Assessment Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Assessment Assignment - Essay Example Here we will be critically analysing the effectiveness of this planning, teaching, evaluation and assessment cycle with reference to the current assessment theory. Also we will discuss the role of a teaching assistant in assessment process. We will learn about various methods for assessing children’s work such as verbal questioning, marking, setting homework, observing, peer and self assessment, using both formative and summative assessments. Planning –Teaching – Evaluation – Assessment Cycle This cycle of Planning, Teaching, Evaluation and Assessment is a standard which most school administrators want their teachers to follow. Now this complete cycle can either be executed after being completely programmed first or alternatively each step of this cycle can be planned and executed one by one. Previous method will be more successful in teaching higher grade students and latter will prove useful in teaching younger lot. It is obvious that for effective teaching this cycle has to be dynamic in nature and needs to be constantly updated as per the learning requirements of kids which become clearer after every assessment. Cairney opines (Cairney, 1995:161) that completely pre-planned programme is restrictive because If one adopts an approach to teaching that consists of a cycle of planning, teaching, assessment and evaluation and reflection then one must be open to changes to the teaching programme and be prepared to make constant adjustments to meet the changing need of learners. Every step / phase of this cycle governs the other steps. Planning This phase is the most important one as it gives you the way to walk on. Although Cairney stresses (Cairney, 1995:161) that there is no best format for planning or programming, and hence teachers should develop their own style that suits their needs. So every teacher needs to develop his / her own way of planning keeping some key

Nicomachean Ethics Essay Example for Free

Nicomachean Ethics Essay Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote the Nicomachean Ethics, portraying the significance of studying the realms of ethics and political science. In his work, Aristotle focuses on the theme of how human beings can attain the chief human good—happiness—at which everything aims. Aristotle argues that ethics, the study of moral character, and political science, the branch of knowledge and analysis of political activity and behavior, must be closely studied together in order to fully grasp the meaning of and obtain the good way of life. Aristotle believes that there is only one goal, one ultimate end for every individual—that is eudaimonia, translated as happiness, not as a feeling but happiness as the highest human good or a life full of activity. He claims that a person should live a way of life distinct from the lives of animals, where they only live for the sake of living or pleasure. 1 As human beings, people should use their power of speech to communicate and make rational decisions within a polity, striving to live their lives up to their full potential and to their full capacity for a happy life. 2 The life of politics, the via activa, is thus the key to the chief good or the best life for humans; however, the life of action must be of certain type of quality, in accordance with reason, since different actions may lead to the good or the bad life. In other words, a person’s actions must be in line with arete, with virtue or excellence. 3 Possessing virtue is having the ability to realize the good things, and doing them at the right time and the right way to get things done. Virtues can result to two different ways: a good or bad life. For example, President Lincoln versus Adolph Hitler—both of these men possess the virtue of wisdom, although they have used them disparately, one ending a Civil War in peace and the other manipulating others to killing millions of innocent people. To make it to the good end, Aristotle claims that we must practice virtue by, giving it a certain type of character or ethical quality to our actions. 4 Although human cannot acquire virtue by nature alone, nature allows and gives us the capacity to acquire virtue by learning and through exercising them in our lives. 5 By constantly acting with virtue, we cultivate habituation and ultimately we do not need to be self-controlled to do what is just. Instead, we become accustomed to do what is right willingly and naturally. Activities of good ethics or good moral character are virtues. And so, to best learn and exercise these virtues is by incorporating political science in connection to ethics. Aristotle asserts that the science of politics, the highest master of science combined with many other sciences, must be very well studied, for it is where moral laws are examined and its end, including the ends of other sciences associated with political science, will be the chief human good of all society. 6 Therefore, Aristotle presents the idea that the state must play an important role to aim and shape a society of good citizens, incorporating what the good life is: the life of virtue. 7 The state must look after its citizens morally, creating a type of society that will allow people to have a political life together; consequently, this political life will give them the opportunity and the ability to realize their wide range of capacities and their ideal life. Without the state, humans will not be able to experience the good life, the life of action. They are not self-sufficient enough to work alone, for they need others to be self-sufficient and happy. 8 Having a community will give every individual a chance to experience the struggle within the polity, in which he or she can exercise his or her many virtues, whether it be the ability to be courageous in the face of danger, the ability to make better judgements, or the ability to resist pain in the midst of hard criticism. Consequently, they build up their ethos or character, cultivating them to eventually living a happy life. The life of struggle, of politics, is the life where humans can have the chance to develop their full capacities, abilities, and strengths to overcome many hardships and difficulties. 9 Having a strong state does not achieve full satisfaction; hence, the state must know what eudaimonia is in order to direct and guide its citizens. It is necessary for the state to study and establish what is just and what is ethics. In this way, the state could inculcate what is moral through laws and education. Acquiring the chief good starts at home. Aristotle argues that a good state support an educational system, for a society that promotes morality is the best way of cultivating habituation in young children. 10 Having this strong educational system in the state will successfully encourage parents of each household to train their young children in good principles, abiding by the set of moral laws established in the community; as a result, they will naturally apply their good habits in their daily lives and ultimately gain the perfect virtuous life. Connecting the study of ethics and political science together can bring the whole society into a healthy life of virtue. Ethics is the key in which politics can utilize and produce a good society. By knowing what is righteous and what is ethics, the state can make the ultimate life of happiness possible for its citizens. Political science plays the role of establishing and enforcing good and moral character through an effective system that can guide and habituate every part and class of society. Ultimately, having access to a superfluous life of activity in a way that is in line with reason will let individuals life life to the fullest, of virtue and of happiness.

macbeth :: essays research papers

MACBETH In Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, there are power struggles that interfere with personal relationships. The love and honor of the state or the love and loyalty of family is brought up to question. State and family are very similar, as they are both very important. But which one is more is not an easy question. In the eye’ of Macbeth and Macduff, characters in Macbeth the answer is simple, state. Loyalty to state is more valued to Macbeth and Macduff.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Macduff must not care for his family for he would not leave them all alone. â€Å"To leave his wife, to leave his babes, His mansion and his titles in a place from whence himself does fly? Act 4 Sc 2; these are the words of lady Macduff talking about her husband. If Macduff loves his family he would at lest tell his wife where he has run off to so she does not worry. It is easy to see that Macduff loves his country more than his family. â€Å"Wear thou thy wrongs; The title is affeered. Fare thee well, lord. I would not be the villain that thou think’st for the whole space that’s in the tyrant’s grasp and the rich East to boot.† Act 4 Sc3 this shows Macduff’s feelings about the situation of Macbeth being king. Macduff does not want to see the country of Scotland suffer, and he is showing his loyalty to king Duncan by going to his son Malcolm the person who should be king.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As with Macbeth the title of king is of more importance than a friend who he has been in battle with and is as his right hand man. â€Å"My noble partner you greet with present grace and great prediction of noble having and of royal hope,†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Act 1 Sc 3 this is of Banquo talking about Macbeth as these are traveling along together. Banquo is as a loyal partner and friend to Macbeth. But because Macbeth thinks that he is a better leader he does not want Banquo and his sons to rule the country. â€Å"Your children should be kings† Act 1 Sc 3. Even with Banquo being a noble friend this prophecy scares Macbeth and is left with one choice to kill his friend. â€Å"With barefaced power sweep him from my sight.† Act 3 Sc. 1. All this for the kingdom. Macbeth’s insecurity led him to believe that Macduff was betraying him and ordered the killing of Macduff’s family.

Marcel Duchamp Why Is the Fountain Art

The In-depth Artist of the What was Fountain originally submitted for and what happened to it? The 1917 urinal aka Fountain was originally put on display during a show promoting Avant grade art. Avant grade means advance guard which is a military term. Avant garde was art movement which originated in France in 1850 in order to open the eyes and more so, make fun of or shock the average or elite viewer. To put an everyday, ordinary item on display and call it art. For many of the upper class directors of the showing, this piece was ridiculous and they did not understand it and thought it an insult of sorts. Shortly after its first and only exhibit, the Fountain just happened to vanish. This particular piece was one of the more remembered pieces of these ready-mades that Duchamp produced. Other artists from 1850, which was the beginning of the Avant Garde Movement, to approximately 1970, also had well known pieces of art that was displayed to the elite, rich, and upper class viewers, including Andy Warhol, Rockefeller and Basquit. The pieces were to rattle there conscience and make them look deeper at ordinary pieces and more or less humble them in a way or make fun of their elite, snobbish, uptight, society waysSalvador Dali The Love of Zero, a 1927 film by Robert Florey. Is a piece of art like the Fountain plagiarism or is it art by virtue of selection? The piece of art similar to the Fountain could be considered plagiarism by some because the originality of the piece was not created by the artist themselves but by someone else. The artist merely used another persons ordinary, everyday invention or household item per say and displayed it as a piece of art. The ordinary item then transformed from the ordinary item with a humble use and purpose to a piece of art on display causing the viewer to search deeper for what the artist might have meant by using it. The same piece could also be considered Art by virtue of selection as well. Being that the particular art piece on display has a different meaning for each viewer; the same piece put on display by different artists would again have a different meaning to them as well. Any artist could have a collection of pieces that he feels is his very best masterpieces while a viewer may see that same collection as the worst thing he has ever seen. It is all in the eyes of the beholder. Art by virtue of selection means that is a selection from or by the artist as to what he feels is a appealing or is what he would like or prefer for himself. With that, we have to appreciate that each of us are unique and have our own individual tastes. 3. What is the Dada movement? What piece of art spawned the Dada movement? Dada movement originated in Zurich in 1916-1923 was also called (The Non Movement By Shelley Esaak). A group of artists and writers, during World War 1 went against the war and the society and cultures of the viewer that condoned the war or caused its production . This group were similar to the hippies of the 60s, who protested against the government and war, but did so with humor, wittiness and sarcasm but not anger as the later. , Duchamp, being among that group, was the creator of many of those sarcastic pieces and had made fun of already well known pieces of art. They took different subjects, altered them in hoping that the upper class citizens or the elite would love it, hate it or take it as the sarcastic, humorous and witty piece they had intended for it to be. A good example of this is the portrait painting of the infamous Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. Duchamp had doodled a mustache and goatee on the womans face. Of course this was humorous. to many and insulting to others, more so to the elite, high society followers of the latter. Duchamp and his fellow artists were not necessarily defiling or demeaning the art nor trying to be angry and confrontational; but more so get the attention of the viewer to not focus on the war at hand, their high life living, governmental rules and beliefs 4. Look through Duchamps other artwork? What pieces do you like and why? What was his inspiration for those pieces? After researching with great intrigue and interest in the meanings of not only Marcel Duchamps work, but his entire lifes events. He seemed to have such a deep, comical at times to the point of almost sadness image and view of the world around him. It is hard to decide if he is mocking society, making fun of it and thinks him superior to just very observant to the human perception. I was especially interested on his self portrait of himself as an infamous, black, socialite, librarian, Belle da Costa Greene. Whose parents had. Resided in the nations capital until they divorced . Her, her mother and siblings were able to play off that they were of a white heritage with their light skin. She went on to be the personal librarian to JP Morgan and then to his son Jack. With her profound beauty and outspoken intelligence, she became accepted as a highly elite socialite among the tradesman, dealers and Madison Avenues society. She had never married and lived as the Morgans personal librarian till her death retirement in 1948 and death two years later. Her well known expertise and unlimited available funds to make trades for her extensive built library she was very well respected and able to be mingle amongst the highest society groups, she once announced, Just because I am a librarian with a and inheriting a large sum of money An announcement she had made as a motto per say for herself, Just because I am a librarian, doesnt mean I have dress like one. She had designer clothing and rare exotic looks, was once asked if she was Mr. Morgans mistress and her only response was We Tried Mr. Morgan had left her $50,000. 00 in his will. The in-depth information was forthcoming to the conclusion of my personal perception and Marcel Duchamps meaning behind the portrait of himself dressed as an elegant socialite: Rrose Selavy Was he making fun of her and the secrets she kept of hersefl througout her life or was he just intrigued by her as well as others who was her aqaintances? I find it interesting take as to think he would be using her as a readymade perhaps Rrose Selavy (Marcel Duchamp).

Howard Schultz Strategy with Starbucks

When Howard Schultz first experienced Starbucks Coffee, Tea and Spice he was immediately smitten by the operations and business culture, and actively pursued a job with them. At that time, Starbucks Coffee, Tea and Spice was an 11 year old coffee shop with six stores in Seattle specializing in high-quality coffee beans. Starbucks Coffee, Tea and Spice desired to bring fine coffee to their customers, so to that end, they imported quality coffee beans, roasted them to their own exacting specifications and sold the beans and high-end coffeemakers to their customers, so customers could make superb coffee at home.The only coffee brewed onsite was the sampling of a roast, in order for a customer to determine if they wanted to buy that flavor, and as part of the education of their customers base to appreciate, and presumable buy more, quality coffee over the common variety available at the grocery store. Schultz, after a company trip to Italy where he accidently discovered the espresso bars of Milan, came back home with an idea of how to transform the business. His excitement was not shared by the owners, and when little changed over the next two years, Schultz left Starbucks Coffee, Tea and Spice to start his own company Il Giornale.At Il Giornale he did what he wanted to do at Starbucks Coffee, Tea and Spice – create the energy, ambience and community of the Italian coffeehouses in Seattle. Within two years the owners of Starbucks Coffee, Tea and Spice wanted to sell their business and Schultz happily purchased and combined both businesses, calling them Starbucks Corporation (SBUX). Schutlz, now in possession of the original stores, the roasting plant and his coffeehouses, was ready to fully explore his strategy.His plan was to create a place where his customer could enjoy premium coffee and feel pampered and relaxed, making the stop at his coffeehouse a part of the customers’ day – a 3rd place where they could go – an â€Å"urban oasisà ¢â‚¬  (Rumelt, 2011) (the 1st and 2nd place are home and work). This would be a treasured place, just for themselves or to meet with friends. Of course this unique experience was envisioned to expand nationally and create exponential sales as Starbucks became the place to be!To realize this ideal, Schultz needed to attract the right employees and engage his staff to behave so that â€Å"customers (had) a very positive experience in its stores. † (Thompson & Shah, 2010) He did this by a variety of methods, sourced from the six guiding principles the employee team came up with. He was able to achieve the 4th principle –â€Å"develop enthusiastically satisfied customers all of the time† – by having happy employees (1st principle), commitment to sourcing the best beans and standards to make the ‘perfect cup’ (3rd principle), and creating an emotional connection to his customers. Schultz firmly believed that Starbucks had to be a great place to w ork in order to provide the atmosphere and service that he envisioned. † (Brown, 2011) He realized that in order for his employees to be happy, he needed them to trust and feel they could communicate without retribution, and to feel valued. One of the ways he demonstrated their value to the company was to provide health care to even his part time baristas. Employees, now called ‘partners,’ were supported by extensive training in coffee knowledge, brewing, and how to â€Å"go out of their way †¦ to make sure customers were fully satisfied. (Thompson & Shah, 2010) Furthermore, they were rewarded by a recognition program which acknowledged excellence in brewing, customer service, leadership, savings, profits, and other activities that supported the company’s mission. Starbucks broadened their commitment to their staff by offering employee stock options to all employees, and later this would expand to include employee stock purchase programs. Schutzâ€⠄¢s plan created a new romance with coffee and the coffeehouse. His customers flocked to experience the ‘experience. Customers appreciated Starbucks dedication to fine coffee and the attention paid to them from the moment they walked into the store. Starbucks discovered that â€Å"the connections we make in communities create[d] a loyal following. † (starbucks. com) Customers spent afternoons at Starbucks. They brought their work to Starbucks. They dated at Starbucks. And they came back! Sometimes daily. Schultz’s strategy was a success. Starbucks became the number 1 retailer of specialty coffees. When Schultz took a break from everyday operations as CEO in 2000, Starbucks had grown to 3,501 stores.What a growth from a start of 11 stores and 100 employees in 1987. Two CEOs followed Schultz’s tenure and Jim Donald, the second one, put increasing the number of stores and store efficiencies as his strategy above customer service driving the business. â€Å"C omplaints surfaced that Starbucks felt more like a fast-food restaurant than a coffeehouse. † (New York Times ~ Business Day, 2012) This pursuit, along with the Great Recession, created havoc in Starbucks finances, driving stock price â€Å"from a high of $40 (5/1/2006) to $8 (11/17/2008). † (Living Economics) At that point, the Board usted Jim Donald and asked Schultz to come back as CEO and â€Å"lead a major restructuring and revitalization initiative. † (Thompson & Shah, 2010) Just like the first time he walked into Starbucks in 1981, Schultz wanted to be transported by the aromas and the ambience. He found the corporation he came back to missing those points. Making of breakfast sandwiches, added to compete with encroaching competitors, diffused the rich smell of coffee and distracted from the core product. Growth and appeasing Wall Street appeared to have become the product.His dream to â€Å"inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cu p and one neighborhood at a time† (starbucks. com) would need a brutal review of what wasn’t working and what needed to change. â€Å"Mr. Schultz faced a difficult task: He had to slow down the company to make stores feel more like hip neighborhood coffeehouses while also delivering the steady growth that investors have come to expect from Starbucks. † (New York Times ~ Business Day, 2012) Schultz â€Å"concluded that growth had become a ‘carcinogen’ and that the company needed a transformation in its culture and operating approach. (McKinsey Quarterly, 2011) He halted the aggressive store openings and closed 900 underperforming stores. This in turn caused layoffs of 1,500 store employees nationally and 1,700 globally, and 700 corporate employees. He refocused the company back to its passion of obtaining the finest beans and creating the best brew. He recommitted to respect and pay to all – from the small coffee growers to the employees. And to devote Starbucks and their employees to the ‘human connection’ – from the customers seeking a good drink and a respite to meaningful contributions to the neighborhood where the store was located.Keeping coffee at the core, Schultz explored other revenue streams in order to grow the business. They could â€Å"seed and introduce new products and new brands inside [the] stores† (McKinsey Quarterly, 2011) and then license them for sale with diverse retailers. For example Starbucks developed VIA, an instant coffee that was superior to the basic fare that was available. They â€Å"integrate[ed] VIA into the emotional connection [they] had with [their] customers in [Starbucks] stores†¦[doing] that for six to eight months and succeeded well beyond expectations. (McKinsey Quarterly, 2011) With that track record, grocery and drug stores lined up to add this exciting product to their store lineup. Starbucks has added many similar products to distribution â⠂¬â€œ Frappuccino, a flavored iced coffee in glass bottles, now available just about everywhere. Starbucks has licensed Unilever Corporation to manufacture and distribute seven different flavors of super-premium coffee ice cream. Starbucks coffee beans are sold in various retail establishments, whether by the bag or in pods, for single cup dispensers like Keurig.All these items keep Starbucks in control of their brand and have significantly contributed to Starbucks’ financial good health. The stock has clearly responded to Schultz’s revamped strategy by rebounding from the $8. 26 (11/17/2008) to $51. 17 (9/7/12). Today, Starbucks has slowed down from Donald’s ambition of 40,000 stores with a controlled growth of 17,000 stores in 55 countries. As the market, competition and economies change and adjust throughout the coming years, Starbucks can be expected to refine their strategic vision.If they want to continue to grow, Schultz and his successor will need to kee p the same core vision that Schultz first had in 1987 and then again in 2008: passion for the best and commitment to customer service. Bibliography (n. d. ). Retrieved September 2012, from Living Economics: http://livingeconomics. org/article. asp? docId=182 McKinsey Quarterly. (2011, March). Retrieved from McKinsey & Company: http://www. mckinseyquarterly. com/Starbucks_quest_for_healthy_growth_An_interview_with_Howard_Schultz_2777 New York Times ~ Business Day. (2012, January 26).Retrieved from New York Times: http://topics. nytimes. com/top/news/business/companies/starbucks_corporation/index. html Brown, H. (2011, March). External Environmental Analysis of Starbucks and the Coffee Industry. Rumelt, R. (2011). Good Strategy Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters. Crown Business. starbucks. com. (n. d. ). Retrieved September 2012, from http://www. starbucks. com/about-us/company-information/mission-statement Thompson, A. A. , & Shah, A. J. (2010). Starbucks' Strategy and I nternal Initiatives to Return to Profitable Growth.

Famous Last Words Kings, Queens, & Members of Royalty

Famous Last Words Kings, Queens, & Members of Royalty Whether realized at the time they are said or only in hindsight, nearly everyone will express a word, phrase or sentence that proves the last thing he or she ever says while alive. Sometimes profound, sometimes every day, here you will find a select collection of the last words spoken by famous kings, queens, rulers and other crowned heads throughout history. Famous Last Words Organized Alphabetically Alexander III, King of Macedon(356-323 B.C.)Kratistos! Latin for mightiest, strongest, or best, this was Alexander the Greats deathbed response when asked whom he would name as his successor, i.e., Whoever is the mightiest! Charlemagne, Emperor, Holy Roman Empire(742-814)Lord, into Thy Hands I commend my spirit. Charles XII, King of Sweden(1682-1718)Do not be afraid. Diana, Princess of Wales(1961-1997)Unknown Despite numerous sources quoting the dying words of the Peoples Princess - such as My God, what happened? or Oh, My God, leave me alone - no reliable source exists concerning Princess Dianas final utterance before she lapsed into unconsciousness following a car crash in Paris, France, on August 31, 1997. Edward VIII, King of the United Kingdom(1894-1972)Mama... Mama... Mama... Serving as king of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for less than 12 months, King Edward VIII officially abdicated the royal throne on December 10, 1936, so he could marry American divorcà ©e Wallis Simpson. The couple stayed together until Edwards death in 1972. Elizabeth I, Queen of England(1533-1603)All my possessions for a moment of time. George III, King of Great Britain and Ireland(1738-1820)Do not wet my lips but when I open my mouth. I thank you... it does me good. Despite the formal separation of the American colonies from Great Britain in 1776 and his countrys later formal acknowledgment of the United States of America as an independent country six years later, this English monarch nevertheless ruled until his death, a reign of more than 59 years. Henry V, King of England(1387-1422)Into Thy hands, O Lord. Henry VIII, King of England(1491-1547)Monks, monks, monks! Immortalized in numerous books and films, the oft-married Tudor king famous for severing all ties with the Roman Catholic Church so he could legitimately marry another woman was likely referring to the troubles he encountered after dissolving Englands Catholic monasteries and convents in 1536. John, King of England(1167-1216)To God and St. Wulfstan, I commend my body and soul. Despite his fame in the Robin Hood legends as the evil prince who oppressed the English people while conspiring to steal the throne from his brother, King Richard I The Lion Hearted, King John also signed Magna Carta in 1215, albeit reluctantly. This historic document guaranteed several basic rights for Englands citizens and established the idea that everyone, even kings, is not above the law. Marie Antoinette, Queen of France(1755-1793)Pardonnez-moi, Monsieur. French for Excuse/forgive me, Sir, the doomed queen apologized to her executioner after stepping on his foot on her way to the guillotine. Napoleon Bonaparte(1769-1821)France... Army... head of the army... Josephine... Nero, Emperor of Rome(37-68)Sero! Haec est fides! Often depicted in film as playing a fiddle while Rome burned down around him, the tyrannical Nero actually committed suicide (although perhaps with the assistance of someone else). As he lay bleeding to death, Nero uttered the Latin for Too Late! This is faith/fidelity! probably in response to a soldier who tried to staunch the emperors bleeding in order to keep him alive. Peter I, Tsar of Russia(1672-1725)Anna. Peter the Great called out his daughters name before losing consciousness and eventually dying. Richard I, King of England(1157-1199)Youth, I forgive thee. Loose his chains and give him 100 shillings. Mortally wounded by an archers arrow during battle, Richard the Lion Hearted nevertheless forgave the shooter and ordered his release before he died. Unfortunately, Richards men failed to honor their fallen kings wish and executed the archer anyway after their sovereigns death. Richard III, King of England(1452-1485)I will die king of England. I will not budge a foot. Treason! Treason! These words feel somewhat less dramatic than Shakespeare later attributed to the king in his play The Tragedy of King Richard the Third. Robert I, King of the Scots(1274-1329)Thanks be to God! For I shall now die in peace, since I know that the most valiant and accomplished knight of my kingdom will perform that for me which I am unable to do for myself. The deed to with The Bruce referred while dying involved the removal of his heart so a knight could carry it to Jerusalems Holy Sepulchre, the burial site of Jesus according to religious belief. Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom(1819-1901)Bertie. The long-reigning queen for whom an entire era is named, and who started the tradition of wearing black at funerals, called out to her eldest son by his nickname shortly before she died.

Biography of Elvis Presley, the King of Rock n Roll

Biography of Elvis Presley, the King of Rock 'n' Roll Elvis Presley (Jan. 8, 1935–Aug 16, 1977) was a singer, actor, and cultural icon of the 20th century. Presley sold more than 1 billion records and made 33 movies, but his cultural impact far exceeds even those numbers. Fast Facts: Elvis Presley Known For: A rock n roll iconAlso Known As: The King of Rock n RollBorn: Jan. 8, 1935 in Tupelo, MississippiParents: Gladys and Vernon PresleyDied: Aug 16, 1977 in Memphis, TennesseeSongs: Love Me Tender, Hound Dog, Heartbreak Hotel, Jailhouse Rock, Can’t Help Falling in LoveMovies: Kid Galahad, Blue Hawaii, Jailhouse Rock, King CreoleSpouse: Priscilla Beaulieu PresleyChildren: Lisa Marie PresleyNotable Quote: Rock n roll music, if you like it, if you feel it, you cant help but move to it. Thats what happens to me. I cant help it. Early Life Elvis Presley was born to Gladys and Vernon Presley in the couples two-room house in Tupelo, Mississippi, following a difficult delivery. Presleys twin brother, Jessie Garon, was stillborn, and Gladys was so ill from the birth that she was taken to the hospital. She wasnt able to have more children. Gladys Presley doted on her sandy-haired, blue-eyed son and worked hard to keep her family together. She struggled when her husband was sentenced to three years in the Mississippi state penitentiary, also known as Parchman Farm, for forgery after changing the amount on a check. With him in prison, Gladys couldnt earn enough to keep the house, so she and her 3-year-old moved in with relatives, the first of many moves for the family. Learning Music Since they moved often, only two things were consistent in Presleys childhood: his parents and music. With his parents usually at work, Presley found music wherever he could. He listened to music in church and taught himself to play the church piano. When Presley was 8, he often hung out at the local radio station. For his 11th birthday, his parents gave him a guitar. By high school, his family had moved to Memphis, Tennessee. Although Presley joined R.O.T.C., played football, and worked as an usher at a movie theater, his activities didnt stop other students from picking on him. Presley was different. He dyed his hair black and wore it in a style that made him look more like a comic book character than other kids in his school. So he surrounded himself with music, listening to the radio and buying records. After the family moved to Lauderdale Courts, an apartment complex, he often played with other aspiring musicians who lived there. Although segregation was still a fact in the south, Presley crossed the color line and listened to African-American artists such as B.B. King. He often visited Beale Street in the African-American section of town to watch black musicians play. Big Break By the time Presley graduated from high school, he could sing in various styles, from hillbilly to gospel. He also had a style of singing and moving that was all his own. He had combined what he saw and heard into a unique new sound. The first to realize this was Sam Phillips at Sun Records. After spending the year after high school working a day job and playing at small clubs at night, Presley received a call from Sun Records on June 6, 1954. Phillips wanted Presley to sing a new song. When that didnt work out, he set Presley up with guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black. After a month of practicing, they recorded Thats All Right (Mama). Phillips convinced a friend to play it on the radio, and it was an instant hit. Moore, Black, and drummer D.J. Fontana continued to back Presley on dozens of legendary rock n roll songs over the next decade. Presley quickly built an audience. On Aug. 15, 1954, he signed with Sun Records for four albums. He then began making appearances on popular radio shows such as Grand Ole Opry and Louisiana Hayride. Presley was so successful on Hayride that he was hired to perform every Saturday for a year. He quit his job and toured the south during the week, playing anywhere there was a paying audience, then returned to Shreveport, Louisiana, every Saturday for Hayride. High school and college students went wild for Presley, screaming and cheering and mobbing him backstage. He put his soul into every performance and moved his body- a lot. Presley gyrated his hips, jiggled his legs, and fell to his knees on the floor. Adults thought he was lewd and suggestive; teenagers loved him. As Presleys popularity soared, he hired Colonel Tom Parker as his manager. In some ways, Parker took advantage of Presley, including taking a generous cut of his proceeds, but he steered Presley to mega-stardom. Stardom Presleys popularity soon became more than Sun Records could handle, so Phillips sold Presleys contract to RCA Victor for $35,000, more than any record company had ever paid for a singer. To further boost Presleys popularity, Parker put him on television. On Jan. 28, 1956, Presley made his first television appearance on Stage Show, followed by appearances on The Milton Berle Show, The Steve Allen Show, and The Ed Sullivan Show. In March 1956, Parker arranged an audition with Presley at Paramount studios. Studio executives liked Presley so much that they signed him to do his first movie, Love Me Tender (1956), with an option for six more. Two weeks after his audition, Presley received his first gold record for Heartbreak Hotel, which had sold 1 million copies. Presleys popularity was skyrocketing and money was flowing. He bought his mother the house he had promised her and in March 1957, he purchased Graceland- a mansion with 13 acres of land- for $102,500. He then had the entire mansion remodeled to his tastes. Army Just as it seemed like everything Presley touched turned to gold, on Dec. 20, 1957, he received a draft notice. Presley could have been excused from military service, but he chose to enter the Army as a regular soldier. He was stationed in Germany. With a nearly two-year hiatus from his career, many people, including Presley, wondered if the world would forget him. But Parker worked hard to keep Presleys name and image before the public, succeeding so well that some said Presley was as popular after his military experience as before it. While Presley was in the Army, two major personal events occurred. The first was the death of his mother, which devastated him. The second was meeting and dating 14-year-old Priscilla Beaulieu, whose father was also stationed in Germany. They married eight years later, on May 1, 1967, and had one child, a daughter named Lisa Marie Presley, on Feb. 1, 1968. Movies Following Presleys discharge in 1960, he launched into recording songs and making movies. It had become obvious to Parker and others that anything bearing Presleys name would make money, so Presley was pushed to make movies in quantity rather than quality. His most successful movie,  Blue Hawaii (1961), became a template for many that followed. He grew increasingly upset about the poor quality of his movies and songs. From 1960 until 1968, Presley made few public appearances, focusing on making movies. In all, he made 33 movies. Comeback While Presley was busy making movies, other musicians took the stage, some of whom, including the  Beatles, sold lots of records and threatened to make Presley share his title of King of Rock n Roll,- if not steal it. Presley had to do something to keep his crown. In December 1968, he dressed in black leather and made an hour-long television special titled  Elvis. Calm, sexy, and humorous, he wowed the crowd. The comeback special energized Presley. He returned to recording songs and doing live performances. In July 1969, Parker booked Presley at the largest venue in Las Vegas, the new International Hotel. His shows were huge successes and the hotel booked Presley for four weeks a year through 1974. The rest of the year he toured. Health Since he became popular, Presley had worked at breakneck speed, recording songs, making movies, and giving concerts with little to no rest. To maintain that pace, he started taking prescription drugs. By the early 1970s, continued drug use had begun to cause problems. Presley started having severe mood swings with aggressive and erratic behavior, and he gained a lot of weight. Presley and Priscilla had grown apart, and in January 1973, they divorced. His drug addiction became worse; he was hospitalized several times for overdoses and other health problems. His performances began to suffer; on many occasions, he mumbled through songs. Death On Aug. 16, 1977, Presleys girlfriend Ginger Alden found  him  on the bathroom floor at Graceland. He wasnt breathing. He was taken to the hospital, but doctors were unable to resuscitate him and he was pronounced dead at 42. His death initially was attributed to cardiac arrhythmia, but the cause later was changed to a lethal mix of prescription drugs.   Legacy Elvis Presley was one of the few artists to become known worldwide by just his first name and whose talent and accomplishments made him pop culture royalty. His fame has endured. Twenty-five years after his death, RCA released an album of his No.1 records, titled  ELV1S: 30 #1 Hits. The album debuted at No. 1 on the charts, selling half a million copies in its first week. Having an album debut atop the U.S. charts was something Presley hadnt accomplished while he was alive. It opened at No. 1 in 16 other countries, including Canada, France, the United Kingdom, Argentina, and the United Arab Emirates. Sources Forever Elvis. Legacy.com.The Legacy of Elvis Presley. HowStuffWorks.Kreps, Daniel. â€Å"Scotty Moore, Elvis Presley Guitarist, Dead at 84.† Rolling Stone, 25 June 2018.

A Delocalized Electron Defined in Chemistry

A Delocalized Electron Defined in Chemistry A delocalized electron is an electron in an  atom, ion or molecule not associated with any single atom or a single covalent bond. In a ring structure, delocalized electrons are indicated by drawing a circle rather than single and double bonds. This means the electrons are equally likely to be anywhere along the chemical bond.Delocalized electrons contribute to the conductivity of the atom, ion, or molecule. Materials with many delocalized electrons tend to be highly conductive. Delocalized Electron Examples In a benzene molecule, for example, the electrical forces on the electrons are uniform across the molecule. The delocalization produces what is called a resonance structure. Delocalized electrons are also commonly seen in solid metals, where they form a sea of electrons that are free to move throughout the material. This is why metals are typically excellent electrical conductors. In the crystal structure of a diamond, the four outer electrons of each carbon atom participate in covalent bonding (are localized). Contrast this with bonding in graphite, another form of pure carbon. In graphite, only three of the four outer electrons are covalently bonded to other carbon atoms. Each carbon atom has a delocalized electron that participates in chemical bonding  but is free to move throughout the plane of the molecule. While the electrons are delocalized, graphite is a planar shape, so the molecule conducts electricity along the plane, but not perpendicular to it.

International Business Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

International Business Project - Essay Example Recommendations are given at the end on the viability of the business opportunity. As this project is on identification of a business opportunity for an American consumer product in a foreign country, it will analyze this opportunity for an American burger chain, The Counter, for its custom-made burgers for the leading emerging market country, India. It will discuss the viability of introducing a yet another burger type, distinct with its unlimited variation range. The Counter’s custom-made burgers are a unique concept in the fast-food chains of burgers because their combination range offered to consumers is quite vast – more than 312,000 – to appease to customers’ taste-buds with their endless range of combinations. The concept is very challenging. The idea itself is innovative in the sense that The Counter dares to give a tryst to new delicacies by experimenting. Their menu offers Build Your Own Burgerâ„ ¢ Sheet, with various Market Selection and Signature Burger/Bowl alternatives in their restaurants (The Counter, 2015). Currently, The Counter is operating from North America, Ireland, and Saudi Arabia, offering various reward points to the member customers on their purchases. Considering the appreciative remarks by the GQ magazine, as â€Å"one of the 20 Hamburgers to eat before you die† and â€Å"Best Burger† on OPRAH ®, The Counter is expanding its outlet numbers all across the U.S. It is the right time that expansion happens further in foreign locations as well of this fast food and quick service restaurant chain (The Counter, 2015). Indian food market although boasts of consumers’ localized tastes but people have a liking for trying brands, and love to taste a range of products at various costs irrespective of the fact they can afford it or not. Most of such people belong to middle class. Incidentally, Indians spend nearly 40 percent of their average household income on food and transportation, while

Understanding The Relationship Between Organisational Structure and Assignment

Understanding The Relationship Between Organisational Structure and Culture - Assignment Example Organizational structure can be seen as the method in which interconnected groups and organizations are set up in order to permit them to function effortlessly from a larger standpoint. Two major purposes of a successful structure are to guarantee effective communication among different parts of the company and increase coordination among different departments. In practice, of course, it is impossible to separate structure and culture of an organization. So while we create organizational structure that spells out the positions to be filled by members of an organization. It is mostly culture that defines the roles that go with these positions and the kinds of people who will fill them. In a practical sense, it is difficult to differentiate structure and culture. â€Å"So while we create organizational structure that spells out the positions to be filled by members of an organization, it’s mostly culture that defines the roles that go with those positions and the kinds of peopl e who will fill them† (GTP Organizer Training 2007). 2. Explain how the relationship between an organization’s structure and culture can   impact the performance of the business. The relationship between organizational culture and organizational structure plays an important role in creating an impact on the performance of business. The culture of management and the employees, situations, events, substance, information, processes and such elements are necessary for organizational decisions and movement. In addition, power, task and responsibility of the employees also influence the performance of a business. The management fixes a structure for the business, which involves culture as a... Understanding The Relationship Between Organisational Structure and Culture Presently there is a lot of  information and data available on the culture of organizations. Organizational structure and organizational culture are closely intertwined with one another. It is also the point of view through which people see their organization and its atmosphere. Organizational culture is more of a bigger picture, a more universal term that refers to a big umbrella of smaller issues and topics in an organization. The organizational structure denotes to the infrastructure of the organization and the numerous practices and methods involved in that infrastructure. This organizational structure assists an organizational culture run with reliability and efficiency, which is be the trademark of a healthy organizational structure. It is seen in a sports team, corporation,  or any other group that is large enough to generate its own organizational culture. This makes the organization structure an integral component of the organizational culture of the organization, but al so narrows out a very particular section of the culture as its own duty and responsibility. In terms of work behavior, an individual is expected to be provided with employment when the organization recognizes and understands the values he or she is concerned about. The values of a firm are often portrayed in the mission and vision statements of the company, which an aspect of the planning function.

Russia Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Russia - Term Paper Example The negative effects of World War 1 were responsible for sparking Russian Revolution in 1917 since the government was experiencing a shortage in food reserves, ammunition, factories and low morale among the soldiers. Corrupt Czarist government and massive treason among the top military ranks created a crisis that paralyzed the normal national life. The peasants and workers in factories experienced poverty and denounced the war and killed the rich peasants in order to seize control of productive agricultural land (Wade 5). Russia was predominantly an agricultural economy and the clergy, nobility and royal families owned much of the agricultural land and controlled much of the agricultural production. The Czarist government did little to improve the economic system and a majority of the peasants in the villages suffered from diseases and extreme poverty. The economic system had created an imbalance in the social structure thus hindering education, public health and medical relief thus occasioning discontent among the masses that were addicted to vodka due to misery and poverty (Wade 6). Workers strikes were considered as the only option to the ruthless and repressive Czarist government in dealing with protesting workers and Russian soldiers fired at the protestors. Subsequently, the heavy losses suffered during the World War 1 undermine the strength and morale of Russian soldiers and many of them deserted their battle fronts to join the factory workers and peasants in the ongoing revolution (Wade 7). Other attributable causes of the Revolution include the increase in politicized urban workforce especially ironworks and factories that associated themselves with industrial society. Although Czarist government had tried to entrench socialist trade unions, such unions were remained neutral during workers protests. The expanding population in Russian cities caused social problems like poor housing, bad wages and disregard for employment rights. The censuring of books, newspapers and unwarranted police swoops on dissenting citizens created mass discontent among the middle class and ultimately led to the demand of freedom of expression (D’Agostino 27). Why Bolsheviks prevailed in Civil War and control of Russia By the end of February 1917, two organisations that include Provisional Executive Committee of the Petrograd Soviet of Workers and Provisional Committee of the Duma had emerged. The first one represented the social revolutionaries, factory workers, Bolsheviks and Mensheviks. The Czarist ministers were held under house arrest, and Czar Nicholas II abdicated on at the beginning of March. A provisional coalition government was entrenched and was soon recognized by the allied powers as the legitimate successor of Czarist government (D’Agostino 28). However, a civil war broke in June 1918 with the Whites including the liberals, monarchists and socialists rebelling against the Reds who included the Bolshevik regime. Bolshevik regime was worried that Whites would eventually free Czar and the royal family members thus ultimately leading to restoration of the previous monarchy. However, Czar and his immediate family members were shot dead in July 1918 thus demoralising the efforts of the Whites. Bolsheviks considered themselves as revolutionary working class that was determined at addressing the needs of the peasants and

Nation-building Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Nation-building - Research Paper Example he Republic of Philippines (13 00 N, 122 00 E) is located in South Eastern Asia between the South China Sea and the Philippines Sea, in the east of Vietnam. The country has tropical marine climate with mostly mountainous terrain and coastal lowlands. The country is an agglomeration of more than 7100 islands. However, only 11 of them are populated. The capital is Manila. History The Republic of Philippines was a Spanish colony during the 16th Century and was conquered by US in the 20th century. In 1935, following the Spanish-American war, Philippines became a self governed commonwealth. During World War 2, the islands fell under the Japanese. From 1944-45 US and Filipinos joint forces fought collectively; and in 1946 as the Republic of Philippines. The Republic of Philippines (locally known as Pilipinas) is made up of 80 provinces and 120 chartered cities. Since the month of June 2010, Benigno Aquino is the president. Economy The Republic of Philippines was once one of the best econom ies in the Asia Pacific region. However, currently the country’s economy is suffering from high poverty rate which is a result of lack of population control and family planning measures. The republic of Philippines has a total population of 93.6 million as per UN data in the year 2010. The official language is called Filipino and English. Majority of the population are Christians. In Asia, The Republic of Philippines has the highest birth rate leading to a high population growth rate. At this rate, the forecast is that the population will be doubled within just three decades. The economy is also crumbling under government deficits and is heavily dependent on the remittances sent by the Filipinos working abroad. The country’s Gross Domestic Product or GDP grew by 7.3 percent in the year... The researcher states the Republic of Philippines has immense potential in terms of being a tourism giant internationally. Island tourism is increasing at a fast rate and the position of the Philippines islands is also strategically advantageous. Topping it is the language advantage- English being one of the official languages. Besides the unique treasures of the Filipino culture as well as the natural assets of both mountain and sea beach is a key strategic point for marketing the country as an attractive tourist destination. However, for successfully marketing The Republic of Philippines, the advertising agency and the Department of Tourism needs to capture the vibes of tourism marketing. It should concentrate at the fact that only natural resources or geographic diversity is not enough for the country to be positioned as a tourism giant. The essential part is forming an emotional relationship with the target audience, so that they keep coming back. Asia has seen a number of succes sful tourism campaigns like Malaysia- Truly Asia, Seoul- Infinitely Yours and The Incredible India campaign. The department of tourism should take cues from such marketing campaigns and try to create an original brand that is strengthened with its unique brand salience and sense of association. Also in the wake of the global financial crisis, the leading tourism industries have suffered. This global slowdown is also a challenge that the Department of Tourism will encounter. Also the outbreak of influenza virus and H1N1 flu led to further negative trends.

Horizon Automation System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Horizon Automation System - Essay Example The standards based system provides an interface for remote public access and inter library operations like ILL (Inter Library Loaning). The main features of the library automation system are described as: Online Catalogs - Anglo American Cataloguing Rules (AACR) are used for constructing catalogues in the library system. The cataloguing is done based on the two classes of materials: monographs and continuing resources. AACR2 (AACR 2nd edition) defines "monograph" as: The serial is a continuing resource issued in a succession of discrete parts, usually bearing numbering, that has no predetermined conclusion. E.g. journals, magazines, newspapers, and monographic series. The integrating resource is the work that is updated and integrated into the whole. E.g. updating web sites. Authority Record - provide information about individual names, subjects and uniform titles that are used in the bibliographic records, e.g. Author, Publisher, etc. Authority records provide cross-references in the catalogues. Record Creation - The bibliographic record is created in the library system when CIP (Catalogue-In-Publication) record is received from the bibliography publishing agency or is locally entered. The holdings and item records are created when the physical object is received. Record Edit - The record is edited when either an update to t... The bibliographic record must exist before holdings record is created. Item Record - identifies a physical piece - book, CD, etc and links it to a barcode number that is used for circulation. Authority Record - provide information about individual names, subjects and uniform titles that are used in the bibliographic records, e.g. Author, Publisher, etc. Authority records provide cross-references in the catalogues. Record Creation - The bibliographic record is created in the library system when CIP (Catalogue-In-Publication) record is received from the bibliography publishing agency or is locally entered. The holdings and item records are created when the physical object is received. Record Edit - The record is edited when either an update to the CIP record is received (any modifications in the published information), the item is made available to the library, or if there are any modifications to any of the field information in the item catalogue. Record Import - The import of a record is performed when the requested information is not available in the local library system. The search request is submitted through the Z39.50 client to the preferred partners (OCLC server) who can loan the desired item. The server returns the requested record. MARC Record Management The MARC formats are the standards for the representation and communication of bibliographic and related information in machine-readable form. The cataloguing information is maintained on the typed cards and in online bibliographic records as: Author Title Edition Place of Publication Publisher Date of Publication Subject Headings, Etc. The Library of Congress needed to develop software which allowed cataloguers to enter their

Nation-building Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Nation-building - Research Paper Example he Republic of Philippines (13 00 N, 122 00 E) is located in South Eastern Asia between the South China Sea and the Philippines Sea, in the east of Vietnam. The country has tropical marine climate with mostly mountainous terrain and coastal lowlands. The country is an agglomeration of more than 7100 islands. However, only 11 of them are populated. The capital is Manila. History The Republic of Philippines was a Spanish colony during the 16th Century and was conquered by US in the 20th century. In 1935, following the Spanish-American war, Philippines became a self governed commonwealth. During World War 2, the islands fell under the Japanese. From 1944-45 US and Filipinos joint forces fought collectively; and in 1946 as the Republic of Philippines. The Republic of Philippines (locally known as Pilipinas) is made up of 80 provinces and 120 chartered cities. Since the month of June 2010, Benigno Aquino is the president. Economy The Republic of Philippines was once one of the best econom ies in the Asia Pacific region. However, currently the country’s economy is suffering from high poverty rate which is a result of lack of population control and family planning measures. The republic of Philippines has a total population of 93.6 million as per UN data in the year 2010. The official language is called Filipino and English. Majority of the population are Christians. In Asia, The Republic of Philippines has the highest birth rate leading to a high population growth rate. At this rate, the forecast is that the population will be doubled within just three decades. The economy is also crumbling under government deficits and is heavily dependent on the remittances sent by the Filipinos working abroad. The country’s Gross Domestic Product or GDP grew by 7.3 percent in the year... The researcher states the Republic of Philippines has immense potential in terms of being a tourism giant internationally. Island tourism is increasing at a fast rate and the position of the Philippines islands is also strategically advantageous. Topping it is the language advantage- English being one of the official languages. Besides the unique treasures of the Filipino culture as well as the natural assets of both mountain and sea beach is a key strategic point for marketing the country as an attractive tourist destination. However, for successfully marketing The Republic of Philippines, the advertising agency and the Department of Tourism needs to capture the vibes of tourism marketing. It should concentrate at the fact that only natural resources or geographic diversity is not enough for the country to be positioned as a tourism giant. The essential part is forming an emotional relationship with the target audience, so that they keep coming back. Asia has seen a number of succes sful tourism campaigns like Malaysia- Truly Asia, Seoul- Infinitely Yours and The Incredible India campaign. The department of tourism should take cues from such marketing campaigns and try to create an original brand that is strengthened with its unique brand salience and sense of association. Also in the wake of the global financial crisis, the leading tourism industries have suffered. This global slowdown is also a challenge that the Department of Tourism will encounter. Also the outbreak of influenza virus and H1N1 flu led to further negative trends.

The Fellowship of the Ring. The book vs movie Essay

The Fellowship of the Ring. The book vs movie - Essay Example This study is concerned not so much with minor changes that were done for the sake of time constraints – for example, the fact that the hobbits had a long journey by river before they reached Bree – but rather with more thematic and seemingly unnecessary changes that seem to veer away from the spirit of the book. The depiction of the fight at Weathertop between Aragorn and the hobbits and the Nazgul is one of the sequences where the portrayal of the characters of the hobbits – especially Merry and Pippin – seems to represent them in a different light than did Tolkien. In the book, Aragorn himself starts the fire at the mountaintop. In the movie, however, Merry, Pippin and Sam foolishly start the fire because they are hungry and want to fry some tomatoes and bacon: Pippin: Can I have some meat? Merry: Okay. Want some tomatoes, Sam? Great tomatoes! Frodo: (Waking up from sleep) What are you doing? Merry: Tomatoes, sausages, nice crispy bacon. Sam: We saved some for you, Mr. Frodo. Frodo: Put it out, you fools! Put it out! (Begins stamping out the fire) Pippin: Oh that’s nice! Ash on my tomatoes! This is not the first attempt to portray Merry, Pippin and Sam as the comic relief in the movie. In earlier scenes such as the one where Pippin wants a ‘second breakfast’ but Aragorn will have none of it, the mood is at least light-hearted. In the Weathertop scene, the audience is made to believe that Merry and Pippin are gluttonous, reckless hobbits who neither know nor care about the importance of the mission they are on. Their stupidity is directly responsible for Frodo’s being stabbed by the Mordor blade carried by one of the Nazgul. This scene also highlights the nature of Frodo’s experience with the ring. ... e Nazgul is one of the sequences where the portrayal of the characters of the hobbits - especially Merry and Pippin - seems to represent them in a different light than did Tolkien. In the book, Aragorn himself starts the fire at the mountaintop. In the movie, however, Merry, Pippin and Sam foolishly start the fire because they are hungry and want to fry some tomatoes and bacon: Pippin: Can I have some meat Merry: Okay. Want some tomatoes, Sam Great tomatoes! Frodo: (Waking up from sleep) What are you doing Merry: Tomatoes, sausages, nice crispy bacon. Sam: We saved some for you, Mr. Frodo. Frodo: Put it out, you fools! Put it out! (Begins stamping out the fire) Pippin: Oh that's nice! Ash on my tomatoes! This is not the first attempt to portray Merry, Pippin and Sam as the comic relief in the movie. In earlier scenes such as the one where Pippin wants a 'second breakfast' but Aragorn will have none of it, the mood is at least light-hearted. In the Weathertop scene, the audience is made to believe that Merry and Pippin are gluttonous, reckless hobbits who neither know nor care about the importance of the mission they are on. Their stupidity is directly responsible for Frodo's being stabbed by the Mordor blade carried by one of the Nazgul. This scene also highlights the nature of Frodo's experience with the ring. As in the Prancing Pony when he puts on the ring accidentally, Frodo is shown by Jackson to experience visions of Sauron's eye, which is nowhere in the book. The changes that Frodo goes through are psychological rather than literal in Tolkien's book. In the book, Frodo just turns invisible, as Bilbo used to, when he puts the ring on. While this may be attributed to the director's need to visually depict the trauma that Frodo goes through because of the

Critical Review of three Scholarly Journal Articles Essay Example for Free

Critical Review of three Scholarly Journal Articles Essay One of the most important finding generated by this paper is the effects of race on the view that police is biased on race. This includes racial profiling of police where Black or minority group in general are most like stopped by police than White American. In all four models, blacks and Hispanics are more likely than whites to believe that police bias is a problem (Weitzer Tuch, 2005). Blacks however, according to this article perceives police bias more of a problem than Hispanics. One interesting subset of this is that Blacks tend to perceive police discrimination against Hispanics than Hispanics see themselves. So that Black Americans tend to see that Hispanic drivers are being racially profiled compared to white drivers. Another important finding presented by this article is the role of media in shaping the perceptions of people regarding racial discrimination. People who frequently hear or read about incidents of police misconduct, as transmitted by the media, are inclined to conclude that the police engage in racial profi ling, are prejudiced, and discriminate against minority individuals and neighborhoods (Weitzer Tuchs, 2005). The data gathering method and analysis technique used in this article is solid considering that it is based on a national survey of national survey of 1,792 white, African American, and Hispanic adult residents of U. S. metropolitan areas with at least 100,000 population (Weitzer Tuch, 2005). The survey results where advantageous in the sense that oversampling African Americans and Hispanics, in contrast to the small number of minority respondents common to other surveys. Another advantageous factor is the tapping of both attitudes toward police and personal and vicarious experiences with the police. Another very important correction factor they have added is idea that there are differences in the number of households with phone access from the three different races, Black, Hispanics and White American. This is very important consideration since the data was collected using random dialing of phone numbers. So in general the data was very reliable. Race-Based Policing: A Descriptive Analysis of the Wichita Stop Study Unlike the previous article which discusses racial discrimination of policing in a wider perspective, this article focuses on racial profiling. The results of this rigorous effort put on the analysis of enforcement pattern do not prove race-based policing. The result of this document instead provides guidance for what are needed on studies to determine if race is a significant determinant for police to decide whether to stop them for inspection or not. According to this article, in order to fully understand the results of these decisions we must document the process by which these decisions are made (Withrow, 2004). Unfortunately, nothing in this data-set or any similar data-set is capable of such an analysis (Withrow, 2004). Although important findings emphasized by this study is that police awareness of the incorrect conceptions of well-established beliefs regarding race plays an important role in dealing with this sensitive police profiling issue. It is however certain that by asking the appropriate questions police administrators have a real opportunity to raise their department’s level of sensitivity to the issue (Withrow, 2004). One important finding that supports this idea is the result of this study that the proportions of searches that produces contrabands does not vary with race. The data gathering method used in this study is based on qualitative information recorded on every police stops from the Wichita Stop Study Dataset and the analysis technique are based on logical reasoning. In late July 2001 representatives from the Wichita Police Department provided the author with a data-set representing the first six months of collected information including 37,454 stops (Withrow, 2004). What is interesting about this data is that to date (relative to this article) this is the largest qualitative data set of this type. This provides reliability of the data gathered and provides validity of the results of this study. Perceptions of Racial Profiling: Race, class and Personal Experience The important result study is to provide a significant basis for the need to examined both race and class determinants of citizens’ relation with the police. In the discussions provided by the author, it was indicated that disadvantage black are more likely to believe that police are abusive of African American because of their personal experience. Another very important point generated in the discussion is with regard to racial profiling. We found that better educated African Americans are more likely than are less educated to disapprove of profiling, to view it as a pervasive practice, and to say that they have personally experienced it (Weitzer Tuch, 2002). The authors argued that the reason for this is that higher education fosters greater exposure to media and information related to profiling problems. The data gathered were collected from a nationwide random-digit-dialing telephone survey of 2006 respondents conducted by the Gallup organization between September 24 and November 16, 1999 (Weitzer Tuch, 2002). This offers reliability on the data gathered and considering it has the same strength of oversampling African Americans. Couple this data with various related literature from refutable sources, the data collection are quite valid. The analysis employed in the discussion where supported by citations from previous studies which further validates the ideas presented. CONCLUSION The important results generated by these documents suggest that minority group and Black American in particular, perceives that racial discrimination in the form of racial profiling is an issue. Through proper police awareness of incorrect conceptions that race is a factor that determines people tendency to commit crime, the sensitivity of this issue can be controlled. Couple this with the important role of education in providing proper understanding of the situation there is a possibility of correcting this perception. References Weitzer, R. Tuch, S. (2005). Racially Biased Policing: Determinants of Citizen Perception. Social Forces from the University of Carolina Press, 83 (3), 1009-1028. Withrow, B. (2004). Race-Base Policing: A Descriptive Analysis of the Wichita Stop Study. Police Practice and Research, 5 (3), 223-240. Weitzer, R. Tuch, S. (2002). Perceptions of Racial Profiling: Race, Class, and Personal Experience. Criminology, 40 (2), 435-453.

Evolution of Female Nude Figures in Art

Evolution of Female Nude Figures in Art Nudity in art as well as the human form combined can be traced through out all the eras in art starting from pre-historic times and still being seen in todays art, recently in photography as well. The nude figure in art has generally reflected, with few exceptions, social standards of aesthetics as well as morality of the certain time period in the painting, sculpture and more recently photography. Just as in human history the human nude figure has been one of the principle subjects in art history for artists. The nude figure has been represented on pre-historic statues and paintings throughout all eras since. The male nude was more commonly used in the start, especially in ancient Greece. Today society and their morality, values and outlook on life has evolved and likewise so has the female nude in art, lately to be more highly represented and regarded. Today, unlike in the past many cultures approve of nudity in art even when they dont approve of actual nudity. For example, even an art gallery which exhibits nude paintings will typically not accept nudity of a visitor. Just like the female nude figure has evolved throughout art history due to social, political and religious influences so has all art through the years. Evolution is part of life and so is art, thus art has evolved through the and just like evolution influences bring upon changes in art, it is safe to say that art influences graphic, interior architectural and other design throughout the eras. The evolution of the female nude figure throughout art history The nude figure may be absent in Egyptian, Persian, and Etruscan art but definitely not from Greek art. The Greeks seemed to embrace it, when it came to the male figure that is. The nude standing male figure in art first became popular in Ancient Greece sculpture art. This sculpture was associating the male figure with moral excellence and athletic power. Women however where seen in a different way when it came to nudity. The female figure was associated with divinity of procreation. For almost five centuries it was said that the Greeks preferred to see a female figure clothed. In the 4th century BCE sculptor Praxelitis carved Fig.1 (Knidian Aphrodite,) a naked Aphrodite. This established a new artistic tradition of the nude female form. This sculpture was not like the exaggerated fertility figurines from the Middle East but was sculptured using idealized size and proportion that were based on mathematical ratios. Here the female nude has a self-protective pose that adds to her modesty. This is seen through the way she is holding her hand and covering her sexual organ. This sculpture was created to portray the ideal version of the Greek female nude. This female nude was also designed to appeal to the viewers senses as well as his mind. This way of portraying the female nude figure was later adopted by Hellenistic Greco-Roman art and later discarded during the Pax Romana era. Some of the finest Greek sculptors of female nude statues include: Phidias, Polykleitos, Myron Praxiteles and Hagensandrus, Polydorus and Athenodoros. It is also important to note that the Harappan culture predates Greek art by about two Millennia and was one of the first cultures to produce nude bronzes. In fig.2 (The Dancing Girl of Mohenjo-Dar o) we see a six-inch high statuette made of the lost wax method which was cast in about 2, 500 BCE. Female Nudes in Early Christian and Byzantine Art The Medieval Christian and Byzantine era, was a Christian culture from the outset. In this era the female nude figure was much diminished and nude figures were used only in rare depictions of Adam and Eve as well as the Christ-child figure. Female nudity was rarely seen in work from this era, rarely in paintings or Byzantine mosaic art. When it was shown in these rare cases it was associated with either feelings of shame and guilt or with low-brow humor. As far as Byzantine culture was concerned, the nude male and female were too directly associated with that of pagan Greek culture. Female Nudes in the Art of the Middle Ages When the era of Gothic Art eventually came along, perceptions and attitudes towards female nudeness in sculpture, paintings, stained glass and other types of art. Nudity became portrayed as sinful, this can be seen in the well known story of Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden. Early in the Christian era emphasis was placed on chastity discouraging images of nudeness even further. However here lies a paradox with the Gothic artists (including cathedral sculptors) were permitted to alternate to the nude female figure in the name of purity, portrayed as a virginal suggestion of the body. In Fig.3 Gregor Erhart (St Mary Magdalene) we see a polychrome wooden sculpture, also known as La Belle Allemande. This figure was created by the Late Gothic wood carver Gregor Erhart in Augsburg, Germany Female Nudes in Renaissance Art During the Italian Renaissance Roman-Greco art as well as its cultural values were rediscovered. This lead to a return of the female nude to the vanguard of creativity, not only in sculpture but in fine art as well. Differing from the earlier eras in art the artists of the Italian Renaissance can be seen as figurative masters. These artists were not satisfied in restricting themselves to creating idealized nude female figures based on mathematical proportions. These artists such as Botticelli, Titian and Jacopo Robusti Tintoretto wanted to portray the natural full-bodied beauty of a woman. Seductive warmth became more important to them than the correct geometry. This change can be seen in Fig.4 Alessandro Botticelli (Birth of Venus, 1484). The figures of the women in this painting can be seen as much more voluptuous and full rounded than in the previous art eras where the proportion of the nude female figures are idealized and based on mathematic proportions. The nude female figure is naturalistically portrayed in this era. Northern Renaissance artists proved just as equally open. Jan Van Eyck was an artist from this era and had already incorporated naturalism into his paintings. Another artist from this era, Hieronymus Bosch, used female nudity to add force to his apocalyptic outlooks on that of sin as well as divine judgment. Boschs most well known painting can be seen in Fig.5 Hieronymus Bosch (The Garden of Earthly Delights, 1510). In this painting the nude figures are sinners and the downfall of human and mankind is depicted. The figures in this painting, typical to the era of renaissance, can be seen as naturalistic rather than idealized. None of these changes in the Renaissance means that Christian morals and values had changed. In fact, if it delayed to the creative talents of Titian and other artists of the time, the Christian Church still remained consciously guarded, even opposed, towards the use of female as well as male nudity in public sculptures and painting, especially in churches. It was no surprise to anyone that the Council of Trent (1545-1563), Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church, attempted to bring to a stop the immoral and paganizing elements which had been claimed to become too widespread in Renaissance art, under the authority of classical canons. Female Nudes in Baroque Art The Renaissance continued to have an influence throughout the different art movements in European Art. After the renaissance the nude figure fascination continued. This encouraged artists to renew their outlook on the nude figure and the antique tradition. The female nude figure received a fresh new meaning in the art of Rubens, who with much satisfaction painted women with generous voluptuous figures as well as radiant skin. The Baroque flavor for allegories based on traditional metaphors also preferred undraped figures. These figures were used to represent concepts such as the Graces and Truth. Female Nudes in Rococo and Neoclassical Art In Rococo art one can see how the usage of the female nude figure evolves and becomes more suggestive the female nudes becomes more playful as well as suggestive as well as playful. This is clearly depicted in art works like in Fig.6 Francois Boucher (Reclining Girl, 1751) and Fig. 7 Jean-Antoine (The Judgment of Paris, 1751).   In this painting we can see how the female nude has become more suggestive by looking in the way the women is lying on the daybed, on her stomach with her legs spread wide, possibly looking at someone. The more playful depiction of the female nude can be seen Fig.8 Joseph Nollekens (Venus, 1773) is an example of Neoclassical female nude. This era was exemplified by sculptor artists such as John Nollekens and more others. These sculptors reconverted to the antique forms and poses of sculptures.http://www.mutualart.com/Images /2009_03/12/0066/134858/134858_8bfc7373-7e4d-423b-a3ed-db57c7e8f0e7_-1_570.Jpeg Female Nudes in 19th-Century Art Female nude figures from 19th-Century Art can be seen as placed in far- fetched, unusual settings, and not everyday scenes as in the other art eras. In this figure we see a nude woman sitting on the edge of a bed with her back towards the viewer. When looking at the fantasy images of Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema an extraordinary setting can also be seen. In Fig.9, Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema (The Tepidarium, 1881) a nude female is lying on what seems to be some sort of day bed. She is lying on a mat made of animal skin and covering her sexual organ with a feather. The extraordinary setting can be related to the name of this painting. Tapidarium is the room between the hot and cold rooms in Roman baths. Her face is slightly turned away and has no expression on. From these settings one can see that in the 19th century artworks the female nude is merely an object of desire. In these art works women are the sex that is looked at and men are the sex that is looking. The female nudes here dont have much personality; the faces are turned away from the viewer or have no emphasis on them. The female nude in the 19th century exists simply to be enjoyed by the viewer who is most likely the male figure. More figures that represent this are Fig.10 Francisco Goya (Naked Maja, 1800) and Fig.11 Ingres (Odalisque, 1841). Female Nudes in 20th-Century Art In the twentieth century the academic tradition lost its own cultural superiority, yet the nude figure has remained a steady feature in contemporary or modern art. Artists like Paul Cezanne (Les Grandes Baigneuses, 1900-6), Amedeo Modigliani (Reclining Nude, 1917 and others), Pablo Picasso (Les Demoiselles dAvignon, 1907), and Gustav Klimt (Adam and Eve, 1918) all incorporated the nude female figure into their style. So did all the German Expressionist groups.) In 20th-century sculpture art, realism of the anatomy was anatomical realism was exemplified by the nude polyester figures of a contemporary photorealist artist from America. John De Andrea. The voyeuristic tradition was held constant by Balthus (The Guitar Lesson, 1934 and The Room, 1952), Anders Zorn a prolific Swedish Impressionist (Girls From Dalarna Having a Bath, 1908), as well as a German artist Gerhard Richter (Ema: Nude on a Staircase, 1966). Conclusion It is safe to say that throughout art history and its eras we have witnessed many different approaches towards not only the female nude but the male nude figure as well as subject in art. Every era clearly had changes in its own style and attitude. It is not surprising that after all these years the genre of the nude female is still popular and is continuously being investigated by new breeds of artists in new ways. In this ever changing depiction of the genre it has become widely academic today and can even be said to be passà © by some, then being seen as just one more genre art students at college need to study before moving on to other important matter. This is due to a society that has become saturated with sexual media and causes for the traditional female nude in traditional art to lose its ability to shock and titillate. The perception of the female nude has evolved throughout the different eras in art and is seen the way it is seen today because of society and it aesthetics and moralism. I do believe that art has influenced the human and evolves with society as the world evolves, thus art has influenced, graphic, interior architectural and other design throughout the centuries. Referencing Visual-art-corks.com, Female nudes in painting and sculpture [Online]. Available From: http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/genres/female-nudes-art-history.htm [Accessed : 22 March 2011] Sorbella.J (2008) Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Nude in Baroque and later Art [Online.] Available From: http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/genres/female-nudes-art-history.htm [Accessed: 20 March 2011]

Essay --

Introduction The relationship among human personalities and social media addiction has both attract attention of not just psychologists but the public as well. Human personalities Social media can be use in both healthy and unhealthy ways depending on the individuals, whether are making use social media to its potential or abusing the right one have causing addiction towards social media making it having similar side effects as substance addiction. Aim of this literature review is to discuss human personalities with the Big Five Personalities Traits as the base of personalities towards the usage social media addiction would either be benefiting or marginalising each individual. Human personalities Studies of human personality has brought great influence and impact towards our society describing how we behave, perceive and state how each person is different from others. The Big Five Personalities Traits is describe as openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism known to be sufficient measure and the base of describing a person personality stated by many psychologists ( McCrae, R. R., & Costa, P. C., Jr. 1987 ; Costa, P. T., & McCrae, R. R. 1992) Social media addiction Social media is a massive technological publisher spreading news, discoveries and information through the internet, due to it allows people to connect not affected by time or distance, people can form relationship, business negotiating, political and especially for personal usage, making it to become extremely popular. Social media addiction known as one of the major problems that prevent people from face to face interaction while people are mainly focused on technology devices, is affecting not just youngsters but elders can be also ad... ...ng along with others which makes them unconcerned of others and less likely to extend themselves. Neuroticism Neuroticism is described as the tendency to experience unpleasant emotions easily such as anger, anxiety, depression, or vulnerability. Neuroticism also refers to the degree of emotional stability and impulse control and is sometimes referred to by its low pole, "emotional stability". ( Ehrenberg, Jukes, White, &Walsh , 2008) reported that people who is high in neuroticism had greater instant messaging use, because instant messaging provides additional time for individuals to contemplate their responses making neurotic people are more at ease comparing to face-to-face interaction. Individuals are low in neuroticism are less easily upset and are less emotionally reactive. They tend to be calm, emotionally stable, and free from persistent negative feelings

Methadone Maintenance Treatment

Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT) has been in place for over 30 years.   Initially used as an analgesic before the Second World War, it was used to rectify the heroine epidemic in the post-World War II era.   At present, MMT is used as a harm-reduction strategy – a tool to help withdrawing heroine addicts, reduce crime and deaths associated with opiate use and to reduce incidences of HIV/AIDS that results from heroin injection and needle use.   There is still however a controversy surrounding the treatment basically because of the misconception associated with MMT.   Health officials believe that MMT should be kept in a short duration as possible while researchers contend that higher doses and longer treatment duration may lead to lower cases of relapse. Heroin addiction is a persistent problem in the United States especially in New York City where heroin abuse, replacing opium smoking, started in the early 20th century (Frank, 2000).   The post-World War II era saw an epidemic rise in the number of heroin addicts such that between 1950 and 1961, heroin injection became one of the leading causes of death among young adults in New York City (Joseph, Stancliff & Langrod, 2000).   The average age of heroin-related deaths was 29 years old, both for men and women. Initially used as an analgesic in Germany before the Second World War, methadone was considered as an answer to the prevalence of the illicit drug and the consequent criminal offenses and deaths associated with its use.   This started in 1949 when Isbell and Vogel demonstrated methadone to be effective in helping addicts withdraw from heroin (Joseph et. al, 2000).   In 1964, methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) was launched as a research program in Rockefeller Institute under the direction of Dr. Vincent P. Dole and Dr. Marie E. Nyswander. At present, methadone maintenance treatment is one of the common medications used to treat heroin and other opiate addiction.   Judging from the number of researches and assessments on MMT, it is evidently the drug abuse treatment that has received the most thorough evaluation and has been shown to be effective in reducing opioid use, HIV incidences, criminal activity and mortality (â€Å"Literature Review – Methadone Maintenance Treatment†, 2007).   Consequently, it has also been demonstrated to improve physical and mental health and a person’s ability to regain normal social functioning. Despite the staggering number of studies associated with MMT and the scientific data resulting from these studies showing that the treatment is an effective medication for withdrawing opiate addicts, controversies still surround the treatment.   There seem to be  conflicting views between scientists/researchers and health officials as to how the treatment must be dispensed.   Aside from discussing those controversies, this paper will also: a) present methadone facts b) present the advantages and disadvantages of MMT and determine the people that can benefit from such a treatment; and c) assess whether MMT is an effective harm-reduction strategy. Methadone Facts Methadone, initially used as an analgesic, is a synthetic narcotic that has been used to treat opiate addiction for more than 3 decades (Office of National Drug Control Policy [ONDCP], 2000).   Heroin and opioid addicts feel the need to continually take in these substances because opiates occupy a receptor in the brain which sends a signal to the body when opiate levels are low.   Methadone works by â€Å"occupying† these receptor sites and consequently hinders the euphoria caused by heroin use, relieves the craving for opiate and reduces the withdrawal symptoms associated with abrupt cessation of opiate use (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2002). Taken orally once a day, the effect of methadone can last from 24 to 36 hours. As with any medication, there is the risk of abuse and dependency.   In a controlled and supervised treatment, a former heroine addict may remain physically dependent on methadone but does not experience the highs and lows resulting from the increase and decrease of heroine in blood levels (ONDCP, 2000). A person on methadone treatment can therefore be integrated into the society and become a functional citizen. Who Benefits From MMT Methadone will only be effective for those recovering from opiate addiction and will have no effect for those who are taking other mood-altering substances apart from opiates  (Stimmel & Kreek, 2000).   In the past, admission to MMT was limited only to applicants between the ages of 21 and 40 with a minimum of 4 years narcotic addiction.   Joseph, et. al. (2000) noticed that the admission criteria is much more liberal now as rehabilitation clinics now admit patients younger than 21 and older than 40. Because the link between heroin abuse and alcoholism has long been acknowledged, the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) changed its former rules of separating treatment for heroin addicts and alcoholics and instead ordered that Addiction Treatment Centers (ATCs) admit methadone patients into alcoholism rehabilitation programs and vice versa (Kipnis, Herron, Perez & Joseph, 2001). Even pregnant women can be treated using methadone as long as the mother is closely monitored and has to be enrolled in a comprehensive program that not only includes MMT but also prenatal care, nutritional counseling and other medical services that the pregnant woman may need (Joseph, et. al, 2000).   Ward (1998) as cited in â€Å"Literature Review – Methadone Maintenance Treatment† (2207) asserted that nobody should be excluded from the treatment (in the context of heroin and opiate use) because no reliable criteria exist that has determined a group of people that will not respond to treatment. Key Issues in MMT The guiding principle of most rehabilitation centers is that an addict is â€Å"cured† if he is able to abstain from the use of an illicit drug.   Critics of MMT claim that the treatment is just a substitute for the stronger opiate (heroin) addiction.   This is viewed as the major disadvantage of MMT, especially by health officials.   Kipnis, et. al. (2001), Stimmel and Kreek (2000), Joseph, et. al. (2000) and a host of other researchers contend that there is a misconception and misunderstanding between health officials and researchers of MMT.   Even at present, there is a stigma associated with MMT because it still viewed as a physical dependence on a drug. This explains why most patients in rehabilitation clinics receive  insufficient doses which would lead to a likely relapse. A lot of health care officials believe that therapy using methadone has to be ceased as soon as possible.   Researchers disagree, arguing that there should not be a limit as to the duration of the treatment because patients may respond well to a short treatment while others may respond better to a longer treatment, possibly even a lifetime treatment.   Joseph et. al. (2000) also noted that higher doses lead to a higher treatment retention rate.   Even with increasing evidence pointing to the effectiveness of MMT as a therapy for heroin and opiate withdrawal, there is still only partial acceptance for the treatment by the public.   The media has also distorted the public’s view on MMT which resulted to a stigma associated to the treatment. MMT as a Harm-Reduction Strategy Drug Policy Alliance (2007) cited dozens of authors that supported MMT as a tool used to reduce crime, death and disease.   Researchers agree that methadone is the most effective treatment for heroin addiction.   Furthermore, methadone reduces criminal offenders because those who are in MMT are able to lead stable lives and can acquire legitimate employment. Cases of HIV and other diseases caused by needle-sharing are also reduced by the treatment.   Methadone treatment is also a point of contact between the patient and the health official and an opportunity for the patient to learn about the techniques to prevent HIV/AIDS, hepatitis and other diseases that may inflict drug users. MMT is also cost-effective, costing only $13 per day and is a better alternative than incarceration (ONDCP, 2000).   Kipnis, et. al. (2001) however believes that there must be an organizational overhaul in order for MMT to be more effective.   The staff of ATCs must lose their held principles that MMT does not work or that it is a form of addiction.   Discrimination for MMT patients must have no place in the 12-step rehabilitation programs and the public also needs to be educated of the proper and real function of MMT in the community. Conclusion MMT has been proven to be effective in more than 3 decades of its use.   Social factors however prevent it from being used properly.   Misconceptions that health officials have regarding the treatment, its use and the dosage to be dispensed lead to a great number of relapses.   Staff culture and beliefs have to be changed in order for methadone maintenance treatment to be fully accepted in the community and for its effectivity to be optimized. References Drug Policy Alliance (2007). Methadone Maintenance Treatment. Drug Policy Alliance. Retrieved September 1, 2007 from http://www.lindesmith.org/library/ research/methadone.cfm Frank. B. (2000). An Overview of Heroin Trends in New York City: Past, Present and Future. The Mount Sinai Journal of Medicine, 67 (5-6). Kipnis, S., Herron, A., Perez, J. & Joseph, H. (2001 January). Integrating the Methadone Patient In the Traditional Addiction Inpatient Rehabilitation Program – Problems and Solutions [electronic version]. The Mount Sinai Journal of Medicine, 68 (1). Retrieved August 31, 2007 from http://www.mssm.edu/msjournal/68/PAGE28_32.pdf Joseph, H., Stancliff, S. & Langrod J. (2000). Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT): A Review of Historical and Clinical Issues. The Mount Sinai Journal of Medicine, 67 (5). 347-364. Retrieved August 31, 2007 from http://www.mssm.edu/msjournal/67/page347_364.pdf Literature Review – Methadone Maintenance Treatment (2007). Health Canada. Retrieved August 31, 2007 from   http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/pubs/adp-apd/methadone/policy-politique_e.html#adm Stimmel, B & Kreek, M.J. (2000). Neurobiology of Addictive Behaviors and Its Relationship to Methadone Maintenance [electronic version]. The Mount Sinai Journal of Medicine, 67, (5-6). 375-380. Retrieved September 1, 2007 from http://www.mssm.edu/msjournal/67/page375_380.pdf U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] (2002 February). Methadone Maintenance Treatment. IDU HIV Prevention. Retrieved August 30, 2007 from http://www.cdc.gov/idu/facts/MethadoneFin.pdf         

Is It a Threat of Terrorism?

It is my dream to live in a world where no country on Earth requires a military to protect its citizens from invasion, but like most Utopian fantasies, such a world will never exist. As the leader of the free world, America has built up a huge military to protect the nation’s interests, its allies, and its way of life for its people. After the terror attacks on September 11, 2001, and our senseless invasion of two Islamic countries, the nation is still engaged in war to prevent Islamic extremist attacks.In recent years, public officials in the United States and terrorism analysts here and abroad have warned of an increasing threat of Muslim homegrown terrorist attacks. The terrorist attacks in Madrid in 2004 and in London in 2005 perpetrated by European homegrown terrorists have contributed to these concerns, as has the surge in terrorist-related arrests in the United States in 2009 and 2010. A closer look at the evidence, however, reveals that the threat of Islamic extremist engaging in lethal attacks in the United States has been frequently overstated.Since 1985 there has been 3,178 deaths resulting from Islamic terrorist attacks; including the 2,977 Americans casualties on 9/11. However, the number of American casualties resulting from Islamic extremism is falling drastically; with only 28 Americans killed by Islamic Extremist since the 2001 terror attacks. Terrorist plots by American Muslims are not growing in sophistication, and terrorists' capacities to acquire skills from overseas training are limited.In addition, contrary to concerns that so-called â€Å"lone wolves† will increasingly attempt terrorist attacks that are difficult to foil, there have been only two shootings in the United States by American Muslims since September 11, 2011, despite a significant propaganda effort by leaders of Al-Qaida encouraging such attacks. The Islamophobes (people with irrational fear of Islamic people) claim that Islam is intrinsically a terrorist relig ion. The proof? Well, just about every terrorist attack is Islamic, they retort. Unfortunately for them, that is not true.More like six percent. Using their defunct logic, these Islamophobes can now conclude that nearly all acts of terrorism are committed by Latinos. Let them dare say it. They could not; it would be political and social suicide to say such a thing. Most Americans would shut down such talk as bigoted; yet, similar statements continue to be said of Islam, without any repercussions. The war on terror focuses on groups loosely affiliated with the Al Qaeda terrorist network, but it turns out that Islamic extremists do not pose the greatest threat to America according to numerous reports.One report from the Department of Homeland Security states that the biggest threat to America, its people, and government is actually from Latinos. Latino terrorist spew out acts of terror on American soil every day. According to the Los Angeles Times, these terrorist also control over 90 % of all the drugs that enter the United States. Latino gang violence has resulted in a shocking number of casualties. Over 2,199 innocent American lives have been lost since 2007 due to kidnappings, sex trafficking, and horrendous murders, committed by Latino Terrorist.These facts might throw you for a total paradigm in your thoughts, but what if I also told you that Latinos account for over 42% of all acts of terror on United States soil since 1985? The Islamophobes live in a fantasy world where everyone is supposedly too â€Å"politically correct† to criticize Islam and Muslims. Numerous people are critical of Muslims; but  can you imagine the reaction if I said that Latinos should be profiled because after all they are the ones who commit the most terrorism in the country. Islamophobes   always live in mortal fear–or rather, they try to make  you  feel that way.Do not be fooled, break the spellbinding ideology of Islamophobes. I am sure that you do not live in constant fear of radicalized Latinos; even though they commit seven times more acts of terrorism than Islamic extremist in America. Why then are you constantly fearful over Islamic radicals? The time has come where we can finally halt our fear of Islamic extremist, and focus our attention more frequently on the Latino terrorist If Islamic extremist had half of a brain they would have potential to be dangerous; but for now, they are no different then automated bots, with pre-programmed information and beliefs.They are taught at early ages that the â€Å"West† is their enemy; and that there is no higher appraisal then dying for Allah through acts of terror and suicide. Ignorance breeds ignorance. What we must do is teach the United States citizens the truth about terrorism. Nobody is saying that Islamic terrorism is not a matter of concern, but it is grossly exaggerated.