The Indian Caste System And The Love Laws Essay - 1434 Words

This upheaval of identity can be seen in way the colonial trauma pervades the social, political, and cultural environment depicted in The God of Small Things. The social, political, and cultural environments in turn invade the lives of the characters of the novel. The Indian caste system and the love laws, for instance, are driving forces in one of the main conflicts of the novel. The caste system, which was existed in its present form in the novel due to the British colonists favoring certain castes above others, categorized groups of people within Indian society and classified some as superior to others, with the Untouchables being the lowest classification of the human. The love laws determined â€Å"who should be loved, and how. And how much† (Roy 33). These histories work in tandem to create the tragedy of Ammu, the twins’ mother, and Velutha’s, an Untouchable and friend to the twins, doomed relationship. Because of these socially constructed class structure s, Ammu and Velutha’s relationship was forbidden and when Velutha’s father, Vellya, informs Mamacchi and Baby Kochamma of their relationship, they are completely horrified. Vellya’s relationship with the Ipe Family also somewhat parallels the colonized people’s relationship with the colonizer. Vellya, as an Untouchable, occupies a lower social position than the Ipe Family and sees them as superior. By informing the Mamacchi about her daughter and his son’s relationship, he maintains the social class structures and theShow MoreRelatedThe God Of Small Things By Amitabh Roy Essay1541 Words   |  7 Pageslearning more about the Indian culture. Although the majority of my family was brought up in the culture, I was still intrigued to understand how my lifestyle differed from traditional Indian values. Before choosing a book to read for this class, I wanted to find one that would expand my knowledge in a variety of ways by the use of important key topi cs which were discussed in lectures. Furthermore, prior to reading The God of Small Things, I knew very little about how the caste system worked and the colonialRead MoreThe Progression Of Marriage Within South Asia1726 Words   |  7 PagesMarriage â€Å"the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law† (Merriam-Webster). In my research I will be discussing the progression of marriage in south Asia. South Asia is a well-known region for countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka etc. The birthplace of both Hinduism and Buddhism originated in south Asia and it’s the world s third and fourth largest religions. In the 7th centuryRead MoreTheme Of Race In Beloved And The God Of Small Things1067 Words   |  5 PagesAmmu and Velutha, due to the caste system. The caste system separates Hindus into ranked groups, basing these groups on the people’s karma a nd dharma. Robert Ross describes it as â€Å"how a once-wealthy and prestigious family from the South Indian state of Kerala rushes headlong to destruction† (Ross, 1997) and â€Å"the social structure that leads to the mistreatment of the untouchable class† (Ross, 1998). In Roy’s novel, both Ammu and Velutha break the laws of India’s caste system. Velutha is labelled as aRead MoreReligious Beliefs, Traditions, Practices, Customs, And Indian Religions933 Words   |  4 Pageson of the Indian people (16). The faith is so deep in tradition, that its roots make it difficult to specifically define the religion. An important theme throughout Hinduism, however, is the understanding of the omnipresence of the divine in every alive being (17). The first way in which Semitic and Indian religions differ in origin is that 1) Semitic religions practice monotheism whereas Indian faiths practice polytheism. Secondly, 2) Semitic faiths are concerned with following the l aws of MosesRead MoreUntouchables1574 Words   |  7 Pagesunderlying complications that the seeming unbreakable caste system has projected on its cultural members. What are untouchables? Untouchables, or achutta, are the lowest ranking members in the caste system – or pecking order. O’Neil states that â€Å"untouchables are outcasts – people considered too impure, too polluted, to rank as worthy beings,† (ONeil, p. 1). Interestingly, untouchables are not deformed or distinctively different from other Indians in any way. â€Å"Their skin is the same color. They don’tRead MoreIndia s Caste System Of India1709 Words   |  7 PagesIndia’s Caste System The Caste system has aroused much controversy than any other feature of India’s society. Every day, Dalits are butchered, assaulted, abused, raped, lynched, shot or openly mutilated without considering any consequences of the offenders. The deaths of pregnant women who are not able to pay the bribes at government hospitals, some boys with eyes raised completely out for falling in love with a girl of a superior caste, and horrid stories of employees boiled to death because ofRead MoreGod of Small Things960 Words   |  4 Pagescharacters in the novel. The character or characters who engage in unlawful sexual acts are punished while unwanted or undesired race is purged. In this Indian society that worships England, Love Laws, and the Caste System race and sex creates intra-racial racism within the Indian communities that is reinforced with force through the government and Caste System. Intra-racial racism is a result of internalized racism while internalized racism is a result of Anglophilia. The God of Small Things depicts thisRead MoreLove Marriage vs Arranged Marriage!635 Words   |  3 Pagesof the Indian mind. Love marriage is supposed to provide freedom and more independence as compared to arranged marriages where the girl/boy is chosen by the parents. The usual question of love marriage voters against arranged one is that how can anyone marry the person whom they don’t know? Amid popular love lore like Soni Mahiwal, India always had a long tradition of arranged marriages. With the advent of the British and the subsequent introduction of British education system more Indians got educatedRead MorePhilosophies of China and India Essay858 Words   |  4 Pagesis a strict rule of law, and that anyone that breaks the law is severely punished. It was used to show legitimacy of power in rulers and to curtain rebellion and overthrow of the government. Lastly, Mohism is the idea of universal love. Basically, think about the ideal as the hippie movement. Mohism states that we should love everyone universally and that will help improve our lives. Indian philosophy differs greatly from China in many areas. The basic principles of Indian philosophy are DharmaRead MoreThe God Of Small Things By Arundhati Roy1313 Words   |  6 Pagesonce their problems have taken a turn for the worse. A major theme of this story is the society of India and the caste system that is in place. Some characters that were majorly affected by the caste system are a woman named Ammu and her two children, Estha and Rahel along with an Untouchable named Velutha. Besides the caste system Ammu and her children must worry about the social system and the outcomes of actions that are not socially acceptable. Another recurring theme of this novel is the change

Taking a Look at Bullying - 690 Words

What happens with bullies and the people that get bullied during school and when they get out of school?† Although most bullies think theyre hot stuff and have the right to push people around, others are actually insecure.†says U.S. Department of Health Human Services â€Å"Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time.†says U.S. Department of Health Human Services. Both kids who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems.† bullying needs to stop it’s not good for the bully and the person getting bullied.bullying at school should stop because it can impact someones ability to learn, Anxiety,and ways to prevent bullying at school and in the community. One reason bullying should stop because it can have an impact on someones ability to learn.students and children that go to school might not went to go to school or even skip school because of bullies and they could be getting bullied.Every day thousands of teens wake up afraid to go to school. Bullying is a problem that affects millions of students, and it has everyone worried, not just the kids on its receiving end.(â€Å"Bullying Is a Big Problem†).Bullying can threaten students’ physical and emotional safety at school and can negatively impact their ability to learn.(â€Å"Prevention at School†).someone’s grades could drop from getting bullied and their mood andShow MoreRelatedTaking a Look at Bullying624 Words   |  3 PagesBullying Bullying in schools was perceived to be a normal part of adolescent, however, when people begin to have this mentality, they forget that bullying is physically and psychologically harmful to both the bully and the victim. Bullying was known as an unfortunate cycle of adolescents and for many years have been dismissed as a passage of growing up. But not until tragic events have led to believe that bullying has a greater impact on a child’s life what first were playful jokes it has ledRead MoreTaking a Look at Bullying710 Words   |  3 PagesBullying is not just punching someone in the face or calling people names, it is more than that. (bullying must stop - Bullying In General) Bullying takes form in many ways. All of the examples include physical, verbal, indirect, social alienation, prejudicial, sexual and cyber bullying (bullying.about.com). Did you know that an estimated 200 million children and youth around the world are being bullied (Facts and figures about bullying - Kidspot Australia. It is very true that too many peopleRead MoreTaking a Look at Bullying676 Words   |  3 Pagesis known around the world as a bully. Bullying has become a big problem in the U.S. as days go by it seem s like there is nothing that can stop this problem. There are different types of bullying and different places that bullying can occur. There is physical bullying, verbal bullying, relational aggression, cyber bullying, sexual bullying, and prejudicial bullying. But the most common ones are physical bullying, cyber bullying, and relational bullying. Bullying can also occur in different places likeRead MoreTaking a look at Bullying712 Words   |  3 PagesIn today’s society bullying has become a major issue that the kids in America are facing. Over the years, this issue has evolved from bullying verbally to cyberbullying. With the increase in use of technology children are beginning to use internet sites such as Facebook, twitter, and Instagram to judge other peers. With issues beginning on the internet they are also bringing them with them into the schools, workplaces, and many other local places. The cyberbullying is causing emotional problems throughoutRead MoreTaking a Lo ok at a Bullying Case884 Words   |  4 PagesEducation Association 160,000 children miss school every day in fear of other students. â€Å"1 of 7 students in grade K-12 is either a bully or a victim of bullying.† After conversing with an educator who worked in a school in the rural part of the state I have learned that bullying differs between rural and urban areas. In rural areas sexuaity drives bullying more than in urban areas, gender roles are more valued in remote areas. The educator had observed that adolescents that haven’t yet discovered theirRead MoreHow Children Being Bullied Can Not Only Affect Them1021 Words   |  5 PagesWhen one thinks of bullying, they usually associated it with the phrase, â€Å"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me† those â€Å"sticks and stones† may not only just break those bones, but can undoubtedly leave a lasting impact on a person and make those hateful words and actions hurt that mu ch more to a point that the person would not know how to deal with them. Bullying has become a problematic issue in today’s society, especially where school age children is concerned. BulliesRead MoreThe Effects Of Bullying On Students Within The School System920 Words   |  4 Pagesor children carry. Bullying. Bullying over the course of the years still plays a role in the education system. Although the form of bullying has changed from the past to now, it still has an effect on students within the school systems. In the past there was the physical form of bullying where â€Å"jocks† would push the â€Å"nerds† into lockers or their books out of their hands. Another typical term used by bullies that anybody can recognize is, â€Å"give me your lunch money,† but bullying has evolved over theRead MoreBullying Essay Bullies718 Words   |  3 Pagesâ€Å"No one heals himself by wounding another† according to St. Ambrose. I agree with this quote, pu tting someone else down doesn’t pick you up. Taking your insecurities and judging someone else on it doesn stop making you insecure. In my view, besides physical violence, the worst thing a person can do is bully another person. In support of this, bullying prevents people from living a normal life, can lead to self-harm, and may involve trouble with the law. All three of those are serious effects fromRead MoreBullying : Bullying And Bullying1366 Words   |  6 PagesKyle McBrady Ms. Coyle English 2A (3) 9 December 2014 Bullying Leading to Violence Bullying is when a person abuses his power to another person by causing physical or mental harm to the victim who is often weaker, says Dictionary.com (Bullying). This definition can be applied to a recent story in The Washington Post, where bullying caused a student by the name of Jaylen Fryberg to shoot his friends in a lunchroom cafeteria. Jaylen and his girlfriend had recently broken up and she began cyberbullyingRead MoreEssay on We Must Confront Bullying As a Nation722 Words   |  3 PagesAnyone who has been bullied knows that pretending as if the perpetrator does not exist is virtually impossible. In fact bullying is a serious matter that we as a society must confront and strive to abolish. Since bullying can occur in a variety of ways, one must first understand its nuances to recognize that bullying is taking place and then realize the gravity of bullying. Bullying affects an entire community of kids. A single student who bullies can have a wide-ranging impact on the students, not

The Business Activities Study Free Essays

string(151) " manager Troy Dexter who is responsible for the investment decisions of his fund and who chooses between the above asset classes \(asset allocation\)\." This case study is related to the business activities of a hedge fund which performs a macro investment strategy. Its investment manager Troy Dexter seeks for profits which arise from shifts in the real economy. As he considers an end of the Australian housing market boom as likely, he anticipates that Australia’s overall economic growth will slow down, whereas the prices for energy will go up. We will write a custom essay sample on The Business Activities Study or any similar topic only for you Order Now In reaction to those expectations he decides to purchase treasury bonds and stocks of energy companies Against this background Case Study 1 is aimed at classifying Troy Dexter’s two investment decisions as either direct or indirect investments. Such a classification provides different results depending on the party from whose perspective it is assessed. Thus, it is the purpose of the following section of this work to distinguish between the terms direct and indirect investment based on the corresponding point of view using practical illustrations whenever possible. This is to be done after clarifying key terms associated therewith first. Term definition A hedge fund is an alternative investment vehicle which excessively uses financial instruments such as derivatives and leverage and in which an aggressive management strategy is usually applied (Fung Hsieh, 2004). As Capocci and Hà ¼bner (2004) state, a hedge fund’s major purpose is to generate active return (called alpha) for its typically wealthy investor base. As hedge funds are less exposed to capital market regulation than other fund types, they are able to generate – on average – higher returns, but associated with higher levels of risk as well (Lederman, 2012). Troy’s decision to purchase energy stocks is related to his expectation of rising oil prices. Given his expectation turns out to be correct, the share price of oil producing companies will increase. The term â€Å"energy stock market†, however, comprises not only oil producing companies, but all other kinds of energy producing firms, as well as energy infrastructure and energy service providers, too (Henriques Sadorsky, 2008). As Henriques and Sadorsky (2008) note, a rise in the oil price will not only increase the share price of oil and gas producers, but also the market value of those firms which offer substitutes (e.g. solar and wind energy) will increase. This holds as their products become more competitive in such an environment and their turnover is likely to increase. Stockholders who have purchased such stocks directly for their own stock portfolio before a rise in the oil price has taken place, will profit. Their profits, on the one hand, consist of the 4 chan ce to sell those shares at a higher price at the stock market and, on the other hand, of (increased) dividend payments (Bodie, 2013). Treasury bonds purchased in the debt market are usually characterized by less risk than any kind of stock market investment (Sharpe et al., 1999). Given Troy’s expectation about the future economic environment of Australia, his decision to purchase such long-term fixed interest debt instruments is reasonable. This holds as they are issued by the Australian government which is very unlikely to default (Chaudhuri ; Smiles, 2004). On the contrary, as the Australian government has several tools at hand which allows it to make interest payments as promised (e.g. increase taxes), a treasury bond is considered as one of the safest investment forms available in the market (Hull et al., 2005). Investors who have decided to hold treasury bonds in their stock portfolio (direct security investment) can expect a fixed interest on their investment. The historic development of the Australian 10-year treasury bond is illustrated below.   Source: Reserve Bank of Australia, 2017. From this graph it can be derived that the long term trend of Australian treasury bonds is downward sloping. Starting from a level of more than 10.0% in 1995, the interest rate went down to about 3.0% in 2013. Interest rates in the short run are stagnating on a relatively low level of about 3.0%. Based on the fact that Troy Dexter has founded the hedge fund in 2009, it can be stated that his decision was right in the short run: Interest rates, indeed, went up from 4.0% to 6.0% between January 2009 and January 2010. However, it has to be noted that in the subsequent years his expectation turned out to be incorrect: Starting from January 2011, interest rates on the Australian 10-year treasury bond went down to about 3.0% in January 2013. This implies for Troy Dexter as the fund manager that his hedge fund may have generated losses from 2011 onwards as the interest rate of Australian treasury bonds have lacked his expectations. The figure adds value to the topic of this work as it illustrates that the fund manager’s decision to invest in treasury bonds could not have been a smart decision in the long run: Fund investors are indirectly suffering from this decision as they have decided to provide Troy Dexter with parts of their funds which are now invested in a non-optimal security. 1. Direct vs. indirect securities – Northwest Capital Management perspective In order to classify Northwest Capital Management’s investments in treasury bonds and energy stocks from the firm’s perspective, one has to understand the business concept of capital management firms first. Firms such as Troy Dexter’s hedge fund business aim at professionally managing private investor’s funds. They do so by investing customers’ money in a broad range of asset classes, restricted by particular investment goals (Fung ; Hsieh, 2001). However, as Brav et al. (2010) notice, the service such firms provide is not just related to the optimum asset allocation, but financial statement analysis as well as the monitoring of existing investments plays an important role, too. Hedge funds – in contrast to more conservative capital management firms – invest a relatively high percentage of its assets in risky asset classes such as the stock market of even emerging market economies (Jansen et al., 1998). The portfolio composition of an exemplary hedge fund is illustrated in the graph below. Source: Blair, 2001. The figure above already reveals that it is the hedge fund manager Troy Dexter who is responsible for the investment decisions of his fund and who chooses between the above asset classes (asset allocation). You read "The Business Activities Study" in category "Papers" It is important to understand that the private investor is not involved in the daily investment process of the hedge fund, but hands over any responsibility for the invested amount of money to Troy Dexter. 0.50% 0.50% 31% 19% 15% 14% 7% 6% 3% 2% 2% Strategy composition of a hedge fund Short selling Other Equity long/short Macro Relative value arbitrage Event driven Fixed income Convertible arbitrage Distressed securities/high yield Equity markets neutral Emerging markets 6 Derived from this line of reasoning it can be stated that Troy Dexter’s intended purchase of treasury bonds and energy stocks can be considered as a direct securities investment from the firm’s point of view. This holds, because there is no third party involved in Troy’s securities acquisition process (Bodie, 2013). In contrast, it is likely to be assumed that Troy himself owns a trading platform which he can use to exercise any stock market transactions personally and immediately. Even if Troy does not own such a trading platform, the consultation of a stock broker can still be considered as a direct securities investment from Northwest Capital Management’s point of view. This holds because a stock broker can simply be considered as an entity which executes buy and sell orders on behalf of someone else for a particular fee or commission (Pollock et al., 2004). As Pollock et al. (2014) note, brokers are not allowed to alter the order, but execute the transaction only. 2. Direct vs. indirect securities – Investor perspective Taking the viewpoint of an investor in Troy Dexter’s hedge fund, Troy’s investment decisions can clearly be considered as indirect investments. As stated above, the fund manager decides about the allocation across available asset classes. The investor knows about the financial risks tied to Troy’s investment decisions from the prospectus and may have expectations about a desired return, but cannot alter Troy’s daily sell and buy orders. However, this would be a vitally important characteristic of a direct securities investment. As soon as customers have decided to invest in the fund, they have to sign a declaration of consent in which they transfer the responsibility for managing their funds to the portfolio management team (in our case to Troy Dexter) (Philpot ; Jonson, 2007). Not the investors themselves engage a broker who carries out financial market transactions, but Troy Dexter does that on behalf of them using his financial market knowledge. In this context it is important to note that – although restrictions are less strict in a hedge fund – fund managers have to stick to the proposed fund objective and are not allowed to invest in anything which is not related to the praised goal of the fund, although it may be a lucrative investment (Philpot ; Jonson, 2007). This assignment of any kind of right to alter the investment decision related to maximizing investors’ own monetary wealth underpins the indirect nature of a fund investment from an investor’s point of view. The incentives for customers of Northwest Capital Management to provide Troy Dexter with the rights to manage their savings on behalf of them (indirect investment) is related to Troy Dexter’s expertise about financial markets (Capon et al., 1996). Additionally, as Capon et al. (1996) state, the pooling of large amounts of money in the hedge fund provides customers with a lot more market power than they would have when investing on their own. This shows that although private investors cannot actively decide about each investment decision on their own, the indirect securities investment through Troy Dexter’s Northwest Capital Management is utterly worthwhile for its investor base. It can be summarized that investing in a hedge fund implies no direct securities investment from the private investors’ perspective. This is compounded by the fact that private investors of a hedge fund do not own any securities themselves (Droms Walker, 1996). Instead, those securities are entirely controlled by the fund managers who either own a trading platform themselves or contact brokers to carry out deals which are likely to benefit the fund’s investor base. Shareholders are not able to access the fund’s existing investments on a daily basis, but have to rely on the fund managers’ expertise (Droms ; Walker, 1996). This trust, however, may be the basis for higher returns compared to investing individually on any kind of capital market. 7 Furthermore, the indirect securities investment from the investor’s point of view implies that each single investor gains or loses proportionally to his or her investment in Troy Dexter’s hedge fund. This fact stands in sharp contrast to a direct securities investment in which an investor is on his own and has a claim on any gains and losses related to this investment (Bodie, 2013). Instead of having the chance to convert profits right away in a direct securities investment, an indirect investment via a fund prohibits an investor from this right and makes him dependent on the decisions of the fund manager. Recommendations: A common way of how to classify securities is to divide them into either direct or indirect securities. In this context it is of particular importance to distinguish between either an investment manager’s or a private investor’s perspective (Davis, 2004). Conclusion: The statements above have shown that the classification of any kind of investment as being either direct or indirect depends on the party from whose perspective such a classification is made. In the case of a hedge fund one can categorize an investment as an indirect one from the investor perspective and as a direct one from the fund manager’s perspective. This holds as it is not the investor who makes any kind of investment decision, but the fund manager on his behalf. The investor puts trust in the fund manager’s capital market expertise when deciding to invest in a fund and – at the same time – cedes any kind of rights to alter the fund manager’s perspective on the future development of the capital market. In contrast, the fund manager, on a daily basis, has to directly â€Å"step† in the capital market and has to sell or buy certain types of investments. References Blair, F. (2001): Managing the equity portfolio: South-Western College Publishing. Bodie, Z. (2013): Investments: McGraw-Hill. Brav, A.; Jiang, W.; Kim, H. (2010): Hedge fund activism. A review. In: Foundations and Trends in Finance 4(3), p. 185–246. Capocci, D.; Hà ¼bner, G. (2004): Analysis of hedge fund performance. In: Journal of Empirical Finance 11(1), p. 55–89. Capon, N.; Fitzsimons, G. J.; Prince, R. A. (1996): An individual level analysis of the mutual fund investment decision. In: Journal of Financial Services Research 10(1), p. 59–82. Chaudhuri, K.; Smiles, S. (2004): Stock market and aggregate economic activity. Evidence from Australia. In: Applied Financial Economics 14(2), p. 121–129. 8 Cristodoulou, A. (2016): The internal rate of return problems and manners of solution. In: Prospettive e Proposte Mediterranee-Rivista di Economia, Agricoltura e Ambiente. Online available at http://www.iamb.it/share/img_new_medit_articoli/802_32cristodoulou.pdf. Davis, E. P. (2004): Institutional investors. In: MIT press. Droms, W. G.; Walker, D. A. (1996): Mutual fund investment performance. In: The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance 36(3), p. 347–363. Fung, W.; Hsieh, D. A. (2001): The risk in hedge fund strategies. Theory and evidence from trend followers. In: Review of Financial Studies 14(2), p. 313–341. Fung, W.; Hsieh, D. A. (2004): Hedge fund benchmarks. A risk-based approach. In: Financial Analysts Journal 60(5), p. 65–80. Hasan M. (2013): Capital budgeting Techniques used by small manufacturing companies. In: Journal of Service Science and Management. Henriques, I.; Sadorsky, P. (2008): Oil prices and the stock prices of alternative energy companies. In: Energy Economics 30(3), p. 998–1010. Hull, J. C.; Preduescu, M.; White, A. (2005): Bond prices, default probabilities and risk premiums. In: Working paper. Jansen, A.; Mathieson, M. D. J.; Eichengreen, M. B. J.; Kodres, M. L. E.; Chadha, M. B.; Sharma, M. S. (1998): Hedge funds and financial market dynamics 166. Jung, K.; Yong-Cheol, K.; Stulz, R. M. (1996): Timing, investment opportunities, managerial discretion, and the security issue decision. In: Journal of Financial Economics 42(2), p. 159-186. Layton, A., Robinson, T., Tucker, I. (2015): Economics for today (5th ed.). Thomson, South Melbourne, Australia. Lederman, S. J. (2012): Hedge fund regulation. Philpot, J.; Jonson, D. T. (2007): Mutual fund performance and fund prospectus clarity. In: Journal of Financial Services Marketing 11(3), p. 211–216. Pollock, T. G.; Porac, J. F.; Wade, J. B. (2004): Constructing deal networks. Brokers as network architects in the US IPO market and other examples. In: Academy of Management Review 29(1), p. 50–72. Reserve Bank of Australia (2017). Online available at http://www.rba.gov.au/statistics/historicaldata.html. Rudolph, S. (2008): Net Present Value Rule in comparison to the payback and internal rate of return methods. In: Working Paper. Sharpe, W. F.; Alexander, G. J.; Bailey, J. V. (1999): Investments: Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall 6. Titman, Sheridan (2015): Financial Management. Principles and Applications. (7th ed.). Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson. How to cite The Business Activities Study, Papers

Kraft Dinner in Canada-Free-Samples for Students-Myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about the Canadian cuisine foodways and national identity. Answer: The food product known as Kraft Dinner in Canada is a nonperishable, packaged dry macaroni and cheese product. The produced first came into the market in the year 1937 and is known for the innovation brought about in making the product. The present paper evaluates whether Kraft Dinner is emblematic of Canadian cuisine. It highlights the global and Canadian commodity chain that brings this product in an economical and easy to prepare fashion. The paper further highlights the industry, technologies and marketing strategies that enable this product to be constructed as a convenience food. Lastly, the social relations that the product enables or disables is brought into focus. Kraft Dinner was first introduced by James Lewis Kraft under the same name in both US and Canada while it has now developed into different other formulations. The product had the original idea of combining the nonperishable dried macaroni noodles with a processed cheese powder for so that he dish could be made by preparing the pasta and adding the milk, butter and cheese powder. The product is a major brand of Kraft and Heinz merger after Kraft Foods Group Inc. merged with the H.J. Heinz Company. Kraft Foods Group Inc. has its core business in cheese, dairy, beverage and convenience food sector. The timing of the launch of the product had significance in relation to the World War II as rationing of dairy products and enhanced dependence on meatless products created a captive market for Kraft Dinner (Chapman 2012). Kraft Dinner is designated as K.D. in Canada and has a different name in other markets. Thus, the Canadian advertising and marketing platform is a made-in-Canada initiative. Kraft Dinner has been known to be the de facto national dish of Canada. Records indicate that Canadians are responsible for buying almost 1.7 million of the 7 million boxes of the product sold each week on a global scale. The meal has been denoted to be the most popular grocery item in Canada where it is an iconic status, becoming a generic trademark for cheese and macaroni. The product was marketed at the initial stage with the slogan "a meal for four in nine minutes for an everyday price of 19 cents. The product is promoted strongly towards children and teenagers on television. Kraft has advertising programs that intend to make the food product tempting to newly arrived immigrant groups in Canada. Newman (2017: 32-33) pointed out that Canada is a large wheat producer, with high production of wheat used for the various food products developed through innovation. Further, the country has a significant dairy sector contributing to the large production of milk and cheese in the country. Canadians have a love for their local food and embrace the culture brought about through food. Kraft Dinner has taken this opportunity to explore the scope of creating a large market for food products made chiefly from these two ingredients. The modern food industry focuses on the common mantle of humble servings that make life convenient for the individuals, irrespective of whether he is an aristocrat or a common person. The food industrys main focus for its products is a convenience, better explained as We do it all for you. Reflecting on this idea, it can be stated that the success of Kraft Dinner lies in the fact that it has been profoundly viewed as a convenience food that targets a large section of the population. Cheese plays a large dietary role in the lives of Canadians, and when it comes in a form that is easily available and digestible, it builds an intense and intimate relationship with the citizens, like Kraft Dinner. Canadians are divided into two categories; food secure Canadians and food insecure Canadians. While the former might associate Kraft Dinner with comfort, the latter might associate the same with discomfort. These differences arise from the fact that Kraft Dinner consumption by food secure Canad ians is voluntary (Belasco 2008: 60). Most people in Canada are referring to considering changes in how they are loyal towards a certain food product and focusing on bringing alterations in them. The change is more than cosmetic as it signals challenge that old food product companies might grapple with their best products in the coming years (Penfold 2008: 62). This key insight might hold implications for Kraft Dinner as well since the companys research indicates that its relevance among younger citizens might plummet. For a brand that is mostly dependent on the affection of its consumers, it might lead to decrease in the sales over the years. In conclusion, Kraft Dinner can be stated as emblematic of Canadian cuisine. The product is undergoing a transformation in the manner in which it makes an impact on the lives of its consumers. Ignorance among a section of the population might be accountable for a dominant response towards the product in future. References Belasco, Warren. 2008. Convenience: the global food chain. Pp. 55-78 in Food: the key concepts. Bloomsbury Publishing. Chapman, Sasha. 2012. Manufacturing Taste The Walrus. Retrieved February 14, 2018 (https://thewalrus.ca/manufacturing-taste/) Newman, Lenore. 2017. The language of cuisine. Pp. 20-35 in Speaking in cod tongues: a Canadian culinary journey. Regina SK: University of Regina Press. Penfold, Steven. 2002. Eddie Shack was no Tim Horton. Pp. 48-66 in The Donut: A Canadian history.

Comparing the Ideologies of Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, and Max Weber Essay Example

Comparing the Ideologies of Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, and Max Weber Paper Comparing the Ideologies of Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, and Max Weber Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, and Max Weber were three historical sociologists. Their views have become world renown and have shaped many ways of interpreting the social structure of many modern societies. This essay will take a glimpse into the three sociologists’ ideals and expose the similarities and differences they may have. Karl Marx’s view of society was based around the economy. All other social structures according to Marx, such as religion, family values, and politics stem from the base, the economy. Religion played no part at all in Marx’s sociological views. He is known as an atheist. He believed that religion was nothing more than a burden on society. â€Å"The economy that forms from the means of production results in the division of labor and forms property† (Simon 1). Division of labor can be described as the way in which tasks are divided in a society. Certain people are assigned certain tasks which help to make sure that the social structure progresses smoothly. As society becomes more advanced, the division of labor becomes more advanced, because more tasks become necessary for society to stably exist. We will write a custom essay sample on Comparing the Ideologies of Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, and Max Weber specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Comparing the Ideologies of Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, and Max Weber specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Comparing the Ideologies of Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, and Max Weber specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Therefore, in Marx’s opinion, the economy grows and advances society which fuels the division of labor that is necessary for harmonious living. Marx believed that social struggle was the main cause of social evolution. In a society there is always a group that is in some way oppressed. If we look back just a few hundred years we see this in slavery, and before that serfdom. So how does oppression promote social change? â€Å"It is the ruling economic class that determines the dominant ideology in a society†¦ And it is class interest that the proletariat must oppose with revolution. †(Simon 2). The upper class in society rules over all the lower classes. When the oppression becomes an unbearable horror for the lower class, they must revolt, according to Marx. We saw this with both given examples. Serfs often fled from their lords, and slaves sought refuge in non-slave states and sometimes even killed their owners. In the case of slavery, there was a complete societal split between the north and the south in America. The main dispute between the two sides was the subject of slavery. But if not for the slaves revolting and feeing, maybe no action would have been taken. This is Marx’s view of social evolution at its finest. The lower class fought for social freedom, and American society was forever changed. So basically, Marx’s cycle of social change is simply Oppression, revolution, uprising, and then the cycle repeats itself as another lower class becomes oppressed. Durkheim believed that social order is obtained through social integration, which is the extent to which the members of a society are held together. â€Å"Durkheim advances his theory of social transition where he argues that social order is maintained through social integration and regulations in a social equilibrium. All nations develop normative behavior patterns and belief systems in the evolutionary change process. During the transitional period the diffusion of new norms and values disrupts the equilibrium of traditional societies. †(Zhao 2). Durkheim believed that society is held together by social integration, but when society is evolving, chaos takes over until new social norms are set. After these social norms are integrated into the new society, social equilibrium is once again achieved; that is until the next social evolution. This in between stage of chaotic change is fueled by what Durkheim called anomie. Anomie is described as a breakdown of social norms regulating individual behavior and social interaction. †(Zhao 4). Durkheim claimed that is human nature to act in a chaotic manner and to seek evolution. The only way he believed that order was possible was through social integration. Religion was a factor in the sociological views of Durkheim. â€Å"Religion, in this ma nner, contributes to the constitution and protection of social order by supplying a moral order. That is to say that ‘since society will always require periodic reaffirmation, religion is an indispensable, permanent social fixture. †(Mazman 10). Durkheim does not hint whether he himself is religious or not, he simply states that religion is necessary to have social integration. He claims that a moral order is necessary in society. It is a set list of rights and wrongs for people to live by. This order is never changed or even questioned by the members of society in times of peace. This moral order cannot simply be insisted by a ruler of some sort, it is much more complex than that. The moral order must come from an unquestionable source. This is why religion is necessary. With religion ruling people, they are threatened not with a punishment in this life, but with eternal damnation. People fear what they do not understand; therefore religion is the only thing that can provide absolute social order. A higher being that no person can see or hear cannot be questioned. The fear of eternal punishment will force a large majority of members of society to submit to the moral and social order. Durkheim insists that religion is one of the greatest ways to prevent anomie which leads to the inevitable society revolutionizing chaos. Max Weber greatly opposed Karl Marx’s views on religion and economy. Weber believed that the economy was certainly not even close to the center of society. â€Å"Economies result from communities, which are arranged in such a way that goods, tangible and intangible, symbolic and material, are distributed. Such a distribution is always unequal and necessarily involves power. †(Simon 8). So in Weber’s opinion material possessions are the root of inequality. Nothing is distributed equally and therefore, leads to social injustice and in some cases oppression. Weber believed that religion was responsible for change in society. â€Å"For Weber, religion, because it calls forth a type of personality through beliefs in ethical values, affects social life and interactions. These ethical values and religious ideas, in turn, are affected by social, economic and political conditions in a given society. †(Mazman 13). Weber’s view on religion is similar to that of Durkheim. Weber believed that religion gave society a set moral order. Weber also claimed that as society advanced the religious views advanced to somewhat modernize the social order. Weber’s work is therefore an invitation to see the history of political institutions, the history of religions or the history of morals as guided by a diffuse program aiming at defining institutions, rules, etc. which will most efficiently respect the dignity and vital interests of all. †(Boudon 6) Weber also dug even deeper. He claimed that certain religions prospered more than ot hers. He actually did prove this. Weber showed that Protestants had the best religion, not in the sense of religious views, but socially and economically. Protestantism provided modern individuals with coherent, meaningful, ethical conduct in terms of seeking salvation and God’s blessing in their worldly activities. †(Mazman 13). The Protestants believed in vocation. They believed that whatever occupation they had in life was not simply by chance, but they were called to it. They were what most would call ‘workaholics’ who dedicated every free second of their time to work. This made the Protestants statistically the most financially well-off group in most societies. This goes back to Weber’s view of the social structure. The Protestants were the wealthiest so they would be the leaders of society. So as I have shown, these three sociologists, Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, and Max Weber, had world renowned views of society. They all had points that were unquestionable yet others that were flaky at best. We often saw views of each man overlapping. One cannot help but to ponder what if another sociologist came along and took the best parts of their works and put the pieces together. Would the perfect sociological view be formed? Only time can tell. ?

Chlorine From Periodic Table of the Elements

Chlorine From Periodic Table of the Elements Atomic Number: 17 Symbol: Cl Atomic Weight: 35.4527 Discovery: Carl Wilhelm Scheele 1774 (Sweden) Electron Configuration: [Ne] 3s2 3p5 Word Origin: Greek: khloros: greenish-yellow Properties: Chlorine has a melting point of -100.98Â °C, boiling point of -34.6Â °C, density of 3.214 g/l, specific gravity of 1.56 (-33.6Â °C), with a valence of 1, 3, 5, or 7. Chlorine is a member of the halogen group of elements and directly combines with almost all of the other elements. Chlorine gas is a greenish yellow. Chlorine figures prominently in many organic chemistry reactions, particularly in substitutions with hydrogen. The gas acts as an irritant for respiratory and other mucous membranes. The liquid form will burn the skin. Humans can smell as low an amount as 3.5 ppm. A few breaths at a concentration of 1000 ppm is usually fatal. Uses: Chlorine is used in many everyday products. It is used for disinfecting drinking water. Chlorine is used in the production of textiles, paper products, dyes, petroleum products, medicines, insecticides, disinfectants, foods, solvents, plastics, paints, and many other products. The element is used to manufacture chlorates, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, and in the extraction of bromine. Chlorine has been used as a chemical warfare agent. Sources: In nature, chlorine is only found in the combined state, most commonly with sodium as NaCl and in carnallite (KMgCl36H2O) and sylvite (KCl). The element is obtained from chlorides by electrolysis or via the action of oxidizing agents. Element Classification: Halogen Chlorine Physical Data Density (g/cc): 1.56 ( -33.6 Â °C) Melting Point (K): 172.2 Boiling Point (K): 238.6 Appearance: greenish-yellow, irritating gas. At high pressure or low temperature: red to clear. Isotopes: 16 known isotopes with atomic masses ranging from 31 to 46 amu. Cl-35 and Cl-37 are both stable isotopes with Cl-35 as the most abundant form (75.8%).Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 18.7 Covalent Radius (pm): 99 Ionic Radius: 27 (7e) 181 (-1e) Specific Heat (20Â °C J/g mol): 0.477 (Cl-Cl) Fusion Heat (kJ/mol): 6.41 (Cl-Cl) Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): 20.41 (Cl-Cl) Pauling Negativity Number: 3.16 First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 1254.9 Oxidation States: 7, 5, 3, 1, -1 Lattice Structure: Orthorhombic Lattice Constant (Ã…): 6.240 CAS Registry Number: 7782-50-5 Interesting Trivia: Chlorine leaks in containers are detected using ammonia. Ammonia will react with the chlorine and form a white mist above the leak.The most common natural chlorine compound on Earth is sodium chloride or table salt.Chlorine is the 21st most abundant element in the Earths crustChlorine is the third most abundant element in the Earths oceansChlorine gas was used as a chemical weapon during World War I. Chlorine is heavier than air and would form a deadly layer in low-lying foxholes and trenches. References: Los Alamos National Laboratory (2001), Crescent Chemical Company (2001), Langes Handbook of Chemistry (1952), CRC Handbook of Chemistry Physics (18th Ed.)

LAW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

LAW - Essay Example Therefore, Grapes & Vines Winery could have delivered the wine anytime before May 1, as the contract did not limit their duty to perform only on May 1. However, they chose to do it in the last possible day – May 1. The fact that the delivery van was involved in an accident does not constitute an objective impediment to performing the contract (destruction of the subject matter of the contract cannot be used as an excuse in this case), as the winery most certainly had in stock enough bottles of wine to deliver them later that day to Elin. This is a certain fact, as the bottles were delivered in the afternoon of May 2. Moreover, immediately after the accident, the company should have called Elin and ask her if she would agree to a delivery of the bottles later that day or maybe on May 2. This would have solved the problem and avoid the unpleasant situation. Therefore, the Court should discharge the contract due to its material alteration and failure to substantially perform on b ehalf of the plaintiff (Grapes & Vines Winery). In this case, Elin’s contractual obligations would be also discharged and her not accepting the plaintiff’s tender later than the due date should not be considered as breach of contract. 2. I believe that in this case, time is not of the essence of the contract.

JAPANESE CIVILIZATION PowerPoint Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

JAPANESE CIVILIZATION - PowerPoint Presentation Example According to the historical background of the Kamakura, religion was their center of governance and all their decisions were also to run in accordance with their religious rules. Hover much they tried to keep and safeguard their religious beliefs and policies, they still faced some challenges that almost messed up their religion (Kimura 206). The monks were to give directions as they follow but due to the high rate of women seduction, they could not make it as the monks fell into women trap hence leading to direction loss. As per my perception, the development of the Kamakura was mainly based on the stability of Buddhism as a religion. This is so because they had strong belief in their religion hence giving all the powers to their religious leaders. It can therefore be assumed that at one time, the Kamakura faced a lot of difficulties in relation to governance after the parting of some monks. The adulterous also lead to religion break up and this further in turn led to group split out. The Kamakura was therefore separated into different groups based on their beliefs and trust hence leading to the formation or re-establishment of religious beliefs and policies that were to be maintained at all

A literature review of Genetically Modified crops Dissertation

A literature review of Genetically Modified crops - Dissertation Example In 2008, GM crops were planted on almost 9% of the available farming land in different parts of the world (James 2008). According to The World Health Organization or WHO, genetically modi?ed organisms are â€Å"derived from organisms whose genetic material (DNA) has been modified in a way that does not occur naturally, e.g. through the introduction of a gene from a different organism. Currently available GM foods stem mostly from plants, but in the future foods derived from GM microorganisms or GM animals are likely to be introduced on the market. Most existing genetically modified crops have been developed to improve yield, through the introduction of resistance to plant diseases or of increased tolerance of herbicides† (WHO 2013). The technology used for creating GM organisms allows selective genes to be relocated from one organism into another of the same species, and between species that are non-related. Such processes are used for creating genetically modi?ed plants, whic h in turn produce GM food crops. The crop characteristics marked as desired for GM crops and aimed by genetic engineering are from those that are targeted by processes followed during conventional breeding. However, genetic engineering gives scope for direct transfer of genetic codes across different species owing to which characters that were earlier difficult to breed through natural processes, is now created easily under controlled conditions. Currently there are three types of traits clearly distinguished in GM crops. These comprise of the first-generation GM crops displaying vast improvements in agronomic characters, as for example, better resistance to diseases and parasites. Second-generation GM crops tend to show improved quality characteristics, as for example, increased levels of nutrient contents in the resulting food products. Third-generation crops tend to show characters with special productivity aimed at industrial or medicinal purposes (von Braun 2007). The potential benefits of GM crops are diverse. In the current context, that shows decreasing natural resources, it is important to maintain an increase in productivity values within worldwide agriculture for ensuring enough food availability and raw materials for a persistently increasing population (von Braun 2007). Various environmental benefits are also associated with GM crops. Besides these, technologies associated with the new seed technology have played significant role for increasing rural income and alleviating poverty levels in developing countries (Fan et al. 2005). Furthermore, GM crops that have greater nutritional values would help in the improvement of overall consumer health (Unnevehr et al. 2007). Despite these potential benefits, the creation and use of GM crops have raised strong opposition, especially in parts of Europe, while also spreading over to other countries through media messages, trade regulations, and activism by the various antibiotech groups (Paarlberg 2008). The primary issues concern potential health and environmental hazards, while reservations are also expressed on the possible negative social ramifications (Altieri 2001). As for example, many of the activists feel that rampant use of GM technology in the developing nations could result in undermining the traditional agricultural practice that is based on knowledge setups. With rising privatization in the arena of researches related to crop improvement and

Adaptation to Climate Change

Adaptation to Climate Change ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE; AN ISSUE THAT MUST NOT BE OVERLOOKED There are many compelling questions one can ask about how climate science experts and economic experts interpret the change in climate and man’s contribution to it. To argue that our earth is not warming is futile; nonetheless, the risk of trying to prevent it is very high. It is only useful if we try to adapt. In the field of climate change, scientists denounce non-science experts claiming that these are technical questions for those who understand the theories and concepts. The controversy over whether global warming exists or not, is undoubtedly, a scientific question. However, deciding whether we should intervene, and if so, what actions to embrace is clearly not a scientific question. It is an economic question, which puts us firmly in the realm of economic experts. For any continuing event, there are five theory responses: maximizing, inverting, preventing, adapting and ignoring. Supposing we do not want to maximize or ignore global warming, the three applicable options are reversing, prevention (known as â€Å"mitigation† in the climate change idiom) or adaptation. Right up until the present day, the favoured option has been prevention. For a period of twenty-five years, public servants have debated only this response. Margaret Thatchers speech to the UN assembly (in 1989) throws light on the beginning of this approach. Later came Al Gore and Kyoto with the Stern Review adding to the list. Currently, David Cameron and Edward Miliband debate about whether or not climate change is a national security threat and which party is best placed to prevent this threat. There are good scientific reasons to believe that prevention (or even inverting) is a realistic option. Since the `90s there have been tremendous breakthroughs with our ability to reduce chlorofluorocarbons. Despite this, there are those who believe that the past twenty-five years have brainwashed us into believing that our potential and ability to prevent global warming by reducing Carbon emissions is much less compared to some Sulphur emissions and other pollutants. These years of framing tremendous exorbitant prevention schemes only took some few degrees centigrade off global warming, in comparison with the rise of three to four degrees. This puts the minimum price of such vanity at 5 per cent of Gross Domestic Product each year, with some models recommending that the definite cost is realistically more than 20 per cent. Scientific inclined people reply by saying we must increase our attempt to prevent global warming from advancing. However, China and India and America will disagree and in economically desolate Britain there are no chances requesting for more. Considering prevention were realistic, policy analysis recommends it would be dreadful an idea to consider. At the moment, according to government criteria in the UK, there is difficulty in trying to get access to a global warming mitigation scheme that matches cost with benefits. As an example, the rediscovery of the strategy for the renewal of energy having a twenty-year cost of fifty-seven billion pounds to seventy billion pounds but only benefits around four billion pounds to five billion pounds. The problem is so worse that couple of years back the guidance for the ministerial sign-off of policy impact assessments amended the strategy so that ministers no longer proclaim that their assertion that benefits will exceed costs. At the present moment, they sign to acknowledge they solely assume that benefits â€Å"justify† costs. The few analysis that found more positive net profits, such as the Climate Change Act of 2008, reckoned a global consensus that has not been implemented. On that note, it is absurd to recommend that the UK’s doing ten times more to prevent warming proceedings could perhaps be an outstanding scheme, even though it will be possible to work. The economics of preventing global warming has simply not been up to the task. Prior to the famous Stern Review, economic experts observing the sector thought that adapting to the change in climate patterns should be the pivotal strategy. What â€Å"adaptation† will suggest in a practical way is that we cut the risk of spending too much money, and the program will be less complicated. There are some UK Green schemes that influence the public to use extravagant energy and make them pay out incompetent immense sum of capital to cater for insulation. These Green systems also tax their traveling in ways that force them to execute reduced trade and craft which does not only hamper the growth, but also make adaptation very hard and unyielding. In the year 2012 the UK authority acquired forty-five billion pounds from fuel taxes, which corresponds to 2.9% GDP. While UK authorities evaluate green schemes will increase medium-scaled vocation invoice by thirty-eight per cent over the next sixteen years. On the contrary, the most outstanding project is by instigatin g GDP to allow the folks to be more prone to behaving in ways that are friendly to their habitat Moreover, the public should not misuse their wealth, on mitigation attempts while fragmenting capital for adaptation. If the UK authorities do not have enough funds and they should opt between money for energy and money for flooding protection, it must be considered a walkover. There is the need to investigate several ways to adapt to the warming of our globe with likely brutal climate. These strategies should change the methods of supporting our rivers by building flood defence systems, developing of crops that can be tolerant to drought and using water sources that are scarce in a more efficient manner. Adaptation would not be inexpensive or straightforward. However, it will be more attainable than prevention and will cost so much less. Additionally, adaptation is highly safer than prevention on two significant techniques. Firstly, we do expect that global warming will not occur as we presume. Ten years earlier, scientists studying climate patterns have scuffled to explain that the temperature has not sprung in view of the late 80s. They persist it does not make any discrepancy to their indelible tale about whether warming advancement exists, and what their consequential effects are. Moreover, perchance, it could be right. Nevertheless it makes a change to policy assessment.   If, in 1997, it was clear that abstaining from mitigation of climate patterns could not cause any rise in temperatures, there should have been a concern to adjust the way we assess our schemes. Virtually no scheme which has no effect within three to five years is a good one to start, by virtue of how we discount our future. Secondly, adaptation is much safer considering we only know nearly insufficient facts about prevention strategies and may suffer a great loss if they do not function, or they might develop delinquent long duration response. When we adapt only when there is a need, there is a reduction in waste of time and capital that is crucial to sustainable development.   At the point of finality, adaptations make us prosperous and have richer tastes. It seems plausible that we can devise means that can stop global warming from getting out of hand. However, we have wasted twenty-five years in trying to prevent warming of our globe, and have merely scraped the plain. In that initiative, we have lost untold large sums of money and are planning to waste even more. We do not have to disbelief the real existence of climate change to reject the notion that adaptation is a not a good tactic. Our method of prevention has perished, adaptation is the key. WORD COUNT: 1235 BISMARK NTIM-PEASAH KOFI BIBLIOGRAPHY: . Australian Broadcasting Corporation, viewed 28 November 2014, .GOV.UK, viewed November 2014, viewed 28 November 2014, .The Guardian, viewed 2 December 2014, .Scientific American, viewed 4th December 2014, .European Commision, viewed 7 December 2014, .The Telegraph, viewed 7 December 2014, . The Telegraph, viewed 7 December 2014, .Wikipedia, viewed 11 January 2014,

Constructions of Gender and the Treatment of PTSD within the U.S. Milit

Constructions of Gender and the Treatment of PTSD within the U.S. Military The U.S. military shows a surprising sensitivity and openness to the emotional difficulties of being stationed abroad, especially in a conflict zone, and it is making great efforts towards preventing/easing depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among its members (although it varies by branch). Group therapy is made available at Veteran's Administration hospitals and the Department of Veteran Affairs is connected to the National Center for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, which provides many helpful resources including literature that speaks openly about "private," "domestic," and "relational" issues. This is in shocking contrast with the predominant military culture which is hyper-masculine and hierarchical. The question of whether or not you have "been in" is not asked to determine your understanding of military lingo and procedure; what is being asked is: Are you one of us? Romantic, and even realistic, accounts of combat almost always include stories about the particular love and selfless dedication that develops between soldiers and their buddies. Servicemembers frequently describe their units as families. "Basically, this was their family for the last thirteen months," said First Sergeant Dana Morgan, describing the 140 th Quartermaster company just returned from Iraq. He was attending their welcome home ceremony at Fort Totten in New York. The 128 reservists of the 140 th spent thirteen months (March 2003 - April 2004) in Iraq providing laundry and bath services to other troops. Pacifists often drudge up the dirty details in order to de-mystify, and thus de-glorify, war. It is difficult to deny, howeve... ...sonal interview: April 4, 2004, Fort Totten, New York. Katz, Lori S., Sexual Trauma Education and Assessment for the Primary Care Provider , Veterans' Association Healthcare System. Morgan, Dana. First Sergeant, U.S. Army. Personal interview: April 4, 2004, Fort Totten, New York. Newland, Miriam. Women Veterans Coordinator, Military Order of the Purple Heart. Personal interview: March 24, 2004, New York Harbor Veterans' Administration, New York City. Ignatieff, Michael. The Warriors Honor: Ethnic War and the Modern Conscience , Henry Holt and Company, New York: 1997 Sadler, Anne, et al. "Factors Associated with Women's Risk of Rape in the Military Environment," American Journal of Industrial Medicine , 2003. Scotti, Mike. Former First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps. Personal interview: April 13 and April 26, 2004, New York City.

Quantification of Proteins in Solution by Spectrophotometer Essay

Introduction: Absorption spectroscopy is a common method for finding the concentration of proteins or protein complexes in a solution. Proteins absorb light at specific wavelengths and can be defined by the equation A = log (Io/I). This equation states that an absorbance at a specific wavelength, A is equal to the log of the ratio of incident light intensity (Io), to transmitted light intensity (I). A spectrophotometer can be used quantitatively and qualitatively. A spectrophotometer is used qualitatively to obtain an absorption spectrum, which can be obtained by plotting the absorbance values, over the range of wavelengths tested for the solution. This helps to find out the suitable wavelength that the compound absorbs maximum. And the spectrophotometer is used quantitatively by using the Beer-Lambert Law; Log [ Io/I] = A = ÃŽ ¾cl, where ÃŽ ¾ is the molar extinction coefficient (unit = Lmol-1cm-1), helps to define the absorbance of the protein, c is the concentration of the substance (mol liter-1), and l is the path length of the light (unit = cm) through the medium. Log [Io/I] is called optical density or absorbance of the substance, and does not have units. Also, an absorption spectrum is created, which deals with absorption and wavelength (nm) of light used, with which â€Å"maximum absorption† is observed. Maximum absorption is when most of the solution particles are absorbed, and this happens at a specific wavelength. Since the Beer Lambert law is useful only for a range of wavelengths, it is not applicable to all protein solutions. In this experiment, an absolute standard was calculated using BSA, so that the concentrations of the other unknown protein solutions can be determined (Lambert et.al, 2011).The different assays used for this protein quantification were Lowry, Bradford (Coomassie Blue) and UV direct. Protein assays help to determine the amount of desired particle present (Srivastava, 2008). The aim of this lab is to understand the various aspects of spectrophotometry and its applications in biochemistry, such as quanitification of protein solutions. Methods: (Carleton University, 2012) The steps were followed without any changes made. Results: Figure1. Absorption spectrum of 6Ãâ€"10-5M p-np solution in 0.02M NaOH, for wavelength range between 330-800nm using a Novaspec spectrophotometer. Sample Calculation: c = 6Ãâ€"10-5M l = 1cm A = 1.166 The Beer Lambert equation is A = Æ cl Rearranged, Æ  = A/cl Æ  = 1.166/(6Ãâ€"10-5)*1 Æ  = 1.94Ãâ€"104 L mol-1 cm-1 Table1. Values of extinction coefficient (Lmol-1cm-1) determined using Beer-Lambert Law. Figure2. Absolute standard curve obtained for BSA test protein solution with the 3 different assays tested (Lowry, Coomassie Blue, UV). Table 2. Absorbance values recorded for different protein dilutions (2X, 5X, 10X) for the three assays used, namely Lowry, Coomassie Blue and UV direct. Sample Calculation for BSA stock protein: * Lowry Equation of line from Fig2; y = -5Ãâ€"10-7Ãâ€"2 + 0.0016x + 0.038 For 5 fold; y = 5 * 0.44 = 2.20 Substituting in equation; 2.20 = 5Ãâ€"10-7Ãâ€"2 + 0.0016x + 0.038 X1 = 1600  µg/ml = 1.6mg/ml For 10 fold; y = 10 * 0.23 = 2.30 Substituting in equation; 2.30 = 5Ãâ€"10-7Ãâ€"2 + 0.0016x + 0.038 X2 = 1600  µg/ml = 1.6mg/ml (X1 + x2)/2 = 1.6mg/ml * Coomassie Blue Equation of line from fig2; y = -7Ãâ€"10-7Ãâ€"2 + 0.002x + 0.0219 For 5 fold; y = 5 * 0.36 = 1.80 Substituting in equation; 1.80 = -7Ãâ€"10-7Ãâ€"2 + 0.002x + 0.0219 X1 = 1428.57  µg/ml = 1.4mg/ml For 10 fold; y = 10 * 0.20 = 2.00 Substituting in equation; 2.00 = -7Ãâ€"10-7Ãâ€"2 + 0.002x + 0.0219 X2 = 1428.57  µg/ml = 1.4mg/ml (x1+ x2)/2 = 1.4mg/ml * UV direct Equation of line from fig 2; y = 0.0006x + 0.0175 For 2 fold; y = 2 * 0.42 = 0.84 Substituting in equation; 0.84 = 0.0006x + 0.0175 X1 = 1374.16  µg/ml = 1.4mg/ml For 5 fold; y = 5 * 0.15 = 0.75 Substituting in equation; 0.75 = 0.0006x + 0.0175 X2 = 1179.16  µg/ml = 1.2mg/ml (x1 + x2)/2 = 1.3mg/ml Discussion: Figure 1 shows the absorption spectrum of stock solution (6Ãâ€"10-5M), p-nitrophenol and 0.02M NaOH, and from the graph it can be inferred that 400nm is the wavelength of maximum absorption because absorption is noted to be the highest at this point. Absorbance is noted to increase when wavelength increases till it reaches the point of maximum absorption, after which it decreases till it nearly reaches zero. It is best to consider wavelength of maximum absorption because stronger the intensity, the more accurate will be the readings for absorbance. As seen from table 1, the path lengths remain the same as the cuvettes used were of the same size. The Beer-Lambert Law states that Abs = Æ .c.l, where Æ  = molar extinction coefficient, c = concentration of protein solution, and l = path length of light through medium. Thus, it is noted that absorbance and path length share a directly proportional relationship, i.e. if path length increases, absorbance increases as well. It was clear ly observed in the wide and narrow test-tubes, that as the path length was doubled, the absorbance value doubled too (Srivastava, 2008). Also, from the same equation, it can be determined that absorbance and concentration share a directly proportional relationship meaning that as the concentration decreases, it directly affects the absorbance value obtained, and this value decreases too. Thus, as seen for the four cuvettes tested (in Table 1) as the concentration is halved in every cuvette, the absorbance value is halved correspondingly as well. It is known that the Beer-Lambert law says absorbance is proportional to number of absorbing molecules, and that this is valid for a variety of compounds over a wide range of concentrations. But even as the molar extinction coefficient is seen to be attributed to wavelength, it is true only for monochromatic light (Lambert et.al, 2011). The relationship can be stated as â€Å"Æ  is a measure of the amount of light absorbed per unit concentration†. Molar extinction coefficient is a constant for a particular substance, therefore according to the Beer-Lambert Law it is expected that if the concentration of the solution is halved so is the absorbance. A compound with a high molar extinction is very effective at absorbing light (of the appropriate wavelength), and hence low concentrations of a compound with a high molar extinction can be easily detected. In the values determined (Table 1), the experimental values are in accordance with the theoretical statement except for one cuvette. The cuvette no.3 with Æ  = 1.8Ãâ€"10-4 L mol-1cm-1 does not agree with the trend. Thus it can be deduced that due to experimental error, the Æ  value is inaccurate. Also, from the equation it is understood that Æ  and path-length are inversely proportional as well (i.e. Æ  = Abs/cl) that means that as path-length increases, Æ  decreases, assuming that the concentration is kept constant. But the experimental values do not agree with this statement, because it is seen that as the path-length increases so does the molar extinction coefficient, Æ . Biochemical methods are applied for to determine protein concentration in solutions. Many techniques are less used because they have limitations such as reduced sensitivity, time available for the assay, or they are highly specific about the amino acids in the protein solution being tested. But for e very protein, the component amino acids are different, so there is no single assay that can be used for quantification of all proteins. The absorbance assays use the method of testing the intensity of the color produced by the protein solutions when chemical reagents are added to it. A â€Å"standard protein† whose concentration is known, is treated using the same chemical reagents and thus an absolute standard curve is obtained (Boyer, 2000). In this experiment, the standard used was Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA). Development of color is significantly better in BSA than any other protein, and this makes it one of the most preferred test solutions for quantification of proteins (Antharavally et.al, 2008). Hence figure 2 is obtained by performing the three suitable assays on BSA to produce a standard curve, also it can be noted that only the UV direct gave a straight line passing through zero, whereas the Lowry and Coomassie Blue gave curved lines, passing through zero. Table 2 shows the absorbance values recorded, for different dilutions of the test protein in three different assays. With the help of the values obtained in Table 2, and with the equations obtained from Figure 2, the concentration of protein (mg/ml) was calculated and presented in Table 3. Since all the values in Table 3 were deduced from the equation of standard curve BSA, it is considered as the absolute standard, and the other test protein solutions are known as the relative standards. Using the values from Table 3, taking BSA as the absolute standard, the almost actual concentration of the protein (mg/ml) can be concluded, and they are 1.6 (mg/ml) for Lowry assay, 1.4 (mg/ml) for Coomassie Blue and 1.3 (mg/ml) for UV direct. For Lowry assay, the concentration value for all test proteins was 1.6 mg/ml, which must mean that the value obtained is accurate. For Coomassie blue, BSA and Hemoglobin were the same (1.4mg/ml), Ovalbumin and Lysozyme had similar values of 1.9mg/ml, and 1.8mg/ml respectively, whereas Gamma globulin showed 2.5mg/ml. The value for Gamma globulin is off because of experimental error, of spilling some of the contents from the cuvette while transferring it to the spectrophotometer for calibration. For UV direct, BSA and Ovalbumin have similar readings (1.3mg/ml and 1.5mg/ml respectively), Gamma globulin is 2.5mg/ml, but Lysozyme is 5.9mg/ml and Hemoglobin is 3.8mg/ml. The reason for this could be due to the fact that UV direct helps to identify the presence of aromatic compounds indicating that Lysozyme and Hemoglobin contain aromatic compounds present in them. The Lowry protein assay is the most common and one of the more sensitive, but it is time consuming, on the other hand Coomassie blue (the Bradford assay) is much more sensitive as compared to Lowry, and requires less time too. They both show change of color with proteins. As for UV direct method, it is one of the faster methods too, and it is helpful to identify aromatic compounds because aromatic residues absorb 280nm light (Boyer, 2000). The Lowry procedure can detect protein levels as low as 5 µg (Boyer, 2000). It depends on the color development by the reagent Folin-Ciocalteu. Peptide bonds are formed under alkaline Cu2+ conditions and reduced from Folin-Ciocalteu phosphomolybdate-phosphotungsten by aromatic amino acids (tyrosine and tryptophan) to heteropolymolybdenum blue. The standard curve obtained with BSA helps to determine concentration of unknown protein solutions (Antharapally et.al, 2008). In the case of Coomassie blue, it is more efficient than Lowry because even though there is variation with different proteins, there is very less interference by non protein components (Borley, 2000). Therefore, according to literature, Coomassie Blue is the most preferred protein assay but this contrasts the experimental inferences, because through experimental procedure it was seen that Lowry method gave the most accurate and precise results. With this experiment, the method to quantify unknown protein concentrations has been understood. Also, that this process must be performed carefully to avoid irrational experimental errors. References: Antharavally B.S, Bell P.A, Haney P, Mallia K.A, Rangaraj P. 2008. Quantitation of proteins using a dye–metal-based colorimetric protein assay. Analytical Biochemistry. 385; 342-245. Boyer R, 2000. Modern Experimental Biochemistry, third edition. Addison-Wesley Longman, Inc. USA. (41-45). Lambert J.B, Gronert S, Lightner D.A, Shurvell H.F, 2011. Organic Structural Spectroscopy, second edition. Pearson Education, Inc, New Jersey. (401, 404) Srivastava M.L, 2008. Bioanalytical Techniques. Alpha Science International, Ltd. Oxford, UK. (58,118)

Reasons For the Bar Kochba Revolt

Reasons For the Bar Kochba Revolt Killing more than half a million Jews and destroying almost a thousand villages, the Bar Kochba Revolt (132-35) was a major event in Jewish history and a blotch on the reputation of the good emperor Hadrian. The revolt was named for a man called Shimon, on coins, Bar Kosibah, on papyrus, Bar Kozibah, on rabbinic literature, and Bar Kokhba, in Christian writing. Bar Kochba was the messianic leader of the rebel Jewish forces. The rebels may have held land south of Jerusalem and Jericho and north of Hebron and Masada. They may have reached into Samaria, Galilee, Syria, and Arabia. They survived (as long as they did) by means of caves, used for weapons storage and hiding, and tunnels. Letters from Bar Kochba were found in the caves of Wadi Murabbaat around the same time archaeologists and Bedouins were discovering the Dead Sea Scroll caves. [Source:​ The Dead Sea Scrolls: A Biography, by John J. Collins; Princeton: 2012.] The war was very bloody on both sides, so much so that Hadrian failed to declare a triumph when he returned to Rome at the revolts conclusion. Why Did the Jews Rebel? Why did the Jews rebel when it must have seemed likely the Romans would defeat them, as they had before? Suggested reasons are outrage over Hadrians prohibitions and actions. CircumcisionCircumcision was a vital part of the Jewish identity and it is possible Hadrian made it illegal for Jews to practice this custom, and not just with proselytes. In the Historia Augusta Pseudo-Spartianus says Hadrians prohibition against genital mutilation caused the revolt (Life of Harian 14.2). Genital mutilation could mean either castration or circumcision (or both). [Source: Peter Schafer The Bar Kochba Revolt and Circumcision: Historical Evidence and Modern Apologetics 1999]. This position is challenged. See: Negotiating Difference: Genital Mutilation in Roman Slave Law and the History of the Bar Kokhba Revolt, by Raanan Abusch, in The Bar Kokhba War Reconsidered: New Perspectives on the Second Jewish Revolt against Rome, edited by Peter Schafer; 2003. SacrilegeThe second to third century Greek-writing Roman historian Cassius Dio (Roman History 69.12) said it was Hadrians decision to rename Jerusalem Aelia Capitolina, to establish a Roman colony there, and to build a pagan temple. A complication of this is the possible retraction of a promise by Hadrian to rebuild the Jewish Temple. References: Axelrod, Alan. Little-Known Wars of Great and Latin Impact. Fair Winds Press, 2009. The Archaeology of Roman Palestine, by Mark Alan Chancey and Adam Lowry Porter. Near Eastern Archaeology, Vol. 64, No. 4 (Dec. 2001), pp. 164-203. The bar Kokhba Revolt: The Roman Point of View, by Werner Eck. The Journal of Roman Studies, Vol. 89 (1999), pp. 76-89 The Dead Sea Scrolls: A Biography, by John J. Collins; Princeton: 2012. Peter Schafer The Bar Kochba Revolt and Circumcision: Historical Evidence and Modern Apologetics 1999

Themes of Education Migration and the Next Generation in the African American Communities of Youngblood The Street and The Piano Lesson essays

Themes of Education Migration and the Next Generation in the African American Communities of Youngblood The Street and The Piano Lesson essays Education of the next generation forms a core, central theme in many of the greatest works of literature, particularly those of the African- American tradition where the next generation holds such promise for those oppressed by the historical weight of the present. However, in the narrative framework of the novels Youngblood by John Oliver Killens Ann Petry's The Street, as well the play "The Piano Lesson," it is not only the youth of tomorrow whom receives an education from their wiser elders. Although the older individuals in the play educate the younger members of the family, ultimately the education in all fictional contexts is holistic, rather than an unbalanced relationship of old teaching morality to young. In all of the family structures presented, the protagonists are children, more or less, if not in years, than in certain dearly held but false assumptions they have about life and their place in history. The role of education in the African-American experience is particularly critical to all of the protagonists, as all members of the family must receive an education about their role in a society that has marginalized them and continues to marginalize them because of their race, as well as their role in the African-American community of America. One of the most profound teaching tools, the earliest of the novels suggests, comes through is the medium of migration. In John Oliver Killen's novel, entitled, Youngblood, the titular family's history is chronicled over nearly a half century. The novel begins in the Deep South. However, one of the most potent figures in the novel is that of Richard Myles, a New York teacher. The idea that education and the North are conjoined strikes a strong chord in the minds of many of the younger members of the next generations of Youngbloods. The younger Youngbloods, although the respect the family patriarch, believe tha...

Is War Ethical Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Is War Ethical - Essay Example Some people like war. They believe that war can change their lives only to realize that it caused them more harm than they had thought. Those who win always get power over the losers. They also get wealth and resources. They make laws to govern the territory. Many people have been asking themselves very many questions about war. These questions may include: is ethical to go to war? When is the right time to start war? Is it right to revenge against those wrong us? Is it ethical to interfere with other states affairs? Anyone who thinks about war must put in consideration what is right and wrong. Anything happening in war is either considered right or wrong depending on the people affected. Those who are the cause of war take every action to be right because it favors their interests. The other victims take the action to be wrong because it affects them negatively. Therefore, war has both positive and negative effects in the human population. War is a brutal activity but it is still th e centre of human history and the changes in social lives. It is because of war that some countries have changed in their economy and the way of live. During the time of war, life becomes hard for weak population (Coates, 2006). The weak people in the society are always the victims of war. In â€Å"Sirens of Bagdad†, Bedouin family is very poor. They live in a village in the Iraqi desert called Kafr Karam. Bedouin is a young man who is determined to be a more educated man than his father who never went to school. He goes to university of Bagdad but his education is cut short by invasion of Americans in the area. The university is destroyed and later closed making him go back home. Therefore, war kills his ambition of being a good person with a well paying job after the university. His dreams are crushed completely making him see no reason to live. This is how war can affect lives of the innocent people in the society (Khadra, 2007). War is always a very bad thing that can hap pen in the society. It compromises no one including the one who causes it. War abuses the human rights. Many people are killed, displaced from their homes while others lose their properties. This is against the human rights. War is way of governing using force instead of using peaceful measures of resolving policies. Some people in the government use their power to control what should be going on in a certain territory. They do not care how commands are going to affect the lives of people living in that territory. Lives of these people are going to be affected greatly. Bedouin, in â€Å"Sirens of Bagdad†, was affected by war caused by the Americans in Bagdad. It made him lose hope in life. It is because of war that he is forced to drop his education since the university he was studying in closed. War also follows him back to his village. He feels so embarrassed when he sees his father half-naked after being raided by the American soldiers. The way he felt was really touching. He says, â€Å"And beyond it, there was nothing but an infinite void, an interminable void, nothingness.† He says that he is forced to see his father’s genitals. What life is he going through? War has ruined his education and now it follows him home where he sees his weak father pulled around by war soldiers. All these actions changed him into a very angry man ready for vengeance (Khadra, 2007). Sometimes it is right to wage war. This especially is when a country has to protect her citizens from any terrorist attack. Every

Outline, Thesis, and Introduction Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Outline, Thesis, and Introduction - Coursework Example Review of Literature – evaluates and summarizes relevant information from the identified secondary sources regarding legalization of marijuana in the United States. Findings – stipulates highlights of findings from secondary sources and from interviews Recommendations Conclusion References Introduction The use of marijuana as a medical tool has been subject to controversy with regards to the benefits and costs to the users and to society. Various researches have supported its use for medical purposes and interviews with patients have validated preferences to its use in contrast to the traditional medications. Contemporary statistics have revealed that there are currently 16 states plus Washington, DC that have enacted laws legalizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes, of which California, has been listed among its roster since 1996 (ProCon, 2011). The current research aims to proffer issues and concerns regarding the legalization of marijuana for medical purpose s.

Middle eastern cultures 201 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Middle eastern cultures 201 - Essay Example s share many an orthodox with rigid rules in nations like Saudi Arabia, where ‘Burqa’ clad women are respected and western influences are not so welcome. In the first paragraph of the essay I have attempted to discuss on now westerners are in UAE and the second paragraph I have detailed how their lives have changed. I have supported the essay with real life narrations and information from the web. The role of westerners in building the UAE is undisputed as technology is mainly imported from western nations. The technical expertise to build marvels and oil extractions from the oil rich Middle East is made possible with western leadership in companies that provide services and infrastructure in UAE. I Sample this mention from the web: Dubai and the United Arab Emirates are growing in popularity as potential destinations for a fresh start. With Dubai offering a wealth of opportunities, as well as financial bonuses such as tax free income and a rapidly booming economy, growing number of westerners (in particular) are heading for the sun drenched shores.(globalvisas.com) Recalling a westerner’s writing in the web, â€Å"If I can count myself as evidence, people in the UAE like and respect Americans . . . Living here is easy as because the UAE is one of the most tolerant countries in the Muslim world . . . But non-Muslims can get a license to purchase alcohol†. (escapeartist.com).This indicates the freedom of a westerner in UAE. However, it appears that the sunny side isn’t enough. Westerners have become a sort of bà ªte noire post gulf invasion and there has always been a simmering anger against westerners particularly amongst the extremist groups. This has given rise to a constant consternation in the western fraternity. Consider the statement â€Å"There are however recently been threats against westerners in the UAE, as in the UK, Europe and the USA† (paradise.com). This explains that among the rosy fragrance of an UAE living, the thorns also need to be

Do Video Games Promote Violence Essay Example for Free

Do Video Games Promote Violence Essay There is much hype surrounding the launch of every new game system including Game Cube, XBox, Playstation 3 and all of their handheld portable equivalents. Affecting all sorts of people from children as young as age 4 all the way to 45 year-old adults, these video games have called for concern in our society regarding issues such as addiction, depression, and even aggression related to the playing of video games. A recent study of children in their early teens found that almost a third played video games daily, and that 7% played for at least 30 hours a week. What is more, some of these games being played like Mortal Combat, Marvel Vs. Capcom, and Doom are very interactive in the violence of slaughtering the opponent. The video game industries even put signs like Real-life violence and Violence level not recommended for children under age of 12 on their box covers, arcade fronts, and even on the game CDs themselves. According to the online encyclopedia, Wikipedia, the Truth in Video Game Rating Act (S. 3935) was introduced by Senator Sam Brownback on September 27, 2006. The act required that the Entertainment Software Rating Board, known as the ESRB for short, have access to the full content of and hands-on time with the games it was to rate, rather than simply relying on the video demonstrations submitted by developers and publishers. [1] The bill makes no considerations for modifications or mods for short, total conversions, user generated content, procedurally generated content, unused disc space, blocked/disabled out portions of code, player behavior in online games, and various other factors out of the control of the developers (such as how the player decides to play the unsaid game). This bill was unacted upon during its original session and was reintroduced by Senator Brownback on February 14 2007 under the same title the Truth in Video Game Rating Act with a new session number (S. 568). As of March 2007, S. 568 remains in the Senate Committee. [2] In the game Goldeneye 007 bad guys who used to disappear in a cloud of smoke when killed no longer do so. Instead they perform an elaborate maneuver when killed. For example, those shot in the neck fall to their knees and then face while clutching at their throats. Other games such as Unreal Tournament and Half-Life are gorier. In these games when characters get shot a large spray of blood covers the walls and floor near the character, and on the occasions when explosives are used, the characters burst into small but recognizable body parts. In spite of the violence, the violent video games are also the more popular games on the market. (2) When video games first came out, indeed they were addictive owever, there seems to be a strong correlation now between the violent nature of games these days and the aggressive tendencies in game players. On April 20, 1999, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold launched an assault on Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, murdering 13 and wounding 23 before turning the guns on themselves. Although nothing is for certain as to why these boys did what they did, we do know that Harris and Klebold both enjoyed playing the bloody, shoot-em-up video game Doom, a game licensed by the U.  S. military to train soldiers to effectively kill. The Simon Wiesenthal Center, which tracks Internet hate groups, found in its archives a copy of Harris web site with a version of Doom. He had customized it so that there were two shooters, each with extra weapons and unlimited ammunition, and the other people in the game could not fight back. For a class project, Harris and Klebold made a videotape that was similar to their customized version of Doom. In the video, Harris and Klebold were dressed in trench coats, carried guns, and killed school athletes. They acted out their videotaped performance in real life less than a year later (3) Everyone deals with stress and frustrations differently. However when action is taken upon the frustration and stress, and the action is taken out in anger and aggression, the results may be very harmful to both the aggressor and the person being aggressed against, mentally, emotionally, and even physically. Aggression is action, i. e. attacking someone or a group with an intent to harm someone. It can be a verbal attackinsults, threats, sarcasm, or attributing nasty motives to themor a physical punishment or restriction. Direct behavioral signs include being overly critical, fault finding, name-calling, accusing someone of having immoral or despicable traits or motives, nagging, whining, sarcasm, prejudice, and/or flashes of temper. The crime and abuse rate in the United States has soared in the past decade. More and more children suffer from and are being treated for anger management than ever before. Now, one cant help but to wonder if these violent video games are even playing a slight part in the current statistics. Playing violent video games like Doom, Wolfenstein 3D or Mortal Kombat can increase a persons aggressive thoughts, feelings and behavior both in laboratory settings and in actual life, according to two studies appearing in the April issue of the American Psychological Associations (APA) Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Furthermore, violent video games may be more harmful than violent television and movies because they are interactive, very engrossing and require the player to identify with the aggressor, say the researchers. One study reveals that young men who are habitually aggressive may be especially vulnerable to the aggression-enhancing effects of repeated exposure to violent games, said psychologists Craig A. Anderson, Ph. D. , and Karen E. Dill, Ph. D. The other study reveals that even a brief exposure to violent video games can temporarily increase aggressive behavior in all types of participants.

Critical Reflection Journalism Portfolio

Critical Reflection Journalism Portfolio The portfolio is designed to showcase my work and abilities as a potential journalist. In putting together my portfolio, I was guided by my interests; principles of journalism as taught in class and the requirements of the module. In the portfolio, I wrote about a train driver who blamed a non-existent bad weather for jumping the platform; the ‘dishonest’ and double standard manner the Cameron led coalition has handled the issue of tax avoidance involving Starbucks and the cases of looted funds from developing countries coming into the West, including Britain. I also wrote about the possibility that British universities may be turning out Islamic ‘terrorists’. There was also an interview with a Social Worker, who chose to remain anonymous, on the difficulties of effectively discharging social care work. The first thing I noticed with the module was the fast pace of activities required to meet my portfolio requirements. Ordinarily my class work tends to move fairly slowly. The truth is I was not prepared for the speed and discipline portfolio production demands. More importantly I had problems picking a news event to cover out of all the options suggested. There is a reason. In my first year at the university, for one of my journalism modules the class was asked to cover a particular lecture at the University’s Stratford campus. The whole exercise ended in agony. I ended up trying to make sense of a highly technical Science lecture and to make it relevant and interesting to an audience that was not scientific or particularly interested in how scientists go about their research. It was a nightmare. I must have done something however because I did very well with the copy. It was a difficult exercise and I believe I made a mental note to stay away from such assignments in the future. This explains therefore, my decision to write on economic and business topics. In one or two of my copies I veered to political issues but at the heart of all this was my passion for issues affecting my native African roots, the perceived injustices, inequalities, inefficient and corrupt regimes in African countries and Nigeria in particular. The general view is that such regimes are largely sustained by the patronising Western powers. I have conducted interviews before but was unprepared for an interviewee who wanted to remain anonymous. I was therefore unsure of how to retain credibility for my copy on social work without betraying the confidentiality I promised my interviewee. I decided therefore to tie the piece to the Baby P scandal. The core of the story was the burden of expectations society placed on the professionals who work in the social care work without , as they see it, â€Å"adequate resources and remuneration†, and also without making allowance for the fact that care service is not an exact science. Getting someone to speak on record for this piece was not easy and so, rather than ask around I decided to take the advice by Formichelli, Linda Diana Burrell (2003), and â€Å" found my own source†. Another advice I took to heart was to â€Å"give my interviewee a verbal ‘thanks’†after the interview. The module instilled in me a number of significant transferable skills. The first is the need to be organised. Nothing significant is achieved without detailed and thorough planning. I have also taken an ‘entrepreneurial’ attitude to work and learnt to be focused on the ‘consumer’ – the audience. Most importantly, I was learnt to have an eye for newsworthy stories, with my target audience at the back of my mind. For example I was in that Southeastern train that jumped the platform but was still able to write the story in the third party. I have learnt how to write news and features for publication. I learnt to generate ideas, to research those ideas and to produce copies based on those ideas, to a high standard. I have also been able to detail proposals to a high degree and therefore in my view in a position to pitch for commission with editors. But I am still learning The module also helped me to take advantage of new social media tools with which journalists can communicate with their audiences.I am now able to confidently upload copies to websites, where allowed. I am also able to write directly online and given the fact that the internet and social media tools can now be monitored, I am able to apply journalism principles responsibly. These principles include my obligation to truth; discipline of verification and to recognise the platform as a forum for public criticism and compromise. I am aware also that I am allowed to exercise my personal conscience and take full advantage of my blog and twitter accounts. I have come away from the module recognising the primacy of traditional journalism values, particularly that of fact verification. I recall a situation concerning the copy I submitted for publication on the risingeast.co.uk website on the looting and transfer of funds from developing countries, particularly Nigeria to the West. Dr. Andrew Calcutt, my module tutor was unwilling to publish certain parts of that copy until he had evidence that is already in the public domain on the individuals named in the piece. I went back and sourced more than thirty one pages of newspaper articles for him. I appreciated his position especially when he said he was acting on advice from the legal department. This informed my approach to all the pieces that I submitted. Additional values I picked on include: truth, clear and clean writing. These are core skills and knowledge that I believe will make me a competitive player in the contemporary media and journalism industries. I have learnt to think clearly and to make sense of the world around me; I also learnt to communicate clearly and directly; and to work co-operatively with colleagues. To be organized in my work is to be able to meet deadlines and to present my stories and their ideas to other people. The module helped me to eliminate the boundaries between print, multimedia and broadcast, and to be strong on good writing and critical thinking. It was uplifting seeing my module leader present a fresh approach to my first copy in minutes. I told myself, with time and practice, I’ll be like that. I learnt in practical terms how to identify workable and unique angles to news stories and features and how to remain focused on the message that I wish to convey. Another outcome was the how and why I should forget I have an opinion when putting a copy together. I am allowed to have an opinion but that opinion must not get in the way of the story I am telling my audience. I believed I managed that in the copies in my portfolio. I have always had an interest in following news, both serious and the mundane. This module reinforced this trait, which I consider one of my strengths. I am at home reading news online, in print and on mobile devices. One other strength I believe I have and which is essential to my programme is that of curiosity. I tend to observe and explore, asking questions, even in my everyday life. I read newspapers and magazines, watch news on television and listen to news on radio and still query them, trying to see them from different angles to see if they will come out the same way. I tend to stretch myself and to do things I wouldnt normally do, if only for the experience. This is essential to journalism. Lastly, I believe that any journalistic story must remain significant, interesting and relevant. I know I am good at this, but also mindful of the need to keep the news comprehensive and proportional. I appreciate that though I did not produce as many copies as I proposed to deliver, I am encouraged by the fact that I have picked up the necessary knowledge and skill to do so should I be able to work up the necessary discipline to effectively manage my time. I also note that I need to improve on my research efforts, particularly into the academic overview of journalism as a discipline. Nonetheless I have learnt a lot from this module. I know in practical terms what News is; I know how to recognise my audience and what it wants; how to write a story and how to pitch it to an Editor. I have picked up skills, I have met challenges which my training has helped me to get round. I have knowledge of how institutions work, and have highly developed communication skills which will work to my benefit. I am on my way. Bibliography Formichelli, Linda Diana Burrell (2003), The Renegade Writer: A Totally Unconventional Guide to Freelance Writing Success, New York: Marion Street Press Inc. Harrower, T (2007) Inside Reporting: A practical Guide to the Craft of Reporting, McGraw Hill, New York Sova, Dawn B. (2002), How to Write Articles for Newspapers and Magazines, London: Petersons,