An important event that changed my life

There are many changes that can happen in a person’ s life. Some changes are very tiny and would not affect your life very much. However, other events could be very important and could change a person’ s whole life, such as getting married, having a baby, or losing someone special. The important event that changed my life is coming to the United States to study. When I first arrived in this country, I realized that a tremendous transformation would happen in my life both physically and mentally. After spending more than two months in the United States, I firmly believe that moving to the United States is a beneficial change for me. This change provides me a chance to lead a healthy lifestyle as well as a new way of thinking that are significant for me.It is essential to have this change as it offers me a healthy lifestyle. Before coming to the United States, I used to stay up late at night to study and wake up early in the morning. This was a hazard to my health that co uld cause me to get sick easily. When I decided to come to America, I made up my mind and determined to keep a healthy routine. For example, I enjoy the American-style meal which includes having a fresh salad instead of cooked vegetables. This method of cooking vegetables helps me absorb more vitamins from them. As a result, I can feel that I am becoming healthier and healthier. 3Additionally, this important change enables me to think differently and internationally. This is my first time living in a North-American country. Hence, I have a brand new opportunity to experience a new culture. Because I live in a multicultural society, living in Los Angeles has expanded my horizon on a lot of things – lifestyle, eating habits, and respectful greeting manners. By knowing more about different cultures, I have become more considerate and understanding of various habits as well as behaviors from different races. Consequently, I have changed into someone who has a new way of seeing di stinct issues happening around me.To sum up, mov ing to the United States was an important change in my life because of giving me the chance to have a healthy lifestyle and a new way of thinking. I have changed my eating and sleeping habits in a good way. Meanwhile, I have become more understanding of different cultures. Thus, this change is very important and beneficial for me An Important Event that Changed my Life There are many changes that can happen in a person’ s life. Some changes are very tiny and would not affect your life very much. However, other events could be very important and could change a person’ s whole life, such as getting married, having a baby, or losing someone special. The important event that changed my life is coming to the United States to study. When I first arrived in this country, I realized that a tremendous transformation would happen in my life both physically and mentally. After spending more than two months in the United States, I firmly believe that moving to the United States is a beneficial change for me. This change provides me a chance to lead a healthy lifestyle as well as a new way of thinking that are significant for me.It is essential to have this change as it offers me a healthy lifestyle. Before coming to the United States, I used to stay up late at night to study and wake up early in the morning. This was a hazard to my health that co uld cause me to get sick easily. When I decided to come to America, I made up my mind and determined to keep a healthy routine. For example, I enjoy the American-style meal which includes having a fresh salad instead of cooked vegetables. This method of cooking vegetables helps me absorb more vitamins from them. As a result, I can feel that I am becoming healthier and healthier.Additionally, this important change enables me to think differently and internationally. This is my first time living in a North-American country. Hence, I have a brand new opportunity to experience a new culture. Because I live in a multicultural society, living in Los Angeles has expanded my horizon on a lot of things – lifestyle, eating habits, and respectful greeting manners. By knowing more about different cultures, I have become more considerate and understanding of various habits as well as behaviors from different races. Consequently, I have changed into someone who has a new way of seeing dist inct issues happening around me.To sum up, mov ing to the United States was an important change in my life because of giving me the chance to have a healthy lifestyle and a new way of thinking. I have changed my eating and sleeping habits in a good way. Meanwhile, I have become more understanding of different cultures. Thus, this change is very important and beneficial for me.

Marcel Duchamp Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhole

The artistic exchange of ideas and influences can profoundly affect the art world'- Explore this statement with reference to a range of artists and artworks. Artistic exchange is a conceptual idea involving the exchange of artistic methods, ideas, and other elements of an artist's practice; and if an artist is a pioneer or an innovator, their ideas can resonate through exchange to transform the entire art world. Throughout the 20th Century the shaping of the art world came into play through ideas, expression, education and one result of this was the age ofModernism. There was much social ad political unrest sweeping through Europe, during the beginning of the twentieth century which contributed to the breaking of the traditional art barriers. The works of Pablo Picasso, Marcel Decamp and Andy Warhol strongly affected the art world with their individual yet diverse techniques and styles. These artists broke away from traditional art and its boundaries in order to exchange ideas and co nventions regarding the aesthetics which opposed accepted societal standards.These ideas were profoundly influenced the art world. Marcel Duchess's art making practice was characterized by its humor, variety, the unconventionality of its media and its persistent exploration of art's boundaries. Decamp was involved with the avian-garden movements during the Modernist period, and as an iconoclast, he abandoned these artistic principles, with the aim of rejecting convention such as his distaste for art that was pleasing to the eye'. Works exemplifying these beliefs include Bicycle Wheel (1913) and L. H. O. O.Q (1919) which caused controversy over their acceptance as ‘art'. Bicycle Wheel is a redeemed (a tool supporting an upside-down bicycle wheel) that Decamp has decentralized as well as displacing its original function, thereby transforming an industrial, mass produced object into a work of art. Duchess's art making approach could be considered satirical, as it often ridiculed the ideals established by society. L. H. O. O. Q is an altered postcard of the Mona Lisa that Decamp has satirized by drawing a moustache and goatee on the face of this iconic figure.This notion of ‘defacing' a Ad Vinci masterpiece was very shocking to the art world during the early 20th century, revoking controversy as it was not handmade, but redeemed and ridiculous, thereby questioning what really defined art. The avian-garden character of Duchess's work influenced the art world by encouraging the critical question of what constitutes art. The influence of Duchess's ideas an practice have been imprinted in many of the works of American modernist Andy Warhol.Whorl's Campbell Soup Cans (1962) and Marilyn 1962 build on Duchess's concept of the redeemed and have inspired a genre of artworks that employ the techniques of reclassification and appropriation. As a leading artist of the sass's Pop Art movement, Warhol was revolutionary in his appropriation of popular culture. Whorl' s work explored the processes of silk screening, and for the first time was using assistants to produce artworks. The process of silk screening enabled Warhol to investigate mass- production techniques, which is evidenced in his work through his use of repetition, cropping, overprinting and the use of the grid.Warhol used a â€Å"ready made† image of Marilyn Monroe from a commercial publicity shot, and then altered this appropriated image. Warhol plays with reclassification in a similar fashion to Decamp. Warhol takes this idea further than simply rejecting past values by persuading the audience to question the relationship between culture and the media, and to define the sass's perception of celebrity. Whorl's artworks mimic the processes and subject matter of mass production. This artwork signals a loss of individuality for Marilyn Monroe: she is a multiple and she is banal, yet Marilyn is symbolically a most potent American icon.Whorl's artworks, particularly portraits, ar e a social chronicle of the time. Whorl's work titled Campbell Soup Cans(1962) also stems from the concept of appropriation and the redefining of context. ‘Campbell Soup Cans' appropriates images from popular American culture, exploring the idea of combining art and centralization. Warhol has used polymer paint and silkscreen ink on plywood to replicate the once mass-produced sales product. In making this decision, Warhol has consciously blurred the line between art and consumerism.This particular concept had a profound impact on the art world due to its disputed classification as art – categorized by some as ‘merchandise'. The similarities between the thought processes of Marcel Decamp and Andy Warhol how a distinct exchange in artistic ideas, resulting in profound works which question the established standards of the art world. In exploring the evolution of these artists and their ideas, the profound impact and importance of artistic exchange becomes clear. Artw orks by Pablo Picasso show a clear breach of artistic boundaries to form new ideas.One of the most important roles in the development of modern art was Cubism. The origins of cubism started off with one of the biggest paintings that he had ever done and featured five women, each whose head looked as if it was on backwards. The painting was named Less Demolishes Davidson (1907). The five women portrayed were very ugly and distorted; causing controversy with the audience because they believed that it should have been depicted realistically and professionally, rather than â€Å"creating a mockery to art itself†.Picasso had broken all â€Å"the rules† while creating this painting, but his main goal was to paint the women from more than one angle at a time, hoping that the audience saw more than what meets the eye. This work was heavily criticized by the art world but Picasso broke away from convention, for what he believed was art. What made Picasso different from other ar tists of his time was that his art reflected his emotions in his personal life and the outside world. He was not afraid to push the boundaries reflecting on contentious and controversial issues such as war and peace.One of the issues that he painted from the Spanish civil war depicts a military revolt against the Republican government of Spain; which had polarize Spanish life and politics over previous decades. In April 1937, Germans who sided with the current dictator of Spain at the time, General Francisco Franco, bombed the town of Queering in northeast Spain, not far from where Picasso grew up. More than sixteen hundred people were killed and almost nine hundred more were injured.Outraged by the murder of all these innocent people, Picasso created his famous, Queering (1937), in blue, black, and white oil tones. The painting portrayed the suffering of people, animals, and buildings and the chaos. It showed a screaming horse, a fallen soldier, and a screaming woman on fire fallin g from a burning house and a mother holding a dead baby. According to Picasso, it was not up to the painter to define the symbols; otherwise, he would have Just written it in words. Queering overall represented the brutality of war in general.It's significant because people actually had to think about the image that they saw, and each perceived it in a different way. Picasso style of painting led people to look deep into the meanings of art rather than Just a superficial aesthetics. The audience were able to relate to Picasso tormented scene. Artistic exchange is a phenomenal act that allows ideas ad techniques to be shared between the art world and the audience. By comparing Marcel Decamp, Andy Warhol and the work of Pablo Picasso one can see how a visionary can affect the art oral.The many accomplishments of these artists not only impacted on the history of their time but the future of how the world saw art. They were involved in different movements in the art world which created a certain vitality for the artistic exchange of ideas and influences. The interchange of ideas and influences greatly affected Picasso , Decamp and Warhol , their artwork and their audiences. Artists shared artistic language allows them to build upon past concepts to produce innovative qualities which resonate through exchanges to greatly influence future generations of artists.

Effective Communication Essay

Effective communication is an important process in everyday life. Communication is a continuous process of exchanging verbal and non-verbal messages. Listening and hearing are two very different concepts. Hearing is the act of perceiving sound by the ear. While listening is something you consciously choose to do. Formal and informal channels of communication flow upward, downward and horizontal. Barriers to effective communication alter or distort the message being sent. Emotions and physical limitations greatly impact the messages being delivered or how the recipient receives the message. Effective communication is an important aspect within the criminal justice field. Effective Communication Effective communication is an important process in everyday life. While communicating an individual gives nonverbal cues as well as verbal cues. Both are very important to the communicating process. Listening and hearing are two very different concepts. Listening constitutes and understanding of the information received. Information flows upward, downward and horizontally. Within the flow of communication there are formal and informal channels, especially in the criminal justice field. Within the communication process there can be many barriers to inhibit the use of effective communication. The four main barriers to communication are emotional barriers, physical barriers, semantic barriers and ineffective listening. Overcoming these barriers is important to the criminal justice field. Verbal and Nonverbal Communication Communication is a continuous process of exchanging verbal and non-verbal messages. While communicating we must be aware of our verbal, nonverbal and para-verbal messages (Wallace, 2009). Verbal messages are words. Nonverbal messages are the body language presented when the words are spoken. Para-verbal messages are the tone, pitch and pacing of the voice. It is important that all three correspond with one another. If you are saying yes and shaking your head no, that gives a confusing and inconsistent message to the recipient. In all of our communications we want to strive to send consistent verbal, para-verbal and nonverbal messages. When our messages are inconsistent, the recipient may become confused. Thus, the recipient may not understand the message completely and provide poor feedback to the sender. Becoming an effective sender and recipient is important. Understanding the messages received and providing proper feedback is essential. Listening and Hearing Hearing is the act of perceiving sound by the ear. If you are not hearing-impaired, hearing simply happens. Listening, however, is something you consciously choose to do. Listening requires concentration so that your brain processes meaning from words and sentences. â€Å"The difference between the sense of hearing and the skill of listening is attention† (Horowitz, 2012) Listening is an essential part of the communication process. If the receiver is not listening to the message being sent and only hearing it, the information is not being processed and proper feedback cannot be returned. Therefore, the sender does not know if the receiver understands the message being delivered. Formal and Informal Channels Communication flows downward, upward or horizontal (Wallace, 2009). The most common flow of communication is downward, from supervisors to subordinates. In the criminal justice system downward communication is classified into three categories; orders, procedures and personnel information. Upward communication is information provided to supervisors from subordinates. It is also classified into three categories; performance communication, information and clarification. Horizontal communication is the flow of information between personnel at the same levels. It is also classified into three categories; coordination, social issues and problem solving. Formal and informal channels of communication flow upward, downward and horizontal. â€Å"The formal channels are the strict procedures defined by the policies of the organization. The informal channels consist of the undocumented sharing of information† (Sinclair, n. . ). Formal channels of communication are strict rules of communication within the department, such as reports, evidence custody, policies and procedures. Informal channels of communication are the sharing of information between officers. â€Å"The most common informal channel of communication is the ‘grapevine’ (Sinclair, n. d. ). A good example of the downward flow of communication, using formal and informal channels, is a police department’s shift meeting. During the meeting the oncoming shift is briefed by the supervisor on developments and procedures. This is a mix of formal and informal communication. The department’s SOPs and procedures are discussed and conversations between officers on issues are discussed. This flow of communication is very important to the department. Oncoming officers need to know what has happened prior to their shift in order to continue with the ongoing duties, for example BOLO’s on suspects, and other crimes happening in the area. Information on goings-on in the department’s area of operation is essential for each officer to do their job effectively. Information must flow freely throughout the criminal justice system; from the highest ranking person to the lowest. Barriers to Effective Communication â€Å"Barriers are influencing factors which impede or breakdown the continuous communications loop. They block, distort or alter the information† (Wallace, 2009). The four main barriers to communication are emotional barriers, physical barriers, semantic barriers and ineffective listening (Wallace, 2009). Emotional barriers reside in either the sender or receiver of information. People base their receiving or transmitting of information off of their personal experiences or knowledge. Emotional barriers can stem from low self-esteem, depression and psychological problems. Physical barriers are things in the environment that make the transfer of communication difficult. Physical barriers include malfunctioning equipment, outside noise and distance between the sender and receiver. Any obstacle that slows or impedes the free flow of information is a physical barrier (Wallace, 2009). Semantic barriers refer to the inability to agree on the meaning of certain terms, thus resulting in poor communication (Wallace, 2009). People understand messages differently. A simple vague statement can mean a plethora of things to different people. Ineffective listening is the failure to hear or understand what the sender is transmitting (Wallace, 2009). Numerous reasons exist for ineffective listening. The receiver may be disinterested or bored with the topic. The topic may be too complex or too simple for the recipient. The recipient may also be consumed by personal problems, therefore unattached to the discussion. One of the main barriers those in the criminal justice field face is language. The US is a melting pot of cultures. Not everyone effectively speaks and understands the English language. It is important for those working within the criminal justice field to understand this and work towards mending the barrier. Whether mending it means learning a second language or making sure there are interpreters on hand, it is important to understand and be understood. It is also very important to be an effective listener. Criminal justice employees should not let emotion become a barrier when communicating with each other or citizens of the public. Conclusion Effective communication is an important process in everyday life. While communicating an individual gives nonverbal cues as well as verbal cues. Both are very important to the communicating process. Listening and hearing are two very different concepts. Listening constitutes and understanding of the information received. Information flows upward, downward and horizontally. Within the flow of communication there are formal and informal channels, especially in the criminal justice field. Within the communication process there can be many barriers to inhibit the use of effective communication. The four main barriers to communication are emotional barriers, physical barriers, semantic barriers and ineffective listening. Overcoming these barriers is important to the criminal justice field.

HP TouchPad2 Project Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

HP TouchPad2 Project - Assignment Example Herein, details about the external and internal project determinants are provided alongside a PERT and Gantt chart for the project. 1. Please analyze external factors which could influence the project for the organization, which are the following factors: basic legal, political, social, and economic environments The HP TouchPad2 development project may face a number of external influences. The main legal determinant in the current project entails the question of patents. Expert Reviews (2012) details the legal wars that have characterized the technology sector pitting the industry heavyweights against each other. Infringing on patents, which are meant to protect innovations may result in halting of the project, accompanied by delays and associated budget inflations. There is no directly conceivable influence of politics on the current project. However, several governments have sought to introduce tablets into the education system as exemplified by plans by the Thai government to prov ide first graders with tablet PCs (Bangkok Post, 2012). In case such occurs, the demand of tablets would go up, increasing the pressure to finish the project in time or even earlier. Social influences on the current project may arise from the view that the post-PC technological revolution has been documented as a social as much as it is a technological one. Martin (2012) reports that modern day computing has become more casual and intimate, freeing the end user from the desk. New devices ought to identify with this view and satisfy the social trends of consumer. Hence, it is conceivable that certain elements of the HP TouchPad2 may need to be removed or added in order to keep with trends in the society. The recent economic crisis translates to a situation where investments receive more scrutiny on their potential returns on investment. In HP’s case, recent developments on the financial front may translate to economic difficulties during the HP TouchPad2 project; HP has tradit ionally concentrated on printer business, where the current reducing revenue flows may predict financial challenges for the project. Moreover, HP had $25 billion in long debts as of 2010, which may lead to budget constraints for the current project (Moran, 2010). However, the decline revenue from printing gives an extra incentive for the current tablet project as the firm seeks to diversify. Besides, proper project management alongside strict adherence to the project timeline will ensure that the project does not incur extra costs that would lead to financial challenges during the project. 2. Please analyze internal factors which could influence the project for the organization, which are the following factors: managerial, operational, and financial issues. 2. A. Project Management Project management is an ultimate determinant of the outcomes of a given project. The project manager has to first constitute the project team which is then tasked with defining the project’s scope , mission and objectives. The team then manages the initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and control and finally closing of the project. The specific activities involved in this case include generating work breakdown structures, scheduling, PERT and gantt charts, costing,

The Effects of Diabetes on Aging Adults Research Paper

The Effects of Diabetes on Aging Adults - Research Paper Example This paper gives an understanding of diabetes in older adults and the needs for nutrition, exercise and care. The Effect of Diabetes on the Aging Adult As adults age, there are many factors that they must take into consideration to make sure that they age gracefully. Many adults find that as they age, they are met with issues that they may not have had when they were younger. As an example, adults who are not active will sometimes run the risk of arthritis and other bone or joint ailments. Their doctor may tell them that they must continue to do exercise because it will help some types of arthritis. Adults can also find that they gain weight easier or that weight is more difficult to take off as they grow older. These are natural aspects of aging, but they do not have to be long lasting. In looking at the area of nutrition and aging, this researcher has chosen to study the idea of diabetes in the aging population. Defining Diabetes Type 2 diabetes also known as adult onset diabetes, is a chronic condition and it affects the way that the body processes sugar or glucose, which is the body's main source fuel (Mayo Clinic, 2011). Basically, this means that a person's body has a resistance to the hormone insulin that is responsible for moving glucose through the body. Some people do not produce enough insulin to maintain a glucose level within normal ranges. Both of these conditions are a product of Type 2 diabetes. Although there is no cure for the disease, there are many ways that an individual can manage it. There are many symptoms that people may ignore because they may not create a problem for them. These symptoms include: 1. Increased thirst and/or frequent urination -- this happens when sugar builds up in the bloodstream. Fluid is taken from the tissues to compensate and this can result in the individual becoming very thirsty. 2. Increased hunger -- the muscles and organs lose energy when they do not have enough insulin and this increases hunger. 3. Lose of w eight -- many people lose weight because the body does not use glucose properly. The body will use any fuel it can get which means it will look to what is stored in the muscles and fat. 4. Fatigue -- people with Type 2 diabetes often report that they are tired and irritable. 5. Blurred vision -- this is an indication that the sugar in the body is too high. When this happens, fluid is taken from the eyes so the vision is blurred. 6. Slow healing sores or frequent infections -- if this occurs it is best to talk to a doctor because it is a symptom that happens in people who have diabetes. 7. Areas of darkened skin -- people with Type 2 diabetes may find darkened areas in their armpits or around their neck. This could be a sign that the individual is resistant to insulin (Mayo Clinic). An individual is more likely to develop diabetes as they age if they fit into several categories: 1. They are over 45 years of age. 2. They have high blood pressure. 3. They are obese. 4. They have a fami ly history of diabetes and are African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, Alaska Native, Asian American or Pacific Islander. 5. Have blood vessel problems that affect their legs, heart or brain. 6. Have abnormal cholesterol (lipid) levels. (National Diabetes Education Program). Demographics of Older Adults with Diabetes When an adult is experiencing any of these symptoms, it is important for them to go to a doctor to find out whether they have diabetes. According to

Critical review of Rheumatoid arthritis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Critical review of Rheumatoid arthritis - Essay Example However, RA involves an attack on the body by its own immune cells (auto-immune disease). Different cases may have different causes. Infectious, genetic, and hormonal factors may play a role. The disease can occur at any age, but it begins most often between the ages of 25 and 55. The disease is more common in older people. Women are affected 2.5 times more often than men. Approximately 1-2% of the total population is affected. The course and the severity of the illness can vary considerably. The onset of the disease is usually gradual, with fatigue, morning stiffness (lasting more than one hour), diffuse muscular aches, loss of appetite, and weakness. Eventually, joint pain appears, with warmth, swelling, tenderness, and stiffness of the joint after inactivity. Joint involvement in RA usually affects both sides of the body equally -- the arthritis is therefore referred to as symmetrical. Wrists, fingers, knees, feet, and ankles are the most commonly affected joints. Severe disease is associated with larger joints that contain more synovium (joint lining). When the synovium becomes inflamed, it secretes more fluid and the joint becomes swollen. Later, the cartilage becomes rough and pitted. The underlying bone eventually becomes affected. Joint destruction begins 1-2 years after the appearance of the disease. Characteristic deformities result from cartilage destruction, bone erosions, and tendon inflammation and rupture. A life-threatening joint complication can occur when the cervical spine becomes unstable as a result of RA. Other features of the disease that do not involve the joints may occur. Rheumatoid nodules are painless, hard, round or oval masses that appear under the skin, usually on pressure points, such as the elbow or Achilles tendon. These are present in about 20% of cases and tend to reflect more severe disease. On occasion, they appear in the eye where they sometimes cause inflammation. If they occur in the lungs, inflammation of the lining of the lung (pleurisy) may occur, causing shortness of breath. Anemia may occur due to failure of the bone marrow to produce enough new red cells to make up for the lost ones. Iron supplements will not usually help this condition because iron utilization in the body becomes impaired. Other blood abnormalities can also be found, for example, platelet counts that are either too high or too low. Rheumatoid vasculitis (inflammation of the blood vessels) is a serious complication of RA and can be life-threatening. It can lead to skin ulcerations (and subsequent infections), bleeding stomach ulcers (which can lead to massive hemorrhage), and neuropathies (nerve problems causing pain, numbness or tingling). Vasculitis may also affect the brain, nerves, and heart causing strokes, sensory neuropathies (numbness and tingling), heart attacks, or heart failure. Heart complications of RA commonly affect the outer lining of the heart. When inflamed, the condition is referred to as pericarditis. Inflammation of heart muscle, called myocarditis, can also develop. Both of these conditions can lead to congestive heart failure characterized by shortness of breath and fluid accumulation in the lung. Lung involvement is frequent in RA. Fibrosis of the lung tissue leads to shortness of breath and has been reported to occur in 20% of patients with RA. Inflammation of the

Human resources management Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Human resources management - Research Proposal Example ..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦12 Recommendations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦12 Bibliography†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦13 Introduction Multinational corporations utilize a number of HR practices in their management and operation processes as integral components of business administration. Human resource management is a broad field that encompasses a corporation’s personnel policy framework, HR planning, motivation and employee welfare schemes that constitutes the administration of an organization’s most crucial resources (Schuler and MacMillan, 1984, 241-55). In a nutshell, human resource management is the process through which the organization handles matters concerning personnel. Every organization has a duty to plan and organize its human resources in a manner that ensures that the organization attracts, retains, and motivates its human resources. The direct result of proper human resource management practice is the performance of organization; better HR practices lead to improved performance. However, human resource practices differ from organization to organization and are dependent on a number of factors that may include the scope, size, and type of the organization (Tichy et al, 1982, 47-61). As a result, in as much as the human resource management functions is a template for overall personnel and administration in business corporations there is no uniform approach that governs the vast field. Multinational corporations are business firms with branches in different countries and have operations in the expansive global market (Tiirbiorn, 1985, 52-74). These organizations have huge capacity and tend to involve numerous operations spread over the world. It is obvious that the HR practices of multinational corporations are much wider and complex than other organizations. It is also evident that human resource practices of different branches of a multinational corporation in diverse countries are dissimilar. Therefore, a multinational company that operates in two different countries has distinct HR practices and these practices have great influence on the running of the two companies (Tung, 1981, 215). This paper presents a proposed research on how the HR practices of a multinational company with operations in two countries (UK and Nigeria) differ as well as how these practices influences the operations of the company. Research Hypothesis The HR practices of an organization carrying out its operations in more than two countries are distinct in the sense that they are based on the different needs of the relevant countries of operation, and have a signif icant effect on the overall running of the companies (Lung, 1982, 57-71). Therefore, the human resourc

Discussion on Plagiarism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion on Plagiarism - Essay Example Written works are property over which the original writer has every right of exercising his dominion. That being said, there are times when it is difficult to tell which words are proprietary to an author and which are not. There are many idioms, sayings, and common utterances that, because they are used often and in casual manner, it becomes nearly impossible to tell where the phrase or statement began. Sometimes a witty catchphrase just takes off so fast that its origins are obscured before they could be acknowledged. Sometimes, without intending to, we echo others’ thoughts because they had struck a chord with our own. In the case of Ben Domenech, however, there can be no appeal. Although he argued by way of excuse that he was only 17 at the time he admittedly appropriated another’s work, there can be no doubt that even at that age the idea of â€Å"copying† as â€Å"cheating† would have been well ingrained into his mind and conscience. After all, children in their first grade know that it is wrong to cheat, and that copying a classmate’s homework or answers in a test and passing it on as one’s own is cheating. Children 7 years of age know this is wrong, which is why they go to great lengths to conceal it; what more youths of 17? Domenech cannot hide behind his age, just one year short of adulthood; this is not, after all, a deep moral dilemma. It’s simply cheating. Concerning Rebecca’s comment, she is spot on in underscoring Domenech’s past as a writer for the school paper. As a school journalist, it is almost certain that he had been given some form of formal instruction before he was accepted into the writing staff. After all, the school would have been aware that writings in the official school organ reflected upon its reputation and integrity, and its writers therefore would be put in the precarious position of being the school’s mouthpiece. Domenech could therefore

Does Pre-maintenance Save Machines from Risks Essay

Does Pre-maintenance Save Machines from Risks - Essay Example hine in factories, profound evidence and empirical results have been identified to support the thesis that consistent pre-maintenance of machines lowers machine related risks. Pre-maintenance is associated with highly reduced production down periods due to fewer unexpected tool or equipment breakdowns. However, concerns have been raised over the impact of preventive maintenance of machines with regards to plants and equipment related risks. The paper seeks to demonstrate that the implementation of comprehensive and consistent pre-maintenance practices saves machines from risks. Bloch et al. (277) noted that the negative impact on production schedules due to equipment shutdowns could be pre-emptively projected, and service events conducted through the implementation of production planning. As a result of strict pre-maintenance activities, suitably serviced equipment will last longer thus resulting in the minimization of the costs connected with replacement of damaged machines (Bloch et al. 277.) The authors added that part substitution costs are abridged as repairs are made on a well-scheduled basis as compared to part damage control or response to a part or a total failure. The reworking is reduced due to frequent equipment maintenance and good operating condition. Pre-maintenance means that there is less time spent on supplementary equipment setup and corresponding adjustments that become indispensable to compensate for frequent wearing components. Timely identification of equipment with elevated maintenance costs that may demonstrate the need for remedia l actions such as skilful training or even timely replacement of the equipment is an imperative precautionary measure that reduces machine related risks in the long term. (Bloch et al. 270) Das et al. also reiterated that common preventive maintenance is a premeditated maintenance activity that is calculated to improve the entire life of machines or entailed equipment and thus leading to the avoidance of any

Poets childhood Essay Example for Free

Poets childhood Essay In Mrs. Tilschers Class by Carol Ann Duffy deals with one central theme. The theme of growing up is the main idea within the poem and is repeatedly imprinted throughout the poets childhood. This theme leads on to the more abstract idea of the child already maturing into a great poet. Her minds eye is unbounded as she transforms her classroom into a place of riches and resides in her own world of imagination. Written improbably through the 2nd person viewpoint, the poem expresses these ideas personally to the reader, hence allowing us to empathise with the poet. The poet is able to recall several aspects of her primary school days, and is consequently able to paint a picture of her memories from the viewpoint of a young child. The writer not only conveys an inviting warm atmosphere of a 1960s classroom, but also unveils a liberal outlook to her childhood. A colourful classroom with numerous displays is made known to the reader: The classroom glowed like a sweet shop. The classroom is made into a place of riches with this visual simile, used to radiate wonders of the childs mind. The word glowed in this line is a metaphor all on its own. The metaphor allows the reader to visualise the sweetshop gleaming due to the light refracting through the glass jars and translucent sweets. The poet can also bring to mind the teachers blackboard, as she informs the reader of how the chalky Pyramids rubbed into dust. In a literal sense the chalky lines on the board became chalk dust. The poet imagines this to be great pyramids and monuments being eroded inevitably by time. The bell signifying the end of playtime is remembered as: The laugh of a bell, swung by a running child. This auditory image incorporates the personification of the bell, to compare its sound to an incessant laugh of a child. The bells laugh is a transferred epithet from the child, as the children too were laughing, overwhelmed with joy as they returned to their classroom for another dose of Mrs. Tilscher. The poets joy is so intense and infectious, that it reaches out and transforms the whole scene. Such is the magnitude of the poets emotion. The laugh is also a visual image, as the reader can see a smile as the arc of the bell, and the clapper hitting the sides of it is almost comparable to a tongue. However other images such as a skittle of milk are more informative and suggest the time setting of the poem. The poet also remembers a music room next door to her classroom, though only by means of a xylophones nonsense heard. This auditory image describes the noise of the xylophone next door and this is further expanded by the use of the single metaphoric word nonsense which implies the vague unclear noise heard and the fact that the primary school children are producing uncoordinated music. The enthralling books were not to be forgotten to the poet, as they had made her a slave to them continually, due to their alluring influence. All the images used to recall aspects of the poets primary school principally focus on an emotional and sensual level. The primary school classroom may have been a place memorable to the poet through various images, but the definitive piece of the poets 1960s school life was Mrs. Tilscher. Mrs. Tilschers voice is not even forgotten, as the poet reminisces her voice as she chanted the scenery. Mrs. Tilschers chanting brings about connotations of music in her voice and melodic speech. It also brings about a sense of religion, as she is made comparable to a pastor in a church chanting a sermon, enlightening and entrancing us all. Mrs. Tilscher is portrayed as a compassionate teacher: Mrs. Tilscher loved you and shows kindness and care. The terms around the lines focused on Mrs. Tilscher also have an implication on how she is illustrated to the reader. Words with intense connotations such as glowed, sweet, sugar and coloured have associations with moods of joy, brilliance, love and bliss which all elaborate on Mrs. Tilschers image. The teacher is also illustrated to be appreciative: Some mornings you found shed left a good gold star by your name. Although it seems that the poet finds aspects of the classroom just as unforgettable as Mrs. Tilscher, the poet essentially portrays the classrooms essence to be the work of Mrs. Tilscher, through her tone of voice. Choices of words or diction such as could have connotations of possibility. When put into context and further developed on, the implications go as far as unconstrained and limitless possibility. The teacher opens up a whole world of possibility, and it is because of this the poet remembers so much about her classroom, a boundless environment. It is because of Mrs. Tilscher that the poets classroom surroundings were made to be so memorable. The poets tone of voice and language varies throughout the poem, and strong distinction is made between the first two stanzas and the last two stanzas. The language in the first two stanzas is exceptionally exuberant, more child-like in an emotional sense and the imagery is much more pleasant to envisage, filled with colour, vibrancy and liveliness: Sugar paper. Coloured shapes. Each individual phrase builds up an atmosphere full of warmth. However the last two stanzas are less joyous in their atmosphere, as the poet makes her transition to a state of being overwhelmed by hormones. The word connotations also vary greatly in these two stanzas, bringing suggestions of anger, accusation and dismay: You kicked him, but stared at your parents, appalled. The stanzas are also bleaker in description and imagery is uninviting: The air tasted of electricity. The poets feelings in stanza four are troubled, after being introduced to topic of how she was born: A tangible alarm made you always untidy, hot, fractious under the heavy, sexy sky. Such sentences furthermore use more mature and sophisticated language, which coincide with her growth as the language also develops. Therefore the poets outlook and tone of voice changes as she becomes much more interested in growing up than going to primary and learning in a high-spirited vibrant classroom. The reader of the poem is invited to personally explore the main ideas within the poem. This personal involvement of the reader seems appropriate, as the main theme conveyed, the journey of growing up, is your own personal exclusive journey. This personal involvement is due to the narration of the poem from the second-person viewpoint. This is shown through the excessive use of the second-person pronoun You. By using this narration style, the experience of the young poet is made universal and common. We can all be subjected to her experiences of growing up from the second-person narrative perspective. Although the reader finds it easy enough to face the poets experiences, Mrs. Tilscher feels that she should have no influence in the young childs journey of growing up, and that such a journey should proceed at the persons own pace. When the child asks the teacher about how she was born, Mrs. Tilscher smiled, then turned away. Mrs. Tilscher may have believed that the poet would learn in her own time, but the poet nevertheless encourages the reader to enter her journey. The poem illustrates two worlds in which the poet resided during her childhood days. The reader is able to capture not only the essence of the classroom, but also the limitless realm of the childs imagination. Both these worlds exist alongside each other agreeably as the classroom is made into a creative place itself due to the influence of Mrs.Tilscher. The foremost apparent world presented by Carol Ann Duffy is the classroom. The classroom conveys images of riches, sweets, colour and joy. However beyond this, the classroom is seen to be a sanctuary. The classroom was a safe house against the world of murder and crime outside, as suggested by the mention of Brady and Hindley of the 1960s. The real world begins to force an entry into the childs reverie as she slowly begins to become conscious of the world outside. This is the first occasion in which the poet shows signs of growing up, which enforces the main theme of the poem. The girl learns that the real world isnt to be trusted. The classroom however is portrayed as a world of its own, not troubled by the likes of such horrific murderers. The fear fades away in the classroom, and along with this so does the little hint of adulthood. She postpones her transition into adulthood for the meantime, as the poet shows us by using a child-like image after the allusion: Brady and Hindley faded, like the faint uneasy smudge of a mistake. This second component to the sentence indirectly illustrates the use of a pencil, and the occurrence of silly mistakes. It is because of this implication that the poet moves back into the state of childhood. The growth of the poet is exemplified in this classroom world, and therefore this world is very significant to the theme. Conversely, on a more abstract plane, the poem portrays another world within the childs mind. A whole world of imagination and vision. The poet expresses that she could travel up the Blue Nile with your finger tracing the route. The poet is tracing her finger down the Nile, and is in her imaginative world of Egypt. On the other hand, in reality the teacher is demonstrating sketch maps on the board. The word within the poem, which establishes both worlds within and without, is a metaphor on its own. The word travel is the single metaphor, which suggests that the poet is on a journey within her mind, when actually she is stationary within her school seat. The poet also conveys the main theme in this imaginative world, as the child not only travels with her finger and during her daydream, but she furthermore travels through her journey of growing up. The child is beginning to grow into a great poet, and this is shown through various lines within the poem. A very strong contributor to this idea of the girl growing into a great poet is an example of synaesthesia: The scent of a pencil, slowly carefully shaven. This image appeals to all of the senses at once, and incorporates kinetic, olfactory, visual and tactile aspects. This line shows how the poet carefully shaved her pencil, just in the same way she carefully crafts sentences. This is extended even further by the link made between the writing tool and the writing process. The child poet is even able to link this image full of senses to the main theme of growing up. The act of the girl carefully shaving the pencil, symbolises how she is shaving or peeling off her childhood as she makes the transition into adulthood. The poet gradually conveys to the reader that there are two states of growth within the poem, and that the girl is maturing both into adolescence and into a mind of an exceptional poet. The last stanza of the poem focuses the atmosphere and the attitude of the poet into an uninviting overcast, but also centers in on the theme. It illustrates the feverish month of July, oppressed by the summer and heat. Alongside this are the hormones of the child, felt almost within the air. These hormones amplify the effect of the afflicting heat. The air also tasted of electricity, which conveys the anticipation of summer thunderstorms due to the heavy air. However electricity also relates with the hormones to suggest that the child will spark at random times and also that the growth of the child is full of charge, energy and excitement. Further along, the use of the phrase a tangible alarm portrays an almost touchable fear within the air. This fear made the girl fractious under the sexy sky. This expresses to the reader that the girl had many sudden outbursts of anger due to her hormones. These hormones influence her thoughts and are the causes behind the poet using the term sexy to describe the sky. The last line of the poem communicates how this adolescent phase is like a thunderstorm. The thunderstorm represents her feelings of puberty, as she feels as though the whole world is coming down on her, just as in a thunderstorm. The lightning of a thunderstorm also links to the connotations of the electricity. The lightning of the thunderstorm could symbolize the mood swings awaiting the child. The lightning also illustrates the fact that there is an unsettlement within the child, as if an electric current was continually running through her. The rain of a thunderstorm conveys the downpour of gloom upon the child throughout the hard times to come. On an overall view the experience of puberty and growing up is just a phase and in time will pass. Soon the child will be entirely in adulthood. Likewise the thunderstorm is just an unpleasant phase in the sequence of weather and in time shall pass. Before long the sun will overpower such a ghastly occurrence of weather. Overall, In Mrs.Tilschers Class by Carol Ann Duffy is a poem which allows the reader to personally identify themselves with the poet. The poem is contrastive between the stanzas and thus the poet is able to isolate the main idea. Two worlds are created expressing the wonders of the classroom, but also illustrating the unconstrained world of the girls imagination. Through these two worlds we see signs of the girl growing into a great poet. However the most essential idea of the poem is the theme of growing up and maturing. It is a journey through adolescence: You ran through the gates, impatient to be grown.

The Powerful Eunuchs Of China History Essay

The Powerful Eunuchs Of China History Essay Their stories are almost completely shrouded in mystery. These people are mentioned only as minute details in historical accounts, their lives often kept in seclusion from the world, probably even from history itself. These people play major roles in the unfolding of significant historical events, yet they are rarely even mentioned. From the shadows, they exercise their power. From behind the scenes, they carefully manipulate the government to their own interests. These incomplete men are very powerful. Yet, at the same time, they are pitiful. Their seemingly quick rise to power comes at a price, a price almost as valuable as their very lives. These people are called eunuchs. Eunuchs: An Introduction A eunuch, in general, is a term given to castrated men. However, for the purpose of this paper, the term eunuchs will be used to refer to Chinese eunuchs; more specifically, those that were in imperial service during the era of Chinas dynastic rule. Eunuchs served the primary function as guards and servants in womens quarters and to the emperors. But in time they gained power and control as they gained functions as advisers to the emperors of China (Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica Online 2010). In fact, in certain time periods, the eunuchs grew to be more powerful than the emperor. Indeed, the role of eunuchs in the Ming Dynasty has become an important portrayal of political society of that era (Hammond 2002). Castration started out as a form of punishment, particularly for the crime of rape. But as eunuchs became more and more popular and rich, poor families opted to have their sons castrated for a chance at a better life in the Imperial Court (Scholz 2001). From the definition itself, one becomes a eunuch by undergoing the process of castration. While castration is usually viewed as a gruesome and horrific procedure, there are some accounts that have actually romanticized it. In Piotr Scholzs Eunuchs and Castrati, there is a cultural account left by the emperors last eunuch, Sun Yao-ting pertaining to the delicate procedure of castration. In his account, he explains that the process starts by setting a date when the castration will be performed. He narrated that they would notify the person to be castrated that he must quickly urinate after the procedure so that his urethra would not be blocked and not get infected. The person, consequently then drinks lots of water to prepare for the ur ination. Then the castrator takes a rope and ties the one to be castrated in such a way that he was unable to move his hands or feet, (Scholz 2001, 137). After that, he prays for guidance with incense sticks. Then he moves on with the slicing of the organ. The mutilation is vividly described as fountains of red, white and yellow liquid gushing from the wound (Scholz 2001, 137). Then the castrator inserts a goose quill into the urethra of the castrated so as to retain the opening formed by the slit. Then finally, the castrator treats the wounds with tampons dipped in wax, sesame oil and paper. A few days later, after the castrated man urinates, and in essence his excretory system is functioning well again, he is checked if he is already cleared to go to the palace. Once all the preparations are complete, before he leaves for the palace, the castrator gives the castrated a package wrapped in oilpaper and instructs him on what to do with the package. The castrator says that for everything to go well, he must follow that set of instructions: When youre in the palace, put it in a bushel of grain, hang the bushel on the beam supporting the ceiling of your room and raise it a little higher each year. Then it will protect you and ensure you that you will grow every year. And remember one more thing: when you are near death, it must be with you in the grave or the six lines of your ancestors will be incomplete. Those who are neither man nor woman cannot be reborn!(Scholz 2001, 138). So basically, even after the castration process, there is a routine to be followed by the castrated . The responsibility of the eunuch to the part that has been separated from his has not been lost but must carry on till his death. Castration leads to several physical and supposedly emotional and mental changes among castrates. Depending on the age in which castration took place, eunuchs vary in characteristics. Often, males who are castrated earlier in boyhood generally do not obtain the male characteristics obtained during puberty. Facial hair and pubic hair do not grow and their voice remains high pitched and unchanged. Males, who are castrated well after their puberty, will still grow pubic hair despite the absence of facial hair. The pubic hair will however, be much more diminished. A common characteristic among eunuchs though is the characteristic of never going bald. (Wilson and Roehrborn) As such, eunuchs were unable to have heirs and were thus seen to be more trusted as it would prevent dynastic overthrows by their heirs. In fact, it was this very reason why the Chinese dynasties sought to utilize eunuchs as servants and attendants to the emperor and his family, and even other high-ranking officials in the government. Essentially, the main reason why people aspired to become eunuchs was the having the honor of working as an imperial attendant, which more often than not meant an improvement of economic status. On numerous occasions, fathers would have their sons castrated as early as seven years old in order for their sons to leave for the imperial palace as soon as they recover from the castration. Especially among poorer families, having someone from the family become a eunuch meant honor, and economic improvement. For the eunuch himself, becoming a eunuch meant indirect access to power and relationships with the higher officials. History of Eunuchs Historical anthropologic evidence proves that the earliest eunuchs emerged from the Shang Dynasty. According to Piotr Scholz Eunuchs and Castrati, In 1976 little figurines of servants (c. 9 cm in height) were discovered in the grave of Fu Hao, wife of Emperor Wu-ting (Wu-ding); they are the oldest known representations of palace eunuchs, (Scholz 2001, 129). This is proven by statues excavated in Lingjiatan. The statues excavated show no distinct sexual characteristics. Originally, castration was used very early as a form of punishment both for criminals among ones own population and for prisoners taken in war, (Scholz 2001, 131). Here it is clear that castration was not intended to be beneficial to the castrated as what has later turned out in the course of history. What is fascinating is how the paradigm shifted from the eunuchs being looked down upon, to them almost assuming most of the imperial powers. Such series of events will lead to famous rise of the eunuchs to their subtle fading. Sun Yao-ting (1902-1996), the last eunuch of Emperor Pu-I, tells of how he was insulted by a Chinese Republican officer with the line: Since time immemorial, you eunuchs have been the ruin of China! (Scholz 2001, 131). This was because, with regards to castration as punishment, it is most likely assumed that it was used early on as a substitute for the death penalty in cases involving political crimes, (Scholz 2001, 133). With this, as Piotr Scholz further writes: This allows us that eunuchs represented a political intelligentsia that did not conform to the notions of the dominant Confucian bureaucracy which was constantly trying to shape the empire in its own imageà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Scholz 2001, 133). The way it really was is therefore contradictory to the previous claim of the Chinese Republican who looked down on eunuchs when the fact that the reason for their castration was the fear of their intellect and political prowess comes into play. The eunuch Tsao Tsao (144-220 C.E.), son of eunuch Tsao Sung and grandson of eunuch Tsao Teng, even became the grand counselor and was a victorious general. Tsao Teng, the grandfather, have already been influential enough because he had already owned a large land and has served four emperors, but Tsao Tsao became part of the circle that helped Emperor Huan-Ti (r. 146-167 C.E.) to ascend the throne, following the murder of Huans predecessor, Liang Chi. (Scholz 2001, 143). Furthermore, when child emperor An-ti (106-125 C.E.) was enthroned, he was involved in every conceivable kind of intrigue at court. (Scholz 2001, 143). Because of this and through Empress Dowager Tengs help, he also gained favor and influence over the prince and next emperor Shun, such that during the reign of Emperor Shun (126-144 C.E.) of the Han Dynasty, the eunuchs reached the peak of their powers when they were allowed to adopt sons to succeed them and go to even greater heights. They even became personal secret aries (shang-shu) to the emperor, (Scholz 2001, 143). Ultimately, Tsao Tsaos son, Tsao Pei (188-227) soon ruled as emperor himself. However, with great power comes great responsibility, such that during the reign of Emperor Yuan Shao (189 C.E.) during the Han Dynasty, thousands of them [eunuchs] were slaughteredà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ in an attempt to curtail their influence, (Scholz 2001, 135). It is clear then that eunuchs got the point when they were feared even by the strongest imperial power, the emperor. But because Emperor Yuan Shao never succeeded in finishing the eunuchs off, their intellect was, rather than countered, utilized once more, thus marking the rebirth of the eunuchs shaping of the kingdom. By 800 C.E., the situation had reached a point where eunuchs have become a determining factor in choosing who was to accede to the imperial throne, (Scholz 2001, 146). Eunuchs had the preference of Buddhism over Confucianism because they found it congenial to their life. But in the course of the 9th century, as old doctrines were revived, Buddhist doctrine and practice was decreed as un-Chinese, (Scholz 2001, 148). In 903, eunuchs who had accompanied the emperor to their last day were killed in a bloody massacre led by Chu Chuan-chung (Zhu Wen, 907-923), the founder of the later Liang Dynasty, (Scholz 2001, 149). With the collapse of the Ming Dynasty, the eunuchs collapsed as well. Due to the high level of corruption in government, it was running out of capital. Inflation compounded the impact of dwindling resources. As local administrative costs rose, the imperial government levied irregular taxes to meet pressing financial obligations (Atwell 1988). With this, the decline of the influence of eunuchs started as a new era ensued in which the court no longer regarded the aristocratic ideas of status and ritual, espoused by many eunuchs, as vital to maintaining the interests of the state. These ideas, in fact, degenerated into a seemingly ineffectual court etiquette, (Scholz 2001, 149). But its not as if though they were stripped of all their power in the court, they were still assigned positions and sent to expeditions. The difference is that they no longer directly affected the decisions of the emperor. Eunuchs were perceived as very corrupt officials. Despite having only meager salaries, upon their deaths, their massive fortunes were discovered. An example is the eunuch Li Yung-chen (1583-1628). When he was executed in 1628, his confiscated properties were said to have been worth 270,000 taels of silver. Ming historians contrast this to the annual wage for some manual workers in Beijing at the turn of the sixteenth century, was approximately 4.2 taels (Atwell 1988). This was due to the fact that they were known to misappropriate funds. Such practices were extremely common, to claim military supplies for 100,000 named soldiers when there were in fact only 50,000 troops, and only have less than half of the 50,000 needing the supplies. The court thus pays for four solders for one soldier (Atwell 1988). Such is only one example of the great corruption the eunuchs made. Eunuch influence in economic activities was made possible because they fulfilled the capricious demands of their emperors despite the growing financial needs of the state. Their positions allowed the eunuchs to build a base, which in turn strengthened their positions in the economic as well as political and military worlds. The power over labor, land and taxes made it impossible not to cooperate with eunuchs. This brought them to great power. Using such privileges, they were able to exploit the sy stem further to increase power and wealth (Crawford 1961). By 1644, it is estimated that there were 70,000 eunuchs in the palace alone and 100,000 in the entire empire (Crawford 1961). At this point, castration became widespead and despite the emperors decrees against such, castration still became common for poorer families who could not afford to send their children to school (Crawford 1961). Compounded by the fact that the emperor was not consistent, eunuchization became very rampant as a means to get rich and powerful easily. The Chinese imperial eunuchs ended with Sun Yao-ting as the last of the emperors eunuchs. He left an account that though it is embellished, it is of interest as an example of cultural history, (Scholz 2001, 136). It is important to note that what ended was the Chinese and imperial element of eunuchism. Eunuchism itself has existed far out through time into todays era and now has a new connotation depending on the culture and surrounding society of the eunuch. The Roles of Eunuchs in Government Eunuchs had been used as servants in the imperial palace since the late fourteenth century, and from the early fifteenth century, their functions, numbers, and power increased. By the mid-fifteenth century, eunuchs were a well-established element of the Ming bureaucracy, serving in the capital and in the provinces in both military and civil posts. Numbers fluctuated, but early in the sixteenth century, there are said to have been over 12,000 palace eunuchs in Beijing alone (Robinson 2010). The Ming government was divided among six ministries in the 1390s, Personnel, Revenues, War, Punishment, Rites, and Public Works (Tsai 1995). While each ministry had its own minister, they were really under direct control of the emperor, who frequently used his eunuchs to run the state. Constantly locked in adversary positions with the eunuchs, the scholars despised and hated the eunuchs, blaming them for the ills of society (Tsai 1995). Eunuch influence was greatest in periods of weak emperors. During the Ming Dynasty, where the eunuch abuses were most rampant, there were some periods of history where the eunuchs were practically running the empire. As emperors felt that eunuchs represented the best interests of the imperial family at heart, the contact between emperor and bureaucracy was carried entirely through eunuchs (Crawford 1961). Eunuchs were first organized into a Directorate of Palace Servants. But as their functions expanded beyond the inner court and their number increased, they were repeatedly reorganizeduntil after I400, they were finally organized into twenty-four offices. At this point, they had ceased to be entirely personal tools used at imperial discretion and became instead an institutionalized bureaucracy with its own inner development and history (Crawford 1961). In the final organization, there were twelve Directorates, four Offices, and eight Bureaus. Each Directorate had one Director with th e rank of 4a; a senior and junior Vice-director each with the rank of 4b; a senior and junior Assistant director with the rank of 5a; one Recorder with the rank of 6a; and a varying number of lesser officials. The Directorates had charge of such matters as staff supervision, imperial provisions and food, seals, ancient and modern archives, metal tokens given to meritorious statesmen, credentials, instructions, construction of storehouses, weddings, gunpowder, constructionof temples, the imperial insignia and tent, the imperial stables, military tallies and other such items. Some of these Directorates were thus closely associated with the Ministry of War (Crawford 1961). The main contribution of eunuchs was in the field of military and secret service. Emperors used eunuchs as emissaries to foreign countries. In fact, by the end of the Ming Dynasty, what existed of the central military arm was largely in the hands of eunuchs (Crawford 1961). In the end, the eunuchs were less like household servants meddling in state affairs and more like an administrative hierarchy who exercised powers in all areas of government (Tsai 1995). Famous Eunuchs of Ancient China Eunuchs were often seen as the antagonist to the Confucian court officials. Differing in priorities, they had different agendas. While most eunuchs have been depicted negatively and in an antagonistic manner, there were some eunuchs that rose above and became important figures in Chinese history, and there is no other greater eunuch than Zheng He (also Cheng Ho). Zheng He was from the early Ming dynasty and was both a Muslim and a Eunuch. He had won the reputation as a great diplomat and military strategist. Unlike most eunuchs, he was a delegated in the military, in charge of seven official oceanic expeditions, a first in Chinese history. With an armada of 63 ships, Zheng He traveled around the world, first primarily to South East Asia, then eventually to the Middle East and Africa (Willetts 1964). In fact, he was even known to have brought back some African animals such as giraffes, lions, and tigers from the fifth expedition (Willetts 1964). Zheng He died in extreme old age in 144 4. Despite numerous voyages that brought China closer to the world, scholars agree that the voyages actually had no practical results, essentially meaning that it was a waste of money and that from the perspective of the Ming dynasty, it was an absolute waste of resources given that they were not empire builders, Ming did not have a sense of mission (Willetts 1964). This then provides an answer as to why after Zheng Hes final voyage of 1431, there no on longer any naval excursions by the Chinese. But while there were no longer any naval operations afterwards, in the time that Zheng He lived, he was by no means the only eunuch in the high seas (Willetts 1964). In contrast to Zheng He who had the best intentions are the four infamous tyrannical eunuch dictators, Wei ZhongXian in the late Ming, Wang Zhen in the 1440s, Wang Zhi in the 1470s, and Liu Jin in the 1500s (Dillon 1998). Wang Zhen was voluntarily castrated as a youth and entered palace eunuch school. Wang was made Director of Ceremonial when Emperor Ying-tsung ascended. He was killed by an army on its retreat (Crawford 1961). Liu Jin was also voluntarily castrated. He attached himself to a higher eunuch in order to advance, then subsequently took the position. He was put in charge of the Bureau of Cymbals and Gongs. But more than that, he controlled the secret police Eastern Depot. He is considered to be one of the eight tigers (Crawford 1961). Wei is often compared to Yang Lian, a Confucian adviser who late becomes an adversary. Their tales are often contrasted as they both experienced hardship in becoming high officials in the court. Yang Lian had to study and take many licensure exams in order to receive what is equivalent to the doctorate, while Wei ZhongXian had to live castrated and maneuvers his way in the eunuch system (Tsai 1995). As a child, Wei chose castration as a way out of his gambling debt (Crawford 1961). Because of his cunning nature, he was able to work his way into the system and become a grand eunuch in the Ceremonial Directorate of the Ming court. As a palace eunuch, he cheated his superiors and gained advantages by swindling them. But amidst that cruel life, his path into becoming a eunuch was a turbulent one, scarred emotionally, physically, and psychologically. Physically, his hormone levels caused wrinkled skin, stiffened joints, and weak muscles. Eventually, he became evidently more feminine than masculine (Tsai 1995). In order to rise above the ranks, Wei aligned himself only with the most powerful eunuchs and palace women. He worked first in the imperial stable, moving his way up until he became assigned to be the cook for Emperor Wanlis grandson, who later became Emperor Tianqi (Tsai 1995). It was this connection that gained him much of the fame and fortune. It was cooking for Tianqi as well that he met Ke, Tianqis mistress. The teenage Tianqi felt a deep, more than childlike devotion to Mistress Ke. In fact it was Ke who recommended Wei in 1622 to become the grand eunuch in the most powerful Ceremonial Directorate (Tsai 1995). Together with Ke, Wei had an improper and unhealthy influence on the young emperor. Wei received the emperors approval to train a eunuch army, and he was also made director of a secret police establishment called the Eastern Depot (Tsai 1995). He used his position to remove people he deemed undesirable and began a reign of terror by demoting and then murdering his former patron. As Tianqi lived a life of luxury, Wei killed countless number of people, dismissed honorable officials, stole jewelry from the imperial treasure, and acquired riches for his family (Tsai 1995). It was then tha t Yang Lian, now a censor, decided to impeach Wei. While 100 other officials sided with yang in denouncing Wei, Tianqi stood by Wei and ordered the high ranking officials including Yang to be flogged to death (Tsai 1995). It was only upon Tianqis death at the age of 23 that the reign of terror ended. Wei left Beijing with a guard of 800 eunuchs, 1000 horses, 40 wagonloads of jewelry. On his way to a prison outside Nanjing, he took his only and his copse was dismembered and displayed in his hometown as a warning to the public (Tsai 1995). Modern Eunuchs The word modern eunuchs may refer to either of two things: one, a modern eunuch may refer, in literal sense, to people who have been castrated, and two, it may also refer to people who are not the highest ruling body but play a big role in forming the decisions of the said ruling body through their political influence. With regards to the first meaning, it is not surprising that eunuchs still exist today since castration has not been fully ruled out as a punishment for heavy crimes. Reports about the activities and movements of eunuchs are spread out on the news all over the world, and clichà © enough, the world has some good news and bad news about eunuchs. Starting off with bad news so as not to break spirits after lifting them with the good news, news from BBC News South Asia reports that in India, eunuchs actually cut off mans penis. This is according to BBC correspondent in Himachal Pradesh, India, Baldev Chaunan. According to the report, the victim, Sonu, has been working as a drummer with a group of eunuchs, because apparently, dalits in India live by turning up uninvited at weddings, births and other major family events and singing until they are paid enough to go away. The said report also says that the reason why the eunuchs cut off the mans penis was unclear. It is just known fact that Eunuchs in India generally live in self-contained communities, ostracized [sic] by the rest of society. Countering this ruling fact is a news report by Reuters India dated November 10,2006 that reports: Dancing and singing eunuchs are knocking on doors in the Indian City of Patna in a bid to embarrass shopkeepers into paying their taxes. It is further said in the news article that they were hired by the government as a new shock strategy to make tax evaders pay their lot. It has been proven in the report that this strategy has worked, and who knows? It might just be the solution to the tax evasion that has been going on in India for some time. The eunuchs dont go home penniless either, they were promised by the taxmen 4% of the total commission. So the strategy was indeed a win-win case for both parties. It would be pleasing to hear that there still are good news like these once in a while where even the ostracized get to contribute to the betterment of the country. Now the meaning of eunuchs as castrated individuals may, in itself, take a figurative form with the meaning anyone who has lost their balls or sense of manliness. To be straightforward about it, the third sex, especially gays who have lost their balls when they decided that they were women trapped in a mans body, and transsexuals, who have had reconstructions of certain body parts, fall under this classification of modern eunuchs. This is because not only should the physical aspect of a human be considered, what is important to the person should also be considered, for what is a part if its meaning is empty? A mans genital would be just another part of the body if he does not give value to it nor take care of it. From this angle, it could be said that those who belong to the third sex and transsexuals are also eunuchs. Finally, eunuchs have always been known to have influential powers over the ruling forces, so ultimately, for the researchers of this topic, people who are influential enough to make the slightest differences in the decision of the higher authorities are also to be considered as eunuchs. People such as Chiz Escudero who, though he is part of the opposition, which is even the counter force of the administration, makes an impact on the decision that the authorities make and on the moves they execute next. A lot of forces outside the administration are actually making slightest effects on the decrees that the president makes. For example, rich and powerful clans like the Lopezes and Cojuangcos are always taken into consideration in the making of policies although they are not necessarily part of the ruling force itself. They are eunuchs not by appearance, but by essence. Insights and Learnings So in the course of writing this paper about Chinese eunuchs, we, the researchers, have learned a lot and have acquired a lot of insights in relation with eunuchs. And with that, we contest with the thought that the eunuchs rose to power. There can be no rise of they were at the top to begin with. How can I say that they were already at the top when castration was a grave punishment to begin with? and Shouldnt it be that they started from humble beginnings and rose from the ranks? are some of the questions that might grapple with us in this matter. Here we reiterate the point mentioned in the history part of this paper; the part that says that eunuchs were castrated in exchange for death penalty. It also said that they were castrated because of political crimes. There is logic as to why this assumption could be drawn. If what the person has done has been completely barbaric and criminal like stealing and killing, then the government might as well do off without them, but in this case , the government didnt kill the criminals. Why? Because the crimes they have committed were political crimes. They were crimes against the ruling political view, Confucianism. In short, the soon-to-be-eunuchs were actually political analysts in the sense that they were able to find flaws and possibly solutions to the flaws in the government. This is why instead of disposing them; the government was able to use them as political advisors of some sort in the form of what would soon be called eunuchs. They already had this richness in them to begin with, the richness of knowledge of what to do, of whats wrong and how to correct that wrong. They were already powerful in that whatever the emperor couldnt solve, they already had a plan of action in their minds. Ranking was of no relevance. After all, there is no way to measure knowledge in its most raw form. What could be measured is the ratio of intelligence to age or IQ, but that isnt knowledge in itself. More than this insight, we were able to learn a few things in relation with eunuchs. People cant have everything. This is a chip from the clichà ©: nobodys perfect. People cant be rich, famous, intelligent, influential and still have no flaws. We just realized that one way or another, no matter how high up they are, there will always be one thing they lack. Well, in the case of eunuchs, the readers should know by now what the rich, intelligent and influential eunuchs lack. Thats right. Facial hairà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ and more. Also, what goes up, must come down, is another learning from this topic about eunuchs. When there is too much yang, yin must sink in. Meaning, there must always be balance. Things will always return to their normal state. They will always try to equalize themselves out. A ball launched high into the sky, no matter the peak height, will always go back to the ground right after. The closer you are to something, the harder it is to see it. The emperors really had a ha rd time solving their problems. It was because they were in too deep that they forgot to look at the bigger picture and how to move the puzzle pieces in that picture. They needed an outsiders perspective to assess and evaluate the situation because they are the ones who are able to see clearly. It is important sometimes to look at the thing as a whole to see what is wrong with it from a different and easier-to-handle angle.

Modernist Preoccupations With Progress: An Exploration

Modernist Preoccupations With Progress: An Exploration The term ‘Modernism relies upon notions of progress in that it is defined by an ‘artistic and literary superiority of moderns over ancients. The ‘modern era enjoyed scientific, technological and social progress, whilst the uncivilized and primitive past was very much left behind. That is not to say that modern artists neglected to recognise their debt to the past and although modernists tended to reject notions of time as linear, the causal development of time meant modern artists and writers often looked to the past at least as a tool for comparison. It could be said that Modernist art reacted to the rapidly changing and dehumanised world of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries by actually challenging common notions of progress and demanding a reappraisal of the direction in which society was moving. The artistic movement known as Cubism originated in the minds and art of Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, and at first stood as an experiment in style alongside avant-garde developments in western art. Like many of the movements under the ‘Modernist umbrella, Cubism sought to move away from established notions of art; Cubisms roots are in realism, but Cubist artists also challenged the convention of naturalism and the illusion of three-dimensional seeing. This was initially done by presenting a two-dimensional picture surface with flat forms and tonal colours, which aimed to bring together the mind and the eye without trying to fool the viewer into seeing something other that the ‘reality of the picture surface. In this way, Cubism presented a more accurate reality than previous artistic movements that used the convention of three-dimensional representation, because we do not see the world from a singular perspective. Whilst self-confessedly indebted to his Impressionist forebears, Picasso changed modern notions of art by ‘reappraising [his] fundamental materials, to redesign composition and remake form. What was seen as a breakdown in society, with the advent of mechanised warfare and impoverishment of the human spirit, encouraged Cubist artists to present a new way of looking at the world. Cubist techniques of presenting both sides of a chair or all the perspectives of a models face served to create an art in which normal notions of vision and thought are challenged; are we not able to move around an object and see it form all sides? Cubist artists first introduced collage as a tool to communicate their desire to bring life and art closer together, and so allow society to progress through ideas within art. Collages were paintings with objects attached to the canvas; Picasso stuck pieces of newspaper, stamps and rope to his canvas in order to ‘break down the boundaries between art and life, causing the viewer to ponder various kinds and degrees of artifice. That small pieces of ‘real life were appearing on the canvas showed the Cubists increasingly innovative style and the lengths to which they would go to move away from art as artifice and present a new type of artistic ‘progress that attempted to bring observers away from the constructed emotional portrayal of the artistic subject (as in Impressionism) and towards an art which gives ‘more attention to sensuous and tactile quality. Critics of Cubism blamed Picasso and his peers for becoming more concerned with geometry than with art; the r esponse was that science and emotion are brought together in Cubism to create a more rounded and stimulating experience of life than previously offered by other art forms. Whilst the Modernists obsession with moving away from past conventions and creating new intellectual depths may have seemed extreme, this preoccupation with ‘progress was a direct response to what they saw as the devaluation of art, literature and society in general throughout the Victorian period. Techniques used by the Cubist artists to comment on and re-evaluate art included ‘fragmentation, multiple perspectives, and juxtaposition, which were part of the standard Modernist repertoire. Modernist artists wanted to create and communicate new ways of experiencing art and therefore the world.There was very much a feeling that art could not only reflect and represent life, but also lead to changes within society; by challenging notions of progress, especially in the wake of the war and mechanisation, Cubist artists created their own type of progress, which was very much involved with the way the mind and the eye worked. Cubist art was controversial and little understood and any contemporary commentary could be seen to devalue the art itself, but it could be said that Cubism was an art that sought to see everything without conforming to accepted forms or styles and without pandering to popular notions of civilized human progress. The modernist era brought about the notion that everythings been done and said and painted already and Cubism was at the centre of one of the last great revolutions in early twentieth century art; partly because it fought against notions of progress, incorporated the devalued and partial art forms of the past and created a new world view which epitomised the Modernist preoccupation with progress.

The Power Of Good And Evil in Flannery OConnors A Good Man is Hard to

The Power Of Good And Evil in Flannery O'Connor's A Good Man is Hard to Find  Ã‚        Ã‚   Good and bad. Right and wrong. Guilty and Innocent. These are just a few of the many themes that surround everyone's life. Everyone has their own opinion about certain issues, and they depend on their values, judgment, and beliefs to see them through their difficulties. Flannery O'Connor was quoted as saying "I see from the standpoint of Christian orthodoxy. This means the meaning of life is centered in our Redemption by Christ and that what I see in the world I see in relation to that" (Contemporary Authors 402). These themes are present in O'Connor's story "A Good Man is Hard to Find." The story is about a grandmother, a "good" woman who goes on vacation with her son and his family and suffers terribly due to her poor judgement, and beliefs, but learns the true meaning of "good" in the face of something "bad." The grandmother lives with her only son, Bailey, his wife and their children. The beginning of the story the grandmother is preparing to take a trip with her son?s family to Florida; a place where she doesn?t even want to go. She wants the whole family to go to Tennessee to visit relatives (O?Connor 907).This is the first example of the egocentric ways that lead her to her demise. She wants to uproot the whole family ,only for her benefit. She also does not want to go to Florida because there is a escaped convict, an evil man, on the loose. She says, "The Misfit is aloose from the Federal Pen and headed toward Florida and you read here what it says he did to those people" (O?Connor 907). Critic Richard Spivey explains the use of violence in O?Connor?s work: "O?Connor dealt with violent and grotesque people because "man has in his... ...403. Drake, Robert. "The Bleeding Stinking Mad Shadow of Jesus in the Fiction of Flannery O?Connor. Comparative Literature Studies. University of Illinois. 1966. Vol. 3. 183-196. Gilbert, Muller, H. Nightmares and Visions. Flannery O?Connor and the Catholic Grotesque. University Press. University of Georgia Press. 1977. 125. Hamblen, Abigail Ann. Flannery O?Connor?s Study of Innocence and Evil. University Press. University of Mississippi. 1968. 295-297. McCown, Robert. Flannery O?Connor and the Reality of Sin in the Catholic World. Missionary Society of St. Paul, NY. 1959. Vol. 188. 285-291. O?Connor, Flannery. "A Good Man is Hard to Find." The Harper Anthology of Fiction. Ed. Sylvan Barnet. New York. HarperCollins, 1991. 907-917. Stephens, Martha. The Question of Flannery O?Connor. Ed. University Press. Louisiana State Press, 1973. 189-205.

Genetic Engineering in Agriculture Essay -- Farming Genes Science Essa

Genetic Engineering in Agriculture "Whoever could make two ears of corn, or two blades of grass grow upon a spot of ground where only one grew before would deserve better of Mankind, and do more essential service to his country, than the whole race of politicians put together." -The King of Brobdingnag, Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift, 17271 Introduction Genetically engineered foods are the rage of the day for farmers across the world. Farmers are able to grow larger, tastier, more colorful foods that are more readily available and attractive to consumers. At the same time, farmers actually have been saving money because their crops are now more resistant to drought, frost, insect infestations, and bruising during transportation to markets. How does this work you ask....genetically modified foods. With the world's population growing at a rate that earth's resources simply can't support naturally, scientific intervention has become and will become even more inevitable. Feeding the world's hungry is becoming a more difficult problem to deal with everyday as the populations in unfarmable locations grow to sizes that cannot be supported by the current world food supply. My only question is: Will food or water run out first? Background For thousands of years 2, humans have been selecting the seeds of plants with certain desirable genetic traits to plant the following years crop. For years upon years, growers have identified and cultivated useful plant variants through selective breeding and environmental alterations. Corn, as it is known today, is nothing like it was a thousand years ago. Gregor Mendel, the "Father of Genetics", wrote his first major paper on genetics in 1865 where he puts into words wha... ...cannot be predicted, but we should do our best to preserve a species when possible. Let us feed the world with caution for the environment, morality and humanity. Bibliography 1. Plant Physiology, C.S. Prakash; May 2001, Volume 126, pp. 8-15 (no link) 2. Transgenic Crops, History of Plant Breeding http://www.colostate.edu/programs/lifesciences/TransgenicCrops/history.html 3. Webster's Dictionary (online) http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=transgenic 4. The Scientist, Using Transgenesis to Create Salt-Tolerant Plants, Ricki Lewis; March 2002 http://www.the-scientist.com/yr2002/mar/research1_020304.html (To use this link you will have to use a registered email, use wmeissner@scu.edu) 5. Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology, August 2003; http://pewagbiotech.org/resources/issuebriefs/geneflow.pdf

A Memory

Remembered Event A remembered event is when something important and interesting happens in a person’s life. These days will leave good memories and emotions in people’s mind and it will be memorable forever. These days are usually one that people will always want to talk about and remember every moment of it. One of the most remembered events in my life is the birth of my brother. It was March, 2008 when I found out that my mother is pregnant.I was upset at the beginning, because all my life I was the only child in my family and I was kind of mad, because I realized that now my parents will pay attention at the new child, leaving me as the second plan. Up until December, I had bad relationships with my parents, especially with my mother. Then, it was the beginning of December and I went on vacation with my aunt for a few weeks. One day before we had to come back to Moscow, my grandmother called me and said that my mother is in the hospital and that she will most likely have the baby the next day.We already knew that it will be a boy. The next day I had my flight and we stopped half way because we had some problems with the plane, so I decided to call my parents and let them know about this situation. When I talked to my parents and my grandmother they told me that I have a baby brother now. At this moment something happened to me and everything changed inside. I was so happy to hear the good news. I was thinking about this the rest of my flight and I wanted to get home faster to go and see my brother.Next day, when I got home, my grandmother and I decided to go and visit my mother and brother at the hospital. I could not wait to get there, because I was really excited to see my baby brother for the first time. Finally when we got there, I met my mother and after that the doctor brought in my little brother. The first moment when I saw him I was so happy and I took him into my hands. He was so small and he looked like me with his blue eyes and blon d hair. I almost cried at this moment. I realized that now he is the most important person in my life and he will be very close to me all my life.We will be always together now and be able help to each other. Now, my brother is 4 years old. Those years passed very fast. Sometimes I do not like him at all and I can fight with him. He is very annoying sometimes because he has bad character and he is very active. It is too hard with him sometimes, but no matter what I understand he is still very little and of course he will change. I am very thankful to my mother now that I have him. I do not know how my life will be even in the future without him. Now, I will always have support from his side.The past year I spent in America and throughout this time I cannot see how he is growing up like I used to. I am so sad because I cannot see him now, at the most interesting time and age for children. But I still call my parents every day and I can see him and talk with him. December, 2008 change d my life completely with my brother’s birth. I am the happiest person because I have him. It was my big mistake at the beginning, when I was getting mad at my parents and did not want to have a brother or sister. After his birth all my family became more and more important for me.Me and my brother 14 years apart, but this is very good for both of us because he will learn so much from me and I will always protect him. He also will help me with everything and we will be together when we will have problems, help each other and be around our parents when they will be older. I think, it is very important in life to have brother or sister no matter if they are younger, older or same age. Still, this is a person for support, to grow up together with, and to learn something from each other.

Bibliotherapy for Frankenstein’s Monster

In the novel â€Å"Frankenstein†, the monster reads or listens to 4 different books. Each one shaped how he thought and felt about things differently. Bibliotherapy is the use of reading materials for help in solving personal problems or for psychiatric therapy. If these books would be changed, the monster may have fit better into society. One book read by the monster was Paradise Lost. This is the story of Satan and also the story of Adam and Eve. It tells about Satan’s fall from Heaven and also Adam and Eve’s sins.The monster relates to Adam because, like Adam, the monster is unlike any other thing of the time. But other than that, he says that he relates to Satan more. This contributes to a poor self-image for the monster. It makes him feel hated by his creator and worthless. If I could substitute another book in for Paradise Lost, I would choose Pinocchio. This story would show that when somebody creates something, no matter what it may seem like, the creator always loves his creation. Another book read, or in this case heard, by the monster was Ruin of Empires.This book gives some history on civilizations of the past. The monster gathers from this book some knowledge of world history and also begins to question man. He said that he once â€Å"could not conceive how one man could go forth to murder his fellow,† but after hearing the book and learning of vice and bloodshed he was disgusted. For this book I would substitute To Kill a Mockingbird. This book would teach the monster that, even though some people are bad, there are always good people that will do the right thing no matter what.I feel that Atticus Finch would be a good role model for the monster. Atticus would represent all the good in humanity. The monster also read The Sorrows of Young Werther. This is a sad book about a man who is love with a married woman. In the end of the book, the main character commits suicide. I feel that this book contributed to a generally ne gative attitude of the monster. Also, in the end of Frankenstein, the monster sets out to kill himself. I feel that the monster would not have een as likely to do this if the main character of the book he read hadn’t done this. I would replace this book with Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare. Even though Romeo and Juliet has a sad ending too, I feel that it would have put more hope into the monster than what he did read because in the end of Romeo and Juliet, they both die, leaving no one (besides their families) grieving. Also, in the end of Romeo and Juliet, they end up together in that they both die and presumably go to Heaven.I feel this would have made the monster more optimistic than a story where a broken hearted man kills himself and everyone else goes on living their lives. The other book read by the monster is Plutarch’s Lives. This book is a compilation of biographies about ancient people. The monster says that this book taught him â€Å"high thoughts. † The monster seems to speak highly of this book and it taught him a lot. But he also says that much of what he read was above his head and he didn’t understand it.Therefore I would substitute Canterbury Tales instead. This book would be more relatable seeing as though the stories in Canterbury Tales are those of everyday people not ancient nobles and aristocrats. By substituting these books instead of the ones he did read, I feel that the monster would have a better outlook on society. Also, I feel that this would cause him to fit in society better which may make his life easier and he may make better decisions than what he did.