worth noting that the media has in most cases tended to glamorize teenage parenthood by depicting many of the teenage mothers as celebrities. In my view, this is a potential factor to the rising cases of early pregnancy among teensReferencesNational Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy (2010). Evaluating the Impact of MTV’s  16 and Pregnant  on Teen Viewers’ Attitudes about Teen Pregnancy.  Sc ience Says 45.Thompson, S. P..(2007). Teens pregnancy: Opposing viewpoints. Greenhaven Press.

Overview of Administrative Divisions of Countries Around the World

Overview of Administrative Divisions of Countries Around the World People understand that the United  States is organized into fifty states and that Canada has ten provinces and three territories. However, some are less familiar with how the other nations of the world organize themselves into administrative units. The  CIA World Factbook  lists the names of every countrys administrative divisions, but lets look at some of those divisions used in other nations of the world: Brazil: Officially known as the Federative Republic of Brazil,  Brazil  is divided fairly simply into twenty-six states and the federal district of Brasilia, its  central capital city. This organization is similar to that of the United States system of states plus Washington, DC.  China: China is composed of twenty-two provinces, five autonomous regions (including Xizang or Tibet), three independent municipalities (Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, and Tianjin), and the new Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong. This complicated system reflects the complex ethnic makeup of China.  Ethiopia:  Ethiopia is divided into nine ethnically-based administrative regions and the federal capital, Addis Ababa.France:  Frances famous 96 departments (101 if you include the overseas French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion, and St. Pierre and Miquelon) are combined to form twenty-two regions.Germany: Germany is divided simply,  into sixteen states.  India: India is home to t wenty-five states and seven union territories. Indonesia:  13,500-island Indonesia has twenty-four provinces, two special regions, and a special capital city district (Jakarta Raya).Italy: Italy is simply divided, into twenty individual regions.Japan:  The island nation of  Japan has forty-seven prefectures.Mexico: Mexicos long-form name is the United Mexican States. It is composed of thirty-one states and the federal district of the capital, Mexico City.Russia: The Russian Federation is slightly complicated. Its composed of forty-nine oblasts, twenty-one autonomous republics, ten autonomous okrugs, six krays, two federal cities (Moscow and St. Petersburg), and one autonomous oblast (Yevreyskaya).South Africa:  Before 1994, South Africa was divided into four provinces and four homelands. Today, South Africa is divided into nine provinces (Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape, Northern Province, and Western Cape.)Spain: Spain is composed of seventeen autonomous communities . Nine of these autonomous communities are further divided into two to nine provinces each. The United Kingdom:  The United Kingdom  is the appropriate name for the region that includes Great Britain (the island composed of England, Scotland, and Wales) and Northern Ireland. Each region of the UK has a different internal structure. England is composed of thirty-nine counties and seven metropolitan counties (including Greater London). Northern Ireland is composed of twenty-six districts, and Wales has eight counties. Finally, Scotland includes nine regions and three islands areas.Vietnam:  Vietnam is composed of fifty provinces and three municipalities (Ha Noi, Hai Phong, and Ho Chi Minh). While all the administrative subdivisions used in each nation have some means of local governance, how they interact with the national governing body and their methods for communicating with one another varies significantly from nation to nation. In some nations, the subdivisions have a notable amount of autonomy and are allowed to set fairly independent policies and even their own laws, while in other nations the administrative subdivisions exist only to facilitate the implementation of national laws and policies. In nations with clearly drawn ethnic divisions, the administrative units may follow these ethnic lines to the extent that each has its own official language or dialect.

History of Corporate Governance or applicable topic Research Paper

History of Corporate Governance or applicable topic - Research Paper Example With time, corporate governance issues do not seem to tire of introducing certain new legislative rules ad duties that aim at governing the relationship between the stakeholders of various companies as well as their management (Morck, 2005). Furthermore, the beginning of the twentieth century saw to the formulation of sufficient codes among other best practice catalogues that are concerned with corporate governance especially in business communities with the sole aim of satisfying a variety of stakeholders. According to Steger and Amann (2008), despite the fact that the term corporate governance being as old as the various managed entities themselves, it cuts across ownership and management thereby bringing forth a principal-agent problem. The term itself gained its use in the 1980s even though the need for shareholder and owner protection against any managerial issue, existed mush earlier. In the 1970s, probably among the most important functions of the corporate instrument were est ablished to be; establishment of basic objectives, corporate strategies as well as the policies of the board (Stege & Amann, 2008). Also, it was charged with the ultimate responsibility asking various discerning questions and above all, the selection of president. Another feature of corporate governance within this time period was the pyramidal business group. In this system, the shareholders are at the apex who commands a great control over a given single company. Consequently, this company held control blocks in other listed companies. In the 1980s, the extent to which the term corporate governance spread provided an indication of the growing awareness of issues as pertaining to corporate governance. The increased attention was somewhat due to several high profile initial public offerings alongside the privatization of state parastatals. This had an impact of various industrial sectors such as telecommunication, mining and electricity in the U.K which reported a rise in the total earnings (Steger & Amann p.8). In the subsequent years, other countries that employed the same tactic such as Germany which privatized its telecom industry, also realized great profits. The increased shift of attention on issues regarding corporate governance within this period can also be associated with a number of corporate failures and scandals. As a result, corporate governance attempted to influence the stock markets which a lot of people depended much on. The stock markets remarkably increased as corporate governance provided a sense security (Morck, 2005). In the 1990s, there was a rise in awareness of corporate governance in all the central countries. There were a lot of reports, guiding principles as well as the remarkably nice practice codes that called for transparency, conformance and compliance that were issued at board level to the countries in question. These reports clearly outlined the directors’ service contracts, the effectiveness and perceived objectivity of auditing as well as the role of institutional investors. As such, this made a breakthrough corporate governance more so owing to the fact its reports became requisite for companies that were listed in the U.S by the year 1995. Corporate governance has brought with it a distinction between the executive and the supervising members of the board and the division between the chairman of the board and the chief executive officers (C.E.O). For instance, by the year 1998,

Internal Audit of Fuller Smith & Turner plc Essay

Internal Audit of Fuller Smith & Turner plc - Essay Example The aim of the audit is to see the need for corrective action by top-level management on its policies. The idea is to stimulate mutual discussion between outside auditors and insiders (management and employees) who implement goals and find ways of improving the present situation. Its objective is therefore not only to correct the present way things are done, but probably more important is the good that the process can do to everyone involved, like the conduct of surveys of the present situation and the roundtable discussions that would be based on facts instead of opinions (Kondo, 1988, p. 15-16). An internal audit serves an educational purpose and offers management a chance to review those facts of the firm's strategies and operations that may reflect on management, employees, and other stakeholders. One positive effect of an audit is contributing to the way employees improve relationships with each other and understanding the work they do. There are different ways of doing an internal audit. ... The simplest is to gather data from periodic strategic and operational reviews, but the firm can also commission the use of other tools such as employee and customer satisfaction surveys, performance excellence models, and benchmarking (Witcher, 2003). Three highly popular techniques we can use audit the firm and the business environment where it operates are the SWOT analysis (Andrews, 1987; Ansoff, 1965; Chandler, 1962), the PESTEL analysis (Steiner, 1979; Andrews, 1987), and Porter's Five Forces model and Generic Strategy (Porter, 1980 and 1985). SWOT/PESTEL Analysis For this first part, we combine the SWOT/PESTEL approach. The SWOT analysis is so-called because of the acronym of the four factors required for assessing the organization's internal (Strengths and Weaknesses) and external (Opportunities and Threats) environments. The PESTEL analysis considers six environmental factors that affect the enterprise and its business: Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, and Legal. We will combine the PESTEL factors with the SWOT analysis factors to audit Fuller's. Porter's Models Porter (1980, 1985) proposed the Five Forces model that helps a firm analyse its environment and design its competitive strategy by choosing one of three generic strategies. The five forces are bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of buyers, threat of substitutes, the intensity of rivalry, and the threat of new entrants. The three generic strategies are over-all cost leadership that allow the firm to compete on the basis of price by achieving efficiencies by minimising costs and attaining economies of scale; differentiation by way of brand image, technology, features, uniqueness, or the quality of service support, any of which enables the firm to charge a

Encountering the Old Testament Essay Example for Free

Encountering the Old Testament Essay I continued my study in pursuit of the doctoral degree in Biblical Studies by reading the text, Encountering the Old Testament. Little did I know when I began reading this text that it would so completely satisfy two of my greatest pleasures; studying the Word of God and studying people’s history. I am an ardent historian. Knowing and understanding the history of peoples and nations is more than exciting or simply interesting to me. It is necessary. My favorite people and times to study are the ancient Egyptians and American history as it relates to the African Diaspora and slavery. My great grandfather, John Burdette, instilled in me a hunger for knowing our family history and in 2008 I was blessed to publish a factual account of that history. He once said to me, â€Å"Promise me you gone tell da ones to come. ’Long as we keep tellin’ it, we keep it alive. Dey gotta know who dey are. † It was not until I was studying Encountering the Old Testament that I realized he instilled in me a need to know about humankind. Hence, Encountering the Old Testament was an exciting theological and historical journey. All Bible references in this paper come from the New King James Version of the Bible, except where clearly noted by the student). Chapter 1: What Is the Old Testament and Why Do We Study It? Canon: What is the Bible? The Bible is a collection of sixty six books; thirty nine in the Old Testament and twenty seven in the New Testament. But there are some sacred works that are not included in the Bible and the questions of which books should be included in the Bible raises the issue of canon. Tests for canonicity of the Old Testament must focus on three factors: author, audience and teaching. To be included in the Bible as part of the canon, a book had to be written by a prophet or prophetically gifted person, should be relevant and speak to all generations and would not contradict the messages of earlier writings God had revealed. By applying these principles the Hebrew people determined which books belonged in the Old Testament and the Council of Jamnia officially confirmed the books most had recognized for generations. Inspiration: How Was the Bible Written? The Bible confirms its inspiration in several places; for example 2 Timothy 3:16. Unfortunately, the Bible does not describe precisely how God inspired human writers. Four of the most recognized theories are: neo-orthodox theory, dictation theory, limited inspiration theory, and plenary verbal inspiration theory. The neo-orthodox theory holds that God is completely transcendent; he is absolutely different from us and far beyond our comprehension. Neo-orthodoxy asserts that the Bible is a witness to the word of God or contains the word of God. Evaluation of this theory is critical in that the Bible is more than a witness to God’s word. It is God’s word The dictation theory suggests God simply dictated the Bible to human scribes; individuals chosen by him to record his word. This theory asserts sometimes God communicated a precise dictation and other times he allowed the writers to express their own personalities as they wrote. The Holy Spirit insured the finished work accurately communicated God’s intention. Thus the dictation theory accounts for some of the biblical evidence but not all. Limited inspiration theory says that God inspired the thoughts of the writers but not the exact words. Some statements are difficult to reconcile. The plenary verbal inspiration theory asserts the Holy Spirit interacted with human writers to produce the Bible. The entire Bible is God inspired down to the very words the writers chose but God allowed those writers freedom to write according to their distinct styles and personalities. Textual Transmission: How Did We Get the Bible? Scribes who copied the biblical text believed they were copying the very words of God. One group of scribes committed to preserving God’s word was the Masoretes. They did three things to preserve the text they received: (1) they developed a system for writing vowels; (2) they developed a system of accents for the Hebrew text; and (3) they developed a system of detailed notes from the text. The majority of the text was written in Hebrew, the remainder in Aramaic. The most important Hebrew copies of the Old Testament are the Masoretic text (the most reliable), the Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls. The Samaritan Pentateuch contains only Genesis through Deuteronomy and originated with the Samaritans. The Dead Sea Scrolls contains part of every Old Testament book except Ester. The Old Testament was also translated into other languages. The Septuagint, a translation in Greek, has been helpful in resolving some portions of the Pentateuch and the Targums helps us understand early Jewish interpretations. How Do We Interpret the Bible? Use the Grammatical-Historical Method Following the rules of hermeneutics helps us interpret the Bible. The grammatical historical method seeks to determine what the text says grammatically and what it means historically. In order to arrive at this understanding we must first consider the context in which the text was written. Understand the Context There are three kinds of context: immediate, remote and historical. Immediate context refers to the words or phrases in the verses closest to the word or statement one is trying to understand. Remote context describes the biblical material in the surrounding chapters and beyond. Historical context refers to the setting in history in which the writer wrote the Bible passage (p. 30). Determine the Type of Literature Next we must understand the type of literature or genre in which the passage was written. The various types of literature used in the Old Testament are stories, prophecy, parables, and poetry. Interpret Figurative Language Just as we do today, the prophets of the Old Testament used figurative language to convey meaning. One example of this is â€Å"The trees of the field will clap their hands† in Isaiah 55:12. Let Scripture Interpret Scripture Sometimes we find that one passage of Scripture will contradict another passage of Scripture. When this occurs we should find a different passage that presents clear teaching on the topic and interpret the difficult passage in light of the clear one. Discover the Application to Modern Life The principles of the Old Testament apply to our lives today. To receive the full benefit of the application we must understand what issues in our modern life parallel the issues in the Bible passage we are studying and then apply the Bible’s teaching to our modern situation. It is our responsibility as Christians to study, apply and share the Word of God with a dying world. Chapter 2: Where and When Did the Events of the Old Testament Take Place? God revealed his truth in the Old Testament in specific times and places and to a specific group of people, the Israelites. Ancient Israel was a small part of the ancient Near East, now called the Middle East. The three geographical regions of the ancient Near East—Mesopotamia, Egypt and Syria-Palestine—were joined by an arch of rich soil called the Fertile Crescent. The four subregions of Israel consisted of the coastal plains, the ridge or central mountain range, the Jordan rift, and the Transjordan highlands. Highways of the Ancient Near East Two important highways and communication routes of the ancient world were the Via Maris (way of the sea) and the king’s highway. What Events Does the Old Testament Describe? The history of the Old Testament spans nearly two millennia, in contrast to the New Testament which covers a century. One significant event in that history that occurred during the Early Bronze Age is the invention of writing; cuneiform, in Mesopotamia and hieroglyphics in Egypt. Although precise dates for the lives of Israel’s patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) are impossible to determine, it is believed they began generally during the Middle Bronze Age. Israel’s Beginnings: Moses and Joshua Sometime during the Late Bronze Age, while Israel suffered under the burden of slavery to Egypt, Moses was born to the tribe of Levi. Moses was called and prepared by God to lead the Israelites out of their bondage from Egypt. The Israelites’ exodus occurred sometime during the New Kingdom Period of Egyptian history. Joshua succeeded Moses and led the nation of Israel in conquest of the promised land, fulfilling the promises to the patriarchs. Israel’s Statehood: David and His Dynasty A group of newcomers who probably fled from Mycenaean cities in Greece arrived in the Near East. Known as the Sea People, their presence brought political change and instability for the Israelites. The constant threat of military invasion from various other groups caused Israel to call out to God for a king. The prophet Samuel, led by God, first anointed Saul as the king of Israel. However, Saul failed to maintain a right relationship with God and was rejected as king. Samuel was instructed by God to anoint David as the next king. Under David’s strong leadership, the nation thrived and experienced a time of stability. Although internal strife existed among the nation, David left to his son, Solomon, a unified kingdom. Under Solomon’s reign, the borders of Israel expanded northward to the Euphrates and southward to Egypt and he brought great wealth and prosperity to the nation through international trade. Solomon, like Saul, allowed his heart to turn from God and shortly after his death, the nation split into two weaker nations. Israel in the north and Judah in the south became the divided monarchy. The Davidic dynasty continued in Judah for almost 350 years. The Assyrian empire emerged and for a while dominated the political landscape of Syria-Palestine. When Assyria began to experience internal weakness, the divided monarchy led by Jeroboam II in Israel and Uzziah in Judah, experienced a time of prosperity. Moral decay and social injustice began to consume the soul of Israel and Judah. This was the backdrop for the first of the classical prophets: Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, and Micah. God raised up his servants to warn the nations of impending doom and to call them to repentance (p. 53). Assyria rose again to full strength and was â€Å"ready to be used as God’s instrument of destruction against the rebellious northern Israel† (p. 54). Babylonia emerged as a formidable foe against Assyria and eventually captured Jerusalem, taking King Jehoiachin into exile, along with many people of Jerusalem, including Ezekiel. They destroyed the city and tore down the temple, effectively ending the Davidic Dynasty. The loss of temple and kingship was a dominant and formative event in the Old Testament history. It forced the nation to re-think theological assumptions and re-formulate Israel’s earlier religious convictions, especially the nature of God’s covenant. Thus, emerged some of Israel’s most significant prophetic figures: Jeremiah, Habakkuk and Ezekiel.

Arthropoda :: Biology Anthropods

Arthropoda Arthropods are animals belonging to the phylum Arthropoda, which is the largest of all phyla in the Animal Kingdom, with more than one million species, making them almost 80% of the whole kingdom. These include insects, arachnids, crustaceans and many more, most of which are quite small, the biggest being the Japanese Spider Crab with a leg span of 3.5 meters and the smallest being the microscopic Plankton. *Characteristics: - Segmented Body. - Exoskeleton. This is a hard outer body covering which protects the internal organs. - Jointed legs. The name ‘arthropod’ comes from Latin, meaning ‘joints’. - Specialized mouth parts. - Compound eyes. - Nervous system consisting of a brain. - Sexes mostly separate. - An open circulatory system. *Classification: Subphyla: Arachnida is a subphylum of Arthropoda, consisting of over 100 000 species, many of them being parasites which can carry disease. They are found in all environments, and mostly have eight legs, which is a feature, together with the fact that they do not have wings or antennae, often used to distinguish them from the other subphyla, though there are exceptions. They include spiders, scorpions, ticks and mites. Their bodies are divided up into three parts: the cephalothorax, the opisthosoma and the thorax, and use a type of lung for gas exchange. Most Arachnids are carnivorous, and eat pre-digested insects and other small animals. They reproduce using internal reproduction usually lay eggs, except for the scorpion which bears living young. The word ‘Arachnid’ comes from the Greek word ‘Arachne’ meaning ‘spider’. Crustacea is a large subphylum of Arthropoda, consisting of almost 52 000 described species, including animals like crabs, lobsters, shrimp and barnacles. The majority of these are aquatic, living in marine or fresh water environments, though some have adapted to living on land like some crabs and woodlice. Most crustaceans are relatively small, though there are some exceptions. All of them have a hard, strong exoskeleton, divided into two parts, which has to be shed in order to allow the animal itself to grow. They have a large circulation system, where blood is pumped around the body by the heart. Only some crustaceans have sexes separate, and those that are usually mate seasonally and lay eggs. The study of Crustacea is called carcinology. Diplopoda is a class, belonging to the subphylum of Arthropoda Myriapoda, consisting of about 10 000 species of animals which have two pairs of legs for each body segment and are often known as Millipedes. Hence the name, they do not have one thousand legs.

The Beat That Stole My Heart

A Personal Narrative by Giuditta Paci. February 2nd, 2013. The Beat That Stole My Heart†¦ It seems like some things have never happened to me or I am an alien from some other distant planet. â€Å"Human beings† surprise me, make me cry, make me laugh and make me happy. That Saturday night, my â€Å"alien being† went out the house in desperate search of meaningful paths, beautiful smiles, the sounds of music and something that would make my heart beat just a little faster.Summer was almost over and I was thinking about how strange was the world and how could I possibly find someone to share some interesting conversation and a good dance before the warm and hazy summer nights will turn in to cold and lonely winter nights. It is not that I was broken hearted by the thought that my patience has come to its end, and that I may have to spend the last few weeks of summer wondering about a possible date that will never happen. I looked at the vast starry night-sky and cont inued to walked towards the Bar. I sat there thinking about how I wanted to be another person.I longed for interaction with the opposite sex. Eventually, I realized what my main problem was. I felt that I could not overcome all the â€Å"love† obstacles that life had made me face in the past. I recalled everything I have read in books about love as well as everything that I have experienced myself. In the books everything seemed to be much smoother and easier. My main thought was â€Å"how people can possibly spend their whole life together and stay in love? † specially after ending a ten year marriage only three months ago, and experiencing the big disappointment that love does not last forever.The music started and made me feel even more stupid: standing alone at the bar, listening to songs about love and relationships, without anyone here with me to dance or have a meaningful conversation with. I was ready to leave and call it a night. I decided to walk outside to b reath some air before departing. The summer wind woke me up from my dream and I took a deep breath and looked around. Suddenly I saw this attractive male. He was walking towards me†¦ As there was no one else outside, everyone was inside dancing and having a good time or so I thought.He definitely caught my attention. As he was getting closer I felt a strange sensation in my stomach†¦ I was nervous and didn’t understand why. I had never seen this person before and yet I felt this strange connection. He came up to me and said, â€Å"Hi! Are you enjoying the music? † I replied â€Å"Well, to be honest with you I wasn’t really paying attention. I was getting ready to leave. † This made him laugh for some reason. I felt a bit irritated as if he had broken my unity with nature and disturbed my thoughts with his presence and questions.All the sudden I took a good look at him. I hadn’t really before. He was relatively tall, dark hair, and deep bl ue eyes. His smile reminded me of those toothpaste TV commercials. A perfect smile. He had this smooth but primal Aura to him that made him very attractive and sexy. I could not clearly identify the age, but he looked like he was around 30-36 years old. He seemed so peaceful and yet so full of life and adventure, he was definitely in harmony with himself†¦ He had an edgy style. He was dressed appropriately for this type of event. He looked very much like a â€Å"rock star. Which made me even more curious about him, Part of me has always being attracted to that kind of â€Å"look† At that point I wanted to know who he was and where did he come from? I didn’t do a great job with that. Anyhow, this is how the rest of our conversation went. Me, â€Å"I think I should go home. It’s the same thing here every Saturday. I love being around people, but it’s always the same people. † –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Him, â€Å"Well I guess you are right in a way†¦ Although tonight is different†¦ at least the music is†¦ You should come inside and check out the band. You may just change your mind. He looked at me, smiled, and made the gesture to follow him inside. I agreed to go with him to check out this â€Å"Band. † I thought about how kind of him to invite me in, at that moment I realized that we hadn’t exchanged names yet. I was now following a complete stranger without even knowing their name. That’s smart I thought! Once inside the venue, he went straight on to the stage and sat in front of the drum set. I was shocked. He was the drummer of the â€Å"band. † I have to be honest, I was a little embarrassed with the way I had acted when we were outside.At this point nothing mattered anymore. The music started playing, and I immediately got captivated by their sounds. My mood had completely shifted from a depressed moody bitch to completely happy girl! Now I was dancing to his beat. My body was moving along with this erotic and Alternative sound. I remember this energy rising thru my spine that made feel alive and aroused. In my mind he was playing for me, or at least that’s what It felt like to me. A couple of times I directed my gaze at him. He was so amazingly handsome and talented. I can honestly say I could see his soul.He was in a trance like state, just like Shamans when they chant or drum in ceremonies for people who are looking for a way to heal their souls. Now, I was now one of those souls. My soul was not only getting healed but my heart was falling in love. It was not only the music or the way he pulsated on the drums. There was a connection that I had never felt before. I could not understand at that very moment what was happening to me. That night I knew it was going to be the beginning of a whole new chapter in my life. Maybe after all†¦ Those winter nights may not be as cold and long as I thought they would be.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Essay

Often people are traumatized by traumatic events that take place their lives. We seldom expect these events to happen so we often do not know how to react when it does happen, this can lead to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In this assignment is the definition of PTSD, the reason why South Africa has such a high prevalence of PTSD and also the methods of prevention of PTSD will be discussed. DEFINITION OF POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be defined as a response people have to traumatic events in life and can arise as an immediate, delayed and/or protracted response (Seedat, 2011). These events can be natural disasters, such as a tsunami or earthquake, or it can be ‘human-made’ like a hijacking or an assault, and even things like apartheid and xenophobia (Austin, et. al. , 2011:111) (Seedat, 2011). PTSD can lead to a person feeling helpless and having an intense fear (Austin, et. al. , 2011:111). To diagnose a person with PTSD, three main criteria of symptoms must be visible in the person namely the person must be re-experiencing the traumatic event, the person must have an avoidance associated stimilu, and the person must have a hypervigilance and chronic arousal (like having anger issues or not being able to sleep) (Austin, et. al. , 2011:111) (Seedat, 2011). These three symptoms can be in a minimum state, but all three need to be visible before a person can be diagnosed with PTSD (Austin, et. al. , 2011:111). All symptoms must be shown for a month or more and cause signifcant distress or impairment in social or occupational areas of functioning and if these symptoms carry on for more than three months it can be seen as chronic PTSD (Seedat, 2011). Different psychological factors can play a role in the development and maintanence of PTSD. These factors were identified by Edwards (2005c) as emotionally distressing and problematic processes of guilt, shame, grief, anxiety, dysfunctional and/or distorted cognitions, and various cognitive, affective, and behavioural avoidance mechanisms (Austin, et. al. , 2011:111). WHY SOUTH AFRICA HAS SUCH A HIGH PREVALENCE OF PTSD PTSD is fairly common as approximately eight out of 100 people will develop PTSD (Seedat, 2011). Women are twice as likely as men to develop PTSD (Seedat, 2011). Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is very common in South Africa because of various reasons (Seedat, 2011). In 1997, the World Health Organization issued a study on the Global Burden of Disease. They found that mental disorders are second in burden to infectious diseases (Burke, Unknown). There have not been much studies of trauma disorders in SA, but the existing research suggests that South Africans, especially black South Africans, are still struggling with SA’s past, this being the apartheid which started in 1948 and lasted until 1994 (Burke, Unknown). In 1997, Market Research Africa and the Community Agency for Social Equality issued a study of face-to-face interviews with 3,870 adults who grew up during this time and the results were that 17% of people who had been exposed to trauma described their mental health as poor. There were 2 % of people who were exposed to violent events and 78 % of this 23% had one or more symptoms of PTSD (Burke, Unknown). Most peo ple who lived through apartheid do not suffer any symptoms of PTSD, but there are those people who are still so undone by the atrocities of the apartheid era that they still suffer the symptoms of PTSD. The symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder have many different consequences for different people. PTSD can sometimes lead to drug and alcohol abuse. According to a report from the Health Department released recently, South Africa has the highest rates of alcoholism in the world (Burke, Unknown). METHODS OF PREVENTION OF PTSD Some evidence suggests that intervening with medications or psychotherapy within a short time after the traumatic event may prevent PTSD to develop (Seedat, 2011). One possible method for the prevention of PTSD is the Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention (CFTSI). The purpose of this method is to prevent the development of PTSD within a 30 day range after experiencing a potentially traumatic event. In a study, a number of 7 to 17 year old children were randomly assigned to the intervention or to a four-session supportive Comparison condition. The results were that the children part of the CFTSI had less and less symptoms of PTSD which suggests that a caregiver-youth and early intervention for children exposed to a potentially traumatic event is a promising method to prevent chronic PTSD (Berkowitz, Stover, and Marans, 2010). Another possible method for the prevention of PTSD is memory structuring intervention (MSI). Studies have been made on how trauma is processed which lead to the creating of MSI. In a randomised-controlled study, traffic accident victims who were at risk for PTSD were assigned to two MSI or two supportive-listening control sessions and the MSI patients reported a significantly less frequent arousal and PTSD symptoms than the controls (Gersons, Carlier, Lamberts & Kolk, 2001). CONCLUSION PTSD can come forth when people are exposed to a traumatic event, and it can become a chronic disorder if it lasts for longer than 3months. In South Africa we have a high prevalence for PTSD. We think that there are more people who were part of the apartheid era, that have PTSD than what studies have shown. Not every person understands the severity of PTSD or knows the symptoms of PTSD so they don’t realize that they have it. PTSD is not only treatable but possibly preventable too. There is no definite prevention method as different people handle different situations in different ways. Thus it would be good if people were more aware of the symptoms more could be done to prevent PTSD. Biblography Austin, TL., et al., (2011). Schizophrenia. In TL. Austin, et. Al. Abnormal Psychology: A South African Perspective (pp. 160-193). Cape Town: Oxford University Press South Africa. Burke, L. (Unknown). The consequences of truth: Post-traumatic stress in new South Africa (continued). Retrieved April 20, 2012, from South Africa in Transition: http://journalism.berkeley.edu/projects/southafrica/news/traumapart2.html Gersons, Carlier, Lamberts & Kolk. (2001). Translating Research Findings to PTSD Preventionl: Results of a Randomized-Controlled Pilot Study. Retrieved April 21, 2012, from Spingerlink: http://www.springerlink.com/content/w18292635382q182/ Seedat, S. (2011, 03 01). Depression – Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Retrieved April 20, 2012, from Health 24: http://www.health24.com/medical/Condition_centres/777-792-807-1650,11960.asp

Karyotyping essays

Karyotyping essays Karyotyping is used to identify chromosome abnormalities in order to determine whether an individual will be born with any syndromes. Scientists count the number of chromosomes in the sample and whether or not the chromosomes have any structural changes in them. If this is the case then the individual may have been born with a number of things, depending on the variations of chromosomes. The sample is normally some blood, or a marrow sample, placenta fluid or amniotic fluid. (Understanding Genetics: A molecular approach, p. 251) The procedures in getting these samples are different for each one; also the age of the child determines how the procedure will be done. The most painful of these is the bone marrow sample; while the most common is the blood sample. The sample of placenta fluid is taken only if there is a miscarriage; while the amniotic sample is drawn from the baby itself while it is in the womb. Because chromosomes contain thousands of genes, which are stored in DNA, they are ideal in performing tests to find out about a baby before it is born. After the specimen is collected it is grown in tissue culture and then harvested. After this, scientists then stain the chromosomes and view them under a microscope. Then they are photographed to provide a karyotype. (Understanding Genetics: A molecular approach, p. 251) A normal count is about the same for both male and female, with the exception of the sex chromosomes, of course. (DNA Microarrays; A Practical Approach, p. 148) But if the results are not normal then the results could be a number of different syndromes that could either mess up the sex of the baby or other aspects of the babys health. Karyotypes are very important in knowing the health of a baby before its born, and in letting parents know ahead of time whether their baby is going to be born with defects and if it is, things that they need to do in order to prepare for that. With proper info...

Bureaucracy in the Philippines - Book Review

Book Review The Bureaucracy in the Philippines Dr. Onofre D. Corpuz - Institute of Public Administration: University of the Philippines, 1957. 268 pp. This book is about the administrative history of the bureaucracy in the Philippines. It spans from the 1560’s when Spain undertook to administer the affairs of the natives of the archipelago to the 1950’s when the Filipinos assumed the responsibility of self-government.The author presented the significant phases in the evolution of our administrative apparatus to identify the important characteristics of the current form and functions of the civil service of the Philippine government. In Chapter 1, Dr. Corpuz described the native life of the inhabitants before the arrival of the Spaniards. These inhabitants were not strangers to progress and civilization. Although the pre-Spanish Filipinos were in a state of cultural maturity, it was maturity at a low level.It was a stage of cultural inadequacy based on an old and simple framework. The author briefly discussed the transition of the Philippine bureaucracy from the time that we’re still a colony of foreign nations to the time that the Philippines became an independent republic. The author reconstructed, in Chapter 2, the setting in which Spain’s colonial bureaucracy appeared around the middle of the 16th century. The author also described how the Spanish colonial government â€Å"organized† the colony in Filipinas.Also discussed was the expedition headed by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi in 21 November 1564, how his peaceful diplomacy won the allegiance of many subjects and the establishment of Manila as a city and Legazpi’s capital. Chapter 3 discussed the two concepts on how bureaucracy may be viewed: (1) as an organization or apparatus; (2) as a collection of individual bureaucrats, placing more emphasis on the 2nd concept of bureaucracy – the realities of bureaucratic behaviour. The chapter is devoted to a study of Spanish bureaucrats. The author also discussed the following: a. how bureaucrats are appointed in Filipinas and in Spain – the processes and criteria involved in obtaining the king’s favor; b. how to acquire/purchase an office where many bureaucrats obtained their positions; c. detailed conditions under which Spanish bureaucrats as a whole lived and worked; and d. ow the administrative organization was centralized in Manila for control and communications purposes. The next two chapters are dedicated in highlighting the essentials of life and service of the highest-ranking bureaucrats – the Presidente-Gobernador (Governor-General), the Oidores, Fiscales, and Reales Oficiales – who constituted the governmental bureaucracy in Manila. The author, in Chapter 4, described the governor-general of Filipinas which had the attributes of a super-bureaucrat.Also discussed, in general, was the performance of the different governor-general appointed in Filipinas and illustrated the conflict between the clergy and the governors and the instability of the governorship – which office was considered as an opportunity for private material profit. Chapter 5 is dedicated to the discussion of the Audiencia of Manila and its bureaucrats and the Royal Officials. The Audiencia performed functions of a superior judicial tribunal; the highest court of justice in the colonies.The author discussed the conditions, restrictions, the legislative and judicial functions and the organizational changes of the office. Also discussed are the functions and conditions of the â€Å"Royal Official† (Reales Oficiales) or the oficial de la real hacienda who are the administrators of the king’s personal estate or the royal hacienda. It should be remembered that the various dominions/colonies in the Indias are considered as the king’s personal property or estate. â€Å"As a monarch, he entrusted the government of his kingdoms and provinces to viceroys, governors-general, and Audiencias.As a proprietor, he entrusted the administration of his estate and revenues to the royal officials. † The structural defects and administrative weakness of the bureaucracy is brought about by the pervasion and corruption of the office of men who only saw the position as a means for private personal gain. In Chapter 6, the author then discussed the conditions, restrictions and all the functions and duties of the provincial government and the provincial officers/bureaucrats commonly known as alcade-mayor. The alcaldes are the provincial equivalent/counterpart of the governor-general of the archipelago.The author also highlighted how the alcalde-mayor was also the judge with provincial jurisdictions and since these bureaucrats have no background in the law and having arrived in the province with questionable motives, it is therefore said that the â€Å"pr incipal vice† of province administration is the absence of â€Å"true justice†. The author emphasized that provincial administration has no direction since the system of concentration of functions is in one man and this has disadvantageously rendered the bureaucrat inefficient. This inefficiency neglect or non-performance of duties – easily turned into oppression.The alcadeship evolved into an office of abuse since there were no checks to the alcalde’s excesses and frauds. He is the judge – administrator – military commandant of the province – an action against him is futile. However, reforms were undertaken to improve the administration in the provinces. But these reforms weren’t able to bear fruit for the main reason that they were enacted too late. Discussed also were the native bureaucrats and the system of local government; the principalia which was a social and political aristocracy on the village level – the details of its participation and the conditions under which it was actually exercised.The author also described the undeniable influence or relative power of the clergy in civil and political life, them being more â€Å"unified† than the group of the bureaucrats. In Chapter 7, the author summarized the weaknesses of the Spanish colonial bureaucracy, fundamental of which was the internal moral corruption of its members made worse by the fact that the Madrid government placed its political faith not in the bureaucracy but in the church. Discussed also as the futile attempts to reform the colonial bureaucracy and the general structure of the central administration and the budgetary practices of the central government in Manila. Chapter 8 is a â€Å"discussion of the principal events and factors that shaped the new era that constituted the basis upon which the new political administration was established, and that provided the context for the new bureaucracy and the new bureaucrats. † The author discussed Aguinaldo’s action and the general features of the scheme to organize the town and provincial governments.The new institutions under the Revolutionary Government were closely patterned after the preceding scheme of the Spanish a dministration due to the lack of time for innovations, but the local authorities and institutions were now more popularly based and autonomous. Discussed also was the principal features of the Malolos Constitution of 1899 which was an admirable work of constitutionalism, considering the difficult conditions of the times and the inexperience of its authors. Ideal as it may seem, the first attempt to self-government was aborted as the Philippines was once again under a colonial regime – now in the hands of the Americans. According to the author, the American occupation of the Philippines is generally pointed out as a major phase in the evolution of modern colonial policy and colonial administration. During this time, there were increased economic activities – in agriculture, manufacturing and commerce – such that the colony enjoyed vastly improved standards of living and for the first time, the masses have a chance to escape from poverty. The author also studied the formative period, from 1900 to 1913, of the new bureaucracy.The author identified the salient features of this advanced civil service system which is in great magnitude different from that of the old Spanish system. In Chapter 9, the author focussed on the period from 1913 to 1935 in which the civil service continued to evolve and which was respected by both American authorities and Filipino officials and politicians. But the evolutionary development was unremarkable. It was a steady but rather dreary process, unmarked by ba sic structural alteration or dramatic innovation in the service itself. During this period, both houses of the lawmaking bodies were under Filipino control.This period also marked the beginning of Filipinization of the civil service. In Chapter 10, the author discussed how the Philippine Civil Service, from 1935 to 1955, passed through brief but basic evolutionary governments. First discussed was the establishment of the Philippine Commonwealth Government (November 15, 1935) which completed the gradual transfer of government functions to Filipinos. The Philippine Government was a 10-year transitional government – republican in form, Filipino in personnel and has autonomy in domestic affairs – to be superseded by the Republic of the Philippines on July 4, 1946.Further discussed were the constitutional changes and phases of which the civil service is also undergoing namely: First, the phase of consolidation and further expansion, lasting until the Japanese invasion; Second, the phase of dislocation and demoralization covering the war and ear ly postwar years; and Third, the phase of reconstruction and modernization. The author, in the last chapter, summarized the important phases in the bureaucracy in the Philippines from the pre-Spanish period to the year 1955 which was discussed in detail in the preceding chapters. Also discussed briefly were the weaknesses and characteristics of the bureaucracy.This work of Dr. Onofre Corpuz is a vital contribution to the study of Public Administration. I have but good words for this work. The topics were well-organized and clearly written. He was able to piece together different historical data and I was impressed by the historical information presented in this book and his sources which dates from early 1600’s. Because of this book, the reader will have a better background and clearer understanding of the current conditions of the bureaucracy. I hope there could be further study on the conditions of the bureaucracy, if significant change has been attained after 1955.

Assess the importance of Chapter One in Great Expectations by Charles Essay

Assess the importance of Chapter One in Great Expectations by Charles Dickens - Essay Example Pip is an orphan who has had a good though sometimes rough upbringing by his sister Estella. The focus in the entire novel is on the family, which starts from the very first chapter as Pip spends his time in the graveyard amongst his family members. He has never seen his parents ‘for their days were long before the days of photographs’ (5; ch 1). This also creates the atmosphere that the novel was created in the early nineteenth century. With child-like innocence, he conjures the image of his parents (whom he had never seen) by carefully studying the lettering on the tomb. The first chapter draws out the tension and creates the proper mood for the novel. ‘Ours was the marsh country (13; ch 1) denotes the depressing atmosphere in which Pip lives as a child. It symbolizes the uncertain and mysterious times in his life. This bleak place overgrown with nettles was the churchyard (15-16; ch 1), the low leaden line beyond, was the river; the distant savage lair was the sea (19-21; ch 1)– add to the dreary scene. It also builds up a sense of dread that something fearful is about to happen. Soon after this Magwitch appears and threatens to cut Pip’s throat. The repetition creates an atmosphere of subdued and miserable tension that besieged Pip’s life when he discovers in chapter 39 that his benefactor is none other than Magwitch, the escaped convict who he had met at the graveyard. This revelation is awful and it destroys the little peace that he had known. The chapter further illustrates that no act of kindness ever goes unnoticed. He is frightened into helping an escaped convict called Magwitch. Pip returns bringing food and drink for Magwitch and this act of kindness has important consequences later in the novel. It was an act out of fear, as Pip was scared of Magwitch’s violent threats and because Magwitch made him promise, "Say