Monday, December 30, 2019

Utilitarianism, By John Stuart Mill And Utilitarianism

Moral theories are sometimes hard to define, but with John Stuart Mill and Utilitarianism it is a little bit easier. Utilitarianism is an easy one, for the reason that it is defined by the greatest happiness for everyone involved. Sometimes it does not always make everyone content, but if you look at it as a whole it makes sense. Mill says that we have to look at the bigger picture. One person’s happiness affects another’s and so on. Utilitarianism is a moral theory that John Stuart Mill, the philosopher, formulated to be one of the most influential moral theories and I will put it to the test with a thought experiment, critique it, and find if it is adequate. John S. Mill’s Moral Theory Utilitarianism Utilitarianism is what is paramount for the for the greatest number of people. Utilitarian’s say that acts are good when they have achieved the desired result of happiness. The result should be intrinsically good for all those involved. (Wilkens, 2011) Utilitarianism is a way for people to evaluate major decisions that people may face throughout life. Utilitarianism is a form of consequentialism because the results determine the difference between morally right and wrong or good and bad. According to Ben Sanders, â€Å"I take utilitarianism to be that form of consequentialism that aims to promote (usually, but not necessarily, to maximize) happiness.† John Stuart Mill Mill has a replacement for authoritarians, as well as rationalist approaches to ethics. Mill believed thatShow MoreRelatedUtilitarianism By John Stuart Mill1805 Words   |  8 PagesIn his book Utilitarianism, John Stuart Mill presents his exposition and his major defenses of the philosophy of utilitarianism. Utilitarianism, a theory in ethics developed by the philosopher Jeremy Bentham, focuses on a concept of utility that focuses on deciding if actions are morally right or wrong by analyzing the pleasure and pain they cause. In other words, if an action causes primarily pleasure for all parties, then it must be good and right; however, if it causes pain for the parties involvedRead MoreUtilitarianism, By John Stuart Mill1365 Words   |  6 Pages In John Stuart Mill’s book Utilitarianism, he argues for the defense of utilitarianism, an age old theory originally developed by Jeremy Bentham that states the proper course of action is the one that maximizes happiness. The cour se of action that maximizes general happiness is also the only true standard for moral assessment. Mill also introduces the idea of ‘first principle’ which states that it is not acceptable for individuals to characterize actions as either ‘good’ or ‘bad’, because it isRead MoreUtilitarianism, By John Stuart Mill1372 Words   |  6 PagesAct Utilitarianism is a long standing and well supported philosophical argument that when boiled down to its most basic elements, can be described as creating â€Å"the greatest good for the greatest number† (122). Such was the sentiment of John Stuart Mill, one of act utilitarianism’s (also known as just utilitarianism) greatest pioneers, and promoters. Mills believed that his theory of always acting in a way that achieved the greatest net happiness was both superior to other philosophical theories andRead MoreUtilitarianism, By John Stuart Mill1599 Words   |  7 PagesUtilitarianism is a doctr ine in normative ethics that is outlined and defended by many philosophers, including the English philosopher John Stuart Mill as a standard to determine what are right and wrong actions. At its most basic claim, the right course of action one must take should be in the interest of maximizing what is known as utility. The right course of action is determined as being right if it maximizes the total benefit and happiness gained, while at the same time reducing the greatestRead MoreUtilitarianism, By John Stuart Mill854 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Stuart Mill, among other things, was an English philosopher and economist who lived from 1806 to 1873. Mill grew up being immersed in the principles of utilitarianism. Mill’s essay on utilitarianism, titled Utilitarianism, was written to debunk misconceptions of and to provide support for the ideology. Mill’s essay and argument span five chapters, where his discussions range from definitions, misconceptions, rewards, methods, an d validity. Utilitarianism is generally held to be the view thatRead MoreThe Utilitarianism By John Stuart Mill984 Words   |  4 PagesDecriminalize Drug use Utilitarianism as an example of consequentialism is a moral theory generally considered to have started in the late eighteenth century. In the book Utilitarianism by John Stuart Mill he defined the ethical theory stating that â€Å"†¦actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness; wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness†(7). The idea behind the theory is that people seek happiness, and that the ultimate goal of all human beings is to be happy.Read MoreJohn Stuart Mill And Utilitarianism983 Words   |  4 PagesIn Utilitarianism actions are judged right and wrong solely on their consequence, and in order to assess this consequences, the only thing that matters is the amount of happiness and unhappiness caused and by calculating happiness and unhappiness caused, nobody’s happiness counts any more than anybody else’s. Utilitarian ethics is the most common form of ethics used today, it has thrived because two needs have been met by it. Firstly, end-based thinking is common and people have sought to improveRead MoreJohn Stuart Mill And Utilitarianism1202 Words   |  5 Pages I contend that the philosophy of John Stuart Mill and Utilitarianism can be used to show that society should will that genetic enhancement be morally acceptable if the adverse cognitive or emotional effects are outweighed by the benefits. Glannon argues that gene enhancement is morally objectionable because â€Å"there would be the unacceptable social cost of some people suffering from adverse cognitive or emotional effects of the enhancement.† Under Utilitarianism, society would likely deem that geneticRead MoreUtilitarianism By John Stuart Mill930 Words   |  4 PagesAnalysis Paper 2 In the essay â€Å"Utilitarianism† by John Stuart Mill, he explains his support for utilitarianism and argues any misconceptions of it. In his essay he talks about the difference between higher and lower pleasures and what significance they have in his utilitarian moral theory. His theory is based on the rule that â€Å"actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness.† Many people experience different kinds of pleasureRead MoreUtilitarianism, By John Stuart Mill2436 Words   |  10 PagesUtilitarianism is an ethical speculation that communicates that the best movement is the one that expands utility. Utility is portrayed in various courses, frequently to the extent the success of mindful substances, for instance, people and diverse animals. Jeremy Bentham, the coordinator of utilitarianism, delineated utility as the entire of all bliss that results from a movement, short the burden of anyone req uired in the action. Utilitarianism is a variation of consequentialism, which communicates

Sunday, December 22, 2019

It Is Clear That Abortion Is An Extremely Controversial

It is clear that Abortion is an extremely controversial and often emotional topic. People all have different views and are passionate when expressing those views, not always in the best ways. In order to have an educational argument rather than just fighting on the topic, we need to be educated on all factors and information regarding this topic and we need to listen to take in other opinions rather than listening to reply. I knew that choosing this topic would get me emotionally invested, and these are my opinions while trying to keep an open mind to other viewpoints. Let’s begin with were the legal issue started with abortion. An article titled â€Å"Abortion Law in the United States: An overview†, by John E.Schwemker, provided me with†¦show more content†¦I can understand that some people would still see that being against the woman’s will, but it is not the fault of the embryo that they were created, and they cannot help but depend on the mother for nutrients and a good developmental environment. This leads me into Manninen’s second point. She believes that, although people who are sexually active know that what they are engaging in has risks, the fact that they have responsibilities with doing that action does not mean as much as a woman’s right to her body. While I agree that women should have I right to their body, I also feel that if they conceive a child that their body is no longer just theirs. If a woman should have a right to their body, then I believe a baby should have a right to theirs as well; it’s not their fault that they were conceived and they should not have to suffer for that. I feel that the main argument with abortion is more moral than legal, although they both can go hand in hand for this topic. Morally, I feel abortion is murder. All of an embryo’s DNA is determined as soon as the sperm meets the egg. To me, this means that, even though these cells are not fully developed, the will be with time and they are still a human being that deserves to live even when they cannot fight for themselves. I read a post online once that had an interesting take on this and helped to form my opinion to what it is today. It was about a woman who went to the doctor with her 1 year old son. She found out that sheShow MoreRelatedAbortion And The Second Presidential Debate Essay1334 Words   |  6 PagesI have chosen to write about abortion and its role in the third presidential debate of 2016. To begin, we need to understand abortion and how it is received in the United States before we try to understand how the current candidates addressed abortion. Abortion has been a hot button topic in the United States since Roe vs. Wade in 1973 when criminalizing abortion was considered unconstitutional under the Due Process clause of the 14th amendment. This trial created a nationwide debate on not onlyRead MoreAbortion, Pro Choice And Abortion1617 Words   |  7 PagesAbortion includes ending a pregnancy by the removing of a baby or incipient organism from the uterus. This is once in a while because of the demise of the hatchling; be that as it may, it can likewise bring about the death of it. Premature birth is an extremely controversial topic since its recurrence of event, lawful, social and religious status changes broadly in various areas of the world. There are some prominent gatherings that champion either pro-choice or pro-life, and such associations raiseRead MoreShould Abortion Be Legal?963 Words   |  4 Pagesdiscuss such a gut wrenching topic, but this needs to be addressed. It is a very controversial topic with having to do with women rights and activists. Since there are two sides to every argument, there is one side such as to make abortion legal and the opposing side to keep abortions illegal. In my opinion making abortion illegal can regulate the amount of women who do get pregnant. I believe that making abortions legal will let women receive the right treatment and action that needs to be doneRead MoreThe Controversial Issue Of Abortion1584 Words   |  7 PagesAbortion. The subject of abortion has become one of the most controversial issues in health care; deciding whether to abort a life or keep it. There are many ethical issues surrounding the topic. When does the fetus become a person? Is it when they grow arms and legs? Is it when there is a heartbeat? Is there an exact point, where ethically, having an abortion is wrong? There are many reasons people opt to have an abortion. Perhaps the child is bared through non consensual sex or from the failureRead MoreThe Pendulum Between Liberalism And Conservat ism1238 Words   |  5 Pageshailed for its extremely tolerant and liberal mindset, are slowly moving in the other direction. With the growing power of the Christian Union in the Netherlands, marijuana, prostitution, and now abortion are once again causes for concern. One woman, ten years ago, had a vision. Her vision was to spread what she calls a â€Å"basic human right† to parts of the world where this right is denied to millions of women every year. Rebecca Gomperts has devoted her life to providing abortions and abortion pills, asRead MoreThe Death Of An Unborn Fetus Should Be Viewed Through The Same Moral Standards1523 Words   |  7 Pagesdestructor of peace was â€Å"abortion, because it is a war against the child- a direct killing of the innocent child- murdered by the mother herself.† In the United States, four in ten of unintended pregnancies result in abortion culminating in approximately 1.21 million abortions each year.1 Abortion, defined as the removal of a fertilized egg from the uterus, has been a controversial issue in our society. On January 1973 the Supreme Court of the U.S gave the right to abortion on Roe vs Wade. This monumentalRead MoreThe Issue Of Pro Life1398 Words   |  6 PagesLife is extremely precious and is something that should not be taken for granted. The trials each new day brings are exhilarating and capable of bringing one to tears, whether they be out of happiness or sadness. One of the greatest gifts presented to a couple is a child when a woman becomes pregnant. Far too many times, this gift is taken for granted because two people are not married or they do not want the child. In America, there is an on-going argument as to whether or not a pregnant woman,Read MoreShould Abortion Be Legal?1135 Words   |  5 PagesKelsi Hodgkin Composition 1 Professor Chipps 19 October 2015 Should Abortion Be Legal A common debate in the world today involves abortion, the deliberate end of human pregnancy, and whether or not it should be legalized. â€Å"Every year in the world there are an estimated 40-50 million abortions. This corresponds to approximately 125,000 abortions per day† (â€Å"Abortions Worldwide this Year†). On one side of the argument, people are not disturbed by this grotesque number, and on theRead MoreParenthood : A Non Profit Organization That Does A World Of Good?966 Words   |  4 Pagesservices, the rates of unintended pregnancy, they say, unplanned birth and abortion would be 60% higher.†(Strickland and Goldschmidt, online) Without Planned Parenthood providing contraception, abortion rates would sky-rocket. One of the main reasons people would like to defund Planned Parenthood would be because they offer abortion services. â€Å"†¦Planned Parenthood cannot use the money it receives from the federal government for abortions anyway. Accordi ng to the Department of Health and Human Service’s websiteRead MoreHuman Rights And Reproductive Rights Essay1222 Words   |  5 Pagesas, what it means to have ‘rights’, who deserves these suggested rights and to what extent can a person exercise these rights. These types of discussions can be controversial despite most of us, especially in a liberal democracy, where we tend to view human rights in a similar manner. When examining human rights even further, there are clear ties to equality, another issue that affects nearly everyone through means of privilege or prejudice. A crucial aspect of achieving equality between the sexes

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Bite Me A Love Story Chapter 6~7 Free Essays

string(90) " because he helped me take care of the Countess and Lord Flood when they were in trouble\." 6. The Vampire Parrots of Telegraph Hill A flock of wild parrots lives in the city of San Francisco. They are South American cherry-headed conures-bright green with a red head, a little smaller than a typical pigeon. We will write a custom essay sample on Bite Me: A Love Story Chapter 6~7 or any similar topic only for you Order Now No one is quite sure how they came to the City. It’s likely that they are the descendants of animals caught in the jungle, then released to the city skies when they proved too wild to be kept as pets. They fly over the northern waterfront of San Francisco, foraging for fruit, berries, and blossoms, from the Presidio at the entrance of the Golden Gate Bridge, over Pacific Heights, the Marina, Russian Hill, North Beach, and all the way to the Ferry Building near the Oakland Bay Bridge. They are social, squawky, silly birds that mate for life and advertise their presence with a cacophony of beeps and cheeps that inspire smiles from residents, bewilderment from tourists, and hunger in predators, mostly red-tailed hawks and peregrine falcons. The parrots spend their nights high in the trees of Telegraph Hill, beneath the great concrete phallus of Coit Tower, sheltered from attack from hawks by the evergreen canopy overhead, and from all but the most ambitious cats, by the sheer altitude. But still, they are sometimes attacked, and although gentle creatures, they will fight back, biting with their thick, built-for-seed-crushing beaks. Which is what happened. The next morning after he witnessed the cat attack in the SOMA, the Emperor of San Francisco was awakened from a nest he’d made in one of the little stair gardens on Telegraph Hill, to hear parrots squawking in the trees. The sun was just breaking the horizon behind the Bay Bridge, turning the water red-gold under a blue morning mist. The Emperor crawled out from under a pile of carpet padding, stood, and stretched, his great joints creaking in the cold like ancient church doors. The men, Bummer and Lazarus, poked their noses out of the gray cloak, snuffled the dawn, then, with the call of the parrots, resolved themselves to morning and emerged like urgent butterflies to search for the perfect spot for the first wee of the day. The three watched as fifty or so squawking parrots circled Coit Tower and headed out toward the Embarcadero, where, suddenly, they all stopped flying, burst into flames, and fell like a smoldering storm of dying comets into Levi’s Plaza. â€Å"Well, you don’t see that every day,† said the Emperor, scratching Lazarus’s ears through the bandages. The retriever was a doggy version of The Mummy, wrapped ears to tail in bandages after his last encounter with the vampire cats. The vet in the Mission wanted to keep him overnight, but the retriever had never spent a night away from the Emperor since they had found each other, and the vet had no accommodations for a large and burly monarch, let alone a feisty Boston terrier, so the three had bunked together under the carpet pad. Bummer chuffed, which translated from dog to: â€Å"I don’t like it.† As the famous frog sang, it’s not easy being green. 7. The Fog Comes on Little Cat Feet and Whatnot FOO Stephen â€Å"Foo Dog† Wong’s fully bombed Honda drift machine was full of rats. Not completely full, the passenger seat was filled by Jared Whitewolf, Abby’s backup BFF. (BBFF, really.) â€Å"Did you have to get all white ones?† Jared asked. He was six foot two, very thin, and paler than Death shagging a snowman. The sides of his head were shaved and in the middle he sported an unlaquered Mohawk, which hung in his eyes unless he was lying on his back or looking up. In addition to a floor-length black PVC cenobite coat, he was currently wearing Abby’s thigh-high red platform Skankenstein ® boots, which was completely within his rights, as her current BFF. What bothered Foo was not that Jared had on girl’s boots, but that he had on the boots of a girl with distinctly small feet. â€Å"Don’t those hurt?† Jared tossed his hair out of his eyes. â€Å"Well, it’s like Morrissey said, ‘Life is suffering.'† â€Å"I think the Buddha said that.† â€Å"I’m pretty sure Morrissey said it first-like, back in the eighties.† â€Å"No, it was the Buddha.† â€Å"Have you ever even seen a picture of the Buddha with shoes on?† Jared asked. Foo couldn’t believe he was having this argument. What’s more, he couldn’t believe he was losing this argument. â€Å"Well, I have some Nikes upstairs that might fit you if you need to change shoes. Let’s get the rats unloaded. I have to get to work.† Jared already had four plastic cages with two white rats in each stacked on his lap, so he unfolded himself out of the Honda and wobbled on the red platforms to the fire door of the loft. â€Å"Don’t try to paint them black,† Jared said, peering into the Plexiglas boxes as Foo opened the door for him. â€Å"I tried that with my first rat, Lucifer. It was tragic.† â€Å"Tragic?† said Foo. â€Å"I’d have never guessed. Put them on the floor in the living room. I’ll borrow the truck from work tomorrow and pick up some folding tables to put them on.† In addition to pursuing his degree in molecular biology, and variously rescuing Abby, formulating vampire serum, and tricking out his Honda, Foo still worked part-time at Stereo City, where he specialized in telling people that they needed a bigger TV. â€Å"You still have that job?† Jared said as he stumbled up the stairs. â€Å"Abby said you guys have total fuck-you money.† Why did she tell him? She wasn’t supposed to tell him. Did she tell him everything? Why did she have to have friends at all? She’d given Jared five thousand dollars of Jody and Tommy’s money for Hanukkah-despite the fact that neither one of them was Jewish. â€Å"Because I will not let mainstream society make me into the Christmas bitch of the zombie baby-Jebus, that’s why,† she’d said. â€Å"And because he helped me take care of the Countess and Lord Flood when they were in trouble. You read "Bite Me: A Love Story Chapter 6~7" in category "Essay examples"† â€Å"I need to keep my cover,† Foo said. â€Å"For tax purposes.† That was partially true. He did need to keep up his cover, because, like Abby, he hadn’t actually told his parents that he’d moved out. They were so used to him being at school, in the lab, or at work, that they hadn’t really noticed that he hadn’t been sleeping at home. It helped that he had four younger brothers and sisters, who were all carrying insane work and course loads. His parents were all about toil. As long as you were toiling, you were okay. They could smell toil from miles away, or the lack of it. He might be able to get away with living in his own loft with his spooky-sexy girlfriend, and doing bizarre genetic experiments on the undead, but if he quit his job they’d sense it in a second. It took Foo and Jared twenty minutes to get all the rats up the steps and lined up around the living room. â€Å"We’re not going to hurt them, are we?† said Jared, holding up one of the plastic cages so he was eye to eye with its occupants. â€Å"We’re going to turn them into vampires.† â€Å"Oh, cool. Now?† â€Å"No, not now. For now, you’re going to need to feed them and make sure there’s a water bottle in each of their cages,† Foo said. â€Å"Then what?† Jared asked, tossing his hair out of his eyes. â€Å"Then you can go home,† said Foo. â€Å"You don’t need to observe them full-time until the experiment starts.† â€Å"I can’t go home. I told my parents I was staying over at Abby’s.† Foo was suddenly horrified at the thought of having to spend the night in the loft with a hundred rats, two bronzed vampires, and Jared. Especially Jared. Maybe he’d go home and leave Jared to watch the rats-make an appearance at home for the parents, so as to throw them off the trail of his non-toiling, loft-living, Anglo-girlfriend lifestyle. â€Å"You can stay here, then,† Foo said. â€Å"I’ll be back in the morning.† â€Å"What about them?† Jared nodded toward the bronzed figures of Jody and Tommy. â€Å"What about them?† â€Å"Can I talk to them? I didn’t get to finish telling Jody my novel.† Jared had spent a very long night telling Jody the first part of the novel he was going to write, an erotic horror story that starred himself and his pet rat, Lucifer 2. â€Å"Okay,† said Foo. He didn’t really like thinking about the two people, well, vampires, but they seemed a lot like people, that he’d helped imprison in a bronze shell. It sort of gave him the willies, and that was highly unscientific. â€Å"But no touching,† he added. Jared pouted and sat down on the futon, about the only spot in the entire living-room-kitchen area not covered with plastic rat cages. â€Å"Okay, but will you help me get these boots off before you go?† Foo shuddered. It had been less than an hour since the cops led Abby away and already he missed her like a severed limb. It was embarrassing. How could hormones and hydrostatic pressure make you feel like this? Love was very unscientific. â€Å"Sorry,† Foo said. â€Å"Gotta jet.† A true hero, the kind Abby accused him of being, he knew, would have helped Jared. JARED Abby Normal had once offered to pay for a tattoo for Jared that read: Danger. Do not administer caffeine without adult supervision. Jared asked, â€Å"Can it be in red? Does it have to be on the forehead? Maybe on the side so I can grow my hair over it if I don’t like it. Am I being emo? Do you want to play Blood-feast on Xbox? They have green fur iPod cases at Urban Outfitters. I love white chocolate mochas. Marilyn Manson needs to be dragged to death behind a clown car. Oh fuck, I’m so allergic to this eyeliner I could cry.† Abby said, â€Å"Oh my God, you’re like Obnoxious and Annoying had an ass baby!† â€Å"What are you trying to say?† asked Jared. What she had been trying to say, although she didn’t know it at the time, was that under no circumstances should Jared be left alone in an apartment with an abundance of time and espresso, which is what Foo had just done. So after feeding, watering, and naming all the rats (most given French names from Abby’s copy of Baudelaire’s Les Fleurs du Mal), Jared began brewing espressos and was nine demitasse cups into the afternoon when he decided to act out the remainder of his unwritten vampire adventure novel, The Dark of Darkness, for a hundred rats caged in plastic and two vampires encased in bronze. â€Å"So the evil Blood Queen dons her chrome strap-on of death and goes after Lucifer 2. But Jared Whitewolf is on her like a fat kid on a cupcake, parrying her blows with his dagger of death, or Dee Dee, as it is known.† Jared pirouetted, a move he’d learned in ballet class at age six, and slashed the air, low and fast, with the double-edged dagger held backhand so as to sever his imaginary enemy’s femoral artery, a move he’d learned in Soul Assassin Five on the Xbox (although it was harder to do while wearing platform boots than it was in the video game). The dagger was real enough, twelve inches of double-edged high-carbon stainless steel with a dragon hilt. Jared carried it because he thought it made him look badass when doormen took it away from him at clubs. â€Å"And he strikes her weapon in half!† he said, leaping and bringing the blade around a little too fast. He turned his ankle, lost his balance, and as he fell, the dagger put a deep nick in the bronze statue. â€Å"Ow!† He sat on the floor holding his ankle and rocking back and forth in the yoga position known as the â€Å"freaked-out half-lotus.† Then he noticed the gash he’d put in the bronze, directly over Jody’s right clavicle. â€Å"I’m sorry, Countess,† Jared said, still a little breathless from his battle. â€Å"I didn’t mean to hurt you. It’s just that I had to save Lucifer 2. You’d do the same thing for Lord Flood if he was in the story.† Jared buffed at the bronze with his sleeve, but the gash was deep and wasn’t going to go away with polishing. â€Å"Abby’s going to kill me. I’ll patch you, Countess. Just hang on. Toothpaste. We used it on the wall that time we drank Abby’s mom’s vodka and played cross-country darts in her living room. Hang on a minute.† Jared let the heavy dagger drop to the floor, climbed to his feet, winced, then limped off to the bathroom to look for toothpaste. He located a tube of all natural tartar control with baking soda just as the sun dropped under the horizon in the west. Out in the living room, a needle-thin stream of mist began leaking out of the gash he’d made in the bronze statue. Toothpaste probably wouldn’t have fixed it. THE ANIMALS In the last two months, the Animals, the night stock crew at the Marina Safeway, had hunted an ancient vampire, blown up his yacht, stolen millions of dollars’ worth of art, sold it for pennies on the dollar, spent the remaining hundreds of thousands on gambling and a blue hooker, got turned into vampires, were torn apart by zoo animals, then burned up by sunlamps when they attacked Abby Normal, then turned, by Foo, back into seven guys who stocked shelves at the Safeway and smoked a little too much weed. And as it often is with adventurers, after the adventure, they were feeling a little bored, and a little worried that nothing exciting would ever happen to them again. After you’ve battled the darkness, then become the darkness, then shagged the darkness, frozen turkey bowling and skiing behind the floor-scrubbing machine just doesn’t hold the same thrill. After you’ve shared a blue prostitute with your buddies to the tune of a half a million dollars, only to have her kill and resurrect you before disappearing into the night, swapping stories of banging babes was a bit of an anticlimax. After all, they worked nights and the oldest of them, Clint, was only twenty-three, so most of their stories were gross exaggerations, wishful thinking, or outright lies anyway. Even crucifying Clint with zip ties on the potato chip rack every other Friday didn’t seem fun anymore, and last week they had just left him hanging, thrashing in the Doritos, and went off to stock their aisles before he could even forgive them for knowing not what they did. Tragic, really, to be young, free, and mind-numbingly bored. So when the Emperor of San Francisco came screaming out of the parking lot and slammed, face-first, into the big Plexiglas front window, rattling the Tic Tacs on every register, each of them dropped what he was working on and headed to the front of the store, hoping in their hearts that something outstanding was coming down. The seven, the Animals, stood on one side of the big window, while the Emperor pounded on the other, the royal hounds leaping and barking at his side. â€Å"Maybe we should let him in,† said Clint, curly-haired, born-again, ex-heroin addict who worked cereal, coffee, and juices. â€Å"He seems troubled.† â€Å"S,† said Gustavo, the porter, leaning on his mop. â€Å"Troubled.† â€Å"Seems fucking freaked,† said Drew, the Ichabod-Crane-gaunt master of the frozen food aisle and chief medical officer. â€Å"Totally fucking freaked.† â€Å"What’s wrong?† asked Lash, the lean black guy who had become their leader when Tommy was turned into a vampire, largely because he almost had an MBA, but also because he was a black guy and inherently cooler than everyone else. â€Å"Murder, destruction, ravenous creatures of the night, a storm of them,† shouted the Emperor. â€Å"Hurry, please.† â€Å"He always says that,† said Barry, the balding fireplug of a scuba diver who also stocked soap and dog food. â€Å"Well, every time he says it, it’s kind of true,† said Jeff, the tall blond ex-power forward with the blown-out knee (baking supplies and international foods). â€Å"I say let him in.† â€Å"Look, the retriever is all bandaged up. Poor guy,† said Troy Lee, their resident martial arts expert who worked the glass aisle. â€Å"Let them in.† â€Å"You just want to roll the little one up in a burrito,† said Lash. â€Å"Yeah, that’s right, Lash. Because I’m Chinese, I have a deep-seated need to nosh house pets. Now why don’t you let him in before my inner Chinaman forces me to kung-fu your bitch ass.† Because he understood that he was the leader only so long as he told everyone to do what they wanted to do anyway, and because he had had his bitch ass kung-fued in the past and hadn’t cared for it, Lash unlocked the door and let the Emperor in. The old man fell into the store when Lash opened the door. Bummer and Lazarus stopped barking and bolted by them, and on toward the back of the store. Jeff and Drew got the Emperor seated on one of the registers and Troy Lee handed him a bottle of water. â€Å"Chill, Your Majesty, we’ve done this before.† â€Å"Not like this. Not like this,† said the Emperor. â€Å"It’s a storm of evil. Lock the door.† Lash rolled his eyes. They really had done this before, and the door being locked or unlocked wasn’t going to make much difference if a vampire was following the old man. â€Å"We got your back, Highness,† Lash said. â€Å"Lock the door,† the Emperor moaned, pointing through the window. A fog bank was moving across the parking lot, with rather more intent than one usually expects from a fog bank. A high, yowling screech seemed to come out of the fog in a stream, as if it had been sampled, amplified, and duplicated a thousand times. The Animals moved to the glass. â€Å"Lock the door, Lash,† Clint said. Clint never gave orders. The edge of the fog bank was boiling with shapes, claws, ears, eyes, teeth, tails-cats formed of fog, rolling in a wave over one another, some materializing partially, only to evaporate and roll back into the cloud, their red eyes moving through the cloud like embers out of a firestorm. â€Å"Whoa,† said Drew. â€Å"Whoa,† repeated the others. â€Å"Okay, that is different,† said Troy Lee. â€Å"My friends all over the City are missing,† the Emperor said. â€Å"Street people. They’re gone. Just their clothes and gray dust,† the Emperor said. â€Å"The cats are killing everything in their way.† â€Å"That is fucked up,† said Jeff. â€Å"Deeply, deeply fucked up,† said Barry, dragging one of the heavy wooden order dividers off the register and brandishing it like a club. â€Å"Lock the fucking door, Lash!† Clint screamed. â€Å"Jesus hates it when you use the f-word,† said Gustavo, the Mexican porter, who was Catholic and liked to remind Clint when his Jesus was slipping. The fog washed against the window and claw marks etched the Plexiglas instantly to frost, as if it had all been sanded. The noise was like, well, it was like a thousand vampire cats clawing on Plexiglas-it made their teeth hurt. â€Å"Did anyone bring weapons?† Troy Lee asked. â€Å"I brought some weed,† Drew said. A cat’s claw of fog crept under the door and raked the toe of Lash’s sneaker. He snapped the lock shut, pulled out the key, and backed away. â€Å"Okay, break time,† he said. â€Å"Crew meeting in the walk-in.† JARED Across town, in the bedroom of a fashionable loft, in the fashionable SOMA neighborhood, aspiring rat-shagger, Jared Whitewolf, looked up from rubbing his sore ankle to see a completely naked redhead walk into the room. Her hair hung to her waist in a great curling cape, framing her figure, which was perfect and as white as a marble statue. She held Jared’s double-edged dagger in her right hand. Jared backed up onto the bed in a reverse crab walk. â€Å"I, I, I, it, it, it-Abby made me-â€Å" â€Å"Chill, Scissorhands,† Jody said. â€Å"You’d better find some of those blood bags of Steve’s fast, unless you’d like to finish high school as a pile of greasy dust. Countess is thirsty.† How to cite Bite Me: A Love Story Chapter 6~7, Essay examples

Friday, December 6, 2019

Postmodernism free essay sample

Different material, methods and media’s have been used in postmodern art, such as painting fine art, technology, architecture and fashion. A study of various types of powerful societal changes through time is tackled through art. These changes comprise of gender identity, globalisation growth, political power etc. Introduction The expression of Art has always been influential; many artists use it as a tactic to exploit political truths and ideas. Postmodernism is a â€Å"movement reacting against modernism, especially by drawing attention to former conventions† (pg821). This form of art allowed a new way of looking at reality in a society that is constantly reassessing its culture and values. Postmodern art focuses on a mixture of high and low cultures and dominant ideas; it went against repression, sexism, racism, political power, and violence. Deconstructing truths criticises and analyses contemporary issues. These deconstructionist feed on controversy, artists such as Alessandro Mendini, Andy Warhol, Jenny Holzer create colourful and ruinous, luxurious and outrageous artwork. The art allowed radical freedom to design, funny gestures confrontation and occasionally absurd. It was a style that has new self-awareness. Postmodernism rebelled against modernism; it was an attack on what had come before as it explored and disparaged any unspoken leading concepts and social customs. The disillusionment from World War II heavily influenced postmodern art. The style doesn’t have a clear central hierarchy or organising principle; it uses melancholy, extreme complexity, contradiction, ambiguity, diversity and interconnectedness. Loud colours, bold patterns, historical quotation and whit are used. During the 60s, critical practices of postmodernism were applied mainly in Italy. The idea of ‘Function follows form’ is abandoned. Exaggerated proportion and outrageous texture for the sake of decoration. Designers such as Ettore Sottsass and Alessandro Mendini who challenged social norms and the traditional taste of design. Italian born designer and architect, Alessandro Mendini played a part in postmodern design. He creates graphics, furniture, interiors, paintings and architectures. His work of ‘Destruction of the Monumento da Casa (Household Monument) is an enlarged photograph of a modernist chair. This literally displays the destroying of the past, the end of modernism and the beginning of postmodernism. It was an attack on what had come before, Mendini brought the chair to a stone quarry and set the chair on fire, photos were captured during the process in 1974. Popular culture, irony, historicism, eclecticism and pluralism are embraced by postmodernism. The artist believed that something new design would grow from the burning remains. One of the most iconic post-modern designs is the Proust armchair by Alessandro Mendini. He chose to add Signac painting as the pattern on a ready-made replica of an 18th century armchair. American language conceptual artist, Jenny Holzer is famous for her short statements. The postmodern fashion in the 80’s was a time when women were in power and this was mirrored in physicality and clothes. The artist uses modern information to expose and address the politics of discourse. The ‘Abuse of Power Comes as No Surprise’ by Hozler is one of her many controversial artworks. Jenny Hozler worked outside the regular conventions, as she believed that simplified phrases are the quickest way for everyone to comprehend. A lot of Jenny Hozler’s work victimises the woman, this method allows the audience to basically read the violence male dominance against women. Words such as ‘Crack the Pelvis so she lies right, this a mistake. When she dies you cannot repeat the act†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ the brutal yet vivid words suggest male power over women. In order to communicate to foreign countries, her work was translated multiple times. Hozler’s techniques include a range of multimedia, posters, hats, T-shirts and L. E. D signs on large architecture. She received many negative feedbacks by the public, therefore, withdrew from her career until 1993. The postmodern artist came back with a new approach to immaterial; she is still driven against murder plus sexual pleasure, hence initiated a new series named ‘Lustmord’. Fine Art is also found in post modernism. Techniques found in painting were super-realism, mannered, academic, neoclassical, decorative, and self-conscious stylization. Originality had ended and there is a lot past styles referencing. Postmodern artist, David Ligare paintings looked extremely realistic. He focused on still life painting, Ligare believes that there is no limit and virtually anything now could be considered art, hence makes him a postmodern artist. David Ligare does narrative paintings based on Greco/Toman culture. Marcel Duchamp’s artwork incorporated jokes to add humour to his visual. Duchamp has made numerous pastiche works; his most famous is the ‘L. H. O. O. Q’, which stands for ‘Elle a chaud au cul’. It was a rebel against traditional art was the dominant idea of the time. Duchamp’s added moustache and beard to the postcard with the Mona Lisa, which contradicts regular conventions of the time. He wanted to take artistry lightly; it was an act of rebel against convention. This technique became known as ‘appropriation’, it is the idea of manipulating famous historical art pieces. This practice has become common in today’s art. Andy Warhol works exemplifies the final stage of postmodernism. Warhol’s paintings had always had something controversial, as theorist Fredric Jameson states, ‘they ought to be powerful and critical political statements’ Andy Warhol is a contemporary artist, which expresses the postmodernism of society though his artistry. Through his artwork, his expression seems to be very anarchy and chaotic, especially the major use of the primary and bold colours whereas in the mainstream artistry it is very subtle due to the dark or complimentary colours which can often be seen as conservative. Warhol’s ‘Dollar Sign’ from 1981 deconstructs the truth about money. The painting suggest money’s strength, its addiction and tactic for conspiracy, His artwork were powerful and held critical political statements because they were billboard-like images. One of his pieces was of the North Korean leader, Kim John IL. Normally in society Kim John IL would not be even spoken of due to the high political power he has over North Korea. And the fragility between other nations that Kim John IL has. Andy Warhol has done a piece of this leader using contrasting and chaotic colours that seemed random and unusual. Warhol used appropriation, taking and creating pastiche references. As Andy Warhol states, â€Å"Art is what you can get away with†. Yasumasa Morimura uses humour with referencing to historical art. His postmodernist artworks have the idea of rejecting a single fixed meaning in an image or artwork. He is a controversial Japanese artist who displaces societal currents in Japanese culture. Western assimilation, capitalism and gender values are shown in his designs. Yasumasa is an illusive creator with no boundaries; this sets his work off to a guttural response. He is best known for mimicking great subjects, in particular western art. One of his works uses historical art as reference is the ‘Blinded by the Light’ 1991, which was inspired by the ‘ Parable for the Blind’ by Pieter Brueghel in 1568. Morimura symbolises a satirical message on Western invasion. Yasumasa Morimura caused controversy by highlighting historical influences and transforming into the postmodern art world with eastern and western culture, sexuality and gender identity. His background influenced Morimura’s, he was an outsider dominated by western culture and art. Technology advancement such as digital editing allowed his work to become flawless. In the racist imagination of western culture, they perceive Asian men with weak physically, equivalent to a little white girl. Morimura embraces his influences and mixes his sexual influence with modern culture. This is reflected in his series of self-portraits, e. g. Morimura as Monroe. Throughout the postmodern period, globalisation had become widespread, the artist felt as if he was invaded by foreign ideas and culture. In response, he invaded western culture through their art, by slapping his face on the Mona Lisa or the Infanta Margarita. Famous artist, Barbara Kruger exploited truths through her works of being a graphic designer, art director, and picture editor. Rather than creating her own images, she uses images and juxtaposes them. She used her techniques and skills of being a graphic designer and worked on political, social feminist provocations, religion, sex, racial and gender stereotypes, consumerism, corporate greed, and power. Her techniques consist of using media sources and words and directly collaging them over each other. Her signature look comprises of cropped, large-scale, black and white photographic pictures against black, white and red sans serif letterform. They hold raucous, pithy, ironic sayings. The poster, ‘Your Body is a battleground’ proposes the idea of re-conditioning gender stereotypes. Originally, the image was used in Washington DC to advocate a pro-choice position and reproductive rights for women. This raises the issue of power, patriarchy, stereotyping and consumption. The poster has a black and white image of a woman’s face that is split symmetrically with direct eye contact. The positive and negative space could highlight ‘good vs. bad’. Judging from the woman’s hair and makeup, she appears to be a housewife. The image represents that women cannot be sold, it illustrated a political setting and subsequently their identities are favourably polished.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Music Of The 70S Essays - British Rhythm And Blues Boom Musicians

Music Of The 70'S Freewheeling War mixed rock, jazz, and soul influences into a spicy stew throughout the '70s, resulting in a series of R&B and pop hits sporting funky melodies and politically aware messages. Born in Long Beach in 1969, the large combo initially served as rocker Eric Burdon's group, backing the ex-Animal on his 1970 million-seller Spill the Wine. Bidding Burdon adieu, the band signed with United Artists in 1971 and enjoyed its first smash the next year with Slippin' into Darkness. Tapping into a sizzling, horn-fueled rock/soul synthesis, The World Is a Ghetto, The Cisco Kid and Why Can't We Be Friends? all went gold during the mid-'70s. Despite numerous personnel and label changes, War remained eminent throughout the '80s. In the early '90s, War experienced a revival, partially due to the fact that all of their albums were reissued. But the group was also acknowledged as a primary influence on contemporary R&B and hip-hop. War returned to recording in 1994 capitalize on their new-found popularity. While 94's War wasn't a blockbuster, it was a moderate success, enabling the group to continue recording into the late '90s. War may be available for your next special event. Call us! Please note that the above images may not accurately portray current band membership. Specifically, Harold Brown and Howard Scott do not play in the group WAR any longer. On January 11, 2001 we were informed that the ownership of the name WAR is currently in litigation in the United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. Music Essays

Monday, November 25, 2019

What To Do On Your Last Day Of Work

What To Do On Your Last Day Of Work You’ve quit your job. You’re saying goodbye. Hopefully this means you’re moving on to something bigger and better. But no matter what, there are a few steps you need to take to make a dignified exit. No matter what you do, don’t burn any bridges. Resist the temptation to say all the nasty things you’ve been bottling up all this time, and exit with grace and poise. Here are 7 steps to leaving with grace and class.1. Transfer your files.Make sure to shore up any files you need to pull from your work computer before you formally leave. Make sure to put all files that might be relevant to the company or your coworkers somewhere accessible (i.e. a shared drive), then wipe out your computer for the next guy. Clear your browsing history, delete unneeded personal documents, etc.2. Write your farewells.You’ll want to write a sign-off letter to your coworkers and friends thanking them respectfully for their work during your time at the company and lett ing people know how they may contact you in future. Resist the urge to pen that feel-good vindictive bomb of an email telling everyone just exactly what you think of management or the company itself. That can only come to disaster. Remember, don’t express your resentment, no matter how righteous. This is a networking opportunity. Don’t pass it up.3. Write your boss.Even if you dislike your boss, it’s good form to write a thank you letter, articulating what you’ve learned and how you’ve grown. If you have a good relationship and aren’t totally full of rage, it’s often nice to offer your help in the transition of your replacement.4. Shore up projects.Make sure you aren’t leaving anybody hanging. Change your voicemail message. Set an auto-response on your email. Make sure clients and colleagues will all know who to contact upon your absence to get their needs met and projects completed.5. Clear out your desk.Take only what belongs to you. Return things as necessary to IT. Resist temptation to steal the stapler or that sweet external hard drive. And don’t be the jerk who takes their keys. They will be useless to you going forward, but will cause someone  extra work if you skate out with them. It’s best to wait to do the actual clearing out of your desk until the end of your last day- unless you have a massive office full of your effects.6.  Leave  a great impression.If you’ve had a good relationship with your coworkers here, consider bringing in cupcakes or something on your final day. Go out on a happy note!7. Give a good exit interview.If your company has an exit interview procedure in place, great. This is your opportunity to be honest about your criticisms. Again, don’t be resentful. Keep it concise, and try writing it out beforehand to make sure you’re not speaking in anger. Keep your tone respectful and don’t forget also to include your praise for the bett er aspects of your experience at that job. Be professional, no matter what. Honesty is great, but try to stay positive.A few other things to keep in mind: Even if you’re super excited to be out of there, you shouldn’t be too unrestrained in your excitement. Remember all the people  you’re leaving behind! Instead focus on the positives and be respectful of the people who will continue to work at this company long after you have left.Avoid saying all the (possibly true, but mean) things you want to say, like â€Å"I was not the problem,† or â€Å"You are a terrible manager,† or â€Å"Thank goodness  I’m getting off this sinking ship.† Honesty isn’t necessarily your best policy on the way out. You don’t, for example, want to tell your annoying coworker that you never liked working with them. There are plenty of things that can remain unsaid- at least until you go out and celebrate your escape with non-work friends.Keep it classy, close the door, and start your new chapter with a good attitude and only positivity behind you!

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Medieval Peasants Were More Important Than Monks And Knights Essay

Medieval Peasants Were More Important Than Monks And Knights - Essay Example Daily lives of the three social classes explain their relative significance in medieval society. Peasants belonged to the lowest social class and were despised, despite their contribution to society and their direct help to members of the higher social classes. Even though peasants were not entitled to large pieces of land, they had an opportunity to own land from their respective lords. They could offer labor as a price for ownership and this meant that as long as a peasant could work and be motivated towards land ownership, they could own as much land as their efforts could allow. Consequently, the peasants could meet their needs from land ownership, especially with respect to basic needs and this established significant equivalence between members of the social class and members of higher social classes. ...it activates in the absence of the monks and the knights while the monks and the knights could not offer labor into some of the society’s economic activities.1 Understan ding the roles that the monks and the Knights played in the society also explains the relative significance of the peasants over monks and knights. Core objectives of the monks, as their three main vows suggest, were to ensure eradication of poverty, to ensure chastity, and to ensure obedience. Unlike the peasants who offered labor in an almost capitalistic scope and therefore ensured production of goods and services towards their master’s desired volumes, the monk's economic activities focus on eliminating poverty but not wealth creation. These factors identify more economic significance peasants than the monks because the monks economic activities were limited to â€Å"necessary supplies of vegetables and grain†.2 The monks’ other points of focus, chastity, and obedience, are also secondary needs and this identifies more significance of the peasants in resource creation towards meeting people’s basic needs. The monks’ areas of operation were also limited to monasteries while the peasants contributed to a wider scope of the society. Lives and functions of knights were also limited to the lives and interests of the noble class and not on the community’s basic needs. members of the social class focused on wars that their lords fought and spent most of their times preparing their weapons and keeping themselves fit to defend their lords from possible attacks and to attack enemies as deemed by the lords.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Essay Example Scott Fitzgerald. That was when I took the time to read all the 18 pages of the short story, walking away from it in awe of the imagination of the writer and feeling robbed by the way the movie of Brad Pitt disrespected the original. The novel itself was quite interesting because it took place in an era of America that paid all too much attention to the social status of a family in the community. As with the Buttons family in the story, the image of a financially well-to-do family in the community is always coupled with an upstanding name that is cared for over generations. But that was not to be the case with Benjamin. His family became the object of ridicule for many years due to the circumstances of his birth and yet they managed to endure as a familial unit. The character of Benjamin is one whose origin story is quite complex and, in my opinion, lacking in character development and backstory. That is because even though we were introduced to Benjamin as a newborn old man, we neve r found out how such things could occur. If there was no scientific explanation for it as mentioned in the story, perhaps a backstory of a cursed birth or something would have helped. I just found it important as a reader to understand how such a pitiful life could have been bestowed upon an innocent child by the forces of the universe. Surely Benjamin's parents must have done something terribly evil to incur the anger of the gods thus being bestowed with a cursed child right? But I guess F. Scott Fitzgerald did not want to bother or perhaps bore the readers with such backstories. Which is why he also had a tendency to gloss over decades of Benjamin's life for no reason. His glossing over the life of the man-child and not paying attention to greater details of his development leaves one wondering as to why he became the sort of man that he did. It is almost like reading the life of Jesus with the missing 20 years. It just did not make any sense to me. That said, I would have to say that the story still managed to retain the interest of the reader in such a manner that these oversights could easily be forgiven. It did not remove from the enthralling tale of the life of an old man destined to die as a new born at all. It puzzled me though that the mother in the story was never mentioned as I am sure that Benjamin needed to have been born of natural means. So why was the mother not mentioned at all in the story? Did she die during childbirth? Was she driven mad by the sight of the newborn son being old enough to sit on her lap and then some? I imagined the birth would have been horribly painful for her and traumatizing and yet it was never even touched upon in the telling of the early life of Benjamin. Rather there was a concentration on the relationship of the boy and his father who did not accept him for who he was when he was born. The cruelty of a parent during that era of history seems so much that he actually wished his son were born a negro so he could hav e left him at the slave market. That part of the novel I remember reading and thinking, â€Å" What a cruel father he is to want to give away his child under the worst circumstances. He would have probably killed the child if he could have.† After reading the book another time though, I began to get the humor in the writing of Fitzgerald. In fact, one might say that the book was written tongue in cheek since the events has he related them could never take place in real life. Yet as a short story, the concept actually made sense. I mean, if it did not, then Hollywood would not have tried and failed miserably to rip it off. Towards the end of the book, when Benjamin began to grow into his baby years, I could not help

Monday, November 18, 2019

Act Violations in Afghanistan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Act Violations in Afghanistan - Assignment Example I also found it interesting that despite USA’s great investment in establishing peace in former war-torn Sudan (Sudan and South Sudan), there has never been any penalty as a result of Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations in that country. Last but not least, the ability of the interactive map to provide information about FCPA violations penalties in both numerical and visual item such as color and boxes was quite captivating and fun to me. I was very surprised by the magnitude of fines associated with FCPA violations in the Consulting sector. This figure was the largest among all the sectors which recorder payment of the penalties. I was also amazed that the Health & Pharmacy sector highly contributed to bribery in South America which is a continent adversely affected by poor health systems and status. Bribes increase the cost of operations and thus, bribery costs must have increased cost of health care in South America. This is quite a surprising and a saddening statistic. I agree with Linda about fictitious revenues. They are simply revenues reported that never occurred. This means that they could be inflated revenues or just fakes revenues. To add on her exhaustive post, I would like to add on the ways in which these fictitious revenues can be identified. One of the major red flags is an unusual increase in assets aimed at concealing these non-existent revenues. Contact details of customers such as physical addresses and phone numbers also become unavailable. Lastly, fictitious revenues can be detected by drastic changes in ratio patterns due to fictitious revenues. On the other hand, I disagree with Adrienne’s post.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Standardization of Polyherbal Formulations for Drug Analysis

Standardization of Polyherbal Formulations for Drug Analysis Standardization of polyherbal formulations is essential in order to assess the quality of drugs, based on the concentration of their active principles (markers or standards). As Mentat tablet (MT), a herbal formulation consist of natural multi-ingredient formula with active constituents responsible for treatment of neurological disorder and improvement of mental health, therefore it is worthwhile to take it as a model for standardization of polyherbal formulation. In this work, an ultra-performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry method has been developed and validated for simultaneous quantification of 28 major bioactive constituents. Multiple-reaction monitoring scanning was employed for quantification in positive and negative mode. The analysis was accomplished on Waters AQUITY UPLC BEH C18 column with linear gradient elution of acetonitrile 0.1% formic acid with water 0.1% formic acid solutions at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. The comparative a nalysis of samples was carried out by hierarchical cluster analysis and principle component analysis. The proposed method was applied to analyze 4 different batches of marketed formulation with acceptable linearity (r2, 0.9984-0.9999), precision, stability and recovery (RSD ≠¤ 3.74 %), evaluated under optimum conditions. The developed method is capable of controlling quality of polyherbal formulations having similar markers and herbs. Herbal medicines (HMs) refer to one herb or complex mixtures, which usually contains hundreds of chemically different components. Their curative effects are principally based on the synergic effect of their multi-targeting and multi-ingredient preparations [1, 2]. Consequently, quality control becomes a troublesome issue for crude drugs and their medical preparations. Therefore, the method that employs pharmacologically active components to evaluate the quality and authenticity of the complex preparations is confronted with severe challenges and better analytical strategies to assure their efficacy, safety, and consistency are in great demand [3]. Moreover, the chemical compounds in the poly herbs in HMs products may vary depending on harvest seasons, plant origins, drying processes and other factors. Thus, it seems to be necessary to determine most of the phytochemical constituents of herbal products in order to ensure the reliability and repeatability of pharmacological and clinical research, to perceive their bioactivities and eventual side effects of active compounds and to enhance product quality control [4, 5]. Currently, selection of a single or a few specific components from a certain herbal medicine as markers for quality assessment is a widely applied strategy. However, it cannot afford sufficient quantitative information for the other medicinal compositions and cannot accurately reflect the quality of HMs products. All the HMs compositions play important roles in the therapeutic effects. Therefore, selecting multiple constituents from different medicinal herbs as evaluation markers has been gradually applied for the quality control of HMs [6, 7]. Mentat tablets (MT, commercial product) is a polyherbal medication with each tablet composed of extracts (136 mg of Bacopa monnieri, 70 mg of Centella asiatica, 52 mg of Withania somnifera, 52 mg of Evolvulus alsinoides, 52 mg of Nardostachys jatamansi, 50 mg of Valeriana wallichii, 50 mg of Embelica ribes, 50 mg of Prunus amygdalus, 42 mg of Acorus calamus, 36 mg of Tinospora cordifolia, 36 mg of Terminalia chebula, 36 mg of Emblica officinalis, 32 mg of Oroxylum indicum, 32 mg of Celastrus paniculatus) and powders (80 mg of Bacopa monnieri, 18 mg of Withania somnifera, 18 mg of Mucuna pruriens, 18 mg of Elettaria cardamomum, 18 mg of Terminalia arjuna, 18 mg of Anethum sowa, 18 mg of Ipomoea digitata, 14 mg of Zingiber officinale, 14 mg of Terminalia belerica, 14 mg of Myristica fragrans, 10 mg of Syzygium aromaticum). MT is a unique all-natural multi-ingredient formula that promotes brain health. It improves the mental quotient, memory span, concentration ability, stress threshold and exhibit significant anti-parkinsonian activity. MT also offers protection against convulsions, which is beneficial in insomnia with its sedative and tranquilizing effects [8-10]. There are various pharmaceutical manufacturers that produce herbal formulations with similar herbs combinations to treat various neurological disorders. Chemically, bacosides the saponin mixture of Bacopa monnieri and triterpenoid glycosides in Centella asiatica have been considered as the key active components. [11-14]. Phytochemical investigations show important classes of bioactive constituents in selected plants as in combination of MT that are responsible for the bioactivity [15-20]. Literature survey reveals that, analytical methods including thin layer chromatography (TLC) [21], high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) [22, 23], liquid chromatography (LC) [6, 24, 25], liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS) [26-29], nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) [30] have been developed for the quantitative analysis of the bioactive constituents in HMs to assess the quality of the complex preparations. Natural alteration in preparation processes and climate affects the safety and batch-to-batch uniformity of HMs products. Highly sensitive analytical methods are thus required to identify ingredients and evaluate lot-to-lot consistence. To the best of our knowledge, there is no method have been reported for the simultaneous estimation of selected 28 multi-markers in herbals by UPLC-ESI-MS/MSand no such formulation approach has been explored on this important drug combination for quality consistency evaluation of this herbal preparation. Compared to conventional TLC, HPTLC, HPLC–UV method which will take a longer analysis time, UPLC-ESI-MS/MS method in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM), tandem MS scan mode offers detection effectively with more powerful approach, to rapidly quantify multi-ingredients in complex sample matrices due to its rapid separation power, low detection limit, high sensitivity, selectivity and specificity. The methods used or reported in literature only contained one or two compounds, without consideration of other active ingredients. This paper describes for the first time a simple, accurate and reliable UPLC-ESI-MS/MS method for the simultaneous determination of 28 bioactive multiple components from different polyherbs including: bacoside A (mixture of bacoside A3, bacopaside II, bacopaside X and bacopasaponin C), withanolide-A, withaferin-A, asiaticoside, madecassoside, jatrorrhizine, palmatine, magnoflorine, curcumin, gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, ellagic acid, rosamarinic acid, ursolic acid, catechin, apigenin, luteolin, quercetin, rutin, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, corilagin, chrysin and chlorogenic acid with single runtime of 10 min. The results indicated that the developed method is fast, sensitive and convenient to show the real quality of the polyherbal preparations. Therefore, this proposed method could be reliable and feasible for quality assessment of MT and all other herbal formulations manufactured by various pharmaceutical manufacturers with similar herbs combinations containing either these 28 markers or less. The method was also applied to analyze the multiple components in MT different batches from same manufacturer. Our results will facilitate the comprehensive quality control of MT and other similar related preparations. The quantitative results were further analyzed by multivariate statistical analysis i.e., hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principle component analysis (PCA) to provide more information about the chemical differences and batch-to-batch uniformity.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Racism in Toni Morrisons Song of Solmon Essay -- Song of Solmon Essay

Racism in Toni Morrison's Song of Solmon Milkman is born on the day that Mr. Smith kills himself trying to fly; Milkman as a child wanted to fly until he found out that people could not. When he found, "that only birds and airplanes could fly&emdash;he lost all interest in himself" (9). The novel Song of Solomon is about an African American man nicknamed Milkman. This novel, by Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison was first published in 1977, shows a great deal of the African American culture, and the discrimination within their culture at the time Song of Solomon takes place. In part one, the setting is in a North Carolina town in the 30's and 40's. Â   Part one introduces readers to not only Milkman, but also to his family and friends. His father holds power in the African American community because he has his own business and is ambitious. Milkman's mother is a center figure in the community simply because her father was the doctor. Milkman has a mysterious unmarried Aunt, with a single daughter and granddaughter. He also has a friend, Guitar who is a member of a group of seven African American men dedicated to keeping the 'ratio' between blacks and whites the same. Throughout the novel, Milkman gradually learns about his families past as well as forgotten pieces of his own childhood. Â   In part two, Milkman goes south to his father's hometown. He is looking for a fortune that his father and aunt had found long before. When he does not find the fortune he begins trying to find where it went. This takes him to where his great grandfather and mother originated. Milkman eventually is led to the town where he is a direct descendant of the town's legend, Solomon. It is in this town that Milkman finds himself and becomes his own m... ... lied for it, killed for it," (247). For her revenge, after all of the Butlers died Circe says "I want to see it all go, make sure it does go, and that nobody fixes it up. I brought the dogs in to make sure" (247). She allows everything they loved to be destroyed. Â   Morrison shows readers a side of American History rarely seen. She shows the deepness of prejudice and how many different ways it has effected people. While she does this she also tells a story of soul searching, Milkman tries to find himself among many people who are confused and ate up by hate and prejudice. In the end, he is able to find who he is and where he stands on all of the issues that are going on around him. When he gets this understanding Milkman retrieves, and achieves his childhood dream of flying. Works Cited Morrison, Toni. Song of Solomon. New York, Penguin Books USA Inc., 1987

Monday, November 11, 2019

An Influenced Life Essay

An Influenced Life As people grow and develop in their lives, many factors influence their trajectories. These factors manifest themselves in many ways, but some are more prominent than others. I believe that every person, depending the factors that influenced them most strongly, would place more importance on some factors than others. In other words, my essay will be different than other classmates, because I was raised differently than most of them and different things had impacts on my development. Individuals also probably think some are more important factors than others, and these viewpoints depend solely on their lives and their development thus far. My personal view is that some of the most important factors that influence an individual’s development are their innate temperament, the parents they are born to, the consequent family role they possess, the anxiety they bear in life, and the relationships they make – both forced and by their own volition. Read more: Essay explain how children and young people’s development is influenced by a range of personal factors. Although I believe these are some of the most important factors, they are by no means the only things that influence a persons’ development over time. Also worth noting is the fact that these all impact each other as well as singularly influencing an individual. When combined, many factors cause other factors and all influence a persons’ development trajectory. One of these influences is inborn, not decided by outside forces. Temperament is something every human is born with, and it is shown from the moment they start breathing. My sister and I, for example, have somewhat opposite temperaments. As a child I was very loud and loved to talk (which hasn’t changed), and my sister was much quieter and listened much better than I ever could. She was more patient from birth than I will ever be. This chasm between our personalities provides some definition for our life development. Her calm, quiet manner led to little misbehavior and consequent punishment. My quick, sarcastic temper led to much conflict with parents and occasionally teachers, and required containment. This put me in a different trajectory than my sister, as she became easy to deal with, and easy to please. My parents had to take a different approach with me, as my temperament led me to be harder to discipline, please, and control. The temperament of any individual greatly influences a person’s future life development. It influences the way a person reacts and relates to other people, the way they act alone and in company, and their view on the world. Parents are one of the influences I think most would agree impacts development most. Even people who had parents that were not present might agree that the absence itself influenced their life and development. The techniques parents use vary and are quite different from family to family, and occasionally even within families. Parenting impacts development and views of the world because they restrict or allow activities, and provide moral ideas and values in differing strengths, passing on much to their children. As we grow out of childhood, impressions of our parents from a young age remain with us and impact the way we live, act, and interpret others’ behaviors. The two spectrums for parenting styles measure how demanding a parent is, and how responsive a parent is. To me, these can make or break a child’s development. If either is too low, the child will have problems later in life, but if either is too high, there will also be consequences. High responsiveness may produce a needy, incapable adult, while low responsiveness will result in anxiety about love, and mattering. High demanding parenting may result in a high-strung, over-achieving stressed adult, while low demanding will produce an adult with little motivation and drive. Clearly, parenting impacts development and, if possible, should be controlled in order to help children develop correctly and well. As parents begin to treat children differently due to temperament, and children learn more about their parenting styles, the kids in the family begin to learn their roles in the family. These roles can range from simply the â€Å"quiet one† to â€Å"loud one,† or from â€Å"instigator† to â€Å"peace-maker.† Some of the roles can make children feel guilty, unworthy, or bad about themselves, while others make childr en feel proud, confident, and pleased. These differences start at a young age and continue through their lives, even into adulthood. This will also influence relationships and life plans, causing each person to have a different filter per say, which they view the world through. If an individual follows these family roles into adulthood, individuals follow whatever mold they were shaped into as a young person. This can obviously impact development in frightening ways. One can imagine a forty year-old still following his instilled role of a meek, rule-following, shy six year-old, or a twenty-one year-old still behaving as a reckless, authority defying teenager, but with much more damaging and dangerous rebellions. The types of anxiety that a person deals with on a frequent  basis derive from many sources. These factors come from both developmental sources and environmental sources. While environmental sources are inevitable and cannot be avoided, like natural disasters and wars, the developmental sources can be somewhat traced to other developmental factors. If a person carries too much anxiety, they can then begi n to develop harmful relationships and tendencies. Some anxieties that can hurt a persons’ development are worrying about trust, competence, and mattering. All three of these concerns can come from the way an individual is treated and affected by people close to them, and society as a whole, along with some of the traits they were born with. These main three concerns make or break relationships, another developmental factor. However, they also impact the way we develop in all strains of life, especially cognitive development. If someone has anxiety about not mattering or being competent, and this anxiety is reinforced by their relationships, they may truly begin to believe these things. This will begin to impact their work and productivity, starting to truly render them incompetent. Relationships also play a large role in development over time. Of all the factors discussed, I think this may be one of the most obvious, but also one of the most influential. Depending on the individual someone is relating to, and the impacts other developmental factors have on them too, relationships are the dynamic culmination of influences on human devel opment. Relationship models range from secure to insecure, and someone who forms insecure relationships is unlikely to trust anyone, and consequently bear even more anxiety than what led to the insecure relationship. I think relationships influence development because relationships give us friends, role models, and comfort. Relationships make life worth living, but if they are not healthy and secure relationships, the zeal for life may degrade. There are many factors that impact development in many different ways. These influences can have physical, social, cognitive, and emotional consequences, and help us to become the adults we do in life. They eventually all do interrelate and combine to influence each other and our development in many ways. This being said, it is crucial to development to have consistent, good, controlled factors. Although temperament cannot be controlled, parenting styles, family roles, and relationships can be objectively considered and helped, in order to ensure proper development and a productive, competent adult. If every child had these factors controlled  and watched, in order to help them develop the best they could, there would be much less anxiety, unhappiness, and idleness in our society.

Friday, November 8, 2019

The Lost World essays

The Lost World essays The Lost World was written by Michael Crichton. This book is the sequel to Jurassic Park. This is book takes place on the island Isla Sorna. It was a privately owned island on the west coast of Coast Rica by InGen. They are the biology company that made the dinosaurs and founded Jurassic Park. This island is where the first dinosaurs were born. Dr. Wu just came up with this new technology and they werent sure how it would turn out so they made all the original eggs on this island. Then once they got it right then they make the eggs on Isla Nublar. The main characters were Richard Levine, Ian Malcolm, Doctor Thorne, and Sarah Harding. Richard Levine made all of the other people get into this mess. He had discovered that the Coast Rican government were burying strange dead animals that washed up on the coast. He went down there and send a piece back to Ian Malcolm. Malcolm brought it to a zoo and they said that it was tagged and that it was something that they had never seen before. At that moment Malcolm knew that it was a dinosaur because he had seen them before at Jurassic Park. Then he called Levine and he wasnt home. Then he got in contacted with Doctor Thorne, who was making some special field vehicles for Levine. Thorne also didnt know were Levine was. Both of them and two of Levine students from school, Kelly and Arby went over to Levines apartment. There he found a huge map on his wall and they figured out that Levine was on Isla Sorna. They figured it out by looking up old files on Site B on his computer, that he bought form InGen. They then decided to go to that island and get him. They then called Sarah Harding and asked her if she wanted to go and she said that she would think about it. Once on the island they unpacked the specially made trailer and the Explorer from the huge steel containers that the helicopter had brought to the island. They both ran off of electric and ...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Use of Hopfield Networks as Analytic Tools

Use of Hopfield Networks as Analytic Tools Through the study of Sheikhan Hemmati (2011), it is seen that Hopfield networks act as a means for researchers to understand the processing and retrieval of memory in human beings (Sheikhan Hemmati, 2011).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Use of Hopfield Networks as Analytic Tools specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The reason behind this is connected to the concept of memory vectors which are utilized as a way in which patterns are conceptualized, retrieved then subsequently pieced back together in order to create a somewhat synonymous pattern as its original conception. As an analytic tool, this helps researchers to better understand how memories are retrieved and then combined to create the thoughts and actions that we have at the present. What must be understood is that while cognitive psychology has enabled researchers and students alike to understand how memory works, there is still a gap in knowledge in being able to see so to speak how memories from a variety of different memory vectors are combined into what we know as memory. This is where Hopfield networks come into play, they are designed as an artificial neural network from which the input of content utilizing a variety of learning rules are implemented so as to understand how they would be applicable in a human neural network. Through this, psychologists are better able to understand the processes that go into learning and potentially discover new methods that could help to resolve learning impairments or even improve the process of learning as a whole. One possible theoretical approach to this can be seen in the study of Hsu (2012) which explained that as analytical tool, the Hopfield network can actually be considered an early start to the development of artificial learning networks which could potentially create an A.I. (Artificial Intelligence) (Hsu, 2012).Advertising Looking for research paper on psychology? Le t's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Hsu (2012) explains this by stating that over time the processes that go into creation of computers will increasingly attempt to replicate the efficiency and learning ability of the human mind. As such, understanding how learning actually works is the first step to creating an artificial neural network that is independent from outside input and can merely learn on its own. Other potential applications of the network can be seen in the study of Menezes Monteiro (2011) which proposed that the discrete-time neural network proposed by Hopfield can be used for storing and recognizing binary patterns (Menezes Monteiro, 2011). Through their study, which investigated the removal of simulated neurons within the network, helps to show how there is the potential for the use of the Hopfield model to potentially help in the rehabilitation of individuals that suffer from memory loss as a direct result of da mage to some part of their brain which would impact either their short term or long term memory. For example, one model for understanding the processes involved in working memory is the Baddeley and Hitch (1974) multi-component model which states that working memory operates via a system of slave systems and a central controller which supervises the transmission and coordination of information (RepovÃ…   Baddeley, 2006). Despite understanding how memory works and is retrieved to a certain extent, it is still unknown what processes go into combining it to create what we know of as working memory. The Hopfield model helps to resolve this issue by presenting a â€Å"rough sketch† of what we perceive of as a model of a neural network in order to understand that processes may go into the individual memory vectors resulting in present day learning mechanisms.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Use of Hopfield Networks as Analytic Tools specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More One example of this process at work can be seen in the astronomical charts and models that are used to represent the present day solar system. While they are not 100% accurate in terms of correctly showing how the planets move, they do give a rough approximation of positions and processes thereby enabling a better understanding of the process as a whole. The same can be said of Hopfield networks wherein researchers are aware that they are not a 100% accurate method of understanding the complexities of neural networks and the processes that go into them. However, by gaining a rough idea of how such mechanisms work in the first place, researchers are able to know how they work and through such discoveries enable the creation of more accurate models and theories regarding the means and methods of human learning and memory creation. Inherent shortcomings The inherent shortcoming of such a network though lies in the fact that intrusions can, and often do occur, and, as a result, it cannot really be stated that Hopfield networks act as a mirror for the associative memory mechanisms of the human brain. On the other hand, studies such as those by Liu, Huang Chen (2012) attempt to explain such intrusions by stating that even in human memory, the retrieval mechanisms are not 100% accurate with the brain filling in so to speak the apparent gaps that occur. It is this filling in process that Liu, Huang Chen (2012) associates with the intrusions within Hopfield networks as the network attempts to conceptualize the initial image it had to work with the jumble that came about as it was processes through the network (Liu, Huang Chen, 2012).Advertising Looking for research paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The end result is a kind of filled in image that is based on the network trying to fill in the gaps with what information it had available. Thus, for (Martinelli, 2010), the Hopfield network is an accurate representation of a primitive associative memory network (Martinelli, 2010). However, it should also be noted that the degradation of information in the Hopfield network is also explained instances such as the Ericsson and Kintsch (1995) model which explains that all individuals utilize skilled memory in everyday tasks however most these memories are stored in long term memory and then subsequently retrieved through various forms of retrieval mechanisms (Martinelli, 2010). When these memories are retrieved there is no degradation and in fact the act of daily retrieval actually reinforces the memory. The Hebb learning rule attempts to explain this by stating the learning (as seen in humans or in the case of the Hopfield network) occurs as a direct result of weights strengthening th e retrieval mechanism. Thus, over time and repetition, the accuracy of a retrieved image gets better. Such is the case when it comes to Hopfield networks wherein daily retrieval of the memory does result in a more accurate image. Hopfield Networks and Learned Behavior Based on the article Extended Hopfield Network for Sequence Learning: Application to Gesture Recognition by Maurer et al., it can be seen that Hopfield networks can be utilized in order to model what is known as learned action. It is described as sets of motion that are learned based on observation and mimicry (i.e. shooting a basketball, swinging a baseball bat etc.). However, it must be questioned whether Hopfield networks are an accurate representation of the brain’s learning behavior or if it is merely a vague representation of how information is accurately brought up and translated into action. It is often the case that people associate memories as a collection of neurons and synapses working in conjunction with each other in order to record pertinent information on a daily basis yet few think of the way in which the concept of memory can be comparable to that of a library where information is stored, recorded and categorized based on its type and attributes. In the case of learned behavior, the application of Hopfield model as a means of understanding how the brain works is applicable if we assume that memory vectors within the human mind exist which result in the retrieval mechanism of memories. For example, a memory vector can be considered as a node which connects other memories together that is utilized by a central controller in order to create a distinct action or image. The action of turning on a faucet can thus consist of several nodes where aspects related to vision, mechanical action and grasping are derived and combined by the central controller in order to create the motion of turning on a faucet. This can be seen in the case of the Hopfield networks wherein multiple node s act in order to reproduce the information/image that was inputted into them. One way in which the Hopfield model, as an accurate model for examining the learning behavior of the human brain, has attempted to be proven can be seen in studies as those by Popescu et al., (2012) which explain that the memory models such as those by Ericsson and Kintsch show that it would be impossible to hold so to speak all memories within our working memory rather what occurs is that individuals hold only a few concepts related to a task within their working memory and then use those as indicators to retrieve the information from long term memory (Popescu et al., 2012). As such, the way in which nodes within the Hopfield model work are the same as how memory retrieval mechanisms work in real life wherein what you consider as learned behavior is the result of combined information from various nodes which in turn result in memory that is being sought. Unfortunately, studies such as those by Liu et al. (2011) indicate that while the Hopfield model may seem to be an accurate model of how learning mechanisms work over time, it still fails to properly show the connection between storage and retrieval. What you must understand is that the input mechanism of the Hopfield network is not the same as what is present in the human mind. The nodes in the model essentially receive information from different sources and attempt to create an approximate â€Å"whole† from the collected information. This action does not explain how the memory vectors within the human mind know how to store the correct kind of information (Liu et al., 2011). Despite this, Liu et al. (2011) does state that Hopfield networks are capable of helping us understand how memories are learned and reinforced but not necessarily the mechanisms that enable them to be stored in a variety of possible storage locations. Reference List HSU, W. (2012). Application of competitive Hopfield neural network to brain-computer in terface systems. International Journal Of Neural Systems, 22(1), 51-62. Liu, Y., Huang, Z., Chen, L. (2012). Almost periodic solution of impulsive Hopfield neural networks with finite distributed delays. Neural Computing Applications,  21(5), 821-831. Liu, W., Fu, C., Hu, H. (2011). Global exponential stability of a class of Hopfield neural networks with delays. Neural Computing Applications, 20(8), 1205-1209. Martinelli, G. (2010). A Hopfield neural network approach to decentralized self- synchronizing sensor networks. Neural Computing Applications, 19(7), 987-996 Menezes, R. R., Monteiro, L. L. (2011). Synaptic compensation on Hopfield network: implications for memory rehabilitation. Neural Computing Applications, 20(5), 753-757 Popescu, D., Amza, C., LÄÆ'ptoiu, D., Amza, G. (2012). Competitive Hopfield Neural Network Model for Evaluating Pedicle Screw Placement Accuracy. Strojniski  Vestnik / Journal Of Mechanical Engineering, 58(9), 509-516. RepovÃ…  , G. G., Badde ley, A. A. (2006). The multi-component model of working memory: Explorations in experimental cognitive psychology. Neuroscience,  139(1), 5-21. Sheikhan, M. M., Hemmati, E. E. (2011). High reliable disjoint path set selection in mobile ad-hoc network using Hopfield neural network. IET Communications,  5(11), 1566-1576.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Can Christians disagree on a moral issue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Can Christians disagree on a moral issue - Essay Example Moral issues can be created when an individual, a community or a firm is not in control of all the factors that influence the choices that they make. For example, there are differences in moral values and norms accepted by the individuals who are practicing different religions. Moral issues arise as the values and norms accepted by the individuals do not comply with each other. However, an individual who is devoted to a specific religion cannot force the others in the world to accept one set of values and norms accepted by that specific religion. Therefore, Christianity which is a specific religion does not act as a barrier to arising moral issues in the society. Clearly, two Christians can have different opinions on a given moral issue. Moral code indicates that individuals have a larger role to play in the society than just chasing dollars and cents. There are various moral issues that are often viewed as controversial by different people. The main reason why people tend to disagre e over certain moral issues is that they have different perceptions about their worldview. Even devoted Christians can disagree on different moral issues and there are several reasons why this trend is common because Christianity fails to create perspective that can be universally held. A devoted Christian is a person who is devoted to the teaching of Jesus Christ as written in the Bible. In my view the religious faith can discourage critical thinking on a specific moral issue. There are many disagreements regarding what is written in the Bible and who wrote them. Therefore, even the most faithful Christians can have different perception on specific moral issues. Wise people often think out of the box and view different moral issues in an analytical perspective. For instance, the same bible can be used by two Christians to defend or condemn the practice certain moral issues as they believe their own understanding on gospels as the absolute â€Å"truth.† However, is it rationa l to denounce perceptions of the other people just because they are different? No, it is irrational. Some devoted Christians may view critical thinking as inappropriate and readily condemn other people’s views. Therefore, two individuals can have different opinions about a specific moral issue. Some other Christians who are more open-minded can look into the same moral issue from different perspectives and consider the possibility of others’ understanding also being acceptable. In reality, different individuals in the society are enslaved by different perceptions. These perceptions are associated with the different levels of individual intellectual capacities, different enduring social experiences and differential exposure to cultural values and norms. Individuals can view their own perception as the â€Å"only† truth and haste to judge other human beings in the society. Therefore disagreements upon specific moral issues can arise between two different individua ls regardless of the fact that they are both devoted to Christianity and are educated. As a point of departure, it is important to note that each person has his or her own opinions. It is important to acknowledge the fact that having different opinions is â€Å"not wrong† but is inevitable. The strategy to deal with the different

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Response Structure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Response Structure - Essay Example Road incidents cause congestion on highways and freeways. Because of the importance of traffic incidents, crisis management providers of service, and law enforcement agencies are working towards â€Å"incident management† in many cities of United State. It can be defined as a planned, organized, and methodical utilization of institutional, technical, scientific, industrial, perfunctory resources to lessen the time and shock of incidents, and enhance the safety of victims and motorists and car riders on the highways in case of road incidents. (Balke, K.N. Fenno, D.W., Ullman, B. (November 2002)). Intensity of incident management differs considerably from one state to another. In many areas, an intricate traffic control system that make use of video observation cameras and other automatic accident exposure systems to watch the freeways and also to counter possible incidents situations. Other areas like Texas use service patrols or motorist supportive patrols that go about the freeways and monitor incidents and give adequate help to vehicles or put immobilized vehicles off the roads. (Balke, K.N. Fenno, D.W., Ullman, B. (November 2002). Evaluation of the incident management system is the measurement of own incident management system to the set goals or objectives. By the use of performance evaluation, agencies can achieve the following: The Coordinator of Texas State Incident Management Team, Bob Koenig, believes that to increase the State’s potential for managing incidents in Texas should be guided by multiple periods of operations, by using various resources and also by following several authorities. He works for the missions for Hurricane response. (Koenig, B. (2010) In many areas all cross the United States of America, different societies work for different parts of the process of incident management. Their sole objective is protecting people and working for their betterment. (Balke, K.N. Fenno,

Thursday, October 31, 2019

The 2002 failure of Enron corporation and Arthur Anderson Co, their Essay

The 2002 failure of Enron corporation and Arthur Anderson Co, their auditors - Essay Example This study discusses what happened with Enron, defines the problems that plague the high profile corporation, present solutions and alternatives, as well as give a sweeping opinion on how the problems could have been solved or avoided in the first place from this researcher's perspective alone.Enron Corporation was an American energy company and considered as one of the world's leading electricity, natural gas, pulp and paper, and communications group of companies. It claimed $111 billion revenues in 2000 and Fortune magazine accorded it "America's Most Innovative Company" for six consecutive years, employing around 21,000 people. Enron started out as Northern Natural Gas Company in the early 1930s at Omaha, Nebraska. It became an organized holding company Internorth in 1980s, and then it purchased Houston Natural Gas in 1985 of which Kenneth Lay became the chief executive officer. The merged company was named Enron and was involved in transmission and distribution of electricity and gas throughout the United States. It also engaged in the development, construction and operation of power plants, pipelines, and other infrastructure worldwide. It later market and promoted communication bandwidth commodities and other "derivatives" and grew in opulence behind inflated, fraudulent and non-existent financial reports. Enron declared bankruptcy in late 2001. By 1995 accountants at Arthur Andersen knew Enron was a high-risk client who pushed them to do things they were not comfortable doing. Critics have identified the complicated management approach as one of the culprits that caused Enron's collapse. Initially, the company performed extensive diversification to expand its product and service lines. Because of the strategy, the company experienced robust growth and gained reputation as a multi-dimensional firm. In addition, the firm continued to evolve its business model. Considering the unpredictable circumstances and calculated risks, Enron was successful on paper. This was reflected in the financial reports suggesting the extent of growth in the financial capability of the company. Specifically, the level of stocks reported by the company has skyrocketed. The information provided by the Enron 10-K annual report suggests that it was only in 1997 that the company experienced a decline. According to James Hecker, one of the investors of Enron, Andersen had knowledge on the nature of Enron's operations. The company even branded Enron as a high risked firm that is willing to do all means required to achieve its goals. Moreover, Hecker described the relationship of the Andersen employees to Enron. In the exact words, Hecker said: "Managers in the doorway, thinking out of the box. And I was thinking to myself, I'll bust by butt and then I'll bust my rocks (Schepp, 2002)." This satire showed how generously the employees of Andersen working for Enron were compensated and provided with great incentives. Moreover, Hecker described Enron as a lovely face and a fragile place. Basically, Hecker has knowledge on the true status of the company. Hecker even mentioned in the satire that the managers will soon bring their alibis to court. Precisely, Hecker highlighted the events that will happen years later