Into The Gorge: A Spiral of Decline toward Loss

Into The Gorge: A Spiral of Decline toward Loss Into The Gorge: A Spiral of Decline toward Loss â€Å"Jesse stood on his porch and looked east toward Sampson Ridge, where bulldozers razed forests and grazing land for another gated community† ( Rash 18 ) . If one were to cut down Ron Rash’sInto the Gorgedown to one markedly important transition, this would be among the campaigners. It presents an image of commercialisation from the eyes of Jesse, a adult male who was raised to esteem the land. It besides marks a tangible passage for Jesse as he unwittingly conforms to his milieus.Into the Gorgenowadayss a narrative of loss. Get downing with the loss of Jesse’s great aunt and finally stoping with the loss of his ain life, or so the reader is to assume. This subject represents the spiral of diminution that ensues in a society that abuses and disrespects the land for intents of pecuniary addition. Into the Gorgeclears with a beautiful word picture of Jesse’s great aunt. The reader really rapidly becomes affiliated to her, about to the point of misidentifying her as the supporter in the narrative. She is aligned with a harmonious life with an about calm aura about her while being profoundly connected to the land and its seasonal rhythms ; she â€Å"could state you to the hebdomad when the first cornel flower would lighten up the ridge, the first blackberry darken and swell plenty to harvest† ( Rash 17 ) . But so she had lost her head and â€Å"with it all the people she knew, their names and connexions, whether they still lived or whether they’d died† ( Rash 17 ) . But despite this the reader is told in the really following paragraph that â€Å"The cognition of the land was the one memory that refused to dissolve† ( Rash 17 ) . Jesse’s grandaunt would go on to hoe her Fieldss every twenty-four hours until the twenty-four hours of her de cease, when she wandered off into the forests to vacate herself to the one invariable in her life, the one love that refused to fade out, a â€Å"final stepping down of everything she had one time been, † a surrendertothe land ( Rash 26 ) . The decease of Jesse’s grandaunt has in consequence begun the spiral of diminution toward an overall neglect for the necessity of the renewing of the land. The reader is told that â€Å"after her decease neighbours shortly found topographic points other than the gorge to run and angle, garner blackberries and galax†¦When the park service made an offer†¦Jesse’s male parent and aunts had sold†¦Now, five decennaries subsequently, Jesse stands on his porch and looked eastward†¦where bulldozers razed forests and grazing land for another gated community† ( Rash 18 ) . As antecedently mentioned, the loss of Jesse’s grandaunt seems to hold caused, at least for Jesse and his immediate milieus, a loss of a regard for the land. As the narrative takes the reader through Jesse’s foremost and successful effort at reaping the ginseng we are told, â€Å"Afterward, he’d carefully replanted the seeds, done it merely as his male parent had done, so walked out of the gorge, past the Fe gate that kept vehicles off the logging route. A xanthous Sn marker nailed to a nearby tree said US Park Service† ( Rash 18 ) . Here the reader gets a split image ; Jesse replants the seeds â€Å"just as his male parent had done† old ages ago ( Rash 18 ) . There is a sense of regard for the land and the cyclic nature of nature, which is besides represented in the generational lessons of planting and replanting passed down from male parent to boy. However, there is besides a really explicitly painted image of development. The workss that Jesse ha s harvested and so replanted are within the boundaries of the land which the authorities uses for logging. This land has been transformed into a commercialised operation in order to untangle any and all pecuniary value from it. Furthermore, there is a parallel image in this xanthous mark. A blazing neglect for nature is nailed to the tree by manner of a US Park Service mark, nevertheless in the predating paragraph it says â€Å"back so, the forests had been communal,No Trespassingmarks an affront†¦Ã¢â‚¬  ( Rash 18 ) . The forests had been a topographic point of community and friendly relationship and invitation, any effort to interrupt apart this public into personally claimed belongings was seen as an abuse to the corporate. But now, non merely is the land sectioned off into countries of unpermitted districts, but these countries are being used explicitly to work the land for pecuniary addition. This loss of a regard for the cardinal significance that the land has is somethi ng that Jesse seems to be troubled by, yet it is something he himself can’t isolated off from. The lone ground he is out reaping the ginseng in the first topographic point is to acquire money. He doesn’t love the act of reaping and replanting, he hasn’t even had any exposure to the land in this regard since his grandaunt passed, five decennaries earlier. What’s more, he doesn’t needfully even need the excess money. The storyteller says â€Å"his house and 20 estates were paid for, as was his truck. The baccy allocation earned less each twelvemonth but still plenty for a widowman with adult kids. Enough every bit long as he didn’t have to travel to the infirmary or his truck throw a rod. He needed some excess money put away for that. Not a million, but some† ( Rash 18 ) . Albeit he isn’t a money hungry corporate executive who has wholly disregarded the verve of nature. But he is however reaping the land for one ground and one gr ound entirely: money. This disconnected image of working and fostering the land represents an even further diminution, as a society, toward the commercialised corruptness of the land. The narrative comes full circle at the terminal as Jesse â€Å"waited† in the forests merely as his grandaunt did before she died. In this minute he thought of his grandaunt and paralleled himself to her as his waiting was â€Å"a concluding stepping down of everything†heone time was. However, it’s non merely a pure and symmetrically sound stoping ; the usage of the word â€Å"abdication† has a dual entendre underlying it. In respects to Jesse’s grandaunt, it has a meter of a dignified release of her life and everything that she lived for. Not needfully the instance for Jesse, for him it seems to take on a different significance wholly. It is Jesse’s chance to fly from the forfeiture of artlessness that his life has culminated to. Jesse recognizes his loss of artlessness, his loss of self-respect, but it is merely when he attempts to travel back to being in melody with the land that he comes to this realisation ; â€Å"Jesse shifted his orga nic structure so his face turned downhill, one ear to the land as if listening for the faintest footstep. It seemed so incorrect to be 68 old ages old and running from person. Old age was supposed to give a individual self-respect and respect† ( Rash 22 ) . In this minute Jesse acknowledges his loss of regard, a regard which has been neither received from others nor given by himself. The consequence of this self-fulfillment is his â€Å"waiting† at the really terminal. A bi-laterally asymmetrical stoping to the gap. One can follow though this narrative the slow diminution toward a society which does non foster the land, but instead relies on it for the here and now. The reader is left gyrating down along with Jesse as the plot line moves from the loss of Jesse’s grandaunt, to the commercializing of his hometown, to Jesse’s ain selfish aims with the land, and eventually to Jesse’s realisation of his conformance which finally leads to his decease. This spiral is a representation or a possible warning to the effects of a commercialized society which exploits the land: there is a natural and unconditioned diminution when 1 refuses a fear to the land. This refusal leads to inside turned desires, which leads to capitalistic inclinations and the commercialisation of the land—extricating it for all that its worth—which will finally take to the decease of those who were one time respected, and who in bend irradiated it back.

Diets Make You Fat Essay

The United States of America is a nation known for our obsession over â€Å"big things†. Americans have the biggest cars, the biggest houses, and now, the biggest people. Obesity rates in the United States has skyrocketed and more than one-third of American adults are obese. Some researchers suspect that by 2030, more than half the population will be obese unless Americans change what they consume and how much they exercise. Many Americans are now realizing the deadly effects of obesity and are turning to diets to stabilize and maintain a healthy weight. But for some people, this cultural solution to the national problem does not work at all, and even gives reverse affects. Although dieting can help an individual to lose weight, it can also lead to gaining of weight because of hormones, the dieting mentality, and our culture as Americans. Although people see dieting as the sure-fire way to losing pounds, scientists have found that dieting actually changes the way their brain and metabolism work. When a person starts a diet, their brain begins to send hormones that tell the body to hoard body fat. This makes it harder to lose weight because your body thinks that it is lacking food, and therefore, relies on body fat. These same hormones also trigger food craving in the brain, making that individual hungry constantly and eventually succumb to eating again (Naish, 1) . The dieting mentality is also a huge reason why diets can have reverse affects. Have you ever gone to dinner with a friend, who ordered a huge plate of pasta because tomorrow was the start of her diet? Or, have you ever heard someone say they were going for ice cream because they â€Å"earned† it by going to the gym that day? This makes it so diets are nothing more than a storm of restrictive eating patterns, shame, and guilt. A person on a diet may lose the pounds they wanted, but as soon as they reached their goal, they start to fall in the same patterns again and gain the weight they lost, or even more (Johnson, 1). Lastly, our own culture fights against us. We are a nation of fast food and junk food, and are always reminded of it through advertisements. People cannot go a day without seeing at least one advertisement for the new McDonald’s burger or the new sugary junk food that’s available at the nearest grocery store. These companies are exact in the business of advertising their products, and most of the time, target young children to create a â€Å"brand-loyalty† through happy commercials and toy giveaways. We have been manipulated by these companies, and it’s very hard not to indulge in their products. This culture of ours needs to change before we improve our health and stop obesity. In conclusion, diets in America can be too blame for making us â€Å"fat†. Our own bodies, minds, and culture wreak havoc against us and make it very hard to shed those pounds that one wants to lose. Some Americans turn to deadly diets as an answer, such as fad-diets, and also diets that lead to bulimia. However, there are diets that actually work, such as the dieting by lowering portions. Whatever the diet may be, Americans must face the cruel reality that their lives are in jeopardy and must fight off the urge to eat fast food and junk food, and exercise regularly. Or else, we have to face the consequences of the future.

Alliance Boots Future Strategic Directions Organisation Business Essay

Alliance Boots Future Strategic Directions Organisation Business Essay It is a multinational company with strong recognition and reputation as one of the leading pharmaceutical and beauty companies in the world. Alliance Boots revenue is more than  £22.5 billion in excess; it also has various outlets in more than 20 countries. Alliance Boots core areas of business are pharmaceutical and beauty, formed in 2006 as a merger Boots Group and Alliance UniChem and recently a global merger with Walgreens. The company main purpose is to help its customers to look and feel better than ever, by providing exceptional customer and patient care with great value for its customer. Product brands Alliance Boots Pharmaceutical Wholesale Division is experiencing a rapid growth and global sales; the company believes that its product innovation and development competencies are some of the resourceful factors, which enable the company to develop new and existing products for global consumption. Some of these products are, No7, Soltan and Botanics, 17, Almus and Alvita tha t were successfully launched recently. Organisation Structures Alliance Boots have over 185,000 employees and numerous pharmaceutical outlets. The aim of the company is to work closely with manufacturer of pharmaceutical, beauty and health products and use experienced pharmacists to provide services to their customers. Alliance Boots headquarters is in Zug Switzerland. Alliance Boots Strategy Options It is important that when a global business organisation wants to adopt a sustainable development strategy for its products and brands, such strategy needs to be applicable across a wide range of different product types, also has to be flexible to cope with the rapid turnover of products. Alliance Boots also believe that: The company strategy is capable to cope with three main routes by which products are introduced at Alliance Boots (own manufacture, third party supply of Alliance Boots brands and proprietary brand). The company strategy is providing leadership on where and how to impr ove its products and such improvement must be commercially successful. Marketing strategy Alliance Boots believe that by putting its customers first for all its pharmaceutical and beauty products with outstanding quality and service at a competitive cost will help the company to achieve excellent profitable margins in the global competitive market. Ansoff’s Matrix Ansoff’s Matrix is a unique marketing tool, which provides strategic choices to business organisations in order to achieve the objective for growth. Ansoff’s Matrix has four main categories namely: Market penetration: Market penetration creates a good avenue for a company like Alliance Boots to sell existing products in existing markets. It is important for Alliance Boots to continue promoting its product with the new features and good quality .This is helping Alliance Boots to invest heavily and focus more on research and development in new market research creating more distribution channel. Market de velopment: Alliance Boots use Market development as a growth strategy to sell its existing products into new markets, including new geographical markets, for example product exportation to a new country. It also includes new product packaging new distribution channels (e.g. Boots Pharmacy stores across UK and selling via e-commerce and mail order). Its ability to target new market makes Market development a unique strategy.

Alroy Drawer Runners Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Alroy Drawer Runners - Essay Example Alroy is a leader in the manufacture of metal drawer runners that are utilized on furnishings, custom cabinetry and any other product requiring efficient and no-slip drawer slides, hence creating a plethora of opportunities for capturing disparate markets and prospects. What makes Alroy products unique is their durability in construction and powder-coated covering that improves anti-corrosion capabilities and longevity over that of competing drawer runner manufacturers worldwide. Alroy Sheet Metal’s customer is Heritage Home Group LLC, a multi-national organization specializing in manufacture, design, distribution and retailing of a variety of home furnishings. Heritage is a very high-end producer and marketer of top quality, premium home products under the respected and well-known brand names such as Thomasville, Lane, Broyhill, Pearson and Drexel Heritage. The customer maintains a very broad group of retail channels that include branded retail stores, collaboration with world-renowned interior design agents, mass merchant retailers, and independent retail stores across the world. The relationship between Alroy salespersons and Heritage Home Group is one that is justified through a consultative selling model. Salespersons, in order to add value to the relationship and engage the customer effectively, ask a variety of strategic questions, utilize active listening skills, and illustrate a legitimate care and concern for their problems and needs. Relationship development involves more interactivity with customers, face-to-face selling practices, in which productive communications between seller and customer are critical to establishing trust and perceptions of competency in the salesperson and the corporate brand.  

Discuss the implications of long and short term tracheostomy tubes on Essay

Discuss the implications of long and short term tracheostomy tubes on physiotherapy patient management - Essay Example Inhibition of the airway by any foreign body in the lynx is also a reason that would lead to a tracheotomy. The other reason is the inability to remove any secretions from the trachea. Another reason is sleeping problems in obese individuals leading to restricted breathing (Johnson, Gluckman, & Sanders, 2001). Lastly damage to the vocal cord which causes swallowing difficulties that lead to aspiration problems is another major reason. The management of patients with tracheotomy tubes is carried out by an individual with specialized skill to avoid any complications (Wijesinghe & Gough, 2000). The patients require regular care on the tracheotomy tube to ensure they are clean and are in good working conditions (Goldstein, 2004). The wound should be cleaned regularly to avoid infection that may lead to complications later. The pipes need to be suctioned regularly to avoid any blockages that may impede with the regular functioning of the tracheotomy-tubes (Ji, Kim & Park, 2002). The patients need to be educated on basic measures that they should observe in order to decrease the risk of infections and on how to care for the tracheotomy tubes (Lewarski, 2005). For example the patients should ensure that they avoid touching the tracheotomy tubes with unclean hands. In addition the patients should be advised to clean the wound when instructed to by the medical practitioner only (May & Porter, 2008). The patients are advised to see a doctor if they experience any pain or notice any thing out of the ordinary to ensure that any complication or issue is attended to on time (Morris & Afifi, 2010). The management of the care givers who take care of tracheotomy patients is done through proper training. These care givers who are physiotherapists are provided with the correct equipment to ensure that they offer the patients the best care. These equipments include

General Style of Writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

General Style of Writing - Essay Example General Style of Writing There are going to be a number of principles of basic editing that I am going to employ. Some of these include the need to read over all my projects; for at least twice before presenting them. In my case, I made three major symbolic representations in my general writing presentations to make up my general style of writing. These symbolic representations are in no certain order, the use of themes, exclusive use of examples and the use of counter arguments. By the use of themes, reference is being made to the fact that all projects that are written are given precise division to make the discussions well organized. Examples and scenarios are also used in most cases in order to help in elaborating points and ideas that are raised in the cause of the writing. The final section of my style has to be the use of counter arguments to help in brings out clarity on why the side of an argument I held is more justified than the other side I did not support. All in all, my writing cannot be judged as perfect and has its own weaknesses and strengths. Strengths in my Writing Through remarks received from supervisors and in accordance with a number of academic texts studied in the course o f the semester’s study, there are three major strengths I identify in my writing. These are clarity of construction, organization of thoughts and insightfulness in argument. In the first place, I have often used language and syntax that are simple and down to earth to allow for the easy understanding of sentences and contents I put up. In my first project for instance, in my first two projects, there were positive remarks I received from my supervisors specifically for the fact that my thoughts were straight forward and easy to understand. This point is indeed supported by Murray (1998) as a major strength in all forms of writing as he remarks that â€Å"I write my way toward meaning with discovery drafts that usually make the subject come clear.† Secondly, I have always focused on the need to make my writings well organized and structured. I do this by giving themes and sub-heading to major points. Once this is done, there is always the room to make the identification of major points that have been raised in the writings easier and accessible. Finally, I combine simplicity with insightfulness to ensure that the fact that I try to keep the structure and content of my papers simple does not take away from them the in-depth of explanations that the arguments deserve. Weaknesses in my Writing Not withstanding the major strengths discussed about my style of writing, there are a number of weaknesses that can be seen. These weaknesses are evident when reading through some of the major laid down principles in putting up an excellent paper; such as the one presented by Murray (1998). In light of this, it would be said that I have a very wrong approach to accepting criticism that pertain to writing. Contrary to this, Murray (1998) admonishes that â€Å"they must accept the criticism of others and be suspicious of it; they must accept the praise of others and be even more suspicious of it.† The writer makes this point referring to writers who seek t o excel in their writing. This means that common mistakes that are made in my writing and are pointed out by friends, colleagues and supervisors must always be taken in good faith and improved upon. Unfortunately, m supervisor seem to be the only person whose input I consider for change. As evidence in my first three project works, there are major corrections that my learning partner pointed out to me, which I ignored. When I finally took the completed work to

U3 Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

U3 Discussion - Essay Example The server is then ready to send the certificate. The way it works is for the client to trust the certificate or a party that the client trusts e.g. Geo Trust. What follows is a verification process to ascertain that the server is not someone else in the middle before a key is exchanged. The cipher suite will determine whether to use a public key, nothing or a PreMasterSecret. The client and the server will consequently perform a computation on symmetric encryption (., 2013). Client to the server communication is to alert the server that the messages it will receive from the client will be encrypted and sends a message to the server that is encrypted. The server is tasked with confirming the MAC address of the client and to determine that it is correct. The latter is for authentication. The server will decrypt the message and send a message to the client for verification. Communication is completed by a close notification alert. Attackers use FIN packet to terminate a TCP connection. However both the client and the server will

Sustainability and Strategy - HILTON HOTEL Essay

Sustainability and Strategy - HILTON HOTEL - Essay Example Hilton hotels across the globe are owned by or managed by individual operators and who are supervised by Hilton Worldwide. As of 1943, the Hilton hotels business chain became the United States’ first coast to coast hotel chain. Currently, there are more than 530 Hilton branded hotels operating worldwide in 78 countries, serving the interests of millions of people. As the company engages in large scale operations, it evidently produces huge volume of waste materials. The company’s waste dumping activities raise potential challenges to the environmental sustainability policies of the United Kingdom. This paper will conduct a PEST analysis on the waste issue of Hilton hotels; and it will critically evaluate how each PEST element relates to the successful management of the company. Pest analysis on the waste issue of Hilton Hotels Political factors The waste issue of Hilton Hotels in UK involves many political aspects. Evidently, the entire European Union maintains strict r egulations on waste disposal with intent to confront with the challenging environmental crises such as global warming and green house effect (United Nations Environment Programme, 2002, p.25). Recently, the UK government in particular has framed an array of environment sustainability policies so as to preserve the ecological balance. ... Hence, the government is less likely to adopt a liberal approach towards Hilton Hotels even though they evidently contribute to the GDP of the country. Since environmental sustainability constitutes the nation’s major vision for the next several decades, it may take some stringent actions against Hilton Hotels if they continue with the illegal practice. Economical factors While analysing the economic spectrum of UK, it is clear that the nation is ranked at sixth in terms of nominal GDP and seventh in terms of purchasing power parity. The UK provides high business freedom (94.6) and trade freedom (87.6) in order to foster mercantile activities in the country (The Heritage Foundation, 2011). Hence, the country neither intervenes in the business operations of a firm nor imposes much restriction on its operational privacy. To some extent, this favourable situation assists the Hilton Hotels to skip the current environmental policies of the country. Since effective waste management could significantly benefit the economic growth of the country, the Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has formulated a number of waste reduction policies. During the last year, the Defra conducted a detailed Review of Waste Policies in the country so as to ensure that existing policies and regulations are adequate enough to meet the environmental sustainability needs of the country (DEFRA, 2011). As Wintour, Elliott and Mulholland (2008) point out, the UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s press releases reflect that the country still has a lot to achieve in ensuring effective waste disposal. Admittedly, the UK government does not foster business activities which may hurt the long term sustainability of the country. Hence obviously, the current economic policies of the

Nurse Reinvestment Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Nurse Reinvestment Act - Essay Example 2008). "Patients who have common surgeries in hospitals with the worst nurse staffing levels have an up to 31% increased chance of dying. More nurses at the bedside could save thousands of patient lives each year, as reported today in The Journal of the American Medical Association. The Penn researchers found that every additional patient in an average hospital nurse's workload increased the risk of death in surgical patients by 7%. Patients with life-threatening complications were also less likely to be rescued in hospitals where nurses' patient loads were heavier. The findings impact the national legislative agenda. More than 20 states have enacted or are considering nurse-staffing legislation." (Mcintyre, J. 2002, Oct 23/30) The House of Representatives and Senate Of United States has passed on Dec 20 passed separate versions of legislation which is done in favor of nurses by increasing their number, student community and nursing school faculty over the coming five years. The Senate's bill, named as The Nurse Reinvestment Act (NRA) (S.1864), had programs for lending scholarships and loan repayment programs for nursing students and nurses pursuing additional clinical training or graduate degree. The Bill also provides funding for national, state, and local advertising campaigns that encourage careers in nursing. The Senate's bill, The Nurse Reinvestment Act (NRA), would create scholarships, stipends, and loan repayment programs for nursing students and nurses pursuing additional clinical training or graduate degrees. Upon graduation, some of these programs would require an individual to work (for a specified length of time) in an area or facility with a nursing shortage. The Senate bill would also author ize funding for national, state, and local advertising campaigns that encourage careers in nursing. "The goal for this issue is to strengthen AORN's relationship with other specialty nursing organizations as well as highlight perioperative RN objectives through increased visibility in the nursing community and by supporting the Nurse Reinvestment Act. Support of the Nurse Reinvestment Act was added to AORN's legislative priorities in August 2002, just as the bill was passed by wide margins in both the US House of Representatives and the Senate and before it was signed by President Bush." (Beu, B. 2004, April) There are provisions for granting of nursing schools, health care facilities, community based joint venture to support continuing education programs, internships and specialty training for new as well as experienced nurses in S. 1864. A 2 year grant is intended to be given to nursing schools to identify "best practices" and develop innovative retention strategies and the awards would be based on a facility's size, with large hospitals with over 400 beds with an amount up to $600,00 in support. A "National Commission on the Recruitment and Retention of Nurses" is to be created as a two year program. "Sens. Mikulski and Tim Hutchinson, R-Ark. had introduced an earlier nursing bill in April 2001: The Nursing Employment and

Perception and Reality in Existenz Essay Example for Free

Perception and Reality in Existenz Essay For me, eXistenZ is a film that is fairly confusing at best. If I’m not mistaken the film was released before The Matrix and had the same concept for the world the characters resided. A computer generated world inside the real world. In eXistenZ the protagonists start off in a room, they are about to beta test a revolutionary computer game called â€Å"eXistenZ†, the scene is set in such a way that we are led to believe that video games have finally reached the ultimate goal of becoming fully immersive and utterly real, not so much virtual reality but complete reality. Each actor is given a role that, in the game, they may or may not complete without knowing. This is where things already start to cross over. We as the audience are transported into a fictional world, viewed through a mechanical/computerized object (the camera) that is itself populated by fictional characters whom are just about to do the exact same thing. â€Å"The way we see things is affected by what we know or what we believe. † 1 berger We are told to believe that computerised realities identical to our own are now possible, and that these people will be â€Å"porting† into one. Nobody today, at least that I know, believes that our reality is computerised, simply because in our reality†¦a computer generated reality that is indistinguishable from our own has not been created. But if we all believed that, would we see this world differently as in eXistenZ? â€Å"An image is a sight which has been recreated or reproduced. It is an appearance, or set of appearances, which has been detached from the place and time in which it first made its appearance and preserved – for a few moments or a few centuries. † 2 berger. Once we are â€Å"ported† into the computerized reality of their reality, we realise that what we are viewing is not what we are seeing for ourselves, possibly not even in the same time or space. The camera is providing us with a series of still images that were captured by a â€Å"mechanical† eye (this alone provides us with a view of the world which is unlike our own i. e. widescreen, resolution, perspective etc). These images are producing a world that is similar to ours but unreal and from the viewpoint like that of a ghost or an angel (called â€Å"free cam† or â€Å"death cam† in the video game world†. The ability to view events from anywhere in the world whenever you want. ). This world then takes us into another world inside that one which is viewed the same way, except this world is supposed to be the false reality. I sometimes think this can be part of the explanation for the oddities we see†¦. like placing the lens of a camera next to the viewfinder of another camera and taking a picture. As your eye, a natural camera in itself sees through the first lens, the image is distorted via that lens and then the other lens. What is it you will really be seeing at the end? In the film we are always viewing the events through three mediums, our eyes, through the camera, which views those events through a virtual camera in the game. We can never be totally sure that the images we see represent the corresponding knowledge that we assign to it in our reality. Everything in eXistenZ looks exactly the same as our reality but doesn’t have the same meaning†¦. several tiers over. But whose eyes are we actually viewing these whole series of events from? A spectator. But who is this spectator? Are there testers ported into the game as mere observers? Are they developers or publishers? Or simply joe public who has no direct connection with the corporate mechanics of eXistenZ? In our reality, when you play a multiplayer game such as this and you die, you become a spectator†¦a ghost, until the end of the game, where you â€Å"respawn† (get another chance). Quite simply, whose interpretation of the events are we watching? Two quotes relating to music and technology but I believe are relevant; â€Å"†Liveness,† in short, whether defined in social or physiological terms, is not essential to musical meaning. On the other hand, it is equally clear that to record a work is just as much to interpret it as to perform it in any other way. † 3 Simon Firth â€Å"I don’t believe the engineer should intrude between the composer, or performer†¦Ã¢â‚¬  4 Goddard The â€Å"music† is the game, the â€Å"performer† being the people in the game, the â€Å"composer† is the game itself, the story and the â€Å"engineer† is the person or entity who is controlling our view of the final score (In game mechanics this could be referred to as the â€Å"Game Engine†, this decides what happens, how, why, when and where. ) The above quote can only exude one outcome, that the game should be viewed from each and every person by their own means in order to absorb the complete truth. Right now we are watching the events through someone else’s interpretation, each cut and angle change being a splice of the composition†¦a rewrite of the events. By the end of the film we find out unequivocally that because of this we have only half of the story. But we do realise that no matter what, the composition remains the same†¦. it’s just the way we hear it that is different. eXistenZ has what’s called a â€Å"linear† plotline but a â€Å"non linear† game play mechanic, there is only one outcome but the way in which you reach that outcome can have infinite possibilities, much like our lives. Existence is linear, but life is not. We will all die eventually, but how we die will have an infinite number of possibilities. A composer can write a piece of music that is the story, which never changes, but it is the performer and engineer that tell this story, depending on them both, the end will always be the same but the way in which the story is told will always be different. One thing that was mentioned by Walter Benjamin is that, â€Å"For the film, what matters primarily is that the actor represents himself to the public before the camera, rather than representing someone else. † 5 benjamin This maybe true, but the very nature of this film throws this ideal into chaos. The actors are playings actors in a film that has them playing actors in a game†¦that by the end of the film, has them playing actors of actors in some other situation. This quote I simply don’t agree with, it also seems to me that this is the complete opposite of what a method actor tries to accomplish on stage, which is to embody and represent someone else completely without thought. This goes against what Berger said about us relating what we see to what we know. If the actors on stage all represented themselves completely to the audience other than the camera before the part they were playing, then what we as an audience know about the character in relation to the actor playing the character conflict and ruin the immersion, it is easier to become someone else in front of the camera, that doesn’t know anything, than the audience that knows everything. The whole point of eXistenZ is to make you believe that these average people believe they are someone else who in turn believe they are someone else. At the end of the day this is what the object of the game was, to embody the character of someone else that has been thrust into a plot in a world that you have no knowledge of. This is the reason that people play video games. To escape the mundane trials and tribulations of everyday life and become a part of something that is out of the ordinary. Computer Generated Imagery, or CGI (CGI is a term that I find horrible, to me it is either Digital Animation or Digital Modeling, together Digital Media. CGI has connotations of the low tech ‘80’s to many people. ) is the main ingredient in this, where as the original way to escape was to either read a book, act in a play or hear a tale†¦now we are heading towards the era where you can become part of a tale that is ultra realistic. Where you can enter a virtual world that can fabricate the ends of your imagination and beyond. eXistenz is where the digital industry wants to end up, the applications of fabricating a reality that is false for individuals that cannot cope with the â€Å"real† thing are endless. If youre bored at work, why not become Bruce Willis during you’re lunch break? Want to experience terror? Port in and visit Silent Hill after a hard day at work. It all sounds simple enough, but right now we are at a point where we know for definite within our reality, where the line is between virtual and real. The day that our technology reaches the levels depicted in eXistenZ is the day that the troubles will start. This I think is one of the main lessons to me in this film. When do we say â€Å"enough† to technology? When do we stop? Or do we stop in one avenue and continue developing in others? A revolutionary game such as eXistenZ could wreak havoc on people who do not have the capacity to discern their reality from that of the software or hardware. It even has the possibility to blur the lines and boundaries you already have defined, or destroy your mental health completely. At the very end of the film we are enlightened to the fact that eXistenZ is not real, that it is a product of the game â€Å"tranScendanZ†. It is a game within a game within a film. The final line of the film â€Å"Are we still in the game† relates to how we see the world, relative. Who knows if that was the real reality or just the game, to me it looked very much like the two protagonists didn’t know either, or even questioned it. Perhaps they weren’t even â€Å"real† participants of the game, but mere NPC’s (non player characters). But this is where Digital Media is taking us, it’s job is to create the world as accurately as it can within the realms of it’s software, ironically designed by entities that are bound by laws of a universe not completely understood by the aformentioned but with none of the rules that limit our existence (The Matrix for example, identical reality, but the rules could be bent or broken by those who knew how to). For instance, if I wanted to walk through a wall right now I couldn’t, however, in a game it is as simple as typing a code into the console (usually â€Å"noclip 1†, 0 being false, 1 being true). But who is to say that I couldn’t walk through that wall now? Maybe it is as simple as being enlightened to the truth like Neo from The Matrix? In our lives we are exposed to images from the past, present and future that hold no bearing on our existence at that present time we experience them. But these images, performances or experiences can affect us in ways that we cannot perceive. The photographer, camera operator or composer does not know this either. But at the time of them creating these art works they are fabricating a reality and set of circumstances for others that have a multitude of meanings. There can be one definitive interpretation, but this will change depending on who is viewing it and how. Right now this essay almost makes sense to me, it may not make sense to you, but how do you make sense of things that have several meanings unless you were the person who conceived the premise in the first place? The answer is that you cannot. A picture taken one century for one purpose and meaning can translate as something else in another century. An actors affect in film during one era can mean something different on stage in the same era and an music studio can completely rewrite the meaning and feel of music without changing the notes or instruments. It is all down to perception. eXistenZ, Vanilla Sky, The Matrix, The Machinist, Gozu and many others all rely on images that are perceived as in any other art forms. Our own experiences colour the original â€Å"thought† of the creator, regardless of that creators perception.

Activation of the G Protein-coupled Estrogen Receptor

Activation of the G Protein-coupled Estrogen Receptor Activation of the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor ameliorates salt-induced vascular remodeling Abstract The mRen2.Lewis (mRen2) female rat is an estrogen- and salt-sensitive model of hypertension which may reflect the higher pressure and salt sensitivity associated with menopause. We previously showed in salt-loaded mRen2 female rats that activation of the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) does not lower blood pressure but attenuates renal damage. The current study hypothesized that GPER protects against vascular injury in this model. Intact mRen2.Lewis female rats were fed a normal (0.5% Na+) or high salt diet (HS; 4% Na+) for 10 weeks and treated with vehicle or the selective GPER agonist G-1 for the last two weeks of the study. Systolic blood pressure was measured by tail cuff plethysmography, and aortic sections were mounted on a wire myograph or formalin-fixed for histological analysis. Systolic blood pressure increased with HS (137  ± 2 mmHg, n=7 to 224  ± 8, n=9; P0.05). While aortic reactivity to phenylephrine and acetylcholine were not different between groups (P> 0.05), chronic G-1 treatment reduced vasoconstriction to angiotensin II (Pex vivo G-1 vasorelaxation (P Introduction Sodium balance plays an integral role in cardiovascular homeostasis. A high salt diet is considered a major risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality independent of other cardiovascular risk factors (Beil et al. Blood Pressure, 1995). Excessive salt intake has been associated with vascular remodeling, including the reorganization of the extracellular matrix and hypertrophy and/or hyperplasia of vascular smooth muscle cells. Although vascular remodeling is considered a protective adaptation to a higher wall stress, it contributes to the development of hypertension by creating a thicker, less compliant wall. Aortic stiffness, which contributes to isolated systolic hypertension in human subjects, is an excellent example of the complications presented by vascular remodeling (Lemarie et al. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, 2009). The ability of estrogen to attenuate vascular remodeling in injured arteries may at least partly occur via activation of the classic steroid receptors ERÃŽ ± and ERÃŽ ² in VSMC and endothelial cells (Xing et al. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, 2009). Brouchet et al. showed that estrogen’s protective effects on vascular remodeling were abolished in female ERÃŽ ± knockout mice (Brouchet et al, Circulation, 2001). Moreover, in porcine aortic smooth muscle cells, the downregulation of ERÃŽ ² protein levels by mRNA antisense oligomers abrogated the inhibitory effects of estrogen on mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation, migration, and proliferation (Geraldes et al. Circ Res, 2003; Xing et al. Am J Physiol., 2007). However, the protective effects of estrogen on vascular injury are evident in both ERÃŽ ± and ERÃŽ ² knockout mice, suggesting that another receptor may be necessary (Iafrati et al. Nat Med. 1997; Karas et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 1999). The novel G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) is a membrane-bound receptor linked to acute signaling pathways (Revankar et al. Science, 2005; Thomas et al. Endocrinology, 2005). Our previous studies showed that GPER activation lowers blood pressure in ovariectomized mRen2.Lewis rats and attenuates salt-induced renal and cardiac remodeling in intact mRen2.Lewis rats (Lindsey et al Endocrinology, Jessup et al, PLOS one, 2010 and Lindsey et al Hypertension). Therefore, this novel receptor may play an important role in mediating estrogenic effects in the vasculature. In the current study, we hypothesized that chronic GPER activation is protective against aortic remodeling due to salt-sensitive hypertension. To test this hypothesis, we utilized mRen2.Lewis (mRen2) rats, a unique congenic model of hypertension in which HS profoundly elevates blood pressure in females (Chappell et al, Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol., 2006). We compared aortic remodeling in high salt-fed rats with or without treatment with the selective GPER agonist G-1. Because estrogen modulates oxidative stress to attenuate vascular remodeling in injured arteries (Hayashi et al, Biochem Biophys Bes Commun, 1995; Xing et al. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, 2009) and GPER reduces oxidative stress in the kidneys of female mRen2 rats (Lindsey et al. Hypertension, 2011), we further determined whether the effects of HS and G-1 were mediated by modulating oxidative stress. To further elucidate the cellular mechanisms responsible for vascular remodeling, we uti lized primary cultured female rat aortic smooth muscle cells to determine the effects of salt on cellular hypertrophy. Methods Animals All procedures were approved by the institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Hemizygous mRen2.Lewis congenic female rats were obtained from the Wake Forest Hypertension Center breeding colony. Rats had free access to food and water in a temperature-controlled room (22  ± 2 °C) with a 12 hour light to dark cycle. At five weeks of age, the normal salt diet (NS, 0.5% Na) was switched to high salt (HS; 4% Na), as previously described (1, 2). The selective GPER agonist G-1 (400  µg/kg/day; EMD Chemicals, Gibbstown, NJ) or vehicle was administered for two weeks beginning at 13 weeks of age via subcutaneous osmotic minipump (Model 2ML2; Alza Corporation, Palo Alto, CA). Blood pressure was measured via tail cuff plethysmography (Narco Bio-systems, Houston, TX). Animals were randomly assigned to three experimental groups: intact NS (n=7), intact HS+vehicle (veh; n=9), and intact HS+G-1 (n = 9). Vascular Reactivity. After sacrifice, the upper thoracic aorta was submerged in formalin for histology and the lower portion used for vascular reactivity as previously described (Lindsey et al Endocrinology). Aortas were equilibrated with 2 g tension and the responses to 1 uM phenylephrine, 1 uM acetylcholine, 10 nM angiotensin II (Ang II), and 3 uM G-1 were measured. Histology. Formalin-fixed aortas were embedded in paraffin, cut into 5 um sections, and mounted on slides. To evaluate aortic wall thickness, slides were stained with hematoxylin and images analyzed using ImagePro software (XXX company, XXX city,XX state). Aortic medial area was calculated by the subtraction of the area of the inner border of the lumen (inner area) from the area of the outer border of the tunica media (outer area). Collagen staining was performed using picrosirius red and images were taken using a Texas Red fluorescent filter. The medial area was selected and the mean luminosity was recorded for each section. The NovaUltra Orcein Elastin Stain Kit (IHC World, XXX) was used for elastin staining. For analysis of oxidative stress, sections were immunostained with an antibody against 4-hydroxynonenal as previously described (Lindsey et al Hypertension). For analysis of brightfield images, positive staining was identified and the percent of positive pixels in the medial a rea recorded. For all analyses, the average of four cross-sectional measurements was calculated for each animal. Cell Studies. Aortic smooth muscle cells were isolated from adult f emale Lewis rats by explant method. Aortas were excised, cleaned of fat, cut longitudinally, scraped of endothelial cells, laid luminal side down in a cell culture dish containing Medium 199 (Invitrogen, XXX) and 5% fetal bovine serum (Gibco, XXX), and cut into small strips. Cells were subcultured up to four passages. When cells reached 80% confluence, the medium was switched to Medium 199 without phenol red or fetal bovine serum and sodium chloride (Sigma) was added to the increase the concentration to 152 mM, 160 mM, and 182 mM. Add NaCl to make high salt CS medium (152, 160, and 182 mM), Normal medium 142 mM NO, I find 117 mM Add 0.02 g NaCl to 50 ml of normal medium, that makes 152 mM Add 0.045 g NaCl to 50 ml of normal medium, that makes 160 mM Add 0.11 g NaCl to 50 ml of normal medium, that makes 182 mM After 5 days of exposure to high sodium medium, cells were harvested for further experiments. Cells were harvested using trypsin to obtain single cell suspensions. A sample was taken for determination of cell number and diameter using XXX cellometer (XXX company, XXX city, XXX state). Mean cell diameter was determined on 200 randomly chosen cells in each sample. The remaining cells were lysed in XXX with protease inhibitor cocktail (XXX company). Cellular protein content was determined in duplicate using bovine serum albumin as a standard (Bio-Rad Protein Assay Kit). Results As previously reported, a high salt diet (HS) significantly increased systolic blood pressure in intact mRen2 female rats (Figure 1A). Chronic treatment with the selective GPER agonist G-1 for two weeks did not influence blood pressure. G-1 did not influence the aortic response to acetylcholine (Figure 1B) or phenylephrine (Figure 1D). However, G-1 treatment in vivo amplified the vasorelaxant response to ex vivo application of G-1 (Figure 1C) and decreased the vasoconstrictor response to Ang II (Figure 1E). Salt-sensitive hypertension in female mRen2 rats significantly increased aortic thickness, as determined by the media/lumen ratio (Figure 2A-B). This remodeling was associated with a significant decrease in lumen area but no change in the external diameter of the aorta (Figures 2C-D). Chronic G-1 significantly attenuated remodeling, as evidenced by a decreased media/lumen ratio and an increased lumen area, with no change in external diameter. The average measurements for all groups are graphically represented in Figure 2E. In order to determine whether extracellular fibrosis was altered by HS and G-1, aortic sections were analyzed for collagen and elastin content. Figure 3 shows that picrosirius red staining was similar in all groups (Figure 3). Elastin staining was significantly decreased by HS but this effect was not reversed by G-1 (Figure 4). Elastin Breaks Space between elastin fibers Sections were assessed for proliferation using antibodies against proliferating cell nuclear antigen and Ki-67. No evidence of immunostaining was found in the medial sections of aorta for these two nuclear proteins necessary for cellular proliferation (data not shown). However, in comparison to aortas from normal salt-fed rats, HS aortas showed a significant increase in oxidative stress as measured by staining for the lipid peroxidation product 4-HNE (Figure 5). In addition, chronic G-1 treatment significantly attenuated 4-HNE staining. Aortic smooth muscle cells were isolated and cultured in order to determine the Effects of HS and G-1 on cellular hypertrophy. Discussion The present study demonstrated that estrogen receptor GPER activation attenuated salt-induced increase of aortic wall thickness in mRen2 rats. The mechanism for the G-1 effect most likely involves counteracting oxidative stress and reducing vascular smooth muscle cell hypertrophy. This study demonstrating GPER-induced vascular protection nicely complements our previous work showing similar results in the kidney and heart (ADD REF). Interestingly, GPER’s renoprotective effects were also associated with a reduction in oxidative stress. Moreover, the beneficial effects in the heart were similarly independent of alterations in the extracellular matrix but directly associated with a reduction in cardiomyocyte size. Vascular GPER protein is clearly expressed in both endothelial and smooth muscle cells of the aorta (Lindsey et al, Endocrinology, 2009; Ding et al, Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, 2009; Gros et al, Hypertension, 2011). In native vessels, the extracellular matrix (ECM) is composed mostly of collagen, elastin and proteoglycans. These proteins inà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡uence cell functions and play an important role in maintaining vessel structure by providing tensile strength (collagens) and elasticity (elastin) (Lemarie et al. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, 2009). One of the earliest steps of vascular remodeling is the reorganization of the ECM. In the current study, we have shown that HS increased collagen levels and suppressed elastin content in the aorta, indicating increased stiffness and less elasticity. Most importantly, the finding that G-1 ameliorates salt-induced collagen increase, without altering salt-induced decreases in elastin content, suggests that GPER activation protects against the remodeling process via suppressing collagen levels, instead of elastin. The amount and composition of collagen depends on a balance between synthesis / deposition and degradation. The exact effects of GPER on collagen protein expression, degradation, or both remain to be investigated. Another important step during vascular remodeling is the hypertrophy and / or hyperplasia of the VSMCs (Lemarie et al. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, 2009). To address this possibility, we used primary cultured ASMCs isolated from female mRen2 rats. We found that both cellular protein content and cell size increased in high salt media (160 mM and 182 mM), indicating that high salt induces cellular hypertrophy. The cellular protein content of 152 mM media-treated cells is significantly higher than that of normal media (142 mM)-treated group. However, the cell size has no significant difference. One possible explanation is that the protein started to accumulate inside cells, but cells had not begun to enlarge yet. More importantly, we found G-1 abolished the hypertrophy of cells. The hypertrophy appears to result from an increase in the rate of protein synthesis and / or a decrease in the rate of protein degradation (Berk et al, Hypertension, 1989; Gu et al, Hypertension , 1998). Future studies are required to determine the effects of GPER activation on protein expression, degradation, or both. We further looked into the possibility of salt-induced proliferation in ASMCs. Although it has been shown that GPER induced the activation of MAPK signaling and cellular hyperplasia in VSMCs, other studies have demonstrated that G-1 inhibited serum-stimulated growth in VSMCs lacking ERÃŽ ± and ERÃŽ ² (Haas et al, Circ Res, 2009,; Ding, Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, 2009; Gros et al, Hypertension, 2011). In our study, we did not observe any evidence of Ki67 or PCNA staining in the medial layer of aortas from any group, although significant staining was found in the adventitia. These results are supported by our in vitro studies which show no change in cell number in response to HS. The finding that G-1 attenuates aortic thickening and cellular hypertrophy, without altering blood pressure, suggests that GPER has protective effects in the cardiovascular system that are independent of blood pressure. One possible mechanism is acute increases in oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is linked to damage within the vasculature and may contribute to vascular remodeling (Hayashi et al, Biochem Biophys Bes Commun, 1995; Xing et al. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, 2009). To address this possibility, we first stained 4-HNE, a marker for oxidative stress, in the aorta. We found significantly stronger staining of 4-HNE in HS-fed rats. However, this was attenuated by G-1 treatment, suggesting that GPER activation attenuates salt-induced oxidative stress. To further confirm this finding, we used tempol, an antioxidant, or G1 to treat ASMCs and measured several hypertrophy parameters. Tempol or G-1 treatments abolished the increase of both cellular protein con tent and cell size. Broughton et al demonstrated that G1 reduces NADPH-dependent oxidase activity in isolated carotid and intracranial arteries of normotensive Sprague-Dawley rats (Broughton et al, Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, 2010). Elucidation of the underlying mechanisms of GPR 30 to attenuate reactive oxygen species within aorta awaits future studies. Another possibility is that HS stimulates renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in mRen2 rats. Ang II increased medial thickening of aorta due to VSMC hypertrophy without increase in cell number (Owens et al, Circ Res, 1982 1983). However, GPER activation may reduce expression of the angiotensin II (Ang II) AT1 receptor (AT1R) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) but increase the expression of ACE2. Alterations in ACE and ACE2 may increase the ratio of Ang-(1-7) to Ang II in tissues (Lindsey et al, Gender Medicine, 2011). Ang-(1-7) inhibited vascular remodeling in rat jugular vein grafts (Wu et al, J Int Med Res, 2011). In the present study, the HS medium (152, 160, 182 mM) was made by simply adding sodium chloride to normal medium (142 mM). This increases both sodium concentration and osmolarity in the medium. It is likely that increased osmolarity plays a significant role in salt-induced hypertrophy. Future studies using mannitol are needed to rule out this possibility. In summary, this study showed a beneficial effect of the GPER agonist G-1 in salt- and pressure-induced vascular remodeling. These protective effects of G-1 may be due to suppression of oxidative stress and associated cellular hypertrophy. What about aldosterone? 1.Chappell MC, Westwood BM, and Yamaleyeva LM. Differential effects of sex steroids in young and aged female mRen2.Lewis rats: a model of estrogen and salt-sensitive hypertension. Gender medicine 5 Suppl A: S65-75, 2008. 2.Lindsey SH, Yamaleyeva LM, Brosnihan KB, Gallagher PE, and Chappell MC. Estrogen receptor GPR30 reduces oxidative stress and proteinuria in the salt-sensitive female mRen2.Lewis rat. Hypertension 58: 665-671, 2011.

Free Argumentative Essays: Euthanasia :: Physician Assisted Suicide

Euthanasia Euthanasia means gentle or easy death for those who are incurably ill and in pain. So should a person have the right to take another person's life or his own when he/she is incurably ill and in pain. That is what whole of Australia is trying to decide. The N.T all ready has passed a law that legalise euthanasia in that state. Now other government leaders and members are in support of this are pushing for an Australian euthanasia law. Christian Groups and Anti-Euthanasia have seen euthanasia as a sin and a choice that no-body should make. Some doctors have taken ill patients life's as a request from the patient should this now be openly done.    On the 18/06/96, The head of the NT chapter of the Australia Medical Association, Dr.Chris Wake, and Aboriginal leader Rev.Djiniynni Gondarra   put   forward the NT euthanasia law .But was dismissed by the NT Supreme Court. After appealing and with the support of three major party leaders the law was passed.   Prime Minister John Howard disapproved with the Law and saying that he has no problem reconciling his views on federalism with his views on life and death by voting to over turn the law. Also   Kevin Andrews was strongly not in favour and with Howard's support he  Ã‚   introduced a bill overriding the N.T laws. But still in the end the law was still standing. If our leaders are divided we could say that the citizens of Australia would have been divided on this Issue. Maybe a referendum would have been appropriate, but still euthanasia would still occur illegal and secrecy.    Christian groups and Christian have strongly supported their view on euthanasia , they have seen it as a sin. For a Christian his life is not just his because his life is part of god's. In the Bible, chapter of (Romans 14:18) it states "If we live ,we are responsible to the Lord and when we die we are responsible to the Lord. Both in life and death we belong to the lord. Christian view the death of a human person as their turn to meet god." As Christian Rights groups and Anti- euthanasia believe in   these views they have protested in a number of occasions

The Story Of English :: essays research papers

The Story of English Many people may ask, " What is the Bayeux Tapestry?" In the following paragraphs, the significance of the Bayeux Tapestry will be recognized. First of all it should be understood that it is not a Tapestry in the full sense of the word. It is an embroidery. It was constucted from eight separate pieces of linen which were joined to make up it's length. It is approximately 70 meters long and a half a meter wide. It is evident that at one stage it ws longer, probably by as much as seven or eight meters are missing. This is a tragedy as it may have answered many of the questions that gives cause for debate today. It is generally agreed that Bishop Odo was the architect who commisioned the Bayeux Tapestry. It was designed and constructed reasonably soon after the battle in 1066. It was made without any shadow of a doubt to celebrate and record for posterity the events leading up to battle and its aftermath. If it is reasonably confident that Bishop Odo commissioned the Tapestry, debate still reigns as where to it was constructed, and by whom. It basically comes down to the allegiances. If one is French, they would like to believe that it was made in France. There are so many clues in its construction that indicate otherwise. Whereas it is known as the Bayeux Tapestry in England, it is sometimes referred to in France as the Tapisserie de la reine Mathilde or Queen Matilda's Tapestry. Matilda, one will remember, was William's wife. To infer that she and she alone constructed this work of art defies all credibility. As Queen of England and Duchess of Normandy, she would never have had the time. Another factor which excludes her from the equation is that she does not appear in it herself (although she may have been in the missing section). So if you discount the construction being undertaken in France, where was it made? Over the years, the Tapestry has been studied by experts in this field and the consensus of opinion is that it was of English construction. Certain historical facts of the time and features of the Tapestry indicate where it was made. Following the battle in 1066, Bishop Odo was made Earl of Kent. This was partly because he was William's half brother and secondly because William was duty bound to repay the loyalty of his nobles.

Extent Europe Benefitted from Colonization :: Imperialism

European success and prosperity today can be taken back to their participation in colonization in the later years of the 19th century. It can be said that European success is because of imperialism. These countries gained in many aspects. I would start with the greatest gain which was the economic aspect. Firstly, Britain had started their Industrial Revolution which gave them a greater advantage in development in Europe in the late 18th century. With Industrialization taking place they needed a constant flow of raw materials at cheap prices. It can be said that Britain created a land of milk and honey which they could not maintain by themselves. They showed that there was a flaw in their economic planning when their raw material reserves were diminishing at a fast rate. To maintain the high standard of living they had set they had to ensure that there was a constant flow of raw materials. Obtaining raw materials in Europe at that time proved to be an expensive endeavour and they saw imperialism as the gateway out of their problem. The colonies supplied European countries with raw materials like Gold, Rubber, Tea, Cotton etc.. Britain obtained tea, cotton, gold and various items from Southern Africa. Belgium obtained Rubber from the Congo at cheap prices. This made them one of the biggest contenders in the rubber industry. This improved their economy greatly and raised the country's standard of living. Investment also comes into play. Because of the Long Depression there was a large surplus of capital and many European countries invested in the works of their colonies. Trading companies were set up in the colonies. These companies were the ones that managed the trading activities of the raw materials in the colonies. Profit from trading in the colonies would mostly return to the 'motherland.' These inflows of money increased European economies. for example, Belgium would receive profits from rubber trading in Congo. The Colonies provided marktes for European finished goods. This was a great benefit for them. Britain had markets in India and had largely monopolised markets where there was British influence. Secondly the aspect of Empires comes into play. The successes of the First World War are mainly because of the colonies. Imperialism was a major cause of the war but the war victories were also because of the colonies. The colonies were joined to their "motherland" when it came time for armament for any conflicts. Britain had a strong navy but a useless army. Extent Europe Benefitted from Colonization :: Imperialism European success and prosperity today can be taken back to their participation in colonization in the later years of the 19th century. It can be said that European success is because of imperialism. These countries gained in many aspects. I would start with the greatest gain which was the economic aspect. Firstly, Britain had started their Industrial Revolution which gave them a greater advantage in development in Europe in the late 18th century. With Industrialization taking place they needed a constant flow of raw materials at cheap prices. It can be said that Britain created a land of milk and honey which they could not maintain by themselves. They showed that there was a flaw in their economic planning when their raw material reserves were diminishing at a fast rate. To maintain the high standard of living they had set they had to ensure that there was a constant flow of raw materials. Obtaining raw materials in Europe at that time proved to be an expensive endeavour and they saw imperialism as the gateway out of their problem. The colonies supplied European countries with raw materials like Gold, Rubber, Tea, Cotton etc.. Britain obtained tea, cotton, gold and various items from Southern Africa. Belgium obtained Rubber from the Congo at cheap prices. This made them one of the biggest contenders in the rubber industry. This improved their economy greatly and raised the country's standard of living. Investment also comes into play. Because of the Long Depression there was a large surplus of capital and many European countries invested in the works of their colonies. Trading companies were set up in the colonies. These companies were the ones that managed the trading activities of the raw materials in the colonies. Profit from trading in the colonies would mostly return to the 'motherland.' These inflows of money increased European economies. for example, Belgium would receive profits from rubber trading in Congo. The Colonies provided marktes for European finished goods. This was a great benefit for them. Britain had markets in India and had largely monopolised markets where there was British influence. Secondly the aspect of Empires comes into play. The successes of the First World War are mainly because of the colonies. Imperialism was a major cause of the war but the war victories were also because of the colonies. The colonies were joined to their "motherland" when it came time for armament for any conflicts. Britain had a strong navy but a useless army.

Analysis of the Soft-Hearted Sioux Essay

The soft- hearted Sioux presents the transformation of a boy from a soft-hearted person to a cold man when he confronts the traditions of his tribe against Christy. The boy left home to a mission school where he learned about Christ and became more and more accustomed to the white man’s culture. At first I thought he just left home against his parents will because they wanted him to marry earlier. After I saw the video, I understood it was the white people who drove them to school in order to â€Å"civilize â€Å"them. But when he returned home, the first thing he has to face with was that his father was dying. But he still believed in the God could renew the life of his sick father. All he wanted to do was to spread Christianity to his tribe. Unfortunately, though he attempted to change the faith of the warriors, people thought the white Bible was worthless and treated him as a traitor. Failing to cure his father and bring him meat to eat, he felt guilty and finally decided to look for meat. Though he found meat, his father had died and he had to go to the jail as a result of killing animals. He still didn’t know where he belonged to except waiting for death. When reading the passage, I was impressed by the use of personification. Such as â€Å"my eyes swam in tears† which means crying, and â€Å" when the sun lowered in the west and the winds were quiet† â€Å" the strong breath of winter crusted the snow.† and â€Å" wondering if the high sky likewise separated the soft-hearted son of GOD from us†. The author described the wind, winter and sky as a person who has feelings. The irony is that he did as what his father wanted but he had to go to the jail because he killed animals. The author illustrates the difference in the nature of soft-hearted â€Å"I† and the warriors in order to explain that the little boy had been totally brainwashed. He learned the white people’s value system and didn’t believe in his own cul ture. It was a tragedy to himself. As for me ,a Chinese who is majoring in Korean ,I need to learn about the Korean culture,  literature, and value system. I should to be open-minded to new things but it doesn’t mean I can forget traditional Chinese culture and become a Korean totally. i always told myself to try and be a better person and learn as many new things as possible as you can but do not become another person. In contrast with me, the boy went to the mission school out of the government’s policy not his own will. In this point of will, It was a tragedy to all the native Americans. The author ,Zitkala-sa ,wrote this in first person point of view, making me draw a connection between myself and the little boy. Or maybe she just wrote this according to lots of her own experience. This passage made me think of â€Å" what is an American†, written by crevecoevr. To tell the truth , I do not really agree with the descriptions about Americans in this passage. He only described the poor Europeans who immigrated to American, leaving out the Natives. He described American as a person who leaves behind prejudice and manners and receives new ones from the new mode of life. But the truth is that the white people killed millions of natives and made them move. They tried to civilize them by religion. On the one hand, they said everyone is equal and free. But on the other hand ,they thought the black are ugly and treated them as â€Å"happy† servants. They claimed everyone has a human right but they deprived the black people’s human right. It’s just like you were killed by a man who smiled at you several minutes ago. In brief , I think the passage is so one-sided and only showed us the positive things . We can change but do not become another person. History may be painful but never forget about it.

Diabetes: The Growing Epidemic

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a growing global health problem that is a disease worth examining in some detail because in many respects it typifies a disease of lifestyle. Diabetes has increased since 10 years ago when it was only 30 million people affected to about 135 million today (Hjelm, et al, 2003, p. 426). By 2025, it is estimated that there will be around 300 million people all over the world who will acquire this disease (as cited in Hjelm, et al World Health Organization 1997).It seems that urbanization and industrialization seem to be the reasons that now face people of every country making them vulnerable to this risk (Hjelm, et al, 2003, p. 237). In fact it is now called a ‘new world syndrome’ because it is the effect of modernization at present (Hjelm, et al, 2003, p. 238). Diabetes is a metabolic disorder in which the body fails to regulate the level of sugar (glucose) in the blood. Blood sugar levels in most people are 50-150 mg. of glucose per 100 ml of bloo d.If a person’s blood sugar level is persistently high, serious symptoms may develop. Fortunately, nurses are in a good position to employ new research findings to fight and prevent this fatal disease. The increase in Type 2 diabetes demonstrates a disease in transition. The study therefore tries to raise awareness among nurse educators regarding the causes of the disease by reviewing the present literature and discussing implications on the content of nursing curricula especially in Great Britain and Sweden.This is all the more relevant because nurses hold strategic positions to help reduce this problem. References in recent articles were consulted, especially those published between 1985-2001 including critical analysis of contemporary literature. Findings reveal that â€Å"diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized by chronic hyperglycaemia. † (Hjelm, et al, 2003, p. 220). Aside from the other findings that confirm the data already characterizing the di sease, it was known that people with DM have reduced life expectancy (Hjelm et al. 997) and there is a high risk of developing chronic complications such as microangiopathy, neuropathy and macroangiopathy.Social issues about diabetes Diabetes is socially produced, as posited by authors Liburd & Vinicor who state that Type 2 diabetes experienced by racial and ethnic majority groups in the United States needs a refocusing of the public health research and even its interventions. There needs to be further studies on how community health models can reflect the changing status and sociopolitical dynamics of contemporary urban communities (Liburd & Vinicor, 2003).Consequently, the rise in type 2 diabetes comes at the recent discovery of national and international increase in the number of obese people. There is a need to look into the different ways by which the government has intervened in the rise of diabetes among the minority groups. (Bardsley & Want 2004). Type 2 diabetes and obesity has been continuously referred to as the â€Å"diseases of modernization. † This disease has been the first to appear among the people of the Pacific Islanders, the Micronesians, Melanesians and the Polynesian ancestry.While the western medical community continuously conducts studies on diabetes in order to attain a better understanding about it, there is a need to look into the surrounding background on how this ailment came about and how it has now been recognized as fast becoming one of the most common ailments among the people across the globe. Diabetes needs to be addressed in the public health system. Illnesses that are of natural causes â€Å"can be treated by modern medical doctors, herbalists and other doctors of natural illness.While illnesses that are caused by occult forces or their agents can be treated by â€Å"using the power of a conjurer to produce and execute the correct treatment†¦Conjurers are believed to have the ability to summon a supernatural f orce, such as a devil or evil spirit, either to do harm, such as inducing an illness or to expel a disorder† On the other hand, for spiritual illnesses, they are treated through the â€Å"power of a god acting through a religious healer or medium that is required to diminish spiritual illness or induce a return to health in the character of a person believed to be suffering from spiritual illness† (Liburd & Vinicor, 2003).An example are African Americans who are stereotyped as the Black Americans, they are varied â€Å"on almost any dimension one could name† in the sense that many are low income, a growing number are in the middle and upper income categories, and quite a number are categorized as professionals. While there a number in the population who are not schooled, still others are educated in different levels and educational background. Many of them are located in the rural South, but there are increasing in numbers who are located in the urban areas in th e North and West of America.African Americans have a vast array of characteristics thus the western medical community is advised to treat black patients as an individuals. Recent finding reveal that there about 10 million Americans with diabetes. Five million of which do not know that they have this disease. There three kinds of diabetes: (1) Type 1 Diabetes, also called â€Å"juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes†. It is usually first diagnosed in children, teenagers, or young adults. The beta cells of the pancreas no longer make insulin because the body's immune system has attacked and destroyed them† This type of diabetes can be treated by taking insulin shots or using an insulin pump, proper choices of food intake, regular exercise, controlling blood pressure and cholesterol. (Liburd & Vinicor, 2003). (2) Type 2 Diabetes, is also called adult-onset or noninsulin-dependent diabetes. It is the most common form of diabetes that can be developed during early c hildhood.It is begins with â€Å"insulin resistance, a condition in which fat, muscle, and liver cells do not use insulin properly† The pancreas functions to keep up with the added demand by producing more insulin, however in time, â€Å"it loses the ability to secrete enough insulin in response to meals† The treatments applied for this type of diabetes are diabetes medicines, choosing the proper food intake, controlling blood pressure and cholesterol (Liburd & Vinicor, 2003). (3) Gestational Diabetes is usually developed among women who develop diabetes during the late stages of pregnancy.It usually goes away after the baby is born. However, a woman can possibly develop type 2 diabetes later in life if preventive measures are not done accordingly. Common symptoms associated with diabetes: Frequent urination, Extreme thirst, Extreme hunger, Dramatic weight loss with increased food intake, Weakness, fatigue, irritability, and drowsiness, Blurred vision or changes in eye sight, Tingling or numbness in the fingers, arms, legs, or feet can also be observed.In sum, cultural systems, values, customs and the environment they say may have contributory effects in the development of ailments such as diabetes in persons. In fact, medical communities make use of these elements as means of understanding the reasons why diabetes and such other ailments are common among certain cultural and ethnical groups like the African Americans. The call for creative yet continuous studies and research is highly demanded among dedicated and committed medical communities today, especially in the development of more effective medical studies.Research works done by considering the role of socioeconomic factors as well as racism, poverty, and race/ethnicity can be helpful and effective tools to widen the scope of research studies. The application of qualitative research methodology is an added tool to place objectivity in the conduct of integrative studies as it also draws a ho listic approach in understanding the context of human behavior as well as human experience of people in their environment.Most often than not these are rich sources of areas of study that make the research work effective and realistic (Bardsley & Want, 2004 p. 107). In sum, the development of Type 2 DM is socially-related. Authorities and experts need to see this and its implications in order to develop measures to educate nurses and other people in the health profession so that more concrete steps can be taken to keep more people healthy as long as possible. The management of self care in diabetic diseases involves an adaptation. Complication can arise due to social, psychological and physical consequences.

Thor

Norse Myth V. S Marvel’s Although the most recent movie Thor was very good, it was not accurate at all. In Norse mythology, Thor is associated with a hammer, lightning, storms, oak trees, strength, the protection of mankind, and also hallowing, healing, and fertility. Besides the movie not being accurate there are many differences between Norse mythology and Marvel Comics. In Norse mythology he has his red hair and a red beard. Marvel's Thor has long; flowing golden locks, and is typically clean-shaven.While the Norse Thor prefers to travel in style, the Norse myth travels with his chariot drawn by two magic goats Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjostr. In the movie, Thor was about to ascend to the throne of Asgard, and is tricked by his brother Loki to defy their father Odin. Against Odin's order, Thor travels to Jotunheim to confront Laufey, accompanied by his brother Loki, childhood friend Sif and The Warriors Three; Volstagg, Fandral and Hogun. A battle continues until Odin intervene s to save the Asgardians, destroying the fragile truce between the two races.A big difference between the myths is that the Asgardians, The Warriors Three, really have no place in Norse myth, and wound up a part of the Marvel myths essentially because they thought it would make the story better. For Thor's arrogance, Odin strips his son of his power and exiles him to Earth to live as a mortal. Odin, fearing the plotting of his manipulative son Loki, sends down Thor's hammer Mjollnir affixed with a command that only the man worthy of the throne of Asgard can lift it. Thor must learn wisdom and sacrifice before he can return to his rightful place.In the movie the Mjollnir is one of the few things that are true. He wears a belt that gives him strength, gloves of iron that enable him to handle his hammer. Marvel's Thor has raw power but the Norse myth indicates that Thor needed a magical belt and gloves to give him the strength to use Mjollnir to its full effect. In Marvel's version Tho r only occasionally used those items as strength-boosters. The losing of Thor’s hammer happens in both Marvel and Norse myth. In the movie the hammer is stuck in a rock and the only way to release it is when a man becomes worthy of the throne of Asgard.In Norse myth Thor discovers Trym had stolen his hammer. Trym had hidden the hammer eight stops under the ground. Trym stated he would return the hammer, if he could have the goddess Freyja for his bride. While on Earth, Thor meets the scientist Jane Foster. Against all logic and self-preservation Foster believes Thor when he claims he's a god who has been exiled to Earth. Over the course of the next two days the two fall in love. As they learn of the hammer in a field they set out to get it. Another true thing when comparing both Thor’s is that he is ladies' man.In the movie Thor falls for the mortal nurse Jane Foster and in the Norse myth the Asgardian goddess Sif. A difference in his love life is that Thor in Marvel's story had children in alternate futures, whereas the Norse Thor is the proud of at least three children from his various affairs when married to Sif. Thor's Asgardian friends eventually find their way down to Earth to help him fight off a big metal beast called The Destroyer. He has been ordered to destroy Thor at all costs. Thor's love for Jane and his lessons of humility gives him the power to pull the hammer out.He becomes an immortal warrior and defender of the people saving them from destruction. Thor saves the day in the end but destroys the only known way to travel to the mortal world leaving his love behind. In both Marvel and Norse myth, Asgard is connected to Earth by a bridge called Bifrost, which manifests as multicolored arc in the sky. Their last differences extend to their personalities; Marvel's Thor is a noble hero any of us would feel safe around; the Thor of Norse myth is a fierce warrior with a violent temper, who seems to revel in the slaughter of any who would challenge him.

My Fieldtrip

My Visit to Muir’s Chapel On February 28, 2010, I went on a fieldtrip to a Methodist church called Muir’s Chapel United Methodist Church (UMC). The church was founded in 1822 when Jeremiah Dodson, a local preacher from the west, held services under brush arbors and the shade of oak trees on the grounds. The church grounds were located behind where the current building is located at 314 Muir's Chapel Road Greensboro, NC 27410. After his services and charge began, the charge was organized and passed on to the Reverend Thacker Muir.Reverend Muir cut the first log for the first structure known as the â€Å"Log Meeting House. † In Reverend Muir’s honor the name was changed to Muir’s Chapel. After the deterioration of the log structure, it was replaced in 1875 by a one-room weatherboard building. Weatherboard is the cladding or ‘siding’ of a house consisting of long thin timber boards that overlap one another, either vertically or horizontall y on the outside of the wall, thus making the building waterproof.This building was eventually moved across the street to the cemetery when the present sanctuary was constructed in 1903. During the years of 1929 thru 1932 the Log Meeting House was enlarged, remodeled and brick-veneered, along with the first landscaping of the grounds. There is a replica of the Log Meeting House remaining on the grounds today. In the honor of Reverend Thacker Muir, the current building is still known as Muir's Chapel. In 1940, the first educational building, called the Smoak Building, was built and the following year the church received its first full-time pastor, W.Kenneth Goodson. There were annual Camp meetings at harvest time held in the Smoak Building until they were replaced by revivals, which were replaced at the turn of the century by Pre-Easter services. In the fifties, The Smoak Building was attached to the church, although it was then and currently still considered the educational wing of the church, it still carries the name â€Å"The Smoak Building,† which now houses the church offices. Year 1960, there was another addition added to the church called the Boren Building.This building was also dedicated to Reverend Thacker Muir in 1960. Since 1960 the Church has been rebuilt and remodeled several times, with the present sanctuary being completed in 1980. The latest addition to Muir’s Chapel is the Kale Christian Center which houses the Playschool, classrooms, and the contemporary worship auditorium. After doing careful research, I am still which I not sure when this addition began and when it was completed.Now that my readers have learned a little history of the church I visited for my field trip, I am now going to talk a little about what I experienced at Muir’s Chapel, which was a great experience I might add. As I was on the way to the church I made sure I did not have any pre-conceptions of my visit to this church. I wanted to be open-minded so that I could take in my experience and learn from it no matter if was good or bad. When I pulled into the parking lot I noticed there were not many â€Å"luxury† cars.In my opinion, this was the first sign of the members being non-materialistic. Then the church itself looked to be old with quite a few new additions, yet it is really appealing on the outside. But, when I got out of my car there was a white lady walking through the walkway across the lawn that immediately stopped and asked me how I was doing, and if I needed help. I immediately felt welcomed and I had only met one of the members of this church. She told me how to get to the sanctuary for the â€Å"Traditional Service† which started at 8:45 A. M.Once in the sanctuary and sitting down, a senior gentleman who looked to be around fifty or sixty years of age, as most of the congregation seemed to be, tapped on my shoulder and said it is good to have you here this morning, and if you do not already have a c hurch home please come back here with us. As readers can see this was the beginning of a very warming experience for me. The service began a little different from what I am used to. For starters there were only about 25 people at this service and they were all Caucasian, as I am used to an all African-American congregation.Nevertheless, the service began with the welcoming of the congregation and congregational concerns as I had never seen this in a Sunday morning service before. At my church I am used to praise and worship team singing songs of praise to open the service. There were no concerns, so immediately they went into song. The choir director stood in the pulpit directing the congregation to sing, not an actual choir, but the congregation. Still, I could not believe the choir director was directing from the pulpit. Later I was told congregation is the choir as there is no choir for this service.As I listened to the song and tried to take part in the singing of the song, I fo und it difficult to follow as it was sung like an opera song; very high-pitched. But once the preacher began to preach, by the way he preached on the strength to forgive, which by the way was the title of his message. Everyone became extremely quiet and sat still as possible. Me being Black, I was definitely not used to this. I am used people talking back to the preacher, saying for example: â€Å"You better preach preacher, tell them what the word says! At Muir’s Chapel it was a quiet as could be. Needless to say I did not say anything back to the preacher while he was preaching. In case some of my readers are wondering how I managed to choose this church being African-American and this church being predominately white, I was invited by my classmate Lisa Tanico who is one of the ministers of this great church. Anyway, once the service was over I met with Lisa and she began to take me on a tour of Muir’s Chapel. What I saw was amazing.Lisa and I had to pass through th e fellowship hall where there were refreshments offered such as coffee, juice, and biscuits with a side of bacon or sausage. This very rarely happens at my church unless it is a special occasion of some sort. I was astonished to find out there were several different refreshments served after each service. Lisa then took on a quick tour of the rest of the church as she needed to readily available to the members if one needed to talk or maybe ask for prayer. So we scurried on to the Contemporary service that was going on in one of the newer parts of the church.I was in this service for only about 15 minutes as this service started at 9:00 A. M. , and the Traditional service I attended started at 8:45 A. M. What little I saw was interesting. There was an actual choir at this service, and the choir had a Pop sound, which is closer to what I am used to hearing. At the end of this service Lisa had to leave to attend to some of the members of the church and I had to go to a dedication at m y church. But before my departure, Lisa did tell me that Muir’s Chapel was very involved in the community.This church is part of the Urban Ministry, inviting homeless and the less fortunate to come in and eat on certain days of the week. Muir’s Chapel also has several educational, sporting and biblical programs for the community, or just any one who may want to take part in participating. I am not sure which days, but either way just to know this church extends its arms out to the community in such away as this, if for no other reason at all makes me feel welcomed and privileged to have had the chance to visit this great Methodist church known as Muir’s Chapel.

American vs. European Education Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

American vs. European Education - Research Paper Example However, it is not merely the United States educational system that has changed as it is important for the reader to understand that the past 250 years of history have provided deep and intrinsic changes to the European system as well (Ingrassia 669). Nations have been born and have been absorbed, forms of government experimented and failed; ultimately, this has led to a nebulous and ever-evolving approach that Europeans have sought to contend with. Whereas the American approach has changed a great deal over the past several decades, it can be definitively argued by the researcher that the American model is more or less unchanged when compared to the European model (Kim 69). From the sociological perspective, it has been observable that the European individual approach to education is much different from the way that the individual and parental approach has evolved in the United States. For instance, from a review of the extant literature, researchers have noted that with regards to the European system, the parent is more likely to provide a supportive and encouraging role but not typically be overbearing and highly involved; choosing instead to praise accountability and personal efforts as the ultimate good (Sy et al 15). Conversely, the same researchers have noted that with respect to the United States system of education, parental involvement on the whole is something of a mainstay; causing the educational system to be predicated on the somewhat untenable grounds of the combination of shareholder emotions, feelings, and needs. Although it is not the intention of this author to make a series of value judgments with regards to what system has the most value for the shareholders, it is impossible not to point out... This paper approves that the approaches themselves cannot be counted as right or wrong; rather, they are merely indicative of the sociological and geographic separation that defines the means by which the respective systems have evolved. However, regardless of the lack of the researcher’s ability to make a value judgment on one being better than the other, it is highly interesting to note that when the systems were combined, the shareholders were able to experience an increase in educational attainment and efficiency. This synergy between the systems bodes well for the educator that might be seeking to combine certain elements of the European approach into his/her practical application of knowledge. The researchers conversely described the key components of the European approach as Humboldtian idealism. However, when the two were mixed and after the growing pains ceased, all individuals involved experienced a higher degree of efficiency and information transfer as compared to before. This essay says that the research has sought out a model of a mixed approach to education as it exists within the system so that the author and the reader may draw a level of inference with regards to how well these two can harmoniously exist. With reference to the mixed model, the student has selected the University of Leipzig in Germany. This particular combinational approach has created a great deal of growing pains for the students and the other shareholders within the system of education; however, ultimately, it appears to be experiencing a resounding degree of success.

RENAULT ACQUIRES NISSAN Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

RENAULT ACQUIRES NISSAN - Essay Example oblems for the management such as language problems, culture difference and also there was a lot of physical gap between both the countries physical process and also attributes of people. The alliance between both the companies did prove to be profitable for both the companies as Renault used Nissan plant in Mexico to build cars and Nissan used Renault’s plant in Brazil and also there distribution networks (RENAULT, 2014). But in the starting the management of the company faced a lot of problems related to the cultural difference among the two companies and in bringing together both the companies to work together. In 2005 Carlos Ghosn was appointed as the CEO for both the companies and the major task in front of him was to overcome the cultural differences. He was the leader of Renault which was a French company and the management of employees was easy their and he was a successful leader then, but the scenario was completely different in Nissan as it was a Japanese company. T he culture in the Japanese organizations are completely different as people in Japan look to work individually having a individualistic characteristics on the other which affected the company to work as a single organization as all the departments used to perform their duties in the perfect way but when the different department were made to work together the output used to never be a good one as there was no team work and unity among the employees. On the same way When Carlos started to close all the additional plants of Nissan and also shutting down the assembly lines to make it more concentrated process was not liked by the employees as Japanese people believe over lifetime employability plans so for them this was a big change that was made (Nissan Motor Corporation, 2014). Carlos also got the cultural difference in Nissan in the form of promotion where in his previous environment promotions were made based on the performance whereas in Japanese organization the promotions were ma de based

Best Practices Manual for New Supervisors Essay

Best Practices Manual for New Supervisors - Essay Example Supervisors may not be primarily responsible for all of the staffing activities, but they are usually involved in one or more of them. Thus, if supervisors are to be effective in the staffing function, they must understand each of these activities. How does one become a good supervisor Among the primary factors that distinguish supervisors from operative employees are the level and types of decisions that they must make. A supervisor must be concerned with how a decision might affect his or her employees and the organization. An operative employee, in contrast, is primarily concerned with how a decision affects him or her individually. People who don't like making decisions usually do not make good supervisors. The purpose of this chapter is to acquaint the supervisor with the activities and procedures of the staffing function. It also takes a look at the various training programs that best matches the selected workforce in an organization that is into production and another that is in retail business. Communication is an important factor in understanding and interpreting information between individuals and groups. A clear, precise and effective communication is what makes a person stand out in a crowd. It is best to talk to the point than describe in detail which could ultimately create a doubt in the mind of the listener. Effective communication determines how to influence negotiations more effectively and build confidence, staying in control when negotiating, and avoiding manipulation. Communication skills also include listening and empathy; Appreciative inquiry, a major breakthrough in organization development, training and development and in "problem solving," in general. Communication can also be non-verbal, that is, it could be also sign language. Good posture and clear language are hallmarks of good communication skills. It is imperative that any individual who believes in a good communication and shows real concern and respect for the other person's view listens with inte rest and care. During training, supervisors take it upon themselves to teach their trainees the art of proper communication. It must be understood that it is these same trainees who will be representing the organization while addressing customers. If an employee is found to be rude or uncooperative, customers will leave the company without doing any business, which is detrimental to the business. Thus, communication plays an important role in the development of business. 2.1 Technical Systems in Communication Another method of communication to enhance production is by the use of the electronic media. This could be termed as the "Productivity Paradox". To solve the productivity paradox (Brynjolfson [1993]) implied obtaining a better understanding of the relationship between the spread of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and the organizational transformation of firms, markets and other