Behavioral Finance and Wealth Management

Some financial advisors are needlessly struggling with behavioral finance because they lack a systematic way to apply it to their client relationships. In my 2006 book, Behavioral Finance and Wealth Management, I outline a method of applying behavioral finance to private clients in a way that I now refer to as â€Å"bottom-up. † This means that for financial advisors to diagnose and treat behavioral biases, he or she must first test for all behavioral biases in a client, and then determine which ones a client has before being able to use bias information to create a customized investment plan. In my book I describe the most common behavioral biases an advisor is likely to encounter, explain how to diagnose these biases, show how to identify behavioral investor types, and finally show how to plot this information on a chart to create the client's â€Å"best practical allocation. † But some advisors may find this bottom-up approach too time-consuming or complex. So, I created a simpler, more efficient approach to bias identification that is â€Å"top-down,† a shortcut if you will, that can make bias identification much easier. I call it Behavioral Alpha, and the core of this process is four behavioral investor types. Over the next four articles, we will learn the four behavioral investor types and how to deal with each of these types of investors. For readers to understand behavioral investor types, they need to get a fundamental understanding of the 20 behavioral biases I outline in my book. In this article, we will review these biases that are encountered with actual clients, with a description of the bias and a classification of whether the bias is cognitive or emotional. Behavioral biases fall into two broad categories, cognitive and emotional, with both varieties yielding irrational judgments. A cognitive bias can be technically defined as a basic statistical, information processing, or memory error common to all human beings. They also can be thought of as â€Å"blind spots† or distortions in the human mind. Cognitive biases do not result from emotional or intellectual predisposition toward a certain judgments, but rather from subconscious mental procedures for processing information. On the opposite side of the spectrum from illogical or distorted reasoning we have emotional biases. Although emotion is a difficult word to describe and has no single universally accepted definition, an emotion is a mental state that arises spontaneously, rather than through conscious effort. Emotions are physical expressions, often involuntary, related to feelings, perceptions or beliefs about elements, objects or relations between them, in reality or in the imagination. Emotions can be undesired to the individual feeling them; he or she might wish to control their emotions but often cannot. Investors can be presented with emotionally based investment decisions, and may make suboptimal decisions by having emotions affect these decisions. Often, because emotional biases originate from impulse or intuition rather than conscious calculations they are difficult to correct. Emotional biases include endowment, loss aversion, and self-control. We will investigate both cognitive and emotional biases in the next section. The distinction between cognitive and emotional is an important one, because advisors will want to advise their clients differently based on which types of biases are being acted out. In the next four articles, we will use the biases described here a lot, so I encourage readers to get to know the biases presented here in concept. We will apply them to client situations in subsequent articles.

Study Guide on Communication

1. What is communication? How does communicating relate to parenting? Communication is sharing of meaning between two or more people, it relates to parenting because it helps guide and understand their child better. 2. How can financial issues affect parenting? Financial issues may cause families to spend less time together; children may spend more time be unsupervised and less quality time with their parents. 3. How does negative communication differ from positive communication? Positive parenting differ from negative parenting because positive parenting have to deal with guiding and teaching children and negative have to deal with yelling scream and punishment. 4. How can divorce affect children? Divorce affects children differently depending on the age group under five experience increased temper tantrums, difficulty sleeping, separation anxiety. School children may feel sadness, guilt, anger and develop phobias. Teens experience insecurity, sadness, and engage in drug use, criminal activities, unsafe sex, etc. . What are three tips that parents can use to improve communication with their children? Three communication tips are; 1) Make the child the focus of your attention. 2) Get down to the child's level physically (eye contact). 3) Delay or Pause conversation if you need to. Critical Thinking Questions 1. Why is it important that parents talk to their children about social issues such as divorce, finances, and unemployment? How can parents talk about di fficult topics? It is important because children can understand the problems that their family is having. They can sit down and talk to their child in a calm tone without giving negative contact. 2. When teenagers become parents, what are some of the challenges they face? Teens faces challenges such as depression, stress, fitting in with their peers and anxiety. 3. What are at least three techniques that parents can use when they are communicating with a child about a mistake or misbehavior? Three techniques parent can use are 1) Wait before criticizing out of anger. ) Start a constructive criticism conversation on a positive note. 3) Don’t jump to conclusion first get full story. Discussion Question 1. Who is someone that you feel you have a positive relationship with? What role do you think openness and truthfulness have in making this relationship positive? Someone who I have a positive relationship with is my aunt. I think openness and truthfulness play a big role because if it wasn’t for those I wouldn’t be able to have a positive good relationship with her. 2. What effects do you think the various types of media (TV, Internet, newspapers, Facebook, etc†¦) have on your own life and your family? Do you think the overall effect is negative or positive? How can parents reduce the negative effects? I think media have a negative effect on my life because I spend more time with the media than I do with my family and that’s not good. We are starting to be a little distant and not spend quality time with each other. I think my parents can spend less time with media stuff and more time with us.

Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives in India Essay

1. Company Background †¢ Coke – A sweet carbonated drink containing caramel and other flavoring components †¢ Invented in 1886 by Dr. J.S. Pemberton †¢ Contained extracts of Coca leaves and Kola nuts †¢ Business sold in 1888 to business men †¢ Candler acquired competitors and promoted Coca-Cola → Rapid sales increase since 1895 †¢ In 1894 J.A. Biedenharn invented selling the prepared drink in bottles 2. Company Background (continued)†¢ In 1919 a group of investors bought Coca Cola for around $25 million†¢ Robert Woodruff turned the company into what it is now:†¢ One of the worlds most recognized brands and a MNE with huge profits†¢ 1993, Coca Cola entered India through a strategic alliance with Parle Exports †¢ By now, it offers a portfolio of world class quality beverages, extending through over 400 brands 3. SWOT Analysis Strenghts†¢ Strong brand-name†¢ Global distribution system†¢ High-profile global presence†¢ Low cost of operation†¢ Broad-based bottling strategy†¢ High market share 4. SWOT Analysis Strenghts Weaknesses†¢ Strong brand-name †¢ Carbonates market is in decline†¢ Global distribution system †¢ Existing distribution system is less efficient for non-carbonates†¢ High-profile global presence †¢ Health care issues†¢ Low cost of operation†¢ Broad-based bottling strategy†¢ High market share 5. SWOT Analysis Strenghts Weaknesses †¢ Strong brand-name †¢ Carbonates market is in decline†¢ Global distribution system †¢ Existing distribution system is less efficient for non-carbonates†¢ High-profile global presence †¢ Health care issues†¢ Low cost of operation†¢ Broad-based bottling strategy†¢ High market shareOpportunities†¢ Expansion†¢ Use distribution strengths†¢ Large domestic market (India)†¢ Increasing average income in India 6. SWOT Analysis Strenghts Weaknesses†¢ Strong brand-name †¢ Carbonates market is in decline†¢ Global distribution system †¢ Existing distribution system is less efficient for non-carbonates†¢ High-profile global presence †¢ Health care issues†¢ Low cost of operation†¢ Broad-based bottling strategy†¢ High market share ThreatsOpportunities †¢ Competition from health drinks†¢ Expansion †¢ Competition from Pepsi†¢ Use distribution strengths †¢ Boycott in the Middle-East†¢ Large domestic market (India) †¢ Government regulations on Increasing average income in India production (license)†¢ 7. Coca-Cola India CSR Initiatives Focus on Environment Responsibility 8. WaterMethods†¢ Watershed Protection Community Watershed Partnership (CWP) (2005)†¢ Rainwater Harvesting Projects Kaladera plant in Rajasthan (2006) †¢ Educating Jal Tarang (a part of World Water Day) (2007) â€Å"Think Green, Go Green† Campaign (2007) Film (2007) 9. Water (continued)Achievements1. Reduced water consumption by 35% between 1999 to 20061. Reached zero water balance (2009)1. Returned all water in manufacturing processes (2010)2. Improved the livelihoods of Bottom of the Pyramid populations (BOP) (poor farmers) 10. WaterGoal: Reduce the emission of GHGs (especially HFCs and CO2) Methods 1. eKOfreshment Cooler Program (2000) 1. Converted old equipment to HFC-free fridges (2006) 2. Installed over 8500 units of HFC-free equipment (2007) 3. esKO Project (2007) 4. Enhanced energy efficiency 5. Developed Energy Management System (EMS) (2006) 11. Energy New Coke: Isdell wants to reduce Coca-Colas carbon footprint. – E. Neville Isdell, CEO 12. Energy (continued)Achievements 1. GHGs emission reduces by 75% (2006) 2. Reduced energy consumption by 640 million kilowatt-hours, which equals to 3 million metric tons 3. Increased the energy efficiency of equipment by 40 to 50% 13. FuelCoca-Cola had local operations for production, bottling, and delivery in each country of operation. Take Taiwan for example: SWIRE Coca-Cola Taiwan LTD. and its factories are in No.46, Singbang RD., Taoyuan County. 14. Packaging + Recycling †¢ Focus on 3R (Reduction, Recovery, Reuse) †¢ PET Recycling Project in Mumbai (2005) †¢ â€Å"Abhiyan – The Movement†, a film on PET recycling Methods †¢ e3 Program †¢ Redesigned trademarked bottles †¢ Invested millions of dollars on collecting and recovering packaging materials used for beverages 15. Packaging + Recycling (continued)Achievements 1. Raised the income of about 100 PET crusaders by 50% 1. Recycled nearly 80% of the PET waste (2006) 2. Redesigning of bottles saved 89000 metric tons of glass (2006) 3. Most of the packaging material was 100% recyclable 16. Depletion of Water Table Coca-Cola India depleted groundwater tables and overexploited the groundwater reserves, leaving the local communities with no access to drinking water and water for farming which was their primary source of income! 17. Depletion of Water Table (continued)Data collected by the government agency the Ground WaterBoard showed that groundwater level had dropped in the firsts even years of the company‟s operation. †¢ A sharp drop in groundwater levels in Mehdiganj near the city of Varanasi. †¢ Groundwater levels in Kala Dera have continued spiraling downwards. 18. Depletion of Water Table (continued) One report, in the daily newspaper Mathrubhumi, described local women having to travel five kilometers to obtain drinkable water, during which time soft drinks would come out of the Coca-Cola plant by the truckload. 19. Depletion of Water Table (continued) â€Å"Coca-Cola sucks India dry.† 20. Supplied Sludge to Farmersas Fertilizer Coca-Cola had seized land from farmers and discharged hazardous material and sludge in the areas surrounding its plants in India. In a â€Å"goodwill gesture†, Coca-Cola was distributing the solid waste from its bottling plants to farmers in the area as fertilizer!! 21. Supplied Sludge to Farmersas Fertilizer (continued) The Central Pollution Control Board of India found in 2003 that sludge from Coca-Cola‟s Uttar Pradesh factory in Mehdiganj was contaminated with high levels of cadmium (up to 86mg/kg), lead (up to 538mg/kg), and chromium (up to 134mg/kg), effectively making the solid waste toxic . 22. Supplied Sludge to Farmers as Fertilizer (continued)Cadmium is a Lead iscarcinogen particularly and can dangerous to children and the accumulate in results of the kidneys, exposure can be with repeated fatal. Even at low exposure levels it can possibly cause mentalcausing retardation and kidney failure. severe anaemia. 23. Supplied Sludge to Farmers as Fertilizer (continued)When confronted by BBC reporters†¦ â€Å"Its good for the farmers because most of them are poor.† Coca-Colas Vice-President 24. Supplied Sludge to Farmers as Fertilizer (continued)When confronted by BBC reporters†¦ â€Å"Its good for the farmers because most of them are poor.† The Coca-Cola company was ordered to stop the practice by the government Coca-Colas Vice-President authorities immediately. 25. Supplied Sludge to Farmers as Fertilizer (continued) The bottling facilities at Kala Dera also reported that the groundwater contained pesticides. 26. Liquid waste from the Coca-Cola bottling plant at Balia 27. Banner at >Coca-Cola Museum Major Protest Demands Coca-Cola Shut Down Plant March 31, 2008. 28. Coca-Cola India’s Response Coca-Cola India’s response to the allegations www.cokefacts.org 29. Coca-Cola India’s Response Coca-Cola India’s response to the allegations www.cokefacts.org Overexploitation of the groundwater reserves Study by National Geophysical Research Institute disapproved these allegations Decreased rainfall by 60% was the cause 30. Coca-Cola India’s Response Coca-Cola India’s response to the allegations www.cokefacts.org Overexploitation of the groundwater reserves Study by National Geophysical Research Institute disapproved these allegations Decreased rainfall by 60% was the cause Release of untreated water by the factory Wastewater management technology is among the most advanced in the world 31. Coca-Cola India’s Response Coca-Cola India’s response to the allegations www.cokefacts.org Overexploitation of the groundwater reserves Study by National Geophysical Research Institute disapproved these allegations Decreased rainfall by 60% was the cause Release of untreated water by the factory Wastewater management technology is among the most advanced in the world Supplied sludge to farmers as fertilizer Sludge is not harmful to the environment 32. AnalysisOf Coca-Cola India’s ResponseCoca Cola was attacked by different institutions 33. AnalysisOf Coca-Cola India’s ResponseCoca Cola was attacked by different institutions Coca Cola had to face image problems in the Indian and American market Consumers would lose trust in the company Loss of reputation as a socially responsible corporate citizen 34. AnalysisOf Coca-Cola India’s ResponseCoca Cola was attacked by different institutions Coca Cola had to face image problems in the Indian and American market Consumers would lose trust in the company Loss of reputation as a socially responsible corporate citizen Coca Cola’s plan: Attack credibility Refuting the allegations and calling them baseless Aggressively stressing their innocence hoping to resolve the issues 35. AnalysisOf Coca-Cola India’s ResponseCoca Cola was attacked by different institutions Coca Cola had to face image problems in the Indian and American market Consumers would lose trust in the company Loss of reputation as a socially responsible corporate citizen Coca Cola’s plan: Attack credibility Refuting the allegations and calling them baseless Aggressively stressing their innocence hoping to resolve the issues Problem: NGOs are very powerful! NGOs have higher credibility in the eyes of the general public 36. AnalysisOf Coca-Cola India’s ResponseCoca Cola was attacked by different institutions Coca Cola had to face image problems in the Indian and American market Consumers would lose trust in the company Loss of reputation as a socially responsible corporate citizen Coca Cola’s plan: Attack credibility Refuting the allegations and calling them baseless Aggressively stressing their innocence hoping to resolve the issues Problem: NGOs are very powerful! NGOs have higher credibility in the eyes of the general public Mistake Acting to fast by attacking and underestimating NGOs power 37. How Coca-Cola India should have respondedThinking and analyzing alternatives 38. How Coca-Cola India should have respondedThinking and analyzing alternatives Alternative 1: Collaboration instead of attack Coca Cola should have collaborated with the NGOs 39. How Coca-Cola India should have respondedThinking and analyzing alternatives Alternative 1: Collaboration instead of attack Coca Cola should have collaborated with the NGOs Alternative 2: Ignore Ignore the allegations and wait till the buzz goes away 40. How Coca-Cola India should have respondedThinking and analyzing alternatives Alternative 1: Collaboration instead of attack Coca Cola should have collaborated with the NGOs Alternative 2: Ignore Ignore the allegations and wait till the buzz goes away Alternative 3: PR Campaign A PR campaign that informs the American public about Coca Cola‟s efforts as responsible corporate citizen 41. How Coca-Cola India should have respondedThinking and analyzing alternatives Alternative 1: Collaboration instead of attack Coca Cola should have collaborated with the NGOs Alternative 2: Ignore Ignore the allegations and wait till the buzz goes away Alternative 3: PR Campaign A PR campaign that informs the American public about Coca Cola‟s efforts as responsible corporate citizen 42. The Plan Solution: Collaboration with NGO and PR Campaign Goal Regain trust and loyalty of customerCapabilities needed > Coca Cola and NGO have to collaborateActions > NGO has to correct their mistakes publicly > NGO has to issue an apology to Coca Cola 43. The Plan Solution: Collaboration with NGO and PR Campaign Goal Rebuild and repair Goal the Coca Cola Regain trust brand name and loyalty of customer Capabilities needed > A PR team which will planCapabilities needed and lead the campaign > Coca Cola and NGO have to collaborate Actions > Organize promotional activitiesActions (including charity work) > NGO has to correct their mistakes publicly > Hand out free drinks, coupons, vouchers at public events > NGO has to issue an apology to > Broadcast TV advertisements which Coca Cola show the good side of the company 44. The Plan Solution: Collaboration with NGO and PR Campaign Goal Rebuild and repair Goal the Coca Cola Regain trust brand name and loyalty of customer Capabilities needed > A PR team which will planCapabilities needed and lead the campaign > Coca Cola and NGO have to collaborate Actions > Organize promotional activitiesActions (including charity work) > NGO has to correct their mistakes publicly > Hand out free drinks, coupons, vouchers at public events > NGO has to issue an apology to > Broadcast TV advertisements which Coca Cola show the good side of the company 45. What is Greenwashing? â€Å"Coca-Cola attempts to manufacture a green image of itself that it clearly is not, as their practice in India shows. We call this „Greenwashing.‟ † – Amit Srivastava 46. Examples of Greenwashing †¢ In 2009, European McDonald’s changed the color of their logos from yellow and red to yellow and green to demonstrate its concern for â€Å"being green.† 47. Examples of Greenwashing †¢ In 2009, European McDonald’s changed the color of their logos from yellow and red to yellow and green to demonstrate its concern for â€Å"being green.† †¢ Comcast, a cable service company, has the slogan of â€Å"Paper LESS is MORE† but it uses large amounts of paper for direct marketing. 48. Examples of Greenwashing †¢ In 2009, European McDonald’s changed the color of their logos from yellow and red to yellow and green to demonstrate its concern for â€Å"being green.† †¢ Comcast, a cable service company, has the slogan of â€Å"Paper LESS is MORE† but it uses large amounts of paper for direct marketing. †¢ The Poland Spring’s bottles is touted as â€Å"A little natural does a lot of good†, although 80% of its beverage containers go to the landfill. 49. Is Coca Cola Greenwashing?Coca Cola is not Greenwashing Coca Cola is Green washing because†¦ because†¦ 50. Is Coca Cola Greenwashing?Coca Cola is not Greenwashing Coca Cola is Green washing because†¦ because†¦ We have implemented many environmental protective initiatives since 2000! 51. Is Coca Cola Greenwashing?Coca Cola is not Greenwashing Coca Cola is Green washing because†¦ because†¦ We have implemented many environmental Those are not enough protective initiatives even to make up for the since 2000! pollution you‟ve made in India! 52. Is Coca Cola Greenwashing?Coca Cola is not Greenwashing Coca Cola is Green washing because†¦ because†¦ We voluntarily initiated The Energy and Resource Institute (TERI) to conduct a survey on ourselves! And the survey shows we‟re doing well! 53. Is Coca Cola Greenwashing?Coca Cola is not Greenwashing Coca Cola is Green washing because†¦ because†¦ We voluntarily initiated The Energy and Resource Institute (TERI) to conduct a survey on ourselves! And the survey shows we‟re doing well! The reliability of the survey is questionable! 54. Is Coca Cola Greenwashing?Coca Cola is not Greenwashing Coca Cola is Green washing because†¦ because†¦ We’ve invested US$20million for our water conservation project! 55. Is Coca Cola Greenwashing?Coca Cola is not Greenwashing Coca Cola is Green washing because†¦ because†¦ That‟s just 1 percent of We’ve invested Coca Cola‟s annual US$20million for our water advertising budget! conservation project! 56. Is Coca Cola Greenwashing?Coca Cola is not Greenwashing Coca Cola is Green washing because†¦ because†¦ We’ve built a lot of rain harvesting sites since 2006 to recharge ground water! 57. Is Coca Cola Greenwashing?Coca Cola is not Greenwashing Coca Cola is Green washing because†¦ because†¦ We’ve built a lot of rain harvesting sites since That‟s nothing special. Rain 2006 to recharge harvesting has already ground water! been a common practice in India. 58. Is Coca Cola Greenwashing?Coca Cola is not Greenwashing Coca Cola is Green washing because†¦ because†¦ We’ve won many awards for our CSR(Corporation Social Responsibility) initiatives! 59. Is Coca Cola Greenwashing?Coca Cola is not Greenwashing Coca Cola is Green washing because†¦ because†¦ We’ve won many awards for our CSR(Corporation Conferment of awards may Social Responsibility) not be objective. It can be initiatives! manipulated! 60. Is Coca Cola Greenwashing?2000 2007†¢ Coca-Cola India launched an eKOfreshment cooler that used Coca-Cola India launched a rooftop rainwater harvesting technologies to helped it curb its emission of GHGs initiative at Varanasi, expecting to recharge more than (greenhouse gases) 4,900 cubic meters of groundwater.2005 Coca-Cola India launched oa rainwater harvesting project†¢ Coca-Cola India initiated a PET recycling project in Mumbai. at Greater Kailash, in New Delhi, which aimed to recharge around 4 million liters of water every year.2006 Coca-Cola India establishment 10 rainwater harvesting †¢ In 2006, the company completed a rainwater recharge projects in different schools of Jamshedpur city. initiative at its Kaladera plant in Rajasthan. As part of the Coca Cola announced a three-year, US$ 20 million project, the company built around 110 recharge shafts that partnership with the World Wildlife Fund63 (WWF) on collected rainwater. water conservation†¢ Coca-Cola India called, ‘Abhiyan — The Movement’. The film Coca-Cola India organized a program, â€Å"Think Green, Go focused on the need for and significance of recycling PET Green† that focused on environment education. bottles. 2008 †¢ By the end of 2006, Coca-Cola India had established PET The Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt. Ltd (Coca-Cola recycling projects at over 100 locations in India and built a India), was awarded the Golden Peacock award4 for capacity to collect and recycle nearly 80 percent of the waste Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for the several generated from the PET. community initiatives it had taken and its efforts toward†¢ Coca-Cola started an initiative called e3 to redesign its conservation of water. trademarked bottle, saving 89,000 metric tons of glass in 2006 at a global level. Most of the packaging material used by Coca- Cola India becomes 100 percent recyclable.†¢ Coco Cola developed an Energy Management System (EMS) that curbed energy consumption by 35 percent. †¢ Coca Cola launched an initiative called Project esKO, which aimed to reduce Coca-Cola’s carbon footprint at a global level by improving its driving and manufacturing operation to curb its carbon dioxide emissions by 10,000 metric tons every year. 61. ConclusionSo, is Coca Cola seriously doing something to fulfill its social responsibility? 62. ConclusionSo, is Coca Cola seriously doing something to fulfill its social responsibility? Yes, but not enough! 63. Summary †¢ Focus on Environmental Responsibilities †¢ Several initiatives concerning water, energy, fuel, and packaging and recycling †¢ Although, they attracted criticism †¢ Coca Cola responded to the critics Conclusion: Coca Cola is doing something to fulfill its social responsibility, but not enough! 64. Summary (continued)Obstructionist Defensive Accommodative Proactive approach approach approach approachLow social responsibility Social responsibility High social responsibility 65. Summary (continued)Obstructionist Defensive Accommodative Proactive approach approach approach approachLow social responsibility Social responsibility High social responsibility 66. Summary (continued)Obstructionist Defensive Accommodative Proactive approach approach approach approachLow social responsibility Social responsibility High social responsibility 67. Thank you for listening! Questions?

UNHAPPY RELATIONSHIPS IN HEMINGWAY'S LIFE AND FICTION Essay

UNHAPPY RELATIONSHIPS IN HEMINGWAY'S LIFE AND FICTION - Essay Example He believed in omitting extra details as a way of strengthening his stories. He compared this to an iceberg. Just like only the top 1/8th of an iceberg can be seen above the water with the rest remaining below the surface providing it with its momentum and dignity, Hemingway believed his stories should follow the same structure. Although some critics loved him, others said his stories were shallow. â€Å"He had no sympathy for women, they said, portraying them either as manhood-destroying bitches or as mere objects of sexual domination† (Lynn, 1987, p. 10). A close reading of his stories reveals not only the messages the author intended to send, but also some insights as to the way he felt about things. Throughout his life, Hemingway struggled in his relationships with others, particularly women, and these struggles can be traced through many of his works including â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants†, â€Å"The Short and Happy Life of Francis Macomber† and â€Å"S nows of Kilimajaro.† There are numerous similarities between the short story â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† and Hemingway’s life at the time he wrote it. According to Baker (1969), Hemingway wrote this story during the 100 day separation period between himself and his mistress Pauline that his wife Hadley insisted upon before granted a divorce. The story is essentially the conversation that takes place between a man and a woman at a small train station cafà © as they wait for their next train. One of the first indications that perhaps things are not right with the couple is the fact that they are drinking beers in the middle of the day. While this is not necessarily an indication of trouble, the emphasis on ‘big ones’ and the observation of the girl â€Å"looking off at the line of hills† observing that â€Å"they look like white elephants† (Hemingway, 1986: 273) begins to suggest the general direction of the story about to unfold. As the man

Business commentary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Business commentary - Essay Example minds the mainstream media has been the public medium where the heated debate has erupted regarding the second amendment of the constitution or right to bear arms. Private gun ownership is constantly being assaulted by new laws and legislation limiting and imposing ever increasing licensing requirements and restrictions to legally own a firearm, but have we gone too far? The first laws enacted further restricting gun ownership have already been passed in some states. For example, a bill that bans the ownership of any gun magazines that holds more than 15 rounds has passed the Colorado senate committee on March of this year. New York, Congressman, Steve Israel since last year has been pursuing for the renewal of the soon to expire Undetectable Firearms Act, to even include something that is still in the experimental or prototype stage; firearms or parts of firearms that could in the future be easily printed using a new wave of affordable 3d printers hitting the consumer market. The bill would not only ban the use of weapons that cannot be detected using a metal detector, but any firearm party that could potentially be manufactured in the future using 3d printer technology (Greenburg). This all out assault from the mainstream media, the federal government and local government regarding further limiting our right to bear arms is an illegal immoral atte mpt to further limit our individual freedoms, security of the free state, and further erode our U.S. Constitution (Salsman). Greenburg, A. 15 April 2013. â€Å"Lawmaker Seeks to Extend 3D-Printed Gun Ban Bill To Ammo Magazines And Other Components,† Forbes. 15 April 2013. Salsman, R. 21 December 2012. â€Å"Gutting The 2nd Amendment Is Not The Way to Deter Mass.† Forbes. 15 April 2013.

Government funding for research benefit society.Do you agree Essay

Government funding for research benefit society.Do you agree - Essay Example Historically, R&D has been an indicator for innovation in any given country. For instance, the UK increased its spending on research and development between the years 1995 2011 to over  £27 billion (Muscio, Quaglione and Vallanti, 2013). However, there was a decline in research funding at the onset of economic crisis. Currently, UK government through RCUK (Research Councils UK) has initiated a new initiative known as Newton Fund to strengthen innovation and research (Hicks, 2012). By definition, research refers search for new concepts and knowledge while development is the process of bringing a new process or product from existing theory and knowledge (Chu, 2008). Therefore, this piece of work recommends that government funding for research benefits a society by ensuring that the country has a healthy society, productive economy and contributes to sustainability. The implication is that research and science are the heart of the nations economic growth, wider wellbeing, and prosperi ty. The conclusion as to why the government should fund research and development is always open to debate. Private sectors benefit from such initiatives, but they do not channel their benefits to societal well-being (Muscio, Quaglione, and Vallanti, 2013). However, it is the duty of the government to ensure that research and innovation is the core to economic growth. Central to this argument is that research and development has outstanding benefits to the society thus the government is obliged to channel funds to this sector. One underlying assumption for funding research is that countries use R&D to facilitate new commerce, and the aim is to improve the quality of life (Hicks, 2012). In fact, research should be part of a society’s infrastructure just like roads. As known to many, the government has the sole task of providing infrastructure, and it should take this as a responsibility. The

The Jazz Combos Concert Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Jazz Combos Concert - Essay Example Some of the performers featured during the concert included Kelsey Marvin, Jeff Hampton, and Sarah Rodger among others. This paper discusses my thoughts and feelings about the Jazz Combos concert held on April 4 this year. The performers’ notation was good for the octatonic pieces, despite the fact that they are diatonic to a lack of the key. This demonstrates that the universal rules for non-harmonic tones were applicable to the performances. Ascending notes took naturals or sharps – either flat or descending. The signature style for Jazz performances stood throughout the performance. In developing a swing feel, there were notable ways that included the notation of the bass lines as quarter note pieces. However, there was a high sense of repetitiveness and predictability throughout the performance, which appeared to limit the forward motion aspect of the swing bass effect. Throughout the performances, the basic rule that the double bass should not be used to play a sim ple single-measure line, which is repetitive, was observed.   This shows that the performances were highly stylistic and were presented before the audience in an effective manner (Cone 48). There were instances where the piano accompaniment was placed on the music’s beat, instead of using it to anticipate alternating beats, which marked a weakness in many of the performances. In some performances, like I anticipated all the performances to be played, the chords were played in staccato-against on-the-beat music lines, which were used effectively, to create the musical yin and yang characteristic of the swing feel. The style was very effective in cultivating the interest of the audience and demonstrating its artistic nature. As expected from the performances, most artists used modified block chords – which they employed, when comping with the melody of a walking bass (Cone 42).  

Marriage between relatives in the Arab countries Essay

Marriage between relatives in the Arab countries - Essay Example That is followed by the trends in marriage to identify any other factors influencing the consanguinity in the Arab culture. After developing a deep understanding of the Arab culture and trends, the practice of consanguinity is discussed itself. This is followed by the causes of consanguineous marriages in the Arab world. Different factors contribute to the practice of consanguinity such as culture, family, location, etc., are then discussed in the light of previous studies. The misconceptions about the practice are also taken into consideration. The consequences of consanguineous marriage are then discussed with the help of empirical evidence on the topic. The reproductive and genetic disadvantages of consanguineous marriages are discussed in particular. The paper ends with a conclusion on the subject matter. The Arab world basically consists of 23 countries stretching from Morocco to the Persian Gulf, also including the Northern Africa. The term ‘Arab’ is used to refer to people whose first language is Arabic or to people who belong to this culture. The Arab world is vast and occupies all the parts of the Arabic Gulf, Mesopotamia, Middle East, and North Africa, while it also includes some parts of the East and West Africa (Tadmouri, 2010). The total population of the Arab world is more than 315 million (Tadmouri, 2010). The Arab world is relatively diverse as it does not only refer to a single race. The Arab world includes people belonging to different race and culture as some Arabs may have coloured eyes and light skin while others may be dark or somewhere in the middle. Hence Arabs cannot be defined by the colour of their skin, nor do they all belong to a single religion. Though the Arab world is dominated by Muslims, millions of Christian and thousands of Jews are also a part of the Arab world and culture (ADC, 2010). Being an Arab is

Ethical issues in the workplace Personal Statement - 1

Ethical issues in the workplace - Personal Statement Example In their ethical code of conduct, organizations define specific rules related to employment, business, transactions, customers and clients. These rules not only provide a direction to the employees and organizational allies but also set right expectations with the customers, shareholders and clients. These rules also include laws related to employment such as anti-discrimination, employee wages, equal employment opportunities, union rights, workplace safety and security etc. Ethical organizational structures establish strong procedures to address employees’ grievances, complaints and other issues. Organizations also specify rules related to organization’s commitment and responsibility towards the environment, society and the nation as well as any other governing bodies that it is a part of. Another important element in an ethical organizational structure is its hierarchy, which has to define clear responsibilities to all its employees and should establish rules of job and accountability as well as reporting structures. Ethical organizations also strive to maintain accurate and complete data related to finance, performance, income tax, and information about their employees in a secure manner. In short, an ethical organizational structure is a comprehensive model of an ideal organization that benefits employees, society and the nations where it

Blue Star Building the Apps Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Blue Star Building the Apps - Case Study Example The major challenge for Blue Star was the fact that every single partners of it used different software and hence the data was stored in different formats. In order to, deal with such situation the company required software that was capable of accepting and processing inputs that were in different formats so that usable information can be obtained. However, Tom Keen who is the CTO of the company did not get any useful off-the-self software that can meet this requirement of the company and hence the decision of developing proprietary software was made. Q.2) The main advantage that the open source software provided to the development process was the ‘stability’ that Tom Keen was looking for. Open source software makes the bugs well documented and hence it is possible to easily avoid them. However, in case of commercial software source codes cannot be accessed and as a result users cannot get to know about the bugs. As far as SOA is concerned it allowed the developers to mo dify the software in such a way so that the new requirements that arise due to change in the market can be fulfilled. Critical Thinking Questions Q.1) I completely agree with the view of Tom Keen regarding the fact that bugs can be managed in a better way in case of open source software as compared to commercial software. ... Q.2) Both quantitative and qualitative data are stored in the database. They are organized by the use of business intelligence tools and data mining tools that are widely used in the business organizations. Critical Questions Q.1) Manipulation of business data and manipulation of Genographic data are similar in the sense that arrangement and maintenance of both of them involve same business intelligence tools and data mining tools. Q.2) The special DBMS developed by National Geographic can assist researchers from different areas. For instance, researchers can identify various interesting psychological trends of the individuals who have registered themselves with National Geographic to know their origin. Information regarding the lifestyle of the previous generations can also be obtained by analyzing the Genographic data. The data of the above mentioned DBMS can be shared when the DBMS is made for multiple users. In other words, more than one user must be allowed to access the data of the DBMS for making them

An Analysis of the Plot of True Grit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

An Analysis of the Plot of True Grit - Essay Example III. Maddie begins for her search for Chaney A. Marshall Cogburn tries to discourage her from joining the quest but she refuses to be dissuaded from doing so. B. Marshall Cogburn and Maddie begin looking for clues to Chaney’s wherea\bouts 1. They discover that Chaney used one of Frank’s gold pieces in the Indian territory. 2. They meet Quincey and Moon and encounter the Pepper Gang. IV. Maddie comes face to face with Chaney who tries to kill her. A. Chaney gets killed B. Maddie gets bitten by a snake but Cogburn saves him The movie â€Å"True Grit† is the story of a young girl’s determination to seek justice for the death of her father. The viewer learns this immediately from the girl named Maddie Ross who explains at the beginning of the film how her father was killed by a man named Tom Chaney. The succeeding segment of the film show the steps taken by Maddie as she goes on a quest to find her father’s killer. One of the important things that she d oes is find a person like Marshall Cogburn to help her in bringing Tom Chaney to justice. At the onset, it appears that it is only Maddie who is on a quest to seek her father’s killer. The viewer discovers however that a Texas Ranger named Le Bouef is also looking for Tom Chaney who murdered a senator in Texas. ... One of the important elements of the film that was significant was the characters themselves. The quest for Tom Chaney brought out the best in Maddie, Marshall Cogburn, and the Texas Ranger LeBouef. Maddie was able to demonstrate that in spite of her age, she acted with great courage and wisdom. She knew where she was going and what she had to do. It is for this reason that Cogburn, who thought of her as a child acting on impulse, could not easily get rid of her. One must remember that the reason why she bought a horse and went along on the quest was to make sure that she’s going to get her money’s worth. Marshall Cogburn who was portrayed as a drunk showed that he has some decency left in him when he decided to forget all about the reward money and honor the deal he and Maddie made. He also showed his displeasure for cruelty when he stopped LeBouef from spanking Maddie and when he knocked off two Indian boys who were hurting a mule. Above all, he showed true grit when he carried the wounded Maddie for several miles to get her to a doctor. LeBouef also lived up to his being a Texas Ranger when he came back for Maddie who almost got killed by Tom Chaney. The pattern followed by the film involves an incident that takes place and forces the leading character to go on a quest. Knowing that the quest is difficult, the leading character recruits others to help him or her succeed in achieving his or her goal. In the case of Maddie, she gets help from Cogburn and LeBouef. The characters encounter several challenges that tend to derail them from achieving their goal but they are able to overcome these obstacles. Maddie for instance failed to be dissuaded by Cogburn and LeBouef,

Fate Verses Free

Fate Verses Free Will Essay The theological issue of the predetermined fate of man verses man’s free will has long been a source of debate. Churches have split, and new denominations have emerged because of this one controversy. Predetermined Fate of Man During the Protestant Reformation of the 1500’s, a French theologian named John Calvin had an indelible influence on the religious community of his day with his doctrine of predestination and election. The foundation of Calvin’s beliefs (known as Calvinism) was the complete and total sovereignty of God and predestination of man. According to Calvin, since God is sovereign, He has made all choices and man is, therefore, without choice and free will. Calvin held to the belief that every man, woman, and child are chosen to be saved or lost before time began. He used scriptures such as Romans 8: 29 to support his position: â€Å"For whom He foreknew, He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren† (The Open Bible, New King James Version). To bring about mans salvation, according to Calvin, the Holy Spirit moves the chosen few toward God, thereby condemning the rest to eternity in hell. ( â€Å"An Introduction to Calvinism: Calvinism in a Nutshell†. 16 Oct. 2008 ). Free Will The issue of the free will of man continues to be discussed in modern times. One opinion is offered by Jon W. Quinn, author of numerous Bible correspondence courses and video Bible studies for the Bradley Church of Christ in Bradley, Illinois. He believes that the Bible does not deny human free will, but affirms it. He refers to Ephesians 1:3-6: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will (The Open Bible, New King James Version). Quinn’s commentary on this passage supports his belief that reference is being made to a group that has been predestined by God to be saved—not any particular individual. He continues his argument by stating: â€Å"It is up to you and me as to whether we will choose to be in that number or not. God has not predestined our individual choices† (Quinn, Jon W. , The Expository Files. â€Å"Were You Predestined to Read This Article? † Apr. 2005 ). Another opinion on the free will of man is offered by Lisa Yates, Ed. D. , a long-time member of the Trinity Baptist Church in Manchester, Tennessee. In her opinion, Dr. Yates believes that God, in His infinite wisdom, already knows who will reject or accept His Son, Jesus Christ. Simultaneously, He pleads for all to call upon Him and to receive His gift of eternal life in heaven. She holds to the belief that God knows all things, and He desires to save all people. She cites I Timothy 2:4 from The Open Bible, The New King James Version: â€Å"who (God) desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. † She concedes that the conflict between fate and free will is beyond her human comprehension. That is where her faith takes over (Personal interview, 17 Oct. 2008). Conclusion The debate over fate verses free will continues today. Legitimate support for both views exists and continues to be subject to individual interpretation. WORKS CITED â€Å"An Introduction to Calvinism: Calvinism in a Nutshell†. 16 Oct. 2008 Quinn, Jon W. , The Expository Files. â€Å"Were You Predestined to Read This Article? † Apr. 2005 The Open Bible, New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1997. Yates, Lisa, Ed. D. Personal interview. 17 Oct. 2008.

A Look At Repression English Literature Essay

A Look At Repression English Literature Essay Ladies Coupe: A novel in parts narrates the tale of six women who meet purely by chance on a short train journey. It traces the lives of the six women as they travel in the ladies compartment. The stories they relate help the protagonists Akhilandeswari to find resolutions for the tormenting questions that taunt her and enable her to establish her true identity. The other five women belong to different age groups and classes of the society. Their individual struggle against the myriad repressive forces instills in Akhila a sense of courage and clarity in action. The repressive forces in their multiple manifestations as patriarchal attitudes, sexual politics and sexual stereotyping impose a restriction on womens individuality and leads to their marginalization which is effectuated by traditional and cultural institutions. Feminist perspective as a woman centered theory provides strategies for change. As such the feminist principle is an uncompromising pledge and an antidote to all types of exploitation and repression of women. The fundamental goal of feminist perspective, according to Maggie Humm, is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦to understand womens oppression in terms of race, gender, class and sexual preference and how to change it. (Maggie, x) The personality of woman has been sought to be damaged and distorted and her very status as human being has brought down under the overwhelming male domination. Thus, a woman who protests against her depersonalization and annihilation and who walks out of home to live and to be human are made aware of the futility of her actions. Clearly, the forces of cultural and social inculcations are too strong to be completely overcome. We find the Indian women being torn between individual desires and societal expectations. In the tradition bound society like our Indian society, it is no wonder that writers like Anita Nair has reflected such types of repression in her novels. The problem of repression faced by women varies according to their social, cultural and economic status. The tradition bound Indian society considered the very birth of girls a curse and rearing a girl child is more expensive and risky than a male child, so people dreaded the very birth of girls. The girls have to undergo a lot of difficulties in this chauvinistic society, after their difficult entry into this world. Discrimination was shown even in education. People firmly believe that a girls place is only at home, so they were reluctant to give her education. Even when she was educated, she was trained only in domestic traits. This is because a girl is viewed only as wife and a mother. Therefore, the one and only idea instituted in her mind, right from her birth was to please the male. This becomes the soul purpose of her life. So, even right from her birth the repressive problems are faced by women. In Ladies Coupe, Anita Nair delineates various women characters and provides a macro picture of womens society. Janaki got married at the age of eighteen. As a girl of eighteen, she is not matured enough to know the meaning of marriage and what to expect of marriage. Janaki accommodates her body and mind to marriage and what it had to offer her in life. She did not live for her own self; she lived for her husband. Janaki didnt know what to expect of marriage. All through her girlhood, marriage was a destination she was being groomed for. She wasnt expected to know what it really meant to be married, and neither was she curious about it. It would come to her as it had to her mother. (LC 25) As a wife in the patriarchal society, Janaki finds her husband a loving and protecting one in the initial of her life. She is not matured enough to understand her suppressed condition in the patriarchal society. She remembers the words of her mother, He is your husband and you must accept whatever he does (LC 25). They have a son and daughter-in-law. They were branded as the golden couple and were exemplary perfect parents. As she got married at a very early age, she doesnt even know that she is suppressed in the bond of marriage. Only at the age of forty-five, she realized that all her desires are oppressed. But, Janaki resents her husbands overbearing nature over their son and revolts against it. She questions his right to control their son and slowly she begins to hate her husbands actions. Janaki could not unlearn what patriarchy had instituted in her. Even the initial revulsion of the physical act in the beginning of her married life, turns into an acceptance of the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã ‚ ¦ pleasures hidden in rituals of togethernessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (26). She is confined in the bondage of a wife, mother and most importantly the woman that patriarchy has moulded into her. Marriage life is the next stage of repression. After marriage, a girl becomes a woman and she has various roles to perform. She has to play the roles of a daughter in law, wife, mother and mother in law. Of all the roles mentioned here, the most difficult roles are a woman as daughter-in- law and wife. They could never come out of tradition. The inborn feminine traits of the traditional never allowed them to mould away from tradition. They never opposed or questioned their men folk. Instead, they suppress all their emotions and desires and are being controlled by the repressive forces. Janaki, an elderly and wise woman, comes out with a meaning of life that all women are prone to: I am a woman who has always been looked after. First there was my father and my brothers; then my husband. When my husband is gone, there will be my son, waiting to take from where his father let off. Women like me end up being fragile. Our men treat us like princesses. And because of that we look down upon women who are strong and who can cope by themselves. I believe in that old clichà © that a home was a womans kingdom. I worked hard to preserve mineà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ and then suddenly one day it didnt matter anymore. My home ceased to interest me, none of the beliefs I had built my life around had any meaning. I thought if I were to lose it all, I would cope. If I ever became alone I would manage perfectly. I was confident about that. I think I was tired of being this fragile creatureà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Now I know that even if I can cope it wouldnt be the same if he wasnt there with me. (22-23) Evelyn Cunningham says that the women are the only oppressed group in our society that lives in intimate association with their oppressors. They even felt glorified in their sufferings, and if any women had rebellious attitude, the people around them curbed that in the beginning itself. Women were brainwashed right from their birth to be polite, submissive and obedient. She was expected to be chaste and faithful even when her husband was unfaithful. It is not only these illiterate home birds who were afraid to rebel against tyranny and exploitations but even the educated house wives stuck firmly to the traditional role. Such women inspite of their education considered suffering in their husbands place was far better than leading a lonely life. Margaret Shanthi, is one of the important characters in the novel Ladies Coupe novel. She is a chemistry teacher by profession is married to Ebenezer Paulraj, the principal of the school she worked in. He was a pompous self-opinionated individual who successfully destroyed Margarets self-confidence by bullying her always and then treating her as a house keeper and a cook. She goes through many physical, mental and spiritual crises. Their marriage had a fairy tale like charm initially which slowly disintegrates when Margaret begins to see the true nature of Ebe. He loved her but she dare have no individuality. Margaret initially is the little girl who says yes to whatever he says and is out to please him always. Margarets husband wanted her to become a docile wife. This is the life of the women to look after her home, her husband and her children and give them food she has cooked with her own hands (LC 40). She leads a life of obscurity in some corner of the house all the time pretend ing to be satisfied and happy. As Kamala Das says in her poem The Suicide, But I must pose I must pretend I must act the role of a happy woman Happy wife. (227) She is forced to pursue B.Ed though her real interest is to do Ph.D. Ebe insists and forces her to abort their first child which ultimately is the last straw for Margaret. She sees through his dual nature of pretentious politeness and inner cruelty. His ridiculous theories, derisive contempt of her way of house keeping and cooking and collection of defacing books with ugly drawings only intensifies Margarets hatred. She hates her husband whom she once adorned and worshipped because her dreams were broken and she comes crashing down to reality, when she is forced to abort her first pregnancy. Gnawed by indecision, guilt and pain, she allows herself to be coerced into it. She sees another side of her husband when after her abortion, a week later, he says: I love it when you call me Ebeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ I like you like thisà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ unstained and cleanà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ I never want you to change. I want you to remain like this all your life (LC 111). Whenever she tried to share her fe elings with her mother she is advised in turn: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦and like I have said many times before, it is a womans responsibility to keep the marriage happy. Men have so many pre occupations that they might not have the time or inclination to keep the wheels of a marriage oiled (112). Ebe became more and more over bearing after he becomes the principle of a school. He begins to nag her and find fault in her house keeping and cooking. She begins to hate him. Margarets family cannot accept the idea of a divorce and though she feels stifled in her marriage she continues living with Ebe. Her only consolation is food and she puts on weight. His dual nature, artificial politeness and warmth and inner cruelty; his ego, his defacing books with ugly drawings, his various theories and his constant derisive contempt of her, make her suffer intensely. I, Margaret Shanthi did it with the sole desire for revenge. To erode his self-esteem and shake the very foundations of his being. To rid this world of a creature who if allowed to remain the way he was, slim, lithe and arrogant, would continue to harvest sorrow with a single-minded joy. (LC 96) Repeatedly discouraged by her mother and the fear of the stigma of divorce, she stops short of openly asking questions that torment her mind and soul: What about me? Dont I  have a  right to  have any  expectations  of him?  Dont I work as hard as he  does and more because I run the house as well (112). Liberation is meaningful, if we do not confine women within the bonds of family. The marriage makes women submissive. This is one of the main repressive forces that every woman in the society is facing. Margaret Shanti is a good example of how women are repressed upon by male power. The powerlessness is like the colonized who fail to see and appreciate their true worth. Societal expectations far outweigh personal needs and so Shanti negates herself again and again. From an ambitious and brilliant student who wants to chart out a career on her own, she becomes a dutiful wife to Ebenezer who rouses fear in everyone around him. She silences her aspirations in order to be what Ebenezer wants her to be. She decided to become a teacher instead of working on her decorate. She cut her hair short. She stopped going to church every Sunday, eating bhelpuri outside and finally agrees to abort her child though she knows that her religion forbids it. As usual, he takes the decisions and I (Shanti) let his voice smooth away my fears. He was Ebe. My Ebe. He was right. He was always right (LC 109). Shashi Deshpande, in her novel The Dark Holds No Terror, defines the lopsided gender equation within the context of urban marital relationships. A wife must always be a few feet behind her husband. If he is an M.A., you should be a B.Aà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Womens magazines will tell you that marriage should be an equal partnership. Thats nonsense. Rubbish. No partnership can ever be equal. It will always be unequal, but take care that its unequal in favor of your husband. (The Dark Holds No Terror 85) The belief that existed in the past and continued to be fresh in the minds of the people was that the man should be the bread winner and woman the home maker in the family. It was the husband who slogs way at job or business, to give the family a decent way of living, fully confident that the wife at home would efficiently manage the house, also look after his parents and children, awaiting his return for a conjugal round of dinner. In the present day, the situation becomes different. Women now demand more space, the rights and freedom because they want to come out of the repressive forces. They are not ready to be submissive and meek as their mothers. The problem of violence against women is not new. Women in the context of Indian society have been victims of repression, torture, humiliation and exploitation. All were merely trying to seek fulfillment by playing the role of a devoted wife and a caring mother. Friedan writes, For a woman, as for a man the need for self-fulfillment autonomy, self-realization, independence, individuality, self-actualization is as important as the sexual need, with as serious consequences when it is thwarted. Womens sexual problems are, in this sense, by-products of the suppression of her basic need to grow and fulfill her potentialities as human being, potentialities which the mystique of feminism fulfillment ignores. (282) Nairs women suffer from a system of sex role stereotyping and repression that exist under patriarchal social organizations. Of course, patriarchy, in its different forms, has tried in many ways to repress, debase and humiliate women especially through the images represented in cultural and traditional forms. She is supposed only to listen, not to speak; only to suffer, not to shriek (42). In Ladies Coupe, Marikolanthu is the last one to narrate her story. She is a young girl and uneducated who is poorly dressed and lives in a tamed and controlled environment. She lives in a noisy psycho-social group and she is stressed by it. Hans Seyle, an endocrinologist says that stress is the rate of wear and tear in the body. Her mother works as a cook at the Chettiar household. Her mother stopped her schoolings and allowed only her sons to go for school. Marikolanthu was repeatedly warned by her mother  because she was easily impressed by people: you give your heart too easily,  child.  They will break it  into thousand  pieces  and leave it on the ground for others to trample into dust (LC  216).  On such occasions  she had  always  teased  her  mother asking her if the heart was a glass bangle (LC  216). But her experience results in her realization of the value of her  mothers  words.  She  says, But you know what, the heart is a glass bangle. One careless moment and it is shattered. We know that, yet we continue to wear glass bangles. Each time they break, we buy new ones hoping that these will last longer than the others did. How silly we women are. We should wear bangles made of granite and turn hearts into the same. When the girls are trained in the domestic affairs, the boys are expected to keep away from the domestic traits. Much discrimination are shown in the upbringing of boys and girls. In a male chauvinistic society like India, boys are given a long rope, while the girls are confined at home. Even the girls themselves never minded such discriminations. On the contrary they are well contended with their role. Later Marikolanthu is employed as a domestic helper and also she has to look after Sujata akkas son. She adores that kid but hates her own son Muthu who is born after a rape encounter with Murugesan so she resents the birth of her unwanted son. Her life revolves around the Chettiar household. She looks after the households and in the afternoons, she willingly obeys whenever Sujatha akka needs her for her physical fulfillment and whenever the master needs her for the same. When Sujatha akka learns about her husbands affair, she rejects Marikolanthu and throws her out of the house. Marikolanthu leaves Kanchepuram and before that she mortgages her son Muthu for rupees five thousand at her rapist Murugesans looms. Later, there is a change in her heart when she sees her son lighting the pyre of the dead Murugesan. She decides to take care of her son Muthu. Marikolanthu has to face the strains of life herself. She is a victim of repression, a virtual slave, the victim of men, of casteism and of innumerable social injustices. It is that gender bias and oppression of women emerges as a powerful theme of the novel. She is being repressed by Murugesan. The device he uses to control her is rape. She feels defiled and corrupt. She evokes our sympathy when she says, In the distance, I heard the calls. Bogi! Bogi! The sparks would fly as the bonfire was set alight and the night would crackle with the sound of dried logs and twigs waking up. With my past, my future too had been torched alive. (LC 241) Marikolunthu suffers extreme repression social, familial and financial. It is ultimately love that brings her on the right track where she will find happiness and fulfillment. Her struggle has been one of hate for herself and accommodating with humiliating relationships thereafter. Her resolve to bring up her child shows her forming in to a new character. The words of  Marikolunthu could be quoted as an apt conclusion to the motif of the novel: Women are strong. Woman can do everything as well as men. Women can do much more. But a woman has to seek the vein of strength in herself. It does not show itself naturally. (LC 210) The female body becomes the site of violence in the case of the rape of Marikolanthu. Like the violence unleashed by the colonizer on the powerless colonized, she has to face physical repression and mental torture when left to fend for her. With his brute strength, Murugesan attacks her and she is left helpless. She is different from the other women in the coupe because her experiences are far more painful. The traditional image that a girl forms in her mind is to be submissive, committed, docile and tolerant so that she may prove herself an ideal woman not only for her husband but also for her father in law, mother in law and the other in laws. The Brahmin heroine, Akhila, whose life has been taken out of her control, is a spinster, daughter, sister, aunt and the only provider of her family after the death of her father. Getting fed up with these multiple roles, she decides to go on a train journey away from family and responsibilities, a journey that will ultimately make her a different woman. In the ladies coupe compartment, she meets five other women each of whom has a story to tell. The stories are all an attempt to answer Akhhilas problematic question. Can a woman stay single and be happy at the same time? Akhila asks such a question because she is being suppressed by all the members of her family. She has never been allowed to live her own life. She questions her family members, Why shouldnt I live alone? Im of able body and mind. I can look after myself. I earn reasonably well. Akhila paused when her voice chocked with tears, and asked me what my desires were or what my dreams are? Did anyone of you ever think of me as a woman? Someone who has needs and longings just like you do? (LC 206) The protagonist Akhila loses her father at a very young age and since then she has been shouldering the responsibility of the entire family. She served as a clerk in the income tax department. When Akhilas father died, the family responsibility falls on her fragile shoulders. The narrator elucidates: When Akhilas father died, two things happened: Sunday become just another day of the week and Akhila became the man of the family (LC 75). Manning the responsibility of the family begins to repress her desires. Even her mother does not care about her desires. They have never asked, What about you? Youve been the head of this family ever since Appa died. Dont you want a husband, children, a home of your own? (LC 77). Akhila wanted to lead her life with Hari who is younger than herself. But her desires have been repressed by the social norms. Akhila wished for once, someone would see her as a whole being. What Akhila most desired in the world was to be her own person; in a place that was her own. To do as she pleased. To live as she chose with neither restraint nor fear of censure (LC 201). Akhilas youthful days were spent bringing up her sister Padma and two brothers Narayan and Narsi. They are happily married and settled. She is seen as a bread winner and they continue to suppress her desires with their needs and demands. Akhila says Dont you think you should wait for your elder sister to get married before you think of a wife and a family? (LC 77). Her selfish siblings were concerned only about their own well-being. They married and moved on in life without even bothering to think about Akhilas future. Akhila has wasted away her precious youthful days and when she finally mustered the courage to make a difference in life; she was given a lot of advice by her siblings about the dangers of living alone as a spinster. Her sister Padma needed the financial support of Akhila to run the household. The brothers Narayan and Narsi were worried about society. Narsi its improper for a woman to live alone. What will society say? That your family has abandoned you. Besides, there will be a whole lot of questions that will pop up about your reputation. You know how people put two and two together and come up with six. Nalinis family will be scandalized if they hear about this. Have you thought of how embarrassing my position will be? (Ladies Coupe 205) Akhilas brother tried to smoothen her ruffled feathers. He said that he owed his life to his sister. But he too was worried about Akhilas decision to live alone. He said, How will you cope? This is not a reflection on who you are. How can any woman cope alone? (206). Thus a patriarchal society did not approve o a womans decision to live alone without the protection of the men of the house, even if they financially depended on the women. Akhila saw the irony of the situation and later developed the succor to overcome such tyrannical systems. Initially Akhila undertakes the journey to Kanyakumari as a form of escape. Akhila is placed in a situation of unfamiliarity and dislocation precisely because her struggle for identity should come out more clearly. What she hated most à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦was not having an identity of her own. She was always an extension of someone elses identity. Chandras daughter, Narayans Akka, Priyas auntà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ she wished for someone would see her as a whole being. Akhila undertakes this journey as a form of escape, a desire to go away alone, a sense of excitement of being able to do something all by herself, not having to take permission, of taking an independent decision. She moves on to see what has never been seen, go where she has never gone before. Akhilas journey begins with a sense of escape: the smell of a railway platform at night fills Akhila with a sense of escape (1). Always the daughter, the sister, the aunt or the provider, she had no time to actualize herself, until one day she bought for herself a one-day ticket to the seaside town of Kanyakumari. She is gloriously alone for the first time in her life and is determined to break free from all that her conservative Tamil Brahmin life had forced on her. Akhila had always dreamt of this à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦eyes looking ahead. Of leaving. Of running away. Of pulling out. Of escaping(1). Akhila has never done anything that she desired to, but only what she was expected to do. But now she has a strong desire to be free and want to experience the real happiness of freedom. She decides to go the lands end to make a new beginning of experiencing the real meaning of freedom. And we are introduced to Akhila as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ that sort of a womanà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (who) does what is expected of herà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦(1). In their minds Akhila has ceased to be a woman and had already metamorphosed into a spinster. Akhila is a woman who is throbbing with life, vitality and sexuality. All these are suppressed to cater to the needs of her family. Akhila understands that matrimony is a patriarchal practice which sanctions men power to overpower woman. All the women characters in Ladies Coupe have been affected in one way or other because of patriarchal system. It provides an insight into emotional challenges of each of the women overcame in their life. It is the emotional outburst of the deprived women that Akhila has tried to portray. Women hesitate to take decision on their own and they think marriage is the ultimate aim of their life and pleasing their husband is a main concern of women. In the due course, they failed to create identity of their own. The self abnegation of women goes unrecognized in a patriarchal society and this leads to the self abasement of womens importance in society. A woman in t he post independence era is aware of the discrimination she has to face, the sexual harassment and violence which she explores in the male dominated society. Nair discusses marital rape perpetrated by the modern Indian male in her novels. The restrictions prevalent in Indian family prevent the Indian girls from youthful love before marriage. Girls are generally not allowed to mix with boys during their adolescence. The girls feelings are not shown as they are rarely expressed in real life. It is common for all girls in the middle class to express their love or make decisions. As the girls are confined at home the most part of their pleasing others becomes their prime duty at home. Shashi Deshpande rightly judges that, everything in girls life, it seemed was shaped to that single purpose of pleasing a male (79). The novel Mistress discusses the sexual violence and the repressive power of Shyam in the marital relationship of Shyam and Radha. This novel revolves around the life of Radha, Shyam and their morbid marriage against the backdrop of the narratives of Radhas uncle Koman, who is a Kathakali exponent. Her unhappy situation in the ill matched marriage drives her into the arms of Chris, an American writer. The novel culminates in Radha finding her own voice and deciding to go against the repressive force of her husband. The most remarkable part of the novel is the characterization of Shyam, which is a perfect mould of a modern, educated, tech savvy Indian male who finds it hard to shed his traditional role as a man. Nair has given Shyam his own voice through his first person narrative and thereby taking the reader straight into his mind. Shyam is a twenty first century male through and through. He is extremely successful in his business, which is his undoing in a sense. He is never reluctant to turn any opportunity into a money making venture. His only failure perhaps is his inability to understand his wife and treat her as an individual who has a mind for her own. To him, Radha is another possession, which he is proud of, as he is of his business ventures. He often refers to her as My Radha (90) as if to affirm his ownership. Simone de Beauvoir speaks about this masculine trait in The Second Sex: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Subordinated economically and socially to her husband, the good wife is the mans most precious treasure. She belongs to him so profoundly that she partakes the same essence as he; she has his name, his gods, and he is responsible for her. He calls her his better half. He takes pride in his wife as he does in his house, his lands, his flocks, and his wealth and sometimes even more; through her he displays his power before the world; she is his measure and his earthly portion. (207) Shyams idea of marriage is to keep a pretty wife, indulge in her wishful fancies and make her dependent on him. He does not want an assertive woman as a wife. Radha and Shyam are incompatible in many ways and Radha feels suffocated by her marriage. She compares herself to the butterfly which can be taken as a good example of repression. His arms pins me to the bed. His bed. I think that for Shyam, I am a possession. A much cherished possession. That is my role in his life. He doesnt want an equal; what he wants is a mistress. Someone to indulge and someone to indulge him with feminine wilesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ I think of the butterfly I caught and pinned to a board when it was still alive, its wings spread so as to display the markings, oblivious that somewhere within, a little heart beat, yearning to fly. I am that butterfly now. (Mistress 87) Feminism voices the new womans demand to be treated as an equal human being, rather than a piece of furniture meant for the convenience of man. The repression of woman is expressed well in the novels of women writers in all its intensity. Shyam wanted to prove that he is the husband and he has complete right over his wifes body whether she welcomes the intrusion or not. Shyams perpetrate acts of sexual violence leaves a deep scar on Radha, where as, he is quite satisfied with what he has done without any remorse. He is blind in his pursuit and does not care for Radhas feelings. His only aim is to bring her under control by suppressing her desires and emotions. The key to happiness in marriage is the ability to endure and go on. But there are many marriages where women are dominated by their husbands and do not find freedom and space in their marital life. There is a new breed of women who is questioning the very institution of marriage and the double standards of judgment applied to women and men. Panduranga Rao rightly admires that, Given the limitations of tradition and its inhibitive influence one cannot but admire the guts of these women who have taken it upon themselves to question and question logically what comes to be accepted as a divine fiat in matters of man-woman relationship and related areas. (Ra0 75) For Shyam, Radha is his proud possession and the marriage between Shyam and Radha fails to be a marriage of minds or hearts. In place of an understanding and meaningful relationship that marriage can be, Shyam wants an unequal relationship that would make Radha his proud possession so the marriage between Shyam and Radha is not a marriage of minds or hearts. Radha has no expectations from the institutions of marriage. Shyam always does things to maintain his prestige. He says I am a survivor everyday and in every way. Im getting better and better (160). This attitude makes Radha uneasy. She is escorted everywhere and has little freedom to do anything on her own. All her desires and emotions were totally repressed. In her relationship with Shyam she feels, I think that for Shyam, I am a possession. A much cherished possession. That is my role in his life. He doesnt want an equal; what he wants is a mistress. Someone to indulge and someone to indulge him with feminine wiles. (Mistress 153) She is blamed always for being disorderly. She never arranged books in the shelf properly. There is a lack of meaningful communication between them which leads to a rift in their relationship. However, Shyam admires Radha in every way and loves her very much. Radha says Shyam likes to think of me prettying myself for him. He prefers a glossy, silly wife to a homely, practical one. Glossy, silly wives are malleable (Mistress 61). She is kept at home like a bird in the cage unable to exhibit her talents. When he prevents her from going to the match factory, a clash occurs again between them. Radha is also thwarted from taking tuitions in a primary school. Shyams domination over her prevents her from making a choice of her own. This kind of domination makes her feel suffocated and she asks him, Dont I have a right to a

Dyslexia Dyspraxia And Dyscalculia

Dyslexia Dyspraxia And Dyscalculia A specific Learning difficulty is a classification including several disorders in which a person has difficulty learning in a typical manner. Usually this is caused by an unknown factor. The unknown factor is the disorder that affects the brains ability to receive and process information. People with a learning disability have trouble undertaking specific types of tasks if they are not supported or if the task is not differentiated in order for them to complete the simplified version. A child with a specific learning difficulty is as able as any other child, except in one or two areas of their learning. For instance, they may find it difficult to recognise letters, or to cope with numbers or reading. There are many different types of specific learning difficulties, but the best known and publicised is dyslexia. With dyslexia, the child has difficulty with spelling and reading. It may be difficult for parents and teachers to realise that a child has this sort of problem, especially if their development has progressed without concern in their early years education. Often, the child will appear to understand, have good ideas, and join in activities, as well as other children and in some instances better than others. Sometimes it can take years for adults to realise that a child has a specific difficulty. Dyslexia The British Psychological Society (1999) has given a broad definition of Dyslexia: Dyslexia is evident when accurate and fluent word reading and/or spelling develops very incompletely or with great difficulty. This focuses on literacy learning at the word level and implies that the problem is severe and persistent despite appropriate learning opportunities. It provides the basis for a staged process of assessment through teaching Dyslexia is an inherited condition that makes it extremely difficult to read, write, and spell in their subject language. There are many persisting factors in dyslexia, which can appear from an early age. They will still be noticeable when the dyslexic child leaves school; these include good and bad days for no apparent reason in relation to their attitude and behaviour, short-term memory loss and sequencing, organisation and spoken language skills. It is thought that the reason people with dyslexia have problems with phonological processing is that some areas, their brain functions in a different way than people without the condition. There are number of different theories about the causes of Dyslexia which all tend to support each other. The main point is that it is a genetic condition that changes how the brain deals with information, and that it is passed on through families. Dyslexia is thought to be a genetic condition which means it runs in families. It is estimated that if you have dyslexia there is 40%-60% likelihood that your child will also develop the condition. There are different strategies used for teaching children with dyslexia. For example if you are at a secondary school in a science lab using diagrams it would be easier to label the equipment that is for use, so the students can use this information when writing up laboratory reports. Using computers for a dyslexic child is advantageous as it would be easier for them to type the work rather than writing the work on paper. To support a dyslexic child you need to make sure that messages and day to day classroom activities are written down, and never sent verbally. Also a daily check list for the pupil to refer to each evening would encourage a daily routine to help develop the childs own self-esteem and responsibilities and also encourage good organisational skills by the use of folders and dividers to keep work easily accessible and in an orderly fashion. Tasks need to be simplified down into small easily remembered pieces of information and if visual memory is poor, copying must be k ept to a minimum as notes or handouts are far more useful. Another way of supporting the condition of the child is to sit the child fairly near the class teacher so that the teacher is available to help if necessary so that any support required is not to a minimum. A structured reading scheme that involves repetition and introduces new words slowly is extremely important. This allows the child to develop confidence and self esteem when reading. If there is one or two dyslexics in the class, a short list of structure-based words for their weekly spelling test, will be far more helpful than random words. Three or four irregular words can be included each week to challenge the child and eventually this should be seen to improve their spelling and writing skills. Dyspraxia Dyspraxia is a specific learning difficulty that affects the brains ability to plan sequences of movement. It is thought to be connected to the way that the brain develops, and can affect the planning of what to do and how to do it. It is often associated with problems of perception, language and thought. Dyspraxia is often described as a hidden problem, because children with the condition appear no different to those who dont have it. Up to ten per cent of the population may show symptoms of dyspraxia, with around two per cent being severely affected. Males are four times more likely to be affected than females. Dyspraxia sometimes runs in families. (BBC website 2008) Students who have the learning difficulty dyspraxia will experience difficulties in gross motor skills meaning poor performance in sport, general clumsiness, poor balance, and difficulties in learning skills involving coordination of body parts, e.g. riding a bike or swimming. Also manual and practical tasks like using computer keyboards and mice will prove difficult, along with measuring accurately, slow or poor handwriting, messy presentation of work and problems with craft-work and cookery. During the early formative years, a child suffering from dyspraxia may have difficulty learning to walk, run, and jump. Walking up and down a flight of stairs and dressing up will not be an easy task for them. Developing the ability to speak and communicate effectively is very slow for these children. When the child attends school, mathematics and writing stories are often very difficult. Poor handwriting is among the most prevalent signs of dyspraxia. Other common symptoms include, short attention span, disorganisation, inability to tie shoelaces, tendency to avoid games in PE, and sluggishness in dressing themselves up. During their adult years, routine tasks become very difficult for them to perform. Driving, riding bicycles, personal grooming, and certain household chores are a cause for constant struggle. Dyspraxia sufferers walk in a clumsy manner and encounter problems with sports, especially those that involve the usage of bats. They often avoid work or things that are hard for them to do. Strategies for teaching children with dyspraxia is as follows for handwriting-using pencil grips for better control with the pencil, writing on lined paper so they can write in straight lines and also using stencils. Difficulties with dressing themselves a suggestion for this is to wear loose-fit easy on easy off clothing with Velcro fastenings for shoes. For Difficulties for walking in straight line and bumping into people, balance or wobble boards need to be provided. If a child is unable to remember or follow instructions you need to get the attention of the child before giving instructions, provide time to process the information to the child and use activities, demonstrations and pictures to get the message across. To raise and develop their Social skills you need to use techniques in order to explain the social rules and expected behaviour as a dyspraxia child finds it difficult to concentrate so a distraction free learning environment is essential. A Dyspraxia child has been used to failure repeatedly every effort must be made to raise their self-esteem. It is imperative that you use every opportunity to praise the child in order to raise their self-esteem. This will make the child feel better about themselves they are more likely to relax and learn. This is the obvious situation to strive towards making progress in their learning. It is important to remember that they have difficulty in absorbing information during lessons so allowing them extra time, teaching in small bursts, allowing opportunities to rest is very important and You will be able to tell when each the child requires a rest. However, this will change from day to day and from child to child. Ensure that the child has understood what is being taught, repeat if needed. Check that the student is not falling behind because they cannot copy from the blackboard, Teach on a one to one level, with few distractions, when appropriate. If there is a learning support worker available, allow them to assist the child so they are taught at the same pace alongside their peers. Therapy is a good way of alleviating dyspraxia. Speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, specialist teachers, and psychologists could be relied upon to help patients with dyspraxia. The specialists needed for therapy could vary, depending on the specific problem needs. A set of activities and exercises are given by these therapists to help patients in learning how to perform physical tasks. Reading and writing skills could also be developed with the help of therapists. Dyscalculia Dyscalculia learners may have difficulty understanding simple number concepts, and have problems learning number facts and procedures. Dyscalculia is like dyslexia for numbers. But unlike dyslexia, very little is known about the causes or treatment. Current thinking suggests that it is a congenital condition, caused by the abnormal functioning of a specific area of the brain. People with dyscalculia experience great difficulty with the most basic aspects of numbers. Dyscalculia children can usually learn the sequence of counting words, but may have difficulty going back and forth, especially in twos and threes when Dyscalculia children find learning and recalling number facts difficult and they often lack confidence even when they produce the correct answer. Dyscalculia children may find it difficult to grasp that the words ten, hundred and thousand have the same relationship to each other as the numerals 10, 100 and 1000. Dyscalculia children often have difficulty when handling money or telling the time. They may also have problems with concepts such as speed or temperature. Dyscalculia children may be particularly vulnerable where teachers follow an Interactive lesson especially in a whole-class method of teaching, when asking dyscalculia children to answer simple maths questions in the class it will lead to embarrassment and frustration especially when they peers are there or other children . Dyscalculia is a special need and requires diagnos is and appropriate counseling as well as support away from whole class teaching, however, compared with dyslexia, very little research has focused on dyscalculia and how to overcome it. Consequently, there is relatively little ready made support available. Strategies to support learners with dyscalculia is to allow extra time to complete a given task in class, encourage dyscalculia children to make use of calculators when necessary, using visual material to develop an understanding of maths concepts, make use of ICT as an aid to learning, encourage working with a partner to explain methods of working to each others in class. It is important to make the learning fun as dyscalculia children may have behaviour problems and some will resent doing extra math so it is better for teachers to be as upbeat and pleasant through activities as possible. Activities should be taught in short blocks of 10 minutes to maintain the attention of students. Parents should also be involved in the learning and encouraged to participate in the learning and use positive and encouraging language if the child finds it difficult to carry out the task. Children who have a problem with math should be taught in a multi sensory approach in which they say, hear, write and handle numbers simultaneously. Learning difficulties can be a lifelong condition, the best treatment is to provide special or differentiated education where needed. Once a difficulty has been recognised the best approach is to teach learning skills by building on the childs abilities and strengths whilst trying to correct the weaknesses. It is important to help the child learn by enhancing attention and concentration through various teaching strategies that best suit the need of the child ensuring progression is achieved and consistent throughout the subjects.

Drug Identification With Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry :: essays research papers

Drugs are used everyday by people in many different ways for many different reasons. Drug testing has become a standard in pre-employment testing, because of the wide variety of drug use in today's society. Drugs tested for by a possible employer include Cocaine (crack), Amphetamines (crystal), Opiates (codeine, morphine, heroin), PCP (phencyclidine), and Marijuana. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry is used to test hair and urine samples of possible drug abusers or job applicants, and it is the best method for the testing of drug use. Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry are two different methods for identifying chemical substances, and the two instruments have be coupled together to perform a highly complementary analytical function. The gas chromatograph and the mass spectrometer have theories behind how their techniques work, and specific forensic applications for their instrumentation. The history and theory of the gas chromatography started over forty years ago with the invention of the capillary column. The gas chromatograph offers rapid and very high-resolution separations of a very wide range of compounds, with the only restriction that the analyzed substance needs to have sufficient volatility. The theory behind the mass spectrometer is to use the difference in mass-to-charge ratio (m/e) of ionized atoms or molecules to separate them from each other. Mass spectrometry is therefore useful for quantitation of atoms or molecules and also for determining chemical and structural information about molecules. Molecules have distinctive fragmentation patterns that provide structural information to identify structural components. The combination of the gas chromatograph and mass spectrometer is very easy, because both instrument needs to be modified in excess and both are analyzed in the gas phase and have comparable sample levels and temperature ranges. The ! most important feature of the tw o instruments being coupled is that they perform complementary analytical functions.The instrumentation of the gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer is very complex. The instrument's parts include an injector, a carrier gas, a column, a separator, an ionization source, mass separator, and an ion detector. The injector is located on the gas chromatograph and is where the sample gas is injected into the instrument to start the process. The sample gas is then mixed with a carrier gas, which is the mobile phase in gas chromatography. The mixture proceeds into the capillary column where the separation of the sample begins. The capillary column is 15 to 60 meters in length and .25 to

Cato the Elder and Julius Caesar Essay -- Roman History

The Roman Republic's most memorable men are Cato the Elder and Julius Caesar. Each man gained unfathomable power over the greatest nation of the world for its time. Our world today continues to feel the affects of Caesar, who developed the modern day calendar system (Suet. Caesar, 40). Both men changed Rome and added to its rich and nobel history. Ancient biographers, Plutarch and Suetonius, give insightful glimpses into to the lives of Cato and Caesar, and what formed them into history makers. Through careful analysis of Cato and Caesar's biographies, it becomes apparent that they shared similar skills and values that vaulted them to the top of Roman society. However, they were strikingly different in how they used their skills and lived their lives. Although the lives of Cato and Caesar are similar in many respects, the biographies of Plutarch and Suetonius reveal that personality and family background are the main causes for their differences. Commonalities between Cato and Caesar abound in Suetonius and Plutarch's biographies. The most apparent similarity is physical appearance and ability. Cato followed a sober mode of living and trained hard to attain â€Å" a tough constitution and a body which was as strong as it was healthy† (P1). In battle Cato was a â€Å"formidable fighter, who stood his ground resolutely and and confronted his opponents with a ferocious expression â€Å" (P1). Caesar was also strong in body and battle. He was â€Å"tall fair and well built,† and he was â€Å"a most skillful swordsman and horseman, and showed surprising powers of endurance† (s45,57). The enormous number of victories left by Caesar are testimony to his skill as general and fighter. Similarity in strength is only one part of dom... ...ter, Julia, like a game piece and married her to pompey to form an alliance. Caesar's personality has clearly shown through in these examples of marriage and offspring. On the other hand, Cato views his offspring and marriage in a much different light.. Due to his sense of hard work and care for family, Cato believes strongly that if he puts effort into his son's education he will be rewarded with a son to be proud of. This turns out to be true because Cato receives a letter from his son's commander, in which his son is praised â€Å"in the highest terms for his gallantry† (plu. 20). Also, Cato only had one wife at a time, and only remarried after his first wife died (plu. 24). Compared to Caesar, Cato's moral nature is clearly shining through. Personality and character traits clearly show the how difference arise within the context of marriage and offspring.

Les Misérables Essay

Victor Hugo – Les Miserables BACKGROUND : Victor Marie Hugo was the son of a general in Napoleon’s army, and much of his childhood was therefore spent amid the backdrop of Napoleon’s campaigns in Spain and in Italy. The first three years of his life were spent in Elba, where he learnt to speak the Italian dialect spoken in the island in addition to his mother tongue. Victor got a little education in a small school. At the age of eleven, Hugo returned to live with his mother in Paris, where he got a little education in a small and where he also became infatuated with books and literature. By the time he was fifteen, he had already submitted one poem to a contest sponsored by the prestigious French Academy. There he learnt much from an old soldier, General Lahorie, who, obnoxious to Napoleon for the share he had taken in Moreau’s plot, lived secretly in the house, and from an old priest named Lariviere, who came every day to teach Victor and his two brothers. In 1815, at the age of thirteen, he was sent to a boarding school to prepare for the Ecole Polytechnique. But he devoted himself, even at school, to verse-writing with greater ardour than to study. He wrote in early youth more than one poem for a prize competition, composed a romance which some years later he elaborated into the story Bug Jargal, and in 1820, when only eighteen, joined his two brothers, Abel and Eugene, in publishing a literary journal called Le Conservateur Litteraire. Hugo published his first novel the year following his marriage (Han d’Islande, 1823) and his second three years later (Bug-Jargal, 1826). By the end of 1822 Victor Hugo was fully launched on a literary career, and for twenty years or more the story of his life is mainly the story of his literary output. Because of his successful drama Cormwell, the preface to which, with its note of defiance to literary convention, caused him to be definitely accepted as the head of the Romantic School of poetry. The revolution of 1830 disturbed for a moment his literary activity, but as soon as things were quiet again he shut himself in his study with a bottle of ink, a pen, and an immense pile of paper. For six weeks he was never seen, except at dinner-time, and the result was : The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1831). During the next ten years four volumes of poetry and four dramas were published in 1841 came his election to the Academy, and in 1843 he published Les Burgraves, a drama which was less successful than his former plays, and which marks the close of his career as a dramatist. In the same year there came to him the greatest sorrow of his life. His most famous poem was ‘Demain, des l’aube’ in which he describes the crucial moment where he visits his daughters grave. As Hugo grew older, his politics became increasingly leftist, and he was forced to flee France in 1851 because of his opposition to the monarch Louis Napoleon. Hugo remained in exile until 1870, when he returned to his home country as a national hero. He continued to write until his death in 1885. He was buried with every conceivable honor in one of the grandest funerals in modern French history. The Book – Les Miserable : Hugo began writing Les Miserables twenty years before its eventual publication in 1862. His goals in writing the novel were as lofty as the reputation it has subsequently acquired; Les Miserables is primarily a great humanitarian work that encourages compassion and hope in the face of adversity and injustice. It is also, however, a historical novel of great scope and analysis, and it provides a detailed vision of nineteenth-century French politics and society. By coupling his story of redemption with a meticulous documentation of the injustices of France’s recent past, Hugo hoped Les Miserables would encourage a more progressive and democratic future. Driven by his commitment to reform and progress, Hugo wrote Les Miserables with nothing less than a literary and political revolution in mind. Les Miserables employs Hugo’s style of imaginative realism and is set in an artificially created human hell that emphasizes the three major predicaments of the nineteenth century. Each of the three major characters in the novel symbolizes one of these predicaments: Jean Valjean represents the degradation of man in the proletariat, Fantine represents the subjection of women through hunger, and Cosette represents the atrophy of the child by darkness. In part, the novel’s fame has endured because Hugo successfully created characters that serve as symbols of larger problems without being flat devices.