Origin of Life Essay Sample free essay sample

Life and its beginnings have spurred many a theories. guesss and arguments. Among the well-known theories on how life started include abiogenesis- development. self-generated coevals. panspermia-and creationism. Abiogenesisclaims that life originated spontaneously from inanimate affair ( ex. H2O. C dioxide. H. N ) â€Å"under proper conditions† ( Why is Abiogenesis Impossible? n. d. ) . It is a to a great extent contested theory and many critics point out to the sheer impossibleness of such a proposition for practical grounds. For one. whatever groundss are laid in support of this theory are missing in substance. strength and measure. The earlier signifiers of autogenesis such as the one purported by Aristotle have already been debunked because of the outgrowth of cogent evidence showing the contrary such as the experiments of Louis Pasteur and John Tyndall. Even the modern versions ( ex. theory of development ) suffer from so many loopholes in footings of elaborate. elaborate history on the procedure of the outgrowth of life. We will write a custom essay sample on Origin of Life Essay Sample or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In other words. there is a resonant absence of a comprehensive account that can be substantiated with stuff cogent evidence. One critical component that is squalidly missing in modern autogenesis is the designation. sketching and hallmark of phases taking to the creative activity of life. In the theory of development propounded by Charles Darwin. there are ‘missing links’ that are believed to consist the spread that is to finish and impart acceptableness to the theory. These ‘missing links’ are the transformational phases or processes that connect the lesser. more crude evolutionary signifiers to worlds ( gay sapiens ) . Furthermore. the autogenesis theory does non account for the complexness of the biological composing of human life. Life merely can non be generated in a additive consecutive form of growing phases. Surveies in modern biological science ( genetic sciences ) have shown the intricate procedures and design of cell formation and regeneration so by deduction the creative activity of higher life signifiers ( ex. bacteriums. Protozoa ) involves more than merely simplified. sectionalized phases of development and growing. Panspermia â€Å"Panspermia is the name for the theory that life exists and is distributed throughout the existence in the signifier of sources or spores†( Sims 1990 ) . This theory presupposes that life originated from other planets or planetal organic structures through stones. meteorites. etc. incorporating simple life signifiers ( ex. bacteriums ) that were transported on Earth. survived. regenerated and which finally evolved into higher. organic life signifiers. The groundss for panspermia include thedoggedness and survival inherent aptitude of bacteriums holding proven to dodge the effects of ultraviolet radiation. cold and protons barrage ; and the presence of life in meteorites such as aminic acids. bacteriums and C( Panspermia Theory. n. d. ) This theory pans a web of contention because what it proposes as a conjectural beginning of life shakes the belief. the nucleus impression that human existences are the centre of everything. It seems a absurd thought. after all. to presume that life comes from an foreigner beginning and that worlds are posterities of unknown. unidentified life signifiers. What is considered to be debatable about panspermia is the failure of the theory to account for the beginning of life. It does non explicate how life came to be in the existence where life on Earth purportedly sprung from. ( Baird 2008 ) . Hydrothermal Hydrothermal beginning of life theorizes that â€Å"life could hold arisen in a pigboat hydrothermal vent† ( Sarfati 1999 ) . The job with this theory is that it merely created hexaglycine as the most complicated life signifier during one of the experimental trials done by some Nipponese research workers ( 1999 ) . In other words. the consequences of the experiment did non back up the claims of the hydrothermal theory ( 1999 ) . Mentions Baird. Alexis. ( 2008 ) . The argument of panspernia: are we the posterities of foreigners? Retrieved March 06. 2008 from SerendipUpdate’sBlog: hypertext transfer protocol: //serendip. brynmawr. edu/exchange/node/1919 Bergman. Jerry. ( 1999 ) . Why autogenesis is impossible.Creation Research Society Quarterly. vol 36. No. 4. March 2000. Retrieved March 06. 2008. from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. trueorigin. org/abio. asp Panspernia Theory. Panspermia. Retrieved March 06. 2008 from hypertext transfer protocol: //leiwenwu. tripod. com/panspermia. htm Sarfati. Jonathan ( 1999 ) . Hydrothermal beginning of life.Creation Ex Nihilo Technical Journal.Vol 13. No. 2. Retrieved March 06. 2008. from hypertext transfer protocol: //leiwenwu. tripod. com/panspermia. htm

Artificial Intelligence Essay Example

Artificial Intelligence Essay Example Artificial Intelligence Essay Artificial Intelligence Essay Artificial intelligence is a growing development in daily life. From new computers to advanced cybernetic organisms, Artificial intelligence is leading the way in making human life easier. A common misunderstanding with artificial intelligence is that the created has to be capable of thought and actions, where as it is as simple as gathering and processing data. With research and development growing and private companies expanding their capabilities, artificial intelligence is being used to cure diseases, provide mobility to the disabled, and helping us to understand human life. Artificial Intelligence in the medical field is one of the biggest advancements that we have today. One example of artificial intelligence in the medical field would be the HAL robot suit that was created by Cyberdyne. This suit was designed to improve physical capability. When a person attempts to move, nerve signals are sent from the brain to the muscles by a Moto neuron that moves the musculoskeletal system as a sequence. The HAL suit detects signals on the skin through a sensor and based on what signals were picked up will then move the joint unitedly with the personâ„ ¢s muscle movement. The HAL suit was designed to be used for paraplegics and other disabled people, heavy labor support at factories, and rescue support for disasters. The HAL suits are very beneficial and bring hope to the people who could benefit from it. The Creators of HAL have not only made robots to help the disabled but to also provide entertainment, such as a robot to play Ping-Pong with or a robot bartender who could mix and serve you any drink you wish. Although many people would love to benefit and own robots such as these I think the most important idea is to build and create robots to help humans with everyday problems such as medical illnesses or robots that could help keep the world safe. An example of advancement in the A.I. field of medicines would be the development of nanotechnology. Nano technology is the engineering of functional systems at the size of a molecule. Nano technology refers to the ability to construct machines at molecule size; which enables the use of delivering things such as medications to patients. For example, nanotechnology could deliver drugs, heat, light, or other substances to specific types of cells. In the understanding Nano article it explains how particles are engineered to be attracted to diseased cells, which allows direct treatment of those cells. This basically reduces the risks of damaging the healthy cells and allows for earlier detection of a disease that might be present. There are actually Nano sized particles that are under development to deliver chemotherapy medications directly to the cancer cells. According to CytImmune Scienceâ„ ¢s website the tests are in progress and pending the final approval for use on actual cancer patients, with this type of technology and development this could be huge break through in the medical field once the tests are proven accurate and the FDA allows further productions to the public. Another example of artificial intelligence is the development of a noninvasive brain implant. When I first started my research on this I was very surprised to read about it, I would have never thought that this could be possible. Basically the brain implant is implanted on the actual skull but is completely covered by skin, this enables the paralyzed person to think a movement because the implant picks up on the sensors within the personâ„ ¢s skin. This implant is called the BioBolt. According to Wise who is the founding director of the NSF Engineering Research Center for Wireless Integrated Microsystems (WIMS ERC) The Ultimate goal is to be able to reactivate paralyzed limbs, by picking up neural signals from the brain cortex and transmitting those signals directly to muscles. Even though researchers say the technology is years away, with the continuing of the research and furthering with the development it could come sooner than we all think, BioBolt could help with controlling epilepsy and other diseases such as Parkinsonâ„ ¢s. Although artificial intelligence is and can be beneficial on a medical standpoint it could also be beneficial to the civilian world, all the possibilities can provide such as labor work or machines that can do handy stressful tasks that would need more than 1 human. A.I. could make life a whole lot easier, there are already robots that can play ping pong against a human, play chess against a champion chess player, but what if we had robots to help with construction on roads or houses. What if we had robots to do most of our handy work in half the time that a human could An interesting robot I found was in the form of a fish. The Japanese government is funding this robot in order to protect the waters from leaking contaminants from Fukushima. This underwater robot was designed to be completely waterproof and can actually swim like a real fish. The fish is also equipped with a pollution-detecting instrument within and a WIFI module that sends data to its user. This would be completely handy and less dangerous compared to sending an actual human to check out the leak and depending on how far down it is could depend on how much money is being used to fund that particular project. Further development of this project sounds completely harmless and beneficial to the humans and our waters. Artificial Intelligence could be the development into the future; with all these technological advancements coming out now I wouldnâ„ ¢t be surprised to see a huge A.I. breakthrough in our future. As for now we are currently surrounded by artificial intelligence, although it may not be in the form of robots we really do have it everywhere. A.I. in computer technology is in things such as our computers, our smart phones, even our blu-rays. Private sector companies have been attempting to make break through with science and technology, from the fast 3G capable cellphones, to the latest and greatest 4G. Private companies have been the leading the way due to vast amounts of private money and investors. With out the help from these entrepreneurs, our private lives would not have the capacity to allow for advanced technology in medicine, mobility to the immobile, and help us to understand human life.

Illegal Immigration in Los Angeles in the 1980's Essay

Illegal Immigration in Los Angeles in the 1980's - Essay Example These new immigrants arrived in a new country possessing little more than what they could carry on their back. They were challenged in many ways including their legal status, yet were able to make significant social, cultural, and economic contributions. This paper will discuss the lives of these undocumented workers during the 1980's and present the dynamic changes that resulted from their arrival. It will present the view that the cultural and demographic landscape of Los Angeles was shaped by these illegals, and has had a continuing effect on California as well as the United States. The life of an illegal immigrant began as soon they approached the United States and prepared to cross the border. Often they would be met by angry mobs, riots, gunfire and chaos (Custred). Once across the border they would continue to confront racism, exploitation, and a hostile political environment. Though they would be outcast socially from mainstream society, there was an emerging labor market eager for cheap and reliable workers. It was no coincidence that the rise in illegal immigration during the 1980s coincided with a rise in the demand for cheap labor during the same period (Morales and Ong). Because the undocumented workers were here primarily for employment, their lives centered around and were greatly influenced by the work they performed. These jobs were almost universally at the bottom of the pay scale in unskilled occupations such as household help or farm worker. With no legal status, limited English skills, and no formal education, these illegals were destined to t he life of poverty and hardship that they were trying to escape. The immigrants would most often settle together or would be herded into a group by social necessity. Farm workers would band together to share expertise and form groups that would follow the crop that currently needed planting or harvested. They would work the lettuce fields, the vineyards, and fruit groves as the season demanded. This constant travel was especially rough on the children. Forced to move from school to school they were able to obtain at best a sub-standard education. Often they were needed in the fields when not attending class and the simple pleasures of childhood were not available to the child of an illegal migrant worker. Sometimes the missed pleasure would be as simple as being able to sleep late on the weekends. For the immigrants that worked in the domestic business, the canneries, and the processing plants, life was more stable. Yet with this stability came a new set of problems. Unable to escape the poverty of low wages, they would endure cramped quarters, high rent, and substandard conditions. Acuna tells of the mounting stress of living as he tells of a child's experience living in these conditions. "Ten year old Yuri de Paz wakes up each morning in a cramped Pico-Union apartment she shares with eight other family members, and walks to school through a Los Angeles neighborhood that is so dangerous that police have barricaded it to keep drug dealers out..." (291). The difficulty of raising a family under impoverished conditions while struggling to earn a living was only one of the challenges that faced the undocumented workers. The inability to speak and write English presented another obstacle to

Mass marketing and Targeted marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mass marketing and Targeted marketing - Essay Example It includes Radio, Television, Newspapers and even the internet. According to Jakacki (2001), some of the products that are suited for this marketing strategy include drinking juice, furniture, automobiles as well as mobile phones. An example of a company that has used this strategy with a good measure of success is Coca Cola. Other food manufactures such as Nestle and electronics giants like Sony have also used this strategy to reach a world wide market. The major advantage of this strategy is economies of scale since production is in large quantities. At the other opposite end of mass marketing is targeted marketing or better still Niche marketing. Targeted marketing is aimed at a given market segment. A segment in this case may be a given geographic area, demographic profile such as the youth or behavioral segment based on variables such as income status or level of brand loyalty. There has been a shift from mass marketing to targeted marketing occasioned by a number of factors. Changing consumer patterns, the need to position products differently from competitors and the importance of being an expert in a given area. Jakacki (2001) says that today's consumers have diverse needs. For instance there is a segment that is keen on losing weight, and another one which wants to avoid sugar. This has led to the emergence of products such as Coke diet to cater for this unique segment. At the same time intense competition has led companies to produce products that are unique to a given segment hence setting the product significantly apart from those of the competitor. A phone company will therefore manufacture mobile phones with a music player in order to tap the youth market. This makes their products unique and leads to more sales in the specific market segment. The shift to targeted marketing can also be attributed to the fact that emphasis on one area makes you an expert in that particular field. A company is more likely to stand out from the crowd if only it is viewed as an expert in a given area by the consumer. For instance a food manufacturing company may get more mileage if it concentrates its effort in the manufacture of baby products only. Since it is the expert in this field then a good number of mothers are likely to buy its products. Using practical examples, explain how an integrated marketing communications strategy might enable marketers to more effectively reach target customers Integrated marketing communication is a new approach in marketing that is aimed at blending all marketing communication efforts of a company. (Moschis 1994) The ultimate goal is to make the various communication tools used by a company to compliment each other rather than work in isolation. It is based on the idea that the combined effect of the various communication tools is way much better than the sum of their individual effects. This helps in creating synergy in the company's communication effort. Moschis (1994) points out that a company can reach its customers using a number of communication tools. It can be through advertising, sales promotion or direct marketing. Now, integrated marketing communication aims at integrating all these tools so as to reach the

You Decide Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

You Decide - Coursework Example The best product offering for this market segment would be the family portraits with a choice between an office one and one for home use. The reasoning behind this is that the corporate executives are busy people who rarely have time for home issues. Having a portrait that shows a whole family at the office could be just what these people would love to have to remind them of home. Choosing a product offering for any market segment must consider the needs, preferences, lifestyles, habits, ability to buy and the value it gives the customer (Kotler & Armstrong, 2010). High end customers are difficult to understand because of varied preferences and customization may be required in many instances (Mullins & Walker, 2010). An online value proposition answers the questions: who are we, what do we offer, who we serve and what makes us unique? The online value proposition is more than a proposition as it shows what a firm can offer using content, products, services and or experiences to engage online customers (Kurtz, 2008). The company should use its unique technology as its online selling proposition. A variety of portraits should be availed on the website showing various product offerings with different versions of the same portrait available. The website should also give the executives an opportunity to make fast, secure payments for the portraits on the website Brand equity represents an intangible asset for any company and depends on the associations made by the customers. Strong brand equity ensures a more stable stream of income, increases cash flow and is an asset that can be sold (Pride & Ferrel, 2010). Brand equity can be built basing on financials or on consumers. Our Town Photography Studio brand equity should focus on building consumer loyalty in the brand. When people especially the executives have a strong liking for the firms products, chances are

Personal Learning Plan To Becoming A Nurse Practitioner

Personal Learning Plan To Becoming A Nurse Practitioner This assignment discusses my Personal Learning Plan (PLP). It examines the rationale for development, justifying why I have not only chosen to undertake Nurse Practitioner (NP) studies, but this course in particular, along with its prescriptive modules and my choice of Extended Nurse Prescribing as the only optional module. I have informally and theoretically identified my learning style as practical, which rationalises the above choices, discussed further in this assignment. At present, I work as the sole Occupational Health (OH) Nurse for the head office of a large London-based media organisation which is a subsidiary company of the FTSE 250 (Financial Times Stock Exchange) listed business. There are an estimated 3000 employees on-site; a catchment size similar to a small GP surgery, with a further 1100 employees regionally, to which telephone/e-mail support is available. 2.2 Link to primary health care Due to the generally low hazard working environment, and as an OH initiative to keep employees well and at work, I largely act as a Practice Nurse (PN) by bringing primary health care (PHC) to the workplace. Care includes treatment and/or advice for minor ailments and injuries; health monitoring and promotion; vaccinations and follow-up care such as wound and ear care. I am supported by a full-time Receptionist, and together we facilitate three afternoon GP clinics per week by two visiting private General Practitioners (GPs). This unique service is carried over from the old Factory Nurse role and outdated in todays OH remit (Bagley, 2008). Occupational Health (OH) Nurses are now moving away from a traditional clinical function (Richardson, 2008). However, whilst the service is promoted as a complement and not a replacement of employees National Health Service (NHS) GP surgeries, it is maintained that it is not in the OH remit to replace services provided by the NHS (Lewis Thornbory, 2006). Yet, in Dame Carol Blacks review of the health of the working population, the report welcome[d] and encourage[d] (Black, 2008: 49) employers offering GP consultations in the workplace, as an initiative towards health and wellbeing for a healthy workforce. Given the waking hours spent at work, and with most GP surgeries closed for the majority of weekends and after hours, the workplace is an ideal setting to target health and wellbeing (Department of Health, 2004), along with prevention and treatment of ill-health. Such a service has potential benefits and opportunities for employees, businesses and NHS services. However, effective communication between all parties involved, is crucial. I make it a priority in my practice to engage in effective communication between both our on-site health professionals, and employees off-site NHS and private health professionals. 2.3 Strengths and weaknesses To fulfil the above role, I was equipped with a Bachelor of Nursing, with the knowledge and skills to care for adult patients in an acute care setting. Although I went on to specialise in critical care, further development was only accessible through in-house training, on-the-job experience, self directed learning and reflection. When I moved to the United Kingdom, I fell into PHC through an agency placement, which was to cover an extended period of leave on the print side of the business. Again, I was working as the sole Nurse, with a private GP visiting once a month. Despite this placement being completely out of my depth and somewhat daunting, I enjoyed the break from acute care, and thrived on the autonomy and diversity of the role. However, this was compromised with a lack of confidence, not having any prior experience, and heightened by working alone. The next section discusses the rationale for my development having been taken on in permanent employment as the sole OH Nurse. 3.0 PERSONAL LEARNING PLAN 3.1 Rationale for development The move to PHC from acute and critical care knowledge and experience prompted a significant need for learning and development. There was no support from management in the sense of allowing study leave or time off work to attend practice-related conferences, and any learning was on-the-job or self directed with no colleagues to facilitate development. One of the main reasons why I took up a position at head office to restructure their OH Department, was that the importance of professional development was not only understood, but both promoted and encouraged. In addition to my gap in knowledge and because I worked alone, I wanted to take my service to the next level, to provide greater satisfaction to both patients and myself by being able to complete the full cycle of health care. For example, rather than advising patients that it sounded like they had a chest infection and should therefore arrange an appointment with the visiting GP (or to see their NHS GP), I would be able to diagnose and prescribe on the spot. This call for development reflects Maslows Hierarchy of Needs, which outlines an aim to bring the Esteem level of confidence, independence and achievement into balance, while also building towards the Self-actualisation level of creativity, problem solving and acceptance of facts (Maslow, 1943). The Self-actualisation level can also be interpreted as my Masters dissertation. Furthermore, ten years have lapsed since completing my Bachelors degree, and I felt stale, very eager to study again, and to learn more about the NHS system. 3.2 Course selection I began investigating NP courses in London. Prior to this course, I had informally identified my learning style as being practical, and set about finding the most hands on course (see Appendix 1 2 for course enquiry and application, with the relevant sections highlighted in blue). This course was therefore selected as the most practical, rather than theoretical, managerial or reflective. I wanted to be able to apply skills in the clinic as I was learning, and definitively at the end of the course. Through Philosophy Politics of Primary Health Care (Philpol), I have realised that my learning so far in PHC replicates Kolbs The Lewinian Experiential Learning Cycle, whereby knowledge is gained through experience (Kolb, 1984). This is further backed by Omrods behavioural definition of learning, again linking learning to experience (Omrod, 2004). Yet, according to Honey Mumford (1992), my learning style is Pragmatic, followed very closely by Reflective. By this model, it means I am generally proactive in attempting new ideas, concepts and practices, and eager to apply them. A Reflector contemplates experiences both personal and those of others, and weighs up all possibilities before coming to a decision. Taken together, pragmatic and reflective learning styles demonstrate a careful and practical approach, with which I concur. 3.3 Modules selected The NP route of the Masters of Science in Primary Care is a very prescriptive course, with only one optional module. This is to satisfy the Royal College of Nursings (RCN) requirements based on international competencies, to qualify as an approved course. In addition, should the Nursing Midwifery Council open up a separate part of the register acknowledging the advanced role of NPs, an RCN approved course will be a pre-requisite requirement (Queen Mary, University of London, 2009). The term NP is currently being loosely applied to Nurses with autonomy and/or experience. Therefore, the term Advanced NP is replacing NP, where Nurses have both formal training, and are working in an advanced role (RCN, 2008). Through Research Methods 1, I have gained the skills to recognise the different methods and approaches to research, and how to read a paper. These skills have enabled me to critically evaluate a paper, distinguish between good and poor research, and to determine whether a papers findings are credible, and should be applied in my practice. Philpol has laid a foundation in my gap in knowledge of PHC structures and policies, including an appreciation of the NHS, its history, services, how it works, and potentially, where it can all go wrong. Some of the most interesting learning has been in discussion and debates with fellow students. Our diverse backgrounds and individual functions in PHC, has been valuable to hear about each others roles and experiences. Physical Assessment 1 and 2, and both the Biological Foundations and Pharmacology in Clinical Practice will provide a much needed brush up in theory, and advance my current knowledge. During my Bachelor degree, learning was largely based on fact recall for exams and practicals. It is because of this, that I am now questioning my actual understanding, which I hope to overcome by these modules. This is a shift from my former academic learning experience to Engels Learning for Understanding, where the emphasis lies in understanding rather than recollection of facts (Engel, 1997). It perhaps also highlights the difference between studying for a Bachelor and a Masters degree. I anticipate that Clinical Practice will be one of the most important modules for me, to be able to apply what I have learnt. In past experience as a nursing student, clinical practice has been where all teachings have made sense rather than exams or assessments. I learn best through a hands on approach, and in past clinical practice modules, it has precipitated interest and knowledge beyond expected outcomes. For my optional module, I have chosen Extended Nurse Prescribing in order to be able to complete the full cycle in a consultation: to be able to prescribe to enhance independence and autonomy in my practice. I have already given my dissertation much thought, hoping to research into our unique OH service, ideally being able publish at the end, and promote our model. At present, my research question is: What are the perceptions of both employees and managers on the provision of a GP and PN in the workplace for a media organisation in London? I propose to conduct this research via an online survey to our employees and Managers with a mixed methods approach: both clicking on answers (quantitative), and asking participants for their thoughts (qualitative). I look forward to the challenges that this PLP presents, but more importantly, the opportunities and stimulation that will arise from my development.

decisions faced by managers :: essays research papers

What are some important financial decisions that Business Owners face in a slowing economy? It has been said, "solidly run small businesses actually hold their own during downturns." (Mark Vitner, a senior economist with first Union Corporation) While all business owners would like to classify themselves as â€Å"solidly Run", Here are some of the thing that I believe warrant consideration by any business owner during a â€Å"slowing economy† 1) Should I Reconsider and/or revise the existing business plan? One of the most important things you can do during an economic downturn is to evaluate your business plan. â€Å"All businesses need a plan to define where they are going and how they are going to get there†. (http://www.bizplanprep.com/) Your business plan is the working base for your company. Have your current day to day operations led you to a new position in the marketplace? Or have you strayed from a successful formula? Should you write a new business plan? Should you reinforce the guidelines for the current business plan? Sit down and examine the plan from the viewpoint of an investor looking to purchase the company and make any revisions that seem appropriate. 2) What should I do with the budget? In a downturn one of the first places many businesses cut expenses are in advertising - a real mistake. As part of the philosophy of expanding your base and recruiting more customers, you need to advertise and sell more than ever. People are looking for better ways to do business. If you have established strong customer satisfaction, this is the time to get the message out. 3) Should I start a power circle or an advisory board? â€Å"Advisory Boards are being implemented by companies globally to leverage knowledge.†(http://partner-com.com/advisory.html) Advisory boards consist of industry and community leaders i.e.: attorneys, certified public accountants, civic club leaders, owners or managers of businesses similar to yours or with whom you do business, also retired executives may be available. The latest industry jargon for these types of boards is "Power Circles." An apt name because the members should be power connections for you - knowledgeable about the marketplace in which you do business. These individuals should be able to provide you with the information that you need to make good decisions. The purpose of the board is to offer you a viewpoint other than your own. They should be people you can be truthful with and who will keep your disclosures private.

Is there a midlife crisis Essay

As a man approaches middle age a number of factors converge that tend to disrupt his previous modes of experiencing himself. For some men, this stress may culminate or be expressed in a â€Å"midlife crisis. † This crisis has been variously described as a pervasive sense of alienation from one’s own being in the world, unidentified or misunderstood feelings of anxiety or depression, and/or physical symptoms expressive of psychic distress. In an attempt to bring some order to conflicting reports about the experience of people entering middle age, we reviewed the existing literature. A lack of consensus soon became apparent. Some writers argued that a midlife crisis was a universal experience in male development; others suggested that men reached their peak of self-actualization at this point. Looking at the literature more closely, we saw that the research findings seemed to depend upon which methods were used and in which culture the middle-aged population was being studied. Psychoanalysts, psychiatrists, and other writers working with clinical data often see a middle-age crisis as universal – a developmental inevitability. Levinson proposes, as did Jaques and others, a developmental sequence, with a period of midlife crisis, which â€Å"exists in all societies, throughout the human species, at the present stage of human evolution† (Sifford 1983). More recently, theorists like Slater, Laing, and Henry have focused on the alienating effects of socialization into a culture based on denial, distortion, and repression. Culture, that is, works to deny and distort what is most human in us. Regardless of whether we see midlife crisis as a consequence of social structure or culture, many theorists tell us that midlife crisis is widespread phenomenon. The impact of historical forces on the life course does not stop with one generation. Each generation encounters a set of historical circumstances that shape its subsequent life history and that generation transmits to the next one both the impact that historical events had on its life course and the resulting patterns of timing. Cultural norms governing the timeliness of life transitions (being â€Å"early,† â€Å"late,† or â€Å"on time†) and norms governing familial obligations also shape individual and collective family timing. In all these areas, historical and cultural differences are critical. Particularly significant is the convergence of socioeconomic and cultural forces. For example, â€Å"middle-age crisis† was a relatively recent invention in popular psychology in American society. It was attributed to middle-class women in particular in describing the problems connected to menopause and the â€Å"empty nest† in mid adulthood. â€Å"Middle-age crises† were not widespread, however. They were a product of stereotypes and a social construction rather than of sociobiological or familial realities. Since the 1970s, a considerable volume of feminist psychological literature has placed â€Å"middle-age crisis† in its proper perspective by exposing the cultural and â€Å"scientific† stereotypes that created the concept (Lawrence 1980). For the process to be fully working, then, we would expect to have evidence from lay accounts that the wider public had accepted and normalised the condition. Further evidence was provided by a Gallup poll survey in 1992 which found that over two-thirds of middle-aged men in the UK believed that there was some indefinable phenomenon called the ‘midlife crisis’. Furthermore, it stated that over half of the sample thought they had experienced a midlife crisis, or were actually having one, at some point between the ages of 40 and 60 (Neustatter 1996:80). Second, a further stage occurred in the United States when the midlife crisis started to appear as a legitimate condition in course material designed for the training of nurses. The psychologist Carl Jung believed that in Western cultures, the midlife crisis of males is rooted in a search for deeper spiritual roots (Marin 2001). From the perspective of male and female roles, there is often a reversal of roles away from the closed/traditional paradigm; that is, the husband moves inward to find strength for the future, and the female moves outward to the work world and career (Morris 1995). Thus midlife men experience the self-doubts, malaise, and concern over issues of a failure of adaptation. External economic changes in the opportunity structure affect changes in the timing of entry into the labour force, and, ultimately, retirement. Institutional and legislative changes, such as compulsory school attendance, child-labour laws, and mandatory retirement, shape the work-life transitions of different age groups and eventually influence their family life as well. People who suffer a midlife crisis in this form see the exciting experience of forward movement as ending with youth and the future as repetition and decay. Some people have midlife crises, but most do not. Crises do occur in midlife, but they are usually caused by a variety of factors, certainly not by chronology alone. We conclude that a more adequate theory of human development must take into account both the socio-historical environment, on the one hand, and internal psychological and biological processes on the other. References Lawrence, B. S. (1980). â€Å"The Myth of Midlife Crisis. † Sloan Management Review, 21(4): 35-49. Marin, Rick. (2001). â€Å"Is This the Face of a Midlife Crisis? † N. Y. TIMES, June 24, [section] 9. Morris, B. (1995). â€Å"Executive Women Confront Midlife Crisis. † Fortune (September 18): 60-86. Neustatter, A. (1996). Looking the Demon in the Eye: the challenge of midlife, London: Joseph. Sifford, D. (1983). â€Å"Midlife Crisis: The Nagging Pain of Unfulfilled Dreams,† Philadelphia Inquirer, October 17, p. 4.

Free Essays on Dulce Et Decorum Est

Dulce et Decorum Est When this assignment was given I was not sure which piece of literature was my favorite. I looked at the titles on the syllabus and I remembered how much I enjoyed â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† written by Wilfred Owen. After reading â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† the first time I found it immediately appealing. This poem grabbed my attention more than any of the other selections we have read thus far, making it my favorite. This is unusual to me because ordinarily I don’t like poetry or so I thought. There are a few characteristics of this poem that make it appealing to me. First and for-most is the graphic imagery that Owen brings to life. I haven’t before read such amazing descriptions as the ones found in this poem. Next, the topic of war caught my attention. Finally the message he relays in his poem. His message is that it is a lie to think that dieing for ones country is â€Å"sweet and fitting.† This entire piece is full of vivid descriptions of war, specifically World War I. This first line paints a stunning picture of the soldier, â€Å"Bent double, like old beggars under sacks.† After reading that line I can clearly see what the soldiers looked like marching with the great weight of their packs forcing them to hunch over. Owen further describes the men by saying that they â€Å"All went lame; all blind; Drunk with fatigue.† This again lets me visualize the movements and appearance of the troops. Next he brilliantly describes a scene where gas has just exploded near his group. He says that there was an â€Å"ecstasy of fumbling† to get the masks on in time. However, there was someone who didn’t get his mask on soon enough and he was â€Å"flound’ring like a man in fire.† I can’t imagine that scene being described any better. Then Owen describes himself looking through â€Å"misty panes† and â€Å"think gree n light†. Here he is giving a description of what it was like to look through the ... Free Essays on Dulce et Decorum Est Free Essays on Dulce et Decorum Est Dulce et Decorum Est When this assignment was given I was not sure which piece of literature was my favorite. I looked at the titles on the syllabus and I remembered how much I enjoyed â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† written by Wilfred Owen. After reading â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† the first time I found it immediately appealing. This poem grabbed my attention more than any of the other selections we have read thus far, making it my favorite. This is unusual to me because ordinarily I don’t like poetry or so I thought. There are a few characteristics of this poem that make it appealing to me. First and for-most is the graphic imagery that Owen brings to life. I haven’t before read such amazing descriptions as the ones found in this poem. Next, the topic of war caught my attention. Finally the message he relays in his poem. His message is that it is a lie to think that dieing for ones country is â€Å"sweet and fitting.† This entire piece is full of vivid descriptions of war, specifically World War I. This first line paints a stunning picture of the soldier, â€Å"Bent double, like old beggars under sacks.† After reading that line I can clearly see what the soldiers looked like marching with the great weight of their packs forcing them to hunch over. Owen further describes the men by saying that they â€Å"All went lame; all blind; Drunk with fatigue.† This again lets me visualize the movements and appearance of the troops. Next he brilliantly describes a scene where gas has just exploded near his group. He says that there was an â€Å"ecstasy of fumbling† to get the masks on in time. However, there was someone who didn’t get his mask on soon enough and he was â€Å"flound’ring like a man in fire.† I can’t imagine that scene being described any better. Then Owen describes himself looking through â€Å"misty panes† and â€Å"think gree n light†. Here he is giving a description of what it was like to look through the ... Free Essays on Dulce Et Decorum Est A Glimpse of â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† Through vivid imagery and compelling metaphors â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† gives the reader the exact feeling the author wanted. The poem is an anti-war poem by Wilfred Owen and makes great use of these devices. This poem is very effective because of its excellent manipulation of the mechanical and emotional parts of poetry. Owen's use of exact diction and vivid figurative language emphasizes his point, showing that war is terrible and devastating. Furthermore, the utilization of extremely graphic imagery adds even more to his argument. Through the effective use of all three of these tools, this poem conveys a strong meaning and persuasive argument. To have a better understanding of the poem, it is important to understand some of Wilfred Owen’s history. Owen enlisted in the Artists’ Rifles on October 21st 1915. He was eventually drafted to France in 1917. The birth of Owen’s imagery style used in his more famous poems was during his stay at Craiglockhart War Hospital, where he met Siegfried Sassoon (another great war poet). Owen’s new style (the one that was used in â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est†) embellished many poems between August 1917 and September 1918. On November 4, 1918, Wilfred Owed was killed by enemy machine gun fire as he tried to get his company across the Sambre Canal (Stallworthy). The poem tells of a trip that Owen and his platoon of exhausted soldiers had while they were painfully making their way back to base after a harrowing time at the battle front when a gas shell was fired at them. As a result of this, a soldier in his platoon was fatally gassed. Owen has arranged the poem in three sections, each dealing with a different stage of this experience. He makes use of a simple, regular rhyme scheme, which makes the poem sound almost like a child's poem or nursery rhyme. This technique serves to emphasize the solemn and serious content. In stanza one, Owen describes ... Free Essays on Dulce Et Decorum Est Dulce et Decorum Est Poems are one of the most powerful ways to convey an idea, message or opinion. The poem â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est†, a war poem by Wilfred Owen, makes effective use of these devices. This poem is very effective because of its use of the mechanical and emotional parts of poetry. Owen’s use of precise diction emphasizes his point, showing that war is a horrible and devastating event. Through figurative language, a poem can give the reader the exact feeling the author had intended. Furthermore, the use of extremely graphic images adds more to his argument. Audience is also an important aspect of writing, and one that Owen considers well in this writing. In addition, the author uses punctuation to create texture in the poem. Through the effectiveness of these five tools, this poem expresses strong meaning and persuasive argument of the dark side of war and is an excellent example of powerful writing. The author’s use of excellent diction helps to clearly define what the author is saying. (Fulwiler and Hayakawa 163) Powerful verbs like â€Å"guttering†, â€Å"choking†, and â€Å"drowning† not only show how the man is suffering, but that he is in a great deal of pain that no human being should endure. Other words like â€Å"writhing† and â€Å"froth-corrupted† hint to exactly how the man is being tormented by his enemy, as well as himself. The phrase â€Å"blood shod† forces the image of men who have been on their feet for days, never stopping to rest long enough to recuperate. One can almost feel the pain of the men whose feet have not gotten a rest from the heavy boots they wear. Some of the boots are torn and worn, and some of the men have no boots at all. Frostbite. Gangrene. Amputate. All possible words they might hear. If they live long enough to find out. Also, the fact that the gassed man was â€Å"flung† int o the wagon reveals the urgency and responsibility that accompanies fighting: there is no t... Free Essays on Dulce Et Decorum Est An Analysis of Imagery in Wilfred Owen’s â€Å"Dulce Et Decorum Est† We have all seen the movies and read the stories of World War I. They give us an idea of what is what like to fight in a war of that great magnitude. The battles were bloody, horrifying, and ferocious. â€Å"Dulce Et Decorum Est† is a great poem written by war poet Wilfred Owen. It involves a tragic war situation. His imagery gives detail to what is was like on the battlefield, and also to state what his thought is on the war. In the first two stanzas’s Owen describes how the soldiers are trudging back to camp from battle. The soldiers are fatigued and wounded as they return to the campsite. The men are walking asleep, ignoring the blast of gas shells in the background: Bent double, like old beggars under sacks, Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge, Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs And towards are distant rest began to trudge. Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind; Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots Of gas-shells dropping softly behind. The way Owen describes the trudge back to camp allows the reader to open their minds to the events that are occurring. This allows them to see the reality that the war was for the soldiers. I believe Owen’s use of these images are aimed at discouraging the thought of war. In the third stanza Owen is describing a gas attack on the soldiers as they are trudging back to camp. Owen describes the soldiers fumbling to get their mask fastened, all but one, a lone soldier. He is struggling to get his mask on but doesn’t get it fastened quickly enough and suffers from the effects of mustard gas: Gas! Gas! Quick boys! -An ecstasy of fumbling, Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time, But someone st... Free Essays on Dulce Et Decorum Est Based on the Poem "Dulce et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Owens The poem is one of the most powerful ways to convey an idea or opinion. Through vivid imagery and compelling metaphors, the poem gives the reader the exact feeling the author wanted. The poem "Dulce et Decorum Est," an anti-war poem by Wilfred Owen, makes great use of these devices. This poem is very effective because of its excellent manipulation of the mechanical and emotional parts of poetry. Owen's use of exact diction and vivid figurative language emphasizes his point, showing that war is terrible and devastating. Furthermore, the utilization of extremely graphic imagery adds even more to his argument. Through the effective use of all three of these tools, this poem conveys a strong meaning and persuasive argument. The poem's use of excellent diction helps to more clearly define what the author is saying. Words like "guttering", "choking", and "drowning" not only show how the man is suffering, but that he is in terrible p ain that no human being should endure. Other words like writhing and froth-corrupted say precisely how the man is being tormented. Moreover, the phrase "blood shod" shows how the troops have been on their feet for days, never resting. Also, the fact that the gassed man was "flung" into the wagon reveals the urgency and occupation with fighting. The only thing they can do is toss him into a wagon. The fact one word can add to the meaning so much shows how the diction of this poem adds greatly to its effectiveness. Likewise, the use of figurative language in this poem also helps to emphasize the points that are being made. As Perrine says, people use metaphors because they say "...what we want to say more vividly and forcefully..." Owen capitalizes greatly on this by using strong metaphors and similes. Right off in the first line, he describes the troops as being "like old beggars under sacks." This not only says that they are tired, but that they are so tired... Free Essays on Dulce Et Decorum Est Interpretive Essay on â€Å"Dulce Et Decorum Est† By Wilfred Owen â€Å"In October 1917 Wilfred Owen wrote to his mother from Craiglockhart, ‘Here is a gas poem, done yesterday†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.the famous Latin tag means of course it is sweet and meet to die for ones country. Sweet! And decorous!’† {1} Wilfred Owens poem â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† is a magnificent and stirring description of a gas attack suffered by a group of soldiers in World War I. Inspired by the author’s first hand experience, the poem’s grim description is especially moving. The title is ironic, as the work goes on to communicate the ridiculousness of the old Latin saying from the perspective of a soldier. The poem is composed of four stanzas. The first two appear to be in English sonnet form, although the last two are not nearly as structured. The tone from the outset is one of exhaustion and horror. The speaker’s words continually evoke realistic images of the scene before him. Through a combination of similes and metaphors, the author presents powerful literal images of war and artfully communicates the sense of despair with which the witnesses must have been struck. The word selection of the first stanza immediately invokes the realistic visualizations for which the poem owes its impact. â€Å"Bent double, like old beggars under sacks, Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through the sludge†. The image is one of exhaustion and despair. It is easy for the reader to visualize this scene and the dreadful conditions from the power of the speaker’s description. The reference of old beggars seems so out of place, as these were predominantly young men. What conditions could have made these strong young men appear to the speaker as old beggars? The simile begs the reader to consider the conditions they endured. Visualize these old yet young men cursing through the sludge. A sense of monotony is evident with the use of the wo...

Building Your Own Yurt Essays

Building Your Own Yurt Essays Building Your Own Yurt Paper Building Your Own Yurt Paper For someone who likes to go camping, learning to build a yurt can be an enjoyable experience. A yurt is a circular tent that nomads used as homes. It originated from the East, yurt being a Turkish word meaning a dwelling place. However, the yurt that is more popular now is actually the Mongolian ger, but both are referred to by the term yurt. Although yurts are now commercially available, they can be quite expensive. Instead of buying a yurt, an individual can just make his own instead. All that one needs are the materials, some basic carpentry and sewing skills, and time. Making ones own yurt costs less and will enable the owner to customize his yurt. Yurts have been preferred by campers for many reasons, including its durability and its capacity to accommodate a group of persons or families. A yurt can typically last a lifetime, and only its canvas covers needed to be changed after 2-3 years of regular use, being exposed to harsh environmental elements. Further the wooden latticework that serves as its frame makes it more stable than a regular tent, enabling it to withstand strong winds, rains and storms, even snow. Also, it provides more space, each yurt typically has an average of ten feet in diameter space within. Yurts are also easy to assemble, and if needed to be relocated one does not have to take it apart. Instead, a couple of people can transfer it to another place. It is also fairly easy to store and carry around. After all, nomadic people were able to lug it around with them wherever they went. To build ones own yurt, a person must first have an idea of how big he wants it to be. The yurt is sturdy because of its structure: all the components are entwined and are designed to keep standing even when a section gets destroyed. The dimensions, length and width of the materials need to be measured and predetermined exactly. The yurt has two main components: the wooden framework, and the canvas cover. The wooden frame has the following parts: the latticework walls called khana, the crown or toono, central supporting columns or bagana, roof poles called uni, and if one wants, a door. The cover is made traditionally from felt, but nowadays waterproof canvas is used. There are many books being sold and guides available in the internet on how to make ones own yurt, this paper will just outline the basic processes needed to construct one. The first step in making a yurt is to build the base, or the lattice framework. First, get the wooden rods and make and drill 3. 5mm holes nine inches apart, leaving two inches at one end and four at the other. Take 24 rods and tie them together by knotting a string at one end and passing the string through two corresponding holes. Remember to align all the top rods towards one direction, for example, to the left, and all the rods below to the right. Finish the ends using shorter length of rods, saw off the rods as needed. Then take another 24 rods and make another khana. For the door, saw the wood into two upright 1. 5-3 in diameter and 4 feet long, tapered at each end to fit into 1 holes drilled into the top and bottom of the frame. The top and bottom of the frame should be about 3 in diameter and 25 long, with the ends drilled for the tapered poles. The crown consists of a wooden wheel with hub and spokes. Drill 32 holes at the rim to take in the roof poles. Draw a 76 cm in diameter circle, and inside this draw another with a 60 cm diameter. Divide the circles into quarters, and cut out the quarters. Glue and clamp together the sections to complete the wheel, and for extra strength drill two holes through each section and secure with screws. Then drill 32 holes at the rim at an angle pointing upwards at the crown. To make the crown center cut out eight spokes of 38mm square timber 33cm long. Cut out another circle, to put the spokes into, drill holes, screw and glue the spokes to the rim and to the center. For the roof, take 32 1. 5m long poles. Drill 3. 5mm holes 25mm apart at one end, and pass a string through to form a loop that fits over a pole of the khana. The other end should fit into the holes of the crown. For the cover, make sure there is ample space to spread and sew the canvas. Measure the length of the khana and the roof, as this will determine the length of the canvas covering. For the roof, cut out 7 big sections of canvas enough to cover the roof. Take one section and cut into two, so as not to cover the crown. Stitch the hems of the sections before stitching them together. Make sure that the upper sections overlaps the lower one to ensure water to flow smoother when it rains. In the same way, cut two pieces of canvas enough to cover the whole circumference of the walls, with the height and length at least three feet longer to allow for shrinkage. Sew the two widths together, making sure that the top sheet overlaps the other by at least an inch to allow water to run off easily. Sew 1. 5 hems at the bottom and at the ends of the canvas. Fit the grommets to the hems, corresponding the grommets to the intersections at the top of the khana. Tie a string and make a loop through each grommet big enough to fit over the top of the poles. Finally, tie a 1m string to each of the grommets at the end. Lastly, take a piece of canvas as long as the two khana and 20cm wide. Sew hems at both sides and both ends. Fit two grommets at each corner of the canvass ends, and tie a piece of rope to make a loop. Tie a 1m rope to each loop. This is the tension band that will be used to hold the roof poles in place. To set up the yurt, unfold the two khana sections and set them upright in a circle. Tie the band on top of the walls. Get somebody to hold the crown at the center of the yurt, and then proceed to fit the string loop of each roof pole over the top of the wall pole and into the holes of the crown. Tie the band tightly around the entire yurt especially where the wall and roof poles meet. Pull the crown down hard to ensure that everything are securely set. Put up the khana cover, followed by tying down the roof cover with rope passing through the grommets. Tuck the hems, and fit the door. The entire process of making ones own yurt may take more than a few days to a week depending on the available time one has. However, once the yurt is built, it can be used and re-used, and can last a lifetime. Indeed, it can serve as a portable home to anyone who takes the time to build one, with all the work and effort that is put into creating a yurt. The best part is, anybody can make a yurt, and can ask family to help them build it so that they can enjoy it and the unique experience it offers with the outdoors sooner together .

Ethnic diversity in China Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ethnic diversity in China Journal - Essay Example Zhizou people believe that two parallel house cannot be of the same height because they may cause unnecessary competition. The community encourages ties amongst siblings’ right from when they are still under their parents’ care to when they have been married away. In grandmother Wasomo’s story, a community where old people pass virtues to young children is depicted as one that is desirable and as one which yields a well-mannered crop of citizens. Respect for morals is a pillar in the community and elderly people though married have different beds to avoid ridicule. Spirits are considered part and parcel of the community; they, alongside the deceased are held highly in the community through ways such as observation of rituals to honor them and effigies, which are made in their memory. They are also perceived as the custodians of the people and are believed to be able to prevent harm. The community also had close ties, and this is exemplified by the fact that there is a granary that stores grain for a group of people. Women in the community are seen as the creators of wealth as in the example of a woman whose six kilos of rice is taken per day and another who shares two kilos for a family of six and has enough to see her through to the next harvest while the former does not. Chapter five questions the authority where the writers memories of rules and procedures are founded as his tapes and notebooks filled with deep thoughts. In order to explain why a somewhat different scripts model of memory has long been associated with respect to authority of written communication in China, the story of Nepi is told. The story of the origin of Nepi tells of two men; a Lolopo and another Han, who after traveling for nine nights and days the Lolopo man ends up ingesting what he had written on his buckwheat while the Han who had written on a piece of paper retained his information. The writer maintains that unlike scripted memory,

Public Sector Employment Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Public Sector Employment Relations - Essay Example In this context, the role of government and its position in the public sector is a crucial aspect to account for. On the same note, the fact that the government employs the public service introduces employment relations to be accounted for in that sector. Employee-employer relationship is captured in employment relations concepts. This is basically an account of the employee and employer interactions, to further account for productivity in service delivery. The public sector provides both public goods and services (Ashworth and Entwistle, 2010, p.109). The government, whether local or central, acts as the employer in public service. Every employed individual is accountable to the state. Public sector employment relations therefore capture the interactions between the government and its employees in the public service field (Ashworth and Entwistle, 2010, p.113). Over and above capturing productivity of employee through functional relationships with their employers, the concept of empl oyment relations also encompass the morale and motivation of employees in their working environment and beyond. Generally, employment relations are fundamental in a number of ways. The interaction of employees with their employers boosts their cooperation, improving the underlying working environment. Effectiveness and efficiency of product and service delivery is realized in that process. Unnecessary conflicts are also avoided, enhancing information flow and discharge of duties and responsibilities by both employees and employers. Decision making in that context cannot be ignored. Employee relations seek to incorporate the participation of employees in organizational decision making. On the same note, employees can keep track of decisions made that pertain to matters affecting them from time to time. Public servants are managed by the public sector, primarily the government. The relationship between the public servants and their employer is a complex one, and dynamic in nature. It encompasses multidimensional factors that include but not limited to social, economic, political, ethical, psychological and legal factors (Julius, 2008, p.73). Social, economic, political and technological advancements are creating diverse needs for the society, consequently requiring that the public sector be more accountable. Resource allocation is central to this pursuit, but there never seems to be enough resources that adequately address the needs of the society. Social welfare is on the same note calling for higher qualities and standards, pressuring the government even further. This has influenced the public sector, public service and the private sector in a number of ways, all of which converge to employment concerns. The public sector creates a critical employment pool, rendering functional all its firms, agencies, corporates and parastatal entities. The private sector on the other hand accounts for significant employment opportunities in the nation and beyond. Firms and o rganizations that are privately run complement the public sector in accounting for social welfare in the country. Employment operations in the two sectors have open distinctions, and so are the underlying employment relations. In the public sector, the government acts as the central employer of the public servants. These public servants make up the public service that further accounts for public goods and services delivery to the entire public population. The private sect