Saturday, December 28, 2019

The Importance of Low Aggregate Volatility in the US Economy

Since the mid 1980’s the United States economy has been characterized by low inflation and low volatility in the market. The Former Fed chairman Ben Bernanke has even gone as far to say that the Fed has tamed the business cycle. Supporters of this idea believed that deregulation of the financial sector and controlling inflation would bring long expansions and limited recessions. What were the factors that caused this period of stable economic growth? This period of low volatility was due to both Fed regulation and good timing or luck. The financial crisis has obviously proven that the Fed has not fully tamed the business cycle. â€Å"Whether any rise in volatility is more likely temporary than permanent will depend on the cause of the rise in volatility† (Clark, 5-6). Now the question remains is if The Great Moderation is really over, and if the economy can return to this period of low volatility. Some believe that this rise in volatility is only temporary. Why is low aggregate volatility so important? For starters, the market is more stable and investors’ â€Å"animal spirits† are kept in check. People are more optimistic about employment and economic growth. Low inflation helps keep economic and business forecasting less volatile. â€Å"Lower volatility of inflation improves market functioning, makes economic planning easier, and reduces the resources devoted to hedging inflation risks† (Bernanke, 145). A stable economy is always the goal for the Fed. In order to have a stableShow MoreRelatedIncrease Household Debt Levels At Australia1002 Words   |  5 Pagesyear, (ABS 2014). This significant rise in debt taken on by Australian households can be attributed to favourable macroeconomic conditions and historically low rates of interest and inflation, (Meng, Hoang Siriwardana 2013). Favourable macroeconomic conditions: Prior to the Global Financial Crisis Australia experienced strong economic growth, low levels of unemployment and strong growth in both the housing and share market. This was due to the mining boom and strong demand for Australia’s commodityRead MoreMonetary Policy of Bangladesh1674 Words   |  7 PagesMonetary Police Monetary policy is the term used by economists to describe ways of managing the supply of money in an economy. Monetary Policy is the management of money supply and interest rates by central bank to influence prices and employment for  achieving the objectives of general economic policy. Monetary policy works through expansion or contraction of investment and consumption expenditure. According to Paul Einzig â€Å"Monetary policy includes all monetary decisions and measures irrespectiveRead MoreA New Production Facility At Chine For Apple Essay2072 Words   |  9 Pagesdiscuss how the U.S. economy will impact the aggressive growth plan to move a production facility to China. Analyze the history of changes in GDP, savings, investment, real interest rates, and unemployment and compare to forecast for the next five year.s The United States economy is the biggest in the world, even though the United States has faced different difficulties with its economy, one of which is the worldwide money-related crisis. Even with the crisis, the United States economy represents nearlyRead MoreInternational Finance Corporations Emerging Countries1923 Words   |  8 Pagesmarkets such as Goetz man and Jorion 1999 have long histories. It is claimed that the market capitalization of Argentina was greater than that of UK. It has also been stated that for most part of the history, a superpower and influential country like the US was an emerging market once. Recession was struck in 1840s in Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Arkansas and Michigan where these states had defaulted in their debt. Latin American countries had also faced debt issues during 1825(Chernow 1990). HenceRead MoreGovernments Role in an Interconnected Global Financial Market3014 Words   |  13 Pageshave known for some time. This is that 1) The global financial system is inherently flawed and cyclical recessions are a product of its nature 2) The interconnectedness of the global financial system means macro-management cannot fully buffer an economy against these cyclical recessions 3) Policy has reduced effectiveness in this interconnected world 4) Globally co-ordinated regulation and co-operation in preventing and managing crises is an imperative 5) Although less effective, macro-managementRead MoreThe Health Of Australia s Economy3304 Words   |  14 Pages THE HEALTH OF AUSTRALIA’S ECONOMY: A GDP Growth, Inflation and Monetary Policy Perspective Jen Brice s3510413 Phil Wells s3467298 Hamish Nicolson s3436189 Course: Accounting for Business Decisions BUSM4126 For: Mr Kevin Adams RMIT University Graduate School of Business and Law Due: 8th September, 2014 â€Æ' Checklist to finish: Take out some more words. We are at about 2300. Check appropriate reference for The guardian article reference in health of GDP section Check the referencingRead MoreRelationship Between Exchange Rate Volatility And Trade7717 Words   |  31 PagesDISSERTATION TOPIC: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXCHANGE RATE VOLATILITY AND TRADE (US TRADE IN GOODS, TRADE IN SERVICES AND TRADE IN GOODS AND SERVICES (1970-2014) This research will consist of five sections as follows: SECTION 1 – INTRODUCTION SECTION 2-THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK AND LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 2.2 EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE 2.3 CONCLUSION SECTION 3- METHODOLOGY 3.1 MODEL SPECIFICATION 3.2 DATA 3.3 EMPIRICAL TECHNIQUES AND METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES SECTION 4 – RESULTS 4.1 PRESENTATIONSRead MoreDebt Collection Industry15330 Words   |  62 PagesWWW.IBISWORLD.COM DebtCollectionAgenciesintheUS October 2012 Paying off: Debtors had trouble paying out, but the recovery will return balance to the industry IBISWorld Industry Report 56144 Debt Collection Agencies in the US October2012 EbenJose 2 AboutthisIndustry 18 International Trade 36 KeyStatistics 2 Industry Definition 19 Business Locations 36 Industry Data 2 Main Activities 2 Similar Industries 21 CompetitiveLandscape Read MoreThe Impact of Globalisation on the Australian Economy2572 Words   |  11 PagesThe Impact of Globalisation on the Australian Economy Globalisation is not new. Australia has been involved in trade, investment, financial flows, technology transfers and the migration of labour since its foundation as a colony. What has changed is the size, direction and influence of these transfers, especially since 1980. There are a number of factors that have aided this transformation. They include: • The expansion of new markets Ââ€" foreign exchange and capital markets are linked globallyRead MoreEssay on Globalisation and the Australian Economy2545 Words   |  11 Pages The Impact of Globalisation on the Australian Economy Globalisation is not new. Australia has been involved in trade, investment, financial flows, technology transfers and the migration of labour since its foundation as a colony. What has changed is the size, direction and influence of these transfers, especially since 1980. There are a number of factors that have aided this transformation. They include: †¢nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The expansion of new markets – foreign exchange and capital

Friday, December 20, 2019

Emma An Analysis of Mrs. Elton Essays - 686 Words

Miss Augusta Hawkins, who becomes Mrs. Elton in Jane Austens Emma, is an interesting character, in that she is unquestionably the most distinct persona in the novel. The fact that she is a new member in Highbury is not an issue for her because she wastes no time in trying to solve other peoples personal problems and making their lives her business. In doing so, Jane Austen has created a character that the reader loves to hate. Augusta Hawkins is constructed so that the reader is torn between completely despising and loving her when she is in the scene due to the spiteful comments she makes and the social lives that she `improves. Much of the dislike that the reader has towards Augusta is due to the fact that we are seeing her as†¦show more content†¦Augusta is initially illustrated as handsome, elegant, highly accomplished, and perfectly amiable (Austen, 185). Later on she is also described as charming and having perfect beauty and merit. In addition she is quite wealthy; this is relevant because the major issues in Emma are class and status. Augusta believes that money alone equals class, nevertheless her money gives her no strong class associations. Her father is a tradesman from Bristol, and her one pride is the fact that her sister is married to a very wealthy man, again showing the stress Augusta puts on having money. Augusta over exaggerates her own social position. Had it not been for her m arriage to Mr. Elton and social climb following, she would not be associating with the elite of Highbury. Mrs. Elton becomes comfortable in Highbury almost instantly. She not only begins attempting to better or fix peoples lives, but also she oversteps a social barrier in Emmas eyes by calling Mr. Knightley simply `Knightley. Jane Fairfax becomes Augustas first assignment - he pities her situation and makes it her mission to place her with a good quality family to become a governess. Jane is justifiably offended by Mrs. Eltons persistence of this offer, for she feels that to become a governess is more a sale of ones self than ones services: I am very serious in not wishing anything to be attempted at present for me (Austen, 272). Augusta persistently pushes Jane even after she declines interest. Mrs.Show MoreRelatedJane Austens Approach to the Character Emma in Pride and Prejudice1638 Words   |  7 PagesJane Austens Approach to the Character Emma in Pride and Prejudice Handsome, clever and rich are the complimentary words Jane Austen lavishes upon Emma; accurate as they may be, they paint a picture contrary to the Emma portrayed during the first half of the novel. Set against the nineteenth century patriarchal society, structured by the privileges and constraints of money and status, both of which she acquires, a complex mental journey faces her. The journey, howeverRead MoreEssay Emma: The Character2155 Words   |  9 PagesEmma Woodhouse, who begins the novel handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and a happy disposition (Austen 1), suffers from a dangerous propensity to play matchmaker, diving into other’s lives, for what she believes is their own good. Despite this, she is a sympathetic character. Her matchmaking leads only to near-disasters and her expressions of remorse following these mistakes are sincere and resolute. Jane Austens Emma concerns the social milieu of a sympathetic, but flawed youngRead MoreLiterary Analysis Of Emma By Jane Austen1648 Words   |  7 PagesRachel :)))) Mrs. Keyes AP Literature 12 8 December 2015 A Literary Analysis of Emma by Jane Austen In Jane Austen’s novel, Emma, protagonist Emma avoids her own transformation by her attempts to transform others. However, Emma experiences her coming-of-age through the stable characters of those around her. Austen reveals how self-transformation is necessary in maturing and establishing self-awareness. Emma Woodhouse possesses qualities that many would envy: beauty, intelligence, wealthRead MoreJane Austen s All About Jane1442 Words   |  6 Pagesand one sister, her mother, Cassandra Leigh Austen, and her father, George Austen, at the rectory at Steventon in Hampshire, England. George Austen contributed to the middle class ranking of the family, working as a clergyman at Steventon. Although Mr. Austen was born into a family of a low rank, specialized in trade, he experienced a rise in social class after being educated at Oxford and given the position of clergyman by a rich relative. Jane’s mother, Cassandra, was of a higher social rankingRead MoreEssay on The Character of Frank Churchill2047 Words   |  9 Pages24 and 25 Write an Analysis of the Character of Frank Churchill Frank Churchill is one of the dominant characters in Jane Austen’s ‘Emma’ despite the fact that he is not fully introduced until chapter twenty-three. Each of the characters in ‘Emma’ play a role in delivering Austen’s personal comments on the society of that time. Mr Knightley, for example, often reflects Austen’s views of Emma’s behaviour and expresses her own opinions on social issues and through Emma she portrays the viewsRead MoreMr Benett and the Failures of Fatherhood8365 Words   |  34 PagesMr. Bennet and the Failures of Fatherhood in Jane Austens Novels Author(s): Mary A. Burgan Reviewed work(s): Source: The Journal of English and Germanic Philology, Vol. 74, No. 4 (Oct., 1975), pp. 536552 Published by: University of Illinois Press Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27707956 . Accessed: 29/08/2012 00:55 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp . JSTOR isRead MoreThe Rise of the Novels in the Eighteenth Century4179 Words   |  17 PagesMasters: Between 1740 and 1800 hundreds of novels of all kinds were written. However, the real masters of the novel in the eighteenth century were four-Richardson, Fielding, Smollett, and Sterne. The rest of them are extremely inferior to them. Oliver Elton maintains: The work of the four masters stands high, but the foothills are low. The case was different in, say, the mid-nineteenth century when so many equally great novelists were at work. Fielding was the greatest of the foursome. Sir Edmund Gosse

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Childrens books Essay Example For Students

Childrens books Essay Of course, and also Joy (1970), she stated that books for adults are serious in intent whiles books for children are designed to amuse. But she also believed that idea is only an assumption and nothing more. In the Public world, there are many serious stories for adults and truckloads of childrens stories intended only for pleasure, but the reverse is just as true. There is no clear boundary between the childrens books and the adults readings. Some people think that the childrens stories always end with a happy ending, and there is no sad thing in the context. The assumption is wrong, and lack of evidences. There is really no difference where emotional themes are concerned. In childrens books, we can find love, hates, and others emotions as well. Same things we can get in the adults literatures. The only difference is how the author describes the theme and delivers the theme to the readers. Most of the word usages in childrens literature are straight forward, and without a lot of hidden messages. Therefore, the young readers dont have to guess what the passages mean. When the authors prepare to write the books for children, they usually have a theme or a message to deliver to the readers. The theme is to educate the students and develop their critical reading skills in the future. Jay William, a childrens book writer, also stated in his article, looking for pattern, They (childrens books) are dreams, the images of possibility, the endless stories we all tell to ourselves. Unlike the adult-book writers, the childrens books writers mostly have warm hearts, which are easily to open to people, and listen to people. They use the greater simplicity tones to connect with the young readers, and the special effort to avoid abstractions. For these authors to write a childrens book, they need to put themselves in a position as children. The task for these authors who write the childrens books is not only to make money, but also to educate and teach the next generations. They have an important responsibility. From Jay Williams article, looking for pattern, he stated that, When I write for children, it is for the child I once was, along with a few children I know now. I cannot write for a vague, faceless audience- the audience to which a hack address himself- I can only speak to real audience. The Arnold Lobel Book of Mother Goose illustrated by Arnold Lobel. Arnold Lobel was considered to be one of the most important childrens author/illustrator of the 20th century. I believed that this book must accompany many childrens hearts when they were little. From my belief, a good childrens book should last for great period of time, just like The Arnold Lobel Book of Mother Goose. It is everyones bed time stories when going to bed. It might be the first book your mom or dad read to you. This book must contain a lot of memories for many adults and children. That is a good childrens book all about. Some movie companies even produced the movies which are from the famous childrens books. Recently we have Harry Potter series, the Cat in the Hat, and all other Disneys fairy tales movies in the market. All these movies not only attract the young audiences, but also attract all ages of people. Thats because the stories are touching and meaningful to people. Everyone can accept the stories. For in the long run it is children themselves who decide what they want. For every book is a message, and if children happen to receive and like it, they will appropriate it to themselves no matter what the author may say not what label he gives himself. .u42aa4dc6515361d3c3583e3cdce4ed74 , .u42aa4dc6515361d3c3583e3cdce4ed74 .postImageUrl , .u42aa4dc6515361d3c3583e3cdce4ed74 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u42aa4dc6515361d3c3583e3cdce4ed74 , .u42aa4dc6515361d3c3583e3cdce4ed74:hover , .u42aa4dc6515361d3c3583e3cdce4ed74:visited , .u42aa4dc6515361d3c3583e3cdce4ed74:active { border:0!important; } .u42aa4dc6515361d3c3583e3cdce4ed74 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u42aa4dc6515361d3c3583e3cdce4ed74 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u42aa4dc6515361d3c3583e3cdce4ed74:active , .u42aa4dc6515361d3c3583e3cdce4ed74:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u42aa4dc6515361d3c3583e3cdce4ed74 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u42aa4dc6515361d3c3583e3cdce4ed74 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u42aa4dc6515361d3c3583e3cdce4ed74 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u42aa4dc6515361d3c3583e3cdce4ed74 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u42aa4dc6515361d3c3583e3cdce4ed74:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u42aa4dc6515361d3c3583e3cdce4ed74 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u42aa4dc6515361d3c3583e3cdce4ed74 .u42aa4dc6515361d3c3583e3cdce4ed74-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u42aa4dc6515361d3c3583e3cdce4ed74:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Dickens continues EssayI believe that a good children book should be suitable for all ages of readers. No matter how old the readers are, they should all enjoy the books as anyone else. Pamela Travers also thought that grownups are a very important part of childrens literature. Because when the grownups choose the books for the children to read, they should also know the details of the books, and what is the theme for the books. Books are so important to influence the children, and a good childrens book is hard to identify. Childrens books are not only the colorful pictures which to entertain the childrens hearts, but also contain meaning passages to educate childrens souls. 1. Turner, S (1989) Bad books for children- What are they? Emergency Liberian, 15-18 2. McNeill, J (1972) When the magic has to stop. The Horn Book Magazine. 35-40 3. Tunis, J. R. (1986). What is a juvenile book? The Horn Book Magazine, 22-26 4. Babbitt, N. (1970). Happy ending? Of course, and also joy. The New York Times Book Reviews (Part 2), 1-50 5. Williams, J. (1980). Looking for Pattern. The Signal approach to childrens books. 13-22.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

My views on Civil Disobedience Essay Example For Students

My views on Civil Disobedience Essay Henry David Thoreau takes his views of government and expresses them through this essay. He starts off by saying I heartily accept the motto, That government is best which governs least' I disagree with this quote, although, too much power to the government is never a good thing either. With no government people are free to do what they want, and there would be no direct way to communicate with foreign nations. Thoreau says it will work when people are prepared for it, but its not in human nature to be that good willed. Every person has faults and will eventually get the urge to steal something, or hurt somebody. Henry David Thoreau then goes on to talk about how the government can do what they want. He uses the Mexican war as an example, and says that most people would not agree with their decision. Governments show thus how successfully men can be imposed on. I disagree with this quote also because I feel it is one-sided. The American government is a democracy and the people have a great say in what happens. The way Thoreau describes it makes it sound like a dictatorship, where the people have no say, and no rights. He constantly says that the government is expedient. Thoreau thinks that the government does what they want and it is in the best interest for themselves. This is not true because almost everything that may benefit the government, benefits the rest of the nation as well. they would deserve to be classed and punished with those mischievous persons who put obstructions on the railroads. Thoreau thinks the government has done so much wrong that they should be punished the way actual criminals are punished. To me, this seems a little bit harsh because the government never intentionally hurt anybody. .

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Religion and Environmental Ethics free essay sample

In the paper he wrote Christianity bears a huge burden of guilt and concludes that Hence we shall continue to have a worsening ecologic crisis until we reject the Christian axiom that nature has no reason for existence save to serve man. White depicted Western Christianity as seeing the world existing primarily for the benefit of man, and man, bearing Gods image and sharing in great measure Gods transcendence of nature, exploit nature for his proper ends according to Gods will. This thesis of White shall be referred to as Dominion Hypothesis for ease of identification in this paper. But are the claims in his Dominion Hypothesis valid? Does Christianity bear a burden of guilt for the ecological crisis of the world? The purpose of this paper is to assess the strength of his thesis by firstly analysing what the biblical scriptures and theologians have to say with regard to the relationship of God, man and the environment. We will write a custom essay sample on Religion and Environmental Ethics or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Next the symptoms and origins of our ecological crisis are examined, after which their ties with Western Christianity are assessed to determine whether the later has causal relationship with the former. Finally, after arriving at the conclusion, some recommendations are presented. 1 Whites Thesis Whites thesis can briefly be summarized as: All forms of life modify their contexts, and the human race has in one sense simply done this more than others. However, the human impact on the environment, whilst frequently detrimental in the past, was given an added impetus by Christianity in its Westernized form. Western society, as a product of Westernized Christianity, inherits an exploitative attitude to the natural world which is the key to our present ecological crisis. (Richardson, 1998) . White depicted Western Christianity as seeing the world existing primarily for the benefit of man, and it is according to Gods will that man exploit nature for his proper ends. Biblical verses that align to the Dominion Hypothesis Arguably the following passages from the Bible are aligned to the Dominion Hypothesis and are most frequently cited by ecology critics of the Bible. Then God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of trhe air, and over the the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thinng that creeps upon the earth So god created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them, and God said to them Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over every living thing that moves upon the earth. And God said, Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. (Gen. 1:26-29) Yet thou has made him little less than God, and dost crown him with glory and honor. Thous hast given him dominion over the works of thy hands; thous hast put all things under his feet; all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the sea. (Ps. 8:5-8) 2 And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every bird of the air, upon everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea; into your hand they are delivered. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you; and as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. (Gen. 9:1-3) You have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God, and they will reign on earth (Rev. 5:10). According to exegeses by theology scholar (Hiebert, 1996), the term dominion, from the Hebrew verb radah, implies that it grants humans the right and responsibility to rule, to govern the rest of creation. It connotes a hierarchy of power and authority in which the human race is positioned above the rest of the natural world, although the verb radah does not itself define how this dominion is to be exercised, whether benevolently or malevolently. The laws of Leviticus, when they stipulate that household servants are not to be *ruled* harshly (Lev. 25:43, 46, 53), imply that this kind of dominion may be kind and humane. Yet the use of radah in the context of international relations, where it is more commonly employed, carries a decidedly more antagonistic tinge, since it signifies rule over one*s enemies. It occurs frequently in descriptions of military conquest, where it is paired with such verbs as *destroy* (Num. 24:19) and *strike down* (Lev. 26:17; Isa. 14:6). When used of the Israelite king, radah always refers to dominion over his enemies, not to rule over his own Israelite subjects, for which the verb malak, *reign,* is the usual term. Similar conclusions may be drawn about the phrase *subdue the earth* in Gen. :28. The verb *subdue,* from the Hebrew kavash, depicts a hierarchical relationship in which humans are positioned above the earth and are granted power and control over it. The verb kavash is even more forceful than radah, describing the actual act of subjugation, of forcing another into a subordinate position. It is used for military conquest, where the same phrase used in Gen. 1:28 , *subdue the earth/land,* can be employed to depict the destruction and occupation of conquered territory (Num. 32:22, 29). It is also used of the king*s forcing his people into slavery against God*s wishes (Jer. 4:11, 16), and of rape (Esther 7:8; Neh. 5:5). In many of these cases, the abuse {19} of power is patently obvious. 3 Biblical verses that align to the Eco-Friendly perspective On the other hand, the following verses can be interpreted as being aligned to an EcoFriendly view:Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness. (Psalm 96:11-13) Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts! Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the LORD! For he commanded and they were created. And he established them forever and ever; he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away. a Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word! Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars! Beasts and all livestock, creeping things and flying birds! Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth! Young men and maidens together, old men and children! Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty is above earth and heaven. (Psalm 148:1-13) *When you besiege a city a long time, to make war against it in order to capture it, you shall not destroy its trees by swinging an axe against them; for you may eat from them, and you shall not cut them down. For is the tree of the field a man, that it should [m]be besieged by you? Only the trees which you known are not fruit trees you shall destroy and cut down, that you may construct siegeworks against the city that is making war with you until it falls. (Deuteronomy 20:19-20) *When you enter the land and plant any kind of fruit tree, regard its fruit as forbidden. For three years you are to consider it forbidden; it must not be eaten. In the fourth year all its fruit will be holy, an offering of praise to the Lord. But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit. In this way your harvest will be increased. I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 19:2325) You shall not let your cattle breed with a different kind; you shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed; nor shall there come upon you a garment of cloth made of two kinds of stuff. (Leviticus 19:19) For six years you shall sow your land and gather in its yield; but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the wild beasts may eat. (Exodus 23: 10-11) 5 The nations were angry, and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your people who revere your name, both great and small * and for destroying those who destroy the earth. * (Rev 11:18) For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. (Rev 19:2) They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. (Isaiah 11:9) The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but dust will be the serpents food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, says the LORD. (Isaiah 65:25) Theology scholars commenting on this view of nature of the Old Testament wrote : It is therefore fair to conclude that nature is far from de-animated in Biblical thought. (Wybrow, 1990), The natural world may not be see n as sacred or divine in the Bible, but it is certainly not dead, lifeless, and outside the divine moral framework here are no scriptures suggesting that nature was viewed as dead matter to be manipulated by man.. (Kinsley, 1995). Referring to the theme of the kingdom of God running through the New Testament, Zerbe (1992) argues that the New Testament has significant ecological implications, he explained: Isaiah*s vision of restored humanity and nature climaxes with the statement that there will no longer be any hurt or destruction in creation (Isa. 11:9; 65:25). And John*s vision of judgment states that those who destroy the earth will themselves be destroyed (Rev. 11:18; 19:2). It is noteworthy that the prophetic critique of Rome in Rev. 17:1-19:4 closely connects greed and the earth*s destruction: the insatiable desire for consumption and wealth is what results in the destruction of people and the earth. The corresponding passages are as quoted above. 6 Alternative view: Dominion Theology in Genesis 1 vs. Dependence Theology in Genesis 2 And lastly, but most importantly, consider the following two verses, both from Genesis 2:Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. (Genesis 2:7) The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. (Genesis 2:15) What is very important to the discussion in this paper is that according to Hiebert (1996), as evident in the above verses, Genesis 2 presents an alternative to the dominion theology of Genesis 1, which he calls dependence theology. His thesis being that the first human is made of the same arable soil as are all of other forms of life; and the divine breath into which his nostrils blown is the same with which all the animals live and breathe (Gen. :7; 7:22). The role of the human in the earth described is not that of mastery but of servanthood. In this account of creation, the theology of the human place in creation is not a theology of dominion but a theology of dependence (Hiebert, 1996). This theology is evident in other parts of Scripture, examples including Psalm 104 and the Book of Job (McKibben,1994). According to Hiebert: In this tradition (Genesis 2), the human being is positioned very differently within the world of nature. Here the archetypal human is made not in the image of God but out of topsoil, out of the arable land that was cultivated by Israelite farmers (Gen. 2:7). As a result of this kind of creation, humans hold no distinctive position among living beings, since plants and animals also were produced from this same arable soil (2:9, 19). Moreover, the role assigned humans within creation in this story is not to rule (radah) and to subdue (kavash) but rather to {23} *serve* (avad; Gen. 2:15; 3:23). The Hebrew term avad is properly translated *till* in these verses (NRSV), since it clearly refers to the cultivation of arable land. But avad is in fact the ordinary Hebrew verb *serve,* used of slaves serving masters and of humans serving God (Gen. 12:16; Exod. 4:23). , the conflicts of Genesis I and Genesis 2 notwithstanding, there are lots of thesis arguing that there is no inconsistency between the two chapters and the ouvert differences are due to different ways in recapitulation only . (Young, 1960),(Archer, 1964),(Kitchen,1966) On another plane of our discussion, we shall now turn to a brief discussion of the historical origins of our ecological crisis. 7 The Historical Origins of our Ecological Crisis There is general consensus that the planet earth is heading towards environmental catastrophe due to alarming development at different fronts: the green house effect, acid rain, damage to ozone layer, deforestation, loss of biodiversity, chemical pollution, freshwater shortage, etc. , amongst others. (Magdoff Foster, 2011).. But how did all these pollutions started? according to Thorsheim (2006), in his book The Invention of Pollution, it all started with the use of fossil energy, which was conducive to the Industrial Revolution. The first largescale commercial use of fossil energy was coal in Britain in the 1800s, which he referred to as a Faustian bargain for Britain, since on the one hand it helped to bring tremendous wealth, advance and power to the country, whilst on the other coal also filled the air with immense smoke and acidic vapors, which was one of the origins of what we now call the green house effect and acid rain. Fossil oil as energy had also been popularized ever since Edwin L. Drake drilled the first oil well in 1853, but the impact on the environment is equally as detrimental as Coal, if not more so. The fossil energy application was conducive to the Industrial Revolution, and the Industrial Revolution had led to the advance in comfort, convenience and enjoyment, from dwelling comfort to transport convenience to material needs, leading to the abundance and later overabundance in supply of products. Consumerism in the past decades had eventually been invented in order to help us to recognize our needs, and due to the needs for growth of enterprises, some products have also began to be designed with built-in obsolescence. All these initiatives had contributed to the generation of ever more wastes than in the centuries before the industrial revolution, much more than can be sinked by the earth, which contributed to the chemical pollution of soil, water, which has also altered the bio-diversity of the Earth. 8 Ever since the Industrial Revolution, the consumption of energy has experienced exponential growth (see figure 1. 1). Concomitantly, different kind of detrimental impacts had been inflicted upon the ecology of the earth (see figure 1. 2). As an in-depth analysis of our ecological crisis is out of the scope of this paper, focus is now centred on the origin of the crisis, viz. the advent of fossil energy application, which shall be discussed below. Some key developments relating to fossil energy application:1665 Invention of the first modern industrial steam engine by English inventor Edward Somerset which can use wood or coal as fuel 1794 First produce of Coal Gas by William Murdoch 1853 First refinement of Kerosene by Abraham Gesner 1859 Drilling of first Oil Well by Edwin Drake 1859 Building of the first practical self-combustion engine by Etienne Lenoir Religious Background of the Inventors / Innovators Astonishingly, what the above key developments have in common, according to research by the author, is that all the inventors / innovators were Judeao-Christian in religious belief, as can be listed below according to extant data. Inventor/Innovator Place of Birth Religion Edward Somerset (1601-67) Monmouthshire, Bri tain Roman Catholic William Murdoch (1754 1839) Cumnock, Scotland Roman Catholic Abraham Gesner (1797-1864) Nova Scotia, Canada Protestant Christian Edwin Drake (1819-1880) New York, U. S. A. Jewish Jean-Joseph-Etienne Lenoir (1822-1900) Mussy-la-Ville, Belgium Roman Catholic However, just as one cannot say that the inventions or innovations in fossil energy application has been due to Western Christianity, as otherwise one will fall into the post-hoc ergo procter hoc fallacy, it is likewise not valid to attribute the ecological crisis directly to Western Christianity. However, If we put the question conversely by asking that if the inventors/innovators were pantheistic, believing that the nature is sacred in itself and should be reverred, then it is highly unlikely that the inventions/innnovations had been conjured and accomplished by them. Science and Christianity It has been argued that science and christianity are coherent to each other, A British Scientist, Robert Clark, once said we may interpret the fact scientific development has only occurred in a Christian culture. The ancients had brains as good as ours. In all civilizations, Babylonia, Egypt, Greece, India, Rome, Persia, China and so on, science developed to a certain point and then stopped. It is easy to argue speculatively that science might have been able to develop in the absence of Christianity, but in fact, it never did. And no wonder. For the non*Christian world felt there was something ethically wrong about science. In Greece, this conviction was enshrined in the legend of Prometheus, the fire*bearer and prototype scientist who stole fire from heaven thus incurring the wrath of the Gods. 10 Consider also these statements from renowned scientists; William Thomson: Do not be afraid to be free thinkers. If you think strongly enough, you will be forced by science to the belief in God. Isaac Newton: This most beautiful system of the sun, planets and comets could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being , Stephen Hawking:In fact, if one considers the possible constants and laws that could have emerged, the odds against a universe that produced life like ours are immense. Conclusion This paper has attempted to examine the hypothesis of Lynn Whites that Christianity bears significant responsibility for the earths ecological crisis. The author has attempted to typologize and quote verses from the scriptures, exegeses and writings of theologians on the Biblical scriptures depicting the relationship of God, man and nature. Whilst according to the Dominion theological perspective as discussed above, the hierarchal relationship of God-gt;Man-gt;Nature (see figure 1. 3) is apparent, in the Dependence theological perspective, the hierarchal relationship of God-gt;Man ; God -gt; Nature (see figure 1. 4) is also evident. God God Man Man Nature Nature Figure 1. 3 The Dominion Perspective Figure 1. 4 The Dependence Perspective Other verses as listed under the section Passages that echo Eco-Friendly also act as a counter-argument for the Dominion hypothesis. It would seem therefore that Whites hypothesis that Western Christianity sees the world existing primarily for the benefit of man and therefore Christianity bears a huge burden of guilt is not grounded solidly, because as mentioned above, there are many verses which encourage man to be benign to our environment, and conversely, there is no single passage asking man to abuse nature for his primarily benefit only. However, if White argued that Christians bears a burden of guilt, then it is less reputable, as explained in the next paragraph. 11 If one concurs that scientific thinking is coherent to Christian belief, as discussed above, and like White argues in his paper, Western Christianity has been contributory in promoting modern science and technological advance, and from the standpoint of the analysing of advent of fossil energy as the origin of our ecological crisis, which does have tremendous detrimental impacts to our environment, it seems evident that Christians do have a direct linkage to the inventions and innovations leading to the mass scale use of fossil energy, the detrimental origin to our ecological system. Recommendations It can be said that with subtlety in the Biblical scriptures, interpretations are often contingent upon the context and the wisdom of the readers, as inspired at different times. What can be said is that given the state of development before the advent of sciences, man had been under the perpetual threats of nature, from attacks by animals, storms, sickness to famines and other disasters. The Dominion theological perspective no doubt inspired man to develop creative thinking about mastering the nature for the betterment of his lifelihood and survival, lacking which man might still be living rather primitively. The advent of sciences and most notably the Industrial Revolution can be depicted as the epitome of this mentality. As our civilization, technology and wisdom progresses, we should now be in a position to recognize that a Dominion mentality to the nature is detrimental to our environment and it is time that we revisit the scriptures to investigate whether we have overlooked an alternative theology in the Bible for seeing our relationship with nature-the Dependence approach, treating the nature as equals of ours, in which we serve god to ensure its goodness, and ensuring its long term sustainability to prepare for the Kingdom of God. 2 Bibliography Lynne White Jr (1967), The Historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis, reproduced in John Barr (ed), The Environmental Handbook (London: Ballantine/Friends of the Earth, 1971) pp 3-16. David Kinsley, Ecology and Religion: Ecological Spirituality in Cross-Cultural Perspective (Englewood Cliffs, N. J. : Prentice Hall, 1995) Richard Cameron Wyb row The Bible, Baconism, and Mastery over Nature: The Old Testament and Its Moderrn Misreading (Ph. D disserrtation, McMaster University, Hamillton Ont. Canada, 1990) p. 206 Theodore Hiebert, Professor of Old Testament at McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago, Illinois. , Direction (Winnipeg, MB), 1996 Gordon Zerbe, Assistant Professor of New Testament at Canadian Mennonite Bible College, Winnipeg, Manitoba. , Direction (Winnipeg, MB), 1992 Howard Snyder, Liberating the Church: The Ecology of Church and Kingdom (Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 1983) 45-51. Young, Edward J. (1960) An Introduction to the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Co. ). Archer, Gleason (1964), A Survey of Old Testament Introduction (Chicago: Moody Press). Kitchen, Kenneth (1966), Ancient Orient and Old Testament (London: Tyndale Press). Thorsheim, Peter (2006), Inventing Pollution: Coal, Smoke and Culture in Britain since 1800 13

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Writing a Case Analysis

Writing a Case Analysis Writing a Case Analysis Writing a Case Analysis: How to Cope with Case Analysis To write a good writing a case analysis, you have to be good in case analysis matters. In order to study the notion of case analysis you have to spend some definite amount of time, as this activity demands much of your attention and hard working. While you are going to read this article, it is essential to make notes in order you not to miss a single idea while reading. Success Depends on Depth of Case Study Analysis To make a successful case analysis and to manage to cope with writing a case analysis essay, you have to analyze the history of the company or business you are going to deal with in your essay and its growth in a projection of time passing. You see the past of any business is an aspect, which greatly influences the present situation of running business and the future one. That is why you have to make a thorough analysis in your writing a case analysis of the history of foundation and running the business in the past in order to evaluate the state and position of the business at the present time and in order to be able to make any business forecasts for future. Structure of the company is another point to be analyzed in your writing a case analysis, as structure is one of the key elements, which predetermines either success or failure of the company under consideration: Focus on Strong and Weak Points The following step you should make in writing a case analysis is to analyze all strong and weak points of the company under discussion, its strengths and weaknesses if speaking with the other words. External Environment Analysis Is Equally Important Analyzing external environment is that point without which it is impossible to cope with writing a case analysis in a successful way. Threats and opportunities of the market are those elements to be paid a special attention to. At this point, you have to determine the level of the ability of the company to be competitive at the market, its bargaining powers, and the existing threat of copies of the products, or if speaking with scientific language the level of threat of appearance of substitute products. Our Writers Are Ready To Help With Writing A Case Analysis These are the main steps you have to walk while writing a case analysis essay. Hope, with the help of our article you are going to write a successful work. By the way, writing a casual analysis paper is another one assignment, which is often used by the professors. If you have received a task of writing a casual analysis paper, you are welcome to visit our site and find all the necessary information you may need to write a case analysis paper. Popular posts: Science Research Paper Research Papers Proposal Research Paper Topic Ideas Research Paper no Plagiarism Research Paper Help

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Leadership models Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Leadership models - Essay Example Leadership Models or theories have been a central part of organizational management for many years. These help to make or break the workforce, and hence, the business. In this paper, four leadership models will be discussed thoroughly first. They will then be compared for any similarities and differences. Finally, their concentration on contemporary leadership issues and challenges will be analyzed, along with their implications for organizations today.The term 'leadership style' defines the "leadership model'. Style of leadership has been explained as how a person takes his team forward to achieve goals. This is the simplest definition of a layman. Good leadership is what makes effective management (Murugun, pg. 329). A model which defines this is, then, a 'Leadership Model'.Leadership has many functions that bring the team closer to their goals to carry out .The significance of leadership is reflected in the following functions: providing inspiration to employees, securing cooperat ion in the team, creating confidence among individuals, providing a conducive environment for employees, implementing changes, maintaining discipline among the members, representing them, and setting goals. (Murugun, pg.328)There are many factors that affect how a manager exerts leadership. The most important and the first one that comes to mind is his personality. The Leadership model largely depends on the nature of a manager. Moreover, the experiences of a manager also define his leadership style. He may lead in a certain way because his practices and situations in the past expect him to go forward in that manner. In addition to that, it is also based on the beliefs and values of the leader. He will also manage and lead his team according to the organization's environment, culture and needs. To get to the point, there are a number of leadership models, defined by a number of individuals. For example, Likert's leadership theories describe four kinds of leadership styles: Exploitative authoritative, Benevolent authoritative, Consultative and Participative styles (Likert 1967). Or , for example, Goleman's, Boyatzis' and McKee's (2004) six emotional leadership models: The Visionary Leader, the Coaching Leader, the Affiliative Leader, the Democratic Leader, the Pace-setting Leader and the Commanding Leader. But in this paper, we will only go over the four most common ones. The Charismatic Model adopts the Charismatic Style of Leadership, which is a style taken up by a leader who has a personality so charming and "charismatic" that he uses this to take the team forward. According to Max Weber, the term 'charisma' is used in the sense of an 'extraordinary quality' possessed by persons or objects, and is thought to give these persons a unique, magical power (Bendix 1977, pg.299). This leader is like an organizational hero who the subordinates look up to and follow strongly. They focus on making their team very different than the others. The charismatic model will only work with the kind of charismatic leader described above. The model sounds almost too good to be true, or practical. Which is the case, it is good but also not practical. The benefits of this model are apparent. Only by using pleasant phrases and appealing words and gestures, the leader can make the team get closer to his and their goals. Furthermore, he can make them believe and this belief is what fuels motivation. It could increase productivity of the workers and create a decorous, respectable environment. However, this doesn't always lead to successful results or achievement of goals, depending on the kind of team and the morale of its members. An "organizational hero" is more appreciated when the spirits of the individuals are low than when they are extremely self-confident. Moreover, according to Weber, a charismatic leader might not always be positive, for example, Adolf Hitler. In such situations this style is perceived as unethical by some because control is exercised on

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Elderly Patients and Malnutrition Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Elderly Patients and Malnutrition - Dissertation Example Nevertheless, as previous reports establish, hospital services are insufficient to meet the nutritional needs of ill patients. Given the present scenario, the government, along with health care professionals, faces a serious problem of alleviating the risks associated with malnutrition in the elderly population. Several proposals have been made in the past to address the current issue but the problem remains unresolved. It is therefore important to reassess current approaches to nursing practice and further expand research in the field of elderly care. To date, experts have identified proper screening and management as basic responses to the current problem. However, the diverse needs of elderly patients in the hospital setting demand comprehensive approaches and resources in the nursing practice. Additionally, the availability of resources is another question. For such reasons, nurses assigned in hospitals should have a wide background of the issue and the solutions to the problem. Basic information such as the causes, symptoms, and risks of malnutrition are therefore imperative and should be considered common knowledge in the nursing practice. To address the current issue, nurses in the hospital setting should, in the first place, be aware of the symptoms and causes of malnutrition. A working definition of malnutrition should lead every health care practitioner to be aware of the problems associated with malnutrition and to be sensitive to the symptoms at-risk patients have. According to Peters (1996), malnutrition is a ‘deficiency state which occurs when inadequate proteins, calories, or specific nutrients are ingested to meet an individual’s nutritional requirements’ (p.45). Malnutrition can cause varying adverse effects on... This paper approves that the current literature offers a number of screening tools and interventions to malnutrition. Among screening tools are the MUST, GNRI, and Nursing Nutritional Checklist. Commonly, these screening tools aim to guide nurses on proper screening of at-risk patients. They also ensure communication between the nurse and the patient, giving way for patients to express their needs and apprehensions relating to hospitalisation. Screening tools also serve as guide for making recommendations to doctors, dieticians, and other health care providers. The screening tools found in the literature obviously vary in structure but they commonly aim at securing information about the patient. This paper makes a conclusion that pharmacologic therapy and giving supplements are the most successful interventions based on the literature. However, it should be clear that pharmacologic therapy was often used in the past for preventing anorexia among terminally ill patients. Therefore, future research should examine the effectiveness of the intervention to elderly patients in general, including those who are not suffering from diseases. Nevertheless, extra care should be taken when administering drugs to patients, making sure of the absence of side effects. Exercise, educating patients and their families, and minimising dietary restrictions likewise emerge as other alternatives to pharmacologic therapy in fighting the problem of malnutrition in the field of elderly care.

Monday, November 18, 2019

The question of diversity and evolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The question of diversity and evolution - Essay Example During the process of natural selection, the offspring obtain their biological traits from the parent organism. This process of inheritance is usually geared towards developing an organism that is best suited to survive in the eternal environment in which it is being born into (Söll, Nishimura and Moore). This is accomplished through inheritance. However, inheritance encourages and increases competition. This is because the natural selection and inheritance process provides only the best genetically material for the offspring. This creates a situation where the offspring competes with the parent organism for the available resources. However, the offspring is favored to best survive in this environment owing to the fact that the new organism ideally has the best possible genetic make-up available from the parent organism to best survive in their environment. Therefore, inheritance increase and encourages competition within a given ecosystem. This concept is generally true. This is because history has shown that the next generation is usually far much improved and more efficient in survival within their environment compared to the parent organism (Gibson). A good example is the history and evolution of man. Previous species of human beings were apes. Through the process of natural selection and inheritance, modern day Homo sapiens have the ability to best survive in the changing environment as compared to previous species from which human beings originated. These previous species have become extinct due to their inability to adapt and survive and the competition that they received from their more advanced and evolved counterparts. This argument can however be challenged. This can be achieved by looking at the fact that there are numerous cases where natural selection does not improve the species that originates from the parent organism. Again, human provide the best example to this. While the natural selection

Friday, November 15, 2019

POEMS Syndrome Symptoms and Treatment

POEMS Syndrome Symptoms and Treatment POEMS Syndrome: Paraproteinemic neuropathies, Organomegaly, Endocrinopathy, M-protein and Skin changes Abstract The POEMS syndrome, also known as Crow-Fukase syndrome, is a rare multi organ disorder characterized by polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, M-protein spike and skin changes. Other associated features, such as sclerotic bone lesions, edema, ascites, hematological disorÂÂ ­ders and Castleman disease can also be present. We report a case of POEMS syndrome who presented with insidious onset, progressive sensorimotor polyneuropathy, pedal edema, ascites, hepatomegaly along with skin changes. X-ray pelvis showed osteosclerotic lesions. Thyroid function tests showed hypothyroidism. M-protein (IgG) monoclonal band was seen on immunoelectrophoresis. The patient was started on melphalan and corticosteroid combination therapy. We emphasis on the importance of recognizing a challenging diagnosis of a rare disease, which is shown to be treatment responsive. Introduction POEMS syndrome is a rare paraneoplastic disorder of plasma cell dyscrasias, which was first described in 1956 by Crow and then in 1968 by Fukase [1]. The name POEMS was given to it by Bardwick and co-workers in 1980 based on five salient features: polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal gammopathy and skin changes [1]. It is more prevalent in men, with male to female ratio of 2.5:1. It usually manifests in 5th and 6th decades of life. Its inheritance is uncertain and its pathophysiology is still not well understood. Case Presentation A 40-year-old male presented with progressive weakness, tingling and numbness sensation in both lower limbs for two years. He had swelling of lower limbs, abdominal distention and dermatologic changes in form of discoloration and thickening of skin over the cheeks, nose, hands and feet for one year. He had also gave history of erectile dysfunction and loss of libido for six months. There was no history of syncope, bony pain or drug abuse. He had no previous history of hypertension, diabetes or tuberculosis. On physical examination, the patient had bilateral pedal edema [Figure 1.c] and abdominal distention [Figure 2.a]. Skin was thickened and hyperpigmented over the face, fingers of the hands and shin (Figure.1a,b,c). Bilateral gynecomastia and testicular atrophy were present. Abdominal examination showed hepatomegaly and ascites. Higher mental functions and speech were normal. Fundus examination showed papilledema on both side and rest of the cranial nerves examination were normal. Motor power in upper limbs was normal and in lower limbs showed predominant distal weakness [Medical Research Council (MRC) 4/5 at hip joint and 4-/5 at ankle joint). Deep tendon reflexes in upper limb were diminished (+1) including biceps, triceps and supinator and absent in lower limbs. There was 30% loss in pain, touch and temperature sense in both lower limbs below knees. Posterior column sensations (joint position and vibration sense) were also impaired in lower limbs below the anterior superior iliac s pine. Romberg sign was positive. Hemogram, liver and renal function tests, muscle enzymes (creatine phosphokinase), serum ferritin and vitamin B12 level were normal. Serum total protein was 7.1 gm/dL, albumin 3 gm/dL, globulin 4.1 gm/dl, and A:G ratio 1:1.3. Fasting and postprandial blood sugar level were normal. Thyroid function test showed raised TSH level (16.62 ÃŽ ¼/ml). Luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone levels were 15 IU/L (1.8-8.6 IU/L) and 111 ng/L (300-1,000 ng/dL), respectively. Antinuclear antibody (ANA), Rheumatoid factor (RF), serum human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) ELISA test, hepatitis B and C markers were negative. Ultrasonography of abdomen showed hepatomegaly (16 cm), moderate ascites and enlargement of multiple lymph nodes along the iliac vessels. Fine needle aspiration cytology of mesenteric lymph node was inconclusive. Ascitic fluid examination revealed exudative nature (SAAG Discussion POEMS syndrome is a rare, multiple system disorder, characterized by polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal or M-protein band and skin changes. Any three of the five features may be present to establish diagnosis [2]. However, some authors have proposed clinical criteria for diagnosis in which includes two major criteria, which can be either presence of polyneuropathy or plasma cell proliferative disorder. Minor criteria include sclerotic bone lesions, organomegaly, edema, endocrinopathy, papilledema or skin changes [2]. Polyneuropathy is a predominant feature of POEMS syndrome and is found in >90% of the cases. It is usually a sensorimotor, axonal and demyelinating type polyneuropathy [3]. As in our patient, both axonal and demyelinating polyneuropathy are seen on electrodiagnostic studies. The mechanism of neuropathy is not known but the recent evidence of the presence of anti-neural antibodies points to an immunological mechanism [4]. Endocrinopathies occur with a frequency of 60%-80% and the most common are gonadal failure (70%) and glucose intolerance/diabetes mellitus (50%). Hypo or hyperthyroidism, hyperprolactinemia and adrenal insufficiency have also been reported. The mechanism of endocrinopathy is also not obvious; however, involvement of direct acting antibodies against hypothalamo-hypophyseal-axis and endocrine end organs has been hypothesized [5]. In our patient, impotence, loss of libido and testicular atrophy and hypothyroidism on ancillary laboratory investigation were present. Increased levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are found in POEMS syndrome. VEGF increases microvascular permeability, thereby inducing edema, ascites and pleural effusions as were present in our patient [6,7]. However, measurement of VEGF level in ascites was not available in our patient. Papilledema may be seen in approximately 37% of patients and is not associated with the increase in intracranial pressure. The real cause of papilledema is not still known. Hepatomegaly may be seen in up to 50% of patients with splenomegaly and lymphadenopathy occurring less often. The hyperpigmentation over the face, legs and hands was also observed in our case. The skin changes usually observed in POEMS syndrome are hyperpigmentation, lichenification, hypertrichosis, sclerodermoid changes and glomeruloid hemangiomas. Skin biopsy may show inflammation, fibrosis, or nonspecific changes. Monoclonal protein is detected in more than 90% of patients and may become positive in the follow- up of patients who have no monoclonal gammopathy initially [8]. Nearly all cases reported in the literature show lambda positivity as in our patient. It may be rarely found in urine and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The natural course of POEMS syndrome is chronic, with a reported median survival for a decade (8-13.8ys). The morbidity depends on the extent and number of systems involved. The cause of POEMS syndrome is still unknown. It is tempting to incriminate the presence of lambda light chains in the pathogenesis because of their unexpected frequency (more than 95% of patients), but histopathologic review of affected organs and nerves does not support that it is a form of deposition disorder. Increased levels of cytokines IL-1ß, TNF-Ã ¡ and IL-6, more specifically VEGF, appear to play a pathogenic role in the disorder [9,10]. In view of the constellation of a mixed polyneuropathy, monoclonal gammopathy, osteosclerotic myeloma, extravascular volume overload, bilateral papilledema, skin changes and endocrinopathies, our patient was diagnosed as POEMS syndrome. However, other close differential diagnosis like tuberculosis and hemochromatosis were ruled out with appropriate investigations. Patient was treated with combination of alkylating agent melphalan and corticosteroid. To conclude, when a patient present with unexplained sensorimotor polyneuropathy, signs of extravascular volume overload and evidence of other system involvement, a high index of suspicion should be kept for a diagnosis of POEMS syndrome, to avoid missing this rare syndrome, which is amenable to treatment. Figure Legends Figure 1. Photographs of patient showing skin hyperpigmentation over the face, hand and limbs (thin arrows). Thick arrow showing pitting edema over the left leg. Figure 2. Photograph of patient (a) showing abdominal distention (free fluid was confirmed by ultrasonography). X-ray pelvic bone (b) showing multiple sclerotic lesion over right iliac crest (thin arrow) and one large osteosclerotic lesion (thick arrow) over the neck of left femur (b). Figure 3. Nerve conduction study showing axonal and demyelinating neuropathy in right median nerve. Figure 4. Bone marrow smear in centre reveals one large atypical plasma cell, which has prominent nucleoli and abundant cytoplasm. There is loss of normal nuclear configuration with fraying border. References Bardwick PA, Zvaifler NJ, Gill GN, Newman D, Greenway GD, Resnick DL. Plasma cell dyscrasia with polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, M proteins and skin changes: the POEMS syndrome: Report on two cases and a review of the literature. Medicine (Baltimore). 1980;59:311-322. Dispenzieri A, Kyle RA, Lacy MQ, Rajkumar SV, Therneau TM, Larson DR, et al. POEMS syndrome: definitions and long-term outcome. Blood. 2003;101(7):2496-2506. Min JH, Hong YH, Lee KW. Electrophysiological features of patients with POEMS syndrome. Clin Neurophysiol. 2005;116(4):965-968. Kelly JJ Jr, Kyle RA, Miles JM, O’Brian PC, Dyck PJ. The spectrum of peripheral neuropathy in myeloma. Neurology. 1981;31:31-34. Reulecke MD, Dumas M, Merrier C. Specific antibody activity against neuroendocrine tissue in a case of POEMS syndrome with IgG gammopathy. Neurology. 1988;38:614-616. DSouza A, Hayman SR, Buadi F, Mauermann M, Lacy MQ, Gertz MA, et al. The utility of plasma vascular endothelial growth factor levels in the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with POEMS syndrome. Blood. 2011;118(17):4663-4665. Watanabe O, Maruyawa I, Arimura K, Kitajawa I, Arimura H, Hanatani M, et al. Overproduction of vascular endothelial growth factor vascular permeability factor is causative in Crow-Fukase (POEMS) syndrome. Muscle Nerve. 1998;21(11):1390-1397. Miralles GD, O’Fallen JR, Talley NJ. Plasma cell dyscrasia with polyneuropathy; the spectrum of POEMS syndrome. N Eng J Med. 1992;327:1919-1923. Kanai K, Sawai S, Sogawa K, Mori M, Misawa S, Shibuya K, et al. Markedly upregulated serum interleukin-12 as a novel biomarker in POEMS syndrome. Neurology. 2012;79(6):575-582. Soubrier M, Dubost JJ, Serre AF, Ristori JM, Sauvezie B, Cathebras P, et al. Growth factors in POEMS syndrome: evidence for a marked increase in circulating vascular endothelial growth factor. Arthritis Rheum. 1997;40:786-778.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

The Day My Music Died :: Personal Narrative, Autobiographical Essay

Some memories never fade. Tucked away in the accordion file of our minds, some memories live forever. Some memories walk hand in hand with us to our six-foot retirement homes. And though it is true that some are great blessings, some memories scar the hopes, some memories mar our dreams. In my heart I will always have a passion for music. The rhythm of the beat is the blood in my veins. I can close my eyes and hear the notes, tasting the sweet sound they leave on the top of my tongue. The sound of my soul, that reverberates inside the corridors of my heart. I feel empty without its presence, naked without the silken cloth of sound. This is my life; this is my true love. But love does not pay the bills, my father would say to me, loosening his tie and kicking off his leather shoes, those tight leather shoes. I like my sandals, I thought to myself, as I had so many times before. After all, thinking seems to be the only thing to do. I couldn't speak; I couldn't put that replenishing sound into his heart. Hell, thinking was the only cure. It sure beat hearing another lecture on the myopia of my dreams. Really, I was tired of it all. Every time I tried to tell my father about the passion, the sheer energy that music provided for me, my words fell on deaf ears. Listening, he would cross his arms and nod his head in that patronizing way. Soon, I could no longer distinguish the true meaning of any of my father's gestures. In our home, a nod no longer meant yes; a smile no longer meant happiness. As soon as my father realized that I was serious about being a musician, his world and mine collided head on. Father always believed in the importance of politics. He lived his life based on the philosophy that it isn't what you do, but who you know that really matters in the world. I still cringe at the thought of such an idea. I was never the one to go after people. I wasn't the type of person who you would interview when composing a "How to Win Friends and Influence People" book. If for some reason I didn't feel like grinning like a birthday boy upon making the acquaintance of a friend of my fathers, then that was that.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

First Draft

Moreover, it saves time and healthcare expenditure. This essay aims to discuss the comparisons between two projects, in Cambodia-partners Telekinetic project and a remote volcanic group of Islands In South Atlantic Ocean-Telemeter comes home. To begin with, recent studies illustrate that there are many benefits of using telekinetic, especially for the least developed environments like Tristan dad Chunk and several distant places in Cambodia. It can be used effectively via 24-hour satellite-internet connection in Tristan De Chunk; first of all, It Is helpful for doctors to monitor patients' conditions and even for surgery.According to a foreman of medication at IBM named Richard Baklava, â€Å"What we are starting to see now is a patient-doctor model. † It is presently ordinary that physicians send patients' information such as X-rays in a computer program version to other experts. For example, If Dry. Van De Mere requires advising specialists, he can function It over a video l ink. As the technology amends, a mechanical-liked operation system called Dad Vinci was used to remove a gall-bladder on a patient in the year of 2001. (The Economist, 2008, p. 3) In Cambodia, telekinetic is typically used In provinces In some resource-poor areas the same as In South Atlantic Ocean, too. The Cambodia villagers, especially those who live In Roving and Ban Lung, have been very grateful for the provision of internet access. To be able to send and obtain data, the local populations need solar and generator- powered satellite dishes, wireless technology and mobile systems to approach. Furthermore, telemeter mostly works on some sicknesses like malaria and diarrhea that are likely to be occurred on kids in the remote Cambodia.On the other hand, without the motormen who take responsibilities on delivering patients' information to physicians, it is almost impossible for the villagers to know what recklessly goes wrong with their health. (Hellmann, 2005, Internet). In other words, with the aids of the internet, telekinetic has cured and saved so many people's lives. Taking the ill patients at Roving in Preach Viewer province as an example, if they want to visit the doctors at Phonon Penn city, they have to spend time and fees on traveling to receive better treatments or Just to have simple health check-ups.As regards to a Cambodia report, It states that almost 80% of the residents derived a great satisfaction from the resistance involved and that they would be willing to foot 1 OFF hey are not required a direct visit to the specialty hospitals. (Heinlein, 200, internet) Similarly, Tristan dad Chunk, does not have an airstrip to provide clinical heath care for urgent situations, therefore, it would be a difficulty to contact other places in the world face to face in approximately one week.

Friday, November 8, 2019

The American Presidency essays

The American Presidency essays The Power Of the American Presidency The office of the American President is unquestionably a democratically ruled position. The checks and balances of the Legislative and Judicial branches, known as Separation of Powers, keep the presidency one of the most important duties in the world, but at the same time, the checks and balances do not let the president have too Separation of power was very effective; The three branches of government (executive, legislative, and judicial) are kept separate, and each has different powers. Congress has legislative, or law making, powers; the President has the power to carry out, or execute, the laws; and the Judicial branch had the judging power, used to interpret the laws. In addition, each branch is able to restrain or balance the powers of the other two branches upon power abuse. If the President is suspected of unlawful acts, he can be impeached, or tried by the House and Senate for misusing his power. If he is found guilty, he can be thrown out of office, unless two thirds of Congress agrees with a treaty he proposes. Furthermore, if the President wants to spend money, his request must pass through Congress, since it has control over spending. Lastly, Congress can re-pass a vetoed bill. Congress also has checks and balances against itself. The president can veto a bill from Congress, and although Congress can override a veto, obtaining a two-thirds vote is very difficult. Public speeches by the President may also concern the public with an issue, putting pressure on Congress to The American President is one of the most important persons on earth. The president, however, cannot pass a single bill without the approval of the House and the Senate. The president can propose bills, and he often deals with many short, yet unthinkably important questions concerning various factors throughout the world. ...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Evaluating You and Your Business Idea a Book by Joseph Covello and Brian Hazelgren

Evaluating You and Your Business Idea a Book by Joseph Covello and Brian Hazelgren The paper is aimed at examining the chapter Evaluating You and Your Business Idea from the textbook written by Joseph Covello and Brian Hazelgren. These authors pay attention to the process of goal setting, and they offer some valuable recommendations to future entrepreneurs.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on â€Å"Evaluating You and Your Business Idea† a Book by Joseph Covello and Brian Hazelgren specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More On the whole, these researchers believe that an individual should identify personal and economic objectives that should be attained (Covello and Hazelgren 13). In other words, it is necessary to examine the financial objectives that should be achieved by the enterprise. Moreover, it is vital to quantify these economic objectives (Covello and Hazelgren 13). Furthermore, a person should explain why he/she wants to work in a specific area of business. Moreover, it is vital to explain how t his particular choice can help a person fulfill his/her talents or ambitions. To some degree, these goals included in this plan are consistent with the recommendations offered by these authors. In particular, this plan includes clear economic objectives that are quantified. However, it is necessary to pay more attention to personal objectives because they are not clearly identified. This is one of the drawbacks that can be singled out. Additionally, it is important to discuss the distinction between short and long-term objectives. This distinction is important for the successful implementation of business plans. In this way, one can better develop the strategies for the development of a business (Covello and Hazelgren 13). Furthermore, this knowledge can help a person see the relations between different steps that will be taken in the future (Covello and Hazelgren 13). The given plan includes some of the goals that will be attained in the near future. Moreover, it is critical to sin gle out the resources that should be accumulated. For instance, the author of this plan discusses the need to accumulate start-up capital. Apart from that, this plan includes some long-term objectives. In particular, the writer mentions the intention to open new shops within the next four years. Furthermore, Joseph Covello and Brian Hazelgren believe that it is necessary to set the timelines for the implementation of the goals (15). However, these researchers also note that in many cases, such timelines cannot be rigidly fixed. Moreover, by focusing only on timelines, a person can make flawed business decisions. This is one of the pitfalls that should be avoided. To a great extent, the plan, which is analyzed, is compatible with the suggestions offered by the authors of this chapter. Nevertheless, there are some limitations of this plan, and they should not be overlooked. For instance, this document does not clearly show how this venture can gain the loyalty of clients. It is not ev ident why they will choose the services of this particular cafà ©. In turn, this issue is examined by Joseph Covello and Brian Hazelgren who believe that entrepreneurs should differentiate the venture among other companies. This is one of the issues that should be taken into account.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the whole, the discussion suggests when starting up a business venture, a person should clearly explain the steps that will be taken to attain business goals. Moreover, one should clearly identify the resources that will be needed. The elements of this plan are compatible with the recommendations offered by scholars. Nevertheless, the author does not show why the future venture will be remain competitive. These are the main arguments that can be advanced. Covello, Joseph, and Brian Hazelgren. â€Å"Evaluating You and Your Business Idea.† Comp lete Book of Business Plans: Simple Steps to Writing Powerful Business Plans. Ed. Joseph Covello and David Carpenter. New York, NY: Sourcebooks, Inc, 2006. Print.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Review of the Literature 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Review of the Literature 3 - Essay Example amist revivals: revolutionary islamists, traditional islamists, and modernist islamists, where the common thread that binds them is their adherence to fundamental Islamic principles. For him, these different Islamists lead Islamic Revival in diverse terms, but they all argue for the renewal of fundamental Islamic principles. Revolutionary Islamists, also called as fundamentalist, are radical Muslims who advocate political activism and demand the conservative observance of Islam. They want to establish a purely Islamic state and to apply Sharia in their society. They resist Western beliefs and influences and anything that opposes the main beliefs of Islam. They want to reinstate the classical period, where the society made by Prophet Muhammad and his first four caliphs is the model Islamic state. For Revolutionary Islamists, the primary goal of the Islamic state is to implement the Sharia. The law cannot be separated from how the state should be run. Revolutionary Islamists do not acc ept the taglid and want to apply ijtihad and they blame the Traditionalist Islamists and their dogma of taglid for the fall of Islam. Revolutionary Islamists also do not approve of secularists, because this would weaken the ummah and oppose the idea of universalism in Islam. For the past few years, Revolutionary Islamists agree with the application of modern values in Islamic states, as long as they are aligned with the traditional Islamic principles. An example is accepting democratic ruling, as long as the ulama decides on lawmaking procedures and outcomes. Traditionalist Islamists are made of conservative ulama and Islamic scholars. Like the Revolutionary Islamists, they repudiate the teachings and principles of the West. They want to maintain Islamic beliefs and go back to the erstwhile eras of Islamic classical and medieval periods. They also do not oppose Sufism and other folk varieties of Islam, including the mystical ones. They argue that these different beliefs are part of

Friday, November 1, 2019

Exporting goods via airfreight Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Exporting goods via airfreight - Essay Example The higher of the two rates is the class rate, which is the standard rate for all commodities moving from one destination to another. On the other hand is the commodity rate, sometimes referred to as a special rate because shippers receive it from carriers as a reward for either large-quality shipment or regular use. Recently, another rate known as a contract or negotiated rate has emerged. This rate is favorable to small businesses, which do not have the shipping volume required for the above two rates. Under contract rates, a carrier and shipper negotiate a rate for a specific service where the two parties finalize the terms of the service, rate and other variables in a contract. Exporting goods by means of airfreight has a substantial effect on international business. A range of cost components may reduce the high cost of goods associated with airfreight. Cost components refer to groupings of cost elements such as process costs, direct labor, materials among others. Different users define these cost components to match needs in their organizations. In other words, cost components vary from one location to another. People also select cost components as containing variable (proportional) and/or fixed costs (Sedgley & Jackiw, 2007). These cost components include inventory-holding costs, infrastructure costs, theft and damage costs, congestion costs and Speed and time costs. The business dictionary defines inventory cost as the cost that one incurs by holding goods in stock. This cost includes depreciation, warehousing, insurance, capital, taxation, shrinkage and obsolescence cost. It is usually expressed as a percentage of the inventory value, which is the determination of the cost of inventory that has not been sold at the ending of an accounting period. As one holds goods, their value may depreciate leading to losses. He would also be paying for their storage in a warehouse. The goods also need to be insured

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Dqweek 7 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Dqweek 7 - Essay Example to do with how the powers and privileges of society, as well as within the companies themselves, are affected by large organizations . These three, Clegg, Hinings and Greenwood feel that this sociological perspective is required in order that companies can find for themselves the most suitable ways to solve their problems, ways that are both efficient an defective. . Clegg in 2002 ( p 430) drew a parallel with the planning of the Holocaust in World War II. He describes an organization then which worked at optimum efficiency, and achieved its aims effectively, but as far as moral values and ethics were concerned was totally abhorrent. He also stresses that researchers seeking both funding and access to organisations, must focus their research on real problems faced by the businesses concerned. ( page 436) Grey (2010, p 686) and Clegg (2002, 434) point out how between Europe and America there are differences in the way universities operate with Europeans generally being more open to alternative points of view. Grey talks about the ways in which systems of ranking make the positivist/functionalist viewpoint dominant in North American academic circles. He concludes that this ranking system enables the American universities and the academic journals from that part of the world to prevail when it comes to proving the knowledge creation agenda which therefore tends to fit in with their preference for the positivist/functionalist trend. Knowledge creation cannot be allowed to remain as the select domain of an elite group of American scholars and those academic journals which are overly concerned with their own rankings. There are other ways to create knowledge as our DBA programme reveals when it shows how Critical Action Learning when used by scholars who are also practitioners will also generate knowledge. Whether or not it then goes on to publication in a high ranking American journal, it can still be used within our own organisations to

Monday, October 28, 2019

Industrial production Essay Example for Free

Industrial production Essay In his empirical study Imai (1996) examined other significant internal factors promoting democratic changes. He demonstrated that industrial production and GDP per capita have gradual lasting influence on their implementation (p. 8). It seems logical as economists argue that with growing size of the developing nation’s market and expansion of its economy, democratization of the country is facilitated. Consequently, as the purchasing capacity of the most population measured by GDP per capita raises, the economic and political liberalization within the developing country is promoted, thus contributing further to the democratization (Armijo, 2005, p. 2019). Imai (1996) also emphasizes that the larger is the size of the developing nations home market, and the more amounts of foreign direct investment the nation draws, the deeper democratic changes it will have to implement together with liberalization of its economy (p. 11). At the same time, increased purchasing capacity of domestic consumers fosters expansion of private entrepreneurship which, for its part, promotes political liberalization, in the long run decreasing the state’s capability to strongly control civil liberties of its citizens (Arblaster, 1999, p. 40). So, as we discussed above, citizens of more economically advanced developing countries enjoy more civil liberties, and what is important to note here, such countries usually demonstrate the trend of growing urban population. At the same time, Imai (1996) proves that number of urban population is one of indicators of the internationalization of national economy, which contributes to democracy facilitation too, and more urbanized developing countries demonstrate more efforts toward democratization (p. 10). These trends evidently show that creation of wealthy stable society in developing countries is one of vital preconditions of democratization. The proper concept of democratization is closely connected with the notion of civil society as democracy constitutes a form of its existence. Formation of constitutional state and real democracy is impossible without civil society’s coming-to-be (Penna, 1998, p. 116). Important aspect of civil society formation is attaining unity among the people. For example, experience of political history of many African states, as well as Yugoslavia of the first half of 1990s, demonstrates that deep disunity of the society on the ground of ethnical features and prevailing separatist trends among the majority of population even in the presence of democratic aspirations in the society may not only become the hindrance to democratization process, but lead to opposite results (Penna, 1998, p.118). A few decades ago scholars entered a new notion into circulation – that of ‘consolidation of democracy’ – which implies irreversibility of established political structures where certainty of the procedures leads to limitation of ‘uncertainty of outcomes’, that is undemocratic outcomes are practically impossible (Randall Svasand, 2001, p. 78). This notion supposes that further democratization of the world is being considered as inevitable, and it is just an issue of time. But the way to this achievement appear to be not easy one. As our study demonstrate, outcome depends on the results of economic reforms which associate with democratization of political regime in minds of major part of population, although direct interrelation of economic and political transformations is not mandatory. That is why incapability of young democracies to satisfy economic interests of poor strata of population often makes a threat for entire democratization process (Petras Veltmeyer, 2001, p. 52).

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Earth Faces a Sixth Mass Extinction Essay -- Exploratory Essays Resear

Earth Faces a Sixth Mass Extinction Scientists in Great Britain have been studying the distribution of birds, butterflies and plants for the past 40 years and the results from these studies suggest that the Earth is heading towards another mass extinction, and this one may have its roots in human activity. Within the four billion years that Earth has been around, it has already experienced five mass extinctions. The most recent, and most well known occurred 65 million years ago and caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. While that my have been caused by a meteor colliding with the earth, if scientists are correct, our actions, both past and present, are harming many species of organisms and we may even be causing our own demise. The ongoing studies in Great Britain covered the biodiversity (that is the amount of species of an organism within a given area) and the amount of land the plants, birds, and butterflies each occupied. It covered 1254 species of plants studied from 1954 to 1960 and again from 1987 to 1999, 201 bird species studied between 1968 and 1971 and again from 1988 to 1989, and 58 butterfly species studied between 1970 and 1982 and again between 1995 and 1999 (Thomas et al. 2004). Before this study there was only speculation into the possible population decline of insects. Since they are so abundant it had been hard to get any grasp on their actual number or the effect humans were having on them (Pennisi 2004). Over the time they were studied 3.4% of the species of butterflies went extinct compared to only .4% of the plant species. None of the species of birds that were studied went extinct during the time of the research. The extinctions that occurred were evenly spread throughout Great... ...xtinction just yet, a short period of time from a geological point of view can be hundreds of thousands of years. References Ananthaswamy, Anil. â€Å"Earth faces sixth mass extinction† NewScientist.com News Service. March 18, 2004 http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994797 Pennisi, Elizabeth. 2004 â€Å"Naturalists' Surveys Show That British Butterflies Are Going, Going ...† Science v. 303, p. 1747 Recer, Paul. â€Å"Humans blamed for march toward 6th mass extinction† Star Ledger Online. March 19, 2004 http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-14/1079682723291630.xml Rincon, Paul. â€Å"UK wildlife 'heading into crisis'† BBC News Online. March 18, 2004 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3520372.stm Thomas, J. A. et al., 2004 â€Å"Comparative Losses of British Butterflies, Birds, and Plants and the Global Extinction Crisis† Science v. 303, p. 1879

Thursday, October 24, 2019

”Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens Essay

Dickens promptly introduces the reader to Pip who serves both as the retrospective narrator and as the young protagonist of the novel. This works on a two level approach with regard to guiding us through the plot as an omnipotent narrator whilst simultaneously leading us through Pip’s life with the immediacy of a first person narrative. It is clear from the beginning that it is Pip’s perceptions which entirely define the events and characters of the novel. Dickens utilises this dichotomy in the opening chapter by exploiting Pip’s narrative perspective. We are introduced to Pip as if in the midst of a pleasant conversation with him, ‘I give Pirrip as my father’s family name†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Immediately after however, we are subjected to the unravelling thoughts and fears of a frightened child under threat. This serves to capture our attention and instil a sense of compassion for Pip, for who we fear the worst. Dickens employs Pip as the narrator to present a prospective and prophetic relationship between himself and the escaped convict. As a reader, this initially appears to be a strange concept solely based on the power dynamics between Pip and the convict and his demands, with Pip reciprocating for fear of his life. However, as they part, Pip looks back to see the man walking alone into the marshes. This metaphorical image of the convict hugging ‘his shuddering body in both his arms’ on the horizons with the gallows, is strikingly familiar to the initial image we had of Pip who was holding himself in the cold, alone in the churchyard with the gravestones of his dead parents. As a reader, it appears that their relationship seems to warm at that moment, with the two sharing a common loneliness and marginalisation from society – the orphan and the escaped convict. Dickens uses this characterisation to develop our imagination of Pip, in that whilst Pip is afraid, he insti nctively displays a sympathetic reaction and remains resolute. Pip’s description of the convict when he first meets him seems elongated in response to the time he would have actually viewed him with, as he ‘only [had] a moment to see it’. Pip describes the convict as a man ‘who limped, and shivered, and glared, and growled’. The repetition of the word ‘and’ before each verb makes the list of the convict’s appearance sound considerably longer. The use of an iambic poetic rhythm further reinforces this idea that the list is made to sound longer. The words used to describe the convict are also stressed to sound more convincing, creating an extended metaphor of an animal. Pip is afraid of this ‘fearful man’ because of his animal like features and wounds. The portrayal of the convict cannot be easily forgotten for the reader and our imagination of him becomes almost reality. Dickens gives no clear indication of the man’s future in Pip’s life but he does create the sense t hat the convict will return, largely by building up a sense of mystery around the convict’s situation and his relationship with Pip. Dickens creates sympathy for Pip by making it explicitly clear that he has been deprived of parental guidance. He has never known his parents, ‘The shape of the letter’s on my father’s, gave me an odd idea that he was a square, stout, dark man, with curly black hair.’ This image of Pip being completely alone in a desolate cemetery trying to imagine the appearances of his parents makes us commiserate with him. We are also reminded of his youth and innocence with the childish conclusions he arrives at regarding the appearances of his parents. The gravestone reads ‘also Georgiana, wife of the above’, and in Pip thinking that his Mother’s name is actually ‘also Georgiana’, we sympathise with him for his lack of awareness. We are able to establish from this that Mrs Joe Gargery never mentions or talks about their Mother, which again makes us realise his lack of parental love. This light-hearted ponder at the gravestone’s inscriptions briefly lifts the sombre mood of the chapter which largely revolves around death, and allows Dickens to lessen the dramatic tension building up. We can conclude from this chapter that Pip has experienced loss and death at an early age but he seems accustomed to it. However, it could also reveal how Pip is lacking in certain life experiences, which we realise could affect him and his choices negatively in the future. We discover that Pip’s five younger brothers gave up trying to obtain a living exceedingly early in that ‘universal struggle’. Whilst they had ‘given in’ but Pip himself hadn’t, it reveals his resilience and strength to succeed. Knowing this, this early in the novel about Pip’s character, it infuses the read er with a sense of optimism about Pip and his future. Dickens concentrates heavily on the ‘bleak’ settings and grave moods to prepare the reader for a sense of what’s to come in the story, and of Pip. Dickens thoroughly describes the setting of the eerie Kent marshes in detail in order to deliver a definite mood early in the novel. The use of the setting in a graveyard works a mood of isolation and desolation; Pip is isolated by the fact he is an orphan. The graveyard itself is described as ‘bleak’ and ‘overgrown’, conveying that it has been neglected much like Pip himself. The repetition of ‘dead and buried’ further lowers the mood. Pip recalls that his ‘most vivid and broad impression of the identity of things’ is placed at a time between light and dark – perhaps symbolising the transition from good to bad, which we realise may be relevant later in Pip’s life. We see that Pip realises this whilst being shaken upside down by the convict, symbolising t hat he has a distorted view of things, with them perhaps being upside down themselves. Dickens sets the chapter in a graveyard to deliver a sombre mood. A wide open space seems harsher than an inside enclosed one, and Pip is less familiar with them. The external world offers Dickens a space to experiment with the idea of Pip being afraid of things he has not previously experienced. This makes Pip feel unsettled and isolated, which is passed on to an involved reader. The derelict setting is further reflected in the mood as Dickens describes the landscape surrounding the churchyard. He continually describes it as a ‘dark flat wilderness’ which is dreary in appearance and has the possibility to harbour deep and unknown dangers. Obstacles in the marshes such as ‘dykes’, ‘mounds’, and ‘gates’ work as visual obstructions for Pip but on a metaphorical level as symbols for possible upcoming obstacles in Pip’s life. Dickens maintains the use of words such as ‘flat’, ‘low’ and ‘darkâ€℠¢ which gives an eerie feel and dense mood to the opening chapter. There is also further symbolism in Pip’s surrounding, in that there is both a flowing river and flat, solid ground on the same landscape. This could reflect that there are two ways in which to travel the same distance and that Pip is soon to have to choose a path to take, which will in turn alter his life. This is thought provoking and concerning to us as a reader, whilst simultaneously intensifying the already dampening mood. The marshland is repeatedly represented as a place where good meets sin, and this is clear in the skyline. It has ‘long angry red lines and dense black lines intermixed’, and these frightening colours and the ‘darkness of the sky’ all accentuate Pip’s vulnerability in this graveyard full of misery, with the pathetic fallacy working to highlight his isolation. There are also only two vertical structures on the horizontal landscape of the marshes – a beacon and gallows. The beacon’s use is to guide sailors home and steer them from danger, whereas gallows are used to hang criminals for crimes they have committed. These two structures symbolise good and evil and the choices in which Pip is to make – leading to either a life of good or a life of sin. The ‘green mounds’ and ‘nettles’ all portray the hostility of everything against Pip, with connotations of something that could hurt him. The ‘wind’ rushes from the ‘distant savage lair’. This metaphor is used to describe the sea from which the ‘wind is rushing’ and the use of pathetic fallacy creates a harsh and tense atmosphere of a claustrophobic nature. However, to Pip, the wind is a wild beast and the ‘savage lair’ is the den from which the wind comes. This further intensifies the sympathy we as a reader have for Pip. To conclude, Dickens utilises the vulnerability and innocence of Pip to evoke both sympathy and anticipation for the young boy and his future. It is the confusion of the opening chapter’s happenings and the title ‘Great Expectations’ which makes us as a reader eager to continue the novel and our journey with Pip.