How Does John Steinbeck Present the Character of Crooks Essay

Crooks (named for his crooked back) is the stable buck who works with the ranch horses. He lives in the harness room by himself because of the segregation law set by Jim Crow; he is also the only black man on the ranch. Crooks likes to read books this shows he is cleverer than the other men on the ranch and likes to keep his room neat, but he has been so beaten down by loneliness and prejudicial treatment of that he is also starting to treat people with hatred. His Physical disability is one of the many ways that he suffers on the ranch. John Steinbeck tries to make the novel realistic by showing how black people were treated and isolated in 1930s America. Crooks may not be the main character in the novel, he is important because he fitted in the society at the time of the novel in 1930s America. Steinbeck uses Crooks to show how life was for black people in 1930s America. The Character is firstly introduced when candy was showing George and Lennie around and when he was talking abou t how angry the boss was when George and Lennie were late to work. Candy tells them that the boss takes his anger on crooks,† Ya see the stable bucks a nigger†, â€Å"the boss gives him hell when he is mad†. White People in 1930s America had no discomfort in using derogatory language, this was normal for people it was the local language in 1930s. Candy says â€Å"nice fella too† and â€Å"he reads a lot† Proving he is intelligent and nice guy. People show hatred towards him because of the colour of his skin. He and many coloured people were separated from the whites in 1930, because of the Jim Crow laws. George asks Candy ‘‘what kind of man is the boss’’ he quickly brings up that the boss had brought whisky for them at Christmas, he also explains what happened when they let crooks in, Crooks got into a fight one Christmas with a white man. Steinbeck presents the character of Crooks in a detailed description; John Steinbeck t ells us that Crooks’ room is in the harness where all the horses sleep, this shows that he is segregated from all the other men on the ranch.

Functions of Human Resources

Human Resources, or HR, can at times, be something of a mystery if you have not had any reason to interact with the human resource staff. What do they accomplish in the human resources department? What is their contribution to the company? Every day the human resources department is making decisions that affect the employees. Wages and salaries, hiring and firing, handling employee grievances, and employee training are functions of the human resources department. Wages and Salaries Human resources follows the patterns of other employers to help them determine what they pay the company employees. Competitive wages are important to employees when they are job searching or moving up within the company. According to the HR Council for the Nonprofit Sector, â€Å"Salary surveys are conducted with employers in the same labor market to determine pay levels for specific job categories† (â€Å"Wages,† â€Å"n. d. ,†, p. 2). Surveys are a function of HR to determine if they are offering competitive wages with other companies. Hiring and Firing Hiring new employees is directly affected by human resources. Creating job descriptions and determining the skills needed to qualify for a position is a function of the human resources department. Job descriptions describe what is expected from the person applying for the position. This written job description also gives the human resources guidelines if discipline is needed in the future. Established expectations are used to coach an employee and if necessary fire the employee. Firing Firing an employee is not as easy as it may seem. Documentation is necessary to build a history of coaching an employee into the correct behavior. If the correct behavior is not reached a historical case has been created to support firing the employee. If the action or behavior violates company policy, immediate firing of the employee can happen. Employee Grievances Listening to employee grievances is an important function of human resources. Linking management with workers who have an issue that needs addressing is handled within human resources. Management may not be aware of an employee’s grievance without the connection that human resources can make between the two levels of employees. Documentation of the grievance and steps toward a solution is a function of human resources. Employee Training Training employees and supplying current job information should be a continual process of the human resources department. Keeping employees trained is a vital step in running a good company. â€Å"In order to improve the efficiency level of the employees they have go undergo regular trainings and development programs† (â€Å"Training,† â€Å"n. d. ,†, p. 2). Employees who can complete their jobs to the highest level possible keep the company running efficiently. It is the responsibility and function of the human resources department to supply training to the company’s employees. Conclusion There are many functions of the human resources department. Hiring employees, training, and coaching are a few functions of human resources. Human resources support the company in ways not always seen, but the effects are implemented with the workers. Creating a productive work environment requires constant work from the human resources department that may not always be noticed.

Theology paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Theology paper - Essay Example Feuerbach and Marx dismissed God and His expression in religion to be an illusory of projections of what is lacking in man. Feuerbach argued that God is really just a dream of the human mind, an illusion that became sacred, a projection of man’s unfulfilled desires. For Feuerbach, the idea of God’s magnificence is just a projection of man’s failure to realize its full potential and His holiness is just man’s expression of guilt towards his sin. In a way, Feuerbach believed that God is just a defense mechanism of man’s inadequacy and his attempt to fill it through the idea of God. Marx, shares many of Feuerbach’s argument that God is just an illusion and projection. But Marx went as far as dismissing God and religion as an â€Å"opium† that impedes development. And for man and society to progress, that opium has to be removed. For Marx, God is not only non-existent, but He is also an inconvenience and a stumbling block towards progress that needs to removed. Freud argued his skepticism on the existence of God according to his expertise in psychoanalysis. But his argument is still consistent with Feuerbach â€Å"illusory and projection† argument. ... An intelligent man who is predisposed to reason and logic goes beyond the physical evidence to believe that there is God. By just looking around, he would realize that there is a Supreme Being, a Supreme Intelligence who created it all. He knew that everything in this universe is made of a single element of carbon and there must be Somebody greater than man who created it. But merely believing on the existence of God by sheer faith renders that belief not only vulnerable but also unreasonable thus can easily be dismissed. It has to be supported by reason not only to convince, but to establish God’s existence according to the language of an intelligent man, which is reason. There were philosophers who established God’s existence through reason. Among them were Anselm, St. Aquinas, and the great scientist, Blaise Pascal. Anselm ontological premises raised the first argument on the existence of God. His argument purports to a priori proof of God’s existence which is independent of any proof or observation. He argued that because God is God, His existence does not need to be validated by experience to justify that He exists. He concludes that because there is nothing that exists to be greater than God, then it is unimaginable to think that there is no God. St. Aquinas took a different route from Anselm in explaining the existence of God. He was a cleric but he argued God’s existence from the point of view of reason. For St. Aquinas, he posited that God’s existence can be known without relying on mere faith and the Scripture because God’ existence is not self-evident but has to be argued. He argued that God does exist but the mode of knowing should be proportional to what is being observed. Man, being just a created being, cannot be proportionate

Self-Management and Self-Planning Skills (Physical Education Course) Research Paper

Self-Management and Self-Planning Skills (Physical Education Course) - Research Paper Example In easiest way we can attain Healthy life style by combing of management and planning skills and to set goals not only long term but also shot term that can bring affirmative behavioral changes in daily routine if it is well planned, executed and based on easy strategies. Stages of Lifestyle Change There are five stages that are involved in the change of lifestyles and quitting habits (Prochaska, 1983). Precontemption: It is actually the denial phase where a person is not ready to leave his/her habit for anything as withdrawal from junk food for obese patients Contemplation: it is the phase when an individual start thinking about the change that could be better for life. Preparation: when individual start accepting and preparing for the change of dietary habits. Action: when individual takes actual step for change, as opting for other sources of food and start avoiding less beneficial Maintenance: it is the regular practice of that routine, as to maintain healthy lifestyle in this ex ample by adapting healthy food habits.

Strategy and Operations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Strategy and Operations - Essay Example The operational level deals with production and control, inventory management, material handling, equipment maintenance policies and inspection and quality control. Tactical level deals with plant layout, structuring, equipment selections and replacement and project management. Strategic level deals with fixation of location and size of the manufacturing plants, and also deals with the structure of networking and services and developing technology supply chains (MIT Sloan School of Management, 2010). The operations function of any company moves in the direction on what the company’s business is all about. If the organization is into a manufacturing business, then it’s an operation that produces the products. If the organization is a service provider, then operations offers the services. Operations management involves managing various segments of operations (Krannert School of Management, 2010). The operational management provides the manager with the tools and techniques in performing the operational, tactical and strategic levels of operations in the organization that produces goods and services. Operations management is a vital part of business that deals with the production of goods and services and engages the accountability of certifying the business operations that are effective and efficient. It is the management of resources and the allocation of merchandise and services to consumers (Technology for Future, 2010). This process is popularly used in garages, service shops, furniture restorer, printers that produce tickets for the local social event and includes numerous precision engineers such as specialist tool makers (Slack & Et. Al., 2010). In this process identical units are produced in a group called as batches. The units in one batch may differ significantly with the other batch. Each batch is different from other as the designs are different (Caplan, n.d.). This process is

The software process models Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The software process models - Essay Example The requirements are based on system functionalities and roles and so would not undergo any change with time. b) The requirement capturing process for the user interface is an on-going process as a few of the requirements are subjected to change with availability of measures such as skill level of users, type of interface access methodologies, compliance with technological advancements, etc. The model is generally used in small, simple throwaway projects with output as short lived demos, proof-of-concept or prototypes. No separate planning, risk assessment, designing, building, testing phases are required. The administrative system in AILS requires thorough gathering of requirements, understanding the working of existing processes and workflows and data accessing details for integration with the interface which the model fails to provide. For the user interface however, the model can be used the requirement of gaining user satisfaction. Interface can be made and tested; missing or ambiguous portions can be identified and fixed in the next build till a workable interface is achieved. In the AILS administrative system, the requirements necessitate the need of completely capturing of fixed requirements and functionalities to produce a complete product as deliverable. Therefore, the model seems to be appropriate for the task. Spiral model employs risk management approach, an essential requirement in the large mission-critical projects, where reusable, high quality versions of software are delivered before the requirements change again. For the user interface, applying the model would produce a workable solution but with an overhead of unnecessary risk analysis. User interface is not a critical task and therefore does not require extensive risk analysis. For the user interface, the model can be applied owing to the varying scope and requirements. An initial role based interface, accessing data may be developed and tested.

H5N1 Avian virus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

H5N1 Avian virus - Essay Example Moreover, this virus also has the ability to undergo antigenic drifts and antigenic shifts. The emergence of new strains of Avian influenza virus is of major public health concern because of the impending threat of a pandemic that it poses. Currently, the virus does not possess the ability of being transmitted amongst humans and it has been postulated that one this quality is acquired it would lead to potentially devastating consequences in the form of a pandemic. Till date, no vaccine for the prevention of H5N1 infection amongst humans exists. Moreover, the treatment options for infection are also limited viz. oseltamivir and zanamivir. Therefore, further research needs to be undertaken in order to develop new vaccines against these organisms and better medications to combat the infection if once contracted. Moreover, vigilant surveillance of outbreaks and epidemics of bird flu is also imperative. Avian Influenza or Bird Flu, as it commonly referred to, is an infection which is caused by the H5N1 virus. The natural hosts of this virus are wild birds, in particular water fowls, who carry these viruses in their intestines while themselves remaining asymptomatic (Auewaraku 404). The transmission of this virus to domesticated birds such as ducks, chickens and turkeys, can lead to outbreaks and epidemics of infection amongst these birds, causing a large number of them to be killed (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Recently, H5N1 virus is not only leading to an increasing number of epizootics, but has also been implicated in several epidemics in humans. The mode of transmission of this virus has been described as being feco-oral amongst birds, whereas humans contract the disease via contact with airborne particles from infected poultry or while contact with the poultry or their fecal matter e.g. during food preparation (Fleming 1066). The first human infection with H5N1 was

The great depression(conditions leading to the depression) Assignment

The great depression(conditions leading to the depression) - Assignment Example In the early-mid 1920s, production by farmers was far more than the population consumed. Mechanization in production techniques meant there was an increase in output that was expensive thereby putting firms in debts. Falling food production and reduction in land prices resulted in agricultural losses leaving vast populations poor and unemployed. With the demand dropping and supply increasing, the price of products reduced leaving the over-expanded firms short-changed leading to closure (Saint-Etienne, 2013). Top workers had their income rising by 75% while the bottom workers only enjoyed a 9% rise in wages. With industrial production growing by 50% in 1920s, there was wide a gap between high-income earners and those struggling in poverty leading to a reduction in disposable income to purchase the produce. With extensive unemployment, the poor required aid from the already cash-strapped authorities further deepening the financial problems. Explosion of stock markets built on speculation as seen in modern capitalist economy caused investors to buy stock believing it was going to rise quickly so that they could sell their stocks later. Most stock purchases were on credit as investors were required to have 5% of the stock’s value with the rest being supplied by a loan ‘buying on margin’. Speculation together with the short-term outlook of the investors did not offer consistency and stability for the system to yield economic benefits. The resulting tension led to selling of the stock causing a mini crash resulting in mass panic as the middle and upper classes lost money. The presence of numerous small banks with insufficient resources to handle the high demand for their money in conjunction with increasing nervousness about the state of the stock market played a major part in initiating the Great Depression. For this reason, they had to sell assets, borrow off other banks or shut down. Drying up of credit and reduction in lending

Patient centred care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Patient centred care - Essay Example But as time has passed by increasing the number of patients many times amongst the system, centre of attention has not been a patient's personal health care rather then saving the system itself. Patient-centered care helps in bringing patients voice to the center of the health care system. It is responsive to the individual patient's preferences, needs and values. It ensures that the patient's voice your voice guides all clinical decisions. Patient centeredness is becoming a widely used, but poorly understood, concept in medical practice. It may be most commonly understood for what it is nottechnology centered, doctor centered, hospital centered, disease centered. Definitions of patient centered care seek to make the implicit in patient care explicit. Such definitions are, we recognize, oversimplifications which help in teaching and research but fail to capture the indivisible whole of a healing relationship. Perhaps qualitative research comes closer to conveying the qualities of such care. What is Patient Centered Care Do patients need and do doctors really practice it What are its benefits We will focus it through these two questions.

The difference between concepts of Absorption costing and Variable Essay

The difference between concepts of Absorption costing and Variable Costing - Essay Example The difference between concepts of Absorption costing and Variable Costing Direct costs are those costs that can be easily associated with a specific identity that may be a product or a service. Cost incurred for purchase of material, labor costs earned to produce the final product etc; all are a part of direct cost as they can be easily linked with per unit cost of a product (Gazely M A & Lambert M, 2006). Such costs vary with the nature of a business, for instance if a company manufactures electronic gadget like microprocessor and an expert production manager is hired for the job then his salary would be considered as a direct cost or if an individual runs a car washing business which is imparting of service, then the wages paid to the people hired for the job will be taken to be a direct cost. Direct costs are most of the time taken to be as variable costs. Variable costs increase proportionately with the increase in the quantity of production, thus they are also considered to be direct costs in nature. But in case when the manager or person acquired to monitor the production process is paid a regular amount of salary every month or for a particular period of time irrespective of the volume of production then it is called a fixed cost. The different types of direct costs consist of direct materials and direct labor. Direct materials are directly identified with the particular product (Seal W, Garrison H R & Noreen W E, 2006). For instance, to manufacture product like furniture, direct material required for it would be wood, varnish, polish etc. When charging expenses to federally sponsored agreements, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) faculty and staff must be aware of the appropriateness of the charges.   OMB Circular A-21 provides the criteria for direct charging costs to federally sponsored programs.   The basic principle is that costs directly charged to a sponsored project must be allocable, allowable, reasonable and necessary, and treated consistently. A cost to be called as a direct cost must result in a direct gain from an activity and also it should be directly allocable to the specific project or task taken into consideration (Hilton W R, Robert J. Swieringa J R & Turner J M, 1988). On the whole direct costs must be: Allocable: if the costs can be bifurcated into various heads such as

Age of Iron by J.M. Coetzee Essay Example for Free

Age of Iron by J.M. Coetzee Essay The extract from the prose Age of Iron written by J.M. Coetzee is about the depiction of different generations conflicting with one another. This extract is set up as an old wise woman a one-way conversation during the 1990s. This extract illustrates the young boy being forced in listening to the old wise womans opinion about the cons of the apartheid, more specifically being the war. Throughout the prose, the young boy refuses to listen to the voice of authority and shows the old wise woman that with stubbornness and self-determination, young children do not accept what they are told from authority. With the portrayal of the two generations conflicting, the extract suggests that the immense amount of influence of authority can play a major role on younger generations leading them to choose the wrong path. This prose is shown as a one-way conversation and is during the time period of the 1990s which is also known as the South African Apartheid. With the Apartheid regime, the tone of the extract is in a depressed mood because of their struggle to freedom. The old wise womans opinions are demonstrated through her stream of consciousness and moves from quick dialogue with the young boy to descriptions showing the vivid imagery of the war. The depressed plot of this extract shows the social activism of the younger generation and the minorities in South Africa fighting for their own rights. The old womans advice is however being ignored from the young boy who refuses; due to his stubbornness and goes onto the wrong path putting himself into great danger. The setting of this prose most likely takes place in the old womans house because of the depiction that the old woman do[esnt] have bandages in the house. This shows that the young boy illustrates the dramatic beginning by making splashing noises indicating that it was rainy day outside and he needed to go inside somewhere dry. Since the young boy went inside the old womans house without knocking, this shows that there is a family connection between the old woman and the boy however not a strong connection because of the one-way dialogue throughout the prose. However, they do have family connection where the boy visits often because she notices the bandage [is] off and with surprise [she] noticed that the stitches were still in. This line depicts that she cares for the boy and that there is a family connection between the two characters because of the connection of the boy being able to go into her house and the fact that he has visited before with a bandage on. The prose then continues into short dialogue, demonstrating that the narrator is represented as a motherly figure because of the tone of caring in the dialogue such as when did you leave the hospital and you must keep that cut covered, otherwise it will get infected The protagonist in this prose is represented as a mother figure because of the consecutive questions she asks the boy about his cut and exaggerates that it will leave a memento on his forehead for the rest of his life. The protagonist is shown as a hen that loses its chicks because in the prose, the young boy that steps into the protagonists house isnt blood-related to the old woman however, this line depicts that the old woman will still treat him as her own son because of the theme nature vs. nurture. The old woman also recommends to the young boy to go [see] a doctor soon, or a clinic to have the stitches taken out. This quotation also initiates the spark of the young boy choosing the wrong path in life, leading him into great danger because he cleverly moves away from the topic by saying that he must rest [his] arm and his head is not sore. By saying this to the old woman, she immediately thinks that he is running away from someone and by being silent, she starts to show her caring and loving for the boy by telling him advice. Since she asked the young boy with care and love if he was running away from someone, and with no reply, the old woman got worried and starts to explain to the young boy again that he is too young for this kind of thing. The old woman starts to tell explain to the young boy that it is not a good thing to die and that even though he is fighting for his own rights during the war, he should be careful because [they are] throwing away [their] lives before [they] know what life can [really] be. It is also indicated in the prose, that she is an old person because she says so herself when she is explaining to the young boy. She also talks about Bheki, her son who died at a young age because he fought in the war however when she explained to the young boy that war isnt a good thing to participate; he didnt understand because he asked after she had explained about the cons of war. The vivid imagery is brought out into that particular paragraph because she illustrates the war as an age of chivalry where men [hack] other men to death. However her strong opinion against the war didnt work on the young boy because he wasnt influenced at all because his desires were very strong about war. In the prose, the young boy has rebelled against the voice of authority (old woman_ by not paying attention to her when she was talking as she explained through dialogue and imagery that war isnt something to be proud about. However, the young boys desire grew and he became more passionate about the war showing that all of the immense influencing she did was a waste of time. Consequently, she gets furious when he asks where is Bheki. This shows that the young boy wasnt paying attention to the old woman and shows that he is also immature. This specific quotation indicates that the young boy isnt mature because he didnt understand her hint when she said that I told Bheki so [Ill] tell you again. This being the turning point of the prose, the old woman changes her voice of tone from soft and sweet into more of a demanding voice by telling him to sit down. As he follows her orders, she starts to explain that Bheki is actually in a box in a hole with earth heaped on top of him. She says this with great pain and as she quickly brushes that off her shoulders, she then changes her way of explaining to the boy into a more childish way. She starts to use basic terms for the young boy to understand as her diction goes from complex to simple. Her voice changes immediately and the old woman start to explain to the boy as if he was a little child who was learning to ride a bike. As the conclusion starts to approach, her mood also becomes more furious because she knows that compassions is the most important thing and pushes that war is a struggle and pain. With her great influence upon the young boy, he threw off [the] talk and chooses the path of war as a sign of discipline. In the prose Age of Iron the influence of authority is shown throughout the prose. With the old woman trying to lure the young boy out from war is not successful as all the young boys listen to discipline and nothing else. However with him refusing the talk which had weighed down the generation of his grandparents and his generation of his parents; he decided to choose the wrong path leading him into a great deal of danger. Even though, the old wise woman knew what she was talking about and had heard about past experiences through memory and sense-perception, her influence upon the boy was very significant however with the two generations conflicting, the immense amount of influence of the old wise woman wasnt successful which lead the young boy in choosing the wrong path.

Analysis On The Movie Inception Film Studies Essay

Analysis On The Movie Inception Film Studies Essay The film Inception (2010) captured the imagination of many spectators as one of the best science fiction and fantasy movies to be produced that year. It was produced and directed by Christopher Nolan who also wrote the script of the movie. The development of this script and the story line were Nolans original ideas back in 2001, nine year before the movie was released when he wrote an eighty-page script on dream stealing. This work was inspired by the concept of dream incubation and lucid dreaming which bore this mystery envisioning a world where technology has been developed to allow entrance into the human mind by means of dream invasion. Inception is based on the basic inspiration that a single idea in an individuals mind can be either the most valuable asset or the most dangerous weapon (George, 2009). The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Dom Cobb, who in the movie steals information from the minds of his victims during dreams. The last job which Cobs is given, and which is the ce nter of the movie involves performance of an inception so that Cobbs could regain his previous life and be able to visit his children. The movie in general received outstanding applause as an innovative and smart story and many critics gave it positive reviews. Rotten tomatoes for instance gave this movie an average score of 8/10 based on over two hundred and fifty reviews and reported that up to 87% of critics gave this movie a positive preview. Specifically praised in this movie is the producer/ director/writer, Mr. Nolan who received many positive notices and compliments even from the best critics. For instance, a notable critic, Peter Travers from the Rolling Stone magazine complimented this movie and Mr. Nolan stating that it was like an ingenious chess game. Justing Chang who said that the writer applied the best skill to vividly depict the procedural detail of sub-consciousness, quite a surrealists thriller which gave all the viewers a big challenge to explore the intricate and deep working of the mind, has praised the writers skill. The genre of this movie is widely interpreted. Some view it as mystery and suspense, while other individuals categorize it as Drama, action, or adventure. Just like any other movie, the issue of genre has been subject to diverse interpretation and thus becoming an element of widespread controversy. The movie Inception correctly falls in the history of science fiction. The first element supporting this fact is that it whole idea of the movie deals with imagined technological or scientific innovations. This also do not happen in the worlds contemporary setting, but a futuristic setting where given the current technological development, such innovations might be possible but the world is not there indeed (George, 2009). The idea of stealing ideas has not yet been realized, but there are current studies in neuroscience that are not trying to find out this, but working to understand the complexities and working of the human brain and may be in future, science research would bear such frui ts. Leonardo DiCaprio as Cobb is the extractor in this case. He is well known and corporate uses him to infiltrate other peoples minds and extract the information they need. More evidence of science fiction is illustrated at the hotel room in dream world where loss of gravity is experienced. The elevator cannot even move and Arthur needs to use an explosion to push it. This is not scientifically possible but it happens in this movies. Among other incidences, the film fits clearly in the historical context of science fiction. Atmans A Semantic/Syntactic Approach to Film Genre, (1984) explores in depth some of the ways used to differential movies into certain genres. He clearly and explicitly explains both the semantic and syntactic approaches to film genres giving us the proper understanding on how to analyze movies and give them appropriate genres. Looking at the work of Altman (1984), this renowned writer observed the same controversy criticism and recognized this approach to genre criticism at semantic approach. In semantic approach, the genre of a certain film is allocated based on some superficial aspects which are thought to fit to that genre. According to this approach, a film is examined based on the plot, characters, and types of some aesthetics among other superficial elements of the movie. Notably about this approach, it falls short of analysis and criticism. This approach fails to look into the details of the movie and less emphasis is laid on the timelines, production and assessment of scenes. The syntactic approach is quite different from semantic approach according to Altman, (1984). This approach takes into account finer details of the movie like the relationships between some semantic elements of that particular genre or between aspects of the society at large and those elements. It appreciates how isolated elements combine in any given movie to come up with the true meaning of such movie (George, 2009). This approach seeks not only to understand why some aspects of any given film are so, but also examines the effects of such aspects on the audience, the information which it deems valuable. This type of film examination brings a deeper look into incidences which might look insignificant in one film but holds a lot of water if compared or connected with similar incidences of other films. Altman goes further to bring up two more different approaches to genre criticism; ideological and ritual. The ritual approach in this sense occurs when moviemakers bent from societal pressures to produce films depicting the contemporary society such as Hollywood. He notes that this type of approach expresses audience desires in broader sense and it has its focus on the consumption side. With the ideological approach, the genre any movie falls into is based on simple, but generalized approaches to identifiable structures (Grant, 2003). Looking at Inception on the light of the Altmans approaches to genre criticism, it can be universally agreed that the same phenomenon is evident. This film clearly supports the arguments made by Altman. The film has been interpreted differently by different authors/different authorities and that is why we have the varying classification in terms of genre. Altman argues that genre is given based on uses and users instead of a fixed point of reference (Grant, 2003). The movie genre is diverse and serves diverse group of individuals. When summing up his arguments, Altman notes that it is not possible to adopt certain terminology that is neutral under any challenge. The terms that are in use are usually based on and derived from different ways for different viewers. It is possible that a certain approach to genre allocation is invalidated by fans regardless of the fact that the studio and nay be the producers validate it. Movies genre is therefore a site of either corporation or struggle among different groups of users or multiple users and such an understanding would help appreciate genre and break away from the tyranny of genre criticism. Altmans arguments are well supported by the film Inception. Different authorities and audiences describe this movie differently. As noted earlier, this movies genre has been describe as fantasy (like in Rotten Tomatoes website), adventure and action, drama, science fiction, suspense and mystery. A casual audience would dismiss this movie as action or drama given the type of violence and gunfights it portrays. If an individual did not pay attention to the overall storyline and did not glimpse the interchanges between real world in the movie, the dreams and dreams within the dreams, it would be obvious that the individual would easily appreciate the action scenes and therefore label the movie action. If some viewers of this movie paid attention to this movies visual effects and the music used in the movie, then it would be easy for such an individual to label it suspense and mystery (Altman, 1984). The visual effects are well set and integrated with the music well to bring out a thrill ing effect of a suspense movie. A careful observer or a person really interested in the movie would note the scientific details about the human mind, dreams and the fiction part on how the ideas are being stolen through the dream. Those who do not understand or appreciate science would label this movie fantasy coming into agreement with Altmans argument that genre just depends on uses, users or groups of users (Altman, 1984). Altman has shade much light on the understanding genre of movies, not only Science Fiction, but all movies at large. Someone may be confused if a movie they clearly know as action movie is referred to as science fiction but if it is an exaggeration of scientific facts, not yet supported by evidence and most likely happens in a futuristic world, such a movie may fall in the science fiction genre. Such discrepancies are well tacked by the author who shades much light on the diversity of the audience, uses of the film and the discursivity associated with any account of genre.

Transaction Management And Concurrency Control Computer Science Essay

Transaction Management And Concurrency Control Computer Science Essay As more networks and databases are connected together, the importance of a solid database management system becomes apparent. Transaction and Concurrency Control, Recovery and Backup, and Security are major functions that should be examined when choosing the correct system. Databases which contain your companys valuable information must be properly protected, backed up, and secure from data loss and unauthorized access. In response to this requirement, both Oracle and Microsoft have implemented strong features into their database products. This paper compares the offerings of the two databases in terms of features, functionality, and ease of management. Table of Contents Introduction Overview a) SQL Server Overview b) Oracle Overview Transaction Management and Concurrency Control a) Overview of Transaction Management and Concurrency Control b) SQL Server TM and CC c) Oracle TM and CC d) Comparison Backup and Recovery a) Overview of Backup and Recovery b) SQL Server B and R c) Oracle B and R d) Comparison Security a) Overview b) SQL Server Security c) Oracle Security d) Comparison Conclusion Introduction This paper will provide a comparative review of three database management system functions: transaction and concurrency control, recovery and backup, and security, between Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle. The purpose is to enhance understanding of database functionality and, through comparison, provide insight into the commonalities and differences between two different systems. Overview of Database Management Systems Microsoft SQL Server is a relational database server, with its primary languages being T-SQL and ANSI SQL. ANSI SQL is the American National Standards Institute standardized SQL and is used as the base for several different SQL languages, including T-SQL. T-SQL is a proprietary extension that uses keywords for the various operations that can be performed, such as creating and altering database schemas, entering and editing data, and managing and monitoring the server. Any application that works through SQL Server will communicate via T-SQL statements. T-SQL has some differences/extensions to basic SQL, including local variables, control of flow language, changes to delete and update statements, and support functions for date and string processing, and mathematics. Version 1.0 of SQL Server was released in 1989 and originated in Sybase SQL Server. Microsoft later ended the co-licensing agreement with Sybase and went on to develop their own version of SQL Server. The latest version is SQL Server 2008, released on August 6, 2008, and includes many improvements to speed and functionality, which will be discussed in further detail below. Sample SQL Server Architecture Diagram 1 Oracle Database is a relational database management system produced by Oracle Corporation. Users can utilize the proprietary language extension to SQL, PL/SQL, or the object-oriented language Java to store and execute functions and stored procedures. Oracle V2 was first released in November 1979 and did not support transactions, but had basic query and join functionality. The latest version is Oracle Database 11g, released in 2007, and includes many enhancements to functionality, which will be discussed in further detail below. Sample Oracle 11g Architecture Diagram 2 Transaction Management and Concurrency Control Overview A transaction, a single logical unit of work, is an action or series of actions that are performed by a user or application which can access or change the database contents. A transaction results in database transformation from one consistent state to another, and can either result in success or failure. A failed transaction is aborted and the database restores to the previous consistent state. The Database Management System is responsible for making sure all updates related to the transaction are carried out, or that stability is maintained in the case of a failed transaction. Transactions have four basic properties: Atomicity, Consistency, Independence, and Durability (ACID). Atomicity means that it is a single unit of work. Consistency ensures that data is always held firmly together in a coherent state, even after a failed transaction or crash. Independence ensures that the effects of an incomplete transaction are contained and not visible to other transactions. Durability ensure s that successful transactions result in permanent changes to the state of the database. Concurrency control is the process of managing and controlling simultaneous database operations. This is required because actions from different users and operations must not interfere with functionality, or the database could be left in an inconsistent state. Potential problems that concurrency control can solve are lost updates, inconsistent analysis, and uncommitted dependencies. The two main concurrency control techniques are locking and timestamping.  [3]   SQL Server TM and CC SQL Server fulfills the ACID requirements by using transaction management, locking, and logging. An explicit transaction is created in SQL Server by using the BEGIN TRANSACTION and COMMIT TRANSACTION commands. ROLLBACK TRANSACTION rolls back a transaction to the beginning or another save point within the transaction. SAVE TRANSACTION sets a savepoint within the transaction by dividing the transaction into logical units that can be returned to if part of the transaction is conditionally cancelled. Locking ensures transactional integrity and database consistency. In SQL Server, locking is automatically implemented, and provides both optimistic and pessimistic concurrency controls. Optimistic concurrency control assumes that resource conflicts are unlikely but not impossible, and allows transactions to execute without locking resources. Pessimistic concurrency control locks resources for the duration of a transaction. SQL Server can lock the following resources: RIDs, keys, pages, extents, tables, and databases. It utilizes several lock modes, including shared, update, exclusive, intent, and schema locks. Shared locks allow for concurrent read operations that do not change or update data, such as a SELECT statement. Update locks prevent a common form of deadlock that occurs when multiple sessions are reading, locking, and potentially updating resources later. Exclusive locks are used for data modification operations, such as INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE, and ensure that multiple up dates cant be made on the same resource at the same time. Intent locks are used to establish a lock hierarchy, and include intent shared, intent exclusive, and shared with intent exclusive locks. Schema locks are used when a schema dependent operation of a table is executed, and include schema modification and schema stability locks.  [4]   A deadlock occurs when two transactions have locks on separate objects and each user is waiting for a lock on the other object. SQL Server can set deadlock priority by scanning for sessions that are waiting for a lock request, and the SET DEADLOCK_PRIORITY command to customize deadlocking. The SETLOCK_TIMEOUT command can set the maximum time that a statement waits on a blocked resource, because the timeout period is not enforced by default.  [5]   Oracle TM and CC Oracle Database offers two isolation levels, providing developers with operational modes that preserve consistency and provide high performance. Statement level read consistency automatically provides read consistency to a query so that all the data the query sees comes from a single point in time when the query began. The query never sees any dirty data or changes made during query execution. Transaction level read consistency extends read consistency to all queries in a transaction. Oracle uses rollback segments, containing old values of data that have been changed by uncommitted or recently committed transactions, to provide consistent views and does not expose a query to phantoms. Oracle Real Application Clusters (RACs) use cache-to-cache block transfer to transfer read-consistent images of blocks between instances. It uses high speed, low latency interconnects to answer remote data block requests. Isolation levels provided by Oracle Database are read committed, serializable, and read-only. Users can choose the appropriate isolation levels for transactions depending on the type of application and workload, using these statements: SET TRANSACTION ISOLATION LEVEL READ COMMITTED; SET TRANSACTION ISOLATION LEVEL SERIALIZABLE; and SET TRANSACTION READ ONLY. The ALTER SESSION function can then be used to change isolation level for different transactions. Read committed is the default transaction isolation level. Each query executed by a transaction sees data committed before the query began. Oracle Database does not prevent other transactions from modifying the data read by a query, so that data can be changed by other transactions between two query executions. This can lead to non-repeatable reads and phantoms in cases where the transaction runs the same query twice. This isolation level is good for when few transactions are likely to conflict, and can provide higher potential throughput. Serializable transactions see only changes made at the beginning of the transaction, plus changes in the transaction itself through INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE statements. These transactions do not experience non-repeatable reads or phantoms. This isolation level is suitable for large databases and short transactions that update few rows, when there is a low chance that two concurrent transactions will modify the same rows, or where long-running transactions are primarily read-only. A serializable transaction can modify a data row only if it can determine that prior changes were committed before the current transaction began. Oracle Database uses control information in the data block to indicate which rows have committed and uncommitted changes. The amount of history that is retained is determined by the INITRANS parameter of CREATE and ALTER TABLE. To avoid having insufficient recent history information, higher values can be set for INITRANS for tables that will have many transaction s updating the same blocks. If a serializable transaction fails with the CANNOT SERIALIZE ACCESS error, the application can either commit the work executed to that point, execute additional statements with ROLLBACK, or undo the entire transaction. Read-only transactions see only changes made at the time the transaction began and dont allow INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE statements. Oracle Database uses locks to control simultaneous access to data resources. Low-level serialization mechanisms called latches are used to protect shared data structures in the System Global Area. Oracle automatically gets the necessary locks when executing SQL statements, using the lowest applicable level of restrictiveness to provide the highest possible data concurrency and data integrity. The user may also lock data manually. There are two modes of locking: exclusive and share lock modes. Exclusive lock mode prevents the associated resource from being shared, and is obtained to modify data. The first transaction to lock the data is the only one which can modify it until the lock is released. Share lock mode allows the associated resource to be shared, depending on the operations. Users reading data can hold share locks to prevent a writer access. Multiple transactions can have share locks on the same resource. All locks created by statements within a transaction last until the tr ansaction is completed or undone. Because row locks are acquired at the highest degree of restrictiveness, no lock conversion is needed or performed. Oracle automatically converts table lock restrictiveness from lower to higher as appropriate. Lock escalation is when multiple locks are held at one level of granularity, and a database raises the locks to a higher level of granularity. An example is converting many row locks into one table lock. Oracle Database never escalates locks, because this increases the chances of deadlocks. A deadlock occurs when two or more users are waiting on data locked by each other. This can prevent transactions from continuing to work. Oracle automatically detects deadlocks and solves them by rolling back one of the statements. User generated deadlocks can be avoided by locking tables in the same order for transactions accessing the same data. Oracle Database locks fall into three general categories: DML locks (data locks), DDL locks (dictionary locks), and Internal locks and latches. DML locks protect data (i.e. tables, rows). The purpose is to guarantee the integrity of data accessed by multiple users. Row locking is the finest granularity and has the best possible concurrency and throughput. A transaction always acquires an exclusive row lock for each individual row modified by INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, and SELECT with the FOR UPDATE clause. If a transaction uses a row lock, it also uses a table lock for the corresponding table. Table locking is mainly used for concurrency control with DDL operations. Table locks are used when a table is modified by the INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, SELECT with FOR UPDATE, and LOCK TABLE DML statements. These statements require table locks to reserve DML access to the table for the transaction and to prevent conflicting DDL operations. Table locks can be used at both table and subpartition level for partitioned tables. A table lock can be held in the following modes, from least to most restrictive: row share (RS), row exclusive (RX), s hare (S), share row exclusive (SRX), and exclusive (X). A row share table lock is the least restrictive, and has the highest degree of concurrency for a table. It indicates the transaction has locked rows in the table and intends to update them. It is specified by the statement LOCK TABLE IN ROW SHARE MODE. A row exclusive table lock is slightly more restrictive, and indicates the transaction holding the lock has made one or more updates to rows in the table or issued a SELECT FOR UPDATE statement. It is specified by LOCK TABLE IN ROW EXCLUSIVE MODE;. A share table lock is made automatically for a table specified by the statement LOCK TABLE IN SHARE MODE;. A share row exclusive lock is more restrictive and is made for a table specified by the statement LOCK TABLE IN SHARE ROW EXCLUSIVE MODE;. Exclusive table locks are the most restrictive and are specified by the statement LOCK TABLE IN EXCLUSIVE MODE;. DDL locks protect the structure of schema objects (i.e. table definitions). Internal locks and latches are automatic and protect internal data structures such as data files. Only individual schema objects that are modified or referenced are locked during DDL operations. The entire data dictionary is never locked. DDL locks have three categories: exclusive DDL locks, share DDL locks, and breakable parse locks. Exclusive and share DDL locks last until DDL statement execution and automatic commit is complete. Most DDL operations require exclusive DDL locks for a resource to prevent interference with other DDL operations that might reference the same object. If another DDL lock is already held, then the operation must wait until the other lock is released to proceed. DDL operations also create DML locks on the modified schema object. Some DDL operations require share DDL locks to allow data concurrency for similar DDL operations. A share DDL lock is created for the following statements: AUDIT, NOAUDIT, COMMENT, CREATE (OR REPLACE) VIEW/ PROCEDURE/ PACKAGE/ PACKAGE BODY/ FUNCTION/ TRIGGER, CREATE SYNONYM, and CREATE TABLE (if CLUSTER is not used). Breakable parse locks are acquired is created for a SQL statement and each schema object it references. A parse lock does not restrict any DDL operation and can be broken to allow conflicting DDL operations. It is created in the parse phase of SQL statement execution and held as long as the shared SQL area for the statement is in the shared pool. Latches and internal locks protect internal database and memory structures. Users cannot access them. Latches are simple, low-level serialization mechanisms to protect shared data structures in the system global area. The use of latches is dependent on the operating system. Internal locks are higher-level, more complex mechanisms and include dictionary cache locks, file and log management locks, and tablespace and rollback segment locks. Dictionary cache locks are very short and are on dictionary caches while the entries are being modified or used. They make sure that parsed statements dont have inconsistent object definitions. They can be shared or exclusive; shared last until the parse is finished and exclusive last until the DDL operation is finished. File and log management locks protect different files. They are held for a long time because they indicate the status of files. Tablespace and rollback segment files protect tablespaces and rollback segments. All instances must agree whether a tablespace is online or offline. Rollback segments are locked to make sure that only one instance can write to a segment.  [6]   Comparison Microsoft SQL Server is enabled to lock smaller amounts of data at a time, which is a big improvement. There is row-level locking, so now SQL Server locks only the rows that are actually being changed. However, SQL Server has no multi-version consistency model, which means that reads and writes can block each other to ensure data integrity. The difference with Oracle is that the database maintains a snapshot of the data, which prevents queries from hanging without performing dirty reads. Backup and Recovery Overview Database backup and recovery mechanisms ensure that organizations have prepared a copy of their data, or have the tools necessary to recover from a failure. A failure is a state where inconsistency prevents transactions from reaching the desired results. Some types of failures are transaction failure, system failure, media failure, and communications failure. Transaction failure may be caused by deadlocks, time-outs, protection violations, or system errors. Transaction failures can be solved with either a partial or total rollback, depending on the extent of the failure. System failures can be recovered with a restart, or rollback to the last consistent state. Restore/roll forward functions help with restoring the database after a media failure. SQL Server B and R SQL Server databases consist of two physical hard drive files, the MDF and LDF files. MDF files contain all of the data being stored. LDF files contain a record of every data change. Logging data changes make undo operations and backups possible. The log file is cleared, or truncated, after a certain amount of time, which is determined by the database recovery model. SQL Server can maintain multiple databases, with different recovery model settings. The recovery model can be either simple, full, or bulk-logged. With simple recovery, log files are not kept permanently, so when this setting is activated, a full backup must be done. Full backups restore all of the data and cannot be set to a specific time. The full recovery setting refers to a database with a transaction log file history. The log files keep track of every data change operation. The database will stop working if the log file runs out of space, so the auto grow function can be enabled. When running in full recovery, differential and transaction log backups become available. Differential backups copy all data changes since the last full backup. Every time a full backup is run, the differential backup is reset. Transaction log backups copy all data changes since the last full or transaction log backup. They are usually very small and fast. The disadvantage is the level of recovery; if any log backup is damaged or unusable, the data is not recoverable past the last good backup.  [7]   Oracle B and R Oracle databases can be backed up using export/import, cold or off-line backups, hot or on-line backups, or RMAN backups. Exports extract logical definitions and data from the database to a file. Cold or off-line backups shut down the database and backup all data, log, and control files. Hot or on-line backups set the tablespaces into backup mode and backup the files. The control files and archived redo log files must also be backed up. RMAN backups use the rman utility to backup the database. More than one of these methods can and should be used and tested to make sure the database is securely backed up. On-line backups can only be done when the system is open and the database is in ARCHIVELOG mode. Off-line backups are performed when the system is off-line; the database doesnt have to be in ARCHIVELOG mode. It is easier to restore from off-line backups because no recovery is required, but on-line backups are not as disruptive and dont require database downtime. Point-in-time recovery is available in ARCHIVELOG mode only.  [8]   Comparison Starting with version 10g, Oracle Database adopted the Automatic Storage Management (ASM) feature, which automates storage management after a certain point. The DBA allocates storage devices to a database instance and it automates the placement and storage of the files. SQL Server storage management must be done manually, using the Share and Store Management Console in SQL Server 2008, or must purchase a separate tool. Oracles Flash Recovery feature automates the management of all backup files. The Flash Recovery area is a unified storage location for all recovery related files in the Oracle database. The DBA can also change the storage configuration without having to take the database offline. SQL Server also provides the ability to manage backup files, using a backup wizard to manage the relevant files, but does not do it automatically. SQL Server 2008 introduced improvements in backup compression. With compression, less disk I/O and storage is required to keep backups online, resu lting in increased speed. Tradeoffs seem to be between SQL Servers speed and Oracles increased functionality. In Oracle, backups are fully self-contained, but in SQL Server the DBA must manually recreate the system database using the install CD. Oracle also uses the Data Recovery Advisor (DRA) tool to automatically diagnose data failures, show repair options, and execute repairs at the users request. Oracles Flashback technology allows for instant recovery of dropped tables and logical data corruptions. SQL Server provides for data recovery by rebuilding the transaction log, running repair to fix any corruptions, and ensure the logical integrity of data is not broken.  [9]   Security Overview Security is an important part of any organizations database management system. According to Dr. Osei-Brysons lecture notes, security breaches are typically categorized as unauthorized data observation, incorrect data modification, or data unavailability. Unauthorized data observation discloses confidential information to users without the proper permissions. Incorrect data modification can be either intentional or unintentional, but can be devastating to database consistency and can result in unreliable data. Unavailable data can be very costly to an organization, depending on how the data is used. Three requirements for a data security plan include secrecy and confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Secrecy and confidentiality protects data from being accessed by unauthorized parties. Database integrity is important to protect the data from incorrect or improper modification. Availability means preventing and minimizing the damage from unavailable data. Database management systems include some form of access control mechanism to make sure each user has access to only the data they require to perform their jobs. Users are granted certain authorizations by a security administrator to determine which actions can be performed on each object. The database administrator is responsible for account creation, assigning security levels, and granting/revoking privileges. SQL Server Security Security is an integral part of SQL Servers package, according to a recent White Paper commissioned by Microsoft.  [10]  Security features for Microsoft SQL Server 2008 include policy-based management to apply policies to database objects. These policies contain a collection of conditions that can be used to enforce business and security rules. Oracle Security Oracle 11g uses supports strong authentication through KPI, Kerberos, and Radius for all connections to the database except connections made as SYSDBA or SYSOPER. Tablespace encryption provides an alternative to transparent data encryption column encryption by enabling the encryption of the entire tablespace. This is best used with large amounts of data. The transparent data encryption master key can be stored in an external hardware security module for stronger security. 11g also provides increased password protection, secure file permissions, optional default audit settings, and controls on the network callouts from the database.  [11]   Comparison In SQL Server, transparent data encryption encrypts and decrypts data in the database engine and doesnt require more application programming. The functionality is included in SQL Server 2008, but requires a $10,000 per processor additional charge with Oracle Database 11g. SQL Server 2008 allows Extensible Key Management and Hardware Security Module vendors to register in SQL Server and provide management that is separated from the database. This separation of keys from the data provides an additional layer of defense. SQL Server 2008 also has auditing support through an Auditing object, which allows administrators to capture and log all database server activity. The National Vulnerability Database, provided by the National Institute of Science and Technology, reported over 250 security vulnerabilities with Oracle products over a four year period, and none with SQL Server. The report did not list the type and severity of the vulnerabilities, or which specific products were affected, but there seems to be a trend toward vulnerability. Microsoft Update is a fairly straightforward and easy to use patching solution for SQL Server. Computerworld called Oracles patch management system involved excruciating pain and two-thirds of Oracle DBAs dont apply security patches. Oracle seems to be behind in patch management at this time. SQL Server can also prevent highly privileged users from accessing sensitive data through use of the auditing object, assigning individual permissions, module signing, Policy-based management, and additional functionality. Oracle uses Database Vault to control privileged access, but costs 20k per processor. Conclusion The comparative review of Transaction Management and Concurrency, Recovery and Backup, and Security functions on Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle 11g database has shown that there are many similarities in the functionality between the two companies, but also key differences in database management philosophy. I learned that SQL Server seems to have the edge on speed and better security, but Oracle is making many advances in high level functionality and is starting to automate many features than in previous years. I was also able to improve my understanding of the DBMS functions by examining their practical application in separate systems.

Autism :: Disorder Genes Autism Essays

Autism Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life. This is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain. Autism is four more times prevalent in boys than girls. Autism shows no racial, ethnic or social boundaries. Family income, lifestyle and educational levels do not affect the chance of autism's occurrence. Autism and its associated behaviors have been estimated to occur in as many and one in 500 individuals. In this essay, I will discuss the signs and symptoms of autism, types of autism, the diagnosis of autism and studies done on autism. Autism affects the normal development of the brain in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. Children and adults with autism have difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions and leisure or play activities. This disorder makes it hard for them to relate to the outside world. It is hard for them to communicate with others. Aggressive and/or self-injurious behavior may be present in some cases. They may exhibit repeated body movement, such as hand flapping or rocking, unusual responses to people or attachments to objects and resistance to changes in routines. They possibly will experience sensitivities in the five senses of sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell. Children will be within the pervasive development until the ages of 24-30 months, when parents may notice delays in language, play or social interaction. If any of these symptoms occur by themselves, that would not result in a diagnosis of autism. Autism is a combination of several developmental challenges. There are many symptoms of autism. They include: extreme difficulty in learning language, inappropriate response to people, avoiding eye contact, resisting being picked up or cuddled, uncooperative play with other children, extreme hyperactivity and many others. There are five major areas in children highly affected by autism. They are communication, social interaction, sensory impairment, play and behavior. Every person with autism has a unique personality and combination of characteristics. Some autistic people mildly affected may exhibit only slight delays in language and communication and greater challenges with social interactions. The abilities of an autistic child may fluctuate from day to day due to difficulties in processing, concentration or anxiety. They may show evidence of learning one day, but not the next. Learning can be affected by external stimuli and anxiety. They may have average or above average verbal, memory or spatial skills but find it difficult to be imaginative or join in activities with others.

The Cold War :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Cold War   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Cold War is the shifting struggle for power and prestige between the Western powers and the Communist bloc from the end of World War II until 1989. The Cold War was a fight between democracy and communism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There had always been mutual suspicion between the West and the USSR. This suspicion could be seen in the alliances these two powers had made during World War II. Even after the war , the West felt threatened by the continued expansion policy of the Soviet Union. Soviet Union also felt the fear of invasion from the West. Russia occupied zones in Germany, Austria and had made threats toward Turkey and Greece. Russia was making what Sir Winston Churchill called an â€Å"iron curtain†. The US took the lead in stopping Russian influenced and came up with the Truman Doctrine which gave funding to Greek and Turkey. Fearing communism would rise in much of torn eastern Europe, the United States came up with the Marshall plan. The Marshall plan helped to restore prosperity and growth in Europe.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The policy of the West during the cold war was to contain the communist states, and hope that internal division or failure, of the communist state, might bring around their demise. In 1948 the Soviet Union directly challenged the US setting up blockades in west Berlin. In 1949 the US went against its policy on permanent alliances, and signed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, along with eleven other countries. In 1955 the Soviet Union came back with the Warsaw Treaty Organization.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The cold war was more of a race. The country with the most allies, most weapons, best technology and best military was the winner. The country with the swiftest nuclear weapons and the country who could completely annihilate the enemy was the better country.

The First Amendment Essay -- Bill Rights Constitution Government USA E

The First Amendment America was built on freedom. Freedom to speak, freedom to choose, freedom to worship, and freedom to do just about anything you want within the law. America’s law was designed to protect and preserve these freedoms. The reason the United States of America came to exist was because the colonists fled Great Britain to get back the freedoms that were taken away from them by the Monarchy. In countries where Monarchies and Dictatorships rule, there is little if any freedom to speak of. Citizens of these countries are persecuted or even killed if they attempt to exercise any of the basic freedoms. In these countries there is no free speech, no right to choose government, no right to express religion, no right to own property. This is why I believe the first amendment in the Bill of Rights under the Constitution is the most important amendment. The First Amendment clearly voices a great American respect toward the freedom of religion. It also prevents the government from "abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." Since the early history of our country, the protection of basic freedoms has been of the utmost importance to Americans. The American voice on freedom has been shaped throughout the course of history by the initial democratic notions of the immigrants to the same desire for greater freedom that we have today. Ever since colon...

TMA from WOU

Corporate Finance (BBF304) TMA 1 (25%) Total Marks: 100% 1. Given the following weighted market value of stocks in your portfolio and their expected rate of return, E(Ri), answer the following questions. (30 marks) Stock Weighted Market Value (%) E(Ri) Gamuda 14 – 0. 05 Public Bank 37 0. 12 Petronas 24 0. 14 SapuraCrest 10 0. 08 Celcom 15 0. 06 (a) W hat is the expected rate of return for your common stock portfolio? (6 marks) (b) Critically discuss why most investors hold diversified portfolio. (4 marks) (c) What is correlation, and explain why it is important in portfolio theory? (5 marks) (d) The capital asset pricing model (CAPM) contends that some risks are diversifiable, but others are not. Critically discuss what is the relevant risk variable considered in the CAPM? In your discussion, provide ONE (1) example for the relevant risk. (10 marks) 2. What is the concept of Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH)? Compare and contrast between three forms of Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH) – weak, semi-strong, and strong forms. (10 marks) . Critically discuss TWO (2) evidence supporting and TWO (2) evidence against the Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH). (10 mark) 4. There are three probable economic outcomes in the evaluation of stock A and B for the second half of 2012. Based on the following information, answer all the questions. (25 marks) State of Economy Boom Normal Recession Probability of State of Economy 20% 50% 30% Returns on stock A Returns on stock B 8% 5% 2% 20% 12% -10% (a) What is the expected rate of return for stock A and B, respectively? 9 marks) (b) W hat is the standard deviation for stock A and B, respectively? (9 marks) (c) Assuming that stock A and stock B have beta of 0. 8 and 1. 6, respectively. The expected return of the market is 8% and the risk-free rate is 5%. W hat is the required return for stock A and B using Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) method? (4 marks) (d) Based on your calculated answer in part (a) and (c) above, which stock should you invest in? Justify your answer. (4 marks) e) Assume that you want to create a portfolio by investing in these two stocks; 50 percent in stock A and 50 percent in stock B. What is your expected return on this portfolio? (4 marks) 5. Compare and contrast Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM), Arbitrage Pricing Theory (APT) and Fama and French Three Factor Model (TFM). (13 marks) 6. In Malaysia, Cagamas is currently the sole issuer of mo rtgage -backed securities. Critically discuss THREE (3) contributing roles of Cagamas in the financial sector associated with property market in Malaysia. (12 marks)

Buddhism: The Foundation, Development and Beliefs

Though the other divisions of Buddhism have altered their practices to accommodate the needs of a wider range of people, Theravada has remained virtually the same as it was at its founding. Theravada Buddhism is the original and most popular form of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar. Theravada remains closest to the original teachings of the founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama. Siddhartha Gautama is the original founder of all forms of Buddhism. He was born in present day Nepal around 563 B. C. E. He was a prince of the Shakyas clan, and likely heir to his father’s throne.He was named â€Å"Siddhartha† which means â€Å"he who has attained his goals. † Being the prince of the warrior caste, he trained in the arts of war and grew up to be a strong and handsome young man. When he was at the age of sixteen, he fought and defeated his competitors in a variety of sports, which won him the hand of the beautiful princess Yashodhara, who wa s also sixteen years old at the time. He continued living in the luxury of his palaces. Soon, however, he grew restless and began to wonder what happens outside the palace. He eventually insisted to be permitted to come out of the palace so he can see his people and his lands.For fear of the prince leading a religious life, the king ordered that only young and healthy people should greet the prince so that he will not see the kind of suffering. However, even with the king’s careful orders, he still caught sight of a couple of old men, who accidentally wandered near the parade route, at Kapilavatthu, the capital. Curious of who these people were, he chased after them. He then came to a place where some people are desperately ill and even came across a funeral ceremony by the side of the river, seeing death for the first time in his life.Siddhartha saw four sights: a sick man, a poor man, a beggar, and a corpse. When he caught sight of these, his heart soon filled with vast lon eliness for the suffering that humanity has to go through. He then asked his friend and squire Chandaka what those things meant. Chandaka told him that all of us grow old, sick and eventually, die, saying that these truths should have been told to him before. (Boeree, 1999). He said upon seeing these realities: â€Å"When ignorant people see someone who is old, they are disgusted and horrified, even though they too will be old some day. I thought to myself: I don’t want to be like the ignorant people.After that, I couldn’t feel the usual intoxication with youth anymore. When ignorant people see someone who is sick, they are disgusted and horrified, even though they too will be sick some day. I thought to myself: I don’t want to be like the ignorant people. After that, I couldn’t feel the usual intoxication with health anymore. When ignorant people see someone who is dead, they are disgusted and horrified, even though they too will be dead some day. I tho ught to myself: I don’t want to be like the ignorant people. After than, I couldn’t feel the usual intoxication with life anymore. † (AN III.39, interpreted) (Boeree, 1999) He also saw an ascetic or a monk who has abandoned all the pleasures and cravings of the flesh. What struck Siddhartha the most is the peaceful expression on the monk’s face, which left a deep impression on him. Going back to the palace after this and despite having what appeared to be the perfect life of luxury, Siddhartha became very discontent with the material world and decided to leave his family. He realized that he could no longer live happy with the thought that, even with all their luxury, there would still come a time that he will suffer and die.With these thoughts, he soon wondered what he may do so that he can overcome suffering, more than anything else. He left his privileged life as a prince and ran away to the forest in search of spiritual understanding. For a while, he s tudied with two well-known gurus of that time but soon found that their practice is not enough to answer his question. That was when he began to follow the practices of a group of five ascetics: austerities and self-mortifications. For six years, he practiced with utmost sincerity and intensity that the five ascetics became his followers before long. However, he still did not find the answers he was looking for.He decided to double his efforts by refusing food and water until he was in a state of near death. One day, Sujata, a peasant girl saw this starving monk. She took pity on him and offered him to eat some of her milk-rice. Soon, he realized that self-mortification still do not help him answer his questions. He decided to carry out a practice that will be middle way between the extremes of luxurious and self-mortification life. For many days, Siddhartha sat beneath a particular fig tree, called the bodhi tree, in the town of Bodh Gaya, vowing that he will never stand up until h e found the answers to the problem of suffering.At first, he deeply concentrated in clearing his mind from all distractions, and later on, in mindless meditation. They said that he started to recall all his previous lives, and see everything that was going on in the entire universe. He became the Buddha, meaning â€Å"he who is awake†, with the rising of the morning star on the full moon of May, when he finally found the answers he was looking for (Hooker, 1996). He spent the next forty five years teaching others about the path to enlightenment. After an exhaustive ministry he died around 483 B. C. E. During his life, none of Siddhartha Gautama's teachings were ever written down.During the following 100 years after his death, Buddhism spread throughout India and Sri Lanka. A group of Buddhist monks held a council in the Capital city of Patna, during the third century B. C. E. , to come to a consensus on what the original teachings of Siddhartha were. When the council came to agreement about Siddhartha's true original teachings, the teachings became the doctrine of Theravada Buddhism. Theravada Buddhism has not deviated from this doctrine since. Theravada Buddhism's main goal is for the individual practitioner to reach Nirvana.This is accomplished by realizing the very foundation of Buddhism which was the â€Å"Four Noble Truths†: The Four Noble Truths: 1. ) All human life is suffering (dhukka ). 2. ) All suffering is caused by human desire, particularly the desire that impermanent things be permanent. 3. ) Human suffering can be ended by ending human desire. 4. ) Desire can be ended by following the â€Å"Eightfold Noble Path†: right understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration (Bullitt, 2005).The practitioner must also follow the Eight Fold Path; 1. ) right view, 2. ) right resolve, 3. ) right speech, 4. ) right action, 5. ) right livelihood, 6. ) righ t effort, 7. ) right mindfulness, and 8. ) right concentration. The council all also agreed in practicing the â€Å"Four Cardinal virtues† which were friendliness, compassion, joy, and equanimity. During the onset of Buddhism, the religion comprised of only very few followers making it relatively insignificant among the vast variety of Hindu sects.But when Asoka, the great Mauryan emperor converted to Buddhism in the third century BC, the young and insignificant religion soon spread profusely throughout India and was carried across the Indian Ocean to Sri Lanka. Just like rumors change as they are spread from person to person, Buddhism was slightly altered over time. The original form Theravada Buddhism, held its ground in Sri Lanka as the Buddhists of Sri Lanka maintained a form that was most similar to the original form of Siddhartha's teachings. On the other hand, the rest of India, then the world in general later on, Buddhism fragmented into a million sects and versions.T heravada Buddhism requires intensive meditation. To follow his form of Buddhism requires the practitioner to devote a lifetime to its practice, thus making it difficult or even imposable for the average modern person to commit to such an undertaking. Despite the extreme demands of Theravada Buddhism, it is gaining popularity in Singapore, Australia as well as other parts of the western world. There are over 100 million Theravada Buddhists worldwide. Theravada has had less success spreading than other forms of Buddhism.Forms of Buddhism such as Zen are much more user friendly and are less demanding. Theravada Buddhism might not be the most popular, but it remains true to teachings of the genius who founded the religion. Just as well, Buddhism is in fact, a way of life. References: Boeree, D. C. G. (1999). The Life of Siddhartha Gautama. Retrieved February 21, 2007, from http://webspace. ship. edu/cgboer/siddhartha. html Bullitt, J. (2005). What is Theravada Buddhism? Hooker, R. (1996 ). The Historical Siddhartha [Electronic Version]. Retrieved February 21, 2007 from http://www. wsu. edu/~dee/BUDDHISM/SIDD. HTM.

International Marketing Planning and Strategies Essay

McDonald’s is a world-famous company that provides fast- food in China. In the course of offering its services, it faced stiff competition from its rival Kentucky Fried Chicken company. The management therefore had to put into consideration some local business practices such as quality of food, staff welfare and other environmental issues. McDonald’s restaurants in China were being operated as joint ventures along with other local companies. This ensured elevated brand quality and effective management control as compared to its competitors in the market place. Additionally, its ability to quickly adjust to the varying local conditions made it to take advantage over many other competitors (Ko, 2008, 1). Through the invention of the new technology and vast capital, the company developed its own internal supply network which made them to have access to both domestic and export markets. The development of infrastructure enabled it to get its supply from within the country thus saving cost of importation. McDonald’s implemented the traditional Chinese culture which enabled it to quickly make its way to the market. For instance, it decorated its restaurants with designs symbolizing traditional Chinese culture. It also offered special festive items such as Prosperity burger during the Lunar New year. This attracted many people to eat from their restaurants. The company kept on adjusting its menu in order to capture the favorites of the people. Due to the rising competition in the market place, McDonald’s had to partner with Sinopec, a petroleum company, in order to build drive-through restaurants in most of its petrol stations in China so that it captures many customers to counter the high rate of competition. They had also to collaborate with the Chinese online shoppers so as to attract internet users for their foods and other promotional items. The company carried out an advertising campaign to bring awareness to the people of McDonald’s products. McDonald’s took advantage of young Chinese customers’ social influence. Despite the fact that it was offering its food at higher prices, the young generation viewed this restaurants as trendy places to socialize with their friends and families. They also preferred the restaurants’ site as they offered good atmosphere for relaxing. McDonald’s engaged in national campaign and took benefit of Beijing hosting the Olympic Games. They used the Chinese slogan which made it to attract many customers which made it to improve its business operations. Opportunities and threats McDonald’s faced great challenges, for instance, the rising inflation in china made it to raise its prices for almost all its products in order to make up for the surging cost of materials. This made the level of consumers to decline drastically. It also faced social threats and critics which pointed out that they did not apply health and environmental standards observed in China (Ko, 2008, 3). The transformation of China to a developed nation posed a threat to McDonald’s as it was uncertain whether it was going to sustain its momentum of operation. Marketing strategies To sustain its operations, McDonald’s should carry out some marketing strategies such as engaging in successful community and media relation program that will enable it to have increased coverage and reputation without spending a fortune. Another strategy is to set up joint promotions. In this case, McDonald’s must identify uniqueness and behavior of its frequent customers, look for other non-competing businesses already reaching them and then formulate a technique to set up joint promotions. They can also make use of emerging market trends and take advantage of increased sale opportunities before their competitors.

Faith in Humanity

Faith in Humanity Essay Faith in humanity is when a person has a belief that humans cannot do something so terrible, like burning people in mass ovens, because they are humane. This belief was used against the Jews, as well as the public, in the time of the Holocaust for Hitler’s benefit to pull a blind over their eyes in early stages of the Holocaust. There are many examples of faith in humanity from what was presented during this unit as well as belief of faith in humanity in modern day Thailand.Faith in humanity was a practice that crippled the Jews into believing that the Nazis couldn’t, and wouldn’t, shoot mass numbers of people into mass graves. In Night, by Ellie Wiesel, the author talks about a person who disappears and comes back with injuries. The person tells a sad tale about his misfortunes in his disappearing. He tells of foreigners having to offer up their necks to the Nazis so that they may shoot it, little babies being torn from their mothers†™ arms, being tossed up into the air and shot down, as if they were just target practice and not actually living beings.In Night, also the author talks about being at the concentration camp and seeing the mass grave pile, patiently waiting in a heap for the incinerator, but at first, in the dark, he couldn’t and chose not to believe it because he didn’t think, even after the horrific cattle ride where an old woman was viciously beaten by fellow prisoners because she wouldn’t shut up, that that anyone could burn bodies that had been gassed or shot. He had a massive amount of faith in the Nazis’ hearts and consciences. The book Night and the book The Book Thief were both laced with faith in humanity.The Book Thief, written by Markus Zusak, has many forms of Faith in humanity intertwined through the pages. In the book, Liesel, the main character, has faith in the Nazis but when her family turns out to be storing a Jew, she hears stories that compromise her original faith. The Jew, Max Vandenburg, tells her stories of his family in hiding, some gruesome tales about when he was captured, what he saw when he was hiding within the shadows of an abandoned warehouse, and what forced him to hide. Her faith in the Nazis dwindled but she still went to Hitler Youth where she was subjected to the lies that she had put her faith in.She heard that all Jews that were not in hiding were deported and forced into horrible conditions when she got home but had to keep the picture of an innocent, oblivious German girl who goes along with the plan and keeps her faith in humanity. As well as Liesel, the main character in The Book Thief, and the Germans in the time of Holocaust, the Thai people also have a massive amount of faith in humanity in their own kind. The people in Thailand are, unless it has been committed near them, oblivious to the practice of sex and human trafficking.Many young girls every year are taken from their families and cities to be s old into slavery and bondage without knowledge of the public. The Thais have faith in the other Thais, so much that on the outside of the Reclining Buddha statue, there is a sign that says, â€Å"Warning: Not Thai Bandits and Pick Pockets around. † Thais are unknowingly giving up the younger generation of girls because they are hidden behind a curtain of faith in the wrong thing, humanity. Faith in Humanity is, and has been, practiced all over in the world. From the Holocaust to Thailand, modern day, it reins true, we cannot imagine life where anyone could be so cruel.

Literature review discussing the advantages and disadvantages of Essay

Literature review discussing the advantages and disadvantages of having children nursed in both mixed A&Es and seperate childrens A&Es - Essay Example Aharonson et al (1996) provided information on patterns of services, arrival and factors influencing queuing in A&E departments and suggested that there are potential benefits for management and applying operations research methods in clinical environments. A&E departments are in considerable demand and proper utilization of these services can lead to improvement in the quality and promptness of clinical services offered. However contrary to Chow’s arguments, several hospital emergency departments may be directly related to primary care in providing rapid access and an emergency care network could be established in primary care as well. Integrating the strengths and weaknesses of emergency care with objective data model could help in describing multiple levels of operation and in highlighting process efficiency and clinical effectiveness. The support systems within NHS Direct have shown how people do things within A&E departments especially and how deliberate and thoughtful care could be provided by improving network operations. Accident and emergency departments and networking can help measure and control effective networking and promote interactions. The recent strategic policy shift towards a primary care-led National Health Service in the UK (Department of Health, 1994) has led to renewed interest in redefining the boundaries between primary and secondary care with the aim of shifting selected services traditionally provided in the acute hospital to less resource-intensive primary and community based alternatives. This systematic literature review looks at the potential for effective service provision for young A & E patients at mixed A & Es in UK. The UK has experienced a rapid increase in general practitioner out of hour’s co-operatives over the last 5 years. More generally, a government review of emergency pre-hospital care in England and Wales recently resulted in a series of pilot schemes to test interventions

Plan for Reconstruction Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Plan for Reconstruction - Speech or Presentation Example From this paper it is clear that  both the sides dedicated themselves to the cause they deeply believed in. Let us not indulge in a cost and benefit analysis of this conflict, for how could one amount a cost that is steeped in the blood of our fellow Americans, no matter on which side they fought. Let us try to forget the worst that led us to this war and remember the quintessential American sense of gumption, equality and resilience that is a coveted essential for all the future attempts at reconstruction and reconciliation. Let us dare to once again be Americans in this moment of loss and sorrow.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This paper outlines that the reporter's heart goes to our brothers from the South. It is not that they are less American. Who can deny the fact that their forefathers fought with courage, dedication and sincerity in the War for Independence. They are not only an undeniable constituent of what we reverently remember as our Founding Fathers, but a significant chunk of t he American Declaration of Independence and the American Constitution owe their origin to their timeless values and ethos. So let us once again remember the values of liberty and equality enshrined in the American Declaration of Independence, not because someone is telling us to do so, but because in the times marred by flux and turmoil, one ought to stick to something that is timeless and eternal.  We as Americans always believe that all men are born equal irrespective of their color, ethnicity and race.... Much has got ravaged, but this sacrosanct belief has thankfully managed to survive. None of you will deny the fact that our black brothers, who just a few days ago were called slaves, played a pivotal role in building the American economy, heritage and culture, with their blood, sweat and toil. Now once again our black brethren are looking towards you. They have gone nowhere. They are here to sweat with you in the immense reconstruction efforts that you need to undertake. All that they expect is the right to be treated as fellow human beings and a just and fair share commensurate to their contributions to the American way of life. Reconciliation with our black brethren is not only in consonance with our values, but also makes a sound economic and political sense. The Former Slaves All the efforts at reconstruction will be futile, unless we not extend our heartfelt apologies and regrets to our emancipated black brethren. I must say that none of us knows the meaning of freedom better t han them. Freedom is not something that solely belongs to the domain of constructive philosophy. Freedom is actually the basic instinct of humanity. Nobody teaches to birds the meaning of freedom, yet even they do understand what it means to be free and liberated. Hence, they who had been denied freedom for generations on the basis of economic and commercial premises are the ones who deserve to be free now. I know that the injustice perpetrated against you was not only a social failure, but a bigger systemic flaw in the institutions brought into existence by such a society. The memories of the Dred Scott decision by the Supreme Court, which deprived a whole race residing in the US for generations, of the right to be called a citizen are still fresh

Greek Easter or the American Easter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Greek Easter or the American Easter - Essay Example Easter primarily is the celebration of Jesus' triumph over death and mankind's hope for eternal life. Some of the main features behind the original Easter story are Jesus' execution, his burial and most significantly his rising from death. Christians believe that according to the Scripture, Jesus came back to life three days after his death on the cross, which is observed through the Good Friday, always the Friday before Easter. Through his death, burial and resurrection it is believed that Jesus paid the penalty for his sins and obtained eternal life for all who believe in him. Although it is the celebration of the same truth in history, the methods of celebration differ quiet a bit. In USA the name of this Holy Day is Easter. It is derived from the pagan goddess of dawn, "Eostre". Since Eostre was a pagan goddess, in some churches it is considered inappropriate to refer to this Holy Day with the name of a pagan goddess. However, the word Easter is simply used to refer to this holiday only, with no connotation what so ever with the pagan goddess bared in mind. In most other languages including Greek, Easter is called Pascha, related to the Hebrew word Pesach, for Passover. This is because the early Christians linked this celebration to Passover. Along Along with differences in names there are also differences in the ways this holiday is celebrated. If the holiday is being celebrated in the US, one can expect to see the famous Easter parades. Another famous tradition is of egg hunting for hidden eggs. This became known as the Easter Egg Roll, gaining popularity in the late 1800s. Children rolled eggs on the grounds of the US capitol the congress was not happy about this and outlawed the practice. In 1878, President Hayes and his wife Lucy invited children to roll eggs on the lawn of the White House itself, starting a tradition which still continues today. Another US tradition is the Easter Bunny, in many cultures it is viewed as the bunny as symbol of fertility. The reason behind accepting this view was that centuries ago, Pope Gregory I allowed people to keep pagan symbols such as eggs and bunny as long as they can be recast in Christian terms. In Greece the celebrations truly begin two months before Easter. They start with the festival called Apokria, in which a huge paper mache effigy of Judas is set on fire. The next Monday is called Clean or Ash Monday it is one of the most festive days of the year for the Greeks. Children and parents gather on the hills of Athens and the Greek countryside to fly kites and enjoy picnics and than Lent begins. Holy Thursday is the day when all Greek families prepare dyed red eggs. Tradition says that the Virgin Mother dyed eggs red to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and to celebrate life. This is a big part of the Easter Sunday. On Good Friday flags at homes and government buildings are set at half mast to mark the sorrowful day. Holy Saturday is filled with anticipation of Easter. People gather at town squares and churches and by 11 P.M. the Easter Services start. Large white candles are lit and are carried by everyone. At midnight the church bells ring and the priests announce Christos Anesti (Christ has risen) and fireworks are set off. The celebration contin ues on the Sunday with great Easter feasts. This is brings us