Death of a Salesman Analysis Essay

To Linda’s considerable chagrin and bewilderment, Willy’s family, Charley, and Bernard are the only mourners who attend Willy’s funeral. She wonders where all his supposed business friends are and how he could have killed himself when they were so close to paying off all of their bills. Biff recalls that Willy seemed happier working on the house than he did as a salesman. He states that Willy had all the wrong dreams and that he didn’t know who he was in the way that Biff now knows who he is. Charley replies that a salesman has to dream or he is lost, and he explains the salesman’s undaunted optimism in the face of certain defeat as a function of his irrepressible dreams of selling himself. Happy becomes increasingly angry at Biff’s observations. He resolves to stay in the city and carry out his father’s dream by becoming a top businessman, convinced he can still â€Å"beat this racket.† Linda requests some privacy. She reports to Willy that she made the last payment on the house. She apologizes for her inability to cry, since it seems as if Willy is just â€Å"on another trip.† She begins to sob, repeating, â€Å"We’re free. . . .† Biff helps her up and all exit. The flute music is heard and the high-rise apartments surrounding the Loman house come into focus. Analysis Charley’s speech about the nature of the salesman’s dreams is one of the most memorable passages in the play. His words serve as a kind of respectful eulogy that removes blame from Willy as an individual by explaining the grueling expectations and absurd demands of his profession. The odd, anachronistic, spiritual formality of his remarks (â€Å"Nobody dast blame this man†) echo the religious quality of Willy’s quest to sell himself. One can argue that, to a certain extent, Willy Loman is the postwar American equivalent of the medieval crusader, battling desperately for the survival of his own besieged faith. Charley solemnly observes that a salesman’s life is a constant upward struggle to sell himself—he supports his dreams on the ephemeral power of his own image, on â€Å"a smile and a shoeshine.† He suggests that the salesman’s condition is an aggravated enlargement of a discreet facet of the general human condition. Just as Willy is blind to the totality of the American Dream, concentrating on the aspects related to material success, so is the salesman, in general, lacking, blinded to the total human experience by his conflation of the professional and the personal. Like Charley says, â€Å"No man only needs a little salary†Ã¢â‚¬â€no man can sustain himself on money and materiality without an emotional or spiritual life to provide meaning. When the salesman’s advertising self-image fails to inspire smiles from customers, he is â€Å"finished† psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually. According to Charley, â€Å"a salesman is got to dream.† The curious and lyrical slang substitution of â€Å"is† for â€Å"has† indicates a destined necessity for the salesman—not only must the salesman follow the imperative of his dreams during his life, but Miller suggests that he is literally begotten with the sole purpose of dreaming. In many ways, Willy has done everything that the myth of the American Dream outlines as the key path to success. He acquired a home and the range of modern appliances. He raised a family and journeyed forth into the business world full of hope and ambition. Nevertheless, Willy has failed to receive the fruits that the American Dream promises. His primary problem is that he continues to believe in the myth rather than restructuring his conception of his life and his identity to meet more realistic standards. The values that the myth espouses are not designed to assuage human insecurities and doubts; rather, the myth unrealistically ignores the existence of such weaknesses. Willy bought the sales pitch that America uses to advertise itself, and the price of his faith is death. Linda’s initial feeling that Willy is just â€Å"on another trip† suggests that Willy’s hope for Biff to succeed with the insurance money will not be fulfilled. To an extent, Linda’s comparison debases Willy’s death, stripping it of any possibility of the dignity that Willy imagined. It seems inevitable that the trip toward meaningful death that Willy now takes will end just as fruitlessly as the trip from which he has just returned as the play opens. Indeed, the recurrence of the haunting flute music, symbolic of Willy’s futile pursuit of the American Dream, and the final visual imprint of the overwhelming apartment buildings reinforce the fact that Willy dies as deluded as he lived.

Will Project Creep Cost You Or Create Value

Mediators scope adjustments to accommodate new realities or incorporate new capabilities can pay off, but only when they're done very intentionally and with a hard-nosed insistence on demonstrating up front where the money is going to come from. Such vigilance doesn't just happen, which is why for every story like Infant's, there's probably three or four that speak to the dangers of creep. Need an example? Think of the Big Dig, the highway project to put Boson's central artery underground, in which scope changes were all too casually agreed to when they were noticed at all.Construction for this project began in 1991 and was supposed to take 10 years and cost $4. 9 billion. Current projections suggest that more realistic figures are, at minimum, 14 years and $14. 6 billion. You treat every project as utterly unique, none of the learning from one project to another-?which essentially has to do with recognizing patterns-?transfers over,† says Steven Wheelwright, a professor and se nior associate dean at Harvard Business School (HOBS) whose research focuses on product and process development.And just what is this relevant learning Wheelwright is referring to? Conversations with project managers who have a track record of success underscore the importance of adopting, in the initial planning phase, key frameworks, rules, and structures to ensure: ; The right people have defined the project's scope. ; The project's boundaries have been sharply delineated. ; The impact of potential alterations or slippage can be quickly calculated.In the implementation phase, the challenge is to organize the work so as to minimize the inherent uncertainties. Whether you're the manager or the executive sponsor of any major project, a solid methodology that's sensitive to creep can make it easier for you to decide, in the moment, which project add-ions to say yes to and which to pass on. The planning phase A surprising number of projects get under way without a thorough attempt to define their parameters, specs, and performance characteristics.Haste is the chief culprit here, says Dave Nonfat, who brings 40 years of industry project management experience to his role as Enron operations adviser at HOBS and project manager for the renovation of one of the school's main classroom buildings. â€Å"There's a minimum lead time that all projects require,† says Nonfat, and it's the responsibility of the project's manager to know what that lead time is and to ensure that it not squeezed. Here are the key tasks of the planning phase: Differentiate scope from purpose.As you define the parameters of a project, its critical to separate its scope from its purpose. â€Å"A project's purpose is the general benefit it will provide to the organization,† explains Alex Walton, a Winter Park, AAA. Based project con- Copyright C 2005 by Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation. All rights reserved. 3 Project Creep (continued) sultan who's worked with computer, aerospace, financial, and medical/nutritional companies. â€Å"Its scope comprises the particular elements (or product attributes) that the project team can control and has agreed to deliver. For example, a project's purpose may be to create a new food item that will increase sales by $20 million. But the team developing the product needs to know what features the product must have and what the budget for producing the product will be. This is the information that a three- to four-sentence document known as a scope statement provides; it spells out how the team intends to achieve success and, thus, the criteria on which it will be evaluated. Involve key stakeholders.Make sure that you have the right people defining the project's scope. â€Å"If you don't have all the affected stakeholders and sponsors at the table, either you won't get an accurate identification of the critical dependencies and functionalities or you won't have the people who can ensure that the project hews to th ose critical dependencies and functionalities,† says Brian Dobby, a Enron project manager for Meddles, a Mason, Ohio-based subsidiary of Custodianship's, who oversees the installation of electronics systems in health care facilities.For this reason, it's crucial to include â€Å"the end users perspective and needs when you're scoping out the functionality that's required,† says Wheelwright. In the renovation of Baker Library at HOBS, for example, project planners solicited faculty members' input about the prototypes of the new office spaces that were being designed for them. Plan in the aggregate. Getting the right people involved in defining the scope ND devoting sufficient time to the project planning phase aren't enough to ensure that the project has clear boundaries, however. Organizations also need to do aggregate project planning,† says Wheelwright, â€Å"in which they develop a strategy that lays out a pattern and rhythm for when subsequent projects will o ccur. † This is especially important for new product development. Without such a schedule for future projects, a product engineer with a new idea can grow concerned that it will never be implemented; as a result, there's a strong temptation for the engineer to try to slip that idea into the product that's currently in placement-?regardless of its impact on the cost and schedule.The analysis of prior projects serves as a valuable adjunct to aggregate planning. For example, study the past 1 0 internal IT projects your company has undertaken what patterns emerge? The findings can help you identify and better prepare for potential trouble spots in the IT projects that are on the docket for the coming years. Set the rules. One last piece Of work in the planning phase that can minimize the chances of project creep involves creating buffers or rules that make it difficult for significant hanged to occur without conscious discussion and approval. For instance: ; Set up a change contro l board.In highly structured project environments, such a group is responsible for â€Å"gathering information about the impact that a proposed change will have on the schedule, budget, or scope; voting on the proposed change; and then sending a request-for-change document on for the project sponsors' signature,† says Bob Tartan, a senior consultant who specializes in IT and telecommunications projects for Haverford, pa. -based PM Solutions. Thus, for an IT project affecting the sales, marketing, and logistics departments, the change intro board would comprise senior managers from each of these units.

Anthropology of Tattoos

Scarred across her back are raised bumps forming intricate designs of lines and angles, a reminder of who she is and where she is from. She thinks back on the ceremony in which she was marked with the painful scarification. She remembered feeling a sense of calm as the village artist pierced her back with a small arrowhead, stretching the skin away from the body and swiftly but skillfully cutting a slit in her back. He repeated this several times as a ceremonial pot was filled with gathering soot from the burning fire. After the artist finished his tedious design, he rubbed soot from the pot bottom deep into the slits, planting the bacteria that would infect the skin, raising the scars into their meaningful design. She felt accomplished that she withstood the agonizing pain while other members of her clan could not. Her newly inherited body art signified the birth of her first son, and left her with a renewed sense of beauty. This is the way of life common to people indigenous to the motherland of Africa. Scarification, however, is not the only form of body art that is used. Body painting, tattooing, and branding are all similar forms of body art, which can be found in Africa and other cultures throughout the world. The word â€Å"tattoo† comes from the Tahitian word â€Å"tattau†, which means â€Å"to mark†. Tattoos have evolved from being symbols of punishment that were given to identify criminals and slaves in the early ninth-century Chinese culture, into a pop-culture trend of using he skin as â€Å"a way of describing the exotic uncivilized other† within ourselves (Schildkrout 2004:324). For centuries, the body has been used as a â€Å"visible way of defining individual identity and cultural difference† (Schildkrout 2004:319). This cultural difference becomes apparent when studying the evolution of body art over time, especially when focusing on the differences between the Western and Non-Western cultures. People have been adorning their body with tattoos and piercing for centuries, but until recently, the thought of tattoos in ancient Egypt had been pushed aside. It has now been discovered that, without a doubt, tattoos did exist in that time period. Although miniscule, a group of enormously important tattooed mummies serve to help prove this point (Bianchi 1988:21). The first mummy to be discovered was one f a woman named Amunet, whose mummy was found in an excellent state of preservation, â€Å"most likely due to the fact that she served as a priestess of the goddess Harthor at Thebes during Dynasty XI†(Bianchi 1988:22). The tattoos on her body were comprised of a pattern of dots and dashes in an elliptical shape on her lower abdomen. The thighs and arms adorned the identical parallel lines of the aforementioned pattern. Two more women mummies, who were discovered and believed to be from the same time period, also had similar tattoos on their lower abdomen (Bianchi 1988:22). This group of woman represents an exclusive group of Egyptians who received tattoos in that time period, because there is no other evidence that shows tattoos to be a part of the Egyptian culture until the time of the Middle Kingdom. These abstract patterns associated with ritualistic tattooing survived into the New Kingdom. The Egyptians, more then likely, borrowed a form of tattooing from the Nubian civilization. Unlike the Nubians, whose purpose for tattooing is unknown, â€Å"the Egyptians appear to have regarded the tattoo as one of several vehicles by which the procreative powers of the deceased could be revived† (Bianchi 1988:27). Substantiation proposes that only women were associated with the decorating of their bodies and the ritualistic activities that went along with it. The art of tattooing began with the grouping of bluish or black dots and/or dashes forming abstract geometric patterns; that system of body art lasted for over two thousand years in ancient Egypt. Just like other ideas and goods, the idea of tattooing began to travel to several different societies, and has evolved into extremely different forms of art all over the world. In northeastern Zambia, the Tabwa â€Å"once covered themselves from head to foot with scarification† (Roberts 1988:41). The women of the Tabwa began receiving elaborate marks on their face, chest, and backs when they were young girls; it sometimes was continued at other points in a woman’s life (Roberts 1988:43) such as courting rituals and for woman wishing to bear a child. Male sculptors would trace designs and make incisions on the lesser intimate parts of the body; they left the rest for the women to do. ‘Tabwa women used razors to slit skin [that had been] plucked up with a fishhook or arrowhead. These incisions were then rubbed with soot from a pot bottom, an irritant that produced the desired raised cicatrices† (Roberts 1988:44). There were several reasons that this tradition was done, different to every age and gender in the tribe. Young women went through this process in order to achieve a state of perfection, which was required for those wanting to marry and have children (Roberts 1988:45). Scarification is a form of body art that was used in several tribes because according to their customs â€Å"beauty is not physically innate, but rather a function of the girl’s inscriptions† (Roberts 1988:45). Not only the Tabwa, scarification was used in such tribes as the Ga’anda and the Tiv; all the tribes have distinctly different purposes for doing this, but the process and effect of the body are the same. Another form of body art is body painting, which the people of the Southeast Nuba begin at a young age; but the meanings, and time frame from when they begin decorating the body are very different between males and females. The males paint themselves from the ages of 12 to 27 (Faris 1988:31). Typically, they only paint during the down time after the harvest season and before the next years planting begins. This is the time that the males are less involved in mandatory and productive activities; they spend their supplementary time with festive activities such as dance and sport participation. The restrictions placed on the men by their age, most importantly deal with the color that they use on their body—for example â€Å" only the older age groups are eligible to use the greatest elaboration in color, including the deep black and yellow [colors, that are] prohibited to younger grades†(Faris 1988:32). The change in elaboration allowed on the body does not coincide with any physiological changes, rather, it corresponds with changes â€Å"in productive status or sport† (Faris 1988:32). As they move up in grades from young laborers that answer to the elders, to mature men that own their own property, farm and family, their elaborate painting ability increases. The elders though, do not decorate their bodies; rather, they delegate and lead rituals for the younger men and enforce the rules of allowed color use. Therefore, the male body painting shows their progression thru ones life stages. The women of Southeast Nuba, â€Å"from the age of six years, until consummation of marriage, oil and ochre [their bodies] daily, in colors [that are] appropriate to their patri-clan section† (Faris 1988:34). After childbirth, they may continue to wear some oil and ochre on their shoulders. The personal body art of women is strictly related to the physiological changes that occur as a women goes through life, and are fixed around body scarification as a way of showing her changes. A woman’s scarification is so important, that â€Å"if a husband refuses to pay for a scarring specialist, a woman may seek a lover who will do so, and her first marriage will end† (Faris 1988:35). Unlike the males elaborate body art, a woman’s body art is simple, but it accumulates over her life-span and is very standardized, while a male’s body art is constantly changing. Body painting, tattooing and scarification thus far had been tools used by individuals to beautify their body and elevate their status within their tribe; this is not the case with all societies. In several other cultures, tattoos have been used in a form of branding, which is quite the opposite. Though tattooing and branding are â€Å"similar in that both involve the insertion of pigments under the skin to create permanent marks†, branding is implemented in order to lower an individuals status, to punish for crimes committed, to identify slaves, but most importantly, to eliminate personal identity (Schildkrout 2004:323). â€Å"The immutable alteration of human skin by branding needs to be considered in relation to, but ought not be confused with, tattooing† (Bianchi 1988:27). Two recent studies originating in South Africa elaborate on this subject, reporting on the political influence of tattooing â€Å"as a means of social control† (Schildkrout 2004:330). They site examples from Zambia in which a medical practitioner travels around to villages â€Å"in which witch craft accusations have been common†¦to inoculate people against people against witch craft† (Schildkrout 2004:331). The villagers would â€Å"submit to bodily inspections†, they were then treated â€Å"by getting numbers tattooed on their arms† (Schildkrout 2004:331). This is disturbingly reminiscent of Nazi concentration camps when an unfathomable number of Jewish people lost their personal identities and became known as only a number in the system to be disposed of. This â€Å"symbolic denial of personhood† served as a system â€Å"of control and surveillance† (Schildkrout 2004:323). This system of control was also imposed by â€Å"authoritarian regimes† in Southeast Asia (Schildkrout 2004:323). The Zhou and Ming Dynasties branded criminals as a form of punishment with â€Å"extensive, often full-body tattoos, with elaborate pictorial imagery as well as written inscriptions† (Schildkrout 2004:324) portraying their crime. This form of tattooing is definitely contrary to traditional methods. Similarly in Brazil, branding was used to mark convicts by the penal authorities. Penal tattoos derived their power from subjugation of the marked convicts. The humiliation of being visibly branded was a significant component of the convict’s punishment. In an act of resistance, those that had been branded â€Å"were known to reclaim their bodies by writing over the inscriptions or by displaying them in new social situations† (Schildkrout 2004:324). The branded, therefore, became the empowered, restoring the function of the tattoo to being personally-motivated. This personal motivation is perhaps most notable in Western cultures, specifically North America. In America, the Native Americans used body painting in many ways, usually connected with ethnic identity, social roles or marital status (Rubin 1988:179). The Natives also used the body as a canvas in ritualistic ceremonies, on warriors going into battle and for the beautification of their women. When the Europeans discovered America, they brought with them slaves from Africa and they introduced branding of the slaves into the American culture. After the civil war, when the slaves had been freed, branding was still embedded in American culture through groups of people including gang members and convicts. Though â€Å"branding is often associated with involuntary marking and the denial of personhood†, it has also â€Å"been adopted in contemporary Western body culture as an assertion of group identity, for example in college fraternities† (Schildkrout 2004:323). Tattoos were also prevalent in other parts of America, including Alaska. Among the Eskimos â€Å"[t]he function of these art forms [was] – essentially manifesting one’s place or role within the hierarchy of hunting life† (Gritton 1988:190). With the introduction and adaptation of the western civilization in Alaskan culture, â€Å"the marks of a hunter or hunter’s wife served no purpose in their new lives and were understandably abandoned† (Gritton 1988:190). The function of body art and tattooing has been Americanized, evolving from its native origins to incorporate self expression. This self expression has mushroomed from a manor of identifying oneself to a way of gaining attention through shock value. Though ever-changing, all forms of body art mentioned play enormous roles in the lives of people. Certain non-Western cultures are based around the ability to use skin as a visible way of defining status or bettering their self-image, in order to attract companions. So the artists who are allowed to perform the act of adorning bodies with different designs are regarded as having a very important place in the society. They are â€Å"scarring specialist† (Faris 1988:35), â€Å"body artists† (Drewal 1988:84), but most importantly, they are known as â€Å"[the] one-who-creates- art† (Drewal 1988:84). In the non-Native American culture, however, the general attitude towards tattoo artist in present-day American culture is less than appreciative. Extreme critics even characterize tattooist as opportunist, exclusively seeking monetary gain (Sanders 1988:229). â€Å"The tattooist interest in artistry and control is often in conflict with his profit orientation†, revealing the major flaw within the American society (Sanders 1988:229). This is the major difference in western and non-western cultures. Body tattoos in western society are an object to be purchased. Americans obtain tattoos in the same manner that they acquire a new Louis Vuitton handbag. They purchase them as accessories, which is in stark contrast to the non-western cultures, who acquire tattoos as an essential ritual in their society. With this is mind, the process in which American’s purchases body art seems slightly ridiculous. Tattoo artists often complain of the unwillingness of customers to spend the quoted amount of money for â€Å"a tattoo [they] are going to wear for the rest of [their] life† (Sanders 1988:229). It is more acceptable in American culture to invest in short term materialistic purchases, therefore the legitimate tattoo artists are constantly being monitored and regimented under strict laws imposed by the government. Despite the absurdity of the purchasing process, the reasoning that propels the American society to obtain tattoos is just as flawed. Some reasons people give to explain permanently marking their skin include, â€Å"they were drunk, it’s a macho thing, to fit in with a crowd or even worse, for no reason at all† (DeMello 1995:42). Western society seems to have a complete disregard for the spiritual origins of body art. Tattoo artist are even witness to clients’ apathy, avoiding â€Å"working on people who are obviously under the influence of alcohol† (Sanders 1988:225). Where once there was a ceremonious celebration deeply rooted in spiritualism, in American society the only ritualistic ceremony is the receiving of a piece of paper on how to care for the recently acquired body art. This apathetic attitude of Americans is perhaps derived from the renouncing majority of the population. This bias stems from â€Å"very early ‘regulations’ [including] Moses’ remarks in Leviticus 19:28 forbidding any cuttings in the flesh or the printing of any marks† (Armstrong 2005:39). Since tattoos â€Å"were not sanctioned by the church† the profile for the tattooed archetype became unconventional (Schildkrout 2004:325). Christian belief has been adapted to the masses, forcing those who are tattooed into rebellion. The majority of people adopting body art include â€Å"bikers, convicts, and other ‘low lives’† (DeMello 1995:40). In Western society â€Å"the idea that the unmarked body as a sign of God’s work was linked to the Protestant reformation† and â€Å"the idea that body markings were a sign of savagery goes back even earlier† ( Schildkrout 2004:324). This is ironic considering tattoos in earlier cultures signified positions of high status. Perhaps the only entity that ties these drastic cultures together is the desire to increase their inherited beauty. â€Å"If the body is – metaphorically – a site of inscription to various degrees for various theorist, then cosmetic surgery can be seen, at one level, as an example of the literal and explicit enactment of this process of inscription† ( Schildkrout 2004:320), which is also seen in the aforementioned tribes with the rituals of scarification. DeMello also agrees that along with tattooing and piericing, that cosmetic surgery is seen as a form of â€Å"body modification† (DeMello 1995:37). â€Å"Not only does the tattooed skin negotiate between the individual and society and between different social groups, but also mediates relations between persons and spirits, the human and the divine† (Schildkrout 2004:321). Body art is a tradition that extends throughout the barriers of the world and although the forms in which they are found may be different, the idea of using your body as a canvas is universal. Although recently, several anthropologists agreed and have begun to examine body art more closely, looking at it â€Å"as a microcosm of society† (Schildkrout 2004:328), Roberts still believes that â€Å"there can be no ultimate explanation of symbolism† (Roberts 1988:51). He claims that â€Å"the blazes on trees in the Ndembu forest will remain many years after their purpose and meaning are forgotten. So it is with other inscriptions† (Roberts 1988:51). This is exemplified in the woman who endured the agonizing pain of her scarification to instigate a new chapter in her life. Nevertheless, soon after her body is placed into the ground, her skin will no longer be a visible indication of who she once was. She will become a memory and her body will no longer be used as a canvas.

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The feasibility of different techniques for providing fresh water to Essay

The feasibility of different techniques for providing fresh water to arid regions of the world - Essay Example The shortage of freshwater sources, and the â€Å"need for additional water supplies is already critical in many arid regions of the world and will be increasingly important in the future† (Perlman 2011, p1). The availability of water just like the fossil energy sources is an important element in the determination of the world stability. Most of the arid regions lack freshwater supplies in forms such as lakes and rivers. The only available freshwater supply is the limited underground water sources; these sources are becoming brackish because of the continued abstraction of the water aquifers (Perlman 2011, p1). There are some techniques that can be used to provide freshwater in the arid regions of the world and they include; the exploitation of the brackish water, desalination, management of the aquifer recharge, harvesting rain water, and the construction of dams. Brackish groundwater contains chlorine levels ranging between 250 and 20,000 parts per million (ppm). The volume of brackish water is similar to that of freshwater but brackish water has received little attention. Food and water scarcity and new techniques of treatment technologies have forced people to reevaluate brackish groundwater (a neglected source of water) (International Hydrological Programme [IHP] 2005, p12). Brackish groundwater arises from the following; salt dissolution near the evaporative rocks, groundwater pollution, water evaporation, and seawater intrusion; these are as a result of the natural processes and they make up the larger brackish groundwater reservoirs. Brackish groundwater can occur in the coastal regions as well as in the semi-arid regions. Enhanced desalination techniques have enabled the production of freshwater water from the brackish groundwater; this form of desalination is economically feasible and very competitive compared to seawater desalinatio n. In the past decade, a number of water supply systems have become functional in areas such as Egypt and

Marketing Spotlight of Sony Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing Spotlight of Sony - Essay Example The first key factor of Sony’s success has been their capability to build new products and new markets. They applied commendable innovation in their product development strategies thus creating entirely new kind of products like fully transistorized radio, audio cassette recorders & television, Walkman, entertainment laptops (Vaio) & Playstation which also resulted in entirely new markets.This is quite evident from their positioning strategy of Sony Vaio Laptops which are marketed primarily as a style icon with enhanced graphics & multimedia capabilities. The Vaio laptops are positioned more for people using laptops as a style icon and for entertainment thus making them widely popular among students, women and top executives. [www.sonystyle.com] The third key success factor of Sony is their innovative marketing practices. They possess in-depth understanding of the buying behaviour, choices & passion of their consumers such that they are able to design their advertisements refl ecting the choice, emotions & passion of their consumers thus pushing the Sony brand deep into their mindsets. A greater part of their success is accredited to their brand building capability. The fourth key success factor of Sony is that they do not conduct open ended marketing campaigns. They carry out measurement of effectiveness of each campaign and then carry out enhancements as necessary. The fifth success factor of Sony is their concept of SONY WORLD showrooms where all the products of Sony are displayed prominently and adequate stocks are maintained to meet the demands.

Should evolution be taught in the public schools Essay - 1

Should evolution be taught in the public schools - Essay Example While both sides have valid arguments, the argument for teaching evolution in public schools clearly trumps, because parents have a right to ensure that their child gets the best education possible, and a failure to instruct on evolutionary theory in the public schools clearly undermines this basic right. The theory of evolution, which states that species have evolved over time, is a theory which must be taught in public schools. Lerner (2000) states that there are good standards for what school children should know about the theory, depending upon the child’s grade. He states that children from grades kindergarten to third grade should understand that living things reproduce, and that the offspring may not be exactly like their parents. They should also understand that a living things must grow up or change before reproducing. Another fact that they must learn is that the earth is over four billion years old. When children are between the ages of nine and twelve, they should be taught about how evolution results in competition and survival between and within species, and the factors that go into species survival, such as environmental, predatory and temperature factors. They should also learn that species adapt to different environments, and that genetic variation results in mutations that may help species adapt to this environment. Also, the theory of natural selection should be understood. When a child is between middle and high school, they should know about such concepts as genetic drift, sexual selection and the complex interactions of ecosystems (Lerner, 2000). Evolutionary theory should be taught, despite the objections of religious individuals who object to the theory being taught, for a variety of reasons. The first set of these reasons address why the theory should be taught, despite the objections of

Role of Computers in Modern Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Role of Computers in Modern Society - Essay Example Conferring to a review conducted by an international publication, the "Man of the Year" in 1982 was, the 'Computer' (Time Archives, 1983). Computer in Latin implies 'to compute' or ‘to reckon’. Certain specialists have devised a word for it 'INFORMATIC', the learning of ‘information processing’ i.e. procedures of recording, managing and recovering info (Wikipedia, 2011). So it is a computing gadget with some unusual charac ­teristics and gifts like—accomplish compound and monotonous calcula ­tions quickly and precisely, make choices and robotically correct or adjust by offering indications, particular constraints of a structure underneath control, talk with users through workstations etc. From a fiscal viewpoint, the contemporary computer is basically the most modern of a long streak of novel technologies that upsurge efficiency and cause a plodding move from manufacturing to service engagement. The firsthand proof delivers no backing for the asse rtion occasionally made that the computer "desensitizes" and "mechanizes" work. Maybe the paramount implication of the computer lies in its influence on Man's assessment of himself. No longer tolerant to the geocentric vision of the universe, he now instigates to pick up that thoughts, too, are a marvel of nature, understandable in terms of humble tools. Therefore the computer helps him to submit, for the first time, the olden ruling, "Know thyself." (Simon, 1977) As we dash through the 21st century, we must admit the inexorableness of a computer revolution in the nearby time horizons. Now computers have developed into such a vital part of our lives—at railway stations, airports, shops and every well-equi ­pped contemporary office. As computer stays to flourish in forever snowballing numbers across huge sectors of Government, trade and commerce, the common man is starting to believe tentatively that computers can truly convey a good part of the undertaking that they had pre sented. Civilization is progressively accommodating the point that computers will certainly alter the methods in which the conventional techniques are applied. When supposed as social players, computer produces can influence these philosophies of social stimulus to encourage and convince (Fogg, 1997). One phase beyond the Personal Digital Assistants that has someone’s â€Å"life on it† is the growth of â€Å"wearable computing.† In recent times, folks who may mention themselves as â€Å"cyborgs† garb their computers: the radio transmitter and central processing unit in one pocket, a miniature keyboard in another, their spectacles aiding as screens. The creators of such structures talk about novel potentials for information right to use: one can be online endlessly, for instance, in discussion with a faculty associate however at the same moment reading that colleague’s most current papers. The cyborgs, though, swear to impacts of the technology on a very diverse register: they suggest that wearable computers modify their sense of personality. Over the previous twenty years, there have been numerous revolutions in computer software and hardware, but the forecast of self onto computational means is as reliable as it is theatrical. In 1984, denoting to that prognosis by calling computers a â€Å"second self† was confrontational. Today, it is widely accepted. To be provoking, one is curious to speak not just of a

Optical Code Division Multiple Access Essay Example for Free

Optical Code Division Multiple Access Essay Question: write about Optical Code Division Multiple Access. Introduction and overview, historical background, explanation of the technique, comparison between FDMA, TDMA and OCDMA, explain more on OCDMA, how does it work, why using OCDMA, advantages, what other techniques available other than OCDMA, compare them with OCDMA. Introduction OCDMA is a multiple access technique originating from DS-SS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) and it was originally used for military purposes to ensure that transmission of information I kept safe. It is currently used in wireless communication such as mobile devices. Overview Here we are going to look at the OCDMA technique, how it works, its origin or background, its advantages and compare it with other techniques. History It started in 1941 when George Antheil and Hedy Lamar patented Spectrum communication but it was not implemented then. CDMA was later considered in the late 70’s for cellular mobiles. During this period, CDMA technology was being used for military communications to ensure that there is security in information transmission. It is now a very important technology widely used in wireless communication as 3G/4G Technology. Explanation of the Technique OCDMA is a technique which employs high speed transmission, exchange of data using optical signal processing to realize an all optical communication and networking. Users access the network randomly. It uses a tell-to –go protocol and can support different bitrate traffic. It transmits encrypted information making it secure Comparison between FDMA, TDMA and OCDMA OCDMA is different and advantageous as compared to FDMA and TDMA in that it ensures there is proper use of communication media by giving asynchronous access to every user. In OCDMA technique new users are added to the network with ease because it does not require any scheduling. OCDMA has been known to experience problems as it suffers from different kinds of noise as a result of multiple access interference (MAI). Advantages of OCDMA Allows frequency reuse Provides Variable data rates Allows asynchronous multiple access Provides protection from interference Gives resistance to interception in that no unauthorized listeners can decode the original message Other Techniques OFDMA-This was developed for cable networks which had the problems of narrow band jamming. OFDMA is used for terrestrial video and radio broadcasting. OFDMA was originally designed for cable networks whereas OCDMA is used for wireless communication. WDMA-This is another technique which allows access of channels based on wave-length division multiplexing. It can allow numerous data signals to share a common communication channel. The OCDMA uses fewer devices than WDMA. References International Engineering Consortium. (2005). Annual review of wireless communications. Chicago, Ill: Professional Education International.

The Biopsychosocial Model Health And Social Care Essay

The Biopsychosocial Model Health And Social Care Essay In the preceding paragraphs many theoretical models were put forward, but it is now desirable to introduce a holistic model of causation, one that is more naturalistic than the simple linear reductionist models (Borrell-Carrià ³ et al., 2004). A comprehensive literature search showed that the most common and widely accepted holistic framework for treatment and rehabilitation is the biopsychosocial model. The popularity of this model can be seen by the frequency of its occurrence in online sources. A preliminary assessment of the biopsychosocial model was conducted using the Medline database, using the term biopsychosocial in the topics field. It is well recognised that use of the term biopsychosocial does not necessarily indicate an adoption of the biopsychosocial model, but at a minimum, it does reflect a recognition of the perspective (Suls Rothman, 2004). Figure 1.5: Frequency of citation of the term biopsychosocial using the Medline database. 4.1 The Biopsychosocial Model One of the famous landmarks articles, published almost thirty years ago by Engle (1977), questioned the biomedical interventions used in both psychiatry and medicine, and warned of a crisis in the biomedical paradigm (Alonso, 2004). Engle (1977) argued that a true medical approach should consider: (1) the patient; (2) the healthcare system; (3) the social context of the patients life; and (4) the psychological context (Mrdjenovich et al., 2004; Pereira Smith, 2005). The main proposition of the biopsychosocial model is that treatment interventions should be an interlinked system covering multiple dimensions (i.e. diagnostic and causative variables), taking into account biological, social, psychological and macro (e.g. socioeconomic status, cultural, ethnic) issues (Figure 1.6) (Burton et al., 2008). Any defect in one part of the system will affect another part of the system (Keefe et al., 2002). For instance, deterioration of a patient condition (biological effect) can negatively aff ect patients` emotional states increasing stress and anxiety level (psychological effect) affecting his/ her ability to work or perform his/her daily routine activities (social effect), which will then, subsequently, increase pain and/or disability levels (Keefe et al., 2002). Figure 1.6: A pictorial illustration of the biopsychosocial model. Adapted from Finlay (2009). The biopsychosocial model accentuate the importance of interacting and understanding the patient as a unique individual taking onto consideration their belief system in a moderate way that neither concentrate on the biomedical aspects or psychosocial aspects but rather illustrate their relationship together (Jones et al., 2002). In comparison between the biopsychosocial model and the earlier discussed models, it can be seen that the biopsychosocial model posits a much complex, multidimensional and broader approach of clinical care (Hadjistavropoulos Craig, 2004). Engles new paradigm has often been seen as a radical departure for medicine (Salmon Hall, 2003, p.1972). However, Lambert et al. (1997) stated that although the biopsychosocial model is a new approach, it is still conservative. This assessment was based on several perspectives proposed by the model. First, by underlying the need for good clinical decisions to respond to the eccentricities of each individual patient, it re-affirms the patients role, self identity and professional independence (Armstrong, 2002; Salmon Hall, 2003). Secondly, the model extends the responsibility of medical care to go beyond biological complications and encompass non-medical treatments as well (Baer, 1989). Physicians are required to connect with their patients in a relationship that involves not only the patients complaints and symptoms, but also their personalities and psychosocial lives (Salmon Hall, 2003). Conversely, patients are expected to be prepared to respond to the physicians and bring about the required changes in their lives to prevent and/or manage their illness (Salmon Hall, 2003). However, one of the issues that has been discussed in the literature is whether the concepts of the doctor-patient relationship and patient-centredness can affect and threaten the doctors authority. However, if the requirements for patient-centredness and a doctor-patient relationship are applied in a moderate and professional way, they do not threaten either the doctors authority or their responsibility, especially since physicians maintain their authority by virtue of their specialist knowledge and their responsibility for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment (Salmon Hall, 2003). Taking on the considerations mentioned in this section lead to a perceived need for a study to determine the current methods followed in managing lower limb injuries (either in elective or emergency cases) and whether the biopsychosocial model is a better approach of treatment. 4.1.1 To what extent have the medical establishment and different research fields adopted the biopsychosocial model? The biopsychosocial model has been widely adopted and promoted in different domains, including medical schools, major medical organisations, social work departments, public health, counselling, and some fields of psychology (Kaplan Coogan, 2005). For example, the WHOs International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), which is a global framework of disability and rehabilitation, is based on the biopsychosocial model (WHO, 2001). Dowrick et al. (1996) conducted a study to explore whether the biopsychosocial model is based on rhetoric or reality. A semi-structured postal questionnaire was sent to 494 principal general practitioners. The questionnaire sought the practitioners views about what they believed to be relevant and appropriate to a practitioners skills and knowledge in general medical practice, and investigated whether these views are consistent with the biopsychosocial model. Only 41% (207) of the sample responded to the questionnaire, which is considered to be a low response rate (Church et al., 2001). The results showed that general practitioners embrace the view that physicians should incorporate a biopsychological model, rather than a biopsychosocial model, in their general medical practice. However, the results cannot be generalised because the study was conducted exclusively on members of a specific organisation. Therefore, the results can only be only applied to the specific population describ ed in the study. Similarly, Alonso (2004) also investigated the extent to which the biopsychosocial concept has been adopted by medical researchers. Using the Medline database, Alonso examined published articles in the period 1978-1982 (period a) and the period 1996-2000 (period b). Period a was selected because it covers the first five years since Engels conceptualised his new model, and the second period (period b) was determined by the date of Alonsos study (covering the five years before the study). The findings of the previous study showed that the conceptualisation of health in medical research, as characterised in articles written within the past two decades, has not changed. In other words, physicians are still reluctant to incorporate the biopsychosocial model, and often focus solely on traditional methods of treatment. Other studies (Dowrick et al., 1996; Cohen et al., 2000; Alonso, 2004; Kaplan Coogan, 2005) also concur with the findings of Alonsos original study, and conclude that the bi opsychosocial model has not been fully integrated into actual medical practice. Conversely, in an evaluation of published articles between the years 1977-1987 and 1988-1998, Hwu et al. (2001) found a considerable spread of medical research articles that did include social and psychological aspects in their definitions of health and medical care. In addition, a literature search also shows that several behavioural, medical and psychological phenomena have adopted the biopsychosocial concept (Kaplan Coogan, 2005), in areas such as schizophrenia (Kotsiubinskii, 2002; Schwartz, 2000), chronic fatigue (Johnson, 1998), antisocial behaviour (Dodge Petit, 2003), gastrointestinal illness (Drossman,1998), spinal cord injury (Mathew et al., 2001), and pain management (Truchon, 2001; Covic et al., 2003). Clearly, there are conflicting findings in the existing literature regarding the extent to which the biopsychosocial model has been integrated into the medical domain, indicating a need for future research. 4.1.2 Application of the biopsychosocial model in rehabilitation Several authors have argued that there is a considerable gap between the introduction of a new or revised model and the application of the proposed model in clinical practice (Linton, 1998; Muncey, 2000; Jones et al., 2002). The challenging factors surrounding changes in clinical practice have been reviewed by Muncey (2000), two of which are associated with physicians decision-making skills and knowledge. In addition, physicians reluctance, in some cases, to integrate new models into their clinical practice should also be taken into consideration (Silagy, 1998; Jones et al., 2002). Furthermore, because the current medical literature is often introduced at a basic scientific level, it is complicated for non-researchers to understand and transfer new models and theories to clinical settings (Jones et al., 2002). Jones et al. (2002) stated that in order to achieve successful application of a new pattern of behaviour and practice thinking, two elements are required. These are reflective, critical clinical reasoning (i.e. the decision-making process), and a suitable organization of knowledge in which the new model can be implemented. The significance of the biopsychosocial model is based on its capability to show the multitude of interactions between its elements (Jones et al., 2002). in addition, every individual element can then be further explored. However, this means that physicians need to further develop their clinical practice skills in terms of patient assessment and management, either physically or in terms of other factors that contribute to their patient`s illness (Jones et al., 2002). One of the elements that should be considered in the application of the biopsychosocial model is diagnostic reasoning, which mainly depends on the application of the scientific paradigm (or the empirico-analytical model) for decision-making and validation. This form of reasoning attempts to identify and test hypotheses relating to the nature of psychological and physical impairments and their functional disabilities (Jones et al., 2002). Narrative reasoning is another form of reasoning which is used to understand the patients own experience with their pain and illness (Mattingly, 1994; Jones et al., 2002). However, although this sounds like a simple method, in fact it is far more challenging than simply listening to patients own stories (Jones et al., 2002). Finally, it is essential to highlight the fact that the biopsychosocial approach is not only concerned with curing pathological defects, but also with helping people to regain their normal life activities (Burton et al., 2008). In addition, it is acknowledged that there may be a certain amount of reluctance regarding the adoption of the biopsychosocial model because of the hurdles in the way of its clinical application (Burton et al., 2008). Changing the way in which injuries are managed in clinical settings will require further investigation, since little attention has been paid towards identifying the current methods that are used to manage lower limb injuries (either in emergency or elective settings) and whether the biopsychosocial model is a better approach in managing such injuries. From the findings and the studies presented in this literature review, it can be concluded and hypothesised that enough clinical evidence exists to show that the biopsychosocial model is a better approach to managing lower limb injuries. On the other hand, the literature does not answer the basic question to whether the surgery is elective or emergency make a difference to the patient experience after injury, which necessitate the need for further investigate. 5.0 Conclusion Little attention has been given to the patients experience after lower limb surgery for example, comparing and contrasting the experiences of patients who have had elective or emergency surgeries, exploring physical, social and psychological aspects, and looking at whether methods of treatment and follow-ups are applied differently between elective and emergency surgeries. In addition, although various studies had focused on how the physical, social and psychological factors interlink together, no previous study has investigated the outcome of the application of the biopsychosocial model in managing patients after lower limb surgery as a result of injury, compared to those who were treated using other treatment approaches. Therefore, to address these issues, this study aims to explore and report the patients experience of clinical care of lower limb injury after surgery, comparing and contrasting the experiences of patients who have had elective or emergency surgeries, and investigating whether the biopsychosocial model is a better treatment approach for the management of lower limb injuries than other approaches. Thus, the current study is based on the following research questions: 6.0 Research question Primary research question: What are the differences between patients experiences and clinical approaches after elective lower limb surgery as a result of injury, compared with patients experiences after emergency lower limb surgery as a result of injury? Secondary research question: If a difference exists among patients experiences and clinical approaches between elective and emergency lower limb surgeries as a result of injury, how does this difference related to the current care pathway including the biopsychosocial model? 6.1 Aims and objectives The aim of this study is to develop a better understanding of patients experiences after a lower limb injury that is severe enough to necessitate surgery, and to compare medical services (after lower limb surgery) provided in emergency settings vs. elective settings. In addition, the study aims to investigate the efficiency of current methods of treatment and compare them with treatment methods derived from a biopsychosocial approach. Understanding the experience of lower limb injury from the patients perspective is essential for providing guidelines for appropriate and efficient medical services, and in the prevention of future complications for the patient. In addition, such an understanding will form a reference for future research studies. The objectives of this study are to explore and report: The difference in patients experiences of medical services for lower limb surgery provided in emergency settings and elective settings. Whether the current biomedical approach to managing lower limb injuries is efficient enough from the patients perspective. The importance of psychosocial factors for a patient with lower limb injury. The importance of implementing treatment methods derived from a biopsychosocial model approach. 6.2 Statement of null hypotheses The research is based on three null hypotheses: The primary null hypothesis states that there will be no difference in patients experiences in emergency and elective surgery settings for patients with lower limb injuries. The secondary null hypothesis states that there will be no difference between elective and emergency lower limb surgeries as a result of injury, and hence it does not relate to the current care pathway including the biopsychosocial model.

Why Did Germany Lose The First World War History Essay

Why Did Germany Lose The First World War History Essay The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary was a trigger to World War One, but according to many historians, they claim that Germany is responsible for the war. Prior to the war, tension built up among nations. With the race for superiority a war was bound to happen. Most European countries made alliances with each other, thus pulling Germany with its allies: Austria Hungary, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire into the war. By the end of the war, Germanys economy was bankrupted. Germany and its allies lost the war with the Treaty of Versailles, by signing it on June 28, 1919. Given that Germany was the cause of the war, it was more at risk of losing the war. Germany failed to succeed in World War One because of three main reasons, the failure of the Schlieffen plan, nationalism, and the allies effective use of attrition warfare. The failure of the Schlieffen plan caused Germanys plan to fight a two front war almost impossible. The Schlieffen plan was thought of by Alfred Von Schlieffen, and modified by von Moltke (who was in charge of this operation), and it was a strategic plan for victory while fighting two fronts. Germany under Kaiser Wilhelm II fought a two-front war against French, British, Belgian, and Americans on the Western Front and at the same time Germany was fighting the Russians on the Eastern Front, until Russias participation in the war ended on March 3, 1918 with the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. Germany did not have a sufficient amount of troops to be sent to both fronts, and food was limited. Another factor that caused the failure of the Schlieffen plan was Belgian resistance and the entrance of Britain into the war. One August 4th 1914, Britain declared war on France when they invaded Belgium. Germany did not expect Britain, the great empire to join and therefore were worried. Moreover the spe ed of Russian mobilization was unexpected and they gained land in Eastern Prussia sooner than planned. At the beginning of the war, Russia was not a huge threat to Germany and its allies because of their humiliation at the failure of the Russo-Japanese war. However, Russia gained territory quickly and moved closer towards Berlin. Before World War One, Germany believed that they were a great power, and therefore nationalism was at its highest point, however between 1916 and 1917, nationalistic views were starting to take a downturn. In these two years, a lot of lives were lost and the term stalemate was present. The Battle of Jutland was the largest sea battle of the entire war. It occurred in 1916 and it was one of Germanys only chance to weaken Great Britains royal navy, hence the wars nickname; the Battle of Lost Opportunities. The German counterattack failed because their plans were discovered by Russians, thus this battle was a disaster for the Germans, which caused their fleet to not leave the German ports until 1918, as a result giving the British navy domination of the seas. This disappointed the Germans, and lowered German nationalism. Another battle in 1916 named the Battle of Verdun was a disastrous battle fought by the Germans. A win after this battle was impossible after a loss of 430,000 soldiers . In this battle, the French effectively sent the Germans back to their starting point. The French were delighted from their success while German nationalism continually decreased. In 1917, the third battle of Ypres was a huge success for the Germans, despite this success the German self-confidence was already low, and the accomplishment did not increase nationalism significantly. Furthermore, the fact that Germany sent the Zimmerman note to Mexico in 1917, created a strong enemy for Germany and its allies. The telegram stated that if Germany and the United States were to go to war, Mexico would ally with Germany and as a result of this alliance Germany would aid Mexico into regaining the territories of Arizona, Texas and New Mexico. While some historians thought it was intended for America to join the war others thought of it as a method to distract America. As soon as the people realized that Germany lured America into joining the war, German morale vanished. The allies effective use of attrition warfare throughout the war wore out German troops which forced them to surrender. The term attrition warfare is a strategic concept that to win a war, ones enemy must be worn down to the point of collapse by continuous losses in personnel and materiel.  [1]  One method of wearing out the enemy that the British used was The British Naval Blockade. The blockade of German ports starting in 1914 soon resulted in shortages of food, oil, rubber, and fertilizers. This restricted maritime supply of raw materials and foodstuffs to Germany and its allies. Starvation was a key issue for the Germans during the Great War, soldiers and people in Germany starved and possibly died. This continued to the point until strikes were made in German industries in the winter of 1918 which pressured the government to break the blockade or end the war. After the war, claims are made by historians that the North Sea naval blockade was a primary factor in the collapse o f the Central Powers.  [2]  Furthermore the Ludendorff Offensive of 1918 was Germanys final chance for victory, but failed because Germany and its allies were too worn out to continue. This offensive was a series of attacks along the Western Front. The Ludendorff Offensive marked The United States entrance into World War One. Each month, America sent in new troops to face the central powers. After a length of time Germany was unable to fight back because, unlike the Americans it could not send a new group of soldiers to Paris. Consequently, Germany and its allies were too worn out to continue the war because of the British naval blockade, and the new supply of Americans every month. In conclusion, three factors affected the downfall of Germany during the Great War, the Schlieffen plan, nationalism, and the use of attrition warfare. The Germans were not able to fight on two fronts, and therefore could not fully participate during the rest of the war because of their stoppage in the beginning of the war. As battles were lost, the people of the Central Powers were disappointed and worried which contradicted their views from the beginning of the war. This lowered nationalism, especially in Germany greatly. Lastly, Germany could not handle the blockade and the entrance of the U.S.A. This tired German troops to the extent that they were incapable of continuing. If these factors had not been present it could have been possible for Germany and its allies to win the Great War.

Womens Pavilion at the Columbian Exposition Essay example -- Architec

The Women's Pavilion The Columbian Exposition was notable for its impressive architecture and large international attendance. Of particular importance was the Women's Pavilion. The first of its kind to have been designed by a female architect, it revealed much about the social plight of women at that time, and the need for further progress in the movement for equal rights. While its existence did not trigger significant changes for the Women's Movement, this pavilion was certainly a promising first step that would set a precedent for women's involvement in later years. All aspects of women's involvement in the Chicago fair were overseen by the Board of Lady Managers. This governing body, the first of its kind, had authority over all the decisions regarding the Women's Pavilion. It was headed by Mrs. Potter Palmer of Chicago, and composed of a diverse group of women from all over the United States. There were two women members from each state and territory as well as nine from Chicago. Invitations were extended to women across the world for their participation. Delegations from England, France, Spain, Germany, Austria, Russia, Italy, Holland, Belgium, Portugal, Brazil, Argentina, Cuba, Mexico, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Venezuela, Algeria, Siam and Japan all participated in the planning ,and particularly the interior decoration. Many of these organizers belonged to the upper-class or even aristocracy of their societies. The first women's pavilion had been erected in 1876 in Philadelphia. The previous year, women had been given their own section in the main fair building, but at the last minute this decision was revoked. Instead, women were told if they wanted a display, it would have to be in their own building and from their o... ... was still a long way to go on the path to equality between the sexes. Works Cited: White, Trumbull. The World Columbian Exposition ,Chicago 1893. Philadelphia. P.W. Ziegler & Co. 1893 Ralph, Julian. Harper's Chicago and the World's Fair New York, Harper and Brothers, 1893. 161-172 Bolotin, Norm. The World's Columbian Exposition: the Chicago World's Fair Washington, D.C., Preservation Press, 1992. Paul Greenhalgh. Ephemeral Vistas: The Expositions Universelle, Great Exhibitions, And World's Fairs, 1851- 1939 "Women: Exhibiting and Exhibited" Manchester, U.K.: Manuchester University Press, 1988. 174-195 "World's Columbian Exposition of 1893" Paul V. Galvin Library Digital History Collection, Illinois Institute of Technology. http://columbus.gl.iit.edu/ Torre, Susan. "Women in Design" Design Book Review 1991, Spring n20. Pg.74-76 ISSN 0737-5344.

Understanding Persons with Intellectual Disabilities Essay -- Health,

It is important to understand the terms that are associated with intellectual disabilities. The first term is disability. Disability is an individual performing which includes physical, sensory, cognitive, intellectual mental illness impairments, and various types of chronic diseases. The next term involves intelligence. This term is the ability to think logically, reason out problems, prepare, understand difficult ideas, examine intellectually, and the ability to determine quickly and or acquire from experience. Third term is adaptive behavior. Adaptive behavior is the collection of conceptual, social, and practical skills that all individuals learn in order to perform in their everyday lives. An example of conceptual skills is idea of numbers. Following rules are an example of social skills. Practical skills involve the use of money in society (â€Å"Assessment Psychology,† (n.d.). Understanding Persons with Intellectual Disabilities Research reveals that currently approximately one million United States students that have disabilities are between the ages of 3 through 21. Therefore, these special needs students are eligible for special services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). However, only 34 percent of students have intellectual disabilities and 40 percent of the students are with multiple disabilities. In the 2007 through 2008 school year 56 percent autism students graduated with a regular high school diploma (Lewis, 2011). Therefore, in this essay the definition, characteristics, and causes of intellectual disability, traumatic brain injury, autism, severe disabilities, and deaf-blindness will be discussed. The first definition, characteristic and cause discussed... ...uccessfully in society. As stated by IDEA all students are required to be educated in the setting that will meet his or her needs. Students that have severe and multiple disabilities can be involved in general education classes. However, if the student cannot function in a special education and or regular education classroom settings they will be placed in a residential home and or institution. Deaf blindness according to IDEA is not included in the special education program. â€Å"Despite the challenges their disabilities impose on their lives these students exhibit warmth, persistence, determination, cheerfulness, a sense of humor, sociability and various other desirable traits† (Heward, 2009, p. 458). Therefore, teachers find it a pleasure to teach these students. Teachers also look forward to observing their progress in school, home, and community settings.

macbeth :: essays research papers

Jurgens 1 The famous play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, has greatly influenced past societies and continues to be an influence in todayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s society. There is not only one great influence either, as there are many smaller ones that have affected society. Of these influences, Macbeth has had its greatest impact on the movie and literature industries. In literature, the play is kept alive in more than one way. There are many full-length books that just discuss and explain the play of Macbeth. Other ways the play is kept alive is through other authors rewriting it, but making slight changes or even using some of his lines or themes in their own plays or other pieces of literature. The movie industry was also greatly affected by Macbeth. Since the invention of movies, there have been many different versions of this play that have been adapted to the movie screen. Macbeth is a play that can last forever as it has everything that still interests and has always interested people such as murder, deceit, and a trip into the human psyche. This play has lived on in many facets of and had many important influences on society, but two of those greatest influences are on the movie and literature industries. Macbeth actually started its "afterlife" while William Shakespeare was still alive. Simon Formanà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Book of Plays is an example of the influence of the play. 1611, Simon Forman wrote a book in which he described the performance of four plays at the Globe Theater. Book of Plays is one of the only reports of how Shakespeareà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s plays were actually performed on stage. However, many parts of the play were omitted in Formanà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s summary. For example, he did not include the entire second appearance of the witches. Jurgens 2 Forman also included details that could not have possibly occurred on the stage of the Globe Theater. One example of this is when Forman reports that he sees Macbeth and Banquo riding through the woods. The Globe Theaterà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s set would not have allowed this to happen, so historians believe that Forman pulled this image from a version that he had read previously and not what actually had happened on stage. On the other hand, Forman gives an elaborate description of some of the staging of the play. For example, he states that in the banquet scene, the ghost of Banquo sits behind Macbeth.

How the divorce impact the children Essay

Divorce has become an everyday part of American society today. This has caused parents and professionals alike to have concern about the effects of divorce on children of all ages. Research in this area is new but is nevertheless helping us to gradually gain a better understanding and appreciation that divorce is difficult for a child of any age. This paper considers the effects of divorce on children ranging in age by summarizing and analyzing existing research. The focus of my paper will be measuring the different aspects of life affected by a child’s experience with divorce. Some of the factors that will be of concern include the subject’s age at the time of the divorce, gender and time passed since the divorce occurred. Mainly, this paper will be trying to prove that divorce can and does affect many aspects of a child’s future. There have been numerous studies and piles of research done on this topic since the beginning of divorce and more so now due to its rising numbers in our society. from the research that I have completed, it appears that a lot of this research is consistent as far as their results go. Divorce has become a major concern for children’s health and development in American society. Parents and professionals are becoming much more interested in the effects of divorce on children. It is definitely known that divorce is a very stressful time for children. Children, adolescents, and teenagers will are likely to experience feelings of anxiety, sadness and anger during and after their experiencing their parents’ divorce. Many of the resources that I have read have stated that parental divorce produced a moderate, long-term negative impact on their mental health as adults. The negative effects of divorce on mental health operated indirectly through higher emotional problems and lowe r levels of school achievement and family economic status. I have found that there have been several theoretical perspectives created, that I have read about, that try to explain some of the effects of divorce and other types of explanations for some of the behaviors. Some of these include the socialization perspective of divorce, interparental conflict, the divorce-stress-adjustment perspective, etc. These theories choose  different ways of looking at how divorce may affect the child experiencing it. One of these that I discussed, as an example was the divorce-stress-adjustment perspective, this views divorce as a very long-term event, beginning with the arguments and other behaviors that occur while the couple lives together and ending long after the legal procedures have been completed. This perspective also goes into the different emotional, behavioral and health issues connected with divorce. Many researchers are looking at divorce as an easy way out or selfishness on the part of the parents. Parents are not thinking about the lifelong and traumatic effects that they might be creating for their children by making the permanent decision to divorce. In most cases, unhappily married parents staying together for the sake of their kids, will be found as beneficial for them. Research has found that children of divorce are more likely to develop mental and emotional disorders later in life. These children are also likelier to start sexual activity earlier, abuse drugs, turn to crime and even as fateful as committing suicide. They additionally will find themselves facing problems in their future intimate relationships as they may not have had the proper model for one through their parents due to their split. These emotional problems may not appear right away that is why they have been given the title of a â€Å"sleeper effect†. Their parents divorce hangs like a cloud over their lives haunting them later on as adults. In researching my objective I do hope to find more precise descriptions on divorce than I presently have knowledge of. I want to develop a much better understanding of what aftermath, if it exists, of divorce may be for a child’s future. I think that I will have excellent results due to the fact that I will be studying numerous studies that have already been completed rather than just one or creating my own new study. My plan was to use more of a qualitative analysis through my research as opposed to a quantitative analysis. This is because I want to have a better sense of social observations that have previously been made. I will base my report on the information that I find by comparing and contrasting these numerous researchers’ collections of work. This is in hopes of finding any of the kinks that I may come across by reading so many different research projects  and then summarizing and putting all of the information together to make my final conclusions. According to Webster’s Dictionary, the definition of divorce is the legal dissolution of a marriage or to end marriage with one’s spouse. In looking up grounds for divorce one will find many different variations including but most certainly not limited to, adultery, desertion, physical or mental cruelty, habitual drunkenness, incurable mental illness, conviction of a crime, nonsupport, etc. The statistics for divorce in the 1990’s suggest that around fifty percent of marriages inevitably end in divorce. Given this startling figure, the assumption can be made that many children will experience some effects caused by this life-changing event called divorce. This unsettling realization that is being made through the collections of research being done is that young children of divorced parents are facing various types of psychological challenges due to the environmental conditions and changes associated and brought about by the event of divorce. â€Å"Recently, fami ly researchers have started to perceive marital disruption as a continuous, multistage process that may begin long before families dissolve and extend many years after divorce or separation† (Sun, 697). Children that experience their parents’ divorce will have trouble in the future with numerous social developments in their life such as, school, socialization with peers, intimate relationships, etc. My objective in doing this research is to study children that have experienced their parents’ divorce and find out how this may affect them in the future. I have a particular interest in this topic because my parents were divorced when I was thirteen. This experience was very hard on me and I feel that it still affects me today in certain aspects of my life. I also believe that it may have had a lot to do with molding me into the person that I am today. I would like to research this topic to see what has been found thus far through research so that I can develop a better understanding of my own personal situation and the millions of others in this similar situation. When compared to children of never-divorced families, researchers have agreed that children and adolescents from divorced families show poorer adjustment in numerous aspects of life. After following more than 100 kids whose parents had recently divorced, Judith Wallerstein concluded that the effects of a break in the family unit can be life-long and traumatic for a considerably large enough group of children and adolescents for us to have concern. â€Å"While their parents might feel liberated by getting out of an unhappy marriage, the kids were bereft. In interviews, many expressed a profound pessimism about their future† (Kantrowitz, 48). Adolescents and children also battle with anxiety, and self blame and anger, which then transform into the undercurrent for making bad decisions in their future relationships, and giving up hastily when any new kind of problems present themselves. Part of this struggle is said to be due to â€Å"the loss of the powerful mental image of the intact family inflicts the crucial harm† (Leo, 140). Later as adults, these young people become frightened of failure, commitment, and terrified that they might end up following in their parents footsteps. Such emotional hardships only set the stage for misbehavior and delinquent activity. As marriage has become a more optional and less permanent institution in contemporary America, adolescents are encountering stresses and adaptive challenges that reflect off of their parents’ marital transitions. Such dysfunctional self-concepts, anxiety and trouble adapting socially as discussed earlier have been proven to affect the child’s actions, as well as their mindset. Recent studies have shown that children of divorce are more depressed, aggressive toward parents and teachers, more likely to develop mental and emotional disorders later in life, start sexual activity earlier, have more children out of wedlock, have problems with drug abuse, crime and even have been lead to suicide (Leo, 140). The anxiety battles they face are brought with them most everywhere, including the classroom where numerous problems are being displayed. Additionally, these problems in the classroom may sooner than later appear on the streets and neighborhoods in some form of delinquency or violence. One of the concepts developed to describe an aspect of these problems caused  in children of divorce is the â€Å"sleeper effect†. This term is found in many researchers’ writings to describe the â€Å"deep and long-term emotional problems that arise only when the children enter early adulthood and begin to confront issues of romance and marriage† (Leo, 140). It is because of the â€Å"sleeper effect† that so many children of divorce are later in life finding themselves having different problems with numerous aspects including intimate relationships that they become involved in. Divorce is a difficult thing for a child of any age to be forced to face as their reality. Understanding what may be the necessity of the divorce is never the problem, it is learning how to deal with the consequences of it that they will find themselves facing later on down the road. Parental conflict appears to have a pronounced effect on the coping efforts of children. The intense anxiety and anger between some parents in the early stages of divorce is all too real. It is common behavior for the parents to allow their children to get in the middle of fierce verbal confrontations that may be occurring between them. Criticizing and belittling the other parent in front of the child is another way of placing the child in an unfair position. This, in essence, is leading to putting the pressure on the child to feel as if they must choose between the parents. A less tangible example of parental-conflict is the way in which the two opposite genders relate to one another in the presence of children. Mothers may treat fathers as if they are less important and undeserving of respect, just as the opposite can apply. Any form of parental conflict, no matter to what degree, leads to more confusion and a difficult adjustment period for the children involved. The deterioration in parent-child relationships after divorce is another leading cause in psychological maladjustment for children. â€Å"Recent studies say that it’s not the parents’ marriage or divorce that affects children’s later relationships, but the parent-child bond that is key to children’s success in achieving their own satisfying adult relationships† (Campbell, 16). With any divorce comes a new parenting plan of some kind. A child may experience either shared custody between the two parents or custody by one parent with visitation by the other parent. Variations of these plans can  be included or added at different times in the child’s life depending on special circumstances. More often than not, the mother is awarded custody of the children. The absence of the father on a full time level is detrimental to the healthy development of the children. In the case that the father is awarded custody of the children, the opposite applies as well. â€Å"Some scholars see the two-parent family as the fundamental institution of society–the setting in which adults achieve a sense of meaning, stability, and security and the setting in which children develop into healthy, competent, and productive citizens† (Amato, 1269). Studies have shown that deterioration in custodial parent-child relationships may frequently occur in the first year or two following divorce. The correlation between divorce and a drop in standards of living for female-headed families has been documented in several studies. The association between divorce and financial difficulties in these households may negatively impact children’s adjustment periods. â€Å"Because females have lower-paying jobs and often aren’t able to collect child support, they can’t provide an adequate standard of living for their families† (Henderson, 2). It is a disappointing statement but sadly usually still true today that men commonly are more successful in their occupations than women. Men are usually the ones that bring home more money and women usually win custody battles so a balance has to be found; the resulting decision most commonly being some form of child support. The decrease in income level can contribute to anxiety, frustration, and even embarrassment for children. Listed by age group are some of the more common post-divorce symptoms experienced by children. Preschool children are more likely to blame themselves and to experience nightmares, enuresis, and eating disturbances. Early-school age children suffer with academic problems, withdrawal and depression. Older school age children are more likely to blame one parent for the divorce and feel intense anger at one or both of their parents. Adolescents experience the most intense anger and also exhibit problems with developmental issues of independence and interpersonal relationships. The adjustment period for children experiencing divorce is traumatic. Parental conflict is generally high and tense in the beginning stages, which gives  children a sense of insecurity. Change occurring in the parent-child relationship is almost always prevalent leading children to worry about who will take care of them. Disorganization and inconsistency in parenting styles leave the children in a state of confus ion. Children don’t know what behavior is acceptable at mom’s vs. dad’s place of residence. Due to all these changes, it is reasonable to hypothesize that environmental condition and change associated with the post divorce adjustment period are mediated both by the different experiences that occur and by different responses to these experiences. This investigation was done as a means of proving my hypothesis that I developed before setting out to find my resources. My goal was to explore the different perceptions and experiences had by children of divorce that were stated in numerous different collections of research. This is what makes my research a qualitative study since I have chosen to examine and interpret my observations through the research of many other examiners of this topic. I have done this for the purpose of discovering any underlying meanings and patterns that may exist concerning the effects of divorce on children. As had been stated earlier, around 50% of marriages end in divorce. Divorce rates seem to be constantly rising, numbers closer to 60% have also been reported. â€Å"More than 12 million children younger than 18 years of age have divorced parents, and more than 1 million children younger than 18 years of age will experience divorce this year† (Lebowitz, 695). Even though growing up in divorced families raises the risk certain kinds of psychological, emotional and physical problems, it by no means forces the child into a terrible life. It has been found and recorded that â€Å"75% to 80% of children of divorce are functioning well, with little long-term damage†¦.25% of children from divorced families have serious social, emotional or psychological problems† (Corliss and McLauglin, 40). This study obviously is mainly focused on children ranging in ages from younger school aged to older teenagers and college adults. The one thing that the subjects in this study will have in common is their having been  through their parents’ divorce at some point in their childhood, adolescence or teenage years. Divorce obviously affects both males and females. The two genders have shown that they are affected differently in some cases, though they are for the most part similar. As long as families follow the trend that divorce is setting, more and more children will become the victims of their own parents’ divorce and be left to fend for themselves whether it is physically with unstable custodial parents or mentally without the needed role models and structure in their lives to keep them headed in a more positive direction. Divorce has been shown to adversely affect academic performance, and personal characteristics as far as social skills and self-presentation, it erodes the parent-child relationship and takes away structure and replaces it with a consequence free environment. When you take a child, an adolescent none-the-less at the height of confusion and insecurity and remove boundaries such as parents, rules, and regulations, some sort of trouble is likely to result. It is true that children are our future, so maybe we should be taking this fact into more serious consideration when making the decision to divorce which will more than likely have some kind of negative effect on their future well-being. The easiest recommendation to give to any married couple with children is to remain married for the kids’ sake. â€Å"If a couple can repair their marriage and develop an effective parental alliance, their kids will certainly benefit† (Coontz, 21). Divorce is commonly the easy way out, rather than spending a little extra time working things out, couples selfishly opt to divorce. Usually, their reasons for divorce are nothing more than just not getting along with each other like they used to. Parents have, for some reason, become unwilling to put forth the extra necessary effort towards making their relationship successful. Bibliography: Amato, Paul R. 2000. â€Å"The Consequences of Divorce for Adults and Children†. Journal of Marriage and Family. Vol. 62 Issue 4, p1269. Henderson, Zorika Petic. 1993. â€Å"Divorce Impoverishes Women and Children†. Human Ecology. Vol. 21, Issue 1 p2. Kirn, Walter. 2000. â€Å"Should You Stay Together for the Kids?† Time. September 25. Lach, Jennifer. 1999. â€Å"The Consequences of Divorce†. American Demographics. Vol 21 Issue 10 p14. Lebowitz, Marcia Lipman. 2001. â€Å"Divorce and the American Teenager†. American Academy of Pediatrics. Richardson, Christina D. and Rosen, Lee A. 1999. â€Å"School-Based Interventions for Children of Divorce†. Professional School Counseling, Vol. 3 Issue 1, p21. Robertson, Ian. 1995. â€Å"Bloody Kids†. British Medical Journal. Vol. 310 Issue 6987 p1143. Royal, Sharon W. and Knoff, Howard M. 1990. â€Å"Children and Divorce†. School Psychology Review. Vol. 19 Issue 2 p253. Studer, Jeannine R. and Allton, Judith A. 1996. â€Å"When Parents Divorce: Assisting Teens Adjust Through a Group Approach†. Guidance and Counseling. Vol. 11 Issue 4, p33. Webster, Pamela; Orbuch, Terri L. and House, James S. 1995. â€Å"Effects of Childhood Family Background on Adult Marital Quality and Perceived Stability†. American Journal of Sociology. Vol. 101 Issue 2, p404.