History reading assignment 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

History reading assignment 3 - Essay Example At some point in her reign, she accepted foreign influence into her court. Products were imported from Europe during her reign. Even populations were â€Å"imported† from Europe including whole German colons that would later lead to the Russian-German conflicts. However, after 1518, Russia abandoned their Western fashion and began making steps to their sources. Everything changed after 1815 with Nicholas I wanting Russian spoken at the court. The local population increased and doubled very twenty years and the military power increased, with the emperor claiming that despotism and tyranny were not the same. The descriptions of Russia and St. Petersburg by the Marquis are very mediocre. He criticizes despotism banally as if it is something deja vu. The most enlightening parts are when Custine holds his talks with the empress and the Tsars and not with the reformists. Here, Custine enters the Russian exception core with Russian singularity. In Custine words, Russian singularity h as not been liquidated by Anglo-mania. The Tsar explains his political choices in impeccable French. He is aware that Russia is under fire. He says that, in Custine’s country, they entertain prejudices against the Russians that are more difficult to overcome than passions of an army in revolt (Abbott, 2012: p 92). In his own country, he had to tackle liberals yet he still defended despotism. It still existed in Russia, and it was the essence of his government and accorded the nation with genius. Custine was prophetic in his harsh review of Russia by claiming that by blocking the road to imitation in Russia, the Tsar was restoring Russia to her old self. Custine understands that Russia has imitated a lot of what the new times have brought, but they will be conservative, peculiar, and traditional. To their enemies, this produces a dilemma: when they imitate, they are labeled as monkeys, but labeled Tartars when they attempt to be Russian. However, by the time of Nicholas, there was no more need to copy the western courts. Custine analyzes the democratic system as a parliament that acts as an aristocracy of the orators that is substituted for birth aristocracy and that it is the government of lawyers (Abbott, 2012: p94). The Tsar is in agreement and adds that since the entire social and political defects of democracy are known, buying votes, seducing in order to deceive, and corrupting conscience. He contends that he disdains these things and that he has paid the price for being straightforward, but shall never more be a king of the constitution. Custine at this point still agrees with him and remarks that without aristocracy, only tyranny would exist and those aristocrats not bending to the leveling hand wielded by despotism existed in both monarchial governments and pure democracies. Custine was of the belief that the end of aristocracy would signal the beginning of the end for the nations. He foresees in Tsar Nicholas the perilous nature of a democracy ruled by a moneyed and ruthless aristocracy. Custine dreads the lawyers and the echo of the newsprint that are nothing, but speeches whose echo is around for twenty-four hours; moreover, this is the despotism, which threatens the nations (Abbott, 2012: p94). Custine believes that the reasons that the Russians remained politically backward were because of religion and that the role of the church is fundamental. Custine then contends that the Russia of the time is still

Comments and response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Comments and response - Essay Example Your strategy seems very effective from the start, which I much welcome to ensure my child is focused from the first day in school to his/her completion. The communication plan you have established is quite commendable and am willing to partner with your efforts to see that my child progress is tracked in a collaborative way both at home and at school. I will be much honored to provide you with al my child’s cultural, social, and linguistic background to ensure the e/she is included effectively in your learning environment. I would like you to clarify to me on ways to ensure that I participate in my child’s education. Thank you for the teamwork you reveal to ensure that all child’s needs are met. I am very much aware that I know more of my child’s information more than anyone else does, and I will ensure that I will give all details to the administration. I would like to seek more information on what programs you have to ensure that my child does not face discrimination and is included in your environment because he is a black American and has a language proficiency disability. Thank you for an extensive emphasizes on communication matters between e as a parent and the teachers, which I also believe that is the backbone to an effective partnership and parental involvement in a learning environment. Your IEP program comforts me that my child’s needs will be met accordingly. However, your school has rules and procedures; hence, I would like you to clarify on considerations for children with disabilities. Thank you for your full support of collaborative strategies with my colleagues to ensure your child thrive to the top in terms of academic as social aspects. Regarding your query on the rules and procedures in my class, note that most of them are made through my inclusive plan whereby the students decide among themselves which rules to set for optimal learning environment focused on minimal

Adaptive Block Steganography Based Crypting Technique

Adaptive Block Steganography Based Crypting Technique A Novel Approach on Adaptive Block Steganography Based Crypting Technique for Secure Message Passing AbhipsaKundu,  Sudipta Sahana Abstract The enhancement of using internet system has increased the ease of information communication which throws challenge in data security. Now in current days safe and sound data transfer become more essential and significant. Cryptography and Steganography are two significant areas of research that involve a number of applications. Cryptography is the technology that involves to encode a message text into an unreadable text form that is known as cipher text and thesteganography is an art and technology of hiding information in a multimedia file without causing statistically significant change to thisfile for involving a secret message transmission. In this proposed work the plain text is transformed to a cipher text using Cryptography technique, where different person can able to use their preferable key for encoding the text and also some Boolean algebraic operations are used in the succeeding steps and after that this cipher text is hidden inside a gray scale image as a cover media wit h dimension of 2n x 2n and a secure pictorial block steganography based encryptionalgorithm is proposed for transferring text messageand also mentioned the Cryptanalysis and Steganalysis method for retrieving data at receiver side. The experimental result shows that for using different length of text message the distortion of picture is very much less that is negligible in open eyes. At last it can be mentioned that without knowing the appropriate knowledge of cryptanalysisand steganalysis retrieving of message is quite impossible. Keywords Cryptography, Steganography, Plain text, Cipher text, Cryptanalysis, Steganalysis. 1. Introduction Cryptography is generally a key enabling technology for protecting distributed systems. An encryption algorithm takes the original message and a key, and alters the original message mathematically based on the key bits to create a new encrypted message. Likewise a decryption algorithm takes an encrypted message and restores it to its original form using one or more keys. There are two general concepts of cryptographic keys: Private key and public key system. When same key is use for encryption and decryption both purpose then this is identified as symmetric key encryption by using secret key. Where public-key encryption is also known as asymmetric-key encryption. The private key is known only to your computer, and used for only encrypt the message while the public key is given by your computer to any computer that wants to communicate securely with it.To decode an encrypted message, a computer must use the public key. SYMMETRIC KEY CRYPTOGRAPHY ASYMMETRIC KEY CRYPTOGRAPHY In this paper, secure data transfer by using cryptography with Boolean algebra and key concept is focused where different body can use a particular mentioned length key that generally cant be guessed by a third person. Steganography is the process of communication of secret data by using a multimedia carrier like image, video, audio or it also can be send by using an IP Datagram. Generally people cannot detect the secret communication of data. Message to be hidden is concealed in another file called cover media. Combination of secret message and cover file is called as – stego media. The stego function operates over cover media and the message (to be hidden) along with a stego-key (optionally) to produce a stego media. STEGANOGRAPHY AND STEGANALYSIS The paper is organized as follow. Section 2 describes the different types of steganography Techniques. In Section 3 section the algorithms of cryptography, steganography for data encryption techniqueon the other hand cryptanalysis and steganalysis forthe decryption technique are discussed followed by an example in Section 4. Section 5 shows the Analysis Work. Finally, in Section 6 the conclusion of this paper is included. 2. Related work In this section the past work related to the problem of hidden text in an image file is analyzed. A literature survey in this extent finds an amount of work is done in encrypting the text message and also decoding the text. Here the methodology and highlights of contributions, conventions is summarized. In M. Bellare [1] formalized the new cryptographic primitive, Message-Locked Encryption (MLE), where the key under which encryption and decryption are accomplished is itself derived from the message. MLE delivers a method to reach secured duplication (space-efficient secure outsourced storage), an objective currently embattled by numerous cloud-storage providers. On the theoretical side the challenge is standard model explanations, and this technique makes Rig Das et al. [2] performed the Huffman encoding upon the secret message /image and then embedded each of the encrypted bits, the size of Huffman encoded bit stream, Huffman table into the cover image by altering the least significant bit (LSB) of each of the pixels. G.KarthigaiSeivi at al. [3] proposed a technique of finding the edge of the image using the Least-Significant-Bit (LSB) algorithm by employing Laplacian detector, and then data is hidden on center pixels whose blocks are located at the sharper edges. Yam bernJinaChanu at al. [4] describes a short survey on different types of steganography techniques for imagein spatial and transform domains and steganalysis techniques for the detection of secret message in the image in spatial domain by mentioning the strong points and weak points of the techniques. In k. singla et al. [5] proposed a hash based Steganography approach for protected steganography using edge detection. The method accomplishes high embedding capacity and enhances the quality of the encoded image. This technique first detects the edges in the image by well-known canny method and then the hash sort is used to embed the text data in to the edges of the color image. The hash function delivers a secure and fast method for image steganography. InS.Malik, A. Sardana [6] proposed unique methodology A Keyless Approach to Image Encryption without the use of encryption keys. The core idea behind this technique employs Sieving, Separation and Shuffling to produce random portions such that with minimal computation, the original secret image can be recovered from the random portions without any loss of image quality. Ali Daneshkhah et al. in his A More Secure Steganography Method in Spatial Domain [7] paper proposed a technique in which, the two bits of message is embedded in a pixel in a way that not only the Least Significant Bit (LSB) of picture element is allowed to change but also the second bit plane and fourth bit plane are allowed to be manipulated, but the point is in each embedding process only one alternation inone bit plane is allowed to happen. It is compared by the method LSB-Matching, the results shows this S. Sarreshtedari et al. [8] proposed a high capacity method for transform domain image steganography and algorithm works on the wavelet transform coefficients of the original image to embed the secret data byretaining integrity of the wavelet coefficients at high capacity embedding. 3. Algorithm 3.1 Cryptography Algorithm: 3.1.1 Password Matrix: STEP-1: Different password can be chosen for different PT but always it will be reserved 8 characters length. STEP 2: Transformevery single character of the password into its corresponding ASCII value. STEP 3: Convert each ASCII value into its 8 bit binary representation and place them in separate rows to generate a password matrix. 3.1.2 Generation of Auxiliary Keys : STEP 4: For that purpose the diagonal elements of password matrix is chosen as the first auxiliary key AK1, beginning from bottom left corner bit toterminate in top right corner bit. STEP 5: The second auxiliary password AK2 is generated by retaining the 0th bit of AK1 as the 0th bit of AK2 and doing XOR operation between the nth bit and (n+1)th bit of AK1 to obtain (n+1)th bit of AK2. And this process has further carry on for other AKs where from AK2 to AK3 and from AK(n) to AK(n+1) has been got. STEP-6: The number of Auxiliary keys generated depends on the number of letters in the plain text. 3.1.3 Formation of Cipher Text: STEP-7: Choose a plain text of variable length and calculate its length. STEP-8:  Change each character into its ASCII value and then into its equivalent 8 bit binary representation at the end arrange them as a matrix of nx8 where n is size of letters in plain text. STEP-9:  Perform bitwise XOR operation in between the binary values P1, P2, P3,†¦,Pn and the auxiliary keys AK1, AK2, AK3, †¦.,AKn respectively. STEP-10:  Complement the evenposition bits (column no. : 2,4,6,8) of every row of the last transformed value. STEP-11:  Divide the last generated 8 bits values into 4 parts each part having 2 bits, numbering them 1,2,3,4 and now arrange them as 4,2,1,3. STEP-12:  8 bits of each row of the matrix now has to be reversed. STEP-13: At last get our Cipher text 8 bit binary representation and convert it tocorresponding decimal value or the ASCII Value. This text will be transferred. 3.2 Steganography Algorithm: In this paper we have considered a gray scale image first; where we can encrypt the cipher text (encrypted data after cryptography process). At first we calculate the length of the cipher text and converted the text into its corresponding ASCII value. The size of the gray scale image is 256256. STEP-1: Taken the ASCII value cipher text as an input. STEP-2: Calculate the number of ASCII value of cipher text and stored it into a variable CT . STEP-3: Taken a gray scale image with dimension of 2n x 2n. STEP-4: Apply the partial BTB technique on this image with n x n size block matrix and each matrix Contain 2(n-m) x 2(n-m) (where, n = 2m) matrix size. STEP-5: Calculate the number of ASCII value of cipher text and stored it into a variable CT. STEP-6: Now convert the ASCII value of CT to its binary value of 8 digit and for getting ‘1’ from the corresponding binary value of CT the image pixel value has been increased two and also for getting ‘0’ this pixel value has been increase one. STEP-7: Now check the number of digit in CT. If it is less than or equal to n then only the 1st block 1st bit placed into 1st image block (1,1 position ),then 1st block 2nd bit placed into 2nd image block(1,1 position) thus the process will continue less than n (no. of character) or equal to n time. STEP-4: If the no. of character is greater than n then the 8 bit greater positions will be considered or Then the n+1 character 1st block 1st bit placed into 1st image block(8,8 position), 1st block 2ndbit place into 2nd image block (8,8 position) such as 2n+1 character 1st block 1st bit placed into1st image block (16,16 position),1st block 2nd bit placed into 2nd image block(16,16 position),then for 3n+1 characters to 4n (24,24 positions) will be considered and for 4n+1 to 5n (32,32) positions will be considered. STEP-5: This coded image will be transferred to the receiver side. 3.3 Steganalysis Algorithm: At receiver side the reverse technique of the previous method hasto be followed for decaying the image matrix and easily the text will be retrieve by the decryption algorithm. STEP-1: At first we have taken the Stego image that is got from sender side and then collect the original cover image. STEP-2: Compare both image and make a size of 256256 matrix contained the differentiate value of these two images where most of the values are zero excepting some are 2s and 1s. STEP-3: Neglect all those 0 values and arrange the others digits in a separate matrix whose size of column is 8. It is very imperative that the arrangement of the digits must not be hampered from the previous order. STEP-4:After getting the new matrix the number of the row signifies the number of characters present in the CT. STEP-5: Now replace the value of 2 with ‘1’ and 1 with ‘0’ and after that which matrix will be generated this is the 8 bit binary representation of our CT. STEP-6: Now convert the binary value with the corresponding decimal value and got the ASCII value representation of CT. 3.4 Cryptanalysis Algorithm: STEP-1: Generate the PASSWORD MATRIX that was described in the previous section 3.1. STEP-2: As well as create the AUXILARY KEYS from password matrix maintain the same rule followed as 3.1. STEP-3: Taken the ASCII value of Cipher text and convert them as 8 bit binary representation. Arrange the value of bits in nx8 matrix where n = size of CT. STEP-4: Reverse the each 8 bits values of every single row. STEP-5: Divide the last generated 8 bits values into 4 parts each part having 2 bits, numbering them 4,2,1,3 and now arrange them as 1,2,3,4. STEP-6:  Complement the odd bits (column no.:1,3,5,7) of every row of the last transformed value. STEP-7: Perform bitwise XOR operation in between the binary values of last transformed CT1, CT2, CT3,†¦,CTn and the auxiliary keys AK1, AK2, AK3, †¦.,AKn respectively And then got the original P1, P2, P3,†¦.Pn. 4. Example: 4.1 Cryptography Algorithm: Suppose our plain text is EARTH that has to be securely transferred to the receiver side. 4.1.1 Password Matrix: Suppose our 8 letter word password matrix is UNIVERSE= Table 4.1.1: 8 Bit Binary Representation As per mentioned in the algorithm for 5 letter plain text 5 auxiliary key will be formed at first. 4.1.2 Auxiliary Key Formation: After taking bottom left corner to top right corner diagonally elements we will get 01000011. That is AK1. Table: 4.1.2(Formation of auxiliary keys)Table: 4.1.3 (8 bits representation of plain text) Table: 4.1.4 (XOR operation between AKs with plain text)Table 4.1.5(Complement even bit position) Table: 4.1.6 (Rearrangement of columns)Table : 4.1.7(Reverse Each 8 bits of every Row) 4.2 Steganography Algorithm: Consider n = 8 and m = 3. The ASCII value representation of the Cipher text is 8 bit Binary value representation. We have reserved a 256 x 256 size of gray scale image for hiding the bit representation of cipher text, as the distortion of gray scale image is very much less than color image so it is considered. At first we will decompose this image at 8X8 matrix, where each cell of 8X8 matrix will consist 3232 size of matrix. N00 N01 N02 N03 N04 N05 N06 N07 N10 N11 N12 N13 N14 N15 N16 N17 N20 N21 N22 N23 N24 N25 N26 N27 N30 N31 N32 N33 N34 N35 N36 N37 N40 N41 N42 N43 N44 N45 N46 N47 N50 N51 N52 N53 N54 N55 N

nature In Huckleberry Finn :: essays research papers

In his novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain conveys his high regard for nature through the use of several rhetorical devices such as personification and tone. Twain changes his tone when describing the Mississippi River from cynical and sarcastic to flowing and daydreaming. This change in tone illustrates his own appreciation for the beauty and importance of nature.Throughout the passage on page 88, Twain uses personification to show the beauty of nature in contrast to the immaturity and repugnant mentality of society. Huck would sometimes wake up to "see a steamboat coughing along upstream" that "now and then would belch a whole world of sparks up out of her chimbleys" which acts like a child without manners. Twain shows how disgusted he is with society by the use of the words coughing and belch. Both words have a negative connotation that lead a reader to think of illness with the use of coughing, and immaturity with the use of belch. "The nice breeze springs up and comes fanning you from over there as a servant to a king in his court, and everything (smiles) in the sun." Twain chooses the word "springs" to describe the action of the breeze because it makes the breeze seem to be present only to comfort. Twain does this to show that nature is for humans to enjoy.The passage on page 88 flows like thoughts during a daydream rather than being written in the short sarcastic style of the rest of the book. "Two or three days...swim by like a fish through the river they slid along so smooth and lovely." Twain shows the dream like quality of this scene by saying the days "swim by". The word swim adds to the mood of the passage by showing how the days flowed by rather than just went by. Jim and Huck "put in the day, layzying around, listening to the stillness".

First Lady of Nursing: Virginia Henderson Essay

Abstract Virginia Henderson has made an everlasting imprint on society. With her various degrees and teaching settings, Virginia was a very knowledgeable nurse who helped other young nurses into their roles in the health care industry. She was not only a teacher and student, but also a researcher. Because of her many roles in nursing, the books she has written and revised cover a wide span of information. Although this may intimidate some, Virginia wrote for a general audience so that all could learn how to take care of a sick loved one. She defined nursing, so that the whole population could have a universal definition. She pushed for the roles of nurses to be clearly defined so that hospitals would be able to see all a nurse could or could not do, making a safer environment for the patient. Because of all her work, Virginia Henderson is one of the most well-known nurses in history. Key Words: Virginia Henderson, Need Theory, Definition of Nursing A look Inside the First Lady of Nursing: Virginia Henderson After a long hospital stay a patient hopes to go home and care for themselves; this was not always the case until Virginia Henderson revolutionized the nursing industry. Virginia grew up with a great education and went to school for many years, giving her an extensive span of knowledge that allowed her to make her mark on nursing. Although nursing is a forever changing occupation with new innovative technology always arising, Virginia Henderson has made a lasting mark on nursing with her â€Å"Need Theory† and her many books, teaching nurses worldwide the concepts of health promotion and disease prevention. Henderson began her life in Kansas City, but she was only there for a short four years. Born on November 30, 1897 Henderson became the fifth child of what would be eight. Her parents, Lucy Abbot Henderson and Daniel B. Henderson, came from a background of educators and scholars. In 1901, at the age of four, the Henderson’s relocated to Virginia, where Virginia would finish her maturing (Halloran, 2007). Through a developed impulse to help the sick and wounded military personnel, Henderson began her journey of nursing. Beginning her education at a young age of four under William Richardson Abbot, a figure named â€Å"grandfather†, Virginia Henderson grew to be a well-informed individual as she continued her schooling. Although she attended school, Virginia’s education did not produce a diploma, which hindered her entrance into nursing school (Halloran, 2007). In 1921, Virginia graduated the Army School of Nursing, located in Washington D.C and continued her journey as a nurse by accepting a position as a staff nurse at the Henry Street Visiting Nurse Service. After briefly working here, Henderson began her role as a teacher. Working back to her roots, she taught at Norfolk Protestant Hospital in Virginia (Anderson, 1999, p. 9). Here, Virginia was the first and only teacher in the school of nursing (Halloran, 2007). Although she was not done with her role as teacher, she decided to let another do the teaching when she went back to school at Columbia University Teachers College to complete her Baccalaureate and Masters degree in nursing. After accomplishing these goals in her career she again went back to educating young nurses at the Teachers College from 1930 to 1948 (Herrmann, 1996, p. 19). Throughout her role as an educator, Henderson saw the need to teach young nurses not only clinical skills, but also analytical skills to help them succeed as nurses (Anderson, 1999, p. 9). As her years of teaching came to an end, Henderson took on the role of researcher associate at Yale University in 1953 (Herrmann, 1996, p. 19). The research, named the National Survey of Nursing, conducted was â€Å"designed to survey and assess the status of nursing research in the United States† (Halloran, 2007). Later on in life, after the completion of her Nursing Studies Index, Virginia began to see the world as she â€Å"embarked on an international schedule of consultation† (Herrmann, 1996, p.22). With all this knowledge she was able to write and revise many books that would keep her name alive even today. Another major part in Virginia Henderson’s career is the work that will survive forever, her books. While teaching at Columbia, â€Å"she revised Bertha Harmer’s Textbook of the Principles and Practice of Nursing, which was published in 1939† (Halloran, 2007). Starting in 1948, she began to revise the fourth edition of the Principles and Practice of Nursing, which took her five years to write. Although the title may fool the reader that this book was not meant only for nurses, â€Å"it is written for anyone who is faced with the prospect of caring for another human being†. Her earlier works were greatly influenced by all she had gained as an instructor of clinical nursing (Halloran, 1996, p. 20). Creating the first annotated index of nursing research, Henderson began her four volume Nursing Studies Index in 1959 and completed it after twelve years (Halloran, 2007). This volume was â€Å"an analytical and historical review of nursing literature from 1900 to 1959† (Tlou, 2001, p. 241). Henderson continued to write as she progressed in years. She wrote Basic Principles of Nursing Care in 1960, Nursing Research: A Survey and Assessment in 1964, and the Nature of Nursing in 1966 (Herrmann, 1996, p.21). The beginning of her sixth edition of the Principles and Practice of Nursing started when Virginia was seventy- five, in the year 1972. In the book she argues that â€Å"health care will be reformed by the individual nurses who will enable their patients to be independent in health care matters when patients are both educated and encouraged to care for themselves† (Halloran, 2007). Although her books have a great influence on us, the thing that makes her most well-known is her definition of nursing and the Need Theory. With her contribution of her Need Theory, Henderson taught other nurses what she believed was the true meaning of nursing: to assist an individual to become more independent on the road to health. Henderson defined nursing as â€Å"helping people, sick or well in the performance of those activities contributing to health or its recovery, or to a peaceful death, that they would perform unaided if they had the necessary strength, will, or knowledge† (Halloran, 1996, p. 23). In her basic needs theory Henderson defines the roles of a nurse by explaining that a nurse should help or provide conditions under which the patient can do the following unaided: 1. Breathe normally. 2. Eat and drink adequately. 3. Eliminate body wastes. 4. Move and maintain desirable position.5. Sleep and rest. 6. Select suitable clothes – dress and undress. 7. Maintain body temperatures within normal range by adjusting clothing and modifying environment. 8. Keep the body clean and well groomed and protect the integument. 9. Avoid dangers in the environment and avoid injuring others. 10. Communicate with others in expressing emotions, needs, fears, or opinions.11. Worship according to one’s faith. 12. Work in such a way that there is a sense of accomplishment. 13. Play or participate in various forms of recreation. 14. Learn, discover, or satisfy the curiosity that leads to normal development and health and use the available health facilities. Henderson wanted to define nursing because she feared that some states didn’t have a true definition of nursing, which could lead to an unsafe environment for patients. In order to solve this issue she believed that nursing should be defined in the Nurse Practice Acts that would clearly state a nurses roles (Anderson, 1999, p. 10). Even though she defined nursing as this, she still saw acknowledged that nurses were given a stereotype. Virginia Henderson had an ideal of what nursing should be and who they were. She believed that nurses during her time were not able to give the care that they thought would help the patient (Henderson, 2006). Virginia believed that because nurses came from all classes in society that the public had a confused definition of what a nurse was. She saw that the image of a nurse was influenced by the fact that most were women, who were not well educated from a privileged social class. Virginia Henderson saw nurses as the ones who provided the most intimate and comforting service as they are the ones who are continuously with the patient, because of this she saw nurses as independent practitioners. She identified a nurse as someone who would have to be able to work with all ages of people in order to provide for their needs and help them live a life as normally as possible (Henderson, 2006). In order to fix the stereotype and lead members of society to truly see how important nurses were, Henderson thought nurses should be educated in a certain way. Henderson also believed that nurses should be prepared in national, provincial or state systems of higher education (Henderson, 2006, p. 25). She thought that nursing students should work with other people in the health fields in order to create an interdisciplinary learning environment. She also believed that nurses needed an understanding of government and economics (Henderson, 2006, p. 26). She thought that nursing students should be assigned to practitioners, where they would first observe and then participate until they can function independently. She thought nursing should be taught in stages. The first stage would be geared toward studying the basic human needs or functions and helping patients with daily activities. The second stage would be devoted to helping patients with common dysfunctions. The third stage would be studying the different stages of life and the specific help that is needed for a particular disease. She also thought that nursing students should be taught in a multitude of settings (Henderson, 2006, p. 30). If each of these principles were followed Virginia believed nurses would get the education they needed and be respected. Without the ground-breaking research and ideas contributed by Virginia Henderson, nurses today would not be taking care of patients in a style allowing them to succeed after recovery from the hospital. Virginia passed away on March 19, 1996. Although she may be gone from this world she is still with us through her books and her theories. References Anderson, M. (1999). Virginia avenel henderson: A modern legend. Wyoming Nurse, 12(1), 9-10. Halloran, E. J. (1996). Virginia henderson and her timeless writings. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 23(1), 17-24. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.1996.tb03130.x Halloran, E. J. (2007). Virginia henderson 1897- 1996. Retrieved January/31, 2013, from http://www.aahn.org/gravesites/henderson.html Henderson, V. (2006). The concept of nursing. 1977. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 53(1), 21-31; discussion 32-4. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2006.03660.x Henderson, V. (2006). Some observations on health care by health services or health industries. 1986. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 54(1), 1-2; discussion 2-4. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2006.03829_1.x Herrmann, E. K. (1996). Virginia henderson: Signature for nursing. Connecticut Nursing News, 69(5), 1. Tlou, S. D. (2001). Nursing: A new era for action. A virginia henderson memorial lecture. Nursing Inquiry, 8(4), 240-245.

Homer Simpson and Contemporary American Values of Fatherhood Essay

The Simpsons is one of the many television shows in the United States of America which features a full length cartoon narrating the everyday lives of a family. The show makes us confront the absurdities of how some Americans live through the jovial portrayals and behaviors of the characters in the animated show. While each of the members of the Simpson’s family represent a several prevalent attitudes of Americans—some bordering on the obscene and some bordering on the good—the viewer’s perceptions not only about the American society in which he or she lives in but also about his or her self is challenged. The show seems to attempt to push its viewers to reexamine their lives, reflecting on each character in the Simpson’s family and the rest of the characters in the show. In general, the Simpson household is a dysfunctional family, never aging through the course of the show in years and often ends the show portraying the family members still loving one another despite the odds. For the most part, the Simpson’s family both reinforce and subvert contemporary American values in a number of ways. Each episode highlights the struggles of the family members of the Simpson household and the neighborhood, sometimes reaffirming several social stereotypes and sometimes challenging our comfort zones and our accepted beliefs. In any case, it is important to note that even the seemingly absurd gestures and encounters of every character in the animated show point to contemporary American values that may be either subverted or reinforced, depending on the interpretation of the viewer in most cases. Homer Simpson, the father of the household, embodies the typical American dad. He is a father who enjoys drinking his beer—specifically called â€Å"Duff†Ã¢â‚¬â€who is physically overweight and who is protective of his family. He works at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant despite his careless characteristic, thereby suggesting that he has this potential to bring chaos to the rest of the community with his slightest mistakes while at work. Apparently, Homer’s characteristics reflect the typical American father who has the responsibility to raise his kids and secure the welfare of his family. His character subverts the contemporary American perception that divorce oftentimes results from a family that is dysfunctional. Despite his failures to provide for several needs of the Simpson household, he has never resorted to divorcing his wife, Marge. At the end of the day, Homer finds himself at home together with his wife in bed looking forward to the coming day ahead. Moreover, Homer has been shown to have a strong regard for the welfare of his family in difficult times, such as in â€Å"Lisa the Beauty Queen† (1992) where he sold his prized car in order to enter her daughter, Lisa, into a beauty pageant to make her feel better and in â€Å"A Millhouse Divided† (1996) where he arranged for a second wedding for his wife, Marge, to compensate for their unsatisfactory first wedding ceremony. On the other hand, some of Homer’s characteristics also reinforce some contemporary American values. One of these values is the thinking that typical American fathers spend their time drinking beer and submitting themselves to their weaknesses quite easily. Some of Homer’s weaknesses are his strong craving for doughnuts, his aggressive behavior in difficult times or in times when he is not able to complete his tasks and his low intelligence. In general, these things reinforce the stereotype of the American dad, reflecting the cultural struggle of the American father in the American landscape, losing his intellectual edge along the way. Looking at the ways in which Homer Simpson handles himself before his family, it can be said that his character implies the binary opposition between depth and superficial, centering and dispersal, and distance and participation. For one, the character portrayal of Homer suggests the depth of his personality, one that can be easily interpreted as the typical American father at first glance but one that can also be interpreted as an unusual American dad on closer inspection. Despite raising a dysfunctional family on a daily basis, Homer has not given up on his task as a father although there are times when he seems to be on the verge on giving up on things. While he is considered to be a borderline alcoholic, he does not end up entirely succumbing to his habit. On the contrary, he is able to maintain his fatherly figure and image and goes on to raise his family even when it meant attending to several jobs on many occasions. There is both the depth and the superficial qualities in Homer Simpson that represent American fathers in contemporary society. While at that, Homer’s character is also able to create distance and participation among the viewers. It is not surprising at all if the viewers of the show are able to relate to the experiences of the Simpson household because the experiences of Homer’s family might just as well be the same daily experiences that other households experience. By focusing on the typical experiences of American families, the animated show is able to draw the attention of the viewing public and, in a way, to allow them to â€Å"participate† in the show at least in terms of being able to relate to and find a part of themselves in the show. However, the animated show is also able to distance the viewer from the characters. In the sense that the nature of the show—meaning, its â€Å"animated† structure—makes the characters open to seemingly absurd situations, it is not always the case that the viewers are able to expect an exact representation of their daily experiences. That is, the cartoon characters can perform unrealistic behaviors that the real-life viewers can hardly imitate. The binary opposition between distance and participation in the show is also reflected in terms of how the show portrays the stereotypes prevalent in American society and, in the process, causes its viewers to identify themselves first with the show’s characters and eventually causing them to redefine themselves. The fact that The Simpsons explores the negative stereotypes in contemporary American society suggests that its viewers may or may not be able to fully relate to these stereotypes. Those who are able to relate to these stereotypes are more or less likely expected to distance themselves from these stereotypes or, more specifically, from Elizabeth Traube calls as â€Å"the fictional self that it (stereotype) constructs† (Traube, p. 129). Chandra Mukerji and Michael Schudson further suggest that popular culture has not only been the offspring of society’s â€Å"beliefs, practices and objects generated from political and commercial centers† but has also become â€Å"an entity on its own† (Mukerji and Schudson, p. 53). Thus, it is not surprising to say that there will be so-called â€Å"popular culture† so long as there are conduits for expressing the generally observed patterns of behavior among people. The Simpsons is just one of the many social elements that showcase such patterns. The assumption here is that some television shows such The Simpsons do not only serve the purpose of highlighting parts of the generally observed behaviors of people—behaviors that are parts of stereotypes—but also reinforce and subvert such observations at the same time. The very presence of these kinds of television shows help people realize what they have become. They aid the human civilization to notice the things that have become so familiar they no longer strike the vein of our senses and sensibilities. In â€Å"The Visible Evidence of Cultural Producers†, Maureen Mahon suggests that forms of popular culture serve as â€Å"arenas in which social actors struggle over social meanings and as visible evidence of social processes and social relations† (Mahon, p. 467). Apparently, Homer Simpson’s character in the animated series struggles over social meanings within the context of the show. The context of the show, however, is anchored on the realities happening in the society. That, in turn, suggests that, indeed, the character of Homer is a visible evidence of several social processes and social relations in real life, from his struggles to raise his family and his role as a father. Jerry Herron also suggests that Homer Simpson is not only a â€Å"reminder† of how much of contemporary America has declined but is also a symbol for challenging our attitude towards the social stereotypes. In particular, Homer Simpson is â€Å"an appeal to the sensibility of the public towards popular culture to redefine themselves from the negative to the positive† (Herron, p. 12). But what exactly are these positive and negative aspects and how are we able to identify them without confusing one over the other? The answers do not seem to be as clear and as simple as they seem. Based on Jerry Herron’s article â€Å"Homer Simpson’s Eyes and the Culture of Late Nostalgia†, it appears that Homer Simpson is both a criticism to society’s stereotypes and, at the same time, as an embodiment of those stereotypes. Homer plays the role of an intellectually challenged but loving father. He takes the role of the typical American dad who loves to drink his favorite beer and yet his is a character that challenges the contemporary attitude towards dysfunctional marriages and families. He directs the viewer’s attention to his character while making them reflect on their own lives and society at the same time. He shows some of life’s worse obscenities and yet allows the viewers to realize the stark contrasts between a life worth living and a life that is worthless. In essence, Homer Simpson subverts and reinforces contemporary American values. In â€Å"Stereotypes and Registers of Honorific Language†, Asif Agha argues that stereotypes â€Å"are consciously grasped† and are, hence, â€Å"reportable, discussable, open to dispute† and that â€Å"they serve as models for some individuals and counter-models for others† (Agha, p. 152). Following Agha’s interpretation of stereotypes, the social perception towards the stereotype American father is still open to dispute and can in turn serve as the â€Å"counter-model† for what the American should be. Using Homer Simpson as an example, our notion of the â€Å"right† American dad can be derived from some of the qualities of Homer Simpson. The conscious exposure of the viewing public towards The Simpsons can be an eye-opener for reassessing our standing perception of the stereotype American father. While the image portrayed by Homer is â€Å"an entity on its own†, it is nevertheless still created from the social realities that persist in contemporary America. It is only through a radical change in the contemporary American value system can the American society be lifted from its status quo. But that is not to say that the task of removing the binary opposition between depth and superficial, centering and dispersal and distance and participation begins at the stage where the American public is able to realize the stereotypes and recognize the â€Å"counter-models†. Rather, it begins right at the criticism of such stereotypes prevalent in popular culture. The creation of the character of Homer Simpson is perhaps the first stage in bringing the things that â€Å"dumb down† America into the public awareness. Of course, it is not enough to have shows such as The Simpsons, among others, to emphasize the cultural problems of America and to compel people to address these problems. However, it is only necessary to first bring elements of popular culture into the surface, elements that both reinforce and subvert contemporary American values in order to proceed with the tasks of criticizing what has become of this nation and its people and of resolving what needs to be resolved.

hackers essays

hackers essays Information is quite a vital element in most businesses, governments and even households and as we can see people really go to the extremes just to get information and use them to their advantage or maybe mere satisfaction of their curious minds. As we all know the most vital information in the wrong hands could spell disaster and even be a cause of war among nations. Hacking as we know it has already existed in the 60s so this is proof that even the most primitive computers, which we see now as useless was not spared from this art. Information should be free to all that is why people invented the World Wide Web more popularly known as the Internet. Information could be a vital key to a company or even a countries success or downfall. It is amazing that even todays youngsters can gather enough information by just logging on and hacking the computers of big companies and countries. We all know that information is important there are some information that should remain secret, becau se of the simple reason that it is better this way to better serve them or give them security. There is only one dilemma here it seems that hacking when done by individuals constitute a crime but in the cases of government agencies who engage in the same acts to provide better security and gain more information it is deemed to be routine and even lawful. Unfortunately that is how the system works, laws are enacted to basically prevent mere talented individuals to hack but enable this art to be utilized only by governments for the sole purpose of intelligence gathering and counter attacks. As we all know that nothing is really safe from the hackers of the world not even the government who boast of the most sophisticated computers. As I have read, hacking has evolved through out the years and it seems that although tighter measures are done the hackers seem to be more talented. With todays sophisticated password systems hackers still mana...

Free Essays on War Of The Worlds

â€Å"No one would have believed, in the last years of the nineteenth century, that human affairs were being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man’s and yet as mortal as his own; that as men busied themselves about their affairs they were scrutinized and studied, perhaps almost as a man with a microscope might scrutinize the transient creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water.†( from War Of The Worlds) One of the world’s first science fiction novels about life forms on other planets, and an invasion on the human race by alien species, War Of The Worlds was written in retort to many events that happened during the time. One of the most important events was the unification and militarization of Germany. There was an even more specific event that took place before the writing of this novel in which inspired Wells. In 1894 Mars was positioned closely to the earth, which led to much observation. Giovanni Schiaparaelli, an Italian astronomer, reported seeing â€Å"canali† on the planet Mars. Canali meant channels but was mistranslated as canals, which led to much speculation of life form on the red planet. This is just some information on how the novel War of The Worlds was written, now on to what this great piece of literature was about. War Of The Worlds is written as to books in one. Book one is The Coming of the Martians and book two is The Earth Under the Martians. Both takes place in London but before that, it is quoted that the aliens were watching the humans â€Å"keenly and closely† with â€Å"envious eyes†. This leads to the reason of why the aliens are going to try to take over Earth. The alien’s planet, Mars, is dying and their source for living is gone. So in result they plane to invade Earth, not only for living but also to use the human race as food.... Free Essays on War Of The Worlds Free Essays on War Of The Worlds It was this new style of story, that would bring about and create this brand new, exciting and often educational form of literature. It is The War Of The Worlds that really epitomises what science fiction is and what it should be. The enchanting but gruesome tale of Martian invasion became the beginning of the modern science fiction story and was the first ever story about life on other planets attacking the human race (a now very popular theme). Although this exclusive, appreciated and amusing style of writing was graced with instant success in its current form, it too, like any other style of writing changed with the times. Unfortunately the new variation was a change for the worse. The main problem lies within the fairly open and murky definitional criteria. There are no set, distinct guidelines as to what science fiction is and what is not; however most definitions seem to revolve around the idea that science is reality, and how that science effects the reality it is in. It is meant to illustrate the relationship between cause and effect representing a society in chaos, disturbed by the scientific matter, which may or may not be based in fact. This longwinded explanation may seem complex but what it is really saying is that science fiction is meant to illustrate the effect of the improbable (within scientific plausibility) against the setting it is in. It studies the resulting events that did not happen, may have happened, or have not happened yet from a rational perspective, mostly interested in the impact on the people involved. Science fiction is a form of fantastic fiction which exploits the imaginative, and profound perspectives of modern science. I t differs from the fantasy genre to which it is commonly compared as it is meant to respect the limits of scientific possibility. If The War Of The Worlds is indeed the major developer of modern science fiction and the creator of epic science fiction it must therefor... Free Essays on War of the Worlds â€Å"No one would have believed, in the last years of the nineteenth century, that human affairs were being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man’s and yet as mortal as his own; that as men busied themselves about their affairs they were scrutinized and studied, perhaps almost as a man with a microscope might scrutinize the transient creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water.†( from War Of The Worlds) One of the world’s first science fiction novels about life forms on other planets, and an invasion on the human race by alien species, War Of The Worlds was written in retort to many events that happened during the time. One of the most important events was the unification and militarization of Germany. There was an even more specific event that took place before the writing of this novel in which inspired Wells. In 1894 Mars was positioned closely to the earth, which led to much observation. Giovanni Schiaparaelli, an Italian astronomer, reported seeing â€Å"canali† on the planet Mars. Canali meant channels but was mistranslated as canals, which led to much speculation of life form on the red planet. This is just some information on how the novel War of The Worlds was written, now on to what this great piece of literature was about. War Of The Worlds is written as to books in one. Book one is The Coming of the Martians and book two is The Earth Under the Martians. Both takes place in London but before that, it is quoted that the aliens were watching the humans â€Å"keenly and closely† with â€Å"envious eyes†. This leads to the reason of why the aliens are going to try to take over Earth. The alien’s planet, Mars, is dying and their source for living is gone. So in result they plane to invade Earth, not only for living but also to use the human race as food....

Building a ‘Beauty Brand’ Veet India

Building a ‘Beauty Brand’ Veet India Beyond Hair Removal Executive Summary The solution attempts to address the transition of Veet from a hair removal brand to a true beauty brand. Starting with a study of the depilatories market in India and Veet’s growth over the years to create a platform, the results of the primary research have been presented. The primary research was a combination of questionnaire based research and PAPIs (paper aided personal interviews). The brand awareness of Veet was measured through both recognition and recall of the brand. The salience for the competitor brands like Anne French and Fem were also analyzed. Responses were gathered to identify the preferred usage locations of hair removal products. The product attribute associations, both positive and negative, were measured. An assessment of the brand personality was also undertaken by means of projective market research techniques. A combination of the strong functional values along with the emotional benefits was used to identify the key categories that were suited for brand extension. Elimination of product categories were based on reasoning related to inappropriate associations as well as data on market dynamics achieved from secondary research. Finally, three extensions in two phases have been proposed with a market potential study for each. Highlights of the communication strategies have also been proposed. The recommended strategy aims to initialize the transition of Veet as a true beauty brand in the coming years. Contents Executive Summary2 Introduction3 Hair Removal Market in India3 Veet in India6 Veet Brand Image6 Primary Research amp; Data Analysis7 Research Overview7 Data Analysis8 Brand Equity, Brand Personality amp; Possible Extensions12 Brand Equity12 Brand Personality Model12 PossibLe Extensions13 RoadmaP amp; Positioning16 Brand Extension plan16 Positioning In New Segments17 Conclusion19 Introduction Personal care sector covers segments like hair care, body care, baby care etc. In India this sector is currently valued at around INR 320 billion and is posting robust growth year-on-year. Veet is player in the niche depilatories segment within this market. Hair Removal Market in India Hair Removal or depilatories segment in India is relatively niche segment. It is valued at around INR 4 billion which means its contribution to the personal care market is a modest 1. 27%. While the market size is small the segment has tremendous potential and has been seeing robust growth year on year. As seen above, the segment was a ‘late bloomer’ showing exponential growth in 2004-05 and in 2006-07. Over the past few years year on year growth has stabilized around 19%. To better understand the nuances of this segment one must look at target consumer segments as well as the competing brands in this space. Brands in Depilatory Segment The brands dominating this segment are: Anne French dominated this category as the first mover and the only player for almost 4 decades. Anne French’s product positioning was primarily functional showing usage and highlighting product attributes. The entry of Veet in 2004 changed the face of the market with player moving from product centric, functional adverts to emotional benefits. Veet’s entry and new positioning strategy also explains the 60% y-o-y growth spurt in 2004-05. Currently Veet is the market leader in hair removal creams with a market share of around 34. 1%. Fem is the market challenger with its presence in hair removal creams and bleaching products. Target ConSumer Segments The penetration of hair removal products is relatively low with the young, single, educated and urban women being the prime users. * With a 68% category penetration there is enormous untapped potential in the segment. However this potential can only be realized with category expansion. * Increasing urbanization and more women entering the main stream white collar work force Growth in consumer base is on the cards

Anthropology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Anthropology - Essay Example This resulted in another sweeping generalization that there is only one urban black culture. Perhaps a good example of how Kelley has tried to understand what culture forms mean to the people who participate in them is that he has given individual attention to various urban African-American he interviewed, asking them their opinion, without coming in with a preconceived notion. Thus he has given the opportunity for people to speak for themselves regarding their culture and individuality. Ulf Hannerz, in his definition of what he termed soul, failed to take into account what exactly the term meant to those black urban dwellers who used it. Despite admitting that he could not find any urban ghetto inhabitant that could define it, he defined the term himself based on what he himself perceived the term to be. Works Cited Kelley, Robin D. G. â€Å"Looking for the ‘Real’ Nigga: Social Scientists Construct the Ghetto.† Yo’ Mama’s Disfunktional! Fighting the Culture Wars in Urban America. Boston: Beacon Press, 1998. 15-42. Print.

Organic architecture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Organic architecture - Essay Example A considerable amount of time has to be taken in the report, for in it lies the success of an underlying project. A satisfactory review provides a strong background that provides a platform for the reader or audience to advance their knowledge. An excellent literature review provides a basis for the advancement of a theory. The truth on any project that requires an advancement of a theory is depicted by the use of a review. The review guidelines provide the foundation in which the theories can be advanced. The survey also includes some part of the theory that should be advanced. An analysis information is essential in identifying the areas where poor previous research has been done. In the study where an analysis of previous work has been carried out, the data proves essential in identifying poor research work and therefore ignoring the findings. A literature review puts together the thoughts and ideas of many on a common platform, thereby enabling the readers to have a conclusive understanding of the topic of study. A literature review on a project is imperative in bringing out the areas that require further and extensive research. A research is the foundation of understanding on a project and in areas where the results are not clearly convincing, further research is recommended. A literature review thereby provides information on where research needs to be done and where reliable research has already been done. Adoption of organic architecture in Australia was brought about by various issues. A literature review requires the use of published articles to come up with one central idea on the topic of study. (Baines, 2009) suggests that the study embraces the concept of using the past to prepare for the future. Review information is very reliable, and it brings together the knowledge from the past that can be applied as knowledge in the future. Reviews, therefore, ensure that the gap has been filled by a comprehensive

Australopithecines Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Australopithecines - Essay Example Many changes in the physical environment contributed to the evolution of these early humans. Australopithecines comprise a genus of primitive hominids that resided in Eastern Africa about 4.2 million years ago. Many scientists think that some of the australopithecine species are direct ancestors to humans. Others believe that the Australopithecines represent a branch of hominids from which humans evolved, but are not directly related to humans. There several established taxonomic methods for classifying the australopithecines, but the four most frequently acknowledged species are Australopithecus afarensis, Australopithecus africanus, Australopithecus robustus, and Australopithecus boisei (Chardin). The species can be differentiated, because A. robustus and A. boisei have bigger bones and are more "robust" than A. afarensis and A.africanus (O'Neill). Most species of the Australopithecus were not any more adept at using tools than modern primates. But, Australopithecus garhi seems to have been the most sophisticated, because its remnants have been discovered near tools and slaughtered animal carcasses, which suggests the advent of a highly antediluvian tool conception. This caused many scientists to infer that A. garhi must be the predecessor of the Homo genus, even though recent deductions held that A. garhi was merely competition to the ancestral Homo species. The brains of most Australopithecus species were barely 35% the size of the modern human brain (Foley). Most species of Australopithecus were small and gracile in nature, often standing no more than 1.2 meters in height (Wikipedia). Fossil records seem to indicate that Australopithecus is the ancestor of a specific classification of hominids, known as Paranthropus, but are not direct ancestors of the genus Homo, which encompasses modern humans. Both the Paranthropus and Homo genera have proven to be more progressed in behavior and customs than the Australopithecus, which were hardly more than bipedal chimps. It is still widely accepted that only the descedants of Homo would go on to generate language and learn how to use fire. Though opinions certainly vary in regards to whether the species aethiopicus, boisei and robustus should be placed within the genus Australopithecus, the scientific community currently places them in the genus differ as to whether the species aethiopicus, boisei and robustus should be included within the genus Paranthropus. Paranthropus is thought to have originated from the Australopithecus lineage. Until recently, many scientists classified all Australopithecus species within a single genus. Paranthropus, because it was larger and more robust, was physically different from Australopithecus, and its superior anatomy implied that its behaviors might have been very different from that of its ancestor. The more diminutive and gracile forms such as Australopithecus africanus and Australopithecus afarensis are commonly assumed to be the closest relatives to humans. But, some studies have shown that Australopithecus africanus had a body shape more similar to that of the modern apes than t o the members of the genus Homo. Still, the gracile australopithecines are considered to be the earliest known true hominids, because australopithecines and humans are biologically similar enough to be classified in the family Hominidae (Nickels). Australopithecines

Escherichia coli Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Escherichia coli - Essay Example E. coli is basically responsible for many intestinal and extra-intestinal infections. Some of these infewctions incluse meningitis, peritonitis, urinary tract infections, septicemia, Gram-negative pneumonia and mastitis. Based on the virulence properties of the enteric E. coli, these are subdivided into the following: enterotoxigenic, enterotoxigenic, enteroinvasive, verotoxigenic, enterohaemorrhagic and enteroaggregative E. coli. Enterotoxigenic (ETEC), is the causative agent of diarrhea in humans, pigs, sheep, goats, cattle, dogs, and horses. Enteropathogenic (EPEC) is the causative agent of diarrhea in humans, rabbits, dogs, cats and horses. Enteroinvasive (EIEC), is found only in humans, where as verotoxigenic (VTEC) is found in pigs, cattle, dogs and cats. Enterohaemorrhagic (EHEC) is found in humans, cattle, and goats, attacking porcine strains that colonize the gut in the same way as human EPEC strains and enteroaggregative E. coli.. Gastrointestinal Food industry plays a major role in the spread of diseases by e-coli. Most illness has been linked with consumption of undercooked, contaminated ground beef. There are also vegetarian sources as people have also become ill from eating contaminated bean sprouts or fresh leafy vegetables such as lettuce and spinach. Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a leading cause of food-borne illness in various parts of the world. E. coli O157:H7 was first recognized as a cause of illness in 1982 during an outbreak of severe bloody diarrhea; the outbreak was traced to contaminated hamburgers. Since then, more infections in the United States have been caused by eating undercooked ground beef than by any other food. It is a fact based on a 1999 estimate that about 73,000 cases of infection and 61 deaths occur every year in the United States alone. Unhygienic practices are the main cause for infection with E.coli O157:H7. The common way in which this bacterial infection affects human beings is bloody diarrhea, and sometimes may also be responsible for to kidney failure. Illness can also be transmitted from one person to another through contact. Besides, infection can also result from drinking raw milk and after swimming in or drinking sewage-contaminated water. This bacterial has become so common that there are also reports of e-coli in bottled drinking water.

Workforce issues in nursing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Workforce issues in nursing - Research Paper Example Several workforce accounts have appeared in the last decade to describe the cause and influence of the general nursing scarcity on healthcare. The majority of these studies state that registered nurses consist of the prime healthcare profession, with two million positions (Sherman, 2006). A report documented by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations states that, 126,000 vacancies in nursing are not filled in health care institutions (Sherman, 2006). This means that, an overall scale of 13% for the positions is not occupied (Sherman, 2006). The State University of New York reports that, shortages in nursing were quoted as an important point by 90% of the countries involved (Sherman, 2006). A small number of female nurses join the profession due to the availability of employment chances for women in male controlled fields. Few students registered into nursing options as there was a recognized staff shortage, and an aging labor force going for retirement or roles that are stressful (Hart, 2006). The NSSRN reports that, the normal period of the entire registered nurses population was anticipated at the age of 45 in 2000, which is the maximum age since the research was initiated (Buerhaus, Staiger, and Auerbach, 2000). Buerhaus, Staiger, and Auerbach (2000) continue to indicate that very few staff members were below 40 years of age. This explains why a huge percentage of persons have a negative attitude towards the nursing profession. The extent of work satisfaction differs on where nurses perform their duties. Nurses employed in hospitals experience poor job satisfaction. Imbalanced staffing, hefty jobs, overtime, and insufficient wages are quoted as principal contributors to shortage in nursing (Sherman, 2006). In the course of my profession, I have experienced a lot of nurses working overtime with patients. I have also experienced

Identification of managerial, financial, legal and ethical Essay - 2

Identification of managerial, financial, legal and ethical implications - Essay Example Whatever legislature that pertains to the subject matter is covered under a set of workplace Torts. Ineffective administrative communication leads to frustration and the buildup of stress within the organization. A major reason for this could be the legal principle of â€Å"Respondeat Superior† which places the responsibility of the activities of the employee on the superior or the manager. Thus, the senior – junior relationship is constantly strained and is one of perpetual scrutiny rather than warmth or affection. At one extreme of this we have the tendency among some in power to abuse their position through threats, abuse, intimidation and retaliatory discharge, all of which are cause of legal action. In an effort to reduce the probability of wrongful discharge, some states, such as Connecticut, Montana, Maine and Michigan have enacted legislation that protects employees from terminations that are found to be arbitrary and capricious (Pozgar & Santucci, 2007). At the other end, the employees themselves should ethically adhere to a strict code of conduct that respects patient specific and facility specific information. Also, the court enunciated a corporate negligence doctrine in 1965 under the Darling Vs Charleston Community Memorial Hospital which stated clearly that a hospital has the duty to provide an adequately trained medical and nursing staff. Legal statues and workplace torts require that employers must communicate clearly to prospective employees that their employment is at will and can be terminated at any time by either the employer or the employee. This shall encourage the employee to work properly as well as clear any misconceptions that may arise later. In recent years however, the rule that employment for an indefinite term is terminable by the employer whenever and for whatever cause he chooses

Workforce issues in nursing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Workforce issues in nursing - Research Paper Example Several workforce accounts have appeared in the last decade to describe the cause and influence of the general nursing scarcity on healthcare. The majority of these studies state that registered nurses consist of the prime healthcare profession, with two million positions (Sherman, 2006). A report documented by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations states that, 126,000 vacancies in nursing are not filled in health care institutions (Sherman, 2006). This means that, an overall scale of 13% for the positions is not occupied (Sherman, 2006). The State University of New York reports that, shortages in nursing were quoted as an important point by 90% of the countries involved (Sherman, 2006). A small number of female nurses join the profession due to the availability of employment chances for women in male controlled fields. Few students registered into nursing options as there was a recognized staff shortage, and an aging labor force going for retirement or roles that are stressful (Hart, 2006). The NSSRN reports that, the normal period of the entire registered nurses population was anticipated at the age of 45 in 2000, which is the maximum age since the research was initiated (Buerhaus, Staiger, and Auerbach, 2000). Buerhaus, Staiger, and Auerbach (2000) continue to indicate that very few staff members were below 40 years of age. This explains why a huge percentage of persons have a negative attitude towards the nursing profession. The extent of work satisfaction differs on where nurses perform their duties. Nurses employed in hospitals experience poor job satisfaction. Imbalanced staffing, hefty jobs, overtime, and insufficient wages are quoted as principal contributors to shortage in nursing (Sherman, 2006). In the course of my profession, I have experienced a lot of nurses working overtime with patients. I have also experienced

Eminent domain Essay Example for Free

Eminent domain Essay Eminent domain refers to the authority to sequester the private property of an individual, including his rights, without the need of obtaining the consent of the owner (Ryskamp, 2006). This power is also known as compulsory purchase, resumption acquisition or expropriation in other countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada. The confiscation of private property is generally performed in order for the government of use the aforesaid property. In other cases, the expropriation is conducted in order for the public to make use of the property (United States v. CARMACK, 1946). The most frequent reasons for implementing eminent domain actions include the construction of public utilities as well as highways and railroads (United States v. Gettysburg Electric Railway Company, 1896). The concept of eminent domain should not be interchanged and confused with cases wherein a private property is confiscated by a government that is in a revolutionary situation. Eminent domain is also different from the concept of forfeiture because the sequestration of the private property in forfeiture is based on breaching of a mortgage contract while eminent domain is based on the sequestration of a private property for the use of the government. Eminent domain is associated with condemnation, which pertains to an action that is implemented by the government that results in the transfer of the title of a property from the original owner to the government. The term condemnation that is associated with eminent domain should also not be confused with the condemnation that is related to the classification of buildings that are considered to be unsafe for entry and habitation by people due to natural disasters such as earthquakes and other physical damages due to man- or nature-caused events. Condemnation that is associated with eminent domain states that the government is obtaining a private property or shows an interest in the private property, such as an easement. Generally, the only thing that remains to be determined and finalized is when a condemnation action is filed in the amount of the appropriate compensation. However, there are also some cases wherein the right to sequester is challenged by the owner of the private property, based on the premise that the attempted sequestration is not for public use, or has not been legally approved or endorsed by the court, or simply because the condemnor did not abide by the standard or proper procedure required by law (Greenhut, 2004). The exercise of eminent domain is not solely applied to real property (Galperin, 2007). Governments also have the authority to condemn personal property, including supplies that will be employed for military warfare, franchises, as well as other intangible property such as contracts, patents, trade secrets and copyrights. The first case of eminent domain in English law was known as the Dobbie Process or the Kings Prerogative in Saltpeter Case. The English king required saltpeter as ammunitions of his military and he acquired saltpeter mine that was privately owned. The owner of the private real property sued the king, resulting in the action of the court of establishing the right of the sovereign to sequester any form of private property that has been determined to be needed for public use, without issues of being accused for trespassing. However, such acquisition requires payment or some form of compensation for the taken saltpeter. When the colonies became the United States and the English Common Law was adopted as the law of the new nation, this principle was accepted. However, different from popular belief, the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution did not describe this right in the United States because this policy was already inherent in common law. The Fifth Amendment restricted the power of eminent domain by requiring that any confiscations be plainly for public use and that an appropriate compensation be provided to the owner of the sequestered private property.

Management and Leadership of Walmart

Management and Leadership of Walmart Management can be defined as the process of working with people and resources to accomplish organizational goals (Bateman, 2009). Leadership is the setting up of a new vision for a particular group to follow. When there is leadership without management there will always be a need for a direction to be set. There will also always have to be someone to correct the mistakes that are made within the organization. When there is management without leadership, there will always be a need to have a referee because there is no new leadership or change. The job of a leader is not to just sit behind a desk all day, but to get out and motivate employees to do their best. Therefore, the importance of management and leadership knows that when the two are combined, they set a direction that allows for success within an organization and lifts morale. In an organization such as Wal-Mart, the roles of management and leadership have always gone hand-in-hand. Managers and leaders work close daily to ensure that the store operations and the warehouse operations run smoothly. Although there are named positions within the company, all are known as associates, from senior management to the door greeter. Management versus Leadership According to (McCrimmon, 2007), management is the organization function that gets things done efficiently to gain the best return on all resources. Management is not always about managing a group of people. Management is all about getting the best results on a project for a successful outcome. Wal-Marts management teams strive to ensure that the needs of the customers and associates are met. A strong value that has always held within the company is the Sundown Rule. This rule is the observance that the company will do their best to answer a question or concern before the close of business the day of reception. This is where the teamwork of the entire company comes into play, and efforts are combined to resolve any issues. It has long been debated that there is no difference between management and leadership. However, it is obvious that the two are very different. Even though they work together at times, they still serve different purposes. The job management cannot be seen as the same task every day. Managers jobs change from day to day. Although daily operations must be monitored, at times it takes delegating these jobs to others so that management can dwell on other tasks of greater importance. Leaders, on the other hand, do the majority of the persuasion within the company. They can be seen as the ones to get others to change their direction. According to (McCrimmon, 2007, p. 7), the best way to stimulate innovation is to encourage all employees to show leadership by promoting new products or services. Roles of Managers and Leaders It is the belief of Wal-Marts management that in order to meet the needs of customers and associates, open communication is critical (Wal-Mart Corporation, 2010). This is done through the Open Door policy, which allows associates to voice suggestions and concerns with management without feeling threatened or that they will be retaliated against. This policy has solved many problems, and made way for great ideas within the company. Wal-Marts founder, Sam Walton, believed that effective leaders do not lead from behind their desks (Wal-Mart Corporation, 2010). He believed in the importance of leaders taking the initiative to stand out and motivate and listen to the associates to help create morale. This is why in many stores managers are seen out on the sales floor interacting with customers. Another role that managers and leaders take within the organization is that of the power of teamwork. The ability to work together in such a diverse setting with so many different voices and opinions can sometimes cause conflict. However, Wal-Mart associates, managers, and leaders always seem to pull together as a team to serve the customer and each other. Four Functions of Management Management is the process of working with people and resources to accomplish organizational goals (Bateman, 2009). In order for managers to be effective, they must achieve organizational goals. These goals are traditionally known as the four functions of management. The four functions of management include planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. Wal-Mart uses the four functions of management as well as its own three basic beliefs: (1) strive for excellence, (2) respect for the individual, and (3) service to the customer (Mars, 2004). Planning is defined as the act of making decisions about goals and activities for an organization. Organizations need a plan to set the stage for actions and other achievements. According to (Lewis, Goodman, Fandht, 1998), plans provide a foundation for coordinating and directing the activities of the organization so that goals can be achieved. At Wal-Mart, managers and leaders work on a daily basis to plan for the organizational functions of the business. Organizing means to assemble and coordinate the people, money, physical attributes, and information needed for companies to achieve goals. When companies do not organize properly, plans fall through and success fails. Wal-Mart has attracted associates to its organization and customers to its stores because of its desire to succeed. When referring to the function of leading, it is mainly the act of stimulation. A good leader has to have the ability to motivate and communicate with employees. This ability can be seen within Wal-Marts human resources associates, who are also classified as leaders in the organization. The last function of management is controlling. The purpose of controlling is to monitor the performance and make changes necessary for organizational success. Management of Wal-Mart can be thought of as the controlling function, because their job is to plan, organize, lead, and control the activities of the organization so that goal can be achieved (Lewis, Goodman, Fandht, 1998). Recommended Management and Leadership Strategies It is important for management and leadership to participate in planning at all levels within the company. The levels of planning that Wal-Mart continues to participate in are strategic, tactical, operational, and contingency. Two strategies that organizational managers and leaders can use to create and maintain a healthy organizational culture within the company are to continue with the same three basic beliefs and values that Sam Walton started the company with in 1962 and also to continue to believe in open communication. The three basic beliefs and values- respect for the individual, service to our customers and striving for excellence is what the Wal-Mart culture is based upon. These beliefs and values are what make the company the worlds most admired. This is evident in the tremendous worldwide growth over the past 49 years. The belief in open communication can fall under a few different areas. The first area that will be analyzed is the Open Door Policy. This policy states associates are free to share suggestion, ideas and voice concerns, whether its help with a problem, guidance or a direction, or simply getting an answer to a question (Wal-Mart Corporation, 2010). At no time will managers treat associates with bias during open door and confidentiality will be maintained. Another area that management and leadership can possibly build upon is that of the recent legal issues that have affected the company. By continuing to listen to all associates concerns and voicing those concerns to higher leadership, this can alleviate a lot of the discriminatory issues that many employees experience. It is important for leadership to step up and be the voice in each establishment of the company. By letting the associates know that sexual discrimination will not be tolerated and that all associates will have a fair chance at qualified jobs. Wal-Mart is a dominating factor in the retail industry, which makes determining strategies that will create and maintain a healthy organizational culture difficult. However, it does appear that the company shows room for improvement. Even though the company is at the top place in sustainability, and they have over 7800 Sams club and store locations with over 2 million associates, it is still important to ensure that the organizational culture of the company is maintained. It takes management, leadership, and associates working together in a retail giant such as Wal-Mart for the company to be successful, that is the teamwork and servant leadership that Sam Walton believed in.

Essay --

Shady Hill is first portrayed as the perfect town. Located in the upper-middle class suburbs of New York City during the 1950s, Shady Hill appears to be the ideal place for a family to live and is the setting for the short story "The County Husband" by John Cheever. The inhabitants are well mannered and educated. They can only associate with a restricted number of people who are in the norm. Unsurprising, once the plastic wrap is pulled away the city’s flaws come into focus. "It seems to me what is really wrong with Shady Hill is that it doesn't have any future. So much energy is spent in perpetuating the place in keeping out undesirables, and so forth..." (Cheever 82) tch Colonial home that the Weeds reside in giving such animated description as "it was not the kind of household where, after prying open a stuck cigarette box, you would find an old shirt button and a tarnished nickel" (Cheever 72). His life is one of genteel complacency, as we see from this description of his house. It may not seem to describe Shady Hill but in many ways it does. The reader begins to form an opinion of a city that contains this type of residence, a residence where "roses on the piano were reflected in the polish of the broad top..." (Cheever 72). The opinion is that Shady Hill is one of statute, and a person’s house is always kept in pristine condition. The reader may not realize that perhaps the house is kept in such tidy condition not for the sake of the family but to impress others that may come over unannounced. The description of the house should show a reader that material possessions are of great importance to Shady Hill community members. The world outside their suburb remains more than an unknown quantity; in this case... ...d reality: â€Å"for if he couldn’t tell one person from another, what evidence was there that his life with Julia and the children had as much reality as his dream of iniquity in Paris or the litter, the grass smell, and the cave-shaped trees in Lovers’ Lane† (Cheever 85). There is a useful connection to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. In the end, Hawthorne and Cheever reintegrate their protagonists into their societies because, in fact, neither author really believes that there is any other arena for human fulfillment than that of human society. The Farquarsons’ maid is the unacknowledged Hester Prynne in the midst of Shady Hill, while Weed wrings his hands—or whittles wood—like a suburban Dimmesdale. At the end of â€Å"The Country Husband,† the real question concerns the nature of the suburban society into which Cheever reintegrates his characters.

The Radical Changes Resulting from the American Revolution Essay

All of us alive today have grown up learning about the American Revolution. Although it contains the word â€Å"revolution† in its name, there are many who don’t consider the American Revolution a real revolution. After considering the definition of a revolution – a radical change of an entire system, usually by war, resulting in a change of the way of life of the people involved – and the American society before and after the American Revolution, it is obvious that those who don’t consider the American Revolution a revolution are mistaken. Among the many aspects of colonial society affected by the American Revolution, those most greatly affected by the revolution were the attitude towards slavery, the role of women, and the role of trade. The Civil War, as well as events associated with it, being a large part of our history, is taught to all children in America at an early age. Growing up, we are taught the evils of slavery and how slaves were treated poorly. The evils about which we’ve been taught were actually occurring prior to the American Revolution. Over the course of the revolution, the attitude toward and treatment of slaves changed. Before the American Revolution, many people, though not all, thought of slaves as â€Å"subhuman† or as animals. Even among those who gave the slaves the good treatment they deserved, there was still a feeling that the whites were better than the slaves. How many black people did could have been seen living in their nice house with a few white slaves? None; that sight was non-existent. The few black people who were free had little money. Had they been wealthy, there was still no way they ever would have found a white person who would have been their slave. Nor would that have been allowed. ... ...heir own laws about trade (once the Constitution was written). The colonies, not Britain, could decide who they traded with and what taxes they charged; they had complete control over the system of trade. The term â€Å"revolution† requires a radical change of an entire system that changes people’s lives. Slavery, the attitudes toward women, and the trade system were only a few parts of the entire system that changed during the American Revolution. Not to mention the change in government from a Monarchy to a Democracy! People’s lives have been different ever since the American Revolution. Had the colonists never broken away from Britain, we wouldn’t be studying American history. Rather, we’d be studying British history. The large step of breaking away from England has radically changed the way the colonists lived and has had a huge influence on the way we live today. The Radical Changes Resulting from the American Revolution Essay All of us alive today have grown up learning about the American Revolution. Although it contains the word â€Å"revolution† in its name, there are many who don’t consider the American Revolution a real revolution. After considering the definition of a revolution – a radical change of an entire system, usually by war, resulting in a change of the way of life of the people involved – and the American society before and after the American Revolution, it is obvious that those who don’t consider the American Revolution a revolution are mistaken. Among the many aspects of colonial society affected by the American Revolution, those most greatly affected by the revolution were the attitude towards slavery, the role of women, and the role of trade. The Civil War, as well as events associated with it, being a large part of our history, is taught to all children in America at an early age. Growing up, we are taught the evils of slavery and how slaves were treated poorly. The evils about which we’ve been taught were actually occurring prior to the American Revolution. Over the course of the revolution, the attitude toward and treatment of slaves changed. Before the American Revolution, many people, though not all, thought of slaves as â€Å"subhuman† or as animals. Even among those who gave the slaves the good treatment they deserved, there was still a feeling that the whites were better than the slaves. How many black people did could have been seen living in their nice house with a few white slaves? None; that sight was non-existent. The few black people who were free had little money. Had they been wealthy, there was still no way they ever would have found a white person who would have been their slave. Nor would that have been allowed. ... ...heir own laws about trade (once the Constitution was written). The colonies, not Britain, could decide who they traded with and what taxes they charged; they had complete control over the system of trade. The term â€Å"revolution† requires a radical change of an entire system that changes people’s lives. Slavery, the attitudes toward women, and the trade system were only a few parts of the entire system that changed during the American Revolution. Not to mention the change in government from a Monarchy to a Democracy! People’s lives have been different ever since the American Revolution. Had the colonists never broken away from Britain, we wouldn’t be studying American history. Rather, we’d be studying British history. The large step of breaking away from England has radically changed the way the colonists lived and has had a huge influence on the way we live today.

Political Philosophy and Plato Essay

Credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy, he is an enigmatic figure known chiefly through the accounts of later classical writers, especially the writings of his students Plato and Xenophon, and the plays of his contemporary Aristophanes. Many would claim that Plato’s dialogues are the most comprehensive accounts of Socrates to survive from antiquity. Through his portrayal in Plato’s dialogues, Socrates has become renowned for his contribution to the field of ethics, and it is this Platonic Socrates who also lends his name to the concepts of Socratic irony and the Socratic method, or elenchus. The latter remains a commonly used tool in a wide range of discussions, and is a type of pedagogy in which a series of questions are asked not only to draw individual answers, but also to encourage fundamental insight into the issue at hand. It is Plato’s Socrates that also made important and lasting contributions to the fields of epistemology and logic, and the influence of his ideas and approach remains strong in providing a foundation for much western philosophy that followed. As one recent commentator has put it, Plato, the idealist, offers â€Å"an idol, a master figure, for philosophy. A Saint, a prophet of the ‘Sun-God’, a teacher condemned for his teachings as a heretic. † Yet, the ‘real’ Socrates, like many of the other ancient philosophers, remains, at best, enigmatic and, at worst, unknown. Perhaps his most important contribution to Western thought is his dialectic method of inquiry, known as the Socratic method or method of â€Å"elenchus†, which he largely applied to the examination of key moral concepts such as the Good and Justice. It was first described by Plato in the Socratic Dialogues. To solve a problem, it would be broken down into a series of questions, the answers to which gradually distill the answer a person would seek. The influence of this approach is most strongly felt today in the use of the scientific method, in which hypothesis is the first stage. The development and practice of this method is one of Socrates’ most enduring contributions, and is a key factor in earning his mantle as the father of political philosophy, ethics or moral philosophy, and as a figurehead of all the central themes in Western philosophy. To illustrate the use of the Socratic method; a series of questions are posed to help a person or group to determine their underlying beliefs and the extent of their knowledge. The Socratic method is a negative method of hypothesis elimination, in that better hypotheses are found by steadily identifying and eliminating those that lead to contradictions. It was designed to force one to examine one’s own beliefs and the validity of such beliefs. In fact, Socrates once said, â€Å"I know you won’t believe me, but the highest form of Human Excellence is to question oneself and others. † Philosophical beliefs The beliefs of Socrates, as distinct from those of Plato, are difficult to discern. Little in the way of concrete evidence exists to demarcate the two. The lengthy theories given in most of the dialogues are those of Plato, and some scholars think Plato so adapted the Socratic style as to make the literary character and the philosopher himself impossible to distinguish. Others argue that he did have his own theories and beliefs, but there is much controversy over what these might have been, owing to the difficulty of separating Socrates from Plato and the difficulty of interpreting even the dramatic writings concerning Socrates. Consequently, distinguishing the philosophical beliefs of Socrates from those of Plato and Xenophon is not easy and it must be remembered that what is attributed to Socrates might more closely reflect the specific concerns of these thinkers. The matter is complicated because the historical Socrates seems to have been notorious for asking questions but not answering, claiming to lack wisdom concerning the subjects about which he questioned others. Socratic Paradoxes Many of the beliefs traditionally attributed to the historical Socrates have been characterized as â€Å"paradoxal† because they seem to conflict with common sense. The following are among the so-called Socratic Paradoxes. †¢No one desires evil. †¢No one errs or does wrong willingly or knowingly. †¢Virtue—all virtue—is knowledge. †¢Virtue is sufficient for happiness. The phrase Socratic paradox can also refer to a self-referential paradox, originating in Socrates’ phrase, â€Å"I know that I know nothing noble and good†. Knowledge One of the best known sayings of Socrates is â€Å"I only know that I know nothing†. The conventional interpretation of this remark is that Socrates’ wisdom was limited to an awareness of his own ignorance. Socrates believed wrongdoing was a consequence of ignorance and those who did wrong knew no better. The one thing Socrates consistently claimed to have knowledge of was â€Å"the art of love†, which he connected with the concept of â€Å"the love of wisdom†, i. e. , philosophy. He never actually claimed to be wise, only to understand the path a lover of wisdom must take in pursuing it. It is debatable whether Socrates believed humans (as opposed to gods like Apollo) could actually become wise. On the one hand, he drew a clear line between human ignorance and ideal knowledge; on the other, Plato’s Symposium (Diotima’s Speech) and Republic (Allegory of the Cave) describe a method for ascending to wisdom. In Plato’s Theaetetus (150a), Socrates compares himself to a true matchmaker (promnestikos), as distinguished from a panderer ( proagogos). This distinction is echoed in Xenophon’s Symposium (3. 20), when Socrates jokes about his certainty of being able to make a fortune, if he chose to practice the art of pandering. For his part as a philosophical interlocutor, he leads his respondent to a clearer conception of wisdom, although he claims he is not himself a teacher (Apology). His role, he claims, is more properly to be understood as analogous to a midwife ( ? ? maia). Socrates explains that he is himself barren of theories, but knows how to bring the theories of others to birth and determine whether they are worthy or mere â€Å"wind eggs† ( ? ? anemiaion). Perhaps significantly, he points out that midwives are barren due to age, and women who have never given birth are unable to become midwives; they would have no experience or knowledge of birth and would be unable to separate the worthy infants from those that should be left on the hillside to be exposed. To judge this, the midwife must have experience and knowledge of what she is judging. Virtue Bust of Socrates in the Palermo Archaeological Museum. Socrates believed the best way for people to live was to focus on self-development rather than the pursuit of material wealth. He always invited others to try to concentrate more on friendships and a sense of true community, for Socrates felt this was the best way for people to grow together as a populace. His actions lived up to this: in the end, Socrates accepted his death sentence when most thought he would simply leave Athens, as he felt he could not run away from or go against the will of his community; as mentioned above, his reputation for valor on the battlefield was without reproach. The idea that humans possessed certain virtues formed a common thread in Socrates’ teachings. These virtues represented the most important qualities for a person to have, foremost of which were the philosophical or intellectual virtues. Socrates stressed that â€Å"virtue was the most valuable of all possessions; the ideal life was spent in search of the Good. Truth lies beneath the shadows of existence, and it is the job of the philosopher to show the rest how little they really know. Politics It is often argued that Socrates believed â€Å"ideals belong in a world only the wise man can understand†, making the philosopher the only type of person suitable to govern others. In Plato’s dialogue the Republic, Socrates was in no way subtle about his particular beliefs on government. He openly objected to the democracy that ran Athens during his adult life. It was not only Athenian democracy: Socrates objected to any form of government that did not conform to his ideal of a perfect republic led by philosophers, and Athenian government was far from that. It is, however, possible that the Socrates of Plato’s Republic is colored by Plato’s own views. During the last years of Socrates’ life, Athens was in continual flux due to political upheaval. Democracy was at last overthrown by a junta known as the Thirty Tyrants, led by Plato’s relative, Critias, who had been a student of Socrates. The Tyrants ruled for about a year before the Athenian democracy was reinstated, at which point it declared an amnesty for all recent events. Socrates’ opposition to democracy is often denied, and the question is one of the biggest philosophical debates when trying to determine exactly what Socrates believed. The strongest argument of those who claim Socrates did not actually believe in the idea of philosopher kings is that the view is expressed no earlier than Plato’s Republic, which is widely considered one of Plato’s â€Å"Middle† dialogues and not representative of the historical Socrates’ views. Furthermore, according to Plato’s Apology of Socrates, an â€Å"early† dialogue, Socrates refused to pursue conventional politics; he often stated he could not look into other’s matters or tell people how to live their lives when he did not yet understand how to live his own. He believed he was a philosopher engaged in the pursuit of Truth, and did not claim to know it fully. Socrates’ acceptance of his death sentence, after his conviction by the Boule (Senate), can also be seen to support this view. It is often claimed much of the anti-democratic leanings are from Plato, who was never able to overcome his disgust at what was done to his teacher. In any case, it is clear Socrates thought the rule of the Thirty Tyrants was at least as objectionable as Democracy; when called before them to assist in the arrest of a fellow Athenian, Socrates refused and narrowly escaped death before the Tyrants were overthrown. He did however fulfill his duty to serve as Prytanis when a trial of a group of Generals who presided over a disastrous naval campaign were judged; even then he maintained an uncompromising attitude, being one of those who refused to proceed in a manner not supported by the laws, despite intense pressure. Judging by his actions, he considered the rule of the Thirty Tyrants less legitimate than the Democratic Senate that sentenced him to death. Contributions of Socrates One: Awakened thinkers to the need to examine and reexamine their political, moral, and philosophical views in order to discover and root out errors and misconceptions that impede progress. Socrates accomplished this task by demonstrating, through cross-examination of people he encountered, that many accepted precepts, conventions, and beliefs were based on faulty logic or outright errors. A quotation attributed to him states: â€Å"The unexamined life is not worth living. † In other words, a human being must not be complacent and self-satisfied; instead, he must be ever probing, exploring, and reconnoitering his soul in order to discover ways to improve. Two: Effectively rebutted a central tenet of the Sophists, traveling teachers who charged fees for educating young men. This tenet maintained that the guiding principles of a society, such as justice and truth, were relative concepts–that is, they changed according to the needs of men in a particular time and place. What was considered right and just in Athens was not necessarily right and just in another society, the Sophists maintained. One man’s virtue could be another man’s vice. Three: Pioneered the use of inductive reasoning to draw logical conclusions. According to Aristotle, Socrates founded the â€Å"scientific method. † Four: Demonstrated that wrongdoing results from ignorance. If a man lies, Socrates might have said, he does so because he does not understand the benefits of telling the truth. Five: Inspired philosophers in his own time and in later times to pursue the truth through rigorous analysis of available, facts, opinions, and so on. Two of the most important philosophers in the history of the world, Plato and Aristotle, both esteemed Socrates as a supreme thinker and infused their philosophical systems with Socratic thought. Plato was a pupil of Socrates, and Aristotle was a pupil of Plato. Six: Showed the world the meaning of integrity and moral commitment by accepting a death sentence rather than recanting his principles. Seven: Made clear that a human being is more than his appearance. Socrates was ugly, wore old clothes, and walked barefooted through the streets of Athens. But his mind and the words he spoke were beautiful. The trial of Socrates The Trial of Socrates refers to the trial and the subsequent execution of the classical Athenian philosopher Socrates in 399 BC. Socrates was tried on the basis of two notoriously ambiguous charges: corrupting the youth and impiety. More specifically, Socrates’ accusers cited two â€Å"impious† acts: â€Å"failing to acknowledge the gods that the city acknowledges† and â€Å"introducing new deities. † A majority of the 501 dikasts (Athenian citizens chosen by lot to serve as jurors) voted to convict him. Consistent with common practice, the dikasts determined Socrates’ punishment with another vote. Socrates was ultimately sentenced to death by drinking a hemlock-based liquid. The accuser Meletus swore before the Archon, a state office-holder with primarily religious duties. Having decided that there was a case to answer, the Archon summoned Socrates to appear before a jury of Athenian citizens, to answer charges of corrupting the youth of Athens and impiety. Athenian juries were drawn by lottery from a group of male citizen volunteers. Unlike trials in many modern societies, majority verdicts were the rule rather than the exception. Neither Plato nor Xenophon mentions the number of Socrates’ judges, though Plato’s Apology 35a-b does suggest some definite boundaries: that if just thirty of the votes had been otherwise then he would have been acquitted, and that (perhaps) less than three fifths voted against him After the vote on Socrates’ guilt, Socrates and his prosecutor suggested alternative sentences. Socrates, after expressing his surprise of the little amount he needed to be have been found innocent, jokingly suggested free meals at the Prytaneum, a particular honor held for city benefactors and winners at the Olympic Games, then offered to pay a fine of 100 drachmae, which was a fifth of his property and a testament to Socrates’ poverty. Finally he settled on the sum of 3000 drachmae, put forward by Plato, Crito, Critobulus, and Apollodorus, who guaranteed the payment. His prosecutor proposed the death penalty. The jury voted for death as the penalty – the larger majority showing (Diogenes Laertius 2. 42). Perhaps Socrates had lost support by his slighting and unapologetic tone. Socrates’s followers encouraged him to flee, and citizens expected him to do so and were probably not averse to it; but he refused on principle. Apparently in accordance with his philosophy of obedience to law, he carried out his own execution, by drinking the hemlock provided to him. Socrates died at the age of 70. Most scholars see the conviction and execution of Socrates as a deliberate choice made by the famous philosopher himself. If the accounts of Plato and Xenophon are reasonably accurate, Socrates sought not to persuade jurors, but rather to lecture and provoke them. The trial and execution of Socrates produced the first martyr for free speech. PLATO Plato 428/427 BC – 348/347 BC), was a Classical Greek philosopher, mathematician, student of Socrates, writer of philosophical dialogues, and founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. Along with his mentor, Socrates, and his student, Aristotle, Plato helped to lay the foundations of Western philosophy and science. In the famous words of A. N. Whitehead: The safest general characterization of the European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato. I do not mean the systematic scheme of thought which scholars have doubtfully extracted from his writings. I allude to the wealth of general ideas scattered through them. Plato’s sophistication as a writer is evident in his Socratic dialogues; thirty-six dialogues and thirteen letters have been ascribed to him. Plato’s writings have been published in several fashions; this has led to several conventions regarding the naming and referencing of Plato’s texts. Plato’s dialogues have been used to teach a range of subjects, including philosophy, logic, ethics, rhetoric, and mathematics Plato’s philosophical views had many societal implications, especially on the idea of an ideal state or government. There is some discrepancy between his early and later views. Some of the most famous doctrines are contained in the Republic during his middle period, as well as in the Laws and the Statesman. However, because Plato wrote dialogues, it is assumed that Socrates is often speaking for Plato. This assumption may not be true in all cases. Plato, through the words of Socrates, asserts that societies have a tripartite class structure corresponding to the appetite/spirit/reason structure of the individual soul. The appetite/spirit/reason stand for different parts of the body. The body parts symbolize the castes of society †¢Productive, which represents the abdomen. (Workers) — the labourers, carpenters, plumbers, masons, merchants, farmers, ranchers, etc. These correspond to the â€Å"appetite† part of the soul. †¢Protective, which represents the chest. (Warriors or Guardians) — those who are adventurous, strong and brave; in the armed forces. These correspond to the â€Å"spirit† part of the soul. †¢ †¢ †¢Governing, which represents the head. (Rulers or Philosopher Kings) — those who are intelligent, rational, self-controlled, in love with wisdom, well suited to make decisions for the community. These correspond to the â€Å"reason† part of the soul and are very few. According to this model, the principles of Athenian democracy (as it existed in his day) are rejected as only a few are fit to rule. Instead of rhetoric and persuasion, Plato says reason and wisdom should govern. As Plato puts it: â€Å"Until philosophers rule as kings or those who are now called kings and leading men genuinely and adequately philosophise, that is, until political power and philosophy entirely coincide, while the many natures who at present pursue either one exclusively are forcibly prevented from doing so, cities will have no rest from evils,†¦ nor, I think, will the human race. † (Republic 473c-d) Plato describes these â€Å"philosopher kings† as â€Å"those who love the sight of truth† (Republic 475c) and supports the idea with the analogy of a captain and his ship or a doctor and his medicine. According to him, sailing and health are not things that everyone is qualified to practice by nature. A large part of the Republic then addresses how the educational system should be set up to produce these philosopher kings. However, it must be taken into account that the ideal city outlined in the Republic is qualified by Socrates as the ideal luxurious city, examined to determine how it is that injustice and justice grow in a city (Republic 372e). According to Socrates, the â€Å"true† and â€Å"healthy† city is instead the one first outlined in book II of the Republic, 369c–372d, containing farmers, craftsmen, merchants, and wage-earners, but lacking the guardian class of philosopher-kings as well as delicacies such as â€Å"perfumed oils, incense, prostitutes, and pastries†, in addition to paintings, gold, ivory, couches, a multitude of occupations such as poets and hunters, and war. In addition, the ideal city is used as an image to illuminate the state of one’s soul, or the will, reason, and desires combined in the human body. Socrates is attempting to make an image of a rightly ordered human, and then later goes on to describe the different kinds of humans that can be observed, from tyrants to lovers of money in various kinds of cities. The ideal city is not promoted, but only used to magnify the different kinds of individual humans and the state of their soul. However, the philosopher king image was used by many after Plato to justify their personal political beliefs. The philosophic soul according to Socrates has reason, will, and desires united in virtuous harmony. A philosopher has the moderate love for wisdom and the courage to act according to wisdom. Wisdom is knowledge about the Good or the right relations between all that exists. Wherein it concerns states and rulers, Plato has made interesting arguments. For instance he asks which is better—a bad democracy or a country reigned by a tyrant. He argues that it is better to be ruled by a bad tyrant, than be a bad democracy (since here all the people are now responsible for such actions, rather than one individual committing many bad deeds. ) This is emphasised within the Republic as Plato describes the event of mutiny onboard a ship. Plato suggests the ships crew to be in line with the democratic rule of many and the captain, although inhibited through ailments, the tyrant. Plato’s description of this event is parallel to that of democracy within the state and the inherent problems that arise. According to Plato, a state made up of different kinds of souls will, overall, decline from an aristocracy (rule by the best) to a timocracy (rule by the honorable), then to an oligarchy (rule by the few), then to a democracy (rule by the people), and finally to tyranny (rule by one person, rule by a tyrant). Plato went on to study with Socrates. He learned to reason and debate through Socrates. Plato was very close to him, and when he watched Socrates’ trial and murder in 399 BC, it disillusioned him greatly. He no longer trusted the government of Greece; so he decided to open a school in Athens instead of going into politics like everyone in his family had. Plato’s school for philosophers was started so that he could train those who would some day be his leaders of cities. His most famous student was Aristotle who later tutored Alexander the Great. Plato promoted ideas that would eventually effect even Thomas Aquinas who changed Catholic Doctrine to make it conform to the works of Aristotle. Plato’s ideas have greatly influenced the thinking of modern governments such as in the founding of the American system. For example, Plato stated, â€Å"Unless philosophers bear kingly rule in cities or those who are now called kings and princes become genuine and adequate philosophers, and political power and philosophy are brought together . . . there will be no respite from evil for cities. † – Plato and â€Å"The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men. † From these first democratic societies of the Greeks, Plato’s teaching has not neccesarily been proven over time. The political philosopher, Hilter, for example, was democratically elected by an intelligent populace who were very concerned with public affairs. Plato’s thoughts about perceptions of reality are still of interest today. One allegory went something like this: Suppose a few men were captured when they were born, and made to live in a cave. They are chained by their neck and feet so that they cannot move at all. The men are facing a wall of stone. Behind them burns a fire. In front of that is a wall along which their captors walk with puppets in their hands. The only truth they know is that of what shadows look like and muffled sound echoing throughout the hall. They know not what a true boat looks like, just the shadow of a boat. They make words for the objects they see. One day one of the men breaks free and gets out of the cave into the world. He sees the fire and the puppets and knows that all he has known all his life was just a piece of all he knew. He got to the outdoors and was blinded by the sun. He had to re-learn what the world really was like. He learned what true boats looked like and found that they were not at all like their shadows. He decided that his friends in the cave should also know that what they saw was not real, but was just an image cast from a wavering fire. When he went down and told them, they laughed at him and told him he was wrong. They said ‘Look! Can you not see the wall? That on the wall is a boat. ’ He persisted in his story of the light, and they eventually killed him. This great analogy can apply to what we know about heavens. As it is written in 1 Corinthians 13:12, â€Å"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. † Plato sensed that there was a reality apart from his perception as many had sensed before him. The wisest man that ever lived, Solomon, acknowledged in Ecclesiastes 1 that â€Å"there is nothing new under the sun†. Indeed, centuries before Plato, it was recorded in Job 12:22, â€Å"He [God] reveals mysteries from the darkness and brings the deep darkness into light. â€Å" The mysterious shadows of life can only be brought to the light of understanding by God as explained by the Apostle in John 1:5 â€Å"And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. † And they killed what they didn’t understand as they were afraid of the reality of their sins and crucified the Light. Plato knew of this human fear factor, â€Å"We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark. The real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. † –Plato Although Plato died in 347 BC, but his teaching continues to influence governments systems and even doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church. Most philosophers from antiquity up to today have stood on Plato’s broad shoulders attempting to use what he offered and see beyond the cave’s shadows. ARISTOTLE Aristotle (b. 384 – d. 322 BCE), was a Greek philosopher, logician, and scientist. Along with his teacher Plato, Aristotle is generally regarded as one of the most influential ancient thinkers in a number of philosophical fields, including political theory. Aristotle was born in Stagira in northern Greece, and his father was a court physician to the king of Macedon. As a young man he studied in Plato’s Academy in Athens. After Plato’s death he left Athens to conduct philosophical and biological research in Asia Minor and Lesbos, and he was then invited by King Philip II of Macedon to tutor his young son, Alexander the Great. Soon after Alexander succeeded his father, consolidated the conquest of the Greek city-states, and launched the invasion of the Persian Empire. Aristotle returned as a resident alien to Athens, and was a close friend of Antipater, the Macedonian viceroy. At this time (335–323 BCE) he wrote, or at least worked on, some of his major treatises, including the Politics. When Alexander died suddenly, Aristotle had to flee from Athens because of his Macedonian connections, and he died soon after. Aristotle’s life seems to have influenced his political thought in various ways: his interest in biology seems to be expressed in the naturalism of his politics; his interest in comparative politics and his sympathies for democracy as well as monarchy may have been encouraged by his travels and experience of diverse political systems; he criticizes harshly, while borrowing extensively, from Plato’s Republic, Statesman, and Laws; and his own Politics is intended to guide rulers and statesmen, reflecting the high political circles in which he moved. Political Science in General The modern word ‘political’ derives from the Greek politikos, ‘of, or pertaining to, the polis’. (The Greek term polis will be translated here as ‘city-state’. It is also translated as ‘city’ or ‘polis’, or simply anglicized as ‘polis’. City-states like Athens and Sparta were relatively small and cohesive units, in which political, religious, and cultural concerns were intertwined. The extent of their similarity to modern nation-states is controversial. ) Aristotle’s word for ‘politics’ is politike, which is short for politike episteme or ‘political science’. It belongs to one of the three main branches of science, which Aristotle distinguishes by their ends or objects. Contemplative science (including physics and metaphysics) is concerned with truth or knowledge for its own sake; practical science with good action; and productive science with making useful or beautiful. Politics is a practical science, since it is concerned with the noble action or happiness of the citizens (although it resembles a productive science in that it seeks to create, preserve, and reform political systems). Aristotle thus understands politics as a normative or prescriptive discipline rather than as a purely empirical or descriptive inquiry. In the Nicomachean Ethics Aristotle describes his subject matter as political science, which he characterizes as the most authoritative science. It prescribes which sciences are to be studied in the city-state, and the others — such as military science, household management, and rhetoric — fall under its authority. Since it governs the other practical sciences, their ends serve as means to its end, which is nothing less than the human good. â€Å"Even if the end is the same for an individual and for a city-state, that of the city-state seems at any rate greater and more complete to attain and preserve. For although it is worthy to attain it for only an individual, it is nobler and more divine to do so for a nation or city-state† (EN I. 2. 1094b7-10). Aristotle’s political science encompasses the two fields which modern philosophers distinguish as ethics and political philosophy. Political philosophy in the narrow sense is roughly speaking the subject of his treatise called the Politics. For a further discussion of this topic, see the following supplementary document: 2. Aristotle’s View of Politics Political science studies the tasks of the politician or statesman (politikos), in much the way that medical science concerns the work of the physician (see Politics IV. 1). It is, in fact, the body of knowledge that such practitioners, if truly expert, will also wield in pursuing their tasks. The most important task for the politician is, in the role of lawgiver, to frame the appropriate constitution for the city-state. This involves enduring laws, customs, and institutions (including a system of moral education) for the citizens. Once the constitution is in place, the politician needs to take the appropriate measures to maintain it, to introduce reforms when he finds them necessary, and to prevent developments which might subvert the political system. This is the province of legislative science, which Aristotle regards as more important than politics as exercised in everyday political activity such as the passing of decrees. Aristotle frequently compares the politician to a craftsman. The analogy is imprecise because politics, in the strict sense of legislative science, is a form of practical knowledge, while a craft like architecture or medicine is a form of productive knowledge. However, the comparison is valid to the extent that the politician produces, operates, maintains a legal system according to universal principles (EN VI. 8 and X. 9). In order to appreciate this analogy it is helpful to observe that Aristotle explains the production of an artifact in terms of four causes: the material, formal, efficient, and final causes (Phys. II. 3 and Met. A. 2). For example, clay (material cause) is molded into a vase shape (formal cause) by a potter (efficient or moving cause) so that it can contain liquid (final cause). One can also explain the existence of the city-state in terms of the four causes. It is a kind of community, that is, a collection of parts having some functions and interests in common. Hence, it is made up of parts, which Aristotle describes in various.