Preston Brooks Beat Charles Sumner Over Anti-Slavery Speech

In the mid-1850s, the United States was being torn apart over the issue of slavery. The abolitionist movement was becoming increasingly vocal, and enormous controversy focused on whether new states admitted to the Union would allow slavery. The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 established the idea that residents of states could decide for themselves the issue of slavery, and that led to violent encounters in Kansas beginning in 1855. Key Takeaways: Sumner Caned in Senate Chamber Senator Sumner of Massachusetts, a prominent abolitionist, was physically attacked by a slave state congressman.Preston Brooks of South Carolina caned Sumner, beating him bloody in the U.S. Senate chamber.Sumner was severely injured, and Brooks was hailed as a hero in the South.The violent incident intensified the split in America as it moved toward the Civil War. While blood was being spilled in Kansas, another violent attack shocked the nation, especially as it took place on the floor of the United States Senate. A pro-slavery member of the House of Representatives from South Carolina strolled into the Senate chamber in the U.S. Capitol and beat an anti-slavery senator from Massachusetts with a wooden cane. Senator Sumner's Fiery Speech On May 19, 1856, Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts, a prominent voice in the anti-slavery movement, delivered an impassioned speech denouncing the compromises that helped perpetuate slavery and led to the current confrontations in Kansas. Sumner began by denouncing the Missouri Compromise, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, and the concept of popular sovereignty, in which residents of new states could decide whether to make slavery legal. Continuing his speech the next day, Sumner singled out three men in particular: Senator Stephen Douglas of Illinois, a major proponent of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, Senator James Mason of Virginia, and Senator Andrew Pickens Butler of South Carolina. Butler, who had recently been incapacitated by a stroke and was recuperating in South Carolina, was held to particular ridicule by Sumner. Sumner said that Butler had taken as his mistress â€Å"the harlot, slavery.† Sumner also referred to the South as an immoral place for allowing slavery, and he mocked South Carolina. Listening from the back of the Senate chamber, Stephen Douglas reportedly said, â€Å"that damned fool will get himself killed by some other damned fool.† Sumner’s impassioned case for a free Kansas was met with approval by northern newspapers, but many in Washington criticized the bitter and mocking tone of his speech. A Southern Congressman Took Offense One southerner, Preston Brooks, a member of the House of Representatives from South Carolina, was particularly incensed. Not only had the fiery Sumner ridiculed his home state, but Brooks was the nephew of Andrew Butler, one of Sumners targets. In the mind of Brooks, Sumner had violated some code of honor which should be avenged by fighting a duel. But Brooks felt that Sumner, by attacking Butler when he was home recuperating and not present in the Senate, had shown himself not to be a gentleman deserving of the honor of dueling. Brooks thus reasoned that the proper response was for Sumner to be beaten, with a whip or a cane. On the morning of May 21, Preston Brooks arrived at the Capitol, carrying a walking stick. He hoped to attack Sumner, but could not locate him. The following day, May 22, proved fateful. After trying to find Sumner outside the Capitol, Brooks entered the building and walked into the Senate chamber. Sumner sat at his desk, writing letters. Violence on the Floor of the Senate Brooks hesitated before approaching Sumner, as several women were present in the Senate gallery. After the women left, Brooks walked to Sumner’s desk and reportedly said: â€Å"You have libeled my state and slandered my relation, who is aged and absent. And I feel it to be my duty to punish you.† With that, Brooks struck the seated Sumner across the head with his heavy cane. Sumner, who was quite tall, could not get to his feet as his legs were trapped under his Senate desk, which was bolted to the floor. Brooks continued raining blows with the cane upon Sumner, who tried to fend them off with his arms. Sumner finally was able to break the desk free with his thighs and staggered down the aisle of the Senate. Brooks followed him, breaking the cane over Sumner’s head and continuing to strike him with pieces of the cane. The entire attack probably lasted for a full minute, and left Sumner dazed and bleeding. Carried into a Capitol anteroom, Sumner was attended by a doctor, who administered stitches to close wounds on his head. Brooks was soon arrested on a charge of assault. He was  quickly released on bail. Reaction to the Capitol Attack As might be expected, northern newspapers responded to the violent attack on the Senate floor with horror. An editorial reprinted in the New York Times on May 24, 1856,  proposed sending Tommy Hyer to Congress to represent northern interests. Hyer was a celebrity of the day, the champion bare-knuckles boxer. Southern newspapers published editorials lauding Brooks, claiming that the attack was a justified defense of the South and slavery. Supporters sent Brooks new canes, and Brooks claimed that people wanted pieces of the cane he used to beat Sumner as â€Å"holy relics.† The speech Sumner had given, of course, had been about Kansas. And in Kansas, news of the savage beating on the Senate floor arrived by telegraph and inflamed passions even more. It is believed that abolitionist firebrand John Brown and his supporters were inspired by the beating of Sumner to attack pro-slavery settlers. Preston Brooks was expelled from the House of Representatives, and in the criminal courts, he was fined $300 for assault. He returned to South Carolina, where banquets were held in his honor and more canes were presented to him. The voters returned him to Congress but he died suddenly in a Washington hotel in January 1857, less than a year after he attacked Sumner. Charles Sumner took three years to recover from the beating. During that time, his Senate desk sat empty, a symbol of the acrimonious split in the nation. After returning to his Senate duties Sumner continued his anti-slavery activities. In 1860, he delivered another fiery Senate speech, titled â€Å"The Barbarism of Slavery.† He was again criticized and threatened, but no one resorted to a physical attack on him. Sumner continued his work in the Senate. During the Civil War he was an influential supporter of Abraham Lincoln, and he supported Reconstruction policies following the war. He died in 1874. While the attack on Sumner in May 1856 was shocking, much more violence lay ahead. In 1859 John Brown, who had gained a bloody reputation in Kansas, would attack the federal armory at Harper’s Ferry. And of course, the issue of slavery would only be settled by a very costly Civil War.

Patient Care, Quality Improvement, And Teamwork - 1399 Words

With rapidly advancing technology and the aging population, health care improvement remains at the center of providing proper patient care. However, it is imperative to ensure improvement is quality improvement, thus advancing patient care while still protecting patient safety. Quality and Safety Education in Nursing provides goals and guidelines for providing the best care. Prioritizing patient-centered care, quality improvement, and teamwork provides methods to increase patient safety, while excellent patient care can be maximized when striving to achieve cares that are safe, timely, efficient, effective, equitable, and patient-centered. Question 1: How do patient-centered care, quality improvement, and teamwork/collaboration relate to patient safety? Patient-Centered Care Patient-Centered Care proves to be one facet of increasing patient safety. With patient-centered care, patients and their families need to be the primary managers of care; they lead the way and make decisions (Whorley, 2010). Health care employees are responsible for providing the options and following through on the cares the patient chooses. Patient engagement improves patient safety because patients tend to be more invested in their care and can even help observe for adverse or unwelcome reactions. Patients’ willingness to adhere to their regimen increases if they provide input about their treatment modalities. One method for health care employees to include patientsShow MoreRelatedMidterm Patient Quality And Safety Paper1603 Words   |  7 PagesMidterm Patient Quality and Safety Paper Over time the health care industry has become more complex. Health care is rapidly evolving and continuing to complicate our delivery of care, which in turn has the same effect on quality of care. This steady evolution and change results in nursing shortages and an increase in the prevalence of errors being made. In hopes of preventing these errors and creating safe and high quality patient care, with the focus on new and improved ways of thinking, The QualityRead MorePrinciples Of Total Quality And Health Care Statistics747 Words   |  3 Pages Three Principles of Total Quality Mary Carnahan HA 412: Quality Management and Health Care Statistics September 25, 2015 â€Æ' Introduction In this paper I am going to research three articles that describe current practices in healthcare organizations, in these articles I will be looking at the three principles of total quality: customer focus, continuous improvement, and teamwork. The Three Principles of Quality What are the three principles of quality? The three principles are customer focusRead MoreWhat Do Nurses Really Do?1711 Words   |  7 Pagesand role of nurses. None of these ideas truly portray nurses and what they do. Nurses are with the patients more than the doctors. People do not realize how little they will encounter the doctor in the hospital until they are actually in the hospital. People quickly realize how important nurses are. Because nurses interact with their patients constantly, nurses are the ones who know the patients best. In the article â€Å"What Do Nurses Really Do?†, Suzanne Gordon explores what nurses truly do. SheRead MoreChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder ( Copd )935 Words   |  4 PagesAmerican population) living with COPD. QSEN, which stands for Quality and Safety Education for Nurses, has developed six competencies related to nursing care. These competencies are Patient-Centered Care, Teamwork and Collaboration, Evidence-Based Practice, Quality Improvement, Safety, and Informatics. These aforementioned QSEN competencies break down how nurses should be treating patients and working with the health care team. Patient-Centered Care is a major competency due to the nature of what nursingRead MoreTeamwork And Communication Of The Healthcare Field Essay1590 Words   |  7 PagesTeamwork and communication are very important in providing good quality care, especially in the healthcare field. A team is described as a group of people that works together and cooperatively, between each member of the group to reach a common goal (Sullivan, 2013). For a team to function, communication is essential. A report by McKay and Crippen (2008), as stated by Alfaro-LeFevre, (2013) showed that when collaboration is in place, hospitals can decrease their mortality rate by 41%. When mortalityRead MoreDefinition Of Health Care Quality1657 Words   |  7 PagesThe definition of health care quality has changed significantly over the years. Depending on who is asked (doctor, patient, nurse etc.), the definition can vary; however there are always some similarities. There are two definitions expressed by the Nation al Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) that I believe adequately express my view on health care quality. One definition is from the Institute of Medicine that states health care quality is â€Å"safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficientRead MoreEssential Attributes in Nursing1220 Words   |  5 Pagesfor educated nurses. Nurses is the first provider of health care, which delivers a high quality of care, safe environment, person-centred and focuses on the care of individuals, families and communities. In a nursing good workplace citizenship needs an understanding and maintaining a good relationship between patients and health professional to deliver quality health care and services. In the context of nursing, communication, teamwork and social responsibility is the main graduates attributes thatRead MoreEvaluation Of The Joint Commission On The Accreditation Of Hospitals1324 Words   |  6 PagesQSEN Essay Paper Teamwork and Collaboration Natalie M. Alvarez Intro to Prof. Nursing NUR3160 Professor Newman November 26, 2014 â€Æ' Introduction According to the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Hospitals (JCAHO) in July 2004 released a Sentinel Event Alert on the prevention of infant deaths. Its database showed that nearly three-quarters of hospitals cited communication break down and teamwork problems as a major reason for these deaths. The practice of teamwork and collaborationRead MoreThe Nurse s Performance During Their Handoff Report Essay881 Words   |  4 Pagesthe patient being involved in their care. As the healthcare industry has become more of a patient-centered, the hospitals are participating in a publicly reported government HCAHPS survey- a composite scale score that measure patient’s hospital experience through a metric satisfaction survey. An effective handoff is critical when transferring any medical information of a patient’s continuity of care from one nurse to another. According to the Health Professions Education: A Bridge to Quality: â€Å"allRead MoreQuality And Safety Educati on For Nurses1277 Words   |  6 Pagesdelegation of the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) is to challenge nurses of their knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSA) for continuous improvement for the quality and safety of the healthcare systems where they work. Ensuring safe care is a fundamental value and ethical responsibility of the nursing profession (International Council of Nurses, 2000).† All nurses should be well educated to understand that safety reduces the possibility of injury to the patients and providers; and

The Science of Shopping Free Essays

Caution! An anxietytriggers in your brain signaling the entry of new arrivals in the mall, an outcry for shoppers all around to come to the mall and buy the latest stuff designer/manufacturers have to offer claiming it is only a limited stock variety. The customer scout out the shop which is the most crowded considering it has the best to offer, he/she move in start sweeping by the items, trying to find what reflects your style and communicates your attitude towards the observers. The customers perceive what your fellow shoppers are purchasing or showing interest in and compare their selection with your choice and taste. We will write a custom essay sample on The Science of Shopping or any similar topic only for you Order Now Thesis statement: The purchasing behavior in the united states in America and the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The different ways of how they purchase and make their decisions while buying things. What modes they use? Body: The most common trend in the United States is that most of the people go out and window shop. They waste their time doing nothing, just hang out with friends and family and go through most of the shops and end up buying in small quantities. Most of the American society believes in online shopping. Then why do the women in Saudi Arabia have to stay in some constraints while going out for shopping? Thus in the Saudi Arabia the buying behavior of the female gender is totally different when it comes to clothes. They have to stay within the constraints they are living in. According to Norton â€Å"the mall is a favorite subject for the laments of cultural conservatives and others critical of the culture of consumption. † (Norton, 105) However in America there are no such limits. People can buy whatever they want. They have no constraints. Therefore this is the main difference in the buying behavior of both the countries. One can see people of different buying behavior, different race, and different cultures in the shopping malls. Do the people in Saudi Arabia believe in window shopping? Or do they prefer window shopping? For the people of Saudi Arabia window shopping is wastage of time. KSA shopping style is more related to direct item shopping, the customer shops what the customer want and leave, spend time skipping shops, but as soon as the customer get what he wants he leave. Thus in America the uying behavior is rational. The main focus of the American buyer is the features and benefits of the product. Therefore the retailer has to keep in mind different things. As the mall is a public place and people from different parts of the world come there, so it becomes offensive for the public, if the retailer or any customer brings up or says anything which offends any race or culture. According to Norton â€Å"Controversial displays, by stores or customers or the plethora of organizations and agencies that present themselves in the open spaces of the mall, are not permitted. (Norton, 105) Thus they should be careful while putting anything on display keeping in mind that the mall is a public place and there are some limits and boundaries they should keep in mind. Conclusion: The purchasing of behavior totally depends on our culture and belief system. The sellers and retailers display things according to the want and culture of different people. They study their behavior and make alternations accordingly. It is the consumer who tells the seller or retailer how to attract them. The make and provide products for every gender and age of the society. KSA shopping has displays of the most expensive and fancy stuff hanging as a customer grabber. They even put up gold plated items in display to grab the customer by need or greed. USA shopping has displays with new arrivals as well as old running stock, their display of attention gathering is purely based on shoppers intention, whether they want to buy it or not,. The retailer can’t force a customer to shop at your place. This shopping trend shows well known respectable brands have the most sales because of trust. How to cite The Science of Shopping, Papers

The Ethical Debate of Assisted Suicide free essay sample

The Ethical Debate of Assisted Suicide Hippocrates the father of modern medicine stated â€Å"I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel†: clearly he opposed the practice of euthanasia, known later in modern society as â€Å"assisted suicide. † The debate regarding Euthanasia or assisted suicide has been a subject that has been examined, discussed and ethically dissected for thousands of years. Early Roman and Greek cultures regarded euthanasia as an acceptable practice, both societies sharing the opinion that â€Å"there is no need to preserve the life of someone who has no interest in living. † Centuries later, as a result of shifting morals and values, assisted suicide has become an issue of the ethics of quality vs. the sanctity of life as well as one that conflicts with religion and politics (Keelan, 2006). When religion and politics are removed from the debate of assisted suicide, what remains is the desire of a terminally ill individual to choose to end their pain and suffering, to die of their own choosing with dignity and peace, to obtain a â€Å"good death. We will write a custom essay sample on The Ethical Debate of Assisted Suicide or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page † The debate for or against assisted suicide finds its origins based in religious, political and social beliefs and viewpoints. Those who support the practice feel that the terminally ill have every right to choose to end their lives in order to avoid pain and suffering. Additionally they feel that current medical treatments for the terminally ill leave them with no alternative but to endure undo pain and suffering, prolonging a life that will end, regardless of medical practice and jurisprudence. Assisted suicide provides quality of life because it affords one the opportunity to plan and prepare for their eventual death, taking into account their needs as well as the emotional needs of those they love. To plan one’s death is to take control of one’s life to the very end, something advocates of assisted suicide claim allows for dignity and closure. Advocates for assisted suicide will argue the choice to terminate the life of an individual who is dying is an individual choice and should remain so, separate from any religious or political interference or influence: it should not be governed or mandated by laws. Furthermore, they argue that even in the best medical settings, keeping a terminally ill patient alive is only palliative, that is medicine can only reduce pain but not eliminate it all together, that suffering can and will continue. For those who are opposed to assisted suicide, often a religious or spiritual approach is the primary factor in deciding that such a practice violates both Gods and Mans laws with regards to the valuing of human life. Additionally they argue that only God has the right to take a human life and by choosing assisted suicide the patient and loved ones will not be spared any pain or suffering (Lynn, Harrold, 2006). There is the belief or hope that advances in medical science have produced drugs and medical therapies that allow for a good quality of life for the terminally ill, affording them comfort and more time with loved ones before the end comes. Perhaps society’s opposition is actually rooted more in the emotional: under the best circumstances when a family member, friend or loved one is dying, the inevitability of their loss and the grieving that goes on long after a life has ended is difficult to process and prepare. It is human nature to begin the grieving process after someone has died, not typically while a dying person is still alive. Ironically we want to shield or spare a terminally ill loved one the anguish of seeing our own grief while denying them the opportunity to shield or spare themselves from any or all anguish that can be resolved with assisted suicide. It is important to note and clarify there are several definitions amongst medical, legal, political and religious communities regarding what is considered assisted suicide. The difference and understanding of assisted suicide is paramount in understanding and ultimately taking a stance or view on the subject. Particularly in the case of physician assisted suicide. In our culture and societies, medicine and those who practice it are regarded as life savers, not life takers. It is the opinion of many that our medical communities have a responsibility to preserve life, not to participate in the voluntary ending of one. Many incorrectly assume that assisted suicide is always administered by or includes the involvement of physicians but this is not the case. A basic definition of assisted suicide states: â€Å"it is the act of intentionally killing oneself with the assistance of another who deliberately provides the knowledge, means, or both. In physician-assisted suicide, a physician provides the assistance† (Gupta, 2006). It is noted this definition actually provides two distinct, separate descriptions of â€Å"assisted suicide†; the intentional act of killing one’s self and physician assisted suicide. Gupta goes on to claim 60% of physicians agreed that physician-assisted suicide should be legal in some cases. It appears in medical circles, the issue of assisted suicide is considered both humane and appropriate for those with no hope of recovery. In the case of a person who is terminally ill, the denial of choosing assisted suicide often results in their committing suicide by their own hand in order to end their pain, once and for all. To deny one the right to end their own life is to force one to live against their own free will. In his journal End of Life Decisions and the Maximization of Length of Life Edward Stringham states â€Å"Along with the actual physical pain and suffering comes mental suffering: the constant worry and concern about the well-being of their family members who are often spending time taking care of the dying loved one and in some cases, paying the bill for the artificial extension of life. The last month of life of a terminally ill patient can consume 40% of the total spent on healthcare during the lifetime of an individual. If the patient has already told family members that he wishes to die and discontinue burdening himself and his family members, assisted suicide should be permissible—especially if the whole family and friend network is in agreement. † Too often the mental death and the physical death all people experience sooner or later are not reconciled with one another and in the case of a loved one; the physical needs are often taken into account before the mental needs. We can see the physical pain and suffering but cannot see or know what is taking place inside the psyche of a dying person. From a social standpoint the issue of assisted suicide crosses ethical and religious boundaries making it difficult for many people to understand or consider. Because ethics are often based upon personal morals people tend to have a â€Å"bandwagon appeal† attitude about assisted suicide; it is either right or it is wrong. Many cannot reconcile assisted suicide to being anything more than what their personal beliefs tell them it is: murder. They hold true to their Christian beliefs that all life is sacred and the taking of a life, even to release or relieve someone of their pain and suffering is unthinkable, a sin in the eyes of God. For them, the right to life will always override the right to die by one’s own choosing. It is believed that seeing someone die a natural death is a part of the process of life, that is they consider it holy, justifiable and is in keeping with the natural order of things, i. e. God’s plan. Changes in morality and ethics within our culture however have begun to consider assisted suicide as not only a personal choice but an option when medicine can no longer stop the pain or prolong life in a comfortable, dignified manner. Media attention has brought â€Å"right to die† discussions into the living rooms of millions of Americans, making it a subject that is being discussed more than ever. Assisted suicide is a subject that makes most humans uncomfortable for it makes us examine the subject of our own mortality. When considering assisted suicide, with or without the presence of a physician, it is a question at some point most will ask themselves: â€Å"If I am dying and there is no hope for recovery, would I choose to end my life in order to end my pain and suffering? † We are forced to examine our own morals, ethics and spiritual beliefs, a tall order for a healthy human being. For the terminally ill, the time for such personal examination can be well behind them, the focus being on release. In the case of a family member having to decide for a dying loved one, the biggest dilemma or question they face is â€Å"Am I doing the right thing? As morals change, so do the terms and conditions of assisted suicide. While many still think of assisted suicide as murder, others have changed their viewpoints by claiming it should be allowed if a person has less than six months to live or they are in a permanent vegetative state. Perhaps a change in thinking such as this is an attempt to appeal to the moral majority as well as those who support the practice of assisted suicide. Or perhaps many individuals are beginning to apply the possibility of opting for it, as we are all going to die one day. Fear of pain, medical expenses, prolonging the pain and suffering of self and family has created a new way of looking at assisted suicide: we all hope for a good death and by eliminating fear, pain and suffering, maybe that too can be considered God’s plan for us. Recent high-profile cases of assisted suicide, such as the case of Terri Schiavo, a victim of an abnormal cardiac condition which rendered her brain dead at the age of 26, raised the question (and awareness) as to whether or not assisted suicide is morally and ethically wrong. Schiavo’s husband Michael wanted to end his wife’s life by choosing passive assisted suicide. Her parents were opposed to his decision as they felt that if their daughter could make the choice, she would choose to stay alive. Her husband argued Terri would not want to be kept alive, but neither side could produce substantiated proof or documents that supported these wishes, only conversations she had with family members and friends (Shepard, 2009). Shiavo’s parents attempted to dispute medical tests and diagnosis by claiming that while Terri could not speak she could move her eyes and make facial gestures that suggested recognition and emotional connection (Snead, 2006). Despite a medical diagnosis of permanent vegetative state, Robert and Mary Schindler, Schiavo’s parents, held out hope that their daughter would one day recover. The Schiavo case sparked national debate: many felt that since Terri was alive she was a living human being; to euthanize Terri Schiavo would be committing murder. Others felt that because she would remain in a vegetative state, she was no longer â€Å"alive† and therefore her husband had every right, morally, ethically and legally, to choose to end his wife’s life. As a result, for the first time in U. S. history, a sitting president, George W. Bush, acting from a conservative religious position, signed legislation to keep Terri Schiavo alive. Ironically, as the governor of Texas, Bush signed into effect the Texas Advance Directives Act, also known as the Texas Futile Care Law which grants hospitals the right to cut off life sustaining treatment within 10 days of a doctor giving written notice that such treatment is no longer appropriate or successful. Bush opposed allowing Terri Schiavo to die naturally by having her feeding tube removed, an act that is in fact allowable under the Texas Futile Care Law. Futile-care† laws effectively disregard a patient’s directive or family member’s decision, and instead, place control of end-of-life matters in the hands of physicians and hospital ethics committees (Marietta, 2007). Eventually all appeals to keep Schiavo alive failed and on March 31, 2005, thirteen days after her feeding tube was removed, she passed away. Her feeding tube had been removed and replaced two times previous to her death, amid the ensuring political and religious debates and arguments surrounding assisted suicide (Quill 2005). But was it murder? The conservative religious contingent steadfastly considers assisted suicide to be murder. However, when considering the toll a protracted, non-curable illness takes on the patient and their family, assisted suicide should be looked at as a viable option for those who are terminally ill or in a permanent vegetative state. It begs the question as to why citizens can legally sign a â€Å"Do Not Resuscitate† or â€Å"DNR† order which can lead to an early death but cannot legally choose to die via assisted living. Those supporters of the â€Å"Right to Life† will claim that a DNR order allows for a natural death while assisted suicide ends a life prematurely. It is important to note the clarification between euthanasia and assisted suicide: euthanasia generally refers to mercy killing, i. e. the voluntary ending of the life of someone who is perceived as being terminally or â€Å"hopelessly† ill. Assisted suicide on the other hand â€Å"occurs when persons deemed as having terminal illness or a disability are aided in a deliberate act of ending their lives by physicians, loved ones or other care givers or acquaintances. The difference between euthanasia and assisted suicide occurs because the latter constitutes a joint action between the person wishing to die and another complying with those wishes† (MLPD, 2011). Any terminally ill patient should be afforded the right to choose assisted suicide as a means to end their pain and suffering, be it through passive or active euthanasia. Ultimately the decision to terminate life must be based upon the quality of life of an individual. In doing so, they obtain their â€Å"good death†; they die when they want to, on their own terms, in their own time, all things that many human beings, if given the chance, would aspire to do. Politics and religion aside, just as all human beings should be afforded the right to make decisions that govern and affect their lives, they should be able to make decisions that govern how their lives will end. For those who want to spare their families the burden of having to make the choice of terminating life in the event they experience a cardiac arrest or stop breathing, signing a DNR order is appropriate. In the case of an individual who is terminally ill, they should have the right to end their suffering, to spare themselves (and their families) the emotional and financial burden that will surely occur when trying to prolong a life that modern medical science cannot save. Looking at the issue of assisted suicide from this perspective, one wonders if Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine and early opposition to euthanasia, would change his opinion about ending ones’ life early to end undue pain and suffering. Assisted suicide is not murder; it is a release from the tragic agony of an individual whose soul is trapped in a physical body that can no longer sustain and support their life. To deny a dying person their right to choose assisted suicide is to be morally and ethically questionable; to insist on prolonging human suffering and pain it morally and ethically unthinkable. Religion and politics must give way to allow a person the right to choose assisted suicide. In doing so, individuals can obtain a good death, spending their final days, hours and minutes in peace, knowing that they soon will end their suffering in this life and begin a new journey into the next one.

Everyday Use By Alice Walker Essays (813 words) - Everyday Use

Everyday Use By Alice Walker The place where you hang your hat, where the heart is, is a link to the past, and through its door one walks into the future: home can be many things t one person. To many Georgians, home is the place where they come from, the place where the famiy line can be traced from memories and keepasakes. In "Everyday Use", Alice Walker explores the importance of home to a family of three women in Georgia. This story is told from the eyes of Mama, Dee and Maggie's mother. Walker uses Mama to characterize her daughters and herself in an unbiased light that only a mother could love or know. Mam is a "large, big boned woman wit rough, man working hands", "who can kill and clean a hog as mersilessly as a man"(1). Mama, a round cahracter, lives a life that contradicts Dee's ideas. Mama contributes it mostly to her and Maggie's lack of academis intelligence. She usually allows Dee to receive what she wants because of this difference. By the end of this short story, Mama puts her foot down. Mama describes Maggied, a dynamic character, with a tone of pity. "She knows she is not bright. Like good looks and money, quickness passed her buy"(3). Maaggies is accustomed to being pushed aside. Maggie is characterized in this story by her actions rather than her words. Her sullen attitude is seen in her mother's descripion of her simply walking. "Have you ever seen a lame animal, perhaps a dog, run over soem careless person, sidle up to someone who is ingorant enough to be kind to them?"(2). Dee seems to be the cause of her angst. Near the conclusion, Maggie's sullen attitude is ahnged when her mother refuses to allow her to be pushed aside by Dee. "Maggie smiled. . . But a real smile not scared"(7). Dee felt she was different from the rest of her family. She was the olly one to attend college. She favors what was popularized by the world outside of her home. "Dee wanted nice things. . . at sixteen she had a style of her own"(2). Her mother "offered her a qulit when she went away for college. She told me they were old fashioned, out of style"(6). She is a static character. She returns home unahnged, not willing to understand another point of view, but wanting her family to change and bend to her ideas even after the short story concludes. Symbolism, the association of a meaning or theme to an item, is used in this novel to give ther reader a greater understanding of each characters inner thoughts. Walker linked these characters with tow main contextual symbols: the house and the two quilts. As the house burns, each character's position around the house directly related to how they feel about their family background. Maggie felt that the house was a part of her For Maggie, the house held memories of her and her family. As her dress fell off "her in little black papery flakes" in the fire, parts of her were lost with the house(2). Dee, on the other hand, was far from the ho;use, steadily concentrating on the burning house until it was completely destroyed. Dee did not desire to be associated with her family, like she did not want to be associated with the house. Both were slow to change and confirm to the actions of the world outside of her family's own tight circle. The quilts had a similar meaning but meant something different for Maggie and Dee. For Maggie, the quilt was a link to her grandmother and her family's past. Dee saw the quilt only as art that was temporily valuable. Like the house, the quilt represented a family's heritage. Dee's visit set the stage for many ironic statements. Irony or contradictions between ideas and reality, can be seen in what Dee would like her family to be and what really is. Waiting for Dee's arrival, her mother co;ntemplates that difference: "In real life,I am a large, big boned woman, with man working hands. . . But of course all this does not show on television. I am the way my daughter wants me to be, a hundred pounds lighter, my skin like and uncooked barely pancake. My hair glistens in the hot, bright lights"(2). Iron is also seen when Dee announces her death and new lifestyle, but still ate chitterlings an other foods her mother cooked. In her new life these foods are forbidden

Carbonyl Definition in Chemistry

Carbonyl Definition in Chemistry Organic chemistry contains names for many different molecules and groups of molecules that participate in chemical reactions. These groups of molecules are called functional groups. The carbonyl group is an important group that contains the element carbon. Carbonyl Definition The term carbonyl refers to the carbonyl functional group which is a divalent group consisting of a carbon atom with a double-bond to oxygen, CO. Carbonyl also may refer to a compound formed by a metal with carbon monoxide  (CO).  Bivalent radical CO is found in ketones, acids, and aldehydes. Many of the molecules involved in the senses of smell and taste involve aromatic compounds with carbonyl groups. The CO entity is the carbonyl group, while a molecule that contains the group is called a carbonyl compound. Also Known As: carbonyl group, carbonyl functional group Carbonyl Example The metal compound nickel carbonate, Ni(CO)4, contains the CO carbonyl group. Source Wade, Jr., L.G. (2002). Organic Chemistry (5th ed.). Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-13-033832-X

Boeing Aircraft Company Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Boeing Aircraft Company - Case Study Example This American aircraft company is also respected for reportedly holding the most diverse, inventive and skilled workforce in the world (Boeing, 2013). The specific areas of competition that Boeing currently witnesses can be identified on the grounds of managerial economics, unique and valued added business strategy applications and managing the various external forces efficiently. In this regard, influence of changing customer behavior and competitive barriers raised by its chief contemporaries (including Airbus SAS) shall be noteworthy (Taylor & Tillmanns, 2002). Competitive Strategies applied by Boeing and Airbus Boeing has been successful in capturing a large proportion of the current aircraft market and subsequently, acquiring a significant position in the service industry. In the current scenario, Boeing exercises around 54% share of the aircraft market while its total commercial department amounted to $30.1 billion as on the year 2001. Notably, the invention of 747 Jumbo Jet in 1966 by Boeing brought about a revolution in the world of air travel. Correspondingly, Boeing had approached the aircraft market through a unique innovation of the large sized point to point aircrafts. Recently, it has developed a Wi-Fi inside the plane which will create an ease for the passengers in accessing internet during their journey in air (Taylor & Tillmanns, 2002). As apparent from the discussion, one of the approaches considered with principal significance by Boeing when entering the aircraft marketplace is continuous innovation. A chief competitor of Boeing, as was mentioned above, is Airbus SAS. Airbus was founded in the year 1970 as a result of association in the European aerospace industry. Later it was amalgamated into a single company by the year 2001. As on 2001, it captured 46% share of the global aircraft market being second to Boeing. Historically, the company was established by the European countries with an intention to compete with the larger American aircraf t companies and earn a good subsidiary form the European governments. It has a wide range of product line such as the Twin Aisle A340 and the Single Aisle A320. It is in this regard that working in a common market and above all, because Airbus was designed with an intention to compete with the American airline industry players, it tends to be a major rival to Boeing (Taylor & Tillmanns, 2002). Similarity and Differences between Boeing and Airbus Boeing and Airbuses, being the major competitors to each other, possess certain similarities as well as differences in various strategic aspects. On the basis of the notions related to managerial economics, both the companies can be observed to operate with a similar approach of customer service oriented management. Both the companies have therefore been designing the aircrafts keeping in mind the comfort of the customers and their growing needs of convenience as well as security. The aim of both the aircrafts has thus been centered to earn profits along with sustainability by rendering quality services in addressing almost every minute requirement of their targeted customers. Both of these are involved in the creation of additional benefits to the customers by developing newer and innovative aircrafts on a

African emerging markets as a potential destination of efficiency Essay

African emerging markets as a potential destination of efficiency seeking investment - Essay Example However, the Asian continent serves as Africa’s greatest threat in terms of foreign investment as the continent has intense aspects by European countries and other grown economies. For this reason, the Asian continent experiences rapid growth in terms of infrastructure and the economy unlike in Africa. On the other hand, investments in African countries by foreigners attributes to maintained peace while the countries that do not have peace experience minimal international investment. Therefore, this essay will indulge on why Africa has steadily been an emerging market as a potential investment destination by foreign investors. In the global population index, Africa boasts of having at least one billion inhabitants spread across the continent. Essentially, this figure comprises of all fractions of the population that include age, gender, among many other factors. However, the literacy levels are average with the percentage standing at sixty two. This means that the elite population is slightly above the half percentage meaning that it is not enough to sustain employment and investment. By 2008, the collective gross development profit for the continent combined was at least two million trillion dollars making it high, but with minimal income. In addition, the overall expenditure levels for the continent were eight hundred and sixty billion US dollars as at 2008. Despite these visible trends, analysts predict that Africa would increase profits and gross spending income by 2020. However, the achievement of these desired results squarely laid with the investments levels if made at a steady rate. For instance, the population of Africa will be at one point four billion people by 2020. Further, analysts predict that the gross development profit will also increase to at least two point six trillion US dollars by the same time. In excess, the levels for consumer spending will also go up to almost one point four trillion dollars.

Principles and Contemporary of Mental Health Essay

Principles and Contemporary of Mental Health - Essay Example In this area, nurses receive specialized training in psychological therapies that builds on therapeutic alliance in dealing with challenging behavior which leads to administration of psychiatric medicine. In summary, mental health is a psychological state of well being in which one has an achievement of a satisfying amalgamation of one’s instinctual motivations tolerable to both oneself and one’s social locale; an apposite balance of leisure pursuits, love and work (Wilkin, 2003, p. 139). The Patient: Barker’s model In one of his theories, Barker wrote that a mental patient care should encompass a Meta theoretical approach. This is to say that several theories are necessary while dealing with mental patients. The application of this theory helped in taking care of the patients. First, there was demonstration of the nursing knowledge, the grand theory, where there was stating the empirical terms and hypotheses to demonstrate understanding of the theory of nursing. To demonstrate a clear understanding of the situation, I applied the Barker’s tidal model, which is philosophical in nature. With this model, I had to understand the fact that I knew little about the experiences of my patient. I took my patient as a mystery to be learnt and explored in developing a nurse-patient relationship and identify the needs. This characteristic of curiosity helps to understand more about the patient (Barker & Barker, 2005, p. 108). Secondly, the key to understanding my patient was taking them in with their resourcefulness in acknowledging the reality of my patient’s problems as the resources towards proper therapy. Other resources were within their social and interpersonal network, which I had to explore to help in proper therapy. Another important aspect that I had to consider was to understand the personal wishes of the patient. This laid emphasis on the importance of collaboration with the patient. This helped in identification of the needs of the patient. Respect to the needs also helped to ease therapy towards quick recovery. Mental health is more psychological and therapy has to be more collaborative through identification of what the patient deems important. However, this did not mean ignoring professional knowledge about the patient’s condition, but the wishes of the patient remained at the heart throughout the therapy session. Then there was viewing the patient’s condition as an opportunity, a natural signal indicating the need for services, my services. It was an opportunity for change and a chance for the patient to take a new opportunity in life. In mental health care, there are goals that professional nurses set to achieve. They are to be the end point of the nursing care process. I had to consider the fact that there are small steps which I needed to take in order to move away from the circumstances that brought my patient to the care setting. Finally, Barker’s model in practice helped m e to understand the fact that I had to identify the simplest possible action that helped to bring about the help necessary for the patient to get well from their condition. Basing On Evidence Because I had to administer psychotherapy basing on evidence, I had to employ several techniques that had to base on empirical relationship building, communication, dialogue and behavior change with a designation to improve mental

Descartes Conceivability Argument For Substance Dualism Philosophy Essay

Descartes Conceivability Argument For Substance Dualism Philosophy Essay Substance Dualism is the view that the mind and body are distinct. It pictures the world as consisting of two independent domains, the mental and the material, each with its own distinctive defining properties. We have clear and distinct awareness that the body is physical therefore it is spatially temporary and made from atoms which follow physical laws. It has dimensions, mass, texture etc. We also have clear and distinct awareness that the mind is non-physical therefore is not made from atoms or follows physical laws. The essence of the body is to be extended whilst the essence of the mind is to think. The mind is logically distinct and an independent entity to the body. So what can be asserted for one cant be asserted for the other. The mind will continue to exist without the body. It is infinite and immortal and will go to the afterlife. But the body is subject to decay because it is physical. It is not immortal and cant exist without the mind. The claim is there are two complet ely distinct substances, where substances mean a fundamental thing rather than stuff. In Descartes Sixth Meditation, he states one of his arguments for the mind and body being distinct. This is known as The Conceivability Argument: 1. I can clearly conceive existing without my body 2. What is clearly conceivable is possible 3. So it is possible for me to exist without my body 4. So I am neither identical with, nor a part of my body 5. So substance dualism is true Descartes, when considering himself, had a clear and distinct idea of myself (himself) inasmuch as I am (he is) only a thinking and unextended thing. Since he is thinking now, he must be a thinking thing. This property must be there as it belongs to his essence. If thinking ceases then he doesnt exist, an argument which he tries to prove in his early works in The Discourse. He has a clear understanding of what thought is. This allows him possibly to be non-extended as spatial temporality is not essential to him. He also has a distinct idea of body, inasmuch as it is only an extended and unthinking thing. If we think about an object we comprehend that its necessary extended and its essence is not thinking. For example, the essence of a stone is to be extended not to be a thinking thing. It is very hard to comprehend a stone thinking and if we can it is definitely not an essence of the stone. It is possible to conceive of the mind existing without the body and the body existing without the mind. Descartes uses the word possible in the sense that it is logically conceptual therefore not self contradictory that he can exist without his body. This is because it is possible to conceive of something being extended and non-thinking. Also it is possible to conceive of something being non-extended and being a thinking thing. For example we can conceive of my mind thinking but having no spatially temporality. God can create a world where whatever is conceivable is metaphysically possible because all things which I apprehend clearly and distinctly can be created by God. Thus anything conceivable becomes an actual truth. For example God cant create a square circle as it is not metaphysically possible. But God can create me, a thinking thing, distinct from my extended body since they may be made to exist in separation at least by the omnipotence of God. Therefore it is possible that my mind can exist without my body resulting in having a body not being essential to me. Descartes is moving from this doubt of his body to his essence. Descartes is using his scepticism that he is not going to accept anything that he is not certain of. He is certain of his own thinking and existence though. He concludes that this he can be sure of but this is the only thing he can be sure of: I am a real thinking thing and really exist, but what thing? I have an answer: A thing which thinks. But there are two different meanings to a thinking thing. One is something that thinks or another is something whose essence is to think, a thing that cannot not think. These are very different claims. He is making an epistemological claim to a metaphysical claim. He is arguing from how we come to know something to what it actually is. The argument shifts from a possible sense to a possible fact: It is possible that I am a thinking thing to my essence is a thinking thing. Knowing that I am thinking, it does follow that I am thinking in one sense. If I am thinking then I must be capa ble of thinking. But the claim that his essence is thinking is fallacious. If we take John Lockes claim that God can make matter think then God can make a stone think. A stone would then know that it is only a thinking thing and not know that it is extended. Therefore as its only aware of its own perceptions it can conclude that its essence is thinking. Just as God has made the stone think, God can take this away. Therefore the stone is left with its essence being extended and non-thinking. Moreover, all because the mind and body have different essences, this does not mean that they have to be two different substances. Surely they can be one and the same thing. Cant there be one entity which is thinking and extended? Jerome A. Shaffer uses the example of one entity, a man: The defying characteristic of being a husband is being a married man and the essence of being a parent is having offspring, but one and the same person can be both. Hence all because we have conceived of two entities having different properties it does not mean that they actually exist distinct from each other. For Descartes it would seem that they have completely distinct essences that it is impossible for them to not be distinct. Therefore the example of a husband and a father is seemingly weak because the actual properties of the occupier of the essences are both extended and male. Whereas the properties of extended and thinking things have, according to Descartes nothing in common. It would appear that there needs to be a stronger example from Shaffer to show that the mind and body can be one and the same thing. George Graham has a stronger example of the Gods making Oedipus marry his mother. As he didnt want to marry her he would say: very idea disgusts me, I find it unconceivable that I will marry my mother. Oedipus then falls in love with Jocasta, who is actually his mother. If we asked him what he thought about marrying her he may say: Very idea pleases me, I find it very conceivable. We would then conclude that Oedipus can conceive of himself marrying Jocasta but cant conceive of himself marrying his mother. Therefore they are not the same person. If I can conceive of myself as disembodied but cant conceive of myself without a mind you cant conclude that your mind and body are distinct as they can be one and the same thing. This is because the conclusion is aspectual and realises on aspectual knowledge. This aspectual knowledge that Graham mentions is a major downfall to Descartes conceivable argument. Gottlob Ferge explains this with the ancients knowing that Venus is the morning star whilst believing that the evening star was Venus as well or illiterate people not knowing that water is identical to H20. The mind and body could be the same thing but he they are assessed differently, one by introspection and one by inspection but this doesnt mean they can be separated and exist apart from each other. W. D. Hart creates a story to strengthen Substance Dualism and tries to show that the mind and body are not one and the same thing. This is because we can conceive the mind to exist without a body: Imagine one morning you wake up and go to the mirror. Looking in the mirror you realise that your eye sockets are empty. You can visualise your face with empty eye sockets as it would look to you in the mirror. You then saw around your head and see that your brain is not there. You can visualise how your empty brain pan would look to you in the mirror. Lastly it is still possible to visualise if you had no body. You would see the reflection of the room in the mirror. So you have a recipe for visual experience of yourself disembodied. As this is a thought experiment it could not actually occur in the real world. But the fact that we can imagine being disembodied. As we can imagine being disembodied without contradiction, it means that it is metaphysically possible. Hart would conclude that it is metaphysically possible for me to exist disembodied. Therefore the mind and body are distinct as disembodied existence can occur. Is it not possible to conceive of water not being identical to H2O even though it is metaphysically impossible? If we can then it is possible to conceive of the mind existing apart from the body doesnt show that it is metaphysically possible. For this metaphysically possible for the mind to exist with the body then the mind must be numerically distinct from the body. Kripke used his concept of rigid and non-rigid designators for Cartesian Dualism argument to prove that they are numerical distinct: If a and b are rigid designators, it follows that a = b if true, is a necessary truth. If a and b are not rigid designators, no such conclusion follows about the statement a = b The rigid designator water is identical to the rigid designator H2O. This is true scientifically. Water is identical to H20 in every possible world. If we have two rigid designators and the two are identical then this will mean that conceivability entails metaphysically possibility. This is because we cant conceive of a possible world where H2O is not Water. According to Descartes this would mean that God couldnt create a world where Water is not H2O as they are the same substance with the same essences. We cant conceive metaphysically that water is not H2O as this would make no sense. However it does not work if we use water non-rigidly. Water may not be a direct reference to H2O but a summary of the properties. This would be topic neutral as we are leaving out the nature of water. We could have a sample of water but not know that it is H2O, just like our predecessors. We cant conceive of them being identical in every metaphysically possible world therefore H2O is not water. We can easily conceive a non-rigid designation of water, for example tap fluid, rain, a lake that may not have been H2O as it is only there empirical properties that we know. As long as it is a non-rigid designator of water and we produce the properties, water can be anything. Thus we could conceive of the substance described as having a different chemical composition in a possible world. Kripke applies this to a brain state being identical to a mental state and tries to improve Descartes argument. We are immediately subjectively aware of mental states. We have immediate perceptions of them inside me. What you are experiencing when in pain is pain. It is an internal content of consciousness and this is the only way we can understand it. Therefore it is a rigid designator. If we can conceive of mental states being identical to the body then this would mean that it would be a necessary truth. If Descartes can conceive of himself being distinct from his body then Descartes is not identical to his body. Through modern neuroscience research it is possible to see that Descartes immaterial explanation of thinking being the essence of the mind is a lot simpler than getting a brain dependent theory. He believed that: Each substance is thought to have its own laws and its own range of properties; hence research on the brain is not going to yield any knowledge of the mind. But as more research occurs with neuroscience and neurology the more we realise how absurd the concept of Substance Dualism is. The mind apparently has higher functions which are reasoning, consciousness, emotion etc. All of these higher functions can be changed by drugs or an injury. For example damage to the temporal Lobe, the person with this damage will learn complex cognitive skills but will be unaware he has done so, even while engaging in them. There are many other examples of how the brain affects our higher functions. If the brain is dependent on the mind then how can this be true? How can the brain affect thinking as thinking is not its essence? Therefore it would seem that dualism fails not so much because of our limited knowledge of the mind but rather because of modern science. As the conceivable argument needs the essence of the mind and body to show that they we can conceive of them distinctly, if Descartes has got the essences wrong then he cant conceive of himself di sembodied. Doesnt entail it false as further research may discover there is a substance dualism but at the moment there is no leads.

Culture of Ancient China :: Ancient World Culture

Imagine: a collection of poems whose date of authorship has not been determined. Imagine: a Chinese thinker about whom little is known and whose authorship of the poems has been challenged. Then read statements like these: "Accept being unimportant" and "Give up learning, and put an end to your troubles." You have entered the mysterious world of The Tao Te Ching. Despite their cloudy and distant origins, the poems make many statements that may sound curiously familiar to contemporary Americans. The Tao describes the allure and artificiality of wealth as it reaffirms the value of a modest, balanced life: "Amass a store of gold and jade, and no one can protect it. / Retire when the work is done. / This is the way of heaven" -- a refreshing antidote to the "keeping-up-with-Joneses" syndrome. The Tao relocates humans in an ecological context where the company of humans is but part of a natural world order: "Love the world as your own self; then you can truly care for all things." How appropriate this injunction is today, when many people worry that they must care for the physical environment that must, in turn, care for them. At the same time, the Tao questions the value of abstract thinking in favor of selfless action: "Give up sainthood, renounce wisdom. / It is more important / To realize one's true nature." And, the Tao recognizes the limitat ions of coercive power and encourages "leading, not dominating," certainly a desirable profile for leaders of the future, where consensus-building might take place of patriarchal authority. For all its difficulties (of translation, of transliteration), the Tao offers a restorative vision of a balanced human life lived in the context of a natural world community.

Cameras on Every Corner

The city of Detroit should not have a camera on every corner. Yes we need to do something to make or city safer. Yes there are many unsolved crimes but the people in Detroit needs privacy. We should not have a camera watching every move we make. No matter where we go once we are outside our homes we will be getting watched. How much privacy do they expect us to give up for safety? If I'm alone in the park, I want to know that I'm actually alone. Video cameras however don't really reduce crime. They do act as somewhat as a deterrent and they certainly help identify the perpetrators, but overall it doesn't really do much. We know this through studies from London, England where nearly every street corner has a video camera. Overall, the crime rate of London has not really dipped at all since these were placed. Having a spy camera on every corner makes some people feel more at ease. The picture may be worth a thousand words, but it doesn't tell the whole story. A spy camera in the school bus may show the bus driver not doing anything during a brawl. It looks bad. What is doesn't show is that the traffic did not offer the driver a chance to pull over and that she was trying to contain the situation as best she could with her words. The picture won’t tell everything. Having these cameras could cause another crime. Someone a night guard, employee, hacker, etc. could sell the surveillance tapes to use them to determine a pattern of behavior to plan another crime. Also our city is in a lot of debt. So why would we spend millions of dollars on all those cameras? That money could be paying off debts. Buying all those cameras would put us in more debts which would cost people there jobs. Without our jobs people won’t be able to get the things they need to live. The people will need some money for our own common good. The city of Detroit should not have cameras on every corner.

Your Study Guide to Italo Calvinos Invisible Cities

Your Study Guide to Italo Calvino's Invisible Cities Published in Italian in 1972, Italo Calvinos Invisible Cities consists of a sequence of imaginary dialogues between the Venetian traveler Marco Polo and the Tartar emperor Kublai Khan. In the course of these discussions, the young Polo describes a series of metropolises, each of which bears a womans name, and each of which is radically different from all the others. The descriptions of these cities are arranged in eleven groups in Calvinos text: Cities and Memory, Cities and Desire, Cities and Signs, Thin Cities, Trading Cities, Cities and Eyes, Cities and Names, Cities and the Dead, Cities and the Sky, Continuous Cities, and Hidden Cities. Although Calvino uses historical personages for his main characters, this dreamlike novel does not really belong to the historical fiction genre. And even though some of the cities that Polo evokes for the aging Kublai are futuristic communities or physical impossibilities, it is equally difficult to argue that Invisible Cities is a typical work of fantasy, science fiction, or even magical realism. Calvino scholar Peter Washington maintains that Invisible Cities is impossible to classify in formal terms. But the novel can be loosely described as an exploration- , sometimes playful, sometimes melancholy- , of the powers of the imagination, of the fate of human culture, and of the elusive nature of storytelling itself. As Kublai speculates, perhaps this dialogue of ours is taking place between two beggars named Kublai Khan and Marco Polo; as they sift through a rubbish heap, piling up rusted flotsam, scraps of cloth, wastepaper, while drunk on the few sips of bad wine, they see all the treasure of the East shine around them (104). Italo Calvino’s Life and Work Italo Calvino (Italian, 1923-1985) began his career as a writer of realistic stories, then developed an elaborate and intentionally disorienting manner of writing that borrows from canonical Western literature, from folklore, and from popular modern forms such as mystery novels and comic strips. His taste for confusing variety is very much in evidence in Invisible Cities, where 13th-century explorer Marco Polo describes skyscrapers, airports, and other technological developments from the modern era. But it is also possible that Calvino is mixing historical details in order to comment indirectly on 20th-century social and economic issues. Polo at one point recalls a city where household goods are replaced on a daily basis by newer models, where street cleaners â€Å"are welcomed like angels,† and where mountains of garbage can be seen on the horizon (114-116). Elsewhere, Polo tells Kublai of a city that was once peaceful, spacious, and rustic, only to become nightmarishly over- populated in a matter of years (146-147). Marco Polo and Kublai Khan In real life, Marco Polo (1254-1324) was an Italian explorer who spent 17 years in China and established friendly relations with Kublai Khan’s court. Polo documented his travels in his book Il milione (literally translated The Million, but usually referred to as The Travels of Marco Polo), and his accounts became immensely popular in Renaissance Italy. Kublai Khan (1215-1294) was a Mongolian general who brought China under his rule, and also controlled regions of Russia and the Middle East. Readers of English may also be familiar with the much-anthologized poem â€Å"Kubla Khan† by Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834). Like Invisible Cities, Coleridge’s piece has little to say about Kublai as a historical personage and is more interested in presenting Kublai as a character who represents immense influence, immense wealth, and underlying vulnerability. Self-Reflexive Fiction Invisible Cities is not the only narrative from the middle of the 20th century that serves as an investigation of storytelling. Jorge Luis Borges (1899-1986) created short fictions that feature imaginary books, imaginary libraries, and imaginary literary critics. Samuel Beckett (1906-1989) composed a series of novels (Molloy, Malone Dies, The Unnamable) about characters who agonize over the best ways to write their life stories. And John Barth (1930-present) combined parodies of standard writing techniques with reflections on artistic inspiration in his career-defining short story â€Å"Lost in the Funhouse†. Invisible Cities does not refer directly to these works the way it refers directly to Thomas More’s Utopia or Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. But it can stop seeming totally offbeat or totally baffling when considered in this wider, international context of self-conscious writing. Form and Organization Although each of the cities that Marco Polo describes appears to be distinct from all the others, Polo makes a surprising declaration halfway through Invisible Cities (page 86 out of 167 pages total). â€Å"Every time I describe a city,† remarks Polo to the inquisitive Kublai, â€Å"I am saying something about Venice.† The placement of this information indicates just how far Calvino is departing from standard methods of writing a novel. Many classics of Western literature- from Jane Austen’s novels to the short stories of James Joyce and William Faulkner, to works of detective fiction- build up to dramatic discoveries or confrontations that only take place in the final sections. Calvino, in contrast, has situated a stunning explanation in the dead center of his novel. He has not abandoned traditional tactics of conflict and surprise, but he has found non-traditional uses for them. Moreover, while it is difficult to locate an overall pattern of escalating conflict, climax, and resolution in Invisible Cities, the book does have a clear organizational scheme. And here, too, there is a sense of a central dividing line. Polo’s accounts of different cities are arranged in nine separate sections in the following, roughly symmetrical fashion: Section 1 (10 accounts) Sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (5 accounts) Section 9 (10 accounts) Often, a principle of symmetry or duplication is responsible for the layouts of the cities Polo tells Kublai about. At one point, Polo describes a city built over a reflecting lake, so that every action of the inhabitants â€Å"is, at once, that action and its mirror image† (53). Elsewhere, he talks about a city â€Å"built so artfully that its every street follows a planet’s orbit, and the buildings and the places of community life repeat the order of the constellations and the position of the most luminous stars† (150). Forms of Communication Calvino provides some very specific information about the strategies that Marco Polo and Kublai use to communicate with each other. Before he learned Kublai’s language, Marco Polo â€Å"could express himself only by drawing objects from his baggage- drums, salt fish, necklaces of wart hogs’ teeth- and pointing to them with gestures, leaps, cries of wonder or of horror, imitating the bay of the jackal, the hoot of the owl† (38). Even after they have become fluent in one another’s languages, Marco and Kublai find communication based on gestures and objects immensely satisfying. Yet the two characters’ different backgrounds, different experiences, and different habits of interpreting the world naturally make perfect understanding impossible. According to Marco Polo, â€Å"it is not the voice that commands the story; it is the ear† (135). Culture, Civilization, History Invisible Cities frequently calls attention to the destructive effects of time and the uncertainty of humanity’s future. Kublai has reached an age of thoughtfulness and disillusionment, which Calvino describes thus: â€Å"It is the desperate moment when we discover that this empire, which had seemed to us the sum of all wonders, is an endless, formless ruin, that corruption’s gangrene has spread too far to be healed by our scepter, that the triumph over enemy sovereigns has made us the heirs of their long undoing† (5). Several of Polo’s cities are alienating, lonely places, and some of them feature catacombs, huge cemeteries, and other sites devoted to the dead. But Invisible Cities is not an entirely bleak work. As Polo remarks about one of the most miserable of his cities, â€Å"there runs an invisible thread that binds one living being to another for a moment, the unravels, then is stretched again between moving points as it draws new and rapid pattern s so that at every second the unhappy city contains a happy city unaware of its own existence† (149). A Few Discussion Questions: How do Kublai Khan and Marco Polo differ from the characters you have encountered in other novels? What new information about their lives, their motives, and their desires Calvino have to provide if he were writing a more traditional narrative?What are some sections of the text that you can understand much better when you take into consideration the background material on Calvino, Marco Polo, and Kublai Khan? Is there anything that historical and artistic contexts cannot clarify?Despite Peter Washington’s assertion, can you think of a concise way of classifying the form or genre of Invisible Cities?What kind of a view of human nature do Invisible Cities seem to endorse? Optimistic? Pessimistic? Divided? Or totally unclear? You might want to return to some of the passages about the fate of civilization when thinking about this question. Note on Citations:  All page numbers refer to William Weavers widely-available translation of Calvinos novel (Harcourt, Inc., 1974).

Steam engine essays

Steam engine essays In 1698 a great inventor named, Thomas Savery made the first steam engine. He was working on a problem pumping water out of coalmines. This machine that he used consisted of closed vessel filled with water which was made into steam. It forced the water upward and out of the mine. It created some like a vacuum and sucked more water out a bottom valve. Then later he started to work with Thomas Newcomen on an atmospheric steam engine. Later on in 1748 John Schuylers copper mine used the first steam engine in America. Flooding shut down the mine in Passaic, New Jersey. Schuyler paid Jonathan Hornblower 1000 pounds to ship him a steam engine and mechanics to set it up from Britain. So in 5 years the engine arrived in 1753. The traction engine is the first type of engine used in the fields in Britain. But they were not self propelled yet so they needed to be pulled by horses. They were used for the farm equipment and to operate sawmills. In the 20th century they were still used. The cars were made with larger steam engines for heavy haulage. They also had a 3-speed gearing and sprung on both front and back axles. When traveling longer there was a large water tank under the car. The engines could pull up to 120 tons. There were also tractors that were popular hauling timber and the engines were less then 5 tons. The most popular tractor was the Garret 4CD. Mining engineer Richard Trevithick of Cornwall built the first self-moving engine. He devoted his whole like of improving the steam engine and other engine builders were Aveling, Burrell, Clayton, Fower, and Garrett. Thomas Savery was an English military engineer who was the first inventor of the steam engine and got the idea from Denis Papins pressure cooker. Some of Saverys invention was the odometer for ships, a device that measured distance traveled Thomas Newcomen was an English blacksmith invented the atmospheric steam engine. ...

Evaluate technical security or privacy products for selection Essay

Evaluate technical security or privacy products for selection - Essay Example One of the best methods of dealing with visuses is by the use of antivirus software. These software are made by different companies and come with unique trade names. This paper is dedicated to analysing the suitability of two such software, Kaspersky and Panda, in fighting viruses. Karspersky anti- virus 2011 is a vital organ for the PC security system that offers protection on a range on information technology threats. It is designed to mostly offer services for the home and offices. No administration of special tools is required during the installation since it is faster in installing. It offers protection against viruses and spyware and scans the websites and emails to ensure that there are no malicious codes and through this one is assured of continued protection of his digital technology. It will provide the user with an easy access to the desktop. The karspersky anti virus 2011 for Mac offers the user an advanced updated security for his technology and does not impact negativel y on the computer. Panda antivirus pro 2012 is another antivirus product which can be installed in the safe mode where the safe disk has the CD that is bootable. With the optimal safe browser it is able to protect its privacy with the help of the web based malware, USB vaccine and the vulnerability scan (Axelrod, Jennifer & Daniel 45). It has several features that are present in a suite commonly referred to as the firewall. It is more effective in the actual malware protection in order to avoid future problems. It adds firewall protection, a parental control and antispam to its antivirus to make it effective. Despite its effectiveness it does not effectively clean all the malware when detected in the computer. Its main window has a dark appearance though it still behaves like other security products. Panda anti virus pro 2012 will display its features at a click and head on to the other features as you continue to click. One is able to access the configuration and reporting features present in it. It has statistics page breaks that are able to detect threats by their type while for the advanced statistics page they go to an extent of detecting threats in the email and the network threats too. Panda also does not take part in the virus bulletin’s VB100 testing since it has already been certified by the ICSA labs and West Coast labs as an antivirus that is good for detecting virus and removing it (Rannenberg 23). The latest online reviews indicate that it is the second largest rating and has gone further to come up with a measure that enables it to resist any infestation of the malware. Karspersky anti- virus 2011 will protect your digital life by checking the files and the mail attachments. It is therefore a safeguard to the life of an individual online. It blocks the threats as soon as it gets to know about them. Online reviews see it as very fast, effective an unobtrusive and can be used even in the most demanding applications. The quality of both tech nologies has been estimated with reference to their speed and ability to protect the computers from attack by threats. Karspersky has a familiar look like the normal applications and can be applied even in the most complex settings because of its speed. They are easy to install and they let you manage them because of the defaults that are not complicated. Panda offers a variety of anti virus from which to choose from as they are based on intelligence technology. The protection offered by the antivirus ensures privacy in the sense that

Choose any organisation of your choice and as external observer of the Essay

Choose any organisation of your choice and as external observer of the organization undertake critical analysis of the following functions and make recommendations for improvement - Essay Example Another important function of human resource department is to handle the grievances of the employees so that they can feel like they are treasured by the company and become loyal employees. Marriot International is considered to be one of the leading hotel chains and franchise providers in the world. It has over 3400 lodging properties in 70 countries around the globe. The headquarters of Marriot are at Maryland, USA and had around 137,000 employees under their name by the end of year 2009 (Marriott News Center 2009). It has sustained its position as a quality service provider and this has been possible due to its strong infrastructure. According to Marriott Management Philosophy; a successful business cannot be run if employees do not know how to manage people (Elwell n.d.). Therefore they consider good management and trained personnel to be great assets. They provide a range of services namely; hotels, airline food service, business and events food service etc. It is vital to devise an efficient HR Strategy so that the company can hire talented professionals, retain them by keeping them satisfied and make arrangements for their training and development. This helps the company to gain profits and competitive advantage in the market. An effective HR strategy is based on the following key points (Clapper 2010); Companies around the world have realized the need to merge the strategic and human resource planning activities (Ulrich 1992). Marriot believes in the amalgamation of these activities to separate themselves from the rest of the companies in the hotel industry. Such a strategy was visible when Marriot expanded their business to Hong Kong. There were already numerous organizations running successful businesses in the hotel industry therefore they knew that efficient HR strategies would have to be implemented to succeed in that region. Even hiring competent individuals was a task in its own since all of them were already working successfully for

Digital revolutions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Digital revolutions - Essay Example To understand the consumers, organizations have historically employed a market research strategy. This traditional method involves deploying marketing representatives to the ground to identify the consumers’ needs and advise the business on the best approach to addressing these needs. Advancement of technology has however changed the situation. The invention of the internet, mobile phones, and other technological devices have revolutionized marketing. Today, human beings are connected to one another regardless of the distance. This implies that the physical interaction of the marketer and the target audience is no longer necessary. The interaction and market study happens online and through the technological devices. This has changed the global marketing environment. This paper is a research report on the changes in global marketing that have resulted from the digital revolution. The paper addresses these changes from the perspective of technology and globalization. Marketing involves a great deal of communication. Technologies such as the web, mobile phones, social media, and customer relationship management systems greatly affect modern marketing. The marketing representatives of any company or specific product must communicate with the consumers. The communication helps them to learn and identify the consumers’ needs and requirements. Further, this also helps them to identify the challenges that the product may face in the market and hence adjust their strategies accordingly. In the past, communicating with the consumers demanded costly travels and promotions to issue questionnaires or conduct interviews (Glance et al. 2005). However, with the digital revolution communication technology has made it possible to interact and communicate with consumers in a more effective and cost effective way. Marketers are now targeting social media and the

Japanese Food †General Analysis and Comparison to American Food Essay Example for Free

Japanese Food – General Analysis and Comparison to American Food Essay It is generally true that different countries have distinct cultures. The culture of a country is shaped by various factors unique to that country, directly affecting it during its historical development. An example of such factors is geography. The geographic nature and location of a country dictates what resources it may have; a country surrounded by water tends to depend on the aquatic life for food, while a country endowed with vast fields of fertile land tends to feed its citizens through harvested crops. As one can infer, the food source of a country is in a direct relationship with its culture. This concept in turn supports the development of unique variants of food, also defined as its local or traditional food. The United States of America and Japan, in this sense, are two vastly different cultures with diverse food variants. The American continent, although of course surrounded by bodies of water, has a vast land area which it is known for. This prompted the development of the country to be generally agricultural and crop-based. Hence, corn and potatoes are considered as its staple food. Japan, on the other hand, is considerably less in terms of total land area; therefore, the development of its agriculture is quite limited and crop variants held to a minimum. The whole population instead focused its attention on the sea as a limitless source of food. Such basic differences in food also result in additional variance to the details regarding it. Suggested food intake, nutritional claims, health claims are expected to be different to a certain extent between the two. Health issues are expected to vary as well. Hence, the American food culture and the Japanese food culture are expected to be distinctly different with consideration to these aforementioned points of comparison. Methodology In order to begin the analysis of the characteristics of the food from the unfamiliar Japanese culture, a direct sampling of Japanese food is required. Hence, the first major portion of the methodology requires that a restaurant serving authentic Japanese cuisine is to be located within the locality. After choosing one, also keeping in mind that the price range is well within the reach of the researcher’s budget, a sample Japanese dish is to be ordered or bought. If possible, the method as to how the dish is prepared should be properly observed and noted. The characteristics of the dish should also be considered and inspected. Specific details in terms of taste and appearance are to be listed down. If possible, the constituents of the dish or its basic ingredients are also to be identified. After assessing such details regarding a sample dish of Japanese cuisine, a more technical and research oriented approach towards analysis is to be started. The second main segment of the methodology pertains to the technical and research oriented part of the study. Specific details regarding the whole Japanese food culture are to be determined. Further research into the Japanese food culture and its historical development is to be accomplished. Further insights regarding the differences with the American food culture and standards will be provided by searching for the occurrence of a localized food pyramid as well as rules or guidelines for food labeling, health claims, and nutrient content claims. Also, health concerns regarding food in the Japanese culture will also be taken into account. The common health problems, its sources and effects, will be established. Resulting data from the two main sections of the research method gathered through such methods will be properly collated and completely analyzed afterwards. Results Upon locating a restaurant that offers authentic Japanese cuisine, a choice was made to order a highly popular and common Japanese specialty, the sushi. In this case, an unlimited amount of sushi was made available, each variant served in differently colored plates riding on top of a conveyor belt like mechanism. There were so many variants of sushi, making the process of identification more troublesome. Fortunately in this case, each plate was properly labeled. The first variant of sushi sampled is called the nigiri sushi. In physical form, the nigiri sushi mainly consists of hand-shaped rice with a single kind of topping per serving. This variant is however not simply a single kind as there were notable difference in toppings between servings. There were four main types of nigiri sushi served; one type had squid as topping, the second had shrimp, the third had raw fish, and the fourth was egg. Upon immediate sampling, the shrimp, and squid were notably very lightly cooked, if cooked at all. The thin slices of fish served as toppings were obviously uncooked. Also, no additional flavor was added to enhance the flavor of these two toppings. The egg however, was noticeably scrambled and sweetened. The rice below the topping, aside from being shaped, had no detectable additional flavoring. The second variant of sushi sampled was considerably more complex in both structure and appearance. Called as the maki sushi, this variant evidently had more ingredients. There were two main types of maki sushi sampled, futo maki and hoso maki. In both, a thin dried seaweed preparation, known in Japan as the nori, covers the outer area of the flat circular shaped sushi. Another common ingredient noticed for this variant is cucumber, sliced in small portions and apparently used fresh with no additional cooking procedures. Carrots were also noted to be present in both types, having been prepared in the same manner as the cucumbers. The last notable similarity between the two is the use of caviar. The nature and source of the caviar was not determined; the only detail noted regarding it was that it was commonly used as additional toppings or dispersed within the sushi. In terms of differences, the main distinguishing factor between the futo maki and the hoso maki is the inclusion of fish. Of the two, only hoso maki had slices of fresh raw fish, known to be commonly tuna, interspersed within the roll. As an additional note, the sushi variants were dipped in a mixture of Japanese soy sauce and a spicy paste known as wasabi, with the resulting ratio dependent on one’s preferences. After discussing the structure and constituent parts of the sampled dish in detail, findings regarding the taste are placed in focus. It is noticeable that the overall taste of the sushi alone is quite simple and plain, and at the same time pleasant and cool. It draws its appeal from the combined flavor of its parts. Such taste is expected since the parts used are neither seasoned nor flavored in any matter. However, upon the addition of the wasabi and soy sauce concoction, the sushi is given a stronger flavor, mainly a combination of salty and spicy taste. Upon completion of the sampling phase of the study, research was done to determine the historical context of Japanese food. Japan is one of the several island based countries throughout the world which is mainly surrounded by the sea, and along it also contains several bodies of water; hence, even from the early points of Japanese history, food is commonly gathered from aquatic sources (Minnesota State University [MSU], n. d. ). Since fish and other aquatic creatures such as shrimp, crabs, squid, octopus, and urchins, are commonly associated with the Japanese diet, people tend to think that the Japanese consume these exclusively. This however, is not the case in reality. The Japanese also consume various land grown products including well known ones like eggplants and carrots, along with rice which is considered as their staple food (MSU, n. d. ). Another subject of research conducted in the study is concerned with something more current: government issued guidelines and policies regarding the food industry as well as the presence of a food pyramid. Specific points analyzed include food labeling, health claims, nutrient content claims, and of course, the food pyramid. Details regarding food labeling, health claims, and nutrient content claims were not very much analyzed in this case, but rather, the focus was placed upon whether such policies exist. In terms of food labeling, it has been noted that a similar system exists in Japan in comparison to other countries such as America. In fact, there has been a movement by the Japanese government to further increase the scope of the law, making it considerably more stringent in comparison to those of other countries (Gale Group Incorporated [GGI], 2008). As for laws regarding health claims, Japan has a well-defined and extensive policy system, pointing out specific categories for health and nutrient claims and requirements for the application of companies for such claims to be approved for their product (National Centre of Excellence in Functional Foods [NCEFF], 2004). Japan currently has a well-adapted food pyramid. Commonly encountered food items in Japan are included as examples; some of these are rice, miso, honey, soy sauce, milk, soy milk, tofu, fish, clams, plums, and kelp (Southeastern Michigan Dietetic Association [SEMDA], 1998). The final aspect looked upon in the research was regarding the usual health problems accompanying the local cuisine. Given the fact that Japanese food preparations often utilize raw to lightly cooked seafood, parasitic organisms is a usual threat (Ransom, n. d. ). Examples of these parasitic organisms are worms which latch on to various areas of a person, usually the gastrointestinal tract, in order to provide themselves vital nutrients. Another problem arising from their preference towards seafood is the possible occurrence of heavy metals in the flesh of sea-based organisms due to global environmental problems (Ransom, n. d. ). Discussion The results point out evident differences and similarities between the American and the Japanese food cultures. First, regarding food preparation and taste, from what was observed with the sushi, Japanese food preparation is simpler in constituent and is also rather simpler in terms of preparation. The focus of the Japanese cooking is to maintain the natural form and flavor of the ingredients while blending well in combination. This is very much unlike the American way of cooking since the focus is usually to use a main ingredient and season or flavor it in a way that after being cooked for a certain amount of time, the food has acquired an enhanced taste. In relation to this, the Japanese cuisine has a preference towards the uncooked and seafood, while American cuisine focuses on cooking techniques and the use of beef, pork, and chicken. These differences mainly arise from the varied historical development of each country. In terms of the more technical side of food and its culture, specifically food labeling, health claims, and nutrient claims, due to the trend of globalization, it is quite understandable that in general, both Japan and America have law pertaining to food labeling, health claims, and nutrient claims. Differences on these are mainly observed when inspecting the specifics. Aside from this, both countries have food pyramids. The difference on this point pertains to the food examples written in the pyramid; the main structure and recommendations remain the same. Lastly, health issues and risks differ for both countries to a certain degree. The Japanese mainly worry about issues regarding contaminants and parasites due to seafood consumption, while the Americans worry about problems such as heart disease and obesity due to the way food is prepared. Conclusion The historical and geographic differences of America and Japan have led to a distinct difference in terms of their local cuisine. Japan focused on seafood as one of the main food sources unlike America. The staple food is also different for both countries, being rice for Japan which is rather uncommon in the United States. Hence, in relation to this, food-related heath concerns also differ for both countries. However, far from what is expected in terms of Japan and America being completely different, current trends in relation to globalization and exports have shown that in the subject of food in general, America and Japan have several points in common. These points mentioned laws and policies pertaining to food labeling as well as health and nutritional claims. Therefore, although different at various points, Japan and America evidently has certain points of close similarities in the general subject of food contrary to what is commonly thought of.

Dangers of the Internet | Essay

Dangers of the Internet | Essay Abstract This essay presents a critical debate on whether the Internet is as dangerous as the physical world. First, the unique dangers posed by the Internet are outlined. This is followed by an examination of some of the major threats to safety that are present in the physical world but not in the virtual world. In the conclusion, the report also looks into how the virtual world might shape in the future. Is the World of Networked Computing as Dangerous as the Physical World? Introduction In cyberspace, no one hears your screams. (Merkow and Breithaupt, 2000) Modern society depends on the technology of networked computing more than ever. Whether it is the Internet, the World Wide Web (WWW), or other less well-known networks, people around the world depend on it for multifarious reasons from work and entertainment to essentials of life such as life support in medicine. Networked computing offers easy access, a large degree of anonymity and while this presents us with unique opportunities, it also presents us with unique dangers. In light of the increasing use and even dependence on networked computing, it is pertinent to examine the social, physical and ethical dangers presented by it. This essay critically debates the issue of whether the world of networked computing is as dangerous as the physical world. The Dangers on the Internet Preying by Paedophiles One of the most disturbing crimes on the Internet today is ‘grooming’. Child grooming is an act where a paedophile will befriend a child, or form an intimate relationship in order to lower a child’s sexual inhibitions. Grooming will initiate from chat rooms designed for children and teenagers and sometimes through emails, where an adult will pose as a teenager, but will often move into using instant messaging services so that the paedophile can talk the victim into sending images and even using a webcam. Research conducted by the Cyberspace Research Unit at the University of Central Lancashire states â€Å"another of the frequent topics concerned on-line grooming and in particular, ways in which to avoid detection† (O’Connell, 2003). While this statement gives concern that paedophiles may be able to escape without notice, the report goes on to say, â€Å"Throughout each of the stages there are clear and easily identifiable differences in the pattern s of behaviour of the individuals.† The stages that are talked about here are known as ‘Friendship forming state’ where the paedophile will just spend time getting to know the child, ‘Relationship forming state’ where the paedophile will start to ask questions about things such as school and home life, ‘Risk assessment stage’ where the paedophile will ask the child questions like who else uses the computer, ‘Exclusivity stage’ where the victim is encouraged to trust the paedophile, and ‘Sexual stage’ where the paedophile will ask the child about previous intimate experiences. Bullying and Other Negative Electronic Relationships The virtual world is home to some serious negative and destructive electronic relationships. Cyber bullying, one of the more common ones, is mainly targeted at school pupils in addition to actual physical and verbal bullying. Carnell (2007) points out to evidence that many pupils are being targeted in their own homes, by phone texts, silent calls, on instant messenger, and by abusive websites and forums, some set up with the specific intention of causing humiliation and embarrassment. This shows the severity of cyber bullying in society today. Griffiths, M.D. (1998) offers the following explanation. The Internet is easy to access from home or work. It is becoming quite affordable and has always offered anonymity. For some people it offers an emotional and mental escape from real life, and this is especially true for individuals who are shy or feel trapped in unhappy relationships. It is also true for individuals who work long hours and have little opportunity for social life. Electronic (or internet) relationships started off when chatrooms were introduced and really boomed since the creation of Instant Messaging. A person can enter a chatroom, use an alias, and can talk to other members without revealing their true identity. However, this raises an important question. If you can do all that without revealing your true identity can you really trust the person you are talking to? Can you be certain that they are being honest with you? Some say that it’s not real and therefore they don’t really worry about it, while others suggest that Internet relationships have a way of tapping into deep feelings and it’s easier to get hurt. Katz and Rice (2002, p286) suggest, â€Å"students are meeting and â€Å"dating† on the internet†¦they even have monogamous relationships this way, telling others who might ask that they will not go out with them because they are â€Å"dating† someone.† Various researches suggest that it is more common for young people to meet and date people using the Internet and it is becoming more widely accepted as a social meeting point. This however causes concerns about why people are choosing to use the Internet for this reason. Many people feel more comfortable talking about feelings over instant messaging, and this is especially true of shy people or people that feel trapped in an offline relationship. Addictions The Internet also has the notoriety of helping to create unhealthy addictions. The majority of UK bookmakers now run online websites in which people can make exactly the same bets they would in the betting shop, but from the comfort of their own home. The rate at which the online gambling industry is commercialised today is astronomical. From 2005 to 2006 the sector has become the fifth largest advertiser online, jumping to 2.5 billion from 911 million ads in the last year (Schepp, 2002). And this is without the likes of TV ads, magazine ads, and adverts on the radio. This means that the majority of people in society now see online gambling as more acceptable than in recent years. Besides the increased risk of fraud on the Internet, the online gambling also poses the serious problem of an easier way to get addicted. This is because it is relatively easier to sit in front of a computer and gamble than to walk to the nearest betting shop in the cold winter to make a bet. Gambling is ho wever, just one of the addictions people are vulnerable to online. Mitchell (2000) uses the term Internet addiction to indicate the spectrum of additions that one is susceptible to on the Internet. He states that although there is some disagreement about whether Internet addiction is a real diagnosis, compulsive Internet use has psychological dangers, and reports such behaviour can result in the users having withdrawal symptoms, depression, social phobia, impulse control disorder, attention deficit disorder, etc. Viruses and Hacking In 2000, the number of worldwide email mailboxes was put at 505 million, and this was expected to increase to 1.2 billion in 2005 (Interactive Data Corporation, 2001). Schofield (2001) points out that more than 100 million people use instant messaging (IM) programs on the net, and a growing number among them also use it to transfer files. This number is obviously growing, but this example shows that online communication is becoming a much widely used method of communication. Online communication such as email and instant messaging does not come without problems. Hindocha (2003) states that instant messengers can transfer viruses and other malicious software as they provide the ability to transfer text as well as files. Viruses and malicious software can be transferred to the recipients computer without the knowledge of the user. This makes them very dangerous. As the use of online communications becomes more widespread, it is seen as an opportunity for people to gain access to the fi les on a computer. Hindocha (2003) gives the example of hackers using instant messaging to gain unauthorised access to computers, bypassing desktop and perimeter firewall implementations. This is a real concern for most users, especially as the instant messaging and email client software are trusted software; for a home user, their personal information stored on the computer, such as internet banking security details, identifying information that could be used in identity theft, etc. are the risks. However, online communication software such as these are also often used in businesses also, and in this case, extensive records of financial information are vulnerable. Hindocha (2003) goes on to say about instant messaging systems, â€Å"finding victims doesn’t require scanning unknown IP addresses, but rather simply selecting from an updated directory of buddy lists.† This throws up serious concerns. Theft and Fraud Electronic commerce faces the major threats of theft and fraud. Online theft commonly occurs in the form of identity theft, and less commonly, outright theft, for example by unauthorised access to bank accounts. Camp (2000) points out that while it may seem a big leap to exchange a bill of paper money for machine readable data streams, the value bound to the paper abstraction of wealth is simply a reflection of trust in the method of abstraction that is widely shared and built over centuries. Money on the Internet is simply a different abstraction of wealth, and has similar issues with trust and risk as traditional money, together with the additional dangers posed by the virtual nature of the environment. Because all communication on the Internet is vulnerable to unauthorised access, this means that it is relatively easy to commit fraud. Where legislation is not a deterrent, technology is almost none. Credit card fraud and theft, electronic banking theft, etc. are some of the more co mmon crimes committed online involving money. What Makes It Safer Than The Physical World? Safe from Immediate Physical Harm Perhaps the only upper hand the virtual world has is that its inhabitants are immune to the immediate threat of physical violence; one cannot be randomly mugged online. However, vulnerable people are still susceptible to physical violence and harm, perhaps more to self-harm; there are many websites that promote anorexia, suicide and self-harm, and this can leave a big impact on impressionable minds. Presence of Strong Safeguards The main safeguards on the Internet are policing with the accompanying legislation, and technology itself. There are organisations in place to deal with the abusive websites and forums, appropriate legislation to prevent child pornography, paedophilia, theft, fraud and a variety of other online crime. There is also a vast array of technology that can help keep adults and children safe online, from parental control software that can restrict the websites viewed by children, to anti-virus and cryptography software and firewalls that help prevent hacking and viruses and keep data safe. Conclusion Staying safe online It is commonly accepted that the Internet provides us with opportunities that have been hitherto unavailable. Many sing the praises of this so-called information superhighway; however, it is prudent not to be lulled into a false sense of security by the promising opportunities. People should be made aware of the dangers lurking in the Internet, and be given the education and means to take steps to stay safe online. Just as children are taught not to speak to strangers in the real world, they should be taught not to speak to strangers online as well. Education in schools should include education about how to stay safe online; just as children are taught that eating fruit and vegetables are healthy, they should also be taught that excessive online activities can lead to addiction, with various negative consequences. This is because the virtual world is not very different from the physical world in terms of people waiting to take advantage of the weak and vulnerable, and also with respe ct to dangers such as addiction. The future of the virtual world In many ways, the virtual world is a reflection of the real world. After all, the people who inhabit the real world are the same people that also inhabit the virtual world. It follows therefore, that what people do and want to do in the real world, they would try to do in the virtual world too. Where the physical constraints of the virtual world restrict them, they would try to find ways to get around it. The rapid development of technology also gives rise to new means by which people can do things, beneficial or harmful. The development of virtual reality may mean that one day, people in the virtual world may not be immune to immediate physical harm either. However, the technology by itself is neither good nor bad; it is the way the technology is put to use that creates positive and negative consequences for human beings. In the end, it can be said that virtual world is perhaps just as dangerous as the physical world. References Camp, L. J.(2000) Trust and Risk in Internet Commerce Publication: Cambridge, Mass MIT Press. Carnell, L. (2007) Pupils Internet Safety Online. Bullying Online [online]. Available at: http://www.bullying.co.ukpupils/internet_safety.php (last accessed Aug 2007) Griffiths, M.D. (2002) The Social Impact of Internet Gambling Social Science Computer Review, Vol. 20, No. 3, 312-320 (2002) SAGE Publications Griffiths, M. (1998) Does Internet and computer â€Å"addiction† exist? Some case study evidence International Conference: 25-27 March 1998, Bristol, UK IRISS 98: Conference Papers (Available online at http://www.intute.ac.uk/socialsciences/archive/iriss/papers/paper47.htm last accessed Aug 2007) Griffiths, M.D. (2000) Cyber Affairs. Psychology Review, 7, p28. Hindocha, N. (2003) Threats to Instant Messaging. Symantec Security Response, p3. Interactive Data Corporation (2001) Email mailboxes to increase to 1.2 billion worldwide by 2005 CNN.com (Available online at http://archives.cnn.com/2001/TECH/internet/09/19/email.usage.idg/ last accessed Aug 2007) Katz, J.E. and Rice, R.E. (2002) Social Consequences of Internet Use. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. p286. Merkow, M. S. and Breithaupt, J. (2000) The Complete Guide to Internet Security New York AMACOM Books Mitchell, P. (2000) Internet addiction: genuine diagnosis or not? The Lancet,Volume 355,Issue 9204,Pages 632-632 O’Connell, R. (n.d.) A Typology of Child Cyber Sexploitation and Online Grooming Practices. Cyberspace Research Unit UCLAN, p7-9. Schepp, D. (2002) Internet Gambling Hots Up BBC Online (Available online at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/1834545.stm last accessed Aug 2007) Smith, J. and Machin, A.M. (2004) Youth Culture and New Technologies. New Media Technologies, QUT.