Rosetta Stone Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Rosetta Stone - Research Paper Example One of the key features about the Rosetta stone is its name. The name is currently commonly confused with one of the quickest growing educational blogs. The blog was named after the rock since it serves the same role the Rosetta stone played for archeologists and the world, which was the deciphering of the hieroglyphs. Jean-Franà §ois Champollion was the archeologist who was able to decipher the meaning of the hieroglyphs. Champollion had a good understanding of the Greek language and had expansive knowledge and comprehension of Coptic. With an understanding of Coptic script and Greek, Champollion was able to decipher the hieroglyphs. Another interesting aspect about the Rosetta stone is its naming. The rock, which is believed to be made of granodiorite, is named after the town in which it was discovered. However, the Town was not known as Rosetta but rather is historically and geographically known as Rashid. However, the English translation of Rashid is Rosetta. Conventionally, the importance of the Rosetta stone, other than its contribution to the deciphering the hieroglyphs in 1822 is still not clearly known. However, several propositions of its roles have been from the translation of the hieroglyphs. The rock was uncovered by Napoleon’s soldiers when they were digging foundations in el-Rashid, which is commonly referred to as Rosetta The Rosetta stone is believed to have been issued in 196 BC in Memphis, Egypt. The stone was developed as a decree on behalf of King Ptolemy V. The stone is believed to have been written in three scripts for it to be easily read by priests, government officials and rulers of Egypt. Presumably, each of these groups used a different script in their literature. The current level of knowledge of deciphering argues that the stele was erected to assert the beginning of a new reign; a divine cult (Sandborn & Sandborn 110). The stone is one of the few historical

Personal Philosophy of Nursing Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Philosophy of Nursing - Personal Statement Example In addition, I hope to be of positive impact to the discipline by ensuring that I have good relationships with my colleagues and the community as a whole. My nursing philosophy is influenced by the legal and ethical responsibilities of a nurse towards their patients. In my belief, nurses should promote and protect the safety, health, and privileges of the patient. Every patient deserves to be given quality care irrespective of their culture, religion, race, age, and socio-economic status, among other differentiating factors (American Nurses Association, 2001). It is, therefore, my vow to guard the ethical codes for nurses, which require confidentiality and the provision of quality and safe care. In addition, being ethical in my opinion, means that I should respect the personal beliefs of my clients even if those beliefs conflict with my personal views. For example, patients may refuse to take medicine based on their religious beliefs, thus leaving me in a dilemma on what course of action to take since I know that they will not get better without the medication. In such I dilemma, I would be required to find a solution in which I would meet the patient’s need while also not compromising my beliefs thus maintain ethicality. Care and compassion are some of the greatest attributes that a nurse could have, and show to their patients. Nursing is not only concerned with the physical health of patients but also their emotional and spiritual needs. According to Chitty & Black (2007) health is a holistic entity that involves physical, emotional, physiological, spiritual, and social facets of human life. Therefore, I hope to help my patients manage the emotional stress that comes with illness, and if it is within my capacity, help them find spiritual peace as well, to enable them cope with their situation. In terms of the personal beliefs that influence my nursing practice, I strive

Clark Beck Obsessive compulsive inventory Test

Clark Beck Obsessive compulsive inventory Test Clack Beck Obsessive compulsive inventory test intent to find out relationship between ones personality disorder and how it affects ones interpersonal relation. This research has two main purposes. First, this study will observe the relation between personality disorder and interpersonal troubles by using information gather from ones self report and group of people who relate to person who has personality disorder. Second, this research will closely look at relationship between personality disorders traits and interpersonal troubles measure across source. Through out this study, we will able to expand our knowledge about personality disorder and gain reliable information about how personality disorder impacts ones interpersonal relationship. Clark Beck Obsessive compulsive inventory Test Mental disorders which include personality disorder are the one of main cause of disability in the USA. About one in four adults ages 18 and over, suffering some kind of mental disorder include personality disorder. (Andrew) This means about 57 million people suffering mental disorder in USA. (Andrew). People who suffering Personality Disorder is always behaved or involve in considerable personal and social disruption. In other word, Personality Disorder person behave abnormally in social life. In order to understand the how personality disorder impact ones interpersonal relationship, we needs to get information from people around him or her. Clack Beck Obsessive compulsive inventory test will find out relationship between ones personality disorder and ones interpersonal impairment. From this observation, we will able to gain reliable information about how personality disorder impacts ones interpersonal relationship. This research has two main purposes. First, this study will observe the relation between personality disorder and interpersonal troubles by using information gather from ones self report and group of people who interact with personality disorder person. (Allan) Second, this research will closely look at relationship between personality disorders traits and interpersonal troubles measure across source. (Allan) In other word, we will compare the personality disorder traits gathering by ones self-report with the interpersonal problems reported by peers and vice versa. (Allan) By comparing personality disorder traits and peers report, we will able to see how ones personality disorder is perceived differently by one-self and others. (Allan) The population of this study is undergraduate students at a large public university. University students ages are between from 18 to 22. 75 percent of student who participates were Caucasian, 9 percent were Asian, 7 percent of African American, and 8 percent of other ethnicities includes Hispanic, Native American. (Allan) Students who participates this study were all first year students who had been living together about five month in same dormitory. Students rates all other peers who lived together by answer questionnaire form which ask, please rate how well you know each person in four point scale from o (Not at all) to 3 (very well). (Allan) The self report and peer report of personality disorder questionnaires consists of 106 items. The self-report and peer report version of questionnaire items are matched; only the wording of questionnaires are changed. (Allan). Each student will nominate every other students of the group. For each questionnaire, individual will recommended students who are best matched with given characteristic in each question. Also, for each questionnaire, each students rating peers, by indicating sometimes, often, or always shows such characteristic. (Allan) After students completed peer report then all students will completed a self report which is same as peer report, only wording is different. Students marked by using four point scale from 0 (never) to 3 (always). The psychometric properties of the obsessive compulsive test have shown that this test is fairly reliable, and valid. The internal reliability of peer score on PIPD items was 0.74 for 393 University students, within values ranging from 0.90 to 0.19. (Allan) Test-retest reliability of this test was 0.71. Interrater reliability is from 0.57 to 0.75. (Allan) Factor analysis of the peer report and the self report shows relatively high correspondence, coefficients ranged from 0.87 to 0.97. (Allan) The obsessive compulsive inventory test has proved as a valid assessment test. This test has a moderate validity for its construction, and content it contains. Its Factor analysis is relatively high which demonstrate that this test successfully measure what it is intend to measure. Variation of self report and peer report, maximum possible variance across sources ranged from only 4 percent to 13 percent. (Allan) This shows that even though self report and peer report measures similar contents but only little variance shared between self report and peer report of personality disorder. We might able to predict that there is significant gap between how one perceived about oneself and peers think of him or her. In other word, person who suffering personality disorder have low recognition of what his or her peers think of him or her. (Allan) The correlation for concurrent validity is 0.25 to 0.30 with criterion measures. These result demonstrate that people who suffering personality disor der are poor at identifying how they perceived by others. (Allan). Canonical variation pairs explained a moderate amount of cumulative variance, 36 percent of self report and 38 percent of peer report. (Allan) Overall, this study result shows that self reported by personality disorder person and interpersonal problems are highly related and explain a moderate amount of the overall variance of one another. (Allan) Clark Beck obsessive compulsive inventory could be benefit in clinical, counseling or research setting. The obsessive compulsive inventory test has been a useful tool to help person who suffering personality disorder to acknowledge that there is exist gap between what one think about oneself and how others think about him or her. (Daniel) This test results could be use as a clinical setting to help improve ones self awareness of his or her personality disorder and how it affect ones interpersonal relation. Because this personality disorder person has low ability to predict ones interpersonal relation, one used to become anti social person or narcissism. (James) By using Clark Becks compulsive inventory in clinical setting, therapist able to explain and diagnose ones personality disorder and help him or her realize current interpersonal problem. The Clack Beck obsessive compulsive inventory has also benefit to use in counseling. Many personality disorder people do not realize ones disability until they loose everyone around them. Many personality disorder people believe their poor interpersonal relationship were not their problem, it is everyones problem, except oneself. (David) They usually think they are normal and all others are abnormal. So, they avoid to get diagnose of therapist or doctor for their personality problem. In order to prevent worsen their problematic relationship, counselor able to use results of obsessive compulsive inventory test to help personality disorder person to acknowledge their personality disorder. (David) It is important to get a therapy or counseling in early. Early prevention of personality disorder will helps to cure ones problem quickly and prevent to become antisocial personality or narcisstic person. (James) Clark Beck Obsessive compulsive inventory test has its strengths. Main purpose of this study is to find out relation between personality disorder and interpersonal relation. (Allan) This study successfully meets its study purpose. This study proves that personality disorder is significantly related to interpersonal impairment. Those who have any kind of personality disorder will struggle with interpersonal relationship. Also, Clark Beck obsessive compulsive inventory test is written clearly and well organized. Researchers are rewording and use simple words for questionnaires, instead of using complicated psychology or technical term, so anyone could easily follow the questions and understand the what researcher intent to meaning. Even though, Clark Beck obsessive compulsive inventory test is well construct and study successfully achieves its research purpose, there are still few weaknesses or limitation which could improve this study in the future. First, this research has only been conducted with university student of the ages 18 and 22 years old. For this reason, results cannot be generalized to people of other age groups. Therefore, if researcher varies the range of age groups then this study will give more reliable and valid results. Second, the sample of student only survey in USA which are in Central America. So, it could not represent student of eastern culture, Africa or other continents which might show different study results since different counties have different culture, or definition of abnormal personality. Therefore, in the future study, it could be improved if sample was gathered all around the world. In summary, Clark Beck Obsessive compulsive inventory test is a test which could applied for any age groups. The main purpose of this test is to diagnoses ones personality disorder and how it affects ones interpersonal relation. (Allan) Mental disorders which include personality disorder are the one of leading cause of disability in the USA. About one in four adults ages 18 and over, suffering some kind of mental disorder include personality disorder. (Andrew) People who suffering Personality Disorder is always behaved or involve in considerable personal and social disruption. In other word, Personality Disorder person behave abnormally in social life. Therefore, Early prevention or interruption is critical for anyone who has personality disorder otherwise, one could become antisocial or narcisstic personality person. Overall, this study is well constructed and measure what it intent to measure and benefit any one who investigate about personality disorder. I can do everything through him who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13). References Allan, C., Eric, T., Thomas, O. (2004). Self and Peer Perspectives on Pathological personality Traits and Interpersonal Problems. Psychology Assessment, 17, 123-131. Mental Measurement Yearbook. Andrew, D., Janet, B. (2007). Personality change and personality disorder: Some initial thought on the application of McAdams triarchic model to the treatment of personality disorder. Psychology, Crime Law, 13, 19-26. Daniel, O., Jakob, S. (2007). Psychometric properties of the obsessive compulsive Inventory revised among Icelandic college students. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 48, 127-133. David, M. Pino, A., Rafael, T. Xavier, C. (2004). Personality characteristics in obsessive-compulsive disorder and individuals with subclinical obsessive compulsive problems. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 43, 387-398. James, O. (2006). Psychopathy and Antisocial personality disorder conundrum. Australian New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 40, 519-528. Hi Andy! My name is Jon and I reviewed your paper today. I wanted to give you some direction apart from the comments above. What I have done with the comments above is selected the first instance of a few grammatical errors which showed up frequently in your paper. In each case, I would like for you to apply the same concept that I have given you to other places in your paper where the same error occurs. I know that this will be a large amount of extra work; however, I believe that once you master these things, you will have greatly improved your ability to write and communicate in English. I hope this will help you in these areas. Remember, if you ever have any doubts about your writing, the online writing center has many writing aids that help. You can find the writing aids page here http://www.liberty.edu/index.cfm?PID=12268

Total Quality Management (TQM) :: GCSE Business Marketing Coursework

TQM1 TQM in Foodservice Introduction One of the most important industries overall is the food industry. The food industry consists of everything from food processing plants to fast food restaurants. The food industry affects nearly every living person. Most people don't realize how important this industry is and how it affects their everyday lives. That is why it is so critical that the products of this industry are at their highest quality, are free of bacteria and ensure that the consumer will not face any detrimental consequences. Total Quality Management (TQM) plays a big role in promising these results. Total Quality Management seems to be a confusing term for the layman. TQM is a philosophy advocated by Dr. Edward Deming, a world renowned quality guru. It was widely accepted by Japan from 1950 onward. They used this principle for continuous refinement of an organization-wide quality system. Since then many organizations around the world have adopted TQM or similar methodologies. There have been many successes and many reported failures. Success of the system depends on the total commitment of the people to quality from top to bottom within the organization. TQM implementation is based on team work and the philosophy of continuous improvement. Statistics need to be used extensively to analyze and reduce the variation in the process. In the food industry, continuous improvement is vital to the survival of a specific company or restaurant. The customer is constantly purchasing the products of competitors and any decline in quality will equal a decrease in gross profits. There are several areas that a restaurant may focus on for quality improvement such as menu offerings, hospitality, service, cleanliness, and over all food quality. All of these aspects will be covered in this paper concerning Total Quality Management. Summary Employee & Product Quality Various well known companies such as Ritz-Carlton Hotels and Taco Bell have implemented Total Quality Management programs in an effort to increase quality and market share. Ritz-Carlton of Kansas City, Missouri, recently revamped menu selections for its rooftop-level restaurant and bar operation. This came about through customer surveys, focus-group studies of local restaurant patrons, employee opinions, and market analysis. This began with the general manager, Norm Howard, as TQM must start at the top to be successful. He states that "It [TQM] is about listening to your customers and empowering your employees to participate in important business decisions" (Stephenson, 1993). Taco Bell, with the implementation of a Total Quality Management system, has improved its speed of service, friendliness of service, and value for money ratings. This company has done this by empowering employees and seeking customer input. By integrating their employees into the system,

Mobile Phones Should Be Prohibited in Public Places Essay

Mobile Phones Should Be Publicly Banned Less than ten years ago, only a few people ran around with a cell phone as an essential body part. Now there is an estimated of 80 million people who own and use wireless telephones, and 85 percent of these people use their phone while driving. However, these handy devices are not just used in cars. They are ringing in the theaters, trains, and during Sunday mass. The phones sing the arrival of a meal and chirp while people seek some quiet moments in the park. Mobile phones in public areas like restaurants, theaters, churches, and trains should be turned off for common courtesy and proper mannerism of surrounding individuals. Banning the use ofmobile phones in some public places is becoming more common, but enforcement is not so easy. A growing number of mobile-free zones have cropped up in recent years. These include; theaters, libraries, museums, casinos, and even some train operators are now operating mobile-free carriages. Then there is the separate safety issue of people using hand-held phones in cars. Several communities have banned the use of cell phones while driving. Neverthel Speak softly, in a conversational tone. Support for banning the use of mobile phones in certain public venues confirms that many users and non-users alike feel that mobile  phone usage can be irritating and they agree to see measures taken to limit intrusion. Mobile phones, granted need to be used periodically for certain incidents and is a very useful commodity when traveling or for emergencies. â€Å"Cell yell† is alarmingly widespread, despite being technologically unnecessary. Ring tones, which are considered unpleasant or obtrusive, are frequently the main cause of dislike towards users of mobile telephones on trains. A mobile telephone also provides some comfort or assurance, in that it is always accessible for contacting the emergency services or for being contacted, should one be needed in an emergency. â€Å"No Cell Phones† signs are popping up all over. Ring tones, along with people talking loudly as if they were having a conversation with someone in the same room as them, are the causes of this â€Å"noise†. An obvious example is at the occurrence of a delay or the missing of a train or connection, because of which, one would have to contact any persons expecting one at the destination. It is rude to give the cell phone call precedence over people you are with. Excuse yourself when it  comes, and be brief. They might state it is against their Freedom of Speech Amendment and they have a right to say what they want, when they want. Some tips for proper mobile phone etiquette are, turn off your phone or set it to vibrate in public. The technology may be modern, but cell phone etiquette is mainly good old-fashioned manners: respect others.

Peer Pressure, A Silent Destroyer

When people make an assessment of a teaching institution, the usual statistics will show its population size, its average success rate relative to the next high school or next university, and matters relate d to funding and facility. It is due to this that a main problem which I believe has an actual direct effect on the teaching & learning capability institution is missed out on. This problem would mean great impact on the learning curve and capacity of the student to focus and maximize the facilities given by the institution no matter how good they may be.In common terms, we call it peer pressure. I believe in fact that it is because this is so common an experience that people may downplay its actual effect on a student or turn a blind eye to what it can do. In my own experience through earlier years I stood witness to this. It could be something as simple as people being pushed around in the hallway because their growth spurt was late and they were shorter than everyone else. Or, people being teased because their pants were too short or their clothes didn’t match.These issues seem childish and light, however considering the emotional makeup of a growing child or adolescent at this point, these can birth insecurities that scar one’s capacity to bloom later on. Are these incidents common? Absolutely. In fact, it is because they are common that they are missed out on. Schools will focus on building a new gym, or increasing the number of books to be read, or fine tuning the arithmetic and language curriculum. Now, don’t get me wrong. These things are very important in the quality of the individual. However, the school’s output is only one side of the coin.The other side lies in a student’s capability to absorb and focus on the lesson at hand. How can a young individual give his or her best output into utilizing these tools, if he knows that once he steps of the classroom, the bullies will be pushing him against the locker, or t he popular girls just might make fun of her again? Call it a seeming minor detail, but to a student in the growing year, â€Å"fitting in† and â€Å"belonging† can mean everything and certainly much more than a high grade. In my own school environment, my experience was the same. Friends of mine were subject to the similar treatment.It was hard to look at, but then, the feeling at the time was that there was nothing anyone could do about it. I can only imagine how much better they would have done in school if they didn’t have to worry about these things. I’ve seen these things happen in my own world with my own eyes. I’m sure others have as well. In the newspaper or nighttime updates, every now and then we hear stories about a new student killed by fraternity hazing, or a student with a gun in school. The common reaction would be to turn away and say, â€Å"oh that wouldn’t happen in my school.† Or â€Å"gosh, it so dangerous, but go od thing it’s not in the area of my kids†. Really, would that be the same mindset of the parents and students who actually were part of the school community where the event occurred? Looking at online forums on peer pressure, various responses of how the youth today is affected are expressed, particularly the girls. Heavy alcohol drinking, smoking, taking drugs and underage sexual activity are now very widespread in the youth whether or not we agree to believe it, simply because of this desire to be accepted.Conversations among them lie more on what the next person has done or not done, rather than on planning for the future. Many of them will be at parties getting drunk where it is played off as cool. Smoking and drug use are rampant as well. Even the pressure of having sex has grown over years, despite the media’s exposed risk of unwanted pregnancies or STD’s. Friends say it is â€Å"no big deal† and talk about it as if it was just sipping a cup o f tea, and a requirement to be â€Å"normal†. So many of these issues circle the mind of a student, remain unaddressed, and cloud the student’s mind from focusing on what should be the priority at the time.It is true that school facilities are important, however equally needed, is helping the students of today actually focus on using the school to create more of a future for themselves. The question remains though on how this problem can be addressed. True, it will not be an easy task, but if at all an attempt can be made to give students guidance and support during these hears of change, then at least some of them can be given the motivation to go against the grain and not succumb to the whims of peer pressure.Friends are diaries to which we can share and unburden all of our secrets and emotions into. They can be wise and a strong pillar of strength, while at the same time can be sources of wrong influence. If a school can create a positive working environment and enc ourage right experiences and friendships, this would be a tool to help. Family is another factor. For some who have good relationships with family, allowing interaction with them can provide the child to open up and reach out.For those whose families become unbearable, then it basically remains in letting the student have someone to talk to, chat with and trust, and ensuring such person is one who is understanding and capable of meeting the child at his level, whether it be a counselor, coach or friend. The problem does not lie on morals or lessons as these which are instilled in us in earlier youth remain there. The problem is that these very principles that we have prided ourselves in and held on to no longer empower us, as they are overshadowed by the need to ‘fit in’.And as this need grows, then our mind is pushed away from focusing on what matter at the time, namely, studies and improvement of one’s skills for the future. I am thankful that somehow I made it through those years and continually make the effort to grow. My only hope is that children of the future can be given more support, that they may surpass these obstacles with more grace than many of my friends did, and focus earlier on working on their goals and dreams for their future.

Levinsons Seasons of Man

Levinsons Seasons of Man IntroductionBackgroundIn May of 1977, Daniel Levinson constructed a model of the season's of a mans life. His developmental theory consists of universal stages or phases that extends from the infancy state to the elderly state. Most development theories, such as Freud's psychosexual development theory or Piaget's cognitive development theory, end in the adolescent stage of life. Levinson's stage theory is important because it goes beyond most theories assuming that development continues throughout adult life.Levinson based his model on biographical interviews of 40 American men. These 40 men were between 35 to 45 years in age and they worked as either biology professors, novelists, business executives or industrial laborers. The biographical interviews lasted one or two hours and ranged from six to ten interviews for each subject. The questions asked focused on the subject's life accounts in their post adolescent years. The interviews focused on topics such as the men's background (e ducation, religion, political beliefs) and major events or turning points in their lives.Ambassador Visit to the Weizmann InstituteLevinson's concept of life structure (the men's socio-cultural world, their participation in their world and various aspects of themselves) is the major component in Levinson's theory. The life structure for each person evolves through the developmental stages as people's age.Two key concepts in Levinson's model are the stable period and the transitional period in a person's development. The stable period is the time when a person makes crucial choices in life, builds a life structure around the choices and seeks goals within the structure. The transitional period is the end of a person's stage and the beginning of a new stage.Levinson's model contains five main stages. They are the pre-adulthood stage (age 0 - 22), the early adulthood stage (age 17 - 45), the middle adult stage (age 40 - 65), the late...

The -escent Suffix

The -escent Suffix The -escent Suffix The -escent Suffix By Sharon My five year old is now reading fluently and as a result is asking all sorts of questions about the meanings of words. The other day, she asked why fluorescent bulbs were so named and I realized that I had absolutely no idea, so I set out to find out more about this suffix. It turns out that -escent is used in two ways. The first relates to the play of light and color and is seen in words such as: fluorescent having a type of luminescence caused by the absorption of radiation iridescent having a lustrous, rainbow like play of color pearlescent having a pearly luster opalescent reflecting an iridescent light phosphorescent the quality of luminescence without heat incandescent white or glowing with intense heat luminescent low temperature emission of light The other use of -escent indicates a change of state. Something may be beginning to change, have changed slightly or resemble another object. That use gives us words such as obsolescent becoming obsolete quiescent becoming quiet arborescent resembling a tree effervescent beginning to boil or bubble adolescent becoming an adult convalescent recovering health gradually after being ill florescent beginning to flower Related suffixes are -esce and -escence (as in convalesce and convalescence) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Words for Facial ExpressionsThe Many Forms of the Verb TO BE50 Words with Alternative Spellings

What Does It Take to Get into the University of Massachusettsâ€Amherst?

Located in picturesque Western Massachusetts and ranked as one of the top public universities in the country, the University of Massachusetts—Amherst is known for attracting bright students who pursue rigorous research and academics. Notable alumni include Jack Welch, Catherine â€Å"Cady† Coleman, Bill Pullman, Natalie Cole, and many others. One unique facet of the university is that it participates in the Five College Interchange, which allows you to take courses at nearby colleges including Amherst, Smith, Hampshire, and Mount Holyoke. What does it take to get into Massachusetts’ flagship public university? Read on to find out. You will apply to UMass Amherst via the Common Application unless you fall into one of the following categories: Students in the above categories can find the appropriate application links here . As part of your application, you will need to submit your: * In this case, you should submit scores for the essay portions as per the university’s recommendation. UMass Amherst discourages submitting other supplementary materials. There are some special procedures for individual programs such as art and architecture. UMass Amherst requires the following high school academic work (number indicates units): College of Engineering, School of Management, and computer science major applicants must have completed an advanced math course, such as precalculus, trigonometry, or calculus. College of Engineering applicants must have taken chemistry and physics as well. Last year, UMass Amherst had a 59% admissions rate, with 41,612 applicants and 5,010 matriculating freshmen. The average combined SAT score for the class of 2021 was 1268, and the average GPA was 3.89. Keep in mind that despite the seemingly high acceptance rate, you are still facing stiff competition and will need to set yourself apart, especially if you intend to pursue a particularly rigorous program; for individual colleges and programs, such as Commonwealth Honors College, the acceptance rate is much lower. Estimating your chance of getting into a college is not easy in today’s competitive environment. Thankfully, with our state-of-the-art software and data, we can analyze your academic and extracurricular profile and estimate your chances. Our profile analysis tool can also help you identify the improvement you need to make to enter your dream school. Emphasize innovation. UMass Amherst boasts a student body of â€Å" bright, bold, unconventional thinkers.† With rigorous yet rewarding opportunities, the school promotes intellect and creative thinking. Demonstrate your leadership experience and commitment to learning through work beyond the classroom. As with most prestigious colleges, you should show extracurricular activities in your area of interest, such as independent research for science majors. Know your strengths. UMass Amherst has 11 colleges and schools for undergraduates including: You should apply to the school that is best suited to your talents and interests, not the one that has the highest admissions rate. Your application should demonstrate leadership, extracurriculars, and strengths in areas associated with the college. For example, if you apply to the college of engineering, you should have a strong math and science background and extracurriculars in those subjects as well. You will need to put down a first- and second-choice major on your application. This is not set in stone, but you will be accepted to a specific school, so it should be the one most aligned with your strengths. Also, remember to meet the minimum coursework requirements for your intended major. Have a hook . UMass Amherst emphasizes diversity. This is exemplified in Campus Pride rating the university as one of the best campuses for LGBTQ students and its status as a top school for veterans, currently serving over 400. You don’t have to be part of a minority group to be accepted to UMass Amherst, but you should have something that sets you apart. Are you a nontraditional student with a unique story to tell? Explore that in your essay. Do you have a special talent, such as playing an interesting instrument? Make sure to include any extracurriculars in which you’ve participated or honors you’ve been awarded to that end. Being denied admission to any college, particularly one of your top choices, is disappointing. Still, it’s important to take a step back and regroup. If you get rejected from UMass Amherst, here’s what you can do: Take a gap year or transfer in. If you had your heart set on UMass Amherst or received bad news from the other colleges on your list, one option is to take a gap year and reapply next admissions cycle. If you do decide to go this route, make sure you have a productive plan for the year. You might undertake a research project, volunteer, study to improve your SAT scores, or take classes at a local college. Do know, however, that this path is risky, as taking a gap year won’t ensure your acceptance the second time around. You could also begin your studies at another institution with the hopes of transferring. UMass Amherst accepted more than 1,300 transfer students in 2016, meaning acceptance isn’t out of the question. Keep it in perspective. Even if UMass Amherst was your top choice, chances are, you’ll find a way to make a college that did accept you work. College really is what you make of it, and if you put effort into adjusting to another school by joining clubs, working hard in your classes, and cultivating a social life, you’ll likely find that you can make a fulfilling college experience for yourself, even if you end up at a college that wasn’t your top choice. When you sign up for our program, we carefully pair you with the perfect admissions specialist based on your current academic and extracurricular profile and the schools in which you’re interested. Your personal application specialist will help you with branding, essays, and interviews, and provide you with support and guidance in all other aspects of the application process.

Business Continuity Planning in a Large Retail Supply Chain Research Paper

Business Continuity Planning in a Large Retail Supply Chain - Research Paper Example Because of my current position problems with the supply chain can directly affect my work load and I want to know more about a retail supply chain and how the supply chain connections can be protected. This paper will be geared towards professionals in both business continuity and retail management. I would like the people in these professions to be able to learn from my paper the need for a better BCP for protecting a company’s supply chain. Opening Statement: Business continuity planning in large retail supply chains is not thorough enough. Large retailers that depend on outsourced supply chains are not managing their supplier risks. The Marsh Supply Chain Survey results show that no one is managing their supply chain risks very well. In fact only about 33% of them are even managing their risks moderately effectively (Hiles, 2011). According to Hiles (2011), supply chain is an all inclusive term that constitutes the management of both downstream and upstream relations with c lients and suppliers. This is desirable because it allows for timely delivery of superior client value at a lesser cost. Certainly, this is sustainable because both parties benefit optimally and are able to sustain their wellbeing through time. In order to protect this process, businesses have to look at the end-to-end supply chain process and build a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) that covers all parts of it. ... leaner business, businesses can â€Å"enhance their operational effectiveness, which essentially improves firm performance and competitiveness† (Liu, Lin, Hayes, 2010, p222). However if a business fails to manage the risks associated with running leaner than they will lose all of these benefits. By not managing their supply chain risks, large retail companies are leaving themselves vulnerable to possible business failure. Hypothesis: This research is informed and guided by distinct assumptions. To begin with, the study presumes that both upstream suppliers and downstream, consumers directly affect the continuity of the retail supply chain. Large retailers should therefore clearly analyze their contribution to business failure or success and make necessary and timely interventions. The study is also based on the assumption that current large retailers are faced with complex risks that stem from the relationships that they establish and maintain at various levels. Further, it pr esumes that inability to manage the risks effectively not only reduces efficiency but also increases the susceptibility of retailers to failure. Finally, this study presumes that relevant interventions can only be identified addressed in a timely manner through continued monitoring. From this point of view, business continuity plans are therefore vitally important. Discussion of Findings: As indicated earlier, retail supply chains are increasingly becoming more and more complex. These can be attributed to the increasing complexity of the relative relationships. Globalization trends have compelled businesses to explore various options in a bid to maintain a competitive edge. In his study, Hotchkiss (2010) found out that the complexity of the business environment has diversified the risks that

Knowledge Management Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Knowledge Management - Term Paper Example This discussion stresses that it is always possible to build a network within the organization where data from various departments will be collaborated into a single centralized system before forwarding it to Google’s platform. As far as the use of the database is concerned to, the platform put forth by Google cloud services makes it possible for all individual systems within the organization to have a common access so that organizational roles and functions on the database can be undertaken on a collaborated purpose.As the report highlights  comes with the cloud services offered on Google’s website is that it makes organizational innovation more revealing. That is, is stimulates the act and practice of organizational innovation among the personnel within the organization. This is done in a number of ways. Because of the idea of bringing about collaboration, it becomes almost mandatory that every sector of the organization should be working on its own miniature databa se that would be forwarded into a centralized system before sending it to the Google database. This decentralized system eradicates the temptation that certain departments will be waiting on the centralized system to get all the work done. Rather, the innovative skill of every sector is quickened and brought alive as they all take up a role to deliver within the organization.  Expert systems and neural networks are both components of a technology based management system that is rooted in the principles of knowledge management.... cloud services offered such as replication, patch management and backups require that people within the system get themselves at breast with the technological time to be able to live up such challenges. By so doing, creativity and innovation is highlighted among the people because they will be forced to live up to modernity and time. 2. Generally, expert systems and neural networks are both components of a technology based management system that is rooted in the principles of knowledge management. This is because in both cases, there is that conscious effort by stakeholders to ensuring that the capabilities, insights and experiences available to the human resource base are identified, nurtured, utilized and developed through the use of basic technology (Guo & Sanchez, 2005). As far as expert systems is concerned, it could be said to be tilted more towards artificial intelligence that allows for the use of computer system to undertake the basic processes of decision-making that would have otherwise existed for the human resource to undertake. The process is referred to as expert systems because in its delivery of work, it functions and undertakes processes as a human expert would do. The capabilities available in expert systems thus have to do with the fact that it does not use logical procedures of developers but use consequential logical reasoning to solve complex problems. In the long run, the inadequacies and weaknesses of the creator of the systems are overshadowed by the complex reasoning capabilities of the system and this is a huge advantage to users of expert systems. Neural network is also attributed to artificial intelligence in the manner in which it uses the artificial basis of the biological concept of neurology to solve basic technological problems of

Management report for sevice improvement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Management report for sevice improvement - Essay Example The project involving nurses at the district and ward levels will involve filling of the checklist before referrals are made to district nurses. A pilot study will be done to establish the effectiveness of the proposed criteria before necessary changes are made to improve the criteria and associated processes. Evaluation of the project will be based on the number and type of referrals to district nurses after the implementation of the criteria in comparison to data obtained before the institution of the project. Introduction Several changes have been witnessed in nursing practice at the district level over the last couple of decades. Some of the changes that are evident include the introduction of new technologies to help in nursing, the rise in morbidity rates, and the increase in mortality rates. Yet another major change in the same respect is the attendance to more complicated cases in the community. With this being the case, it is beyond doubt that the nursing fraternity in the d istrict has become overloaded which has effectively increased the stress levels experienced by the nurses. In order to solve this problem it is proposed that a District Nurse Checklist be created and instituted for use in deciding whether or not a patient should be referred to a district nurse for care. The proposal will rely on a SWOT analysis of the proposal considering its effectives in predicting the internal and external forces that may affect the success of the project. During implementation, the PDSA cycle will be applied considering its effectiveness, limited resource requirements and limited risk association. Analysis of Change Needed According to the Royal College of Nursing (2003), a major problem facing district nurses is the huge number of referrals that they have to handle. More specifically, the problem is seen when such referrals are uncalled for. Clover (2010) notes that for every single inappropriate referral to a district nurse, close to five hours of precious tim e is lost. A study conducted in the past revealed that several patients were discharged from hospital with community nurses taking little or notice of the events (Clover 2010). The study further revealed that several cases of referrals were inappropriate and therefore had to be re-routed or altogether declined. It must be taken into account that there are several alternatives that can effectively be applied to ensure proper home are to patients who have been discharged. Some of these alternatives according to Vafeas (2000) include practice nursing, visiting clinics and making outpatient hospital visits. A report by the Audit Commission (1999) reveals that of all referrals to district nurses, 11% are unwarranted. Practical experience during clinical practice as a member of district nursing teams has shown that inappropriate referrals are associated with a lot of time and resource wastages. What this means is that without a proper referral criteria that assists clients and other healt h practitioners in deciding when and when not to effect a referral, the situation is bound to get worse. In effect, when a referral criteria is developed, various parties will better understand their responsibilities and roles, the district nursing service will enjoy greater credibility, and health practitioners will be encourage to work in unity. Health practitioners, patients and clients among other parties should appreciate the reason for the establishment of the

I will tell you on the different file Assignment

I will tell you on the different file - Assignment Example This sounds like a feasibility study, but it is actually part of a much bigger picture: What can this farm operation do to become more profitable? Note that the decision about the type of bales would be part of the solution, but not the entire solution. This information is important to the audience because it will influence the way that the smart phone industry goes. If Samsung and other competitors of Apple cannot compete due to lawsuits or fear or breaking patent and copyrights, then Apple will become a virtual monopoly. Samsung will then be faced with withdrawing from the smart phone market completely, and would results in billions of dollars of lost revenue, but more importantly, the lost of a huge customer base. Once Samsung (and other smart phone companies) realize that it cannot compete with Apple, then the market will turn into a virtual monopoly. Another problem to consider is the fact that dropping out of the smart phone market may affect Samsung’s other lines of interest. Samsung’s top executives will be able to use sales figures to determine if any negative press from the court rulings is hurting sales of smart phones. A decision can then be made whether to continue in the smart phone market or withdraw if sales are down and/or Samsung products are banned from certain states or territories. There are still several court injunctions out against Samsung, but Samsung’s sales of smart phones continue to rise. In Q2 of 2012, it was estimated that Samsung had sold more handsets worldwide than Apple had. This is perhaps part of the reason why Apple has been so forceful in going to the

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT A5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT A5 - Essay Example verse, of representing the other currency by the dollar representation, here is what we get: one pound is equivalent to 1.474 dollars; one yen is equivalent to 0.010314 dollars; and one euro is equivalent to 1.2596 dollars. Looking at the British pound, we can see the conversion in terms of the other currencies. One British pound is equivalent to 142.92 yen; equivalent to 1.1702 euro and 1.474 dollar. Putting it in reverse, we represent the other currency in terms of the British pound equivalent. In this, we get 0.6784 British pound for one dollar, 0.006997 British pound for one yen, and 0.855 British pound for one euro. The Japanese Yen’s equivalent is given in the table as well. We can see how much one yen is equivalent to the other currencies. One yen is equivalent to 0.008188 euro, 0.010314 dollars, and 0.006997 British pounds. If we put it in reverse, we can represent as to how many yen each currency has for its equivalent in yen. Using the table, we get 96.96 yen for every dollar, 142.92 yen for one British pound, and 122.31 yen for one Euro. Lastly, we could represent the Euro by the other currencies. Here we see that one Euro is equivalent to 1.2596 dollars, 0.855 British pound, and 122.131 Japanese yen. If we put it in reverse, we can represent one currency by the amount of Euro. For every dollar, 0.7339 euro is the equivalent; for every British pound, 1.1702 is the equivalent; and for one Japanese yen, 0.008188 euro is the equivalent. Looking at a 91-day period we can first see the trend for the Japanese yen. As for the yen, for every day that has passed, the equivalent of yen to a dollar increases. When this happen, we say that yen loses its value to the dollar and the yen depreciates—more yen are needed to buy one dollar. As yen depreciates, the other currency appreciates—therefore, relative to yen, the trend for the dollar is upward and appreciating. The British pounds, Canadian dollar and European euro show relatively similar trends among

Language Beliefs and Learning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Language Beliefs and Learning - Essay Example These transformations have been studied closely and modified to realize the great changes that have been made in our school systems. The transformation of schools, now increasing in momentum is a response to educational practices of the past several decades that have not been effective in promoting the academic achievement of all students (Soto, 2007; Friedman, 2004). Students with close connections to their bilingual/bicultural heritages have been underserved especially by U.S schools. Policy issues regarding how these students are served have evolved around power relations between groups in the broader society and thus have not been effective in addressing the problem. When educators view particular groups of students as having problems in need of remediation, the deficit perspective tends to reinforce social status relations between groups that exist in the wider society (Piper, 2006). According to our chapter readings this week, most of the countries that speak English for example here in the United States, consider bilingualism to be out of the norm. Due to the diversity of culture and languages in schools, most of the children in the world speak more than one language by the time they finish high school. From various researches undertaken, English is observed to be the second language adopted by many students across the world. All languages have a systematic learning approach which makes them easy to learn. For instance, our language consists of twenty-six alphabet letters, morphemes, vowels consonants and digraph blends. In other languages, the same systematic concepts of presenting the language to be learned in their culture are used. It may not always match up with the lettering, but yet it has a way of linking communication with the letters, sounds and symbols in their culture the same way as the American English culture. From previous researches conducted o n languages, it is observed that when students have a  strong background in their primary language, the transition to a second language is easier (Ovando, Collier & Combs, 2011).

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT A5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT A5 - Essay Example verse, of representing the other currency by the dollar representation, here is what we get: one pound is equivalent to 1.474 dollars; one yen is equivalent to 0.010314 dollars; and one euro is equivalent to 1.2596 dollars. Looking at the British pound, we can see the conversion in terms of the other currencies. One British pound is equivalent to 142.92 yen; equivalent to 1.1702 euro and 1.474 dollar. Putting it in reverse, we represent the other currency in terms of the British pound equivalent. In this, we get 0.6784 British pound for one dollar, 0.006997 British pound for one yen, and 0.855 British pound for one euro. The Japanese Yen’s equivalent is given in the table as well. We can see how much one yen is equivalent to the other currencies. One yen is equivalent to 0.008188 euro, 0.010314 dollars, and 0.006997 British pounds. If we put it in reverse, we can represent as to how many yen each currency has for its equivalent in yen. Using the table, we get 96.96 yen for every dollar, 142.92 yen for one British pound, and 122.31 yen for one Euro. Lastly, we could represent the Euro by the other currencies. Here we see that one Euro is equivalent to 1.2596 dollars, 0.855 British pound, and 122.131 Japanese yen. If we put it in reverse, we can represent one currency by the amount of Euro. For every dollar, 0.7339 euro is the equivalent; for every British pound, 1.1702 is the equivalent; and for one Japanese yen, 0.008188 euro is the equivalent. Looking at a 91-day period we can first see the trend for the Japanese yen. As for the yen, for every day that has passed, the equivalent of yen to a dollar increases. When this happen, we say that yen loses its value to the dollar and the yen depreciates—more yen are needed to buy one dollar. As yen depreciates, the other currency appreciates—therefore, relative to yen, the trend for the dollar is upward and appreciating. The British pounds, Canadian dollar and European euro show relatively similar trends among

Plato Allegory of the Cave Essay Example for Free

Plato Allegory of the Cave Essay The Allegory of the Cave is one of Greek philosopher Plato’s most well known works. It is an extended allegory, where humans are depicted as being imprisoned by their bodies and what they perceive by sight only. In the allegory of the cave Plato wanted to show how true reality is not always what it seems. A group of prisoners were chained up in a cave since there childhood, each prisoner was chained to each other by their heads.The prisoners were forced to face a blank wall while they were in the cave. Behind the prisoners there was a fire however the prisoners could not see the fire but between the prisoners and the fire there would a be puppet show where people would walk, talk and carry objects to keep the prisoners amused. The prisoners perceive only shadows of the people and things passing on the walkway; the prisoners hear echoes of the talk coming from the shadows. They perceive the shadows and echoes as reality. Whilst in the cave one prisoner is set free. He stands up and turns around and is forced to look at the fire, after the pain in his eyes from the fire he struggles to see anything. The prisoner is dragged out of the cave and into the world above. At first, the prisoner is so dazzled by the light that he can only look at shadows, then at reflections, then finally at the real objects like trees, flowers and houses. He sees that these are even more real than the shadows were, and that those were only copies of reality. The prisoner has now reached the cognitive stage of thought. He has caught his first glimpse of the most real thing, which is the Forms. In the film The Matrix, the humans trapped in the Matrix are like the people in the cave. They see only what the machines want them to see, but they believe they see reality as it really is. They accept what their senses tell them all that exists. Neo suspects that this is all a lie, but he’s not sure how the Matrix works. Morpheus, who runs the resistance to the Matrix, brings Neo into the Resistance, believing that Neo is the person who has been foreseen by the Oracle to be able to defeat the Matrix In The Allegory of the Cave the people creating the shadows represent the powerful people in society. In The Matrix the puppet-handlers are the machines controlled by Artificial Intelligence. The puppet-handlers use fake surroundings as a way to manipulate the information that the prisoners receive. While the prisoners are being fooled and influenced by the fake reality, the puppet-handlers are too because they are also living inside the artificial world they have created as well. Neo lives in world which is controlled by the matrix agents just like Platos prisoner lives in a world (cave) controlled by the form holders. They both manage to escape from the world as they know it and come to know the world as it really is. Neo, with some help from Morpheus, comes to realize that the life he as been leading so far is nothing but the life of a slave, shaped under the control of the Matrix, protected by the agents. Platos prisoner comes to realize first that the shadows he is looking at are not the truth, they are just shadows cast on the wall by the form holders. He sees the fire and as he follows the path which leads him outside of the cave, he sees the sun and everything else illuminated by it. The characters, simultaneously experience shock and then a feeling of fear when they first perceive what is real. Neo is able to see how humans are grown, hooked on wires, an element which symbolizes control just like the chains which tie the prisoners in Platos cave. In the movie as Morpheus and the group decided to leave the matrix they get attacked by the agents, the agents in the movie are just like the government in the allegory. Morpheus decided to flight against the agents will the rest of the group including Neo decided to get out of the matrix but what they dont know is that they were set up by one of there own Cypher. Cypher hates knowing the truth he wants to go back to his normal comfortable life in the matrix he doesnt want to be part of the experience anymore, so he makes a deal with the agents to get his normal life back he tricks Morpheus. The agents and the government are the same they are like the puppets in the allegory fooling the society to make them believe what they want me to believe not allowing them to see what is the truth. Unlike Plato’s prisoner, who managed to find his way out of the cave without any help from others, Neo is helped out by Morpheus. Neo is then faced with a moment of choice would he take the blue pill and stay in the world of the matrix which is the world of the senses or take the red pill, and come to know reality as it objectively exists. He chooses the red pill therefore giving himself the opportunity to experience the world of the mind, the real world and finds it as mind-blowing as Plato’s prisoner finds the enlighten world outside of the cave. The Mirror right after Neo took the red pill and the distorted spoon illusion before Neo went to the Oracle are simply products of the mind. It is in Plato’s Allegory of the cave where this illusion is happening. It is the mind that makes the spoon and the mirror distorted. It is the mind that makes the spoon inexistent, which is considered to be the truth. This spoon is the copy of the spoon of perfection in the world of forms. The spoon does not move by itself but Neo makes it move. In the Allegory Plato says that the freed prisoner would be confused at what he saw. When Neo is finally confronted with the real world, he is in a state of uncertainty. The realization of the truth is so overwhelming that he throws up and passes out. In The Allegory of the Cave, the Freed prisoner might even feel that what he was seeing now was the illusion and the shadows on the wall were actually more real. The freed prisoners first reaction would be to turn around and return to the false reality because it is less painful and more familiar to him. According to Plato, the freed prisoner must have started to question what he saw in front of him and wondered about where the shadows came from. He must have sensed that something was wrong and he wanted to know the truth. This theme is also found in the movie, Neo is very much like the freed prisoner. As Morpheus tells Neo, Youre here because you know something. Morpheus realizes that Neo has a place in society and is there because of what he knows. For Neo to realise this Morpheus says ‘free your mind, let go of doubt’. In conclusion, Platos story of the cave brings up many philosophical points; and, most importantly, it addresses the issue of societys role in our lives. Trinity tells Neo ‘The Matrix can not tell you who you are.’ It seems that the differences between The Allegory of the Cave and The Matrix do not prevent them from telling a similar story about the unreliability of the senses. We find Neo, at the end of the film, doing more than simply bending the laws of physics with the Matrix. It seems like he has stepped almost entirely out of that very world. He does not, however, appear in two places at once, but his destruction of one of the agents, and his ability to fly, says that the laws of physics are bent.

Physical And Chemical Properties Of Bamboo Environmental Sciences Essay

Physical And Chemical Properties Of Bamboo Environmental Sciences Essay Chapter 1 has been drafted in a manner that it is to draw the context of this dissertation. It defines the locality, and has an insight into the North East Indian Bamboo industry. It attempts to justify the use of bamboo as a primary construction material in the area, due to its abundant availability. It tries to highlight the faults in the current and traditional methods prevalent in the region which are a hindrance to bamboo being more often used for construction. The dissertation research looks into gathering substantial proofs to support the hypothesis which comes after understanding the problems of the area. 1.1: Bamboo Distribution 1.1.1 World Wide Distribution Bamboo is a plant belonging to the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. In bamboo, the internodal regions of the stem are hollow and the vascular bundles in the cross section are scattered throughout the stem instead of in a cylindrical arrangement. Bamboo is a native to five continents around the world : Asia, Africa, South America, North America and Australia. It is found at all elevations from the coast of the Philippines up to 15,000 feet above sea level in the eastern Andes. Bamboo grows in the tropical, subtropical and temperate regions of all continents except Europe, geographically divided into 3 zones: the Asia- Pacific zone(around 700 species), the America zone (around 400 species) and the African zone (around 50 species). There are totally 70 genera and 1200 species of bamboo all over the world that have been recorded, with some more in undeveloped regions to be discovered and identified. Over 2.5 billion people worldwide use or trade in bamboo worth 4.5 billion US Dollar every year (INBAR 1999). 1.1.2 South East Asia Bamboo is found in abundance in South East Asia, the tropical scenario, temperature and soil conditions in the area widely promotes the growth of bamboo in the area. China is known as the Kingdom of Bamboo, with around 500 bamboo species native here, naturally distributed in 16 provinces and 1 municipal city, among which Yunnan takes up 220 species due to its diversified climate and geographical characteristics. Due to its abundance in availability, from the starting of time bamboo as such has been a part of all South East Asian traditions. Bamboo is an inseparable part of south east Asian culture, medicine , music, construction and food. In construction, bamboo provides pillars, floors, walls, doors, window frames, rafters, room separators, ceilings and roofs. The meeting houses of some New Guinea villages are 20 m tall and more than 40 m long, with huge bamboo poles set deep into the ground and bent over in the shape of Gothic arches to carry the thickly thatched roof, creating some of the boldest structures built with minimal equipment and technology. Japanese houses are far more sophisticated, but are still typically built of wood, paper and bamboo. Bamboo is used to make guard houses in rice fields, roadside food shops, hot houses for growing mushrooms, smoke houses for drying tobacco or rubber, store houses for rice and other produce, and livestock sheds. Bamboo is also used to make pegs which replace nails. Bamboo scaffolding finds extensive use in Asian cities, even on very tall buildings. Bamboo is used throughout rural Asia to build bridges of many types and sizes; they can be as long as 25 m, often involvin g sophisticated technology as suspension bridges, but also with simple technology in the form of pontoon bridges (Kurz 1876). Many villagers use bamboo shingles, with the large stems split in half and laid with the convex and concave sides alternately facing upwards, with their edges overlapping. In coastal areas, roofs often are made of thatch woven from nipa palm around long slivrers of bamboo. Location Bamboo Area (10,000 hectare) Bamboo Species China 500.00 500 India 400.00 136 Burma 217.00 90 Thailand 81.00 60 Bangladesh 60.00 30 Cambodia 28.70 Vietnam 13.00 92 Japan 13.80 230 Indonesia 6.00 30 Malaysia 2.00 44 Philippines 2.00 55 Korea 0.80 13 Sri Lanka 0.20 14 In countries like China, Japan and Korea, bamboo also is a frequently used popular motive for poets and painters. Philosophers and literateurs took bamboo as a symbol for a good personality: making progress; modest; straight (Wang 2000)  ¿Ã‚ ½ there, bamboo is not only a useful material for their everyday life, but also has already been developed into a so called  ¿Ã‚ ½bamboo culture ¿Ã‚ ½ through the long time of cohabitation with people. 1.1.3 India Why North East India? India is home to about 45% of the world ¿Ã‚ ½s bamboo production. There are 125 species of bamboo in India spread across 18 genera. According to a survey by BMTPC (Building Materials and Technology Promotion Council) India produces about 13.5 Million Metric Tons of bamboo annually from 9.6 Million Hectares land area (used only for bamboo plantation). Sympodial bamboo consists of 67% of growing stock and monopodial bamboo comprises of 20% of growing stock. Out of this amount the North Eastern part of India alone has the gross share of 66% of the total production. So, it can be said that potentially this region has the widest range climate and topography suitable for growth of bamboo. Distribution of Bamboo in North East India (Area in sq km * ) S. No. State Area under Bamboos Area under Muli Bamboo Area under other Bamboo Spp. Area expected to flower Area accessible (Flowered) 1. Arunachal Pradesh 4590 100.00 2. Assam 8213 2950 1456 3. Manipur 3692 1592 400 4. Meghalaya 3100 400 2700 400 200 5. Mizoram 6646 5100 1500 5100 1200 6. Nagaland 0758 250 250 7. Tripura 2397 960 1437 2397 300 Bamboo is a vital element of Indias North Eastern region comprising the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. Bamboo has been a traditional material of construction that has been used in the north east region from quiet some time. In Borneo and the Naga Hills of India, large communal houses that may be 100 m long are built of bamboo. In Arunachal Pradesh, large suspension bridges have been made out of bamboo, In Assam houses made of bamboo are the typical house type in villages which stand the test of floods and earthquakes in the region. Bamboo is the material of choice when it comes to arts and craft in the region. A number of traditional musical instruments are also made from bamboo.  ¿Ã‚ ½The virtues of bamboo are not new, but the interest in it is, ¿Ã‚ ½ says Antonios Levissianos, UNIDO senior industrial development officer.  ¿Ã‚ ½Bamboo is no longer seen as a poor man ¿Ã‚ ½s timber, it is growing to be the most promising substitute for wood and there is great scope for further generating rural employment. India ¿Ã‚ ½s current demand for bamboo is an estimated 27 million tones. However, only 50 per cent of that demand can be met because of lack of facilities for value addition and transportation. ¿Ã‚ ½ 1.2: Why Bamboo? Bamboo is one of the foremost sustainable naturally available material that has been used in construction since ages. Bamboo is the traditional material of choice that has been in use in the North East region of India since time immemorial. Bamboo is enduring, versatile and renewable, and due to its vast production (13.5 million metric tonnes annually), it was also the material of choice in construction. Bamboo can replace a variety of woods that are being increasingly used for construction today, and thus help in saving forests which today are in a critical stage of deforestation. Also, bamboo converts more carbon-di-oxide, than most other plants, and hence a more eco-friendly material. The growth rate of bamboo is also three times to eucalyptus and it can be harvested four times in the same period, hence its production and availability is much more compared to wood. So, bamboo should be the material of choice in the field of construction and not only as a scaffolding option as it i s mostly used today, at least in the regions where it is readily available and in bounty. 1.2.1 Physical and chemical Properties of bamboo Physical Properties Physical properties of bamboo varies greatly from species to species, and to some extent within a species. Culms are generally long and straight and the hollow internodes make it comparatively light. The strength of bamboo varies within the species, age of culm, moisture content and portion of culm and generally increases until it reaches maturity. The tensile strength of a bamboo pole is high parallel to the grain. Bamboo however, fails in shear before it fails in tension and so modulus of rupture is used to calculate strength. Due to its weak transverse bonds between its fibres, it can be spilt easily along the length (radial or tangential) Chemical Properties The main constituents of the bamboo culm are: cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. Other constituents consist of resins, tannins, waxes and inorganic salts. The composition varies based on years of growth, season, species and the part of the culm. Studies on moisture, ligno-cellulosic, starch and silica content are presented in this section. The main percentage composition of a bamboo pole are mainly:  ¿Ã‚ ½ Cellulose Fibers 40%  ¿Ã‚ ½ Parenchyma 50%  ¿Ã‚ ½ Vessels (voids) 10% Mechanical Properties The fibers contribute 60-70% of the weight of the total culm tissue. They are long and tapered at their ends. The ratio of length to width varies between 150:1 and 250:1. Fiber length has showed considerable variation within species. There is also variation in strength properties along the culm height as well. Compressive strength tends to increase with height [Espiloy 1987; Liese 1987; Sattar et al. 1990; Kabir et al. 1991]. The strength increases from the central to the outer part. There is more than 100 percent variation in strength from the inner to the outer layers [Narayanamurti and Bist 1947]. 1.2.2 Bamboo In comparison to other prevalent construction materials A comparative study of the energy required to produce a unit of a building material with a certain level of load-bearing capacity gives an idea of the sustainability of bamboo. Due to its hollowness and the fibres being in the longitudinal direction, bamboo is a very efficient material for structural design, as less material is needed than in case of traditional construction materials such as steel and concrete as massive sections can be avoided. In case of load bearing mass, due to its tubular structure bamboo behaves as a I-shaped cross-section, in each of the direction of its load, but it is less efficient than other cross sections in one or two directions. The mechanical properties, the high extent of flexibility, its exceptionally fast growth rate, comparatively lower weight and low cost make bamboo a preferable building material over other construction materials. Although, in its natural state bamboo is little efficient to be used as a construction material due to its proneness to decay and insect attack, so, bamboo needs to be treated before it can be used as an extensive construction material. 1.2.3 Bamboo as a sustainable construction material Bamboo is not a tree, it is a grass, so unlike trees it does not yield timber. Bamboo ¿Ã‚ ½s environmental benefits arise largely out of its ability to grow and spread quickly  ¿Ã‚ ½ in some cases three to four feet per day  ¿Ã‚ ½ without the need for fertilizers, pesticides or much water. A bamboo grove also releases some 35 percent more oxygen into the air than a similar-sized stand of trees, because of this, planting bamboo is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and help fight global warming, a perfect selection for going green and it matures (and can be replanted) within seven years (compared to 30-50 years for a stand of trees), helping to improve soil conditions and prevent erosion along the way. Bamboo is so fast-growing that it can yield 20 times more timber than trees on the same area. As a building material, bamboo is also ideal in that it is sturdy, and can be cut and laminated into sheets and planks, just like wood. The quality of bamboo laminate varies between manufacturers and the maturity of the plant from which it was harvested; the sturdiest products fulfill their claims of being up to three times harder than oak hardwood but others may be softer than standard hardwood. Again, the many varieties of bamboo give it the advantage of versatility. For countries who are poor and struggling to move away from polluting industries, growing bamboo has the potential to become a viable economic and environmental solution. Bamboo if used as a major construction material, addresses three major areas: ECOLOGICAL SECURITY: conservation of forests through timber substitution, alternate materials to non-biodegradable high energy consuming materials like metals and plastics SUSTAINABLE FOOD SECURITY: bamboo based agro -forestry system, maintenance of soil fertility of adjoining agricultural lands, and bamboo shoots. LIVELIHOOD SECURITY: generation of employment in planting and primary processing for manufacturing mat based composites and other market driven bamboo products. Bamboo poles can be used to make papers and clothes, and the process is environment friendly as little harmful chemicals are required to make paper and clothes out of the bamboo plant. The environmental impact of bamboo is what makes it an ideal material for construction in both interior and exterior of any building. 1.3: Bamboo Usable in Construction 1.3.1 Durability of bamboo structure Bamboo is a natural composite with remarkable growth rate, and potent physical and mechanical properties which makes it one of the most suitable replacement for wood and a major and most sought after sustainable building material in the region of its growth. But bamboo in its natural state is not a very durable material and is very prone to infestation and decay. Thus, most bamboos used for structural purposes in rural and tribal housing deteriorate in a couple of years, putting heavy pressure on the resource, owing to increased demands for frequent replacements. This adversely affects the supplies of bamboo, even in bamboo rich regions. India, with an annual production of about 3.2 million tones of bamboos, ranks second only to China in bamboo production (Pathak, 1989). Over 136 species in 30 genera occur in India (Suri and Chauhan, 1984). The two most widely distributed genera in India are Bambusa and Dendrocalamus. In South and Southeast Asia, the most economically important species for structural uses from the point of view of easy availability are Bambusa balcoa, Bambusa bambos, Bambusa blumeana, Bambusa nutans, Bambusa polymorpha, Bambusa tulda, Barnbusa vulgaris, Dendrocalarmus hamiltonii, Dendrocalarnus strictus, Melocanna barnbusoides, Gigan tochloa spp., Ochlandra travanicorica and Oxytenathera nigroeiliata. Unfortunately, like most lignocellulosic materials, bamboo has very low resistance to biological degrading agents. Several techniques to enhance its durability have, therefore, been developed. Natural Durability of Bamboo Worldwide and mainly in the South East Asian mainland where bamboo grows in abundance there are a great many traditional and chemical methods for the preservation and enhanced durability of bamboo. However, here we mainly discuss briefly the traditional method of increasing the durability of bamboo which are tested and practiced in the north east Indian region which is the main producer of bamboo in the country. Variation in durability has also been observed along the length of the culm and the thickness of the wall. The lower portion of the culm is considered more durable, while the inner part of the wall deteriorates faster than the outer harder portion. This is probably related to the anatomical and chemical nature of the woody cells. Because of the lack of any toxic constituents, bamboos form a ready food source for a variety of organisms. The presence of considerable quantities of starch in green or dry bamboo makes it more attractive to such organisms, especially stain fungi and borer beetles. Some sap sucking insects have been reported to attack bamboo plantations as well (Chatterjee and Sebastian, 1964,1966; Singh, 1988). The most serious borers of felled bamboos are three species of Dinoderus (celluris, minutes, brevis) and Lyctus, which attack bamboo rich with starch (Casin and Mosteiro, 1970; Sandhu, 1975). They cause immense damage during drying, storage, and subsequent use. Carpenter bees and termites also attack bamboo (Beeson, 1938;Sensarma and Mathur, 1957). Bamboos are attacked by marine organisms as well (Anon, 1945). It is reported that bamboos harvested during summer are more rapidly destroyed than those felled in the rainy season (Liese, 1980). Culms of bamboo plants which have flowered are more resistant to beetles because of starch depletion. Hence, the first point of consideration for the durability of bamboo is harvesting. Harvesting of Bamboo In bamboos, soluble sugars are the principal nutrients for parasites. Thus, bamboos with depleted carbohydrates become reasonably resistant to the attack of borers and staining fungi. Methods adopted for lowering the sugar content at the time of harvesting of bamboos are: (i) Life Cycle: Felling of bamboo at maturity when sugar content is low:- Sugar content in bamboos varies with age. It is lowest during the first year but felling of one-year-old bamboo is not desirable because of very low strength and yield. Normally, bamboo matures at 3-4 years (ii) Annual Cycle: Felling of bamboo during low-sugar content season:-Sugar content in almost all plants varies with seasons. In India, for example, it is higher in spring than in winter (Joseph, 1958). Therefore, it is advisable to harvest bamboos between August and December, which is basically the dry season before monsoons. (iii) Daily Cycle: Felling of bamboo after sunset:- During the day time due to the availability of sunlight a lot of photosynthesis occurs in the bamboo plant and hence a lot of movement of food occurs resulting in increased starch content in most parts of the bamboo tree. But during the night mainly stored food is used and no photosynthesis happens, so it is advisable to fell the bamboo tress after sunset. Leaching of Bamboo The bamboo available after harvest is not ready yet, it still has a large amount of sap content which makes it prone to infestation and decay. Leaching is the removal of sap after harvest. The sap levels in harvested bamboo are reduced either through leaching or postharvest photosynthesis. A variety of leaching practices are used to remove the sap content, the mostly used include: 1. Cut bamboo is raised clear of the ground and leant against the rest of the clump for one to two weeks until leaves turn yellow to allow full consumption of sugars by the plant. 2. A similar method is undertaken, but with the base of the culm standing in fresh water, either in a large drum or stream to leach out sap. 3. Cut culms are immersed in a running stream and weighted down for three to four weeks. 4. Water is pumped through the freshly cut culms, forcing out the sap (this method is often used in conjunction with the injection of some form of treatment). In the process of water leaching, the bamboo is dried slowly and evenly in the shade to avoid cracking in the outer skin of the bamboo, thereby reducing opportunities for pest infestation. Storage of Bamboo The bamboo after removal of the sap content is than ready to be stored in storages but certain precautions are taken to enhance the durability of bamboo, they are: 1. Bamboo is not stored in the open to avoid exposure to climatic forces such as rain and direct sunlight. 2. Bamboo is stored in a semi closed area to allow wind movement through its stacks. 3. Bamboo is stored a bit (app. 10cm) above the ground to avoid infestation from below, also an insect repellent may be sprayed on the ground. 4. Bamboo is stacked in vertical manner, and it should be noted that a minimum of 30% of the moisture in bamboo should be retained. These measures taken ensures that the bamboo is stored properly and is well protected from reagents, and ready for selection and grading. Selection/ Grading of bamboo The bamboo culms are now ready for selection and grading into various categories, which are then accordingly put to use in the construction as per the nature of demand of the work. The main characteristics of a good, durable and structurally usable bamboo culm are based on the following key points along with a idea of advisable range of values. 1. Age and Maturity : plus 5 years 2. Dimensional Characteristics : 4 6 3. Wall Thickness : 12mm 25 mm 4. Inter Nodal Distance 5. Straightness and Uniformity 1.3.2 Treatment processes of bamboo Although a great deal of care is taken in increasing the durability of bamboo right from the beginning from the process of harvesting to the selection and grading, the natural bamboo still is not good for long standing structures due to its still proneness to infestation. Hence, the bamboo is made to go through a number of treatment and preventive processes. Natural means- 1. water seasoning 3-4 months 2. smoke seasoning 3. heat seasoning Chemical means- 1. internodal injection treatment- petro based chemical, creosote oil+diesel (1:1) 25-40ml 2. borax boric solution- 1:1 in hot 25L of water 50g of each 3. vacuum pressure treatment 4. brochh-vsie treatment gravity based 1.4: Current State of Problems 1.4.1 A Glance at the drawbacks of traditional bamboo construction in North East India Since time immemorial bamboo has been an integral part of the traditional practices of the people of north east India. The north eastern parts of India, bamboo is in abundance due to its topography and geographical conditions, and bamboo has found its use in many variations and utilities, ranging from bamboo as a construction material, a key element of interiors such as furnitures and home decor, to daily household usable commodities. Bamboo shoot is a delicacy exquisite to the North Eastern region of India. Although available in bounty in nature, the state of bamboo usable for construction purposes is in a state of bother in the region. The traditional methods of bamboo usage and construction can be said to be inadequate to meet long term goals of sustainable and long lasting and permanent structures.  ¿Ã‚ ½The virtues of bamboo are not new, but the interest in it is, ¿Ã‚ ½ says Antonios Levissianos, UNIDO senior industrial development officer.  ¿Ã‚ ½Bamboo is no longer seen as a poor man ¿Ã‚ ½s timber, it is growing to be the most promising substitute for wood and there is great scope for further generating rural employment. India ¿Ã‚ ½s current demand for bamboo is an estimated 27 million tones. However, only 50 per cent of that demand can be met because of lack of facilities for value addition and transportation. ¿Ã‚ ½ According to Antonios if proper infrastructure is provided for transportation, either by way of roads or canals, bamboo can be a material with great potent ial to be used in the construction industry in the NE region of India. If we are to highlight a few key points as to what leads to the failure of the current traditional system of bamboo usage in the construction industry we can consider the following key points: (i) Bamboo not Treated: In the current practice system of bamboo usage in the region the bamboo after the process of harvesting as discussed in section A3 : 3.1, it undergoes little treatment procedures, which makes it prone to infestation and attack from natural reagents. (ii) Lack of Proper Joinery: The current practice involves crude joinery mechanisms to join two bamboo structural members, which are derogatory and have inverse effects on the life of bamboo and also tend to cause in rupture of the bamboo members. (iii) Lack of Safety measures from Climatic Forces: This is one of the major cause of failure of current bamboo structures, as the natural climatic forces have an adverse effect on the untreated bamboo. The lack of solid and stable joinery is exploited by the wind in the region whereas, the rain and floods play an even dangerous effect to the untreated bamboo. 1.4.2 Identifying the Possible problems in constructing with bamboo The state of bamboo in the North Eastern region of India can be easily be improved if we identify and improve upon the key points or the distinct nodes of the problems, that are associated with the traditional method of construction of bamboo. After a look into our study so far, if we are to list some key issues which needs to be addressed upon as the main nodes to look at for making bamboo a suitable and efficient material of construction we can list out the following points. 1. Appropriate technology for bamboo treatment and working tools The region does not have a proper treatment facility for the treatment of harvested bamboo which will protect it from insect and reagent attacks as well as slow its decay process due to effect from natural forces. Moreover, no specialized tools are available for working with bamboo and most of the work is done with tools developed for wood/timber as such it results in rupture and wear and tear of bamboo elements which can be avoided by proper use of tools developed especially for bamboo. 2. Design of proper joinery system- conducive effective production to bamboo material The current joinery type used for bamboo based construction is either by tying by ropes or bolting with iron bolts as shown in Fig. 11, the rope tied bamboo joints tend to fail the test of time and climatic forces, whereas the bolting results in unwanted cracks and rupture of the structural bamboo elements. 3. Skilled labour- workmanship Although bamboo has been the choice of material since long in the region , a relatively low quantity of labours can come up to the level of being called a primary bamboo construction workman. This is a major setback as to when an architect or builder decides on constructing with bamboo as there is serious lack of skilled labour for bamboo construction. So, the region demands a specialized center for training persons in bamboo construction who can in turn come up to be the skilled bamboo works man for the region. This can inturn help to generate employment for the local public, who after being trained can work as bamboo craftsman in the industry. E.g. Hong Kong Bamboo Scaffolding Factory 4. Change in Social mindset A major setback related to bamboo construction in the region is the social mindset of the people who are of the idea that bamboo is a poor mans timer, and fail to understand the potential and beauty of the bamboo material. A through policy for propagate to mass with appropriate technology has to be introduced in a systematic manner which is competitive, durable, aesthetically pleasing and eco friendly. CHAPTER 2: HYPOTHESIS 2.1 STATEMENT Bamboo is a natural material, it is non-uniform, and degradable in its natural state. However it is one of the most sustainable building materials used till date. However, the key area of concern and the biggest obstacle in the bamboo being used more often in construction is, due to its dimensional constraints the joinery system for the structural elements of a bamboo construction becomes extremely difficult and non-durable. However, custom made joints, which are flexible and also adjustable can help solve the problem as it can convert a non-standardize construction material to a standardize material. Moreover, factory setups for availing the construction industry with well treated, and standardize bamboo elements as well as products can help a great deal in making bamboo the material of choice for construction in the region.  ¿Ã‚ ½Customization of the joinery system of bamboo elements along with better industrial setup for bamboo and bamboo based products will make bamboo a primary construction material. ¿Ã‚ ½ 2.2: METHODOLOGY Literature comprising books, research notes, websites, published papers, news articles and e-mail correspondence were means of research undertaken. the author also visited Assam from 13/05/2012 to 10/06/2012 for observations and discussions with professionals. There were site visits conducted during the period. The understanding developed was in the form of why the traditional method of bamboo construction is inadequate and what are the major problems which limit bamboo usage as the primary construction material. These were then explained in terms of case studies with examples from India and rest of the world. The case studies and the problems are then evaluated to reach a conclusion which hint at possible solution to make bamboo a standard and primary construction material Chapter 3: CASE STUDIES Bamboo itself has a lot of advantages using it for building houses, bridges . It is a cheap, fast growing material with excellent statistics according to the mechanical properties. However, although it is abundantly available in North East India there are some major problems related to bamboo based construction in the region which has been discussed in clause 1.4.2 of chapter 1 of this report. There may be a lot of solutions possible for the above mentioned problems, which are a hurdle to the establishment of the hypothesis statement. In order to throw some light on as to how these problems can be looked at and approached, the following case studies are picked from India and abroad. 3.1 : Case Studies Addressing to Standardization of Bamboo Material Standardization of the bamboo material is a very important aspect towards establishing bamboo as a primary construction material. Bamboo is a natural material, and is non uniform and degradable in nature. Moreover, in the current industry setup there are no specific tools to be worked on bamboo, this as a result makes bamboo a vulnerable material of construction in the region. But, if the bamboo material is somehow standardize, be it whole bamboo or split bamboo, and specific tools are applied for its processing than it is possible to use bamboo and bamboo based products in a way we now use brick and concrete. 3.1.1 : BMTPC Initiative The BMTPC (Building Materials and Technology Promotion Council) of the Ministry of Housing Urban Poverty Alleviation Government of India is looking forward to promote the increased use of Bamboo throughout the country. According to the BMTPC, the strength of bamboo culms, their straightness and lightness combined with hardeners and range and size of hollowers, with good physical and mechanical properties, low shrinkage and average density, it is well suited to replace wood in several applications. The BMTPC propagates the preservation of bamboo through the IS9096:2006, Code of Practice for preservation of bamboo for structural purpose. It covers the type of preservation, the treatment procedure for structural purposes like posts, scaffolding, walls, trusses etc. For the process of standarization the BMTPC has

Friendship in the Kite Runner Essay examples -- Literary Analysis

The line between a friend and an enemy is thinner than one can ever imagine. In the words of Henry David Thoreau, "True friendship is never serene" (ThinkExist.com). The job of a friend is so much more than a companion, to pass the time with. They help us shape our life, and they're responsible to be that little voice in our ear, to help us analyze our actions and views. Through Amir's relationships, The Kite Runner shows the true role of a friend to point and guide us even when we don't agree; total devotion can ruin not only a friendship, but a life. In Hossini's novel, there are plenty of examples of a true friendship, which isn't afraid to criticize and be truthful. The simplest is Amir's wife, Soraya. While some would say her marriage to Amir isn't a true love match, but rather an arranged marriage, they are absolutely in love. She isn't afraid, however, to tell Amir of "what happened in Virginia" (Hosseini 456). She trusts Amir to understand, and to talk to her as a friend. He doesn't try to make what she did right, but instead he praises her courage as "one of many ways in which Soraya Taheri was a better person than me" (Hosseini 424). Because of this friendship, their relationship becomes an exchange. Amir tells her his entire story about Hassan and his guilt, and she helps him through his emotional reconciliation with that, by taking in Sohrab and helping bring him to America. They have no secrets, nothing goes unspoken, and they help each other. While their love might not be viewed as perfect, they temper it wi th enough truth to keep each other on the right path. An often overlooked character, a simple Afghan family man, shows Amir more "tough" than "tough love," but still turns out to be a true friend... ...le for the past, and to make up for a broken friendship. By contrasting these relationships, Hosseini proves that healthy relationships require an even measure of disagreement, correction, and help to stay afloat. Works Cited Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. iBookstore. New York: Penguin eBooks, 2004. LaFollete, Hugh. "Pragmatic Ethics." 2007. Blackwell Guide to Ethical Theory. 12 January 2010 . Princeton University WordNet. Lexicon Dictionary Search. 20 December 2010. 2011 January 16 . Simon & Garfunkel. "The Dangling Conversation." Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme. By Paul Simon. Columbia Records, 1966. ThinkExist.com. Quotes on Friendship. 13 July 2002. 12 January 2011 .

jimhf Huck and Jim’s Relationship :: Adventures Huckleberry Huck Finn Essays

Huckleberry Finn and Jim’s Relationship Throughout The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain illustrates the bond formed between Huck, the young white protagonist, and Jim, Huck's black companion. Huck's father Pap, while he was still alive, had beaten Huck repeatedly, kidnapped and scared his son to the extent, that Huck, out of fear, feigns his own death to escape Pap's grasp. While Huck and Jim travel down the river it becomes apparent that Jim is more of a father figure to Huck than his biological father. Pap teaches the virtues of a life not worth living, while Jim gives Huck the proper fatherly support, compassion, and knowledge for Huck to become a man. Although Huck and Jim come from separate racial backgrounds their time together allows them to surpass their ethnic segregation and become true friends, and family. A father's attributes are meant to be examples for which his offspring can base their own lives. Pap attains non-of these attributes. Pap is an ignorant drunkard who attempts to swindle and scam any possible person. He goes so far as to even filch from his-own son. Pap views Huck as someone upon whom he can assert himself. He attempts to drain Huck of all characteristics that would make Huck superior to himself. "You're educated, too, they say; can read and write. You think you're better'n your father, now, don't you, because he can't? I'll take it out of you... Ain't you a sweet-scented dandy, though? A bed; and bed-clothes... and your own father got to sleep with the hogs... I bet I'll take some o' these frills out o' you before I'm done with you."(21-23) Pap is no father to Huck, he berates, kidnaps, and beats his own son with no remorse. The only lessons that Huck learns from Pap are what not to do with his life. He's seen the draw-backs of alcohol, stealing, and other such elicit actions that his father has performed. Pap is a low down dirty scoundrel who wishes nothing but the worst for his-own son. While Pap acts as an anchor on Huck's heel, Jim opens up a new world for Huck, and becomes his companion and a resource of knowledge.

Ocean’s Eleven †Film analysis Essay

The blockbuster film Ocean’s Eleven, released in 2001, was the first film of a trilogy of heist films directed by Steven Soderbergh. This big budget crime-thriller remake of the 1960’s Rat Pack favourite conveys the intricately thrilling plot where Daniel Ocean leads a rag-tag group of con artists and ex-cons for the monumental heist of 3 major Las Vegas Casinos. This sequence is significant because it sets up the diegesis of the film and also gives us an insight into the character of the protagonist. Also, structurally, the set up of the heist is crucial to setting up the audience’s high expectations and apprehensions of how something of this scale can be achieved smoothly. Daniel Ocean, played by A-list star George Clooney, is being interviewed by the parole board at a small New Jersey State prison. Immediately after being released, Ocean heads straight for Atlantic City and then Las Vegas to begin recruiting old acquaintances for his grandest heist yet. The genre feature of assembling the heist team members, each with a specific skill, is an extremely important one as it functions to make the audience anticipate what role each will play and how, exactly, their skills will come into play later. Through this sequence, it is made clear to us that Daniel Ocean is a leader and a natural, experienced criminal whose goals and ambitions are not affected by prison. To put this film and its heist theme into context, we must take into consideration the significance of using a casino in Las Vegas as the target of the heist. Las Vegas, also known as sin city, is the entertainment and gambling capital of the world, where fortunes are made and lost. Las Vegas connotes certain values and attitudes. Heist genre films have to make the thieves charismatic and almost heroic, therefore, the object or institution being robbed must be seen as evil in some personal or social way. A casino in Las Vegas is a symbol of mass corporate greed, capitalism on a lurid scale, and a place where the odds are stacked in the casino’s favour. The stakes are so high when it comes to robbing a casino that, Daniel Ocean and his 10 associates are not only gambling their chances of going to prison, they are gambling with their lives. We know that this is the case with this film because we can see Daniel Ocean unthreatened and unaffected by prison life. MISE EN SCENE During the interview in the prison, The Mise en scene lends meaning to the fact that it isn’t a nice place to be, where conformity reigns, and individuality is quashed. The dark mise en scene, with the walls painted grey, as a prison is, creates an institutionalized atmosphere. The empty benches behind the character indicate the character’s loneliness in prison. There is also a barred window in the background, representing the outside world and something that can be seen but not experienced as well as the fan that isn’t on, further emphasising the lifeless atmosphere of the prison. Figure placement is effectively thought out to show Ocean in the centre, as the main character, and one side of him lit, from outside light, the other in darkness from inside the prison, introducing the classic narrative structural opposition of good versus evil, and showing Oceans two sides in the framing and lighting. The low-key back lighting creates a halo effect and prevents the audience from recognising him, creating instant mystery and suggesting he is doing something wrong or secretive, characteristic of the genre. Through Costume, Hair, and make-up, we see that Daniel Ocean, unshaven and slouched, is wearing a dark beige jumpsuit with a white undershirt, which represent his repression and captivity. Although Ocean is presented as a criminal, his slicked back hair, articulated speech and star image make him appealing. Clooney is usually seen as playing the hero in films, a trait common in studio films such as this, so the audience will expect the same of him in this film, although he is being portrayed, not as a law-abiding citizen or law enforcer, but as a felon. As Ocean leaves the prison, we see natural light coming from outside of the prison, with Ocean, facing away from us, silhouetted. This light is there to represent freedom, and escape from the confining walls of prison; Ocean’s silhouette raises yet more enigmas. Figure placement puts the â€Å"North Jersey State Prison† prison behind Ocean as he walks out, setting the location and also symbolizing Ocean leaving the prison and life of confinement behind. In the next location, a casino in Atlantic City, we have a big contrast in mise en scene, which conveys to us Daniel Ocean’s character in a non-confined setting. As this destination is the first place that Ocean visits after leaving prison, it suggests that it plays a significant role in the narrative. In the background, chandeliers can be seen, along with potted plants, and a burgundy and gold colour scheme, symbolizing wealth and desire. Ocean himself is now cleanly shaven, stylishly suited and can now be seen as much more of an individual, with the high-key lighting showing all of his facial expressions. All of the mise-en-scene shows the audience how this new setting is much more welcoming, the colours used give the setting a sense that Ocean feels at home and the artificial light brightens up the entire shot. The setting is made clear to the audience and the large budget of the film is made evident by the use of props such as the slot machines, roulette tables and the uniformed croupiers. These uniforms are also significant because the croupiers are wearing nametags, giving them an identity, which further contrasts the prison life where the prisoners in uniforms have no identity. Cinematography and EditingArguably the most critically acclaimed aspect of Ocean’s Eleven is the exceptional cinematography and editing. Stephen Soderbergh’s creative influence as an auteur is seen through cinematography and editing and it is known to be effective in conveying the plot with or without dialogue. The shots in this sequence are typically quite long durations of shot because they allow for the setting and context to sink in. The establishing shot is medium close-up shot on the character, who is positioned in the centre of the shot. This long duration of shot allows the audience to take in Daniel Ocean’s character in detail, illustrating his importance. A fast cut to a close up shot reveals the character to be Hollywood star George Clooney, fixed and focused onto his face, allowing for a more personal connection with the character, and also allowing individuality.  This close up also reveals his eyes, which help gain the audience’s trust, emphasizing his importance even further. The bobbing camera movement suggests the point of view from another character, the parole interviewer. A point of view shot through jail cell bars and slow tracking shots of Ocean leaving the prison suggests that other criminals look up to Ocean as an icon. A close up shot of Daniel’s ocean’s hand holding a wedding band conveys the importance of the ring, and hence, the importance of his ex wife. This impression is confirmed when the camera slowly pans up to Ocean’s face, revealing his longing expression. A close up tracking shot from behind Ocean is used as he exits through the prison gates to emphasise his importance and his role as a leader. In Atlantic City, a shallow focus shot of Ocean rising up in an escalator, filmed from a low-level camera angle, indicates Daniel Ocean’s rise from a boring repressed lifestyle to the pretentious planning of an epic heist. The shallow focus allows for more emphasis on Ocean. Once Ocean is seated at a blackjack table, there are several shot-reverse-shots of Ocean and the croupier, which doesn’t break the 180-degree rule, and also allows for dialogue. This helps to establish narrative. A point of view shot, from Ocean’s perspective, shows another croupier talking to somebody, showing that something had caught his eye. This suggests one of the characters in this shot, plays a role of importance in the future narrative. The female croupier walks out of the frame and is replaced by the man from the previous shot. This raises enigma as to why she has left, and satisfies the audience’s expectations of one of the previous characters being of some significance. The camera then zooms in closer to Frank’, whose name is established from the dialogue. This zoom suggests that this conversation between him and Ocean is that of a more secret nature, between those two, and the audience. Both characters seem to have their eyes at the same height  in an eye-line match, suggesting friendship and equality, but also raising an enigma between the two characters, as to how they are friends. SoundDiegetic and non-diegetic sound are used to collaboratively to augment the sequence in several ways. Off screen, metallic diegetic sounds can be heard, like large, heavy doors, or keys, and voices can be heard, but not distinctly. This off screen sound raises an enigma as to what the source of these noises are, cueing their significance to the plot as associated with confinement and prison, setting up the threat of prison for the thieves later on in the film. Off screen diegetic dialogue can be heard from a well educated, seemingly law abiding character, interviewing our character, who we find out to be Danny Ocean, tying in with the title, and giving more reason to the fact that he is the protagonist in this film. This interviewer acts as a contrast between law-abiding citizens, and the stereotypes that are commonly found in prison, representing the good, in this film. When the interviewer asks Ocean â€Å"What do you think you would do if released?† he does not respond, but a cut to a close up of his face and a non-diegetic baseline insinuates that he indeed plans to break the law again. We don’t need any script to suggest this as the mischievous, jazzy non diegetic sound and the close up of Ocean’s facial expression tell the audience all they need to know. The non-diegetic sound thickens with more instruments as Daniel Ocean leaves the solitary prison life and enters the lively casino. Combined with the diegetic sound of the casino machines and the gambling crowds, this sound build up represents Daniel Ocean gathering together ideas and the gang members for the heist, slowly coming back to life. The non-diegetic sound is of a funky jazz genre, reflecting Ocean’s optimistic attitude as well as giving a sense of mischief and complexity. Critical Reception Ocean’s Eleven, with it’s A-list cast and artistic director, was considered to be a success at the box office and with critics. The film received a rating of 80 percent at Rotten Tomatoes. People magazine called the film â€Å"pure fun from start to finish,† and included it in its end-of-year Best of Screen list. With its 85 million dollar budget, Oceans Eleven grossed over 183 million US dollars in the US alone and over 260 Million dollars overseas, making it an extremely commercially successful film. Bibliography: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0240772/