Government's role in healthcare markets Research Paper

Government's role in healthcare markets - Research Paper Example And today developed nations are striving to establish comprehensive plans to serve people in various aspects. In recent times, health care concerns are increasing due to ever increasing complexity of ambiance people live in. Pollutants, Genetic Modification, Environmental degradation and Global warming are making things a mesh of problems. In spite of galloping advancements in bioinformatics and medicine, deaths are becoming increasingly terminal. This statement can be supported by discussing various types of cancers, increasing obesity and even more complex psychological problems in highly urbanized areas. Keeping in view these concerns United States government has been in the phase of transition which has Health care services as one of the major moot points. Investments in the development of effective medicine, attempts to promulgate health care schemes and finding cost effective all inclusive health care facilities are apparently important for the government. This research is an attempt to delve into the details of US health care industry. It is aimed at finding comprehensive facts and figures about the health care services and the econometrics that are proving to be the driving force of this sector. Distinct organizations have emerged during recent times in order to serve and do business related to health care. The cost and access to health care facilities is the bottom line of this research. As a big picture the health care facilities in US are largely private sector business, whereas government facilities come next to the private sector. These statistics are one of the major concerns for health care policy makers and operators who reside in the echelons of power. About 65% of the health care spending for people below 67 years comes from programs like Medicare, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHCP) and Tricare. Average US life expectancy is 78 years which ranks her 27th among 34 highly industrialized countries

Change and Modernization Essay Example for Free

Change and Modernization Essay The Industrial Revolution has had a tremendous impact on the whole world. But because of its British origin the people living on the island bore most of the hardships and went through the quickest and most radical change out off all the people affected by this movement. The beginning of the movement can be traced to 1750 and continued through to about 1870. Although Britain was the epicenter of this change not many countries were unaffected by this. It may be argued that the reason the Industrial Revolution spanned a period of 120 years was due to it transforming a large-scale culture as opposed to a quicker change in a small-scale Arembepe like culture. Subsequent to the revolution, agricultural growth took a backseat to technological innovations and mass production. Society changed in a very short time from an agrarian and relatively self-sufficient society to an industrial and consumption driven one. As a result, this gave rise to Capitalism, as well as, Marxism because a revolution of this sort pitted the people with little access to resources against the wealthy factory managers and owners. Associated with this progress is also religion, which played an integral part in the shaping of the revolution and its progress. The industrial revolution forever changed the face of the modern world. The modernization and change that was brought upon by this revolution improved lives and at the same time disregarded the basic principles of humane treatment. All of this was achieved with the blood and sweat of the British factory laborer in the 18th and 19th century. Prior to the Industrial Revolution Britain experienced a boom from colonial entrepreneurship. Britain was at the forefront of colonial discovery helped by advances in marine architecture and navigation. Sociopolitical organization was stratified and Britain was still mostly an agrarian society. Ascribed statues determined who was noble and who was not and social roles were an integral part of the British society. Institutions like the royal court and tribunals along with nobility, which was also entrusted with keeping the peace, represented basic the structure of the state. Farming was the engine that moved the British economy prior to the Industrial Revolution and wealth was relative to the amount of land one owned. In most regions, the ownership of agricultural land and the organization of production followed a common pattern. A large proportion of  land was owed by medium to large landowners, (More, 5) but a significant number of small land owners, whose numbers were declining i n the late 18th century, also existed. Life in the country was hard because there was no specialization, thus large numbers of laborers were needed and wages were low. Division of labor was evident but was not gender based due to a degree of specialization within each specific production type. Disgruntled youth who faced bleak prospects in agricultural life often chose to join the military or the clergy. These two institutions were viewed as appropriate alternatives to a future mired with difficulty and little or no prospect of advancement in status. Compared with an agricultural vocation the clergy and the military provided the opportunity of increase in status and power. Religion was also an integral feature of British society in the pre-Industrial age. As mentioned above sociopolitical structure was stratified with a King who presided over all state matters. His/her rule was considered divine and the church played a key role in most state matters. It is evident that legitimacy was achieved through authority and that formal institutions were well in place generations prior to the Industrial Revolution. Even during the first years of the Industrial Revolution Britain was considered to be one of the most advanced nations in the world and its superiority was reflected in the higher living standards and more diverse patterns of consumption than elsewhere. (Evans, 6) Even prior to the Industrial Revolution people living on the British Isle enjoyed a more prosperous life than their neighbors. The English consumed far greater amounts of meat than their French counterparts (Evans, 6) and what is even more surprising is that this prosperity was also enjoyed by populations living well outside urban settlements. Stratification in British society was more than evident in this period and this is evident by unequal access to wealth, status, and power. Aristocracy was an integral part of the society and divine rule was still a universal belief held by most subjects of the British society. Bureaucracy, at the time, was a well established institution which seemed to grow with the growth of the econ omy subsequent to the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution was the result of several factors that Britain had supremacy over. The British colonies were  at its highest productivity and all the exports were shipped to England where they were sold or used as raw materials for production. It is argued that the cotton industry was the largest contributor to the technological advances of the period, more specifically, advances in weaving techniques. Factories grew in urban areas of England, where labor was plentiful, and it was not long before even the cities were not big enough to supply the labor requirements of the factories. Rural settlements soon were emptied by the promise of prosperity and independence from communal living. Massive amounts of previously agricultural workers were migrating to the cities with no vision of what may be in store for them. What awaited them were long hours, a hazardous working environment and deplorable living conditions. Innovation was at the core of the Industrial Revolution hence systems were developed to accommodate this but had themselves gone through numerous changes. The Patent System gave the inventor sole proprietorship of an invention and its distribution for fourteen years and many industrialists argued that this was monopolizing. (Bowden, 30) Therefore, they successfully lobbied for firmer regulations when the government awarded patents. The rigidity of the patent system manifested itself in the form of numerous approvals one had to seek to have his invention recognized. Unfortunately, it was mostly men who partook in inventions and technological advancement at this time. These inventions were immediately, upon government approval, implemented in the industrial infrastructure and as a result modernization and change is most obvious during this period. The Industrial Revolution ha[d] enormously increased living standards and it cannot be disputed that the benefits of economic growth filtered down through society to produce higher per capita incomes and vastly increased consumer choices. (Evans, 157) These choices greatly impacted the resettlement of people to urban areas, thus, affecting the growth of cities in Britain in an unimaginable way. Cities grew by as much as 180 percent in a span of 25 years. This resettlement affected agricultural production and combined with price increases of agricultural goods the average laborer in the city could barely support his/her family. Slowly through economic growth wages of laborers improved and gained buoyancy (Evans, 161) While some professions continued unflustered, industrialization influenced the relationship most people had with work. Lawyers, doctors and shopkeepers and some artisans were mostly unaffected by the industrial revolution but skilled artisans that had to compete with the factories were driven out of business and had to settle for a job as a semi skilled laborer in a factory. (Strayer, 102) This impacted the family dynamic greatly because the putting out system was extinguished almost overnight. (Bowden, 248) This system was unique in that it involved a household rather than a factory in the production of goods. This mode of production involved a family or a household which would receive raw materials and refine them and pass them on to a different household which would work on the good according to its trade. This would sometimes occur numerous times until it was delivered to the merchant who sold it at the market and then paid the household for their work. With the rise of factories families were now obsolete, as far as production factors are concerned, and were forced to seek work outside the household. This divided the family unit with the husband, the wife, and even the child all working in a factory. A principle that was established even in agrarian society, not long before, was adopted in industrialization. Families tended to have more children because children were seen as potential wage earners and, thus, were considered to be an asset capable of earning a wage and contributing to the family. Sense of community was also disturbed by the industrialization in Britain. Church bells symbolized communal notions but soon became obsolete with the advent of the pocket watch. A Pocket watch also symbolized individualism because it meant that people were measuring time for themselves due to increased demand for efficiency. By 1899 Britain had the largest city in Europe. London had overtaken its continental counterparts and numerous other vastly populated cities could only be compared to certain cities in France and Italy. From the 1700 to 1800s Londons population doubled to 950,000 and the number of towns with a population over 20,000 changed from eight to about twenty in the period from 1750 to 1800. (More, 21) Trade between these towns was crucial to sustain the economy and it was done through a very complicated  transportation network which included roads, canals, and royal highways. Canals were crucial to the British economy because river travel was less costly and viewed to be safer. The dawn of complex transport infrastructure led to the introduction of the mail service in 1784. Roads and canals were maintained by the people living in the region and by wealthy landowners who saw that it was in their interest to maintain the infrastructure that was crucial to their prosperity. These entrepreneurs saw the potential in the income these roads can bring to them, thus, toll booth levying was evident throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. Britain was fortunate in possessing waterways which accommodated trade and transportation and also in that major cities and industrial centers had ports that were easily accessible. The exchange of goods and materials was accommodated by a very sophisticated system that involved paper money, gold, silver and bronze coins. The economy was bolstered by the emerging banking system which was the precursor to the system that banks follow today. The Industrial Revolution had influenced the life of an urban citizen in numerous ways. Market demand forced companies to specialize in selling and producing one good rather than various goods. The Lipton Tea company (More, 126) specialized in packaging and selling tea it had imported from the Indies and with this companies emerged to accommodate the tea industry. Butter companies and other companies merged to produce goods which would satisfy the tea drinking population of Britain. This shows the specialization that emerged as a result of the Industrial Revolution. These are examples from the consumer goods sector but numerous companies emerged that produced capital goods and usually these companies produced just one good. Industrial companies were no exception to this new trend in production and they specialized on a much larger scale than ever before in history. Industry now became a new concept in the old world. The beginning of the 19th century saw the emergence of the iron and engineering industry that complimented each other. The engineering industry can be divided into two separate entities that both impacted the British society enormously. The heavy engineering sector was growing due to iron production and also due to demands for mechanization, whose importance was realized in the 19th century. The steam engine (predecessor to the gas powered one) was invented  by James Watt and had significantly improved the efficiency of some industries. Engineering also took on a form of light engineering as well. Light engineering accommodated the rise in demand for consumer products. These products usually took the form of cutlery, pots, pans but also textiles. As more and more people moved to urban areas there was a higher demand for products that were used by the upper class. Class differences were obvious and with the onset of migration to urban areas the rural population was witness to the life styles of the rich and, thus, there was and increased demand for the products the wealthy were using. The rise in wage also accommodated this rise in demand for consumer products. The textile industry which had seen mechanization impact its production was now less responsive to change. Change was more gradual and incremental instead of being rapid or sudden. Wool had overtaken the demand of cotton due to its higher quality and affordability which came about as a result of rising incomes, as mentioned before. The industrial revolution was a phenomenon that transformed the face of Britain and the world the moment it presented itself. Its results are visible today by societys high demand for mechanization and constant movement towards modernization. The face of Britain changed almost instantly and with it so did the lives of the people who represented the backbone of the British society. The Industrial Revolution is the largest single example of change and modernization in the modern age. Lives were tumultuously changed and behavior patterns forever altered for the sake of technological advancement. Agricultural revolution took a back seat and emphasis moved from relative self-sufficiency to wage earning. The common laborer experienced tumultuous times ridden with economic and domestic hardships. The quality of life was deplorable at best in some places but eventually the situation improved with the rise in moralist ideologies. Change was achieved at the expense of early industrial laborers and the hardships they have endured. Whether modernization benefits the human species is an argument that will be debated until the final outcome is realized. Until then the society around us is following a natural course of evolution that is sometimes damaging everything around us. This change that occurred and is still occurring, although less drastically now, is change that is endogenous  to our society and that is why we must view it as being natural and occurring independent of outside influences. Modernization is a result of change and change is a natural occurring event and all we can do is watch and not let it rule us.

The Writing Process :: essays research papers

The Six Stages of the Writing Process 1. Planning:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Planning is the process of setting document objectives, analyzing audience needs and responses, and developing a course of action to accomplish the objectives. Effective planning takes time at the beginning of the project, but overall saves a lot of time. 2. Research:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Research is the systematic investigation of a subject in order to discover facts, opinions, or beliefs. The amount of research needed for a written assignment depends on the nature of the document and the information available about the subject. While minimal research is usually needed for simple memos or letters, longer, more complex documents may require more. 3. Organization:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Organization relates to the decisions writers make based on their communication objectives, audience requirements, and format limitations. These decisions determine the order, in which they present their ideas, and logical connections that exist among these ideas, and the approach they take to present the ideas. 4. Composition:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This process involves following your organizational writing plan to produce a rough draft. As this process begins writers make decisions about such matters as tone, style, and level of formality. 5. Design:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Design is the process of placing information on a page so that it is easily read. Various design elements help clarify organization, including headings, underlining, and bulleted lists. 6. Revision:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This is the final stage of the writing process. It includes five specific steps that transform a rough draft into a finished document. These steps include the following:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ensure the best words, style, and tone are used.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Check for clarity and conciseness and remove all jargon.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Eliminate all punctuation, grammatical and spelling errors   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Focus on coherence through the use of effective transitions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Check for factual errors. The Five Steps in the Writing Process 1. Purpose:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  You have to understand your aim or intention for writing. You must know if you are writing to inform, to persuade, to describe, to narrate, to summarize, to define, or to compare. 2. Audience:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  You have to know your audience and how that audience might influence your approach. 3. Stance:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stance refers to the combined effect of voice and tone. Voice is your relationship with the audience and tone is the relationship with your subject. 4. Research:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During this step one has to decide if research needs to be conducted or whether your current information is adequate. 5. Design:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Design refers to a clear sequence for communicating your information most effectively. Helping to Achieve the Writing Objective The thesis is your basic position and is usually conveyed in a single sentence.

Orange and Bronze Main Problem

Development of online android application market for Orange and Bronze Main Problem: a. The company has no testing site or centralized point of for their applications software products. Specific Problems: a. Many software products are non-marketable b. Limited number of their software products viewed in the public Causes of the Problems: a. Other countries have different speculations of software products because of their culture b.Almost all of their software products is for their big clients such as accenture, advance, Aeon, Allied Telesis, Technologies so hey don't give the overview of their products because of security purposes and copyrighted. c. Effects of the Problems: a. More software products will be wasted b. Loss of clients. General Subject Area: Application of Mobile Technology in the field of Business II. Specific Topic: The OBAAM is an Philippine android online application that enables the user to download and browse mobile application.It also helps the Application devel oper to publish their own application for testing Ill. Definition of the Topic: A. Importance and Significance The purpose of this study is to have an efficient, reliable, and functioning entralized distributor of software product of the company that can be viewed and download in public. This study aims to present solution to the development ot system that will help the company to upload their apps (made by their Junior programmer) for testing. It also helps other developer's idea not to be wasted.This research project allows us gain information for the development of a system. It also help us for our future career. Through this research, we will already have a peek in what we will do in the future. B. Manageability: (Scope and Limitations) Is the research topic within your capability? What: Descriptions and types The OBAAM is an online Android application that will help the company to test their software products. Feedbacks from the user of the software will help the company for fu rther improvements of the software.Who: users and beneficiaries Through this proposed system, the user could easily find company's android apps even those unusual apps that can only be downloaded in the Philippines. The users will be benefitted by having feedback messages that will be the basis on improving the said system Where: users and applications To use the said system, the user will require android devices. When: historical background The company focuses in providing software services and software products on many big clients so lots of their software products cannot be viewed or download.Why: importance and relevance The system will help the client, user and the company interact providing their different needs. The system will distribute the software products made by the company and benefit both company and user How: process, functions and operations The processes include browsing and downloading of new software apps, uploading apps ,writing suggestions or bugs in forums and C. Availabili y ot Resources: (Sources ot Intormation) Where do you intend to get the information? Primary Data: Thesis and Dissertation Secondary Data: Internet Others: Journals, Articles D.Expected Output/ObJectives A system passed the following evaluation in terms of efficiency, reliability, functionality and maintainability. It will help the company to test their software, user to find unusual mobile android apps and save ideas in terms of marketability. General Objective: A designed and developed system and that will the evaluation in terms of functionality, reliability, and maintainability. The system is a apable of reporting bugs. The report or feedback will come from the users via forums.Specific Objectives: The proposed system will help the company to increase the number of software products viewed in public that will lead to increasing number of their client. The system will be the container of software products in which it will make the unusual software products marketab le so many ideas will not be wasted. University of Makati J. P. Rizal Ext. West Rembo, Makati City College of Computer Science Name: Canizares, Francis Joseph Diamante Garcia, Catherine Echipare Reyes, Edgar Peralta Program: Bachelor ot Science in Intormation Technology Major in Service Management TOPIC PRESENTATION Topic No. l. General Subject Area II. Specific Topic Ill. Specific of Research a. Background of the Study Orange and Bronze was founded in July 2005 by Calen Martin Legaspi and Renato â€Å"Butch† Landingin. Calen Legaspi says that they â€Å"wanted to establish a technology- oriented company that Filipinos can be proud of†¦ we would also want to contribute to global programming standards, create new technologies and be with the same level together with globally-respected companies like Google, Microsoft and BoostPro. The company started as a two-man consulting firm doing software training for local software companies.Their clients eventually hired them as s oftware consultants, before the company ventured into offshore software development projects. This led to partnerships with Google, Springsource and Pentaho. Orange & Bronze Software Labs Inc. (O&B) is a privately-owned computer software development company based in the Philippines. The company delivers software consulting, product engineering, and IT training services with a focus on Java technology. Their mantra is to successfully create software and provide technology olutions that work. b. Research Description i.General Objectives To develop an Application Market that will serve as a centralized contact point and distributor of apps for Android Devices Specitlc O 1 . Evaluate the system in terms of functionality, reliability, efficiency and maintainability 2. Develop the system designed 3. Provision of secure payment mechanisms 4. Avoidance of Downtime ill. Scope and Limitations This study is limited to browsing, downloading of Android apps for user, choosing of application type and publishing of application for Developer The OBAAM will only work whenever there is an internet connection.

Should we negotiate with terrorists?

Terrorism is a worldwide problem that has devastating effects.   It deprives people of the freedom to travel and enjoy themselves for fear of terrorist attacks.   It subjects innocent people to assaults, kidnappings and murders as they are used as pawns in deadly political games. The question of whether a government should negotiate with terrorists has been widely debated.   Some think it is beneficial.  Ã‚   Others think it does more harm than good.   This paper will explore some arguments both for supporting and against negotiation with terrorists. Arguments supporting negotiation with terrorists Saving lives The most obvious and immediate advantage of negotiating with terrorists is the saving of lives.   If terrorists hold many innocent people hostage in exchange for the fulfilment of their demands, then negotiating with them would most likely result in the expeditious saving of those people. This view supports the idea that everything should be done to save a life. Enables communication, learning and understanding of terrorists. Negotiating enables communication with the terrorists and can therefore lead to a greater understanding of them, as well as a greater capacity to influence them, which may help resolve the conflicts between the terrorists and the government and may even open the way for peace.   Communication with terrorists can also aid in acquiring valuable intelligence that can be later used against them. Al Qaeda appears to be open to negotiation Some experts have argued that Jihad is a defensive doctrine, and the attacks against the West should be understood as retaliatory, provoked attacks which would cease if the West gives in to their demands of reduced military presence in Islamic countries, political and military aid to Israel, and aid to other Middle Eastern countries (Zalman 2007). Ayman Al Zawahiri, Al Qaeda’s deputy leader, has said words that suggest a willingness to negotiate.   He stated in December 2006 that the United States will be negotiating and failing in Iraq, until it is ‘forced to return to negotiate with the real powers’ (Zalman 2007). All solutions must be tried before terrorist groups obtain nuclear weapons An argument for negotiation is that it can put a halt to terrorists before they obtain nuclear weapons. There are constant indications that Osama Bin Laden is searching for nuclear materials (Zalman 2007), and it can be argued that everything should be done, including negotiating, to stop the threat of nuclear war which of course would result in an enormous amount of innocent deaths. Arguments against negotiation with terrorists. More lives are saved in the long-run The biggest reason to not negotiate with terrorists is that it serves as an incentive for terrorists to keep making demands, in this way encouraging more terrorist activity. In the long run, if terrorists know that governments will not negotiate with them, they are unlikely to keep making demands.   For example, during the terrorist school siege in Beslan, Russia did not negotiate with the terrorists.   It can be argued that the people who died in Beslan would not have died if Russia had negotiated with the terrorists and had given them what they wanted.   However, in the long run, Russia disencouraged terrorists from holding schools ransom or trying similar stunts by showing them that such attempts to negotiate are unsuccessful. Negotiation is ineffective and a sign of weakness Terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda are considered to be radical Islamic extremists who seek the destruction of all negotiations with the United States and its allies (Zalman 2007).   Therefore, negotiating with them would be ineffective.   Moreover, it will be seen as a sign of weakness and would encourage them to exploit it. Negotiating with terrorists rewards terrorist activity and destabilizes honest political systems By negotiating with terrorists, a government can be argued to be rewarding terrorists for their violent behaviour, something which should never be done.   If terrorists are given what they want, they will come back and ask for more. Furthermore, negotiating with terrorists erodes and weakens the value of non -violent and pacifist means of achieving political change (Zalman 2007).   Negotiation with terrorists destabilizes political systems by encouraging terrorists to keep making demands, and establishes a dangerous precedent (Zalman 2007). Terrorists may not honor the terms of their demands Terrorists cannot be trusted to comply with the terms of a negotiation.   Truces with terrorist groups don’t always hold, as has been the case with Israel and Hamas, and with Spain and ETA (Zalman 2007). Furthermore, even a truce with a terrorist leader, for example Osama Bin Laden, does not guarantee that the entire worldwide Al Qaeda terrorist group will honor the terms of the truce.   This makes negotiating harder and less effective. Bibliography Zalman, A. (2007). Why Not Negotiate with Terrorists- -Pros and Cons of Talking to Al Qaeda. (Online) Retrieved April 2 2007. http://terrorism.about.com/od/globalwaronterror/i/NegotiateQaeda.

Crowdsourcing in AOL

Crowdsourcing in AOL The century of information technology brings world innovative solutions that no one could predict earlier. The increasing popularity is gained by crowdsourcing in the job search area. It is a new scheme of distribution of labor when thousands of people, especially from online community, can work for even a small company at the same time adding a small contribution that integrates with those of others to serve specific organizational goals (Brabham 2013).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Crowdsourcing in AOL specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More I consider crowdsourcing that AOL applied is a model of outsourcing. Definition of outsourcing refers to act of contracting business functions to a third-party business done by a group of employees, each performing a particular task of the project. Nevo Kotlarsky claim that outsourcing is â€Å"fueled by service providers with strong technological capabilities and access to a glob al talent pool† (Nevo Kotlarsky 2014, p.1). However, there are some differences between these two models such as risks, implications, the level of control, etc. Outsourcing is more predictable than crowdsourcing because people are usually known to the job owner. For example, Maloney was not familiar with the people who perform his project. Nevertheless, in my opinion, crowdsourcing is a kind of outsourcing because both engage in performing goods or services from external employers. When making a decision about crowdsourcing a certain businesses process, it is necessary to pay attention to several factors. To begin with, in order to have a well-done job, only tasks that do not require advanced knowledge should be crowdsourced. Moreover, broken into micro-tasks this job would better suit to non-creative workers as it might be a housewife from Montana state as well as a homeless refugee. In addition, one should keep it in mind that sometimes crowdsourcing might be ineffective. F or instance, executives should consider the stage of product development: the closer the release of the product, the more valuable reviews of potential customers are, while, at the stage of the designing, Internet users opinion is almost useless. I believe that the advantages of crowdsourcing are significant for both worker and employer as it provides people with working opportunities and reduces total labor cost. It is usually faster than traditional hiring. Besides, people might accept crowdsourcing as a part-time job, especially students or mothers with a baby, or NEET (Not in Education, Employed, and Trained) people. By offering the solution for a large group of potential contractors, the employer automatically reaches a wide coverage. At the same time, he does not make additional effort saving such resources as time and money. A wide range of people is definitely one of the key technologies of crowdsourcing. In the case when a creative task is given a person exchanges ideas, di scusses the project with his friends, comes up with new ideas and innovations, he is incredibly motivated and valuable for the company.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, there exist some disadvantages. Deceitful companies maliciously employ people without caring for minimum wage stated by law. Furthermore, underage students might be in charge of monotonous and irritating tasks for a long time. On the grounds of mismatching the level skill of a worker, the employer gets some risks, if service level agreement was not discussed. Therefore, I suggest that crowdsourcing is appropriate in a particular case, for a special task, and for a certain worker. A possibility of working at home performing easy tasks attracts plenty of people around the world. One can earn about $20 per day and sometimes even more. Experts are predicting that the power of crowd would drive t he future of business since crowdsourcing becomes a real panacea for those who could not find a permanent job for a long time. Reference List Brabham, Daren C 2013, Crowdsourcing, MIT Press, Cambridge. Nevo, D Kotlarsky, J 2014, ‘Primary vendor capabilities in a mediated outsourcing model: Can IT service providers leverage crowdsourcing?’, Decision Support Systems, vol. 65, pp. 17-27.

Introduction to the topic of the essay

Introduction to the topic of the essay Free Online Research Papers Introduction to the topic of the essay The relationship between the figure of the fool and the figure of death in relation to the fall of man. Why the fall of man is important The cause of mortality The original folly Nakedness, the first realisation of sexuality The legacy of Eve (female weakness, sinfulness, seductiveness, affinity with the devil) and how this affects the didactic message. A brief definition of ‘illicit sexuality’ in the Middle Ages – Social norms, moral expectations, Biblical/Church influence/rules (eg. The attitude towards courtship (Hoffart), adultery, sex within marriage). The significance of this topic. Explanation of Vanity, which is central to this essay. The importance of the role model. The importance of the IDEAL. Moral ideals, religious ideals, the ideal of each ‘type’ of person. Categorising of the individual of males, females, children, prominent religious figures etc. do these texts reinforce the medieval class system? Criticism of vice may it be illicit sexuality, non piety, drinking, gluttony†¦ There is an interesting link between the figure of the fool and the figure of death. This relates to the fall of man through which paradise and immortality were lost which is at the root of all foolishness. Therefore the fool is the reason why man dies and death is in turn the last consequence of folly. Therefore the fool becomes a symbol of the transitory nature of human life and the imminence of death. Picture of death dressed as the fool. The figure of death also appears in the Narrenschiff a few times and in chapter 94 the fool and death appear to be accomplices. Introduction of the works: ‘Narrenschiff’ by Sebastian Brandt, first published in German in 1494 and subsequently translated into French and Latin. Brandt’s ‘Narrenschiff’ was reputedly the most influential publication in Europe until the publication of Goethe’s Werther in 1774. The ‘Totentanz’ emerged as a major theme in the iconography of the 15th century and was a form of moral and social education. The texts are closely related in subject matter, time and geography. Although the texts serve a similar purpose, as didactic texts, the approach differs with the grotesque and frightening use of figure of death and the satirical and sometimes humorous use of the figure of the fool. Humanism and Catholicism: two approaches to the same end The treatment of the moral ideal and how it varies from group to group: men, women, children, clergy, pious, sinful, poor, rich, foreign etc. What does the varying treatment of each social group show about the moral dynamics of medieval society? Are the texts written specifically to maintain church standards? Do they reinforce society’s ranking system. Religious referencing. Direct re-telling of biblical stories. Depictions of the seven sins. Reinforcement of biblical teachings. Totentanz: simplistic, overtly religious, macabre, plays on the fear of judgment day as a means of control, uses role models of bad behaviour. Narrenschiff: satire as a device of teaching, the macabre does find it’s way into this text (the figure of death still features), well founded religious basis-ingrained into society, allegory†¦ The humanist movement is important in understanding the Narenschiff as the use of the Fool as a vehicle for moral and social teachings as opposed the use of saintly examples or scare tactics mirrors the social unrest and criticism of the church that was represented by humanism. Humanism can be defined as a belief in the high potential of human nature rather than belief in the religious or trandescendal values, values which had dominated didactic literature almost entirely until this time. The use of satire as a way to influence society’s behaviour and morals relates to humanism as it relies on human nature, through satire Das Narrenschiff subtley criticizes the church and the political system. The Bible and the Fool In the Bible the fool is defined as one who does not believe in the existence of God. He is given as an example for stupid or bad behaviour throughout the Bible. The most well know example of this is the parable of the rich fool who, after having a prosperous harvest has not enough space to store all his fruit and so pulls down his smaller barn to build a bigger one in which everything can be stored. The rich fool is happy that he will be able to eat, drink and be merry for many years but God says that he will die that night and what good will all of his possessions be then. It is stated â€Å"So is he that layeth trasure up for himself, and is not rich towards God.† This very sin is depicted in the Narrenschiff. In Psalm 52, 2 it says â€Å"In his heart the fool says; there is no God.† This quote encapsulates the biblical image of the fool, one who denies the existence of God and is therefore in league with the devil. The Fool represents a world turned upside down, one that is against God. Research Papers on Introduction to the topic of the essayCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite ReligionComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsMind TravelEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenCapital PunishmentInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andResearch Process Part OnePETSTEL analysis of India

Forming Plurals with s

Forming Plurals with s Forming Plurals with ’s Forming Plurals with ’s By Maeve Maddox This reader’s lament prompted the recent spate of apostrophe posts: Could you please do a post on possessives versus plurals? Im seeing this mistake more and more, to the point where I saw someone use an apostrophe for a plural on a billboard. Because people are easily confused by the apostrophe, I have treated possession separately: The Singular Possessive Apostrophe The Plural Possessive Apostrophe Now, I’ll focus on the reader’s main concern: the use of the apostrophe to form a plural. Some English speakers associate the apostrophe so strongly with the letter s that they compulsively hurl it at every s that occurs at the end of a word. For example: 20 Craft Idea’s for Kid’s Three Barber’s on Duty My Cat Love’s Me All Product’s Updated Frequently Puppie’s For Sale Open Sunday’s Our Preschooler’s Can Read In deference to another reader, who has asked me to supply corrected versions of cited errors, here are the correct forms: 20 Craft Ideas for Kids Three Barbers on Duty My Cat Loves Me All Products Updated Frequently Puppies For Sale Open Sundays Our Preschoolers Can Read I wish that I could state the rule that one must never ever use an apostrophe to form a plural. All I can say is that one must almost never ever do so. Certainly, an apostrophe is never used to form the plural of an ordinary noun. Someone who sports a bumper sticker that says, â€Å"Our preschooler’s can read† or letters a sign that says â€Å"Puppie’s for sale,† has a feeble understanding of how noun plurals are formed in English: one preschooler, two preschoolers one puppy, two puppies Someone who embroiders â€Å"My cat love’s me† on a cushion has never learned the difference between nouns and verbs. Third person singular verbs in English end with s: He runs, she sings, it barks. Apostrophes are never used with verbs. We can postulate a rule about words that end in s: If a word ends in the letter s, don’t put an apostrophe anywhere near it, unless you wish to indicate possession. So, when is it all right to form a plural with ’s? Usually, the only time to use ’s to form a plural is when pluralizing letters and symbols like and %. Authorities differ. The Plural of Capital Letters The Chicago Manual of Style states the rule that most capitals may be pluralized by adding s without an apostrophe and gives this example: â€Å"Children need to master the three Rs.† The AP Stylebook, on the other hand, recommends using the apostrophe to form the plural of all capital letters and gives the example â€Å"the three R’s.† The AP recommendation makes practical sense because some capital letters do require an apostrophe for clarity. Compare: Your Ss, Is, and Us are illegible. Your S’s, I’s, and U’s are illegible. The Plural of Lowercase Letters Lowercase letters require an apostrophe for clarity. Compare: There are two is in liaison. There are two i’s in liaison. The Plural of Numerals Numerals form their plurals by adding s only: He bowled three 300s. His parents grew up in the 1950s. Both CMOS and AP agree that numerals may form the plural without an apostrophe. OxfordDictionaries online does allow the use of the apostrophe to show the plurals of single numbers: â€Å"Find all the number 7’s.† The Penguin Guide to Punctuation (first published 1997), states that American usage calls for an apostrophe with a date and admonishes British speakers: â€Å"You should not adopt this practice unless you are specifically writing for an American audience.† The use of an apostrophe with a pluralized date may once have been American practice, but now both the Chicago Manual of Style and the AP Stylebook state that dates are pluralized without an apostrophe: â€Å"the 1950s.† The trend globally is against the use of the apostrophe to form the plural of anything. Using an apostrophe to form the plural of a word, letter, symbol, or numeral is justified only if leaving it out would interfere with reading comprehension. I’ve yet to exhaust the topic of apostrophe use, but this will have to do for now. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:5 Uses of Infinitives8 Types of Parenthetical PhrasesTitled versus Entitled

Collaborative Learning in E-learning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Collaborative Learning in E-learning - Essay Example Nam June Paik was born on July 20, 1932. His birth place was the city of Seoul, in South Korea. He had five siblings and was the youngest of them all. He showed interest in the arts from a very tender age. While growing up, he trained on how to play the piano especially classical music. During the Korean war of 1950, their family was forced to flee from Korea to Hong Kong but finally settled in Japan. He went to the University of Tokyo from where he graduated with a degree in music (www.paikstudios.com1). After his studies, this open minded individual relocated to Germany where he studied the history of music under the tutelage of Thrasybulos Georgiades. While taking his studies at the Munich University, Nam June got to meet other music composers such as John Cage and Karlheinz Stockhausen. He also met conceptual artists Joseph Beuys and Wolf Vostell from whom he derived his inspiration to work in the electronic art field. He met the experimental composer Cage during an International Summer Course for New Music in 1958. Paik started showing great interest in avant-garde music while he was trying to find his niche. During his stay in Germany, he started work as a musician and doing performance all over the place. The composers such as Karlheinz had profound contribution to Paik’s choice of a career. Under the tutelage of John Cage, Paik found the confidence to incorporate different styles into his music. He began including aspects of silence and chance into some of his works. It was not long before Paik started getting invites to perform at various avant-garde concerts. Some of his more famous works was the piece Stockhausen’s Originale and Hommage à   John Cage which were his own personal creations. The latter was a tribute to his mentor John Cage. Besides being credited his achievements in the video art world, he also envisioned the internet generation we see

Leadership and Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Leadership and Change - Essay Example With the mail-order being a success, Branson used the money earned from this company to buy a record store and to leverage it into a chain (Branson, 2009). Over time, he has managed to add 360 acquisitions to Virgin Music Group including airlines, trains, books, healthcare, wines, comics, fitness clubs, financial services and space travel among others (Bowerman & Wart, 2011). One major reason behind the success of Virgin group of companies is Branson’s unique leadership, charisma and effective timing (Fox, 2004). These qualities have enabled him to anticipate, and manage change effectively in his business empire. Though he is remarkably reserved and shy in person (Fox, 2004), Branson has the ability to change failures to his advantage, which enables him to gain publicity (Fabrikant, 1997). This daring nature has being the motivation behind his successful empire. Implementation of change Branson’s effective implementation of change can be illustrated by Kotter’s e ight steps change model. As the virgin empire started to expand in 1990s, Virgin megastores, and Virgin Records were doing well (Grant, 2005). However, Virgin Atlantic was not doing well, and it needed huge investments in order to break from being a small time operator to medium sized carrier (Branson, 2002); which is in accordance with Kotter’s model that requires establishment of a sense of contingence to affect change (Sabri, Gupta & Beitler, 2007). According to Grant (2005), Branson’s ingenious ideas to wade through these circumstances were to float the company, and raise the required expansion capital via the city and shareholders. However, immediately after this decision, it became apparent to Branson that this decision was at odds with the kinds of risks shareholders were prepared to stand (Grant, 2005). Surprisingly, in creating a guiding coalition in accordance with Kotter’s change model, Branson decided to sell Virgin records, and bought back Virgin At lantic. It was through such strategic decisions that Virgin Atlantic has become a successful business empire today. Branson approach in his career is that of influence, and has the ability to create a common purpose among his followers; his approach is to make people achieve things that they did not know they had the ability to achieve (Daft, 2002). Therefore, Branson develops a vision and strategy to implement the specific changes, and communicates the same to his employees; these are among the steps in Kotter’s change model (Sabri, Gupta & Beitler, 2007). He establishes the change, creates the guiding principles, develops the vision and the strategies to lead to the required change, or to attain his goals. Usually, every organizational change has a range of consequences, and one of the consequences of floatation of Virgin Atlantic was change in internal environment, and an organizational culture in which employees have to thrive in (Cox, 2009). One of the remarkable cultura l changes under Branson was making employees to have decentralized chains of commands, in ensuring that they are not answerable to one leader. Empowering employees for action is one of the steps in Kotter’s change model (Sabri, Gupta & Beitler, 2007). Branson in his organizational culture ensured employees were answerable to shareholders (Grant, 2005). Grant further noted that Richard Branson’s principles and approach to handling change enables transitions to

Tips about How to play soccer well Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Tips about How to play soccer well - Essay Example Teamwork and coordination are the most important elements for a successful soccer game. The necessity for passing and moving the ball in the running game is very important for a successful game tactic. The more the game is kept in the run, the higher the chances there are of scoring a goal. Great club teams like Manchester United and Arsenal have great emphasis on passing the ball across the field. This ensures that the ball gets to a wider number of players – or rather the referee is made to run a lot more – resulting in the creation of more opportunities for scoring a goal from different crosses and angles. A team that can move around the field with the ball is a nightmare for a goalkeeper. It not only requires on him to focus on the ball from different angles but adds to the complexity of judging potential shots from a fast moving ball. It can be said that a goal is an outcome of several mid-field operational tactics that often are based on keeping the ball changing feet more often than

Stovall home products case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Stovall home products case - Essay Example We are sorry for the inconvenience caused for you in this regard and there is more effective solution available to remove stains from resin based finish. Please note, Mix the ingredients with one gallon of cold water, two tablespoon of sodium sulphate and a half cup of white vinegar thoroughly. Afterwards, immerse the whole jacket for about 20 minutes, then rinse the jacket by hand or run it in washing machine with water only, do not add anything at all and hang the jacket to drip dry. Sodium sulphate can be purchased either from a drug store or a photo supply shop. One more alternative solution is also available. You can send your Sportique jacket to us and we have many alternatives to work on it, it will take a couple of weeks’ time. If you are willing then do send it to us and Stovall will pay the postage. Website for â€Å"Negative Message Writing† (Writing Negative Messages, 2002). is used for learning about how we have to communicate the negative messages in various situations and it also involves various legal implications. In the above situation the problem is caused by the consumer not Stovall’s even though we need to treat the customer based on positive approach. So we have mentioned quite clearly the cause for the issue and also suggesting her some possible solutions to get rid of the problem. If she is not able do to it at home, Stovall is willing do to for her at Stovall’s cost. The above information can be arranged as per learning from the website. I referred a book for â€Å"Writing an effective business letter† (Writing An Effective Business Letter, 2013) for learning letter templates. Based on their template only, I had drafted the above

The philosophy of Leadership Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The philosophy of Leadership - Term Paper Example The scholars look for some extraordinary characteristics and traits essential for the making of leadership. Although the magnitude of these qualities may vary from person to person, as well as from one situation to the other, yet these are essential for turning the individuals the leader of their group, community, society or nation. These qualities include commitment to the mutual cause, loyalty and sincerity to the group, honesty, integrity, courage and benevolence. The scholars are of the opinion that it is essential for a successful leadership that it must be visionary, bold, resolute and determined, which could combat with opposition on the one hand, and can resist the challenges and problems the followers undergo on the other. Consequently, a leader is man of crisis that can successfully steer the ship of the community towards the safe harbors. Consequently, a true leader not only possesses the ability of foreseeing and predicting the situation, but also is in a position to solv e the same by dint of his courage, astuteness and prudence. One of the most imperative differences between leader and followers includes that a follower can display selfishness by placing his personal needs and requirements on priority, but the same could not be observed in the thinking and behavior of a true and dedicated leader, who always strive to take steps for the wellbeing of the entire community or organization. If a leader tries to keep his personal vested interests at priority and neglects the collective interest of his group, team or nation, the followers reject to remain under his command, and appear to be dedicated to replace him with some other person for the growth and development of the entire community. The same can be witnessed in the national and state elections, where the person displaying utmost sincerity and dedication to every stratum of society is elected by the people as president, member parliament or other administrative position. The philosophy of true le aderships takes the leader as person, who is free from ethnic, racial, religious, regional, gender and other prejudices. Hence, a dedicated leader is equally sympathetic, sacrificing and compassionate towards his followers without taking their appearance, color, complexion, gender, socioeconomic position, qualification and sexual orientation etc into account altogether. History and Holy Scriptures are replete with the noble ways adopted by the holy men, who suffered painful trials in order to convey and communicate the sacred message of God to the humanity at large. Actually their steadfastness, iron-will, firmness and care for all people make them as the mentors, preachers and spiritual leaders of their people. The holy prophets and saints loved and interacted with the downtrodden people of society, and never looked down upon the poor, needy, disabled and paupers even. Their

Are steroids harmful Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Are steroids harmful - Research Paper Example The experience was daunting for his family as well and I saw them facing this difficult situation rather closely. This personal observation made me curious about steroids and I wanted to know why its use is restricted in professional sports. I began reading steroids and found out that there was a whole era of steroids usage in American baseball (Kendrick n.p). Upon further drilling, I found that even our body produces steroids, however they are in moderate quantities and are relatively required by our body. Sometimes due to health conditions, steroids are recommended by health experts although over dosage has its side effects. At this point, I remembered that my grandmother had rheumatoid arthritis and doctors recommended oral steroids to her. Another interesting article caught my eye about injection of steroids in human food by cattle and vegetation farmers. Local farmers are generously using steroids in order to produce healthy livestock that can be sold to commercial food manufact urers who appear to be aware of the contents of meat and other natural produce that they are buying (Atwell n.p). Since I am highly conscious about my health and avoid taking foods that tend to have artificial flavors, preservatives and food colorings, this fact was quite disturbing. An extensive analysis of the issue by web and library-based research helped me understand the situation and increased my interest in use of steroids by food manufacturers and harmful effects of steroids on human body.... Most of the search was about athletes using steroids and there was relatively less data available on the subject matter which made me realize that may be the general public is unaware of what is in their food and how it is causing major harm to their health. During this search, I questioned myself if use of steroids by food manufacturers is intentional and whether they are aware of the fact that they are inducing obesity and other major health diseases and disorders in American nation, when obesity is one of the major health issues faced by United States. Works Cited Atwell, Janet. â€Å"Can steroids in our food actually make health issues worse?† Yahoo. n.p, 15 Feb. 2007. Web. 18 Jun. 2013. Kendrick, Scott. â€Å"Baseball players accused of using performance-enhancing drugs.† About.com. n.p, n.d. Web. 18 Jun. 2013. Menton, Jessica. â€Å"Top 10 most shocking athletes caught using performance enhancing drugs.† Yahoo Sports. NBC Sports Network, 25 Jul. 2011. Web. 18 Jul. 2013. â€Å"The use of steroid hormones for growth promotion in food-producing animals.† Food and Drugs Authority. US department of Health and Services, 2002. Web. 18 Jul. 2013. Student’s Name Class Essay 2 Burning Question: Are Steroids harmful and whether food manufacturers are trying to kill us? Writing a Profile It is an established practice that many athletes and general consumers use steroids to gain strength and enhance their body features. Being a restricted practice in professional sports the athletes face major setbacks in case of failure to pass drug and enhancement tests. Furthermore, the use of steroids leads to hormonal disorder causing irreversible damage to our internal body structure (Lenehan 129). One shocking aspect of this search was a series of articles about use of

The philosophy of Leadership Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The philosophy of Leadership - Term Paper Example The scholars look for some extraordinary characteristics and traits essential for the making of leadership. Although the magnitude of these qualities may vary from person to person, as well as from one situation to the other, yet these are essential for turning the individuals the leader of their group, community, society or nation. These qualities include commitment to the mutual cause, loyalty and sincerity to the group, honesty, integrity, courage and benevolence. The scholars are of the opinion that it is essential for a successful leadership that it must be visionary, bold, resolute and determined, which could combat with opposition on the one hand, and can resist the challenges and problems the followers undergo on the other. Consequently, a leader is man of crisis that can successfully steer the ship of the community towards the safe harbors. Consequently, a true leader not only possesses the ability of foreseeing and predicting the situation, but also is in a position to solv e the same by dint of his courage, astuteness and prudence. One of the most imperative differences between leader and followers includes that a follower can display selfishness by placing his personal needs and requirements on priority, but the same could not be observed in the thinking and behavior of a true and dedicated leader, who always strive to take steps for the wellbeing of the entire community or organization. If a leader tries to keep his personal vested interests at priority and neglects the collective interest of his group, team or nation, the followers reject to remain under his command, and appear to be dedicated to replace him with some other person for the growth and development of the entire community. The same can be witnessed in the national and state elections, where the person displaying utmost sincerity and dedication to every stratum of society is elected by the people as president, member parliament or other administrative position. The philosophy of true le aderships takes the leader as person, who is free from ethnic, racial, religious, regional, gender and other prejudices. Hence, a dedicated leader is equally sympathetic, sacrificing and compassionate towards his followers without taking their appearance, color, complexion, gender, socioeconomic position, qualification and sexual orientation etc into account altogether. History and Holy Scriptures are replete with the noble ways adopted by the holy men, who suffered painful trials in order to convey and communicate the sacred message of God to the humanity at large. Actually their steadfastness, iron-will, firmness and care for all people make them as the mentors, preachers and spiritual leaders of their people. The holy prophets and saints loved and interacted with the downtrodden people of society, and never looked down upon the poor, needy, disabled and paupers even. Their

The Home Video Game Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Home Video Game - Case Study Example Nintendo is a one-century old video game company in Japan. Before diversifying into the video game business, Nintendo had built up a card playing business. Nintendo Company is located in Kyoto and is managed by Yamauchi family. It started diversifying into the video game business in the 1970s. Nintendo acquired a video game technology license from Magnavox. The company introduced a home video game system in Japan in 1977. The game was based on the technology which played a Pong variation. Later, in 1978, Nintendo started selling coin-operated video games. Nintendo encountered the first hit with Donkey Kong, a company designed by Shigeru Miyamoto (Hill 20). Capabilities and competitive advantage that led to Nintendo’s success in the home game industry included the decision of the company’s manager which involved Nintendo developing its own video game machine. The manager pushed the engineers of the company to construct high-quality machines. The machines combined high graphics capabilities and their cost was low. They were sold at a half price less than the competing machines (Hill 20). The designed machines were based on consoles, controllers, and plugs in the cartridge format. The machines were made up of two chips which included an eight-bit processing unit and a graphics processing unit. Each chip performed an essential function. To lower the cost of the machines, the manager avoided using the 16-bit processor that was available at that time. The most important aspect of Nintendo Company’s strategy was the creation of cheap but high-quality games. Another important aspect was creating games with few instructions. The environment of the home video game does not allow for a single company to remain dominant over a long period. This is because success in the industry attracts many competitors.  Ã‚  

Born in East LA Essay Example for Free

Born in East LA Essay What do see when you take a look at a Latino? Do you notice what they are wearing? Or how they walk? Or maybe you just jump into a conclusion and stereotype him/her as an illegal immigrant. Throughout the years Latinos have faced many challenges because of their skin color, the way they dress, or because of the way they talk. Many films have shown Latinos as illegal immigrants to show us how the world views them, but a specific film â€Å"Born in East L. A† shows us how even though a Latino can be an American Citizen they still face many racist stereotypes. Even though a Latinos parents or grandparents have immigrated into the United States years ago and have permanent residency in the United States, they can still face push and pull factors that can motivate them to either go back to their country of origin or motivate them into staying in the United States. In this paper I will show how Born in East L. A represents Latinos as illegal immigrants through the techniques of stereotyping, immigration, and push/pull factors. Born in East L.  A shows us the story of a Chicano named Rudy (Cheech Marin) is deported after being caught in a police raid at toy factory while looking for his cousin. Because of the police raid Rudy is caught and is deported to Mexico even though he is an American citizen. Rudy tries to explain to the police that he is an American citizen but when is asked to show proof of citizenship he figures out that he does not have his wallet and is forced to stay in Mexico. Even though Rudy is an American citizen but is of Mexican descent, he is stereotyped as an illegal immigrant because of his accent and because of the way he looks. One particular scene in the movie that shows massive stereotyping about Latinos is the scene where the French woman appears walking through the city and is gazed upon all the Latino men. This is an example of stereotyping because the woman represents the sexual desire for a white woman by Latino men (Lizzberry). The woman is being tracked across the city to represent how Latinos chase the American dream and how badly they desire the need to assimilate in America (Lizzberry). Another scene from the film that depicts stereotypes is the scene in which the INS officers raid a toy factory and quickly assume that all the Mexicans working in the factory are illegal. The film shows this stereotype by labeling the INS officers â€Å"La Migra† which is Spanish for immigration officers, and all the workers begin to run out the factory trying to avoid being caught and deported. From that particular scene the audience can already assume that everyone that was working in the toy factory was an illegal immigrant because all the workers were being show cased as illegals because they began to run away from the INS officers. In America immigration has become a major problem over the years causing many states to create their own immigration laws which do not allow illegal immigrants to have jobs, own a house, or own a car without proper documentation. In Born in East L. A we are shown how Mexican immigrants continue to try to cross over the border to the United States by having them run across a hill and avoiding the border patrol agents. The role of immigrants in this movie was to portray how Latinos are being classified as illegal immigrants throughout America because of their skin color and background. Towards the finale of the film Rudy gathers a group of illegal immigrants to help him cross the border by having them all rush down the hills in large groups which end up scaring off the border patrol agents allowing Rudy and the other people to safely cross the border (Fregoso 61) Even though Latinos cross the border into America they still face many challenges that can push them back towards their home countries. One factor that pushes Latinos back in the film is how the film showcases Rudy and all his attempts to try to cross over to the United States but fails many times. By showcasing this people can see why many immigrants suffer to try to cross the border on a daily basis. Even though it is hard to cross the border into America, many immigrants still try to do so because they are being pulled in by the opportunities that await them in America. Another factor that pulls Latinos into this country is the chance to get ahead in society; many immigrants come to America for a better education and high paying jobs that they couldn’t receive back in their countries. In the film we are shown how Rudy is forced to cross over south of the border to Mexico thus showing us how hard it is to cross the border (Fregoso 67). Throughout the movie we are being showed many stereotypes that fall into the Latino category such as being called an illegal immigrant. We are also being showed how immigration can cause Latinos to be deported because of their skin color and we also see how different push/pull factors affect the Latinos. From the film we can tell that many Latinos want to come to America ecause of job opportunities that the Anglos offer because they always end up losing workers because of INS raids. Because of the raids company owners are forced to quickly hire workers who can work at low wages so they are forced to hire Latinos because they view the Latinos as illegal immigrants seeking quick employment for mostly any rate of pay. Since many job opportunities open up for the Latinos they keep crossing over the border on a daily basis to pursue the American Dream and to better their lives.

The Biology of the Venom of Hapalochlaena Maculosa :: Poisonous Australia Wildlife Essays

The Biology of the Venom of Hapalochlaena maculosa Hapalochlaena maculosa, commonly known as the blue-ringed octopus, is a golf ball-sized cephalopod inhabiting the waters around Tasmania and southeastern Australia with a highly potent neurotoxin that it uses as a predatory and defensive mechanism. H. maculosa does not actually synthesize its venom, but rather, the neurotoxin (known as maculotoxin) is produced by a bacterial symbiont of the octopus that lives in its salivary glands. While not overly aggressive, H. maculosa has been known to bite humans when they disturb the usually reclusive octopus. Tetrodotoxin (TTX), the principle component of maculotoxin, inhibits the nervous system by binding to sodium channels on nerve cells to prevent the flow of sodium and release of neurotransmitters. Recent findings have shown that there are sodium channel variants that are either immune or resistant to tetrodotoxin. In most humans, however, victims of the blue-ringed octopus’s neurotoxin will enter into increasingly dangerous s tages of paralysis, which will often end in death of the victim without medical assistance. Sustained medical care for the duration of the toxin’s effects will improve the likelihood of a victim’s survival, but mortality rates are still staggeringly high despite current medical efforts and attempts to find an antidote. Introduction Australia is home to many of the most venomous animals in the world. Many people know that the bites from many of Australia’s snakes and spiders or the stings from its jellyfish and scorpions can be lethal, and oftentimes images of a person writhing in agony as a toxin courses through his or her body come to mind. However, one of Australia’s deadliest creatures has a toxin that works in a very different way. The venom of Hapalochlaena maculosa, or the blue-ringed octopus, causes relatively little pain, but its effects are much more terrifying for the victim. This venom, known as maculotoxin, is an unusual venom both in how it has come to be the weapon of the blue-ringed octopus and in how it works. Physical Biology H. maculosa is a member of Class Cephalopoda and Family Octopodidae. The octopus is made up of a main body, or head, in which there is a well-developed brain, a mouth region that houses the beak, and a pair of eyes. Surrounding the mouth are eight or ten tentacles which are lined with suckers. Within the mantle cavity are the visceral organs, including the venom apparatus (Halstead et al.

Douglas Coupland’s Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture: an alternative voice :: Essays Papers

Douglas Coupland’s Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture: an alternative voice On production of his first novel, Coupland was labelled by critics spokesman for a new lost generation - â€Å"Generation X† - those individuals aged between mid-twenties and mid-thirties who have come of age in an increasingly technological and materialistic bureaucratic society. As a consequence, they are emotionally scarred and alienated, reject conformity and search for some kind of meaning to life. When asked about this label, Coupland stated that he spoke â€Å"...for myself, not for a generation. I never have†, arguing that he addresses issues relevant to himself and his peer group who grew up in Vancouver (Hall, Sharon K. â€Å"Douglas Coupland† Contemporary Literary Criticism, Vol. 39, 29). The subsequent success of Generation X both in America and Europe, indicate that the experiences Coupland records are global, appealing to a wide audience who share his fears and expectations. While the debate about the lack of a distinctive Canadian voice continues, the critical reaction to Generation X illustrates the problems inherent within Canadian literature. Coupland wrote the novel in America, and it was here rather than his native country that it was actually published. In â€Å"Malaise of the Mall-Raised†, Brian Fawcett details the reasons for Coupland’s initial lack of success in Canada, indicating that it was the book buying public rather than the literary establishment who put Coupland on the literary map: ...the book couldn’t find a Canadian publisher, that the Globe and Mail didn’t review Generation X, or that Books in Canada...rejected [it] for having an attitude problem (Fawcett, Brian. â€Å"Malaise of the Mall-Raised† Books in Canada, Vol. 21, 44-6). Typical of this critical reaction, Laurel Boone in a Books in Canada review of Generation X, is scathing towards the novel which she describes as â€Å"shallow†, and for the fact that its Canadian characters do not translate the French phrases they use (Boone, Laurel. â€Å"Review of Generation X.† Books in Canada. Vol. 20, 50-1). Boone also faults Coupland’s use of cartoons, definitions and slogans within the work. One of these pop art cartoons shows a young man reading a real estate magazine and telling his father: â€Å"Hey, Dad, - You can either have a house or a life I’m having a life.† In contrast to Boone’s opinion, it was the actual format of the novel as well as the content which appealed to the reading public. The reason Coupland was overlooked may be due to the fact that his novel was viewed as the antithesis of conventional Canadian writing.

Food Quality Essay

* Relates to excellent product or services that fulfills or exceeds our expectations Food Quality * Includes all attributes that influence product’s value to the consumers. This includes, Negative attributes (e. g. spoilage, contamination with filth, discoloration, off odors & flavors; Positive attributes (e. g. origin, color, flavor, texture and processing method used. -Food Quality is a term which may refer to several things: ¦ the extent to which food contains the nutrients that match the kind and quantity of the nutritional needs of the person consuming the food  ¦ the extent to which the food is attractive in appearance & taste  ¦ the extent to which food is free from pathogenic bacteria & undesirable materials such as insecticides & antibiotic residues, etc FOOD QUALITY 1. Composite of characteristics/ attributes which differs from one unit to another 2. Totality of features/ characteristics of a product that bear on its ability to satisfy a given need: Needs: Safety Usability Availability Economics. Maintainability Environment Reliability 3. Uniformity, consistency and conformity to a given standard or specifications 4. A statement of what the user wants & what the manufacturer can provide 5. â€Å"Fitness for use†, â€Å"satisfaction level of costumers† Other Ways of Describing Quality 1. Fast selling brand of a food product might be labeled as â€Å"Extra Special Quality† 2. Products that are sold abroad may be termed as â€Å"Export Quality† 3. Some consumers may gauge quality in terms of brand popularity 4. From the large producer’s point of view, quality may mean product reliability. Small manufacturers – reliability may not be a concern, their concern is more on sell of the products. 5. In a seller’s market situation, product availability means quality Quality of Food is Based on the following: 1. Raw material – the quality of finished product is dependent on the quality of raw material 2. Sensory quality – food quality detectable by our senses can be categorized into 3: – appearance – texture – flavor 3. Microbiological quality – raw material and products should be free from toxin-producing microorganism QUALITY CONTROL Is Doing Things Right. THE FIRST TIME AND EVERYTIME Quality Control can also be defined as a. maintenance of specified finished product characteristics every time it is manufactured b. efficient control of raw material and of production process c. object of quality control is to produce a quality which: – satisfies the consumers; as cheap as possible; can be delivered in time to meet delivery requirement d. is the function or collection of duties which must be performed throughout an organization in order to achieve its quality objectives Stages of Quality Control 1. Set the specifications. a. Exactly what the customer or market expects b. Price at which product can be sold c. Delivery date d. Capability of equipment/ machines e. Capability of available inspection and test equipment 2. Prepare to manufacture a. Decide how to process the product b. Decide what equipment to use c. Specify the quality of raw materials and possible suppliers d. The in-line personnel e. Plan inspection and in-process quality control 3. Actual Processing/ Manufacture 4. Correction of quality defects 5. Provide long-term quality control planning Defects in Foods Defect. – perceptible deviation from product specs that makes product less fit, or unfit for consumption – the lack of something essential or required; or an imperfection – can occur singly or as a composite of several deviations Sources: 1. Raw material – biological system that deteriorates over time. 2. Personnel – staff’s commitment to their work and their ability to perform their task well. 3. In-process problems – quality loss due to poor understanding of processing methods and use of inadequate machines – due to lack of staff training Evidences of Defects Prevention Program: 1. Quality raw materials 2. Reduction of processing losses 3. Drop in the volume of rejects What is HACCP? * Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points * Prevention-based food safety system * A systematic approach to the identification, assessment of risk, and severity and control of biological, chemical and physical hazards associated with a particular food production process or practice (US FDA CFSAN, 2000) Two Important Terms * HAZARDS * CRITICAL CONTROL POINTS HAZARDS * Any biological, chemical, or physical property that may cause an unacceptable consumer health risk. * 3 major hazards. * Biological * Chemical * Physical -Biological Hazards * These organisms are commonly associated with humans and with raw products entering the food manufacturing facility. * Bacteria, foodborne viruses, parasites * Examples: * Salmonella, Listeria, Staphylococcus * Hepatitis A and Norwalk Viruses * Trichinella -Chemical Hazards * Chemical contaminants may be naturally occurring or may be added during the processing of the food. * Naturally Occurring Chemicals * Toxins from molds (aflatoxin) * Allergenic Proteins * Added Chemicals * Agricultural chemicals * Industrial chemicals. * Ingredients: Flavors enhancers, colors, preservatives -Physical Hazards * Foreign and extraneous materials * Foreign Materials * Anything that does not naturally occur in the food material * Hair, fingers (fingernails), plastic, metal filings, jewelry, gum etc. * Extraneous Materials * Anything that naturally occurs in the food but should not be there * Pits, seeds, peel, stems Critical Control Points * CCP’s * Process steps in specific food systems in which loss of control may result in an unacceptable health risk 7 Principles of HACCP: 1. Identify hazards in the system 2. Determine critical control points 3. Establish critical limits 4. Establish monitoring procedures 5. Establish corrective actions 6. Establish verification procedure 7. Establish record keeping and documentation procedures Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) – set of sanitary guidelines and control for compliance to assure safety and wholesomeness of foods. Concerns: 1. Personnel 2. Plant and grounds 3. Sanitary operation 4. Sanitary facilities and control 5. Equipment and utensils 6. Process and control Cleaning and Sanitization Cleaning – an operation that will remove at least 90% of the soil or dirt. Sanitization – application of sanitizers Sanitation – over-all cleanliness of the surroundings or anything that surrounds the food Steps: a. remove the debris b. pre-rinse c. application of cleaning aids d. post rinse e. sanitizing rinse FOOD SPOILAGE / DETERIORATION Food Spoilage/Deterioration -Includes losses in organoleptic desirability, nutritional value, safety and aesthetic appeal of the food -Food is subject to physical, chemical and biological deterioration, which go hand in hand Causal Factors: -Temperature (heat and cold) * Oxygen * Moisture * Light & radiation * Time. * Natural food enzymes * Micro- and macro- organisms * Industrial contaminants * Some foods in the presence of other foods In general, deterioration is slowed down when the food is low in moisture, high in salt/sugar or acid Shelf-life and Dating of Foods Shelf-life – is the time it takes a product to decline to an acceptable level – time a product remains saleable MAQ – minimum acceptable quality for the product must be defined by the manufacturers or retailers Actual length of shelf-life is dependent on a number of factors : 1. processing methods 2. packaging. 3. storage conditions Dating – provides consumers some indication of the shelf-life or freshness of the products they buy Type of code dates include: * date of manufacture (â€Å"pack date†) * date the product was displayed (â€Å"display date†) * date by which the product should be sold (â€Å"sell by date†) * last date of maximal quality (â€Å"best used date†) * date beyond which the product is no longer acceptable (â€Å"use by date† or â€Å"expiration date†) Major Causes of Food Deterioration -often the following factors do not operate in isolation -as such, effective preservation must eliminate or minimize all of these factors in a given food to prevent/minimize deterioration 1. Growth activities and activities of microorganisms – Bacteria, yeasts, molds – Microbial growth curve * Conditions necessary for microorganisms to grow: * Source * Food residue * Moisture * Time * Temperature * Invasion of microorganisms is due to contamination which can be avoided by sanitary practices and proper processing procedures and packaging * Not all microorganisms can cause disease or food spoilage, others are useful for food processing * Food borne diseases – special kind of deterioration that may or may not alter a food’s organoleptic properties 2. Infestation by insects, parasites and rodents. * Insects destroy 5-10% annual grain crops (US), in other countries (50%) * Parasites Examples of Parasites: * Trichinella spirallis, enters hogs eating uncooked food wastes; nematodes, penetrates hog intestines and find way into the pork – Entamoeba histolytica, parasite associated to raw human excrement and can infect crops when raw human excrement is used as fertilizer -can cause amoebic dysentery * Rodents – can consume large quantities of foods and they can contaminate food by filth they carry – can spread diseases like: Salmonellosis Leptospirosis Typhoid fever Plague 3. Activities of food enzymes and other chemical reactions within food itself * food enzymes are natural in healthy, uninfected foods * activity is intensified right after harvest * activity is sometimes desirable * can be inactivated by heat, chemicals and irradiation, etc. 4. Inappropriate temperatures (heat and cold) for a given food * heat and cold – can cause deterioration if not controlled; 10-38 °C (normal working temperature) * excessive heat: denatures protein, breaks emulsion, dries out food by evaporation and destroys vitamins * uncontrolled cold: FAV are frozen – discoloration, changes in texture. – can break emulsion such as in milk – denatures milk protein – chill injury 5. Either the gain or loss of moisture – Aw and Moisture Content (needed by microorganisms for growth and by different chemical reactions) 6. Reaction with oxygen * can cause chemical oxidation of nutrients, colors, flavors * required for growth of some microorganisms * can be excluded by vacuum packaging, addition of oxygen scavengers 7. Light * can destroy some vitamins (riboflavin, A and C); deteriorates many food colors * in milk – can cause â€Å"sunlight flavors† (induced fat oxidation and changes in CHON) * Can be minimized by opaque packaging 8. Time * quality decreases with time * object is to maintain and capture freshness of foods * to prolong shelf life – adequate processing, packaging and storage Spoilage of Different Kinds of Foods 1. Bread Mold: results in discoloration of the bread Ropiness: soft and sticky to touch, caused by sporeforming bacteria, Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis 2. Honey * high sugar(70-80%) and acidic (pH= 3. 2-4. 2) * chief cause of spoilage : Zygosaccharomyces mellis 3. Candy * not subject to microbial spoilage (high sugar and low MC) * except chocolate with soft centers (burst and may explode), cause by Clostridium spp. 4. Fruits and Vegetables * spoilage due to physical factors, action of their enzymes, microbial action or combination of these agents * microbial spoilage may be due to plant pathogen and/or saprophytic microorganisms * general type of spoilage: * bacterial soft rot (Erwinia caratova) * gray mold rot (Botrytis cinerea) * rhizopus rot (Rhizopus nigricans) * anthracnose (Colletotrichum lindemuthianum) * blue mold rot (Penicillium) * black mold rot (Aspergillus niger) 5. Fruit Juices * acidic (pH 2. 4-4. 7), all contain sugars (2-17%) * molds. * alcohol fermentation 6. Sauerkraut * inferior quality due to abnormal fermentation: high temp; low temp; too long fermentation * surface spoilage (destroy the acidity, permit other microorganisms to grow, softening, darkening and bad flavors) 7. Fresh Eggs * Defects: cracks, leaks, dirty spots on the exterior (will favor spoilage on storage) * Changes caused by microorganisms during storage: * green rot (Pseudomonas fluorescens) giving green color of the egg white * colorless rot (various microorganisms): yolk is affected 8. Meat and Meat Products. * raw meat: enzyme, microorganisms, oxidation of fats * beef: moderate amount of autolysis is desired to tenderize it, excessive autolysis (souring) * general principles: * Factors influencing invasion of tissues by microorganisms: * load in the gut of the animal * physiological condition of the animal before slaughter * method of killing and bleeding Factors affecting the growth of microorganisms in meat * kind and amount of microorganisms * physical properties of meat (exposed area, grinding) * chemical properties of the meat (MC, protein, CHO, pH). * availability of oxygen * temperature General types of spoilage in meat * aerobic condition: * surface slime (Pseudomonas, Achromobacter, Streptococcus, Leuconostoc, Bacillus, Micrococcus) * surface discoloration (Serratia marcescens, Pseudomonas, Micrococcus/Flavobacterium) * oxidation of fats * stickiness (molds) * whiskers (Thamnidium elegans, Mucor mucedo) * anaerobic condition: * putrefaction, souring Cured meats: addition of nitrates inhibit growth of microorganisms, spoilage same with fresh if stored improperly 9. Fish and Other Seafoods. * spoiled by autolysis, oxidation or bacterial activity * factors influencing spoilage: * kind of fish: flat fish vs. round fish, fatty fish deteriorates faster * condition of fish when caught: exhausted spoil rapidly * kind and extent of contamination of the fish flesh with bacteria * temperature * use of an antibiotic ice or dip evidences of spoilage: * brightness fades and dirty, yellow discoloration appears * slime on the fish increases * eyes gradually sink * gills: light pink to grayish yellow * softening of the flesh. * development of off-colors 10. Poultry * chief source of spoilage: bacteria * bacterial growth takes place on the surface and any cut surfaces and the decomposition products diffuse slowly into the meat * off-odor is noted when the bacterial count is at 2. 5 x 106 cfu/cm2 * Psuedomonas and Achromobacter * Micrococcus, Flavobacterium and Achromobacter * Surface of skin becomes slime, acid/sour odor 11. Milk Chief type of spoilage : * Souring or acid formation * Gas production * Proteolysis * Ropiness * Surface or throughout the milk.

How Golding Uses Symbols in Lord of the Flies Essay

William Golding’s book, Lord of the Flies (published in 1954) tells the story of a group of boys, who are stranded on an unknown island, when their plane crashes. On the surface, it is an interesting story of how the civilised English boys, during their time on the island, gradually lose their veneer of respectability and â€Å"decent† behaviour and devolve to the basest and barest form of humanity. Eventually, the boys almost entirely shake off the civilisation of the world they once knew. If we scratch beneath that surface, what we find is a much more complicated observation of society, laden with corporeal, philosophical and religious symbols. Indeed, the superb use of symbolism in the book is one of the contributing factors to the profundity of the book. The symbols that stand out the most are the conch; the gradual destruction of the island; Piggy’s spectacles; fire, and how it is used; and the beast, or the Lord of the Flies (another name given to the Devil), the crucial symbol, used throughout the book. All of these will be looked at into more detail, and, also, whether the beast is real or a physical manifestation of the boys’ fears, as well as the key comment that it is the evil which resides within man, will also be discussed. First, is the conch. This is the shell, which is discovered by Ralph and Piggy, and is used to represent power, authority and rules. From the very first time it is mentioned, Golding describes it as: â€Å"pretty and a worthy plaything†. It is, like everything else on the island, a simple and innocent object: and immediately afterwards, it becomes something so precious, due to its apparent beauty. Also, in the beginning, it is a mere utility: Piggy suggests that, when blown, it would be able to â€Å"call† the other boys, scattered around the area of the crash, to have a meeting. The fact that it is used to call already highlights its importance in the book, as it has instant results. The sound is, as Jack later says, like that of a trumpet, using the metaphor of summoning the boys: it has an authority all on its own. By the time of the next meeting, in the afternoon of that same day, Ralph, now elected leader, decides that it will be used during meetings, where only the person with it may speak. â€Å"‘I’ll give the conch to the next person to speak. He can hold it when he’s speaking†¦And he won’t be interrupted. Except by me.'† Rules have been established, and the conch is at the centre if them, so it, now, is the means of putting across one’s feelings and/or ideas. Naturally, everyone agrees, including Jack. Golding puts this into the book, commenting on man’s need for rules within a society, and a code of behaviour, thus demonstrating what the conch symbolises. As well as these, it also symbolises democracy and free speech in our modern society, one of the few positive statements on humanity within the book, in the fact that all the boys are able to say something, as opposed to rule by force, or an autocracy, as demonstrated by Jack’s leadership, later on in the book. By chapter Five, things have already drastically changed among the boys. The threat of the beast has been lurking among them all for some time, now, and it has been left to grow to such an extent, that more and more people are behaving differently towards the island and each other. When Ralph has to call an assembly concerning these issues, he finds it difficult to get anything across, or even to be listened to, without brandishing the conch, or repeatedly reminding them that he has it. This symbolises that the power and authority of the conch is weakening, as the boys are tiring of adhering to the rules. Ralph even comments on this during his speech, when he says: – â€Å"things are breaking up†¦We began well; we were happy. And then-â€Å". It also makes a sly comment on rules and authority among real human societies, saying that we are unable to keep to them because of our nature as â€Å"free† beings, and therefore, the very idea of a rule, something that will confine us, is only temporarily effective, because we just cannot rigidly or lastingly keep to them. Many have argued for and against this theory, and much of it has to do with where we believe our origins as humans lie. For instance, if one believes in the Christian God, they believe that we are the way we are, because of the Original Sin; if Atheist, one may believe in evolution, and that we should, possibly each of us, create our own rules and boundaries, and not let any one person or body decide for us. It is, indeed an interesting debate. The idea of power corrupting, and being corruptible in return, is also evident in the way that Jack speaks out openly against Ralph, repeatedly, either with or without the conch. He even says, during the assembly scene in chapter Five, â€Å"bollocks to the rules!† In chapter Eleven, by which time Jack has succeeded in taking almost complete control over the island, the idea of the conch has become a laughing stock, and it has physically become worn and faded, and less beautiful. Golding shows how everyone, including Ralph and Piggy, regards the conch. Despite them knowing, and seeing in practice, that the conch is virtually useless, Piggy still tells Ralph to call an assembly, and use it, because he is so rule-rigid and loyal to Ralph, that he refuses to undermine him by abandoning the rules; while even Ralph only uses it, under the direction of Piggy: – † ‘†¦You call an assembly, Ralph, we got to decide what to do.’ ‘An assembly for only us?’ ‘It’s all we got†¦Blow the conch,'† This strict allegiance of Piggy’s, even now, to Ralph and the conch proves to be his fatal feature, as, when he, Ralph, Sam and Eric go up to the Castle Rock of Jack’s tribe, among jeers, insults and being ignored, Piggy still says: â€Å"I’ve got the conch!† This annoys Jack and Roger so much, that both he, and the conch, now having â€Å"lost its glow†, are destroyed by the boulder, the conch being: â€Å"exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceas[ing] to exist.† Although there has been no real authority or rules for some time, by now, apart from Jack’s, the end of the conch marks the real end, as even the husk, the last remaining vestige of organisation and rules, has been done away with. The fact that it is destroyed along with its one true follower, and the way that Golding writes it, links it with the idea of a murder: not only of Piggy, but of the conch, itself. Golding cleverly emphasises how insignificant it has become by putting its destruction into half of a sentence, and concentrating on the main part of the event, Piggy’s death. The next symbol to be discussed in the book is that of the island, and its gradual and subsequent ruin. Like the conch, it is a beautiful, peaceful and untouched world, but it is constantly affected by the boys’ actions throughout, even from before the book. From the first paragraph, the site of the crash is referred to as the scar, as if it were an injury to a living being, which, it could be argued, it is. Nevertheless, in chapter One, Golding creates a beautiful image of the island as a whole, using vivid description to emphasise it’s natural beauty, and this is continued right up to the point of the discovery of the conch: â€Å"a great platform of pink granite†; â€Å"a criss-cross pattern of trunks, very convenient to sit on†; â€Å"bright with the efflorescence of tropical weed and coral†; â€Å"a golden light danced and shattered just over his face†; â€Å"the brilliance of the lagoon†. Golding’s intense description of t he lagoon and the watery areas all create the calming effect of water, due to his detailing their appealing aspects. The boys’ initial reactions to it are similar to what the reader should have. They find it amazing and exotic, seeing their whole situation as an adventure, likening it to popular adventure stories, aimed, mainly, at boys, such as Swallows and Amazons, Treasure Island, and Coral Island, which they say. Their excitement overpowers their sense of reality, and the fact that they are alone, without any parents or adults, which piggy reminds them of. But in chapter two, only just after Jack, Ralph and Simon have surveyed the island, and told everyone else how big and beautiful it is, their enthusiasm leads them to make an irreparable mistake. In an attempt to make some sort of signal to the outside world, they start a fire, which subsequently ends up scorching a large chunk of the island’s vegetation. This clearly symbolises man’s effect on the natural world, and how selfish and inconsiderate we have been, in furthering our own society. The excitement and vigour with which the boys readily execute the fire also comments on this: – â€Å"‘A fire! Make a fire!’ At once half the boys were on their feet.† Just like the young and carefree boys, man has created and used industry and technology to advance his own civilization, without the slightest thought for anything else. Already the intrinsic beauty of the island has been permanently tarnished twice. Piggy says, sarcastically, when commenting on the fire: – â€Å"You got your small fire all right.† This theme of the gradual destruction of the island is continued throughout the rest of the book, which charts, in a way, the time and scale of man’s destruction of the Earth. In chapter Six, the mother pig is brutally murdered, meaning that, now, although there will be plenty of meat, there won’t be any new pigs to hunt, when they are all hunted down. And, of course, it all comes to an end, when the fire courses through the island, at the end, in chapter Twelve, finally completely obliterating anything natural, or pure, about the island. â€Å"[Ralph] heard a curious trickling sound†¦as if someone were unwrapping great sheets of cellophane†¦Smoke was seeping through the branches in white and yellow wisps†¦and then the smoke billowed around him.† Concerning the island, and what it represents, Golding has used such vivid imagery in his description, that, when the island is being razed to the ground, the reader is left to feel slightly sorrowful about its end, and it encourages the reader to reflect on what has happened on it ever since the boys arrived. This ties in very well with the religious connection, the island even being described as an â€Å"Eden†: the idea of the Original Sin being the cause of man’s present physical and moral condition. At the beginning, the boys enjoy the island and are treating the whole experience as a great big adventure; after time elapses, and the boys have become afraid of the beast, lurking around the island, their terror and fear causes them to fight back against the island, thus doing things which, though they are not fully aware of it, are ruining their environment. Towards the end, they are conducting an all-out attack on the island, with the beast on it (though, with the leadership of Jack, this is somewhat directed against Ralph). Another distinctive symbol in the book, is Piggy’s spectacles. Not only are these a utility, when being used as the means to start a fire, but they also symbolise more: Piggy’s (or just, on its own) intelligence. It is the only asset that Piggy has over the others on the island, and it also ties in with him, his behaviour, and what they symbolise. Like the conch, and what it symbolises, Piggy holds dear his spectacles: this can be argued as natural, for reality’s sake, but he is not the only boy who has such high esteem for them. Jack seizes them from him twice, and it could be said that Jack only does it partly for their usefulness, partly for what they symbolise (intelligence and foresight), and partly because Jack just hates Piggy and will do anything to cause harm or suffering towards him. When in chapter Four, they are damaged, with one of the lenses being broken, he doesn’t care, as he mimics Piggy’s cry of â€Å"Just you wait.† And, in chapter Ten, Jack behaves triumphantly, when it is revealed that he and a couple of members of his tribe have raided the huts, and stolen Piggy’s spectacles: – â€Å"The chief led them†¦exulting in his achievement†¦From his left hand dangled Piggy’s broken glasses.† This reaffirms how jack abuses intelligence, by stealing the spectacles, and glorifying his triumph. Another clear sign that the glasses represent intelligence is the fact that Piggy, the most rational and scientific boy there, is less confident, without them. In chapter Ten, after the damage, but before the raid, Piggy says, to Ralph: â€Å"‘I only got one eye, now. You ought to know that'†. Despite his reliability, even Ralph is beginning to lose hope in Piggy, his spectacles, and the meaningless conch. Golding makes the glasses now represent hope, or the lack of it. Because Piggy’s sight is dimmer, no one can see a way out of their predicament. This links with what Golding is saying about how man needs rules, with the conch: so, man must also need hope, otherwise, listlessness and hopelessness set in. Therefore, the link between rules and authority, hope, intelligence and foresight, and rationality is strongly emphasised. Golding is saying that we, as â€Å"civilised† humans need all four, which have made up our present society. It’s also telling that their present society is in the middle of a nuclear war, which could be argued as what’s happening on the island, anyway. This is most clearly represented by the fact that, at the end, where the island has been devastated, and the conch, Piggy and the glasses have all been done away with, there is no moral code. The island now mirrors both their and our present society. The next major symbol in the book is the fire, and it has many different uses in the story. In chapter One, the boys have the idea of making a fire, to act as a signal to any passing ships, despite their lack of concern or consideration for the rest of the island, already discussed. But, towards the end of the chapter, the fire is described as being something different: dangerous and destructive, as it burns down a part of the mountain. This is a hint of what is to come, both in terms of the plot, and Golding’s way of using fire to symbolise how destructive humanity can be. â€Å"All at once the lights flickering ahead of him merged together, the roar of the forest rose to thunder and a tall bush directly in his path burst into a great fan-shaped flame†¦the heat beating on his left side and the fire racing forward like a tide.† It is telling, also, to what Golding believes about man’s effect on the earth, as the fire has made the island a hell, compared to the paradise that it was at the beginning. When, in chapter Four, the fire goes out, it symbolises the loss of hope, in Ralph, as he is losing control of Jack and his hunters, and Jack is wresting the boys to his power. This is also where Piggy’s spectacles are damaged, and the chain of events, here, all symbolise the despair that Ralph is beginning to have. It also ties in with chapters Eight and Eleven, where Ralph speaks of Jack â€Å"stealing† the fire, or hope, that was keeping him and the boys sane, and working together. Here Golding’ is making another comment about our society: without hope, there is nothing worth fighting for or bothering with. The boys have become savage over a period of time, during which they were almost rescued, but due to their own selfishness in wanting to enjoy themselves, they have concerned themselves with fun and pleasure, seeing as there is no hope of anything else. And this is where fire, as a symbol, takes on a darker side. In chapter Nine, during the feast, and having used it to cook the meat of the mother-pig (though the utilisation of the fire for cooking the could be a positive thing), the boys dance around it, as if in some ritualistic sacrament: shouting, howling and chanting: – â€Å"Jack leapt on to the sand. ‘Do our dance! Come on! Dance!’ †¦A circling movement developed and a chant†¦the littluns ran and jumped†¦Piggy and Ralph, under the threat of the sky, found themselves eager to take a place in this demented but partly secure society†¦The movement†¦began to beat like a steady pulse†¦There was the throb and stamp of a single organism.† The way that Golding describes it, conjures up the image of the boys transforming, literally, into the very same beast that they are all afraid of. The pace and the language of the words give off a feeling of great tension, signified by the coming storm in the scene. Also, the boys are described as a â€Å"single organism†. Due to the nature the story, Golding deliberately dehumanises the boys, and turns them into a mob, to comment on humanity as it acts in a very closed society. When one looks into human history, it is evident that in any one group, as factions, we have done terrible things to each other and to our environment. Simon’s death, included here, is probably the most lucid example of how destructive human beings are en masse. The final, and most distinctive, symbol to be discussed is that of the beast. This is the most profound icon used by Golding to convey his overall message of the evils within man, and his pessimism towards human nature. The beast is first introduced by one of the littleuns in chapter Two, after Ralph and Jack have explained their situation to the other boys. † ‘He wants to know what you’re going to do about the snake-thing.’†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Now he says it was a beastie'† The idea that the beast is a â€Å"snake-thing† links in with the idea of the Original Sin: the Devil taking the shape of a serpent (snake) to tempt Eve, the â€Å"mother† of humanity, into wrongdoing. As looked at in discussion of the conch, the island, and the fire, we already know that things go wrong on the island, and that Golding attributes this to human nature. The beast, and this idea of it being inescapable represents this. For instance, the different methods by which the boys dream up its presence (from water, air, snake-like) al are natural, or biblical references. Every idea of the form of the beast is a comprehensible, human, one. Also, during the frequent discussions among the boys’ meetings, as the fear of the beast increases among the boys, so, too, does Simon’s understanding. In chapter Five, he says: – â€Å"Maybe there is a beast†¦maybe it’s only us† This shows his comprehension of the idea of something evil and primitive growing within the society of the boys. This is made completely evident in chapter Eight, with his â€Å"conversation† (in actual fact, an epileptic fit) with the beast. Simon is in his â€Å"special place†, originally a peaceful area of contemplation, abused by Jack’s placing the head of the hunted mother pig there, as an offering to the beast. The conversation itself is very insightful towards Golding’s view of humanity and towards what Simon represents, also. The beast, or â€Å"Lord of the Flies†, as it is called, here, mentions Ralph, Jack, and Piggy, hinting at how they each represent an important aspect of human society (leadership, dictatorship, and rationality, respectively – all of the â€Å"secular†, or physical features of humanity). The fact that the pig/beast is named as the Lord of the Flies links in with Golding’s view that it is humanity’s one true fault, that we have it in ourselves to be evil. Man is the beast; it’s simply the evil within the boys that motivates them to think of it. The Lord of the Flies says: – â€Å"You knew, didn’t you? I’m part of you?†¦I’m the reason why it’s no go? Why things are what they are?† Of course, Simon isn’t really talking to the Devil; the fact that it’s all taking place inside his own head highlights that he is merely seeing that this is the darker part of human nature. When Simon then goes up the mountain, to search for the truth about the â€Å"beast† which he, Ralph and Jack â€Å"see†, Golding is showing us that Simon is representative of Christ. He is the one who sees the problem with humanity, right from the beginning. He tries to explain this to his fellow man, and is laughed at about it, and considered to be mad or a fool; he eventually reaches â€Å"enlightenment†, when he finds out the truth (the figure they saw was only the dead body of a parachutist); and when, again, he tries to make this clear to the other boys, he is killed, tragically, during the feast-turned-ritual, while they are out of control: – â€Å"the crowd surged after it, poured down the rock, leapt on to the beast, screamed, struck, bit, tore†¦the tearing of teeth and claws.† Here, again, the boys are described as being the beast. Though extremely graphic and violent (as the death of Jesus was), Golding writes a beautiful aftermath, when describing the body being carried out to sea, paralleling the angelic ascension to heaven of Jesus: – â€Å"The edge of the lagoon became a streak of phosphorescence which advanced minutely†¦The clear water mirrored the clear sky and the angular bright constellations†¦the advancing clearness was full of strange, moonbeam-bodied creatures with fiery eyes.† The way in which Golding has crafted the language to create this imagery, is conjuring up the thought of Simon’s spirit, as it were, drifting up. It also emphasises the idea of the calm after the storm. A storm, during which, dark and violent events have occurred amongst the boys, and on the island. Now, as an irredeemable act has been carried out, Golding helps the reader reflect on this, with the serenity and beauty of the aftermath. As we know, after Simon’s death, everything happens very quickly. Within two days, Jack’s hunters raid Ralph, Piggy, Sam and Eric, and take Piggy’s glasses; Piggy is consciously murdered, in an attempt to retrieve them, and the conch is destroyed with him; Ralph is hunted down like a pig, and the island is destroyed completely by a raging fire, which, ironically, is the beacon that gets them rescued. The beast is Golding’s main device, used to convey this overall theme of the evil within man and his society. Most of the events in the book revolve around it. Ralph, the leader, tries to reassure the boys that it doesn’t exist, while being unsure of that himself; Piggy, the rational scientist, completely denies it’s existence, and pins the boys’ behaviour down to things which he can be certain of; Jack, the dictator, pragmatically uses the beast as fodder for the boys, denying it’s existence at one point, then offering it gifts at others. While Simon, the philosopher, is aware of its true form all along, but is ignored and killed for his speaking out about it. In conclusion, Golding’s exceptionally complex novel is, probably, one of the grimmest, pessimistic, cynical, and yet extremely profound literatures ever written. His view of humanity and human nature is unparalleled in the way he conveys it. Whether it is realistic or not would need another essay to discuss it, but by studying all of his injected symbols, and the different purposes he creates for them, we are given a very vividly bleak image. The conch, a beautiful shell, used for a noble purpose, is abused and ridiculed, eventually unceremoniously destroyed, by which point it is dirty and uncared for. It’s symbolising hope, authority, rules and freedom of speech comments on how we use these ideas today, in our society. The island, a paradise world, untouched and naturally beautiful, is ruined right from the boys’ very entrance, and is progressively destroyed, due to their unconcern for it. This shadows man’s behaviour towards his surroundings and how he has advanced his own race without caution or care for the earth. Piggy’s glasses, rationality and intelligence, cherished by Ralph and Piggy, and abused by Jack, mirror how people have used science and philosophy for their own ends, so as to get away with terrible things. The fire is, at one point, a symbol of hope and rescue; and at other points, it symbolises destruction, danger, and fear. And, of course, the beast: Golding’s main means. The evil within man, and how it is manifest. It is telling, however, that Lord of the Flies is only the first in a series of novels by Golding, used to convey his pessimistic view of humanity. As mentioned, there is so much to say about just the symbols he uses here, that makes this book one of literature’s finest pieces.