Remember the Titans Essay

In the movie â€Å"Remember the Titans,† there were major racial difficulties between black and white students. This was during a time when the school had just been integrated to allow blacks into the school and the high school football team. These challenges helped the Titans grow as a team and made them more co-operative and successful. The difficulties of a multiracial team were overcome with the assistance of democratic and authoritarian coaching styles, motivational skills, self-fulfilling prophecy, and the perception of the athletes and coaches. Because of these actions, the Titans were able to defeat the challenges they were faced with as a team and come out superior. The authoritarian coaching style, demonstrated mostly by coach Boon, helped the team become more cohesive and strong. He believed in perfection, pushing his athletes to the limit, and being in control. During practices, if an athlete made a mistake they would have to run laps as a punishment. Sometimes during games, it seemed like all he cared about was winning. On one occasion, coach Yoast decided to show this style of coaching by getting angry at a referee for making unfair calls on their team. Authoritarian coaching styles encourage control but can be very effective when trying to coach a large team or complete tasks. Another coaching style, which the assistant coach Yoast tended to use, was democratic. He noticed that coach Boon was being extremely rough on the football players and told him that some athletes do not respond well to humiliation and put-downs. This shows that coach Yoast was concerned about the well-being of his athletes, not just their success. On the last game of the season, coach Boon decided to have a more democratic view of coaching. He told the team to â€Å"try their best† instead of demanding perfection. This is a friendlier approach but it seems that he has almost given up all hope of winning by saying what he did. Democratic coaching styles made the athletes feel useful and motivated to do their best, but sometimes they can encourage lower levels of aggression when used in the wrong way. The athletes, coaches and the team itself, helped motivate the Titans for games and practices. Coach Boon used threats and reprimands in an attempt to  get the athletes to get along with each other. This did not work effectively since the athletes did not like him very much, so they were not motivated to listen. Threats benefit the athletes when they trust and respect the coach. The coaches pumped-up the team before the game by prep-talking the athletes with lots of positive comments. The body language and optimism of the coaches motivated the team to try their hardest. The Titans performed a unique entrance and warm-up, in order to intimidate the opposing teams and to motivate them for the game. This also lowered the athletes’ levels of anxiety and helped them get to a good state of arousal. As you can see, all types of motivation are important when a team is trying to overcome a obstacle. A psychological key in team success or defeat is self-fulfilling prophecy. This occurs when a coach focuses on positive or negative aspects of an athlete and the athlete ends up believing it is the truth. A prime example of this was Petey; he was a learned helplessness athlete who did not respond well to negative remarks about himself. Coach Boon always picked on his weaknesses and put him down for not being perfect. Petey believed everything coach Boon said until coach Yoast took him aside, gave him positive compliments, and told him to play defense for him in a game. Petey ended up improving in his performance and felt better about himself afterwards. This shows that some athletes respond differently to certain actions and it affects the team’s co-cooperativeness. It is important to have many views on a situation to come up with the best answer. The perception of the athletes and coaches helped in the success and encouragement of the team. At football camp, in order to try to make the team members get along, coach Boon took the team to Gettysburg to teach them about the war between the blacks and whites. Instead of the threats and many long practices, this made the athletes realize that the situation was not worth being angry at each other and they began to work more cohesively as a team. When coach Boon looked at the situation in a different way, he came out with a desired result. Another example was both coaches used each of their views on game plays to come up with the master game plans. By working together and combining both perceptions, the game plans were deeply thought  out and worked well. Experimenting with alternative perceptions and helping others look at situations in other ways improved the team’s cohesiveness on and off the field. In conclusion, many factors work together to assist in overcoming challenges. These difficulties helped the Titans grow as a team and made them more co-operative and successful. In this case, democratic and authoritarian coaching styles, motivational skills, self-fulfilling prophecy, and the perception of the athletes and coaches helped to solve the racial conflicts of a high school football team. Not only did the problem get resolved, but the Titans were victorious in the end.

Court History and Purpose Essay

Abstract â€Å"The court represents the collective conscience of society, serving as an instrument for expressing the revulsion people feel for those who commit particularly heinous crimes† (Siegal, Schmalleger, & Worrall, 2011). This paper will discuss the history of court and its purpose. It will also define the dual court system. It will describe the role that early legal codes, the common law, and precedent played in the development of courts. It will identify the role of courts in present criminal justice. The Purpose of Court The purpose for court is simply to find guilt or innocence in someone who has been charged of a crime or to settle disputes in civil matters. Such matters must have the legal authority of a judge to be considered a court. In many courts the adversary process is used, allowing both sides to give any evidence, arguments, or persuasion to support their case. A judge or a jury will decide whose case is credible based on the arguments given. In the past, disputes were handled informally and not in a civilized manner. Some people would take matters into their own hands, which led to violence. In today’s society, all matters are handled in a formal and civilized manner. The Dual Court System The judicial branch of the U.S. Government is considered a dual court system because it separates the federal court from the state court. â€Å"The dual system is advantageous and desirable because it parallels federalism, a system of government where power is constitutionally divided between a central governing body (i.e., the federal government) and various constituent units (i.e., the states) (Siegal, Schmalleger, & Worrall, 2011). The establishment of a dual court system began in colonial period. â€Å"The  United States Constitution mandated the establishment of a Federal court system in 1789, when each of the original 13 Colonies already maintained its own comprehensive court system (2013). In federalism, it is required that laws are made by the federal government and the state. Although the dual court system is â€Å"desirable†, it can also cause confusion between the federal and state courts. This is because some cases can be heard at both federal and state levels, and it can be hard to determine how the case should be handled. The Development of Courts The development and influences of the U.S. judicial system came along during the time this country was started. In the beginning, religion played a major part in making the laws of the country. The early legal codes played a significant role in the judicial system as well. These legal codes were used back 1760 B.C. One of the most known legal code is the Code of Hammurabi, who was the king of Babylon. The philosophy behind this code is retribution. Other early legal codes came from ancient Rome. The Twelve Tables were written in 450 B.C. They were said to be the first written legal code. The Twelve Tables was based on strong retribution, establishing the â€Å"eye for an eye† theory for justice. Because the early legal codes were considered to be harsh and informal, it was paved the way for the changes of the judicial system to develop a more formal and civilized system. Common law emerged in England during the Middle Ages and was applied within British colonies across continents (2010). Its role gave judges authority to make decisions as they saw fit. There was no legislature or law making process during this time. Judges would also record the decisions, which led to precedent. â€Å"Precedent refers, generally, to some prior action that guides current action† (Siegal, Schmalleger, & Worrall, 2011). In new cases, judges could apply precedents in their decision, which is how makes it common law. Common law has been implemented into today’s judicial system by following previous courts decisions in cases. It is unlikely that once a judge makes a decision that it will be reversed or changed from precedent. The Present Role of Courts In today’s judicial system, there are two roles involved in courts:  adjudication and oversight. Adjudication means that judges decides if a person is guilty or innocent when they have been involved in a criminal act. Appellate courts make sure that lower courts are applying the correct laws in court proceedings. Having the appellate courts verify all laws ensures that if any mistakes or incorrect information was given by the judges, they will be held accountable. Courts oversee the operations of criminal justice officials to provide a level of indirect supervision. The appellate courts decide laws that will determine how police officers to their job on the street (Siegal, Schmalleger, & Worrall, 2011). Oversight is only necessary when the appellate courts are involved in a decision. If such decisions are publicized, the appellate courts will be involved also. It all depends on the severity of the incident involve by police officers will it be brought to the courts attention . Conclusion The judicial system has indeed changed over the course of time. History has shown that the development of the judicial system was fathered from England and other ancient heritages that set the foundation of how laws are created and implemented into today’s society. More common law is being practiced in many states across the nation. Some of the practices were very informal and retributive, however in today’s court system, court proceedings are in a formal and civilized setting. References Siegal, L.J., Schmallegar, F., & Worrall, J.L (2011). Courts and criminal justice in America. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. The common law and civil law traditions. (2010). The Robbins Collection. Retrieved From University of California at Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall): http://www.law.berkeley.edu/library/robbins/CommonLawCivilLawTraditions.html Understanding the U.S. court system in a glance. (2013). Retrieved from http://court.laws.com/court-system.

Lasik opened my eyes

LASIK is the abbreviated term for Laser Assisted in-situ Keratomileusis. This technology is a type of refractive laser eye surgery done by ophthalmologist. LASIK provides cure for astigmatism, myopia and hyperopia. The procedure in conducting LASIK alternates photorefractive keratectomy/PRK since it requires minimal time for the patients recovery and less pain. In 1950, Jose Barraquer developed microkeratome. This was used to cut thin flaps in the cornea and changes its shape (keratomileusis). Barraquer also added in his findings how much of the cornea left unchanged to provide a stable result of the operation. In my personal view, this helped people with occurring malfunctions in their sight. In 1970’s-80’s, Svyatoslav Fyodorov and Theo Seiler developed Radial Keratectomy and Photo Refractive Keratomileus, respectively. The developments in more technical and procedural part of treating differences in the sight helped to cure other malfunctions found in the eye. In 1968, the scientists at the Northrup Corporation Research and Technology Center developed the Excimer laser. This development in eye surgery was the pillar in the advancement to LASIK. Through the developments and advances made by several scientists in the field of ophthalmology, LASIK was developed. In 1990, Buratto and Pallokaris introduced keratomileusis and photorefractive keratectomy. Combining the two techniques, ophthalogists find greater precision and less complication in eye surgery. In addition, limitations of excimer lasers were resolved through LASIK (LASIK surgery, 2007). LASIK cure refractive errors, improve vision, and eliminate the used of eye glasses/contact lenses. Blurred vision is not actually a problem since the technology of LASIK is available. Although the operation cost huge amount of money, nothing would price good vision. There are also risks in LASIK. Although the technology guarantees better results and effective eye resolution, complications sometimes come up. Equipment malfunctions, infections and wrong prescription would results to total lost of vision. This rarely happened when the patient apply for a non-licensed surgeon. LASIK as of today are classified into different types of laser ablations including conventional LASIK wavefront-optimized treatments, and wavefront-guided treatments. Conventional LASIK follows an ablation pattern of eye surgery. The surgery is based upon the patient’s glasses prescription. In most patients, this type of operation is effective but surgical errors could cause visual aberrations (Randleman and Payne, 2007). The advancement in modern science offers easier living for most of the people. LASIK provides fast, accurate and painless eye surgery for patients with refractive errors. Most probably in the future, the current procedure of eye surgery would continuously advance. Protocols may be different and will treat other errors in the eye. The laser technology used today may be used in other fields of science. With the help of LASIK eye surgery, I was able to obtain clear vision. Before, I’m having difficulties reading from far distances and I need first to wear my glasses. My glasses were thick and I was ashamed in the public wearing it. Until today, I can now read without my glasses anymore. References Randleman, J. and J. Payne. (2007). LASIK Eye Surgery. LASIK Eye Surgery Index. Retrieved December 3, 2007 from www.medicinenet.com. (2007). LASIK Surgery. The LASIK Directory. Retrieved December 3, 2007 from www.the-lasik-directory.com. Â   Â   Â   Â   Â  

Old Testament book of Esther Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Old Testament book of Esther - Research Paper Example It would be rather logic to claim that the book was intended for Hebrews since Esther herself was Hebrew. All the same, the intended recipients of the book may well have been much broader. This makes the author of the book be assumed Hebrew as well, since Esther was Hebrew, and the text was originally written in Hebrew. The Old Testament book of Esther is about the life history of Esther, her encounters with religious leaders amongst other interactions. The book of Esther The book of Esther is in the outline of a brief tale, making it resemble the outline of the book of Ruth. Esther has been set up in the palace of Shushan, on one of the three centers of the Persian Empire. The narrative offers us a stunning image of the Jews in exile, of the unfriendliness of their Non-Jews in Persia (Tull, 2003, p. 19). The book also looks into the means by which Esther turned out to be the Queen of Ahasuerus (Xerxes), after putting her life on the line, for the sake of her people, the Jews. God pr ovides fortunate care for her people in a magnified manner all the way through the book, even though the word â€Å"God† is not present in this book. ... Esther 2:19-23 Mordecai revealed a scheme to murder the king and cautioned Esther about, the plot, who later on informed the King about it. Nevertheless, Esther gave Mordecai all the recognition for the information. Esther 3:1-15 Haman was lifted in the command chain and positioned on top of the majority of the most loyal men. Mordecai rejected going down on his knees before Haman and started a quarrel between Haman and the Jews of the land. A rule was established to murder all Jews on the date of March 7. Esther 4:1-6 Mordecai and the Jews surrounding Susa started to grieve and fast. Esther 4:7-17 Mordecai about the passing of the rules and advised her to put her life on life for the sake of her people. If she does not risk her life, another individual will, making her disprove her faith towards God. Esther 5:1-8 Esther depicts patience and some feasts prior to requesting the King to spare the lives of Jews. Esther 5:9-14 Haman and his spouse started to the scheme against Mordecai. Esther 6:1-14 King Xerxes reminiscences on Mordecai’s service and loyalty to the King and chose recompense him. Haman was deeply embarrassed the moment Mordecai was being rewarded. Esther 7:1-10 Haman is gradually held responsible for the tried genocide of Jews, and the King has him killed in a manner that Haman attempted killing Mordecai before. Esther 8:1-17 Mordecai was rewarded by the King and released under a regulation that Jews could protect their lives before the King. Following the passing of the decree, King Xerxes once again rewarded Mordecai by offering him Haman’s previous post, and every Jew renowned throughout the Kingdom. Esther 8:15-10:4 Right through all chapters of the book of Esther, the Jews are seen emerging and conquering all their enemies all the way

Communication Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Communication - Term Paper Example The English literary critic I.A. Richards has defined communication as a vital aspect of human kind, â€Å"Communication takes place when one mind so acts upon its environment that another mind is influenced, and in that other mind an experience occurs which is like the experience in the first mind, and is caused in part by that experience† (Ramaraju, 2012, p.70). This means when two people are in communication, then what one person thinks or feels is to a large extent influenced by what the other person is thinking and feeling. Similarly, a person’s individuality or personality is also defined by the perception of others, â€Å"an individual’s personality is a product of their perceptions of others and others’ perceptions of the individual as manifested in the interactive and interdependent exchange of behaviors between them† (Palmer & Barnett, 1998, p.x). Therefore, mutual interaction is a necessary element for the formation of both relationships between people and individuality of a person. Communication defines a person and his or her relationship with the other person. For instance, a formal communication between two people implies that they have a professional relationship while informal communication which includes any random topic indicates that they have a close personal relationship. In most types of communication, people do not give a second thought and there is always a feeling of content by the way people communicate with one another. A national poll conducted by the National Communication Association reported that almost 66 percent of the American people feel at ease when communicating with others. It has also been observed that people belonging to older age group like 55 and above are more inclined to make any kind of communication than any other age group. Also, women rather than men are more skilled

None Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 21

None - Essay Example This is mainly achieved by conducting an intensive market research in order to establish the latest trends and what their customers prefer mostly. Secondly, the company aims at inspiring moments of optimism. This is achieved through their different brands and course of actions in the global market. With actions here we mean the corporate social responsibility. A company is supposed to give back to the community in various ways. It may include employing the locals in the areas where it is an operation and by engaging in various community projects in order to help the needy and the less fortunate. Further, the company also aims at creating a difference and value in areas where it operates in the global market. In my opinion, I think the mission of the company satisfies the qualities of a good mission statement. This is because it clearly stipulates the scope of its activities, its main role and the marketing situation or strategy. Svendsen, Sara. â€Å"Refresh. Create. Inspire. The Mission, Vision and Values Behind the Coca-Cola Company and the Digital Marketing Strategies of the "open Happiness" Campaign.† Liberty.edu. Web. 01 February

Qualitative Evaluation Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Qualitative Evaluation Plan - Assignment Example The first factor that must be addressed is how much progress the patients who participated in the initiative have made. An analysis of the effectiveness of a community health worker intervention among African American and Latino adults with Type 2 diabetes was done in a controlled trial by Spencer, Rosaland, Kieffer, Sinco, Valerio, Palmisano & †¦ Hessler which determined that â€Å"participants in the intervention group had a mean HbA1c value of 8.6% at baseline, which improved to a value of 7.8% at six months, for an adjusted change of -0.8 percentage points† (2011). Through their particular study, they were able to see a noticeable change in the ability of those who participated in the initiative to be able to manage their diabetes more effectively. The next factor to consider in evaluating the effectiveness of a community outreach program for diabetes care in the community is the method used to collect data. Bielamowicz, Pope and Rice attempted a different form of community outreach program for those with Type 2 diabetes, which involved teaching the use of healthy cooking practices as related to controlling diabetes. They utilized an online data collection method to track their progress. Data collection was done prior to the start of the initiative, after the third lesson, and after the final, fourth lesson (2012). By using this method of data gathering, they were able to gain a more accurate image and portrayal of what was working and what was not, as well as the amount of progress made at each step. This form of data collection also allowed them to have a concrete set of data as the starting point to go off of. Another important factor to consider when evaluating the effectiveness of diabetes care in a particular community is the socioeconomic status of the community. Those in lower income communities are not as likely to have access to the same types of outreach programs that a traditional middle class

International Financial Markets Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

International Financial Markets - Assignment Example Whereas in hedging, it banks on negative linkage between assets or shorting assets that possess a positive correlation. The modest illustration of diversification is driven home by the proverb that says you should not put all your eggs in a single basket. Moreover, the placement of each egg separately in dissimilar baskets is considered to be more diversified. The risk of losing one egg is more than losing all of them. Therefore diversification aims to downplay the risks through allocating investments between different industries, financial instruments, and other categorizations. Its aims are to maximize the returns by capitalizing in diverse fields that would each respond in a different manner to the same result. Although diversification does not assure one to be free from losses, it is the most important factor that will enable an individual to achieve long-range goals financially and at the same time downplaying the dangers (Denis et al. 2002). When investing, one has to be mindful of the dangers that come along with the deed. There are two primary classes of risks that an investor confronts with while investing. They include unverifiable and diversifiable. Firstly, unverifiable, also known as the market or systematic risk is linked to every society. This case of risks is caused by things like exchange rates, war, inflation rates, interest rates and political instability. Furthermore unverifiable is not believed to be exact to a particular industry or company, and this character of risk cannot be trimmed down or be eliminated by diversification. Hence, it is a danger that investors should come into term with and learn to exist with it. Secondly, diversifiable also referred to as unsystematic risk. This risk is specific to a certain market, state, economy, industry, and market. Unlike unverifiable, this danger can be mitigated by diversification. Moreover, the main

The Seccombe book discussion post Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Seccombe book discussion post - Essay Example However, this is not the case as it creates an impression that the people will always receive welfare support whenever they are in need. This impression makes some of the women lazy and hence making it difficult for them to find meaningful ways of supporting themselves (Seccombe, 40). It also creates an impression that the people will always be provided for. It therefore affects the mentality of the people. On the other hand, it is also important to note that welfare provision creates a wrong impression among the people that their needs will always be catered for. The provision of welfare also makes it difficult for the people think that the system is the only provider for those who are in need. In countries whether the welfare is provided to the people, the dependence on the system is quite high. The people will always complain when the system fails to carry out a certain activity with regards to the welfare. The presence of such complaints is an indication that the people are fully dependant on the system. The women in the society are mainly affected when it comes to the dependence on the welfare. The women are vulnerable in the society and they are more likely to seek the welfare services. Some of the divorced women are not employed any yet they have to look after the children (Seccombe, 206). This means that the welfare is the only source of livelihood that they can rely on. This reliance makes them completely dependent on the system. As a result of this, they will always want the system to intervene in any situation that affects them. The women in most cases feel that no one can address their needs apart from the system and hence the full dependence on the system. The women in most cases feel that they are being appreciated by the system through the provision of the welfare. This contributes to their full reliance on the system. The provision of welfare

Why Teens Smoke Cigarettes Essay Example for Free

Why Teens Smoke Cigarettes Essay According to the BaiDu, more than 80,000 young people around the world start smoking every day. Most people start smoking when they are teenagers, which make it more difficult to quit. The earlier the habit begins, the harder it is it to stop, although many teenagers make multiple attempts to stop smoking. There are three main reasons why teens start smoking which is boredom, lose the weight and as a response to the stress of school and family life. Just like the teens like to act as if they are someone special or dangerous. By smoking they can act on those feelings. Because it is so forbidden it becomes more alluring to teens. The problem is that when they take that first, they can become addicted. The idea that they are breaking the law or going against their parents and schools is an addiction within itself. Kids like to get attention; it does not matter if it’s good attention or bad attention. They crave attention and by smoking they get big attention. The other teens look at them in all kinds of ways and the adults get upset and don’t know what to do. As the research, some teenagers, especially girls, smoke in an effort to lose extra pound. Quit.org states that the nicotine in cigarettes can suppress a teenagers appetite, satisfy her cravings and keep her busy so that she does not think about food. In a culture that obsesses over how someone looks, smoking may allow teens to achieve the appearance needed to gain social acceptance. â€Å"Some teens begin smoking because their friends smoke and they want to be liked and accepted,† according to the CBC News. Many adults who began smoking as teenagers acknowledge that their friends gave them their first cigarette and that they began smoking because it was acceptable behavior. Many teenagers fear rejection, so to avoid embarrassment that they may smoke as a way to appear tough and be rebellious. In some cases, teenagers use smoking as a way to declare independence from their parents. Also having a family member that smokes is another main reason that teens start smoking. Anna Gilmore, professor of public health at the University of Bath, states in a September 2010 BBC News Health article that teens who have a family member who smokes are 90 percent more likely to start smoking. Teens often emulate the behaviors of their parents and older family members. Teens may start smoking simply because they see their parents or older siblings smoking. On the other hand, some teens may start smoking to rebel against family members or  authority figures who tell them not to smoke. Teenagers who smoke usually become addicted faster and on lower levels of nicotine than adults. Teen smoking can become a lifelong habit or a one-time case, depending on the individual. It affects almost 54 percent of high school students in the China every year. One in three people who begin smoking during their teenage years will later die of smoke related conditions, according to the website Teen Smoking. So boredom, lose the weight and pressure are a variety of reasons why a teenager may begin smoking.

The Minoans And Mycenaeans History Essay

The Minoans And Mycenaeans History Essay During the Bronze Age, the Mycenaeans and Minoans became two of the most powerful and culturally unique groups the world had ever seen. Because they resided so close to each other, they had an undeniable influence on each other and this resulted in the two groups sharing a lot of the same characteristics. Despite having a similar set of characteristics, both civilizations had several noticeable and distinct differences, most notably in the areas of architecture, arts, and languages. These differences can be understood best when examining the fact that Minoans were more trade and nature oriented, while the Mycenaeans focused more on war and strengthening their military. The Minoans and Mycenaean civilizations both resided in present-day Greece, while the Minoans based their civilization on the island of Crete, and the Mycenaeans on mainland Greece. The Minoans, who were known particularly for their extensive trade and dominance of the sea, existed from about 27th century B.C. to 14th century B.C. until the Mycenaeans defeated them and took over (Biers, 1980, 27). On the other hand, the Mycenaeans were more war and military oriented than the Minoans, as seen by their victory over the Minoans and their material culture, which will be looked at later. As far as language is concerned, Mycenaeans appeared to use a language called Linear B, which consisted of 87 different signs and several ideograms, or graphic symbols that represents an idea or concept. There has been a large amount of evidence found in the palaces of the Mycenaean civilization in the form of clay tablets. The Minoans used a system called Linear A, a mostly syllabic script that contains 75 signs and several ideograms; unfortunately, archaeologists still havent completely deciphered all of the symbols (Burkert, 1985, 20). We do know however, that Linear A tablets contained accounting transactions, which supports the idea that Minoans were more trade oriented (Biers, 1980, 26). Both civilizations were very complex and advanced with complex social hierarchies; this complexity is best seen by examining the archaeological remains of each civilizations architecture and different types of art pieces including paintings, sculptures, and pottery. Although the Minoan and Mycenaean styles of architecture were very similar, there were still several structural differences due to their trade and military backgrounds. Mycenaeans were especially talented at working with large blocks of stone (Biers, 1980, 67), a technique called megalithic architecture, which made it possible for Mycenaeans to construct enormous, heavily fortified walls that surrounded their palaces. This was in stark contrast to Minoan palaces as they probably felt that fortifications around palaces may have been superfluous due to their isolation location and strong navy. Minoans also used a post and lintel system, or in other words, verticals and horizontals (Biers, 1980, 29), as opposed to the Mycenaean megalithic structure. A distinct feature of the Mycenaean style of architecture is the relieving triangle above a lintel block, an architectural element best displayed on the Lion Gate at Mycenae (Preziosi and Hitchcock, 1999, 176). Both civilizations had palaces with intricate and detailed floor plans that covered a vast amount of land and had a central area upon which the rest of the palace would be built around. Typically, in Minoan palaces such as Knossos, the central area would be a large courtyard which was the focus of everyday life and served as the site for religious rituals and other ceremonial functions (Biers, 1980, 29). On the other hand, the central area of a Mycenaean palace was called a megaron. Typically, Mycenaean palaces such as Pylos, were highly decorated; this included the walls and the floor and even the hearth, which had spiral and flame patterns painted several times (Biers, 1980, 71). Another aspect of the Mycenaean culture that showed they had a military sense was their utilization of advanced hydraulic engineering. Not only did they have great fortification walls, but they had carefully maintained roads that served as an important network connector to their various major centers (Bier s, 1980, 74). While it is reasonable to conclude that both civilizations had impressive pieces of architectural work, the Mycenaeans tended to have a greater abundance of military architecture in its world. Based on an abundant amount of archaeological evidence, it is apparent that the Minoans were more interested in nature oriented art while Mycenaeans were more interested in warlike paintings. The Minoans loved to paint frescoes with bright, vibrant colors such as terra cotta red and used these colors to depict beautiful scenes of nature (Biers, 1980, 29). Minoan also liked to use a vivid red paint to paint the floor as a blanket of color and not just for frescoes (Hirsch, 1980, 453). There were also many enormous bull-vaulting scenes, present in Minoan palaces. In these paintings, the bulls were typically painted brown and white while the men were painted red and then women were painted white (Biers, 1980, 46). When examining Mycenaean art it is clear that they were strongly influenced by the Minoans because you can see several Minoan themes in their paintings and frescoes. An example of this is the procession fresco and the bull-vaulting scene (Biers, 1980, 80). Despite this obvious correlation, Mycenaean art usually had a lesser emphasis on nature, which was only used as a backdrop for scenes, and a greater emphasis on warlike scenes (Biers, 1980, 82). Both societies also made terra cotta figurines but Minoans features household goddesses with flaring skirts and raised hands (Biers, 1980, 55) while the Mycenaean figurines were larger in scale and were primarily categorized into three types: Phi, women with no arms, Psi, women whose arms made a crescent shape, and Tau (Biers, 1980, 89). While both cultures were masterful in painting sculptures and other forms of art, the Minoans concentrated more on being detailed and nature oriented while the Mycenaeans were more plain and focused more on warlike sculptures. Perhaps the archaeological find with the most abundant amount of evidence that backs up the idea that Minoans were more nature oriented than their counter part, the Mycenaeans, is pottery. Minoan pottery is considered to be far more decorative than that of the Mycenaeans and their pottery attained a very high standard in both fabric and decoration (Biers, 1980, 52). Since pottery was actually also used to determine chronology, Minoan pottery actually provided a foundation for dividing the different Minoan eras. Late Minoan IA style featured spirals with details added in white and floral motifs (Biers, 1980, 54), while Late Minoan IB style, the Marine style, featured several nature-like qualities such as the depictions of sea creatures, particularly octopus (Biers, 1980, 54). Unlike Minoan pottery, Mycenaean pottery was simple and dull in its decoration (Biers, 1980, 85). Mycenaean pottery was designed with a dull black-to-brown glaze while the Late Helladic IIIB pottery featured shap es such as a kylix, and the Late Helladic IIIC period featured simple linear patterns and warrior scenes (Biers, 1980, 85 and 86). The Mycenaeans and Minoans had very different tastes in pottery as the Mycenaeans went for a more simple, plain, and at times, warrior style, while the Minoans went for a more colorful, and nature like style. Like most material culture, the religion and burial practices of the Minoans and Mycenaeans shared many similarities and had many differences. Minoan religion featured several female goddesses, prompting Arthur Evans to claim that their religion was a Mother goddess-centered religion (Olsen, 1998, 382). Additionally, animals and the death and rebirth of vegetationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦serve as the basis of Minoan religion (Biers, 1980, 27). A big difference between Minoan and Mycenaean religious practices was that Mycenaean cult buildings were independent structures which avoided the Minoan practice of building multiple shrines within their settlement (Burkert, 1985, 89). Grave Circle A and Grave Circle B are two of the most significant shaft grave archaeological finds for pottery and metalwork that have ever taken place (Biers, 1980, 75). The typical burial method was internment in chamber tombs and, for the royal family, in tholos tombs (Biers, 1980, 76). It is quite evident that both civ ilizations did have particular burial practices and practiced religion, although in Mycenaean civilization burial practices took on a larger scale. There is no doubt that the similarities between the Minoans and Mycenaeans are extensive, mostly because of their close proximity that allowed the Minoans to influence the Mycenaeans so much. While they were very similar, they also had several fundamental differences, most notably the Minoans being more trade and nature oriented while the Mycenaeans were more warlike. These differences are best understood by analyzing the different archaeological, artistic, and language aspects because they tell a story about the development of two of the greatest ancient civilizations during the Bronze Age.

Gender and Religious Discrimination in Islamic Countries

Gender and Religious Discrimination in Islamic Countries ANTHROPOLOGY: CONFLICT AND CULTURE Introduction Some of the vices of the society that were supposed to have been done away with ages ago are still so pronounced in the society today. There are some controversial cultural practices that continue to thrive even in this 21st century though have been passed by time: such includes the discrimination of the minority in the society. Its expected that with the development emanating form advanced science and technology, men should have developed parallel with technological advance hence overlook some destructive cultural practices based on myths proven scientifically to be wrong. This is not the case as religious and gender discriminations continue to deepen its roots in many cultures especially among the Muslims. This paper endeavors to unveil the evils of minority discrimination based on religious laws. The minority discussed in this paper are the religious and gender based in Islamic nations using a case study of Saudi Arabia. This study is based on a thesis statement that discriminatio n based on Religion and gender is pronounced and in continuity in Islamic based nations. The religious cultures are the sources of the controversies and minority discriminations. Discrimination The concept of discrimination has triggered much reaction in the society we live today because the adverse effects it has on the victims. Discrimination is the treatment taken against an individual or a group of people and based on category or class (Benton, 2007). According to the United Nations, discriminatory behaviors may take a variety of forms but all having a common factor: they include some form of rejection or exclusion. Any action that treats a group of people in an unfair manner because of their membership to a particular social group is discrimination (United Nations Cyber School-Bus, 2010). Minorities and Discrimination The minorities in the society are a group of people who do not constitute formulate the dominant majority of the total population in a given society. Minority group does not necessarily mean numerical majority, rather may include any group of people considered subnormal in relation to the dominant group of people in terms of wealth, employment, class, political power, education and social status (Traiman, 2006). The minority may also be referred to as the ‘subordinate group while the majority group may be referred as the ‘dominant group instead of minority and majority respectively. The term minority group is mostly used in reference of an ethnic group which may include: nationality, language, religion, gender and culture. Some other minority groups may include: The working minorities (unemployed and working poor, people with disabilities, age minorities who are older or younger than the typical working class and the sexual minorities (Lovelace, 2006). The commonality of the term ‘minority group is manifest alongside the discourse of collective rights and civil rights gaining prominence from the 20th century. Those who fall under the category of the minority group frequently fall prey to different treatments in the societies and the countries where they reside. The discrimination can be based on the individuals perception as belonging to the minority group failing to notice an individuals personal successes or occur indirectly based on the social structures that do not offer equal opportunities to the entire subject. Those who belong to the categories of the minority groups are often identifiable while tabling of complains of maltreatments and demanding for equal rights (Lovelace, 2006). Religious Discrimination: Saudi Arabia case study The focus of this paper is to look into the minority groups in the Islamic nations and how they are discriminated by the society and the governing laws within their nations. The two major categories of minority groups within the Islamic culture are the religious minority and gender minority: women. One of the most established Islamic states of the world is Saudi Arabia; though our focus is the Islamic culture in general most of the examples shall be obtained from the monarchy of Saudi Arabia. The kingdom of Saudi Arabia is governed by Sharia laws that are derived from the Holy Quran. The kingdom has no legal protection in relation to freedom of religion hence no authority offers such protection to the minority groups: those who do not profess the Islamic religion such as the Christians and the Buddhists. The requirement of the Sharia law is that all people should be Muslims. The government does not condone a public practice of non-Muslim religions, in fact its illegal. The non-Muslims are only allowed to conduct their worship in private. Nevertheless those limited rights are not always respected and contravention does not necessarily carry a lot of weight (International Labor Office, 2007). The kingdom of Saudi Arabia has a population of about seventeen million with about seven million foreigners. The foreign population includes about 36,000 Americans, 40,000 Eritreans, 130,000 Sri Lankans, 150,000 Lebanese, 250,000 Palestinians, 800,000 Filipinos, 800,000 Egyptians, 900,000 Pakistanis, 1 million Bangladeshis, and 1.5 million Indians. Of the entire population in the Saudi society, the majority are Muslims with minority Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, and Jews. There are very few of the foreigners who are Muslims. There is a high degree of cultural homogeneity as well as high social stratification (Federal Research Division, 2004). The freedom of religion does not exist, Islamism being the official religion; all the citizens are required to be Muslims. The government is an Islamic monarchy declaring Prophet Muhammads Sunna traditions to be the governing constitution. The government is fully conservative observing the precepts of the Quran to govern the country. The government as well as the society do not allow for any separation between the government and religion. The Muslims societies are allowed to adjudicate their legal issues using the Shia Muslims traditions. This is at the expense of the minority groups who are not Muslims since they are judged according to the Muslims laws: this becomes unfair since the non Muslims are not versed with the basic knowledge hence may contravene the laws out of ignorance. On the same note the non Muslims do not enjoy the Christian festivals and holidays since the only permissible public holiday is Eids, Eid Al-Fitr done as a wrapping up of Hajj (International Labor Office, 2007). The religious minority suffers in that the system of education is based on the Islamic laws. Some other religious teachings such as Christian religious Education are not provided for, the parents and guardians have to organize for tutorial classes to teach their children the basics of their religions. Those who have attempted to advocate for some forms of democratic systems or criticized or written opposed the Islamic administration have faced the Sharia law some being imprisoned while others have faced reprisals. The minority groups pay the revenues to the government which is used in the establishment of Mosques. The government also uses collected revenues to pay the Imams who are the prayer leaders and the other mosque employees though it does not permit the establishment of churches (Abir, 1993). The jurisdiction in the legal system treats the majority, Muslims, unequally to the minority: other religions. For example the retribution sort for blood money varies from that of a Muslim man from that of a member of the other religions. The blood money payable to a Christian man is half that of a Muslim man. The members of the other religions are valued 1/16th of a Muslim man (Saudi Arabian Government and Law). Gender Discrimination The acuity of the womenfolk as a minority group facing discrimination has been publicly debated from time immemorial. The concept of gender discrimination is based on belief that women are a lesser sex in the society. Its generally propagated by attitudes and beliefs concerning the gender of a person. The attitudes and beliefs are social nature normally not carrying legal consequences. The treatment of women varies from one society to another and from institution to another (Tofilon, 2005. The advance in development continues to provide for more opportunities for women. Though not many societies have managed to achieve a level of equal rights for all people despite of their gender, the Islamic based countries do not even make the initiative to provide equal opportunities for all. Gender discrimination can arise in different settings. The discrimination may involve an employee being asked some discriminatory questions in job interviews or while working: if a woman presents herself as a Chief Executive Officer of a given company others may doubt her ability to run such a position based on cultural beliefs that a woman ought to take less task positions not such which involves the control off the entire company. Such cultural beliefs have been impacted on women to an extent that some have accepted the position as a reality of life. Unfair discrimination of women follows gender stereotypes that are held by the society (Hyde, 2005). Gender Discrimination in Saudi Arabia The discrimination of women as the ‘minority group is most pronounced among the practitioners of Islamic religion though also very evident in other societies such as in America: it was identified that more than half of the masters degree programs are offered to women though this is not reflected in the management of organizations; over 95% of senior management positions in organizations remain occupied by men (U.S. Glass Ceiling Commission, 1995). In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia gender discrimination is so pronounced in almost all circles. The greatest challenge in pursuit of gender equality in this monarchy is faced owing to the fact that not many including the womenfolk are willing to see change; many are contented with the status quo. This is chiefly because the discriminations are not perceived by the women since its based on the laws of God: Sharia from the Holy Quran, to them God ordained men to rule as women serve the men (Kline, 2005). Despite the fact that about seventy percent of those enrolled in universities are women only five percent of the workforce is composed of women, 95% of workers are men. This ratio is the most unusual in the world. Any attempt to increase womens opportunities in the working force has faced pronounced resistance from without the government (men citizenly and religious police) and within the labor ministry. The position of a woman is at home according to the Saudi peoples cultures and Islamic religion. Most of these cultures state that a woman was created to take care of her husband and family. The segregation for this minority group is continued even to the home settings where there are some special doors that are set mens usage. In Saudi Arabia women are prohibited even from driving cars and those who drive do it out of contravention of the law, they are very few for not many husbands would allow their wives to drive. They are allowed to fly aircrafts but have to be chauffer driven to the airstrips (Kline, 2005). Women in Saudi Arabia are not even allowed to contend for political positions. They are just allowed to vote. The discrimination of women among the Islamic nations is not only manifest in Saudi Arabia, in Iran there is no much difference; there are so many rights that women are denied from accessing based on the Islamic religion. If a Muslim man commits adultery with a Muslim woman he receives a penalty of 100 lashes, but if with a non Muslim woman there is no provision of the punishment involved. If a non-Muslim man commits adultery with a Muslim woman the penalty is death sentence. Iran law allows a Muslim man to marry a Muslim woman but a Muslim woman can never be married to a none-Muslim man (FIDH report, 2003). Conclusion The discrimination of people in todays society based on beliefs and practices that can not be proven has received vast criticism from many circles. With the current advance in scientific and technological advance its expected that most of the cultural myths that continue to thrive in the society should have been done away with along time ago, but this is not the case. Minority discriminations based of cultural beliefs are so evident in many circles of life especially in the Islamic religious societies. Religious decimation against the minority and gender discrimination are so pronounced in Muslim societies. The minority groups continue to encounter massive challenges in an attempt to fit in these societies. The Saudi Arabia Kingdom which is our case study is a monarchy run in accordance with Islamic religious ethics. The constitution of this monarchy is based on Sharia form the Quran. The greatest percentage of Saudis citizens is Muslims hence all the rest fall under the category of minority group subject to various minority discriminations. Women in the society from time immemorial receive a different perception and treatment by the society. This is based on the belief that they are a weaker sex; the Islamic nations have not been left behind in unequal treatment of women. The paper has outlined the various religious and gender discriminations especially in Islamic based states using the case study of Saudi Arabia. References Abir, M. (1993). Saudi Arabia: government, society, and the Gulf crisis. New York, NY: Routledge. Benton, A. J. (2007). Are Your Genes Protected: Federal Legislation and Genetic Discrimination: The Journal of Gender, Race, and Justice, Iowa City, 10(2), 285-311. Federal Research Division. (2004). Saudi Arabia A Country Study. Montana: Kessinger Publishing. FIDH and the Ligue de Dà ©fense des Droits de lHomme en Iran. (2003). Discrimination against religious minorities in Iran, Paris – France. Retrieved on January 23, 2010 from: http://www.fidh.org/IMG/pdf/ir0108a.pdf Hyde, J. S. (2005) â€Å"The Gender Similarities Hypothesis†, American Psychologist, (International Labor Conference); 96th session, I (B). Publisher International Labor Organization. International Labor Office, (2007), Equality at work: tackling the challenges: global report under the follow-up to the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work International Labor Office Series Volume 91; Volume 96 of Report (International Labor Conference) Report. Publisher International Labor Organization. Kline, J. (2005). Ethics for international business: decision making in a global political economy. New York, NY: Routledge. Saudi Arabian Government and Law. Retrieved on January 23, 2010 from: http://www.jeansasson.com/law_and_government.htm Tofilon, L. (2005). Masters of Discrimination: Augusta National Golf Club, Freedom of Association, and Gender Equality in Golf. The Journal of Gender, Race, and Justice. Iowa City: Fall, 9(1), 189-20. Traiman, L. (2006). Guidelines but No Guidance: GaySpermBank.com vs. FDA. The Journal of Gender, Race, and Justice. Iowa City: Spring, 9(3), 613-623. U.S. Glass Ceiling Commission. (1995). â€Å"Glass Ceiling Commission A Solid Investment: Making Full Use of the Nations Human Capital A Solid Investment:† Making Full Use of the Nations Human Capital. Retrieved on January 23, 2010 from: http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1117context=key_workplace United Nations Cyber School-Bus. (2010). What is discrimination? Retrieved on January 23, 2010 from: http://cyberschoolbus.un.org/discrim/id_8_ud_print.asp

Elizabeth Barrett Brownings Poetic Style Essays -- Essays Papers

Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Poetic Style Elizabeth Barrett Browning's poetry has been the subject of much criticism. Her elusive style prompted many critics to question Barrett's method of writing. In fact, some critics, like Alethea Hayter, go so far as to propose that an "honest critique of her work must admit that she often wrote very bad poetry indeed" (15). Accusations against Barrett's work were often targeted at her tendency for anonymity, her excessive development of thoughts, unsuccessful forced rhymes, and more often than any other of her familiarities, her tendency to create her own words. Despite being relatively shunned by the world of poetry, Barrett persisted in writing poetry, even though the majority of her writing time just might have been spent on defending her work rather than writing it. John Forster has remarked, "She uses all her thoughts and feelings for whatever she does. The art of knowing what to leave out she has not attained"(19). In defense of her work Barrett writes in a letter to her husband, Robert Browning, "I do not say everything I think (as has been said of me by master-critics) but I take every means to say what I think"(19). Hayter recognizes that Barrett's work was surely not lacking revision, but was the product of constant reconsideration. She was said to have revised after every printing. For Barrett, the main focus of revising was to iron out metre, find perfectly fitting words for her lines, and to produce literature that read with the movement of natural speech. However, Hayter admits that this consistent going over of her work to find "just the right word" was what weakened Barrett's work and formed it into rather exhaustive explanations of what she purposed to convey to her re... ...of women's talk Arose and fell and tossed about a spray Of English S's, soft as a silent hush, And, not withstanding, quite as audible As louder phrases thrown out by men"(26). Saintsbury, who earlier criticized Barrett's rhyming technique, confessed that her ear for metre was, in fact, wonderful (24). Elizabeth Barrett Browning was one of the braver literary pioneers. Choosing to utilize the vocabulary she favored rather than submit to the harsh criticisms of those who held the power to make or break her is an applaudable novelty about her. Many writers, having been successful in their literary exploits, are susceptible to accusations that their work was catered to critics. Surely, this cannot and should not be said of Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Works Cited Donaldson, Sandra, Critical Essays on Elizabeth Barrett Browning; G.K. Hall & Co., New York, NY.

The Hero Essay -- essays research papers

The Hero   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Zorro, Lassie, Hercules, and Beowulf all have something in common, they are all considered hero’s. It does not matter if the hero is a man, woman, animal or an intimate object that springs to life. It does not matter where the hero comes from or how old he or she is. The only thing that a hero needs to do to be a hero, according to Joseph Campbell, is follows a predefined path of a hero and have some common characteristics of one, too. Joseph Campbell in one of the most knowledgeable people on the subject of a hero. According to Joseph Campbell many hero’s have completed the same deed over and over again throughout history. He points out that a hero is not limited to one particular time or place. Campbell explains the details about what makes a hero a hero in his discussion The Hero’s Journey. The story of the hero must have a mystical quality. A hero’s characteristics should include doing something beyond the normal range of a human and giving up one’s life for something bigger. A hero’s sequence of events is began by the hero intentionally setting out on ones own to complete a physical deed for a moral objective. The hero is trying to shape a savage world out of his existing world. The hero departs from his home to fulfill his deed and then returns home again. The hero undergoes a mental development throughout the story through different trials that he or she is facing. This transforms the heroes state of consciousness. The hero learns to live in the system in which he or she is and does not fall victim to it. Lastly whatever is accomplished by the hero is lost when he or she dies. In the story of Beowulf the main character follows Campbell’s outline of a hero. It is an Anglo-Saxon poem that recounts the life of the hero Beowulf and this poem is one of the oldest existing poems in the English language.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First of all for a hero to be a hero he needs to be present in a story that has a mystical quality about it, according to Campbell. The reader can see this mystical quality in Beowulf everywhere he or she looks. First of all as the story begins it talks of a tribe of people, called the Danes, rescuing a castaway baby at sea. The baby that the tribe rescues turns out later to be their king. Another mystical quality t... ...the path of a hero. First by setting out on one’s own to complete a physical deed for a moral obligation. Beowulf leaves Geatland on his own to kill Grendel to repay Hrothgar for his kindness to his father. Fulfilling each moral obligation is a step on the path of being a hero. Beowulf kills each monster because of a moral obligation and gives his king the riches he receives from each because it is his moral obligation to do so. A character departs from his or her home to go on an adventure and then return home again. Beowulf leavs his land to kills two monsters and then returns home again. Next a character will shape and savage world and through trials transform to a different state of counciousness. By fighting monsters and ruling the land Beowulf grows smarter and less selfish than he was before. The last step is to live in a system and finally have everything that is gained by the character lost. Beowulf lives in his system without becomming corrupt and in the end the peace and treasure that he fought for is lost by his people. When a character has the characteristics and follows the correct path then he or she is a hero. Beowulf is a hero.

Tissue Culture Technique for Callus Induction

Sarhad J. Agric. Vol. 23, No. 1, 2007 * Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, NWFP Agricultural University, Peshawar – Pakistan. ** Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, National Agricultural Research Center, Islamabad – Pakistan. TISSUE CULTURE TECHNIQUES FOR CALLUS INDUCTION IN RICE Hidayat Ullah*, Iltaf Ullah*, Sultan Akbar Jadoon* and Hamid Rashid** ABSTRACT Seeds of two rice varieties Basmati-370 and Basmati-385 were evaluated for invitro callus induction at Agricultural Biotechnology Institute in National Agricultural Research Center (NARC), Islamabad during 2001-02, using M.S and N6 media supplemented with 2, 4-D (2,4-Dichlorophenoxi acetic acid) and BAP (6-benzylaminopurine) at @ 2. 0, 2. 5 and 0. 1, 0. 5 mgl-1 respectively. Objective of our study is to know the actual procedure for seed sterilization and to provide a well-adopted technique for callus induction in these varieties by using M. S and N6 media along with different concentrations of growth hormo nes. Seeds were used as explant source and to avoid chance of contamination sodium hypochlorite and ethanol at the rate of 50% and 70% were used respectively.Best response toward callus induction were observed for Bas-385 on both MS and N6 media however N6 media was proved to be best. Calli obtained from Bas-385 were friable and vigorous as compare to Bas-370. Bas-370 respond moderately on MS and N6 media at various combinations of 2,4-D and BAP. Bas-370 on MS media supplemented with 2,4-D and BAP @ 2. 0 and 0. 1 mgl-1 gave good performance towards callus induction. Over all results indicated that best callus were induced on MS and N6 when supplemented with 2,4-D and BAP @2. 0 and 0. 0 mgl-1 for variety Bas-385. INTRODUCTION In Pakistan rice is the second leading crop after wheat.In 2000-2001, the world annual production of rice was 598 million tones (FAO 2002). Asia is the largest producer of rice, with Bangladesh, China, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnams as the leading rice produ cing nations. In Pakistan rice covered an area of 2. 52 million ha, with the production of 5. 16 million tones in 1999-2000. It also play important role in our national economy. During 1999-2000 about 1. 92 million tones of rice was exported and earn about 465. 8 million US$. Rice is susceptible to a range of diseases and pests, which annually destroy about 55 percent of rice crops. The most common diseases are caused by he fungi sheath blight and rice blast, and the stalk borer is a common insect pest. Rice is composed of essential food components, therefore more than two billions people in the globe depend on rice for more than half of the proteins and calories they consume (Khan et al. 2000). Due to its increasing importance in nutrition and economy, it is now felt that new varieties of rice, having good agronomic characters, should be evolved. Crop improvement through tissue culture techniques is easier and more often in use as compared to conventional plant breeding (Yamada, 19 86). Somaclonal variations commonly ppear after tissue culture, which involve a callus stage (Larkin and Scow Croft 1981). Callus is undifferentiated mass of rapidly proliferating cells, can be obtained by culturing explants source (seed, node, bud, leaves, meristem and root tips etc) on nutrient medium containing specific growth regulators along with a standard recipe of chemicals. Rashid et al. (2000) studied that rice seeds have more potential for callogenesis as compared to node or tip. Successful callus induction from rice seed has been reported by several researchers (Gonalz 2000; Navraj et al. 1999; Marrassi 1996; Valdez et al. 1997; Xie et al. 995). But an improved method for callogenesis was reported by Rashid et al. 2000). The present study is based on tissue culture techniques carried out in ABI laboratory for callus induction in rice varieties viz. Basmati-370 and Basmati-385. Two types of basal media M. S (Murashige and Skoog 1962) and N6 (Nitsch and Nitsch, 1969) suppl emented with 2,4-D (2,4- dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) alone or in combination with different concentrations of BAP (6-benzylaminopurine) were used for callus induction. Hidayat Ullah, et al. Tissue culture techniques for callus induction in rice†¦. 82 MATERIALS AND METHODSThe research work for callus induction in rice was conducted at the tissue culture laboratory of Agricultural Biotechnology Institute in National Agricultural Research Center (NARC), Islamabad, during 2001-02. The procedure of this research work has been divided in the following four main categories. Surface Sterilization of Rice Seeds Seeds of Basmati-370 and Basmati-385 were provided by rice programmed, Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (ABI), National Agricultural Research Center Islamabad, and it was taken as explant source for callus induction. Healthy and mature seeds were selected by hysical appearance and they were dehusked manually. Seeds were first washed with detergent and then rinsed three times with simple tap water. For surface sterilization of seeds Clorox (5. 25% sodium hypochlorite) and ethanol was applied. After the applications of Clorox and ethanol seeds were rinsed thrice with autoclaved distilled water. Finally the seeds were dried with autoclaved filter paper, and they were shifted carefully to the culture room of Agricultural Biotechnology Institute. Basal Media Preparation M. S and N6 basal media were used for callus initiation. These media were prepared according to he ingredients (Table I). The exact amount of nutrients was dissolved in the distilled water. Two types of growth regulators 2,4-D alone or in combination with BAP was used for callus induction. 2,4-D @ 2. 0 and 2. 5 mg l-1 and BAP @ 0. 0, 0. 1, 0. 5 mg l-1 respectively was added in the media. Sucrose at the rate of 3% and agar at the rate of 0. 7% was also added in the media. PH of the media was adjusted at 5. 78-5. 80 with the help of PH-meter. M. S. and N6 media were poured into the test tubes, it was plugged properly and autoclaved at 20 lbs pressure for 15 minutes in the autoclave machine.Inoculation of Sterilized Seeds The most important step in tissue culture technique is the inoculation of seeds. This operation was performed in the laminar flow cabinet at the culture room of ABI. Before the operation surface sterilization of the laminar flow unit was carried by UV-light for two minutes. After that hands were disinfected with 75% ethanol to prevent chance of contamination. Dried seeds were then inoculated into test tubes under aseptic condition in laminar flow unit. To minimize chance of infection the instruments were dipped in disinfectant after every operation. Growth ChamberInoculated cultures were incubated at 25 ±3? C under the influence of 2000-lux light intensity for 16 hours photoperiod. Callus induction of rice seeds were observed after 21- days. The data for callus induction frequency were recorded for two rice varieties on two different media with differen t concentrations of growth regulators. Table I Composition of MS and N6 media Macronutrients KNO3 1900 2830 NH4NO3 1650 0 CaCl2. 2H2O 440 166 MgSO4 370 90. 37 KH2PO4 170 400 (NH4)2 SO4 — 463 Micronutrients MnSO4. H2O 16. 9 3. 33 H3BO3 6. 2 1. 6 KI 0. 83 0. 80 ZnSO4. 4H2O 8. 6 — ZnSO4. 7H2O — 1. 5 NaMoO4. 2H2O 0. 5 — CuSO4. 5H2O 0. 025 — CoCl2. 6H2O 0. 025 — Iron source FeSO4. 7H2O 27. 85 27. 85 NaEDTA 37. 25 37. 25 Vitamins Myoinositol 100 — Nicotinic Acid 0. 5 0. 5 Pyridoxine HCl 0. 5 0. 5 Thiamine HCl 0. 1 1. 0 Glycine 2. 0 — Sucrose 30g 30g Agar 7g 7g RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Results obtained from tissue culture techniques of Bas-370 and Bas-385 performed in ABI laboratory and repeated three times from 10th February to Sarhad J. Agric. Vol. 23, No. 1, 2007 83 October 2001. Chance of contamination was much low when both the varieties were treated with 50% Clorox and 70% ethanol. Oono (1981) also used eeds as explants source for rice callus induction. The main objective of our study is to know the actual procedure for seed sterilization and callogenesis in these cultivars. The potential of both varieties for callus induction was observed significantly different on M. S and N6 media at different concentrations of growth regulators. It is noteworthy that N6 and M. S media, which proved to be optimum for the growth of callus, were unable to support cell growth in liquid media. Callus induced from both the varieties were different at various level of 2,4-D and BAP. Maximum callus formation (62. 5%) was recorded or Bas-385, followed by Bas-370 (55. 55%) when seeds were cultured on MS medium supplemented with 2,[email  protected] 0 mgl-1 and 2mgl-1 2,4-D+0. 1mgl-1 BAP respectively (Table II and IV). Lowest callus of 41. 66 % was observed each for Bas-370 and Bas-385 when MS medium is supplemented with 2. 5 and 0. 5 mgl-1 of 2,4-D and BAP respectively. It is cleared that potential of Bas-385 towards callogenesi s was higher than Bas-370. Averaged across MS media callus induction frequency was 48. 14 % for BAS-370 vs 53. 22 % for BAS-385 (Fig 2). This is equivalent to the net reduction of 5. 08 % for BAS-370. Growth regulator 2,4-D at he rate of 2mgl-1 was suggested and proved to be best for callus induction in both the varieties. Using N6 media callus induction frequency ranged from 20. 83 to 68. 05% for both the varieties. When 2,[email  protected] was supplemented with N6 media, produced highest and good quality callus from Bas-385 (68. 05%) and minimum (20. 83%) from Bas-370 (Table III and IV). This result indicated positive correlation between 2,4-D and Bas-385 and negative for Bas-370. Average across N6 media callus induction frequency was 23. 6 % for Bas-370 vs 60. 64 % for Bas-385 (Fig. 3). This is equivalent to the net reduction of 7. 2 % for BAS- 370. Calli obtained from both the varieties were friable, granular, and yellow in color. So it was proved that N6 media is better for callus induction of rice as compared to M. S medium. Overall result of BAS-385 was best on various concentrations of 2,4-D and BAP on both, MS and N6 media. Callus form Bas-385 was healthy and more fleshy as compare to Bas-370 (Figure 1). The active division of cells was more prominent in the callus of Bas-385, that’s why it looks bulky. Secondly Bas-385 had more capacity for producing callus, especially when N6 media supplemented with 2,4- [email  protected]Agronomic features of Bas-385 are also better than Bas-370 because it is developed through hybridization between Bas-370 and TN-1. Callus induction must be dependent on the genetic potentials of the variety and secondly the combination of hormones at different concentration. Callus induction is the best way to create somaclonal variations in crop plants. Variations are the basis for improvement and some time this variation is heritable. Oono (1981) cultured seed explants of rice varieties and observed variation for cert ain agronomic characters that are also heritable. Once cultured techniques were stablished in rice, it become possible to apply them for callus regeneration and transformation. (b) Calli obtained from Bas-385 (a) Calli Obtained form Bas-370 Hidayat Ullah, et al. Tissue culture techniques for callus induction in rice†¦. 84 Table II Percentage callus induction frequency and contamination in Bas-370 on M. S Medium Treatments Sterilizing agents Clorox time/Ethano l time (min) Hormone in mg L-1 # Of inoculated test tubes % Contamination % Callus induction frequency % Clorox % Ethanol 2,4-D BAP 1 50 70 20/1. 0 2. 0 0. 0 72 58. 33% 20. 83% 2 50 70 20/2. 0 2. 0 0. 1 72 73. 61% 22. 22% 50 70 20/4. 0 2. 5 0. 5 72 52. 77% 27. 77% Table III Percentage callus induction frequency and contamination in Bas-370 on N6 Medium. Treatments Sterilizing agents Clorox time/Ethano l time (min) Hormone used in mg L-1 # Of inoculated test tubes % Contami nation % Callus induction frequency % Clorox % Eth anol 2,4-D BAP % Clorox 1 50 70 20/1. 0 2. 0 0. 0 72 1 50 2 50 70 20/2. 0 2. 0 0. 1 72 2 50 3 50 70 20/4. 0 2. 5 0. 5 72 3 50 Table IV Percentage callus induction frequency and contamination in Bas-385 on M. S Medium. Treatments Sterilizing agents Clorox /Ethanol time (min) Hormone used in mg L-1 Of inoculated test tubes % Contami nation % Callus induction % Clorox % Ethanol 2,4-D BAP % Clorox 1 50 70 20/1. 0 2. 0 0. 0 72 1 50 2 50 70 20/2. 0 2. 0 0. 1 72 2 50 3 50 70 20/4. 0 2. 5 0. 5 72 3 50 Table V. Percentage callus induction frequency and contamination in Bas-385 on N6 Medium Treatments Sterilizing agents Clorox/Etha nol time (min) Hormone used in mg L-1 # Of inoculated test tubes % Contami nation % Callus induction frequency % Clorox % Ethanol 2,4-D BAP % Clorox 1 50 70 20/1. 0 2. 0 0. 0 72 1 50 2 50 70 20/2. 0 2. 0 0. 1 72 2 50 3 50 70 20/4. 0 2. 5 0. 5 72 3 50 Sarhad J. Agric. Vol. 3, No. 1, 2007 85 20. 83 62. 5 22. 22 55. 5 27. 77 41. 66 0 20 40 60 80 Bas-370 Bas-385 Variet ies Callus induction freq (%) 2,4-D&[email  protected] 0&0. 0 2,4-D&[email  protected] 0&0. 1 2,4-D&[email  protected] 5&0. 5 47. 22 68. 05 55. 55 61. 11 41. 66 52. 77 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 Bas-370 Bas-385 Varieties Callus induction freq (%) 2,4-D&[email  protected] 0&0. 0 2,4-D&[email  protected] 0&0. 1 2,4-D&[email  protected] 5&0. 5 Fig. 2. Callus induction frequency (%) of Bas-370 and Bas-385 on M. S media at different level of 2,4-D and BAP. Fig. 3. Callus induction frequency (%) of Bas-370 and Bas-385 on N6 media at different level of 2,4-D and BAP. Hidayat Ullah, et al.Tissue culture techniques for callus induction in rice†¦. 86 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION Infections of the callus is main problem in tissue culture technique so we should adopt the following precautions. 1. We should sterilize the seeds in 50% hypochlorite solution for 20 minutes and all the apparatus like flasks, petri plates, blades and forceps etc. should be disinfectant with 70% ethan ol. Media should be prepared accurately with respect to concentrations and PH of the media must be maintained properly. Exact amount of growth hormones must be added. 2. Seeds of Bas-370 on MS media with combination 2. and 0. 1mgl-1 should be used to get maximum callus, while hormonal combination 2,4-D and BAP @2. 0 and 0. 0 mg l-1 should be used for better callus induction of Bas-385 on N6 media. Bas-385 is an improved version of Bas-370 because it is developed through hybridization between Bas-370 and TN-1. That’s why it is more responsive towards callus as will as high doses of fertilizers. Over all results indicated that Bas- 385 having more potentials and suitable for further genetic studies. REFERENCES FAO. 2002 Food Outlook Bullet. No: 1,FAO, Rome. Gonalz, M. C. 2000. Effects of different growth egulators on in vitro culture of rice cultivors. Tropicales. 21(1): 27-28. Khan, J. A. , F. F. Jamil and M. A. Gill. 2000. Screnning of rice varieties against bakanae and bacte rial leaf blight. Pak. J. Phytopath. 12(1): 6-11. Larkin, P. J. and W. R. Scowcraft. 1981. Somaclonal variation a novel source of variability from cell cultures of plant improvement. Theor. Appld. Genet. 60:197-214. Marasi, M. A. , O. A. Bovo, A. Socchi and L. A. Mrongiski. 1996. Cytokining in the callus induction medium for plant regeneration of rice. Phyton Int, J. Exp. Bot. 59(1-2): 155-160. Murashige, T. and F. Skoog. 1962.Arevised medium for rapid growth and bioassays with tobacco tissue cultures. Physiol. Plant. 15: 473-497. Navraj, K. , M. S. Gill, G. Raman, T. S. Bharaj, S. S. Gosal, N. Kaur and R. Gill. 1999. Factors enhancing somatic embryogenesis and high frequency plant regeneration in rice. Crop Improv. 26(1): 23-27. Nitsch, J. P. and C. Nitsch. 1969. Haploid plants from pollen grains. Sci. 163: 85-87. Oono, K. 1981. In vitro methods applied to rice in plant tissue culture. T. Athorpe, ed. Acad. Press, New York. pp. 273-298. Rashid, H. , A. Toriyama, K. Qurashi, Hinta a nd K. A. Malik. 2000. An improved method for hoot regeneration from calli of Indica rice. Pak. J. Biol. Sci. 3 (12): 2229-2231. Valdez, M. , M. Monoz, J. R. Vega and A. M. Espinoza. 1997. Plant regeneration of Indica rice from mature embryo derived calli. Revistade Biologia Tropical. 44(3): 13-21. Xie, J. H. , M. W. Gao, Q. H. Cai, X. Y. Chens, Y. W. Shen and Z. Q. Liang. 1995 Optimized growth regulators combination in Japonica rice. Plant Cell Tissue and Organ Culture. 42(3): 245-250. Yamada, Y. , T. Q. Yang and D. T. Tang. 1986. Plant regeneration from protoplast derived callus of rice (Oryza sativa L. ). Plant Cell Reports. 4: 85-88

On Being an Atheist Essay

In this article McCloskey writes what he believes as truth in the world we live in. He states that theists believe in a God and that they have â€Å"proofs† that this God exists. In the article he addresses these â€Å"proofs† and in a very academic and respectful way tears them down. He attempts to eliminate all possibilities of the existence of God, through what he calls â€Å"reasons why I believe that atheism is a much more comfortable belief than theism, and why theist should be miserable just because they are theists.† The first issue that McCloskey references to is the â€Å"proofs† that Christians hold to prove that God exist, but as we learned in one of our PointeCast presentations, the reasons Christians believe in God are not exactly proofs, because they cannot scientifically or in any way prove to a point that God does in fact exist. These reasons are arguments, theories and carefully thought out propositions that try their hardest to justify what we believe in. Because of this McCloskey argues that humans should give up on the notion that God exists, yet since there also no way to prove that God does not exist, McCloskey is defeated by his own logic. So if humans are to give up on both the notion that there is or is not a God, then that leaves us with nothing whatsoever to believe in. There is no way to prove that God does or does not exist, what I might believe to be a strong argument for the existence of God, and atheist such as McCloskey might deem nonsense. These â€Å"proofsâ₠¬  are simply and objective argument for the existence of God, thus have to be taken as valid argument, propositions, and theory and not as tangible proof. McCloskey dissects three major arguments being the cosmological proof, the  theological proof, and the argument from design. He takes all these arguments and picks them apart for both atheist and theist to see what he is trying to prove. In all honesty in some cases in these arguments of his I can see what he is trying to prove, yet in the end I have no sense of what he has accomplished with his arguments if he himself cannot prove that God does not exist. The first argument that McCloskey addresses is the Cosmological proof. He states that we cannot possibly assume without proof on an â€Å"an all-powerful, all-perfect, uncaused cause† and to this notion I somewhat agree. The reason being is that this argument does not specify the qualities of a god that could create the universe as it is. Thus the argument simply states that there must have been a first cause or there would have been infinite regress, or in other words gods and that is what the argument is trying to avoid. The next argument that McCloskey addresses is the Theological proof. He states that there cannot be indisputable proofs and examples of design that the whole argument becomes invalid. In this case he is again defeated by his own logic; because once again there is no way that any arguments attempting to prove that God does not exist are indisputable as well. In the world we live we must believe in what we as individuals take to as truth, since there is no possible way that a person can prove or disprove that God does or does not exist. McCloskey is attempting to support his arguments so hard that in the essence of itself he is defeating himself without realizing it. I believe that a perfect example of intelligent design is the human body. There is no possible way that such a complex and amazing creation came from a bunch of cells meshing together. Our bodies are built to live on the earth in a way that is amazingly thought out. The body is functioning, living organism in and of itself with thousands of different parts and pieces all working together to accomplish one goal: to live. The human body is the perfect example to show that intelligent design was indeed included in the universe and in the world today. Though this does not prove that there is one God, it does prove that there is a higher being that created what we are  today. I do not object to the thought of microevolution or even evolution itself, but I do not believe that evolution exterminates the need for intelligent design and a creator. Evolutionists believe that there exist the â€Å"perfect condition† as to what created the cosmos and the world around us, yet all the experiments to prove that this event took place have failed. Again there is the fact that we cannot prove or disprove this belief, while the experiments have failed; there is no way to go back in time and to prove that it indeed does not exist. Yet people must take into account that evolution does not cancel out God, in fact why couldn’t it have been God himself that created the â€Å"perfect condition† that brought into place evolution. McCloskey also addresses the fact that there is imperfection and evil in the world, he states that there could not possibly be a God who would allow this. First of all, the cosmological proof in itself does not tell us the characteristic of the creator, simply that there is one. Secondly a person who believes in God would tell you that there is evil in the world because God gave his creation the right to choose. The choice of the first man and woman of the world which God created chose to sin and brought evil into the world. There is also the fact that I believe McCloskey is being quite bold by stating that there is no divine purpose. After all he is simply a person in the world; he himself is not the creator and definitely does not have all the knowledge of the universe. The fact that McCloskey brings up the presence of evil is quite understandable. I completely understand where he is coming from and have had experiences in my own life with people like this. This is actually a very common argument among atheist and McCloskey is not an exception. It is sometimes hard to accept that fact that evil sometime does in fact fall into God’s Will, even some theist have trouble with the problem of evil when they themselves believe in a â€Å"good God†. In this argument I honestly have trouble as well. It is hard to justify a good person’s murder, or the rape of a young child, or the death of thousands because of a natural disaster. Yet in  the depths of my heart I personally believe that when God created the world it was not as such, it was perfect. When sin entered into the world it brought the evil as well. As for why God allows such evil to take place, that is a harder question and an even more difficult answer. I was brought up to believe that when God sees his creation in pain, it hurts him too; there have been times when I have questioned why God allows certain evils in our lives. The truth is there is no arguments that can make a person feel better in the face of child abuse, rape, murder, suicide, and even natural disasters, yet in the moments when people are hurting the most is when they turn to God. Thus I believe that is the way in which we see the reason there is evil in the world. God did not create the world with evil in place, but he did create a creation that could choose for their selves. Thus in essence the human race suffers from our own choices. McCloskey makes some very valid arguments yet I find that most of them stand empty handed. McCloskey also questions why God would not create a human race with free will to always to choose what is right. To this statement I honestly believe that would not be freewill. The reason that God created man with free will was so that he could love God of his own free will. If God had created man to the point where he could only choose what was good and right then in essence it would not have been free will at all. The beauty of having free will is the fact that God lets you choose, though he knows the choices that you will make, the choices are yours. Whether to love God or to reject God, free will cannot be controlled for then it would not be free will at all. At the end of his article McCloskey states that atheism is a much more comforting belief than theism. He uses the example of an ill child that was dying and that he would find no comfort in knowing there was a God. I on the other hand find that if there was no God and man was here on earth simply to be and that there was no reason for living that the death of a child would be unimportant. This might sounds very cruel but it is the truth. If there is no reason to live then dying is not much of an issue, since there is no afterlife simply the life we have here on earth. I find the fact of not knowing what will happen after death disconcerting. To know that when I die I will be in heaven with God is more than enough to help me through this  life on earth. Atheism to me is a sad religion with no reason for the existence of man. Heaven holds so much for the believer, peace, no pain, and an eternal home with God. Atheism to me is the religion that is the most miserable to live with, not theism. The greatest reason being that if there is no God, no afterlife, no salvation; then when death is on your doorsteps there is no hope only despair and fear of the nothingness beyond the grave. I cannot live believing there is no reason to live here on earth, knowing God loves and has a place for me in heaven is what helps me live on this Earth. References Craig, William L. Reasonable faith: Christian truth and apologetics. 3rd Ed. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2008. 71-90. Evans, C. S., Manis, R. Z. Philosophy of religion: Thinking about faith. 2nd Ed. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2009. McCloskey, H. J. Question 1: On being an atheist. 1968. 51-54.

Food and Beverage Industry Essay

Around the time of A. D 850 legend has it that a lone shepherd and his flock happened upon a strange new plant that was growing upon the slopes of lonely hillside. Before the shepherd could intervene some of his herd had started to chomp away at this newly discovered delicacy. After about a quarter of an hour the shepherd began to notice that the entire flock were acting in an extremely lively manner. They appeared to be not only very alert but even hyperactive. Now the shepherd being slightly weary and more than a little tired decided that he also should sample the berries and see what, if any effect they would have on him. He secretly hoped that the dramatic effect that he had observed the berries to have on his greedy flock of sheep would also be his experience. Just as had happened with his herd, he too started to feel the benefits and in a matter of minutes he also [pardon the pun] was ? extremely full of beans?. A few hours passed and along came a wandering monk. The herder proceeded to tell him of the plants amazing qualities but he was immediately scolded for his outlandish ways and foolhardy behaviour. After he had finished telling the shepherd just what a sinner he had been the monk went on his way but not before he had hidden a little something in his bottom of his backpack. When the monk reached his monastery his fellow holy men also decided to try this new and enchanting beverage. Soon the endless hours of prayer no longer seemed so wearisome, in fact they became easy to endure with the help of this exciting new drink. Coffee, had now well and truly arrived and the news began to spread! Its widespread consumption first commenced in the wilds of the Ethiopian outlands before then moving on to the heart of Arabia . Here it was to be held as a holy delicacy but was eventually to be unlawfully exported by a trader by the name of Baba Budan. In no time at all word of its qualities began to spread and coffee was to evolve into one of the most valued drinks ever known to the human civilisation. Its hard to believe that each year we consume a staggering four billion cups and there are many among us who would not contemplate starting their day without it. Although coffee is usually thought of as a sleep suppressant there are many who think that it also has many health benefits. It is said that folk who suffer from the complaint of asthma and drink coffee have an average of at least 25% less symptoms due to a substance in the coffee named theophylline. This is known to be a bronchodilator which helps those who suffer with the disease to breathe a little more easily. Drinking coffee on a daily basis is also thought to help lower your chances of developing colon cancer. This is also by a figure in the region of about twenty five percent. Aside from the benefits that have been mentioned above, it has to be said that simply enjoying coffee as a beverage is a delight that will never be easily surpassed. The unbelievable thing is that most people have no idea of the different tastes and delights that this monarch of all drinks has to offer. One of the fastest growing trends of the past few years has to be the rising popularity of obtaining coffee via the internet. Never before has it been so easy to sample such a huge variety of blends, tastes and aromas, and all at the click of a mouse. I order coffee frequently through the internet and I always make a point to record the country, blend and from whom I purchased. Well now that you know the tale of the mystical beans I hope that if in the future you are considering visiting your local coffee shop you recall the story of the lowly shepherd and think about just what you might be drinking were he not to have wandered onto that bleak and lonely hillside. Why not take advantage of the internet and try the many different varieties and blends available. Not only will you impress your tastebuds, your friends will be grateful as well. Reference: http://www. streetdirectory. com/etoday/food-and-beverage-history-coepeu. html.

Part Three Chapter VII

VII Up in the little white house that sat high above the town, Simon Price fretted and brooded. Days passed. The accusatory post had vanished from the message boards, but Simon remained paralysed. To withdraw his candidacy might seem like an admission of guilt. The police had not come knocking about the computer; Simon half regretted throwing it off the old bridge now. On the other hand, he could not decide whether he had imagined a knowing grin from the man behind the till when he handed over his credit card in the garage at the foot of the hill. There was a lot of talk about redundancies at work, and Simon was still afraid of the contents of that post coming to the bosses' ears, that they might save themselves redundancy pay by sacking himself, Jim and Tommy. Andrew watched and waited, losing hope every day. He had tried to show the world what his father was, and the world, it seemed, had merely shrugged. Andrew had imagined that someone from the printworks or the council would rise up and tell Simon firmly, ‘no'; that he was not fit to set himself up in competition with other people, that he was unsuitable and sub-standard, and must not disgrace himself or his family. Yet nothing had happened, except that Simon stopped talking about the council or making telephone calls in the hope of garnering votes, and the leaflets that he had had printed out of hours at work sat untouched in a box in the porch. Then, without warning or fanfare, came victory. Heading down the dark stairs in search of food on Friday evening, Andrew heard Simon talking stiffly on the telephone in the sitting room, and paused to listen. ‘†¦ withdraw my candidacy,' he was saying. ‘Yes. Well, my personal circumstances have changed. Yes. Yes. Yeah, that's right. OK. Thank you.' Andrew heard Simon replace the receiver. ‘Well, that's that,' his father said to his mother. ‘I'm well out of it, if that's the kind of shit they're throwing around.' He heard his mother return some muffled, approving rejoinder, and before Andrew had time to move, Simon had emerged into the hall below, drawn breath into his lungs and yelled the first syllable of Andrew's name, before realizing that his son was right in front of him. ‘What are you doing?' Simon's face was half in shadow, lit only by the light escaping the sitting room. ‘I wanted a drink,' Andrew lied; his father did not like the boys helping themselves to food. ‘You start work with Mollison this weekend, don't you?' ‘Yeah.' ‘Right, well, you listen to me. I want anything you can get on that bastard, d'you hear me? All the dirt you can get. And on his son, if you hear anything.' ‘All right,' said Andrew. ‘And I'll put it up on the fucking website for them,' said Simon, and he walked back into the sitting room. ‘Barry Fairbrother's fucking ghost.' As he scavenged an assortment of food that might not be missed, skimming off slices here, handfuls there, a jubilant jingle ran through Andrew's mind: I stopped you, you bastard. I stopped you. He had done exactly what he had set out to do: Simon had no idea who had brought his ambitions to dust. The silly sod was even demanding Andrew's help in getting his revenge; a complete about-turn, because when Andrew had first told his parents that he had a job at the delicatessen, Simon had been furious. ‘You stupid little tit. What about your fucking allergy?' ‘I thought I'd try not eating any of the nuts,' said Andrew. ‘Don't get smart with me, Pizza Face. What if you eat one accidentally, like at St Thomas's? D'you think we want to go through that crap again?' But Ruth had supported Andrew, telling Simon that Andrew was old enough to take care, to know better. When Simon had left the room, she had tried to tell Andrew that Simon was only worried about him. ‘The only thing he's worried about is that he'd have to miss bloody Match of the Day to take me to hospital.' Andrew returned to his bedroom, where he sat shovelling food into his mouth with one hand and texting Fats with the other. He thought that it was all over, finished, done with. Andrew had never yet had reason to observe the first tiny bubble of fermenting yeast, in which was contained an inevitable, alchemical transformation.

Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Globalization - Essay Example Thrusting in a jet velocity starting from the industrial revolution till today the advancement of technology can be seen in every aspects of life today (Communication Technology & Globalization, n.d.). Contemporary definition of globalization In the contemporary definition of globalization the social, cultural and environmental factors are included. The bottom line of contemporary globalization can be viewed as the â€Å"intensification of cross-national interactions that promote the establishment of trans-national structures and the global integration of cultural, economic, political, technological and social process on global, supra-national, national, regional and local levels†(Gaston. etal, 2008, p.15). Contemporary globalization in our daily life The term globalization is a complex and relative term. It varies from people to people. According to some people globalization affects their lives economically. Some say that it would point the influences made by the political an d social issues. People differ in their perspective of understanding of globalization as their experiences vary. But in general it can be inferred that globalization can be thought of as a process through which the citizens of the world in rapid pace are getting connected and dependant on each other. The effect of globalization on an individual’s life can be viewed from three different perspectives viz. economic, social, and political. (Stohl, n.d. p.223). Substitution of early means of communication with the modern means and role of technology Advancement of technology has substituted the previous means of communication with modern means of communication like messengers on horseback has been replaced by postal vans and subsequently replaced by electronic mail which has became faster and more convenient than the previous means of communication. Globalization has contributed to the exaggerated rapidity of information exchange across the globe. And this phenomenon has taken int o consideration the homogenization and hybridization of all aspects of social, technological, economic, and political dynamics on a global scale (Understandings of Globalization, n.d.). Technological determinism and social constructivism in modern communication and globalization Behind all kinds of social development technological determinism plays a primordial driving force. Technological determinism holds that technology is the key source in the social development. According to Marshall McLuhan, â€Å"the channels of communication are the primary cause of cultural change.† According to his view technology plays an indispensible part in the development of a path which is unaffected by social, economic and political factors. In contrary with the theory of technological determinism another paradigm of concept which has been developed is the social constructivism. The advocates of social constructivism argue that human action including culture, economics, and politics is not sh aped by technology but rather it is the case that technology is shaped by human action. According to Wiebe Bijker culture is not distorted or decided by technology but it is a fact that culture accelerates the development and advancement of technology (Understandings o

Individual Assignment (80%) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Individual Assignment (80%) - Essay Example Shell UK has been reviewing its supply chain and looking into ways in which it can improve its production through innovation and technology (Shell UK Plc., 2012). This paper identifies opportunities and inhibitors of creativity in the company and their impact on organisational performance of Shell. Additionally it identifies one innovation that would have made the most impact on Shell and individual contribution towards the company’s creative ability by applying the relevant theories. Shell UK has the key responsibility to meet energy demand and provide affordable and clean energy. The company is in the second spot in the UK market and the fifth largest globally. It is the leading tax payer in the economy and the number one company in market capitalisation. The company was established in 1897 and has opened offices in various parts of the country. Though the company’s business has reduced slightly in the recent past, it is still one of the leading companies in the UK. S hell UK boasts of having a workforce composed of 6400 skilled workers and a sufficient number of contractors (Shell UK Plc., 2012). The UK market is unique since it has like- minded climate policies and international ideologies of leadership shared by Shell UK. Lastly, the UK population is a rich source of brilliant recruits that specialise in the Projects and Technology and Upstream where they bring their invaluable knowledge in leadership and management capacities. Background of the Company Shell is an energy company that operates the oil and gas sectors in the United Kingdom. The company concentrates on fuel service systems that manufacture a variety of chemicals and fuels for industrial use and domestic use. Additionally, the company takes part in research projects which include technologies that are involved in engineering, lubricants, additives and the environment. The company’s main core objectives focus on helping the company meet the international demand for energy a t low prices, provide competitive shareholder gains and to be a future energy provider. The company’s activities can be broken down into three categories, Upstream, Downstream and Projects and Technology (Shell UK Plc., 2012). The company organization is in line with the definition of an organization since it is a social entity that has clearly laid out objectives, boundaries and a well developed structure (Butler, 1991). However, the organizational structure is characterized by bureaucracy and has limitations bound by the entity’s rules and regulations. The strategic and tactical levels in the organization can be viewed to the major agents of change. Shell UK Nature of Change In the modern world, the future of the organization has become increasingly unpredictable (Furnham, 2000). Additionally, the oil and gas industry which Shell operates in have been experiencing the imminent threat of scarcity of resources and increased competition (Crooks, 2010). This section give s a discussion of its external environment since it is believed to have a profound influence on the company’s activity (Brooks, 2004). The strong influence on the external environment can be traced by analyzing the socio- cultural and technological factors (Senior & Swailes, 2010). Some of the socio- cultural factors affecting the company are caused by the company’s exploration activities in harsh enironments. In the recent past, Shell UK suffered from a huge capital spending followed by a considerable reduction in