Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Issues and Traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam Essay

Religion takes on many different forms and there are several definitions in as many languages used to describe the practices. For the purposes of this paper, the following basic definition will be used. Religion is the belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe. Also, a personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship (Company, 2000). This paper will examine three major religions of today: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. An attempt will be made to identify the top two current issues each religion faces as well as look at two sacred traditions and study the significance and major characteristics of each. Judaism Judaism is monotheistic in nature and has been described as a religion, a race, a culture, and a nation. All of these descriptions have some validity to them but Judaism is best described by some as an extended family (Rich, 2006). This extended family consists of four movements Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, and Reconstructionist. All of which, still find themselves victims of discrimination known as anti-Semitism which is based on stereotypes and myths and often invokes the belief that Jews have extraordinary influence with which they conspire to harm or control society. For those Jews living in the Middle East there is also the very real danger and threats from a powerful country possibly in possession of nuclear weapons. The president of Iran threatened them publicly with annihilation. Discrimination and threats of violence Jews are a very real part of Jewish life but there are just as many positive popular time honored traditions that exists still today. One of which is the wedding tradition. The tradition begins with the husband signing a Ketabuh, the groom’s marital contractual obligation to the bride. The groom is then led to the Chuppah, a tarp this symbolizes their future home together. The bride is led in with singing and dances and then she circles the groom seven and comes to stand to the right of him. After several additional steps the marriage is blessed and ends in a wedding feast. Another Jewish tradition performed prior to Yom Kippur is called the ceremony of kapparot. The practice was first discussed at the beginning of the ninth century. It was believed that the sins of an individual could be transferred to a fowl, a rooster for men and a hen for women. The fowl was to be held over the head and swung in a circle three times while the following was spoken: â€Å"This is my exchange, my substitute, my atonement; this rooster (or hen) shall go to its death, but I shall go to a good, long life, and to peace. † (Schwartz, 2009) The fowl was then donated to the poor and hoped to take on any misfortune that might have occurred to the one who took part in the ritual. The primary sacred text used by the Jews is the Torah. Christianity is currently noted to be the largest religion in the world today, with around two billion followers. Christian beliefs center on the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the son of God. Jesus’ teachings focused on the kingdom of God, love of God, and love of one another. Today there are many different views his teachings and the meaning of some forms of love. One of the most controversial topics in the faith today is that of practicing homosexuality. The Christian bible stems from the Jewish sacred text which banned homosexuality of any kind. The bible even talks of God destroying two cities over homosexual behavior (Clark, 2009). Today many leaders condone the behavior and some are even practicing it themselves. While homosexuality may serve as a religious divider here in the U. S. , persecution is served cold as a divisionary disabling tactic abroad. It is the number one issue facing many Christians today, outright discrimination as in the case with Jews as mentioned earlier. In countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, China, Saudi Arabia, and others Christians are being martyred because of their refusal to denounce Christianity. Everyday there are approximately 465 people killed because they will not give up their faith in Jesus (Dearmore, 2009). Most Christians in the U. S. attend a church service of some kind one to three times a week. This is a time honored tradition, just as the wedding tradition is in Judaism. The reason behind this is to participate in a time of fellowship with one another. Normally, the tradition includes worship service, private and corporate prayer, the study and reading of scriptures, and collection of tithes and offerings. There is also the coming together for celebration of special holidays. The most important Christian holiday is Easter, the celebration of the resurrection of Christ and Christmas the celebration of his birth. Christian practices differ by denomination. Easter is a central theme for most if not all denominations. The origin of the word â€Å"Easter† is not certain but it was probably derived from Estre, an Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring (Dreamweaver, 2009). It is a celebration of the central event of the Christian faith, the belief that Jesus rose from the dead on the third day following his death and burial. It is the oldest Christian holiday and the most important day of the church year. There is evidence that the resurrection used to be celebrated every Sunday until some point in the first two centuries when it was agreed to move it to once a year. The sacred text of Christianity is the Bible. Islam The Islamic religion is monotheistic in nature; they follow one God named Allah. The primary meaning of Islam is peace and the prime message is the Unity of God. Islam identifies Jesus and John the Baptist as prophets. They also believe that there will be no other prophet after the prophet Muhammad. One of the primary concerns facing the Muslim community still today is retribution after the terrorists’ attacks of 11 Sept 2001. Many Islamic followers faced discrimination on all fronts because of the fear of their culture and religious stereotyping (Clark, 2009). The attacks on American soil left a scary imprint of terror in the minds and hearts of many. The media portrayal added fuel to the fire and did nothing to ease the tensions caused by the scary pictures of death left behind. Unfortunately, there is also the fight with fundamentalist ideology and division among their own religious sects. Some groups are teaching others to hate Jews, Christians, and Americans as well as others. In the midst of this hate is a tradition of peace and goodwill towards others. One of the most important traditions is the observance of the Five Pillars of Islam. This involves witnessing to the fact that there is none worthy of worship except Allah. The second pillar is Salat, facing toward Mecca, the Holy Land of Muhammad, five times a day and kneeling in prayer. The third pillar is Alms giving, which encompasses giving charitably to other Muslims. The fourth is the performance of a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime. Last is to observe fasting during Ramadan. Muslims normally worship in Mosque; they kneel prostrate on small prayer rugs. The rugs may look to be small oriental carpets. Muslims kneel as a sign of humility before God. There is only one requirement that the place of prayer be clean. The rug is approximately one meter in length just long enough for an adult to fit on comfortably. When prayer time comes the rug is placed on the ground with the top pointed in the direction of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. After prayer the rug is immediately folded and put away until next time. The Arabic word for a prayer rug is â€Å"sajada,† which comes from the same root word (SJD) as â€Å"masjed† (mosque) and â€Å"sujud† (prostration) (Huda, What are prayer rugs, and how are they used by Muslims? ). This paper discussed three major religions of today and two current issues that they face. It also examined the characteristics of some of their valued traditions. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all have one central theme in common besides the discrimination they all endure; they are all monotheistic in nature. They all believe in their own sacred text, their own version of truth. References http://islam.about.com/od/prayer/f/prayer_rugs.htm http://www.jewfaq.org/judaism.htm http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/kapparot.html

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Fungi with Focus on Subdivision Zygomycotina and Ascomycotina

Fungi comprises a huge and varied group of organisms that have common characteristics with both the lower plants (algae) and lower animals but are not related to each other(1, a, b,c). They contain true mitochondria and a membrane-enclosed nucleus. They have no chlorophyll and chloroplast. Reproduction is achieved through sexual and asexual means(12). Most fungi grow as branched tubular systems, or mycelia, whose individual filaments or hyphae are surrounded by rigid cell walls containing chitin, cellulose, or both, and other polysaccharides. All fungi lack photosynthetic ability and therefore require preformed organic compounds(2).Prior to the development of fungi in the microscope in the 1600s, the only fungi described were the higher fungi that have large fruiting structures, such as morels, mushrooms, and puffballs. In 1836, the study of fungi was termed mycology (a branch of botany). The different groups of fungi are classified according to their means of sexual reproduction, li fe cycle exhibited, growth and developmental stages, and means of asexual propagation(4). Two Division System: Myxomycota and Eumycota. Ainsworth constructed a two-division system for fungi—the kingdom is divided into two groups, namely Division Myxomycota and Division Eumycota.In Division Myxomycota, the fungi grow as multinucleate amoeboid plasmodia and produce motile uninucleate amobae, as well as biflagellate cells. The so called true fungi are placed in Division Eumycota. The evolutionary relations for this division may be described as a single phyletic series, except for Oomycetes(6). Eumycota and Subdivisions. The Division Eumycota is subdivided into subdivison Mastigomycotina, Basidiomycotina, Deuteromycotina, Zygomycotina, and Ascomycotina. In subdivision Mastigomycotina, the fungi produce motile spores called zoospores, with one or two flagella.The subdivision Basidiomycotina includes members producing haplontic sexual spores called basidiospores on a specialized ce ll called the basidium. The subdivision Deuteromycotina includes all fungi that lack known sexual reproductive structures. Most fungi that cannot be classified fall under this subdivision. The subdivision Zygomycotina has a single class, Zygomycetes and this class includes fungi—bread molds or pin molds—that typically produce an abundant or aerial, coenocytic mycelium and are common causes for the decay of of foods and rich sources of organic material.The subdivision Ascomycotina (formerly the class Ascomycetes) includes all true fungi in which sexual reproduction results in ascospores, produced within specialized structures called an ascus(7). Zygomycotina. The subdivision Zygomycotina has cell walls containing chitin as a primary component. They reproduce asexually by means of non-motile spores called sporangiospores produced in the sporangia formed on branches (sporangiophores) of the mycelium. In some species, such as the Rhizopus nigrificans, the sporangia arise i n clusters with rhizoids at the base and hyphal strands or stolons interconnecting the clusters.The spores are released by the breakdown of the sporangial wall of the sporangial wall and dispersed by air /wind or water current. They germinate by direct outgrowth of hyphal tube to produce a new mycelium. Rhizoids anchor the fungi to the substrate, acting like roots, thus releasing the enzymes necessary to breakdown the substrate and absorbing the broken down nutrients (1). Sexual reproduction may occur between different parts of the mycelium (homothallic mating) or between two sterile strains/cells of opposite mating type. The latter is regulated by a single pair of genes or alleles.One gene is said to be the plus mating type and the other the minus mating type (8). The gametangia, or the sex organs, fuse to form a dormant, thick-walled pigmented and often sculpted zygote called the zygospore. The mature zygospores eventually germinate to produce the new haploid mycelium. The represe ntatives for this subdivision are members of the Rhizopus species like R. oligosporus and R. stolonifer(2). The genetic regulation of sexual reproduction in fungi was first discovered in Zygomycetes by Albert Blakeslee, who coined the terms homothallism and heterothallism to describe the two opposite mating types.Both are known to be common in throughout the kingdom. Ascomycotina. The subdivision Ascomycotina have chitinous cell walls. In many ascomycetes, male structures (antheridia) and female structures (ascogonia) are produced. The antheridia donate nuclei to the ascogonia by fusion with a receptive filament, the trichogyne. In others, the same function may be accomplished by conidia (asexual spores that can also serve as fertilizing elements) or by hyphal fusion. The parental nuclei in the ascogonium unite in the ascogonium and enter the hyphal branches that grow out from it within a developing fruiting body called the ascocarp.The paired parental nuclei divide synchronously (c onjugate division) in specialized hyphae with binucleate cells (ascogenous hyphae). The tip cells of the ascogenous hyphae form a hook in which the haploid parental nuclei fuse to produce a diploid zygote nucleus. The zygote nucleus immediately undergoes meiotic division to produce four haploid nuclei in the enlarging cell, called the ascus at this type of development. In most cases the a mitotic nuclear division then doubles the number of nuclei per ascus, after which each nucleus is enclosed in a cell wall to form the ascospores.The hypahe have simple washer-shaped septa with a central pore; and the asexual reproduction occurs by formation of non-motile spores — conidia, oidia, arthrospores and others — that are usually produced on specialized branches called conidiophores. Several classes of ascomycetes exist. The class Hemiascomycetes includes the unicellular or mycelial yeast. The class Plectomycetes includes several economically important fungi that form their as ci in small, simple, closed fruiting structures (cleisthothecia).The powdery mildews are all obligate parasites of higher plants and are largely host-specific. A second major group of plectomycetes include the commercially utilizable genera Aspergillus and Penicillium,as well as important pathogens of plants and humans. Sexual reproduction is relatively rare among species of Aspergillus (185 species) and Penicillium (14 species). Aspergillus produces chains of pigmented, asexual conidia on the surface of an inflated region of a branch called a conidiophore.Conidium formation is similar similar in Penicillium, but the conidiopore is branched to form a brushlike structure (penicillus) instead of having an inflated vesicle. The conidia are connected by chains in conidiophores but are readily dispersed by air currents. The green, black, yellow and gray colonies of these common microfungi are the results of the color of the huge number of pigmented conidia produced on the surface. All fu ngi in class Pyrenomycetes produce asci and ascospore sas an organized hymenial layer in a fruiting body called perithecium.The perithecium is a small flask-shaped structure with a thin wall that surrounds a basal tuft of asci with the opening at the top called an ostiole. The ascospores are typically discharged from the tips of the asci as they sequentially protrude from the ostiole. The perithecia may form separate structures on the mycelium, or they may lie just below the surface of a larger mass of sterile hyphae called stroma(10). In addition to their roles in the decay of plant and animal residues and in food spoilage, these fungi (h,j) are of great significance to humans in many other ways.Aspergillus fumugatus, a common inhabitant of the heated compost, can cause respiratory disease in humans, and a number of related species may produce aflatoxin, a tumor inducing alkaloid, in poorly stored moldy grain(9. ) A. flavus and A. parasiticus produces aflatoxin, B1 (f), B2 (g), G1 and G2, the first mentioned being the most toxic (a, b,c). The disease caused by Aspergillus is termed as aspergillosis characterized by allergy and infection-like symptoms (3,4). The potential threat of Aspergillus as biological weapon of mass destruction is still being investigated (d-j).Species of both Penicillium and Aspergillus are used extensively in commercial fermentations. Camembert cheese derives its flavor from Penicillium camemberti, and Roquefort from P. roqueforti. Soy sauce is fermented with Aspergillus oryzae or A. soyae. This class also includes other species that cause disease in humans, animals and plants (4, j); for example the fungus Ceratocystis ulmi is responsible for the Dutch Elm disease, other species cause a wilt disease in oaks and still others reduce the quality in number (3, l). Antibiotics were first fist produced using penicillin from P.notatum; the antibiotic activity of this fungus was first described by Alexander Fleming in 1929. Only through a joi nt effort of British and American scientists during the World War II, however was the industrial-scale production achieved, by using a better strains of P. chrysogenum. A huge antibiotic industry has since developed. . Various microfungi are used to produced a number of organic acids—gluconic, itaconic and citric acids (d,e, m), for example—and in other chemical processes. Citric acid fermentation yields about 99,000 each year.Penicillium’s uses do not extend to cheese and to antibiotics alone but also in agriculture—serves as soil bioinoculant. Ochratoxin is produced by P. viridicatum and P. verrucosum. Selected Bibliography I. Books 1. Ainsworth, G. C. (1976). Introduction to the History of Mycology. New York: John Wiley & Sons, In 2. Alexopoulas, C. J. Introductory Mycology. (1979). NY: Wentworth Pub, Inc. 3. Bulmer, G. C. (1979). Introduction to Medical Mycology. London: Academic Press. 4. Christensen, M. C. (1975). Molds, Mushrooms and Mycotoxins. NY : Plenum Press 5. Emmons, C. W. , Binford, J. P.Utz, J. P. , and Kwon-Chung, K. J. , 1977. Medical Mycology. New England: UP. 6. Garraway, M. O. and Evans, R. C. , Fungal Nutrition and Physiology. 1984. London: Academic Press. 7. Gray, W. D. Alexopoulus, C. J.. Biology of Myxomycetes. 1968. NY: Wentworth Pub, Inc. 8. Grolier Encyclopedia. (1993). Grolier International Inc. 9. Raper KB, Fennell DI. , 1965 The genus Aspergillus . Baltimore, Maryland: Williams and Wilkins. 10. Webster, J. Introduction to Fungi. 1980. NY: WMC Inc. II. Journals a. Asan A, Ekmekci S. , 1994 The determination of Penicillium and Aspergillus species in Edirnesoils and their seasonal distribution Tr J Biol 18:291-303 b. El-Said AHM. , 1994 Studies on soil mycoflora of Bahreen Microbiol Res 149:263-269 c. Fresquez PR. , 1990 Fungi associated with soils collected beneath and between pinyon and juniper canopies in New Mexico Great Basin Naturalist 50:167-172 d. Ghildiyal JC. , 1993 Mycoflora of decomposing leaf litter in a subtropical freshwater swamp Proc Nat Acad Sci India 63: (B)H 207-211 e. Joffe AZ. , 1967 The mycoflora of a light soil in a citrus fertilizer trial in Israel Mycopathologia et Mycologia Applicata 32:209-230 f. Kamal Gupta ML, Kumar P., 1979 Aspergilli from soils of Gorakhpur 9: Edaphic factors and distribution in 4 soil types against plane cover Indian J Mycol Plant Pathol 9:56-65 gKhallil AM, Abdel-Sater MA. , 1993 Fungi from water, soil, and air polluted by industrial effluents of Manquabad superphosphate factory (Assuit, Egypt) J Basic Microbiol 31:83- 100 h. Klich M. , 1998 Soil fungi of some low-altitude desert cotton fields and ability of their extracts to inhibit Aspergillus flavus Mycopathologia 142:97-100 i. Rutherford JM, Huang LH. , 1994 A study of fungi of remote sediments in West Virginia cavesand a comparison with reported species in the literature NSS Bulletin 56:38-45 j. Steiman R, Guiraud P, Sage L, Seigle-Murandi F, Lafond J-L. , 1995 Mycoflora of soil around the Dead Sea I-Ascomycetes (including Aspergillus and Penicillium), Basidiomycetes, Zygomycetes System Appl Microbiol 18:310-317 l. Sulun Y, Hasenekoglu I. , 1993 A study on Aspergillus Mich. ex. Fr. and Penicillium Link ex. Gray flora of the soils of northeast Anatolia, Turkiye Doga-Tr J Biol 17:49-60 m. Yaguchi T, Someya A, Udagawa SI. , 1994 Fennellia flavipes and Neosartorya stiamenia, two new records from Japan Mycoscience 35:175-178

Monday, July 29, 2019

The History of Baseball Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The History of Baseball - Research Paper Example n 1908, the commission published their final report concluding that Abner Doubleday invented Baseball in the town called Cooperstown, New York in the year 1939 (John Doyle Papers 49). How they came up with such a conclusion is based on the testimonies of Abner Graves, a resident of Cooperstown. Later on, such report has been proven to be a mistake as it was discovered that Doubleday wasn’t in Cooperstown at that year. To add, Graves was convicted of murder and was sent to the asylum for being insane. Alexander Cartwright Alexander Cartwright is another popular name in the history of Baseball. In 1845, Cartwright wrote the rules of a New York baseball team called Knickerbockers. And later on, Shane Foster help revolutionized the Knickerbocker rules into the modern baseball rules of today. In 1953, the Congressed credited the invention of modern baseball to Alexander Cartwright and he was included in the Baseball Hall of Fame (Peterson 8). Although the term may not be fitting, h e is the most deserving to have the title. Alexander Cartwright was also the umpire of the first recorded baseball game in America dated June 19, 1846 in New Jersey. Knickerbocker Baseball Club and New York Baseball Club, 1846 During the year 1845, the Knickerbocker Club of New York City was making use of the Elysian Field in Hoboken, New Jersey. They were playing and practicing here as this is the only place that has soft ground to play on within the area. In 1846, the first recorded U.S. baseball game took place here with the Knickerbocker Club playing against the New York Nine (Seymour 27). The New York Nine won the game. Because of the success of this game, more amateur teams were formed. By the year 1957, the National Association of Baseball Players was formed and 25 amateur teams joined.... This research paper describes the history of baseball, the most favorite American sport. Abner Doubleday is the man believed to be the inventor of baseball. In 1939, everyone thought that Abner Doubleday was behind the sport because of a testimony of another man. However, there was no evidence to prove that he is indeed the man behind baseball. In fact, through all the papers Doubleday has written, he has never mentioned anything about being the proponent of the American sport; he never made the claim. One of the people behind this theory is Albert Spalding. In 1905, Spalding organized the Mills Commission. Members of the commission include Spalding himself, Abraham Mills, Morgan Bulkely, Arthur Gorman, Nick Young, George Wright, Alfred Reach and James Sulivan. And from this list, none of them are historians. The commission was geared towards coming up with a report on who really is the prominent man behind the sport. In 1908, the commission published their final report concluding that Abner Doubleday invented Baseball in the town called Cooperstown, New York in the year 1939. How they came up with such a conclusion is based on the testimonies of Abner Graves, a resident of Cooperstown. The paper concludes that it can take a lot of work before Baseball will gain as much popularity as leagues like the National Basketball Association or the National Football League. The proud history of the sport is the primary reason why it has survived and why baseball fans should be continuously optimistic for the future of baseball.

Sunday, July 28, 2019

An Outline for the Education in Kuwait Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

An Outline for the Education in Kuwait - Essay Example Secondly, it is more or less sure that the author of this paper was a second language speaker of English. This is because the word choice, the syntax as well as the run-on sentences need to be edited or revised by an editor to avoid any misunderstanding or confusion while reading the article. Reviewing by Each Chapter The first chapter of this paper focused on the background as well as the structure of the essay with the background concentrating on the team from Singapore and the timeline on which the team worked on. The main research question of the diagnostic study was hidden on page 6 as part of the ‘structure of the paper’. Proper writing procedures require that both the purpose of the study as well as the research questions be explicit to the reader and be stated clearly in the introduction section for better guidance. In chapter two, the researchers stated the outcomes as outlined in the document of Kuwait’s vision 2023. The target of the desired outcomes wa s clustered around the making of a complete ‘human’ product. Nevertheless, the seven desired outcomes were general, vague and the explanation of each outcome was shallow and limited to social aspects. Moreover, the researchers did not explain the rationale for stating those seven outcomes within the framework and scope of the study. The desired outcomes failed to have a properly framed link to the labour market and the economic side of the country. The seven outcomes did not state anything about decision-making, critical thinking and creativity, which are fundamental elements in a human product. The third chapter talked about the core pillars that support the education system and the conceptual framework of the diagnostic study within the country. The researchers needed to explain the objects for the eight pillars as the basis for supporting the education system. The team needed to explain the objects that made them choose each pillar with a cohesive definition as used within the study. In the pillars, the researchers failed to place performance management systems under the human resource policies as applied within Kuwait. Furthermore, the curriculum pillar as used on the fourteenth page did not have a clear definition and a teacher as was elaborated and explained in detail on pages 15 to 18 short compared it to the education. Conventional writing has it that the reader needs to know the theories behind the conceptual framework as used in any study. The conceptual framework should lay down assumptions,  principles and  rules, and then bind them together to produce a broad  concept, which is easily understandable by all readers. Due to the short explanation in the conceptual framework part, the whole essay from the study appears quite unclear. This chapter, therefore, requires to be holistically revised in order to make it the guidance and the lens to the entire essay. Even if this study was about diagnosing the system, the reader needs to co mprehend the rules behind using a quantitative and qualitative method, which are not clear as from the study. An analysis of the fourth chapter uses 2400 participants, which does not specify whether this figure was a sum to all the students, parents, teachers as well as the principle. The study needed to have a tabulation of the different categories of participants as well as give a clear picture of the all the participants.     Ã‚  

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Cyber Law Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Cyber Law - Research Paper Example 1. Cyberspace, cybercrime and cyber law: Before going any further, we have to know what â€Å"Cybercrime† and â€Å"Cyber law† really is and understand the concept of â€Å"Cyber crime† and â€Å"Cyber law.† â€Å"‘Cybercrime’ †¦ consists of engaging in conduct that is outlawed because it threatens order† (Brenner 10). Thus, cybercrime is something which has similarity to the term crime, as all crimes are illegal and all crimes threaten order. The term ‘cyberspace’ was first coined by William Gibson in 1982 which actually describes a â€Å"mentally constructed virtual environment within which computer activity takes place.† â€Å"Cybercrime† means the crimes that are committed within that space and it refers to the risks online (Wall 10). Thus, the term â€Å"cybercrime† indicates crimes that can be committed in a networked computer. It includes crimes like hacking, pornography, crimes related with online financial transactions, credit card frauds, email hijacking, cyber sabotage, virus attacks, etc. The definition of cyber law as given in the business dictionary states that cyber law is a â€Å"rapidly evolving area of civil and criminal law† which is applicable â€Å"to the use of computers, and activities performed and transactions conducted over internet and other networks.† (â€Å"Cyber law†). It includes laws related with electronic copyright, web image trademarks, software piracy, domain name disputes, electronic stocking, online business information, etc. (â€Å"Definition of cyber law†). 2. Different types of cyber crimes: 2.1 Offences against confidentiality, Integrity and Availability of Computer and System:1 It includes crimes that are against any one of the three principles of confidentiality, integrity and availability. The different crimes that can be included in this category can be offences of illegal access like â€Å"hackingâ₠¬  and â€Å"cracking.† â€Å"Hacking† means unlawful access to a computer. It includes offences like breaking the password of protected websites (Gercke 20-21). The second form of crime in this category includes â€Å"Data Espionage† which means accessing sensitive information without the permission of the host. The two approaches which are used to obtain information can be accessing a computer, and extracting information, and using manipulation to make users disclose their access codes, which is also known as â€Å"phishing† (Gercke 23-25). The other crimes coming within this category are illegal interception, data interference and system interference. 2.2 Content-related offences:2 The aforementioned category includes offences of publishing content which is illegal or obnoxious. It includes erotic or pornographic material excluding child pornography. Many countries criminalize access of pornographic content by minors. Secondly, child pornography is co nsidered as a criminal act and is also punishable (Gercke 32). The other types of offences included in this category are racism, hate speech, glorification of offence, religious offences, illegal gambling and online games, libel and false information, spam and related threats, other types of illegal content like unlawful sale of products, etc. (Gercke 34-40) 2.3 Copyright and Trademark-related

Examine the difficulties involved in making international GDP per head Essay

Examine the difficulties involved in making international GDP per head comparisons - Essay Example Substitute goods share similar type of effect on their demand and price (Sloman, Hinde and Garratt, 2010). For example, some countries use GDP per head while others use Gross National Product (GNP) per head. Within the economics context, both measures are used alternatively. Consequently, it will be very difficult to compare two economies in which one uses GDP per head while other employs GNP per head. Additionally, expenditure sources also hinder the process of carrying out an effective international GDP per head comparison. Many developed countries make expenditure on health, education and technology. On the other hand, developing countries prefer to spend on defence, security and other non-development sectors of economy. As a result, such difference also disallows a reasonable comparison between per head GDP of two international countries. Moreover, cost of living, particularly inflation, also makes it difficult to compare per head GDP of two countries. For example, Norway is known as the most expensive country because the rate of government taxes is considerably higher. On the other hand, small taxes are given in

Friday, July 26, 2019

Hamlet Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Hamlet - Research Paper Example True enough, the infuriated king proved to have reacted to the play as a mere act one should enjoy and appreciate. The entire play of Shakespeare is believed to be a retelling of an earlier play based on historical fiction (Friedlander, Theatrehistory), with important changes made in some places. The play within the play would probably be one among these important revisions in the story that gives the playwright his unique view of the circumstances in between Hamlet’s knowledge of the king’s murder and the culmination of his revenge. Being unable to get his father’s ghost as a witness to his own murder, Hamlet acts to be insane and ingeniously devises the plan of the play while he waits and plans his revenge. The Roman historical novel also claimed that his protagonist, Brutus, also pretended to be a lunatic (Friedlander). Other versions of Hamlet before Shakespeare were written though not as popular as the renowned playwright’s adaptation, somehow affecte d the totality of the widely acclaimed play by Shakespeare. Probably, the playing of a historical drama was Shakespeare’s inspiration to come up with the play within his play. It could be that the playwright aimed to show the lessons learned when one sits down and watches his role in this world. As Shakespeare himself said, ‘All the World’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players’ (Shakespeare) and continues to say that all of us have many parts to play in our lifetime. An actor of a play playing his part as an actor could prove to have inspired the playwright, using the reality of which to portray a strong and effective employment of irony. In this respect, the plea of the author for the reader to sit aback and watch his roles he played in the past; is a plea to the conscience. Before the portrayal of the play in the written text, a short summary of what was to take place was narrated (Bate & Rasmussen) so that the reader would understand how it fits in the whole story. However, as the real players watch the ‘play’, the playing of their roles still continues with conversations done in between the portrayal of the ‘play’. I can say that this is a literary style of Shakespeare to hold his reader’s attention. Simply reading across the lines can leave the reader confused with which scene is being ‘acted out’ and which is being acted out. That would be, determining which scene is the real act and which is the play in the play. Concentration is needed from the reader in order for him to follow the trail of the story and not get lost. This would also be a style used to let the reader think as he continues with the story. Having read the summary of the play in the play, a reader can basically know how the act would go however, conversations of the ‘real’ players hold the reader’s attention to the text. It presents a seemingly mathematical problem to be solved by the reader as one devotes more attention to how the story goes. In proving the guilt of the king, Shakespeare’s use of the play within the play as a speaker to the former’s conscience elicited the response perceived by Hamlet as a proof of guilt. This method of the writer to move towards the climax of his story seems to be his unique version of the play as we have mentioned earlier that the whole legend was not the original concept of Shakespeare. However, coming up with a

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Estimating power and privilege Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Estimating power and privilege - Essay Example When I think about my friend, I find that I use the same criteria to classify him. I think that the reason I do this is because it draws distinctions or highlights the differences between us and provides a framework for identifying both similarities and differences. He is a male, I am a female; there is a multitude of implied sociological, as well as biological, differences in that category. My family has lived in America for the last seven generations and his grandfather came to the United States from Mexico; the cultural identity distinctions are numerous, as is our reference grid for perceiving the world around us. I am single and he is married; this relationship status implies an enormous number of social factors that define us both in different ways. As for intelligence, we are both pursuing degrees in higher education; for this specific comparison, this is more of a distinction that highlights our similarities over our differences. Finally, I am here and he is in Los Angeles; which means that our daily lives look very different. These identity definitions ar e important for the purposes of understanding similarities and differences. I think the benefits of privilege, and certainly the abuse of power, are often found within these categories. In looking at the abuse side of things, i.e., discrimination based on gender or ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc., I can see that any classification system can be abused; but I don't see any other way to make the identifications and distinctions that help me perceive the world. b. Relative Power and Privilege. In a similar way as identity classification, my estimation of my own personal situation in terms of privilege follows similar distinction. On the whole, I would rate my personal circumstances as a seven. The criteria I use to give myself this rating are; living conditions, career opportunities, and recreational pursuits. I guess my thinking about my personal privilege status is guided by the things for which I am grateful. That is why I chose the categories above. I feel very privileged to have a safe and secure place to live, and plenty of food to eat; which makes me more privileged than much of the world's population. I am also very grateful for the career opportunities that lay before me, particularly after I finish my education. I know that I have more control over my future as a result of several privileges I enjoy. Finally, I chose recreational pursuits because those things make me happy. One reason my privilege score is so high is that I enjoy doing certain things and, when I engage in those activities, my quality of life and general mood are enhanced. If I were to have no time to play, because I had to spend every waking minute looking for food or working to stay alive, I would not be the privileged person I am right now. I don't know that I specifically rejected any other criteria for establishing my status, as much as I just followed my own internal logic. Certainly, there are many other categories of comparison that could be used to quantify privilege or power; but for me, the most important ones are those that directly impact my daily life and happiness. As I noted previously, my sense of privilege foll

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Maupassant; you choose Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Maupassant; you choose - Research Paper Example He said, â€Å"I predict that in our lifetimes astronomy will be talked about in the market-places. Even the sons of fishwives will go to school. For this city people seeking after novelty will be glad that this new astronomy now lets the earth move freely.†(Brecht 4) For his views, Galileo had to spend his life under house arrest. Some masterpieces of literature emerged out of Maupassant pen, which contained revolutionary ideas. He chiseled beautiful characters, but a Black Hole in his personality did much damage to him as an individual. Maupassant died at the young age of 48, as he suffered from serious ailments. Efforts have been made in this paper to discuss his great displeasure about the social conditions prevailing in France in 1870s, the political trends, the influence and dominance of Church on the lives of the people, corruption and predominance and duplicity of the bourgeoisie etc. Maupassant is not a porn writer. When he creates a character, he seems to know each a nd every molecule of its physical and psychological personality. He criticizes the Fourth Estate, the press—the defenders of freedom— that indulged in too-cozy relationships with politicians. He brought to the open platform, behind-the-curtain scenes pertaining to various social institutions, with sincerity of purpose. His worst enemies can not say a word against his extraordinary literary skills. He creates stories literally out of nothing! "Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them.† (Shakespeare, Act II, and Scene V) Maupassant belongs to the second category. His literary snapshots through short stories are profound and they say everything about the French history of his era. The conclusion mentions about the conditions obtaining in Paris in the late 19th century, and the historical and sociological contribution of Maupassant

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

METHODS OF INQUIRY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

METHODS OF INQUIRY - Essay Example Risk taking is known throughout the world. Most human beings will concede that returns are commensurate to the level of effort you invest into a given activity. In pre-agrarian societies, it was apparent that the more effort one puts into a given activity, the more returns that individual got. In agrarian societies, what one sowed was what he reaped. This is a general maxim and the more a person puts into a given activity, the more that individual got in return from the activities. The concept of work came with the attitude of people working hard to attain higher returns. In most tax jurisdictions, people are taxed for income from work, income from property and income from investments (Blankson, 2010). Incidentally, most poor people have no property business income nor investments. They tend to have a given source of income like a job or wages for hired activities. These individuals have little or no savings. On the other hand, rich people make a lot of income and due to past excess funds, they tend to invest in property or in other businesses. These investments come with high returns and the returns are high enough to be considered a form of income which merits a tax. Poor people however have limited funds to save, let alone invest. They only have enough to pay for their basic necessities and have little to set aside as extra income. Due to that, they tend to make little. However, the fundamental element and the fundamental assumption of Economics is that human ends are more than their needs. This is a universal desire in all human beings. This is because the average human being has a wide array of expectations and desires. And these needs and wants can only be fulfilled through the attainment of higher earning capabilities. This is a desire that exists in both rich and poor people. By virtue of the fact that the rich have more money, they invest a lot of money into a given venture and this brings

Monday, July 22, 2019

Social setting Essay Example for Free

Social setting Essay Discuss the degree to which Suskind has offered a strong image of the social setting in the novel Perfume and estimate the importance of a sense of social context for the novel as a whole. In the novel Perfume Suskind offers the reader a vivid and comprehensive view of 18th century French society during the pre revolutionary period. While the main focus of the plot involves the development of the protagonist, Grenouille, the characters he encounters enable Suskind to present a satirical view of the Age of Reason by revealing the folly of individuals from different levels of French society. The novel may also be viewed as a fable which foreshadows the coming revolution which will tear apart the social hierarchy. As well as offering a satirical critique of society, the strong image of social setting lends credibility to the fantastical elements of the novel. This is achieved through a variety of narrative techniques, including vivid imagery. Suskind employs imagery to highlight the satirical nature of the work. This can be clearly illustrated in the way Suskind sets the scene at the beginning of Perfume: The peasant stank as did the priest, the apprentice as did his masters wife, the whole of the aristocracy stank, even the king himself stank, stank like a rank lion and the queen like an old goat (Suskind p. 4) The parallel structure juxtaposing peasant with priest; apprentice with masters wife suggests that while the social structure of 18th century France was hierarchical and the fact that everyone stank equally badly was actually a kind of leveler. The reference to the hierarchy leads the reader to consider that this social structure will be torn apart by the French Revolution. While the novel is set some 40 years prior to the revolution, the reader is aware that this society is soon to be subject to a bloody revolution in which the distinctions between the social classes will be shaken to their foundations; this description of the smell is an ironic indication while some felt superior to others in this society, in fact everyone was human: everyone stank. Another example of this technique used to draw attention to the satirical aspect of the novel can be found in the orgy scene which may be viewed as an allegorical foreshadowing of the revolution as chaos ensues when hierarchy and propriety are cast aside and people succumb to their baser emotions: they fell down anywhere with a groan and copulated in the most impossible positions and combinations: grand-father with virgin, odd-jobber with lawyers spouse, apprentice with nun, Jesuit with freemasons wife all topsy-turvy, just as opportunity presented. (Suskind p. 247 Suskind again uses parallel structure to emphasize the juxtaposition of individuals from different social classes and ages which the breakdown in the social hierarchy. The narrator takes the same slightly amused tone as he describes the shocking scene for the reader as though delighting in the impropriety. The narrative voice encourages the reader to take an objective view of the proceedings and reflect that this abandonment to sexual desire is triggered by something which they are not aware: the perfume. Another example of the way Suskind highlights the gullibility of human beings is illustrated through the setting described as Grenouille is pursing the scent of the girl from the rue de Marais : And while from every side came the deafening roar of petards exploring and of firecrackers skipping across the cobble-stones, rockets rose in tote sky and painted white lilies against the black firmament. Thronging the bridge and the quays along both banks of the river, a crowd of many thousands accompanied the spectacle and aahs and oohs and bravos, even some long lives although the King had ascended his throne more than 38 years before and the high point of his popularity was long since behind him. Fireworks can do that. P. 39 Suskind satirizes the way human beings can be manipulated by something as simple as fireworks. The scene is quite ironic as the reader is aware that the people who are cheering for the king will be rejoicing as his son, the next king is executed in 30 years. Suskind suggests the simplicity of people through the vocalizations mentioned aahs and oohs. The use of the simple short sentence at the end of this description amplifies the narrators ironic stance. Suskind offers a satirical portrait of the middle class through the character of Baldini. He represents the kind of person who cannot accept the new ideas emerging during the age of reason. Baldini is an old man who seems to be having trouble adjusting to changes in society. On page 58-59, the internal monologue of Baldini suggests his frustration with the world. What was the need for all these new roads being dug up everywhere, and these new bridges? What purpose did they serve? . This shows that Baldini is confused about the new developments in the world. Baldini also has issues with the new scientific discoveries that have been made. The latest is that little animals never before seen are swimming about in a glass of water and the earth is no longer round like it was, but flat on the top and the bottom like a melon- as if it made a damn bit of difference! . This internal monologue illustrates that Baldini doesnt approve of the changes and the new discoveries that have been recently made. He seems to have trouble accepting that things are changing and old theories have been overturned. The church is also presented satirically. This is achieved in Suskinds characterization of father terrier. Father Terrier claims that he is a man of reason, but is part of the church. The church is not based on reason. Suskind mocks Father Terrier because he wouldnt take logic to its natural conclusion. He is also presented comically when he hitches up his cassock. He is also outsmarted by the wet nurse because when she claims that Grenouille is a devil child he says that it is impossible for him to be the devil because he has not been exposed to the outside world. When he decides to smell Grenouille, he realizes that the wet nurse was right and he doesnt actually have a smell. As soon as he realizes this he gets rid of Grenouille. The presentation of the Marquis creates satirical view of the nobility and emerging interest in science. He is described as an enlightened idiot. He believed the theory of the fluidium letale which is totally absurd.

Important of Education Essay Example for Free

Important of Education Essay Education means considerably more than just teaching a student to read, write, and manipulate numbers. Computers, the Internet, and advanced electronic devices are becoming essential in everyday life and have changed the way information is gathered. How this new technology is utilized in the curriculum and managed by teachers will have an important role to play in widening the resource and knowledge base for all students. Technology affects the way teachers teach and students learn. To make the best use of information technology (IT), schools need a workable plan to fully integrate it into all aspects of the curriculum so students are taught how, why, and when to use technology to further enhance their learning. If a school does not have a clear plan of how and why it wishes to implement IT, then it runs the risk of wasting money. In schools today, nearly all classrooms have access to a computer. However, many schools mistake this as incorporating information technology into the curriculum. School staff need to research what IT is available and what would best serve the schools purpose, not simply purchase the latest equipment. There should be a policy stating how IT is going to assist pupils development and what teachers want pupils to achieve (Reksten, 2000). Staff members need to be clear about what they want IT to do for them before they can start incorporating it into their lessons. The only way information technology is going to be useful to schools is if all staff members are well-informed and fully supported. It is the principals responsibility, and should be part of the schools plan, to ensure that all staff are consulted about the changes, and that the change is carefully organised. Some teachers may be resistant, especially if they have not had much experience with computers, so training teachers is essential in implementing IT into the school curriculum. Staff members must feel involved in the process of acquiring technology, and in learning how to operate it, in order for them to increase their confidence in using IT as a curriculum tool. Teachers are only going to be able to incorporate IT into their lessons if they are competent users themselves (Reksten, 2000). In addition, teachers need to be aware that IT within the classroom is extremely flexible, but that they need to plan what purpose IT serves in each lesson. The skills a child learns are the important part of any lesson, and it is the same with technology. IT needs to be used and understood in all subjects in the same way as the ability to read is necessary for all subjects, and â€Å"must be used across the curriculum, in the same way that a pen and pencil are used in most subject areas† (Ager, 2000, p. 15). The best way to plan the use of IT in the classroom is to approach it as simply a learning tool that is more advanced (and more exciting) than the traditional pen and paper. It is vitally important for students to be taught the strategies for using IT. Children also need to be fully informed about the capabilities of IT before being asked to use it. Pupils should be aware that the contexts in which they use IT will change, and they need to know what the appropriate use of IT is and what is not. Whilst it is important that children learn to use IT effectively, teachers must emphasise that IT is not always suitable. According to Apter (1968), the danger is that the â€Å"computer dehumanizes people and inevitably leads them to act like machines themselves† (p. 58). Teachers must make sure they plan to use variety in their lessons. Too much IT instruction may be just as harmful to a child as not enough. The usefulness of IT in the classroom, as with any learning tool, depends on the innovation and imagination of the teacher. It is imperative, though, that the implementation of IT into a school is carefully planned. The current information explosion makes it essential that IT be used extensively within the classroom so children know how to use IT appropriately and effectively. Teachers must, therefore, be fully informed about what kinds of IT are available and whether or not they are appropriate for classroom use. School boards and teachers must therefore ensure that all staff have a clear plan about what they want their students to achieve through IT. The appropriate incorporation of IT into the classroom will broaden the minds and skills of students, allowing them to be better prepared for further technological advances.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Caffeine Coffee Stimulant

Caffeine Coffee Stimulant Caffeine Consumption Miranda Opolka Abstract Caffeine is the most commonly consumed ‘drug in the world that is said to have been discovered in the Paleolithic Period. It is found in basically everything that people consume including all types of food, soft drinks, energy drinks, coffee, tea, and chocolate. The purpose of caffeine is to help strengthen attentiveness and diminish exhaustion. Taking too much or abusing the use of caffeine, can cause side effects, but can all be avoided if taken in reasonable amounts. So many beneficial effects come with consuming this drug from helping people in sports, to losing weight, to increasing alertness, and repelling things such as snails and slugs. Testing is done often to find more ways that caffeine is useful in individuals lives. In the authors opinion it is believed that caffeine has many more positive effects that overcome the negative effects. Caffeine Consumption INTRODUCTION AND HISTORY Caffeine has been around for many years and is having an impact on more and more people everyday. A great deal of evidence denotes that the consumption of caffeine goes all the way back to the Paleolithic Period (Magkos Kavouras, 2005). Some may think that caffeine is bad for the body and does no good, however many Americans consume caffeine everyday in their diet. Although caffeine has both positive and negative effects, there are much more positive effects if taken responsibly. Caffeine is a drug that stimulates the central nervous system, which causes high alertness. Taking too much of any drug is going to lead to the chances of having side effects. The side effects can be prevented by decreasing the amount of caffeine that is taken into the body. Thus, from increasing alertness, mood, psychomotor performance, to helping as a dietary aid and extending exercise in people suffering from heart failure, to being used as a repellent for mollusks, caffeine is used in many ways and has many positive effects that go along with it. People need to have a better understanding of caffeine before making judgments. CONSUMPTION The main source of caffeine consumption comes from soft drinks. Caffeine is an additive used in such drinks to sweeten the taste. It can show no flavor depending on the amount taken, but the positive effects that come with it are an increased attention rate and better mood. Because of these effects, more people thrive off caffeinated drinks. Looking around, there are soft drink machines everywhere giving more people access to this stimulant. Yet, many people believe that they should not be in schools or places where it is efficient for kids because they say it is so unhealthy for them (Keast Riddell, 2006). Others will argue this in saying that caffeine is good for the body as long as its not abused. This is a true statement, and as a result educating more people on the effects of caffeine would be very helpful to everyone. Besides soda and other soft drinks, caffeine is also found in coffee. Coffee has many positive effects to it, such that coffee stimulates the brain and increases energy and mood, and can help in preventing diseases such as skin, liver, and colon cancer, and some others. Both the combination of daily exercise and a cup of coffee are said by scientists to help in the prevention of skin cancer. This has been tested and proven on hairless mice, which have extremely sensitive skin to the sun. Stated from The Times of India, one group was given caffeinated water to drink, another group exercised on a running wheel at its own convenience, while the third group both drank caffeine and exercised on the wheel, and the control group neither drank nor exercised. All of the mice were exposed to ultraviolet radiation, which the results in comparing all the groups to the control group showed that the caffeine drinkers showed an increase of 95% in ultraviolet radiation stimulating apoptosis. Apoptos is is the process where cells with damaged DNA are destroyed against illness. The second group showed a 120% increase, while the mice that both consumed caffeine and exercised showed close to a 400% increase (â€Å"Coffee May Prevent Skin Cancer,† 2007). A study was also developed to research the effects of caffeine on liver cancer. More than 90,000 Japanese were used in a study and it was found that people that drank coffee daily or close to every day had reduced the risk of liver cancer by nearly half compared to those who never drank coffee. â€Å"The American Cancer Society estimates that 18,920 cases of liver cancer were diagnosed in the United States last year and some 14,270 people died of the illness† (â€Å"Coffee May Help Prevent Liver Cancer,† 2008). As a result, it is well stated that caffeine can reduce the chances of liver cancer. According to many scientists, there is a highly antioxidant compound that is found in coffee that reduces the chances of colon cancer, which is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. This compound found in coffee is called methylpyridinium, however is not found in raw coffee beans but is created during the roasting process. Tests were brought out to scrutinize this compound even more, so specially equipped extracts of the coffee were exposed to certain lab situations of human intestinal cells for three days and were compared to cells that were not exposed to coffee. In the experiment, coffee extracts were found to have increased the activity levels of phase II enzymes. Then, to determine whether it had the same effect in living systems, a group of twenty-four rats was evenly divided into three groups. Each group was fed different diets, either a normal diet, a diet mixed with coffee extract, or a normal diet containing pure methylpyridinium. The tests showed t hat rats that were fed the coffee extract had a 24-40% increase in phase II enzymes and the group with the pure methylpyridinium showed an increase in the enzyme activity levels (â€Å"Highly Active Compound Found in Coffee May Prevent Colon Cancer,† 2003). Results show that coffee is proven to fight cancer in living systems. Caffeine can help in such diseases as cancer in which caffeine and another substance called theophylline are found in many products like coffee, chocolate, and many soft drinks. It is said that they can block enzymes that are crucial for cell growth, which means that one day it could be used to stop cell growth all together and avoid blood clots that can cause heart attacks and strokes (â€Å"Caffeine Boost in Cancer Battle,† 2002). It is not just coffee that prevents cancer, it is the caffeine in coffee that is preventing this disease. As most know, there is no cure for cancer, although the tests above show the many ways in which caffeine can help prevent one of the leading causes of deaths. Despite the positive effects of consuming coffee, here in the United States, drinking coffee is consumed most by adults. However, in Guatemala, it is very common among children. It is one of the first liquids given to babies after milk in Guatemala, even though it may affect the cognitive function by damaging iron levels. It is also known to hinder with the iron absorption and iron status of pregnant women and their babies, which is why it is said that pregnant woman should give up coffee during the term of pregnancy because it could cause miscarriages (Engle et al., 1999). Nonetheless, not consuming coffee while pregnant and not giving coffee to such young children can avoid these negative effects. SPORTS AND DIET Caffeine is known as one of the most widely used pick-me-ups in sports because of its ability to increase alertness and mood. Many athletes depend on this stimulant to help them carry on with their game if they are feeling a little drowsy or incapable to perform in an expected manner. Using caffeine is often used to improve physical and mental performance. It improves physical performance by causing alertness and giving the athlete energy to perform and improves mental performance by stimulating the central nervous system. This helps the athletes have higher levels of concentration (Magkos Kavouras, 2005). Using caffeine instead of other types of steroids and drugs is much cheaper and has less health effects. It also has less ineligibility cases compared to many other drugs. Being cut from a team is not the only consequence if caught using steroids or drugs, but it is also considered a felony. Therefore, many athletes should take caffeine over steroids to increase energy (Magkos Kavouras, 2005). Unless caffeine is taken in substantial amounts, some side effects may occur. Taking in massive quantities of caffeine may trigger dehydration that could affect functioning. It may also cause gastrointestinal pain and other side effects, such that caffeine is absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract and spread throughout the tissues of the body. Athletes that are abusing the use of caffeine may notice an occurrence in nervousness or an increase in heart rate and may even lead up to seizures or a coma. Caffeine has to be taken with some caution, because of the possible negative side effects that could take place, but remembering to take in only what is needed will help bring out only the positive effects (Magkos Kavouras, 2005). Since caffeine is found in so many foods and over the counter medications, it is becoming to show an increase in all diets around the world. Many people that are trying to lose weight take caffeine pills or eat a diet that is high in caffeine for the energy, similar to those as athletes that use it to enhance performance. Though caffeine pills should not be taken everyday and should be taken early in the day to reduce the chances of losing sleep at night. They help in increasing energy levels and suppressing hunger. This is very helpful for people who do not have the energy to get up and exercise. Some people may need that extra boost to get them started (Striegel-Moore et al., 2006). On the other hand, it is not a fundamental nutrient, nor good for the health if taken too often. Too much can become addictive and cause problems like eating disorders, which is very common among young adults. Eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia are found more common among girls than in boys. Many girls in their teens have more pressure on themselves and feel the need to lose extra weight. Consuming large amounts of caffeine will enhance their energy and suppress the need for food, or hunger. Even though they may already be thin, they will continue starving themselves because they believe they are fat. Its a constant battle that never ends and it is a very difficult disease to fight (Striegel-Moore et al., 2006). EFFECTS ON SLEEP When caffeine is consumed in reasonable amounts, everyday consumption of it can be helpful and have many beneficial effects on human behavior and sleep showing more people with enhanced mental functioning. Imagine truck drivers who drive such long distances day and night, consuming caffeine can help stay alert and focused on the road. Many accidents occur in a year because of people falling asleep at the wheel. Taking caffeine for better functioning reasons while driving or other reasons can be very beneficial (Smith, 2002). Regardless of the positive effects of reducing fatigue and better functioning, there are the downfalls of consuming too much caffeine. Too much caffeine has a big effect on a persons sleeping ability. Sleep disorders are becoming more and more known to many children and adults because of the amount of caffeine they are taking in. Large amounts of caffeine taken at night will make it much harder to fall asleep. People face more problems like feeling tired when they wake up or waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to fall back asleep. Although, the majority of people are very good at the amount of caffeine they take in to get the most out of the positive effects (Orbeta et al., 2005). EFFECTS ON HUMAN BEHAVIOR Rather than better mental functioning purposes and an increase in alertness, caffeine is also shown to improve many effects on human behavior. For instance, psychomotor performance is enhanced with caffeine intake. A psychomotor skill deals with being able to make movements that are essential to complete a task, however they are skills that are performed often without even thinking how they are done. Handwriting is an example of a very difficult psychomotor skill where as people have their own unique way of writing, some using the wrist more, or maybe the elbow, or moving the whole arm as they write. Caffeine consumption can improve handwriting and reveal a much larger improvement in handwriting skills if taken in moderate quantities (Tucha et al., 2006). When caffeine is consumed in so many different amounts in many types of foods, it will improve peoples talent to perform certain responsibilities requiring a lot of attention. Also, when dispensed in the same amount, caffeine increases alertness and reduces fatigue. The opposing effects take place when caffeine is consumed in unbearable amounts or by people who are overly sensitive to the drug (Smith, 2002). As a result, caffeine is very helpful in which it can improve vigilance tasks and help people become more focused, so multitasking can be done. USE AS A REPELLENT Caffeine is also used a repellent in which many people probably didnt know. Many products for the use of mollusk control include metaldehyde or methiocarb for the main ingredients. However, both of these ingredients are highly poisonous by inhalation and to all animals. Caffeine is an all-natural product that is categorized as a generally recognized as safe (GRAF) product by the United States FDA. There have been many tests to support that caffeine is a well-proven repellent as well (Hollingsworth, Armstrong, Campbell, 2002). According to Hollingsworth, Armstrong, and Campbell (2002) spray applications containing one to two percent of caffeine have been reported to kill slugs during a test that experienced caffeine as a toxicant against frog pests. Another test (Figure 1) took action upon orchid snails where as they were put into Petri dishes with caffeine while the heart rates were taken under a microscope. Snails with caffeine concentrations of .1% or more had vulnerable and uneven heartbeats after a 24-hour period. The snails with higher caffeine concentrations were dead after 96 hours, or four days. As a result, caffeine has been proven to kill off mollusks and would be a much safer alternative for food crops. Figure 1: Shows the effects of caffeine on orchid snails (Hollingsworth, Armstrong, Campbell, 2002). WITHDRAWAL Taking caffeine on an everyday basis will cause the body to become addicted to the substance and cause withdrawals if missing a day. Withdrawals may include headaches or may cause a change in mood. When the amount of caffeine that is taken in is reduced, the body will become very responsive to adenosine. The responsiveness will cause blood pressure to drop, causing an overload of blood to rush to the head, which leads to a headache. Headaches can last between one to five days and aside from such painful headaches, restlessness, irritability, and constant fatigue may occur (Smith, 2002). All of the negative effects come from consuming too much caffeine. For that reason, if caffeine were used correctly and more sensibly, the negative effects would not take place. Negative effects on any drug can be avoided by following simple directions of not overdosing and if sensitive to the drug, dont take at all. There are so many people that abuse it and take it for all of the wrong reasons. If they took caffeine for the right reasons, they would begin to see positive effects. CONCLUSION In conclusion, researchers are constantly exploring the many ways that caffeine is beneficial and has proven these effects in many cases. The main source of caffeine comes from soft drinks, in which it is an additive used to sweeten the taste. It is also very popular in coffee where it helps prevent against some diseases and has the effect of an increased attention rate and better mood. In sports, athletes thrive off caffeine to enhance performance because it is much cheaper and has less health effects than any other drug or steroid. Becoming an increase in all foods, caffeine is also used in many diets to help increase energy. The biggest factor in using caffeine is sleep. Sleep is unwanted in many situations such as driving and other vigilance tasks. Taking caffeine helps sleep by increasing alertness and mental functioning, while reducing fatigue. Other than increasing alertness and mental functioning, so many other effects take place in the behavior of individuals. Effects on hum an behavior include improving multitasking and developing psychomotor performance, such as improving handwriting skills. Another assured effect that caffeine takes part in is repelling things such as snails and slugs. It is proven much safer than other products and has been tested in many different experiments. Caffeine has much more positive effects that overcome the negative effects. The negative effects of caffeine all come from being abused or taken in too large of quantities, meaning that more people need to understand all of the effects. From athletes trying to enhance performance, people dieting, better functioning, an increase in alertness, to repelling things such as snails and slugs. Caffeine has many effects on the body to help improve behavior. Looking back at all of the beneficial ways in which caffeine helps, provides all the more reasons why it is used so often. References Caffeine boost in cancer battle. (2002, August 22). CNN News. Retrieved April 20, 2008, from http://archives.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europe/08/21/cancer.research/ Coffee may help prevent liver cancer. (2005, February 15). USA Today. Retrieved April 20, 2008, from http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2005-02-15-coffee-liver_x.htm Coffee may prevent skin cancer. (2007, July 31). The Times of India. Retrieved April 20, 2008, from http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Coffee_may_prevent_skin_cancer_ /articleshow/2246470.cms Engle, P.L., et al. (1999). Effects of discontinuing coffee intake on iron deficient Guatemalan toddlers cognitive development and sleep. Early Human Development, 53, 251-269. Retrieved April 2, 2008, from ScienceDirect database. Highly Active Compound Found in Coffee May Prevent Colon Cancer. (2003, October 15). Science Daily. Retrieved April 20, 2008, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases /2003 /10/031015031251.htm Hollingsworth, R.G., Armstrong, J.W., Campbell, E. (2002). Caffeine as a repellent for slugs and snails. Nature, 417, 915. Retrieved April 2, 2008, from EBSCOhost database. Keast, R.S.J., Riddell, L.J. (2007). Caffeine as a flavor additive in soft-drinks. Appetite, 49, 255-259. Retrieved April 2, 2008, from ScienceDirect database. Magkos, F., Kavouras, S.T. (2005). Caffeine use in sports, pharmacokinetics in man, and cellular mechanisms of action. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 45, 535-562. Retrieved April 2, 2008, from EBSCOhost database. Orbeta, R.L., et al. (2005). High caffeine intake in adolescents: associations with difficult sleeping and feeling tired in the morning. Journal of Adolescent Health, 38, 451-453. Retrieved April 2, 2008, from ScienceDirect database. Smith, A. (2002). Effects of caffeine on human behavior. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 40, 1243-1255. Retrieved April 2, 2008, from ScienceDirect database. Striegel-Moore, R.H., et al. (2006). Caffeine Intake in Eating Disorders. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 39:2, 162-165. Retrieved April 2, 2008, from Wiley InterScience database. Tucha, O., et al. (2006). The effect of caffeine on handwriting movements in skilled writers. Human Movement Science, 25, 523-535. Retrieved April 2, 2008, from ScienceDirect database.

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Euthanasia - An Immoral Act Essay -- Euthanasia, Argumentative Essay

Euthanasia - An Immoral Act Should an individual be allowed to choose assisted suicide with the help of a physician, or be forced to follow their theological beliefs of the dominant religion they practice when life seems pointless? The choice of whether to live or not live is directly influenced by the decision to indulge in a process characterized as â€Å"physician assisted suicide† or simply called Euthanasia. Many people believe it is solely left upon God to determine when death should occur, but some people believe that a doctor has the right to take their life and help the patient destroy it. In this paper I will be discussing what euthanasia is, how it affects the patients life, and the implication it has on the religious community as an unmoral act.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One may wonder why in the end to choose euthanasia as a means to deliberately end their life. Some individuals live in excessive chronic pain, some due to poverty or lack of health-care coverage and cannot afford pain-killing medication. Others are denied adequate painkillers because of their physician's lack of knowledge and or inadequate training. They have a terminal illness where disease has adversely affected their quality of life to the point where they no longer wish to continue living. Some have lost their independence and must be cared for continually or simply they realize that they will be dying in the near future and simply want to have total control over the process. But whatever the case may be, the people who decide to commit suicide are unable to accomplish the act alone. They need assistance from their physician to assist the suicide and help them die under conditions in which they wish. Euthanasia includes the Passive and Active action of death. Passive Euthanasia can be defined as the hastening death of a person by altering some form of support and letting nature take its course. This can happen either by removing life support equipment, stopping medical procedures, stopping food and water and allowing the person to dehydrate or starve to death. The most common form of passive euthanasia is to give patients large doses of morphine to control pain. Such doses of these painkillers have a dual effect of relieving pain and hastening death and are mostly performed on terminally ill people in a persistent vegetative state.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another type of euthanasia is Active Euthanasia, wh... ...y hastening the hour of death, should be able to accept it with full responsibility and dignity,†(Declaration of Euthanasia). Works Citied Bohr, David. Catholic Moral Tradition. Indiana: Our Sunday Visitor, (1999): 149- 55., 309-18. â€Å"Catechism of the Catholic Church on Assisted-Suicide.† 2276 – 79., 2280-83 Edmund D. Pellegrino, Evangelium Vitae, â€Å"Euthanasia, and Physician Assisted Suicide.† D.C.: Georgetown University Press, (1997): 240. â€Å"Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide.† International Task Force.  © 1996 – 2004 â€Å"Euthanasia.† The Verbal Battle over Euthanasia.† Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance.  © 1997 to 2001 http://www.religioustolerance.org/ O’Connell, Timothy. Principles For A Catholic Morality. New York: Harper Collins, (1990): 134-36. â€Å"On the Value and Inviolability of Human Life.† A papal encyclical dealing with life and death, also euthanasia. Rachels, James. The End of Life: The Morality of Euthanasia. New York : Oxford University Press, (1986) Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith. Declaration on Euthanasia. Boston: Pauline Books and Media, 1990. The Bible (King James Version). Michigan: Zondervan, 2000.

Friday, July 19, 2019

Narcissism in John Milton’s Paradise Lost Essay example -- Milton Para

Narcissism in John Milton’s Paradise Lost When Eve eats the forbidden fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, her decision to tell Adam of her disobedience turns on two suppositions. If her transgression is kept secret from God, Eve's augmented knowledge might increase Adam's love for her, and perhaps cause her to be more equal or even superior to Adam. Even though Eve was created comparable to Adam as his helper, she refers to Adam as her "Author and Disposer." Furthermore, she says that while God is Adam's law, Adam is her law. Apparently, Eve chafes under this arrangement, as she wraps up her evaluation of not telling Adam of her sin with, "for inferior who is free?" However, her death is assured if God has seen her wrongdoing. In this alternative, God may provide Adam with another woman, rendering Eve extinct. Eve finds unendurable the possibility that Adam will father children with a new Eve. Eve's consideration of either alternative depends on her narcissism and her need to be loved, even worshiped. Milton's Eve, like Narcissu s, is infatuated with herself. Created in Adam's image, Eve draws Adam's love, his narcissism projected onto Eve. Inexperienced with women's wiles, uxorious Adam falls. Having created Adam in his own image, the Lord God commanded Adam not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil. After the Lord God created Eve from Adam's rib, Milton's Adam warns Eve that the consequence of eating the tree's forbidden fruit will be the knowledge of death. From the Bible and Milton's text, it is apparent that Eve hears directly only from Adam about the forbidden fruit. It is significant that God sends Raphael to "converse with Adam," to warn him of the fall of Satan and his companions, and to alert Adam to the ... ...rcissism engenders the desire to be worshipped as a Goddess. Wanting deity for both, Eve chooses to induce Adam to eat because she is resolved that Adam shall share her fate. Eve's female charms seduce Adam. He desires Eve more than he loves God, and he eats freely of the fruit. Adam and Eve's ardour, once based on mutual respect, turns to carnal lust. God's Son berates Adam for subjecting himself to Eve's will. Why did Adam obey Eve, who is in no way superior to Adam in reason and other faculties of the mind? Adam has sinned against God; Eve has sinned against God and Adam. Only when Mary of the seed of Adam and Eve conceives the Son of God does God extend his grace to mankind, permitting narcissistic Eve and uxorious Adam's progeny to enter heaven. Works Cited and Consulted Milton, John. Paradise Lost. Ed. Merritt Y. Hughes. New York: Odyssey Press, 1962.

So You Want to Be an Astronaut :: NASA Space Astronauts Essays

So You Want to Be an Astronaut Part I: The Application There’s an application just to get an application. I had to fill out what NASA calls an application interest form, which is an information card much like the kind of card you fill out and send in for a magazine subscription. I got the card at the Johnson Space Center in Houston last summer. The space center is a sixteen-hundred-acre compound filled with lush grass and cream-colored buildings of different shapes and sizes. Satellite dishes bloom like flowers throughout the compound, and the only buildings open to the public are a museum, the rocket park, and mission control. After climbing through a mock-up of the space shuttle, pretending to be Sally Ride, I passed by an information kiosk and the application interest form caught my eye. I grabbed one and stuck it into my Space Center museum guide, forgetting about it until months later when I filled it out and mailed it in. Just a few weeks ago my application arrived. It’s a twenty-five page affair with a glittering blue and silver cover that has a picture of the space shuttle on it. I removed the cover and tacked it up on my bulletin board next to a postcard of Charles Lindbergh standing in front of The Spirit of St. Louis. Twenty-five pages. Becoming an astronaut is more difficult than applying to Harvard Medical School. More difficult than doing your taxes. Probably even more difficult than running for the senate. Now, I can’t be an astronaut because I have absolutely no interest in math, science, engineering, medicine, or astrophysics. I dabble in astronomy, but they don’t send you up in the space shuttle because you think it would be neat. However, it’s important to always have an impossible dream. It keeps you humble. This is my impossible dream. So, I read through the application. Why do you want to be an astronaut? I love the audaciousness of the space program. Here we are, little animals trying to jump off our planet. How have your past accomplishments or experiences prepared you to be an astronaut? When I visited the Johnson Space Center in Houston I tried on a space helmet. It fit. The boots were another story but I can wear many layers of socks.

Thursday, July 18, 2019

“Divergent” by Veronica Roth Essay

Your decision in life all comes down to you and the path you choose, but just one choice can transform you. Veronica Roth created a strange dystopian world that morally depends on the choices people make in life, because their choices define who they are as people. Her futuristic world is divided into five factions that each represents something different; Abnegation (the selfless), Candor (the honest), Erudite (the intelligent), Amity (the peaceful) and Dauntless (the brave). These five factions were made up to prevent war and bring peace to the world and when they turn sixteen they get the chance to choose to leave their family, to transfer into a new faction or stay with them, but the choice all came down to them. THESIS: In the novel Divergent Veronica Roth examines how the theme of choice leads to bravery, betrayal, and greed. Body Paragraph 1: Topic sentence- Firstly the theme of choice leads to bravery, because of Tris selfish choice to leave abnegation and go into dauntless. Point:  Tris bravery in becoming a part of the dauntless is a foil to her own character, because Tris is a person of action, who has courage and is brave, but Beatrice, is the complete opposite. If Tris never made the choice to leave her faction, she would have never learned to be brave enough to overcome her fears and turn from the underdog into a hero. Bravery is represented in this book as being selfish and foolish, because the characters of the dauntless conception of bravery is acting in ridiculous life threatening situations to prove who is most daring to participate. However, bravery is truly presented as Tris goes through initiation. Not only has her choice to transfer into a different faction show her braveness but it also brought out her inner abnegation and taught her how to be selfless as well: â€Å"I believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the coura ge that drives one person to stand up for another.† (Roth 207) Analysis: The significance of this quote is to show how Tris resembles bravery itself. Tris showed people that bravery is not just about being strong and committing acts of ruthlessness; it is about standing up for what you believe is right and being the big person in a situation when no one else is. Her choice to be brave and stand up for other people is what made her the hero in the end. Through bravery Tris was able to channel other traits in her from other factions and create a new her. Because of her willingness to be brave she was able to change herself and the way she thought. She was no longer the old Beatrice of abnegation. She turned in to the brave, courageous, strong, smart and selfless Tris of the dauntless. Any obstacle that came in her way she was able to overcome it and beat it and because of the one choice she made to decide to be brave, it made all the difference. Point 2: In addition to the above, Tris is a foil to her own character because if she had never joined the dauntless, she would have never been able to be on her way to saving the world: â€Å"I feel like someone breathed new air in my lungs. I am not abnegation. I am not dauntless. I am Divergent. And I can’t be controlled. (Roth 442) Analysis: The significance of this quote is that it shows how much Tris character changed from when she was in Abnegation to now. Being a part of the dauntless gave Tris the strength, the bravery, and the determination to get out there in the midst of it all as the world is crumbling to stand up for her own kind. If she never made the choice to change factions, she would have never had the chance to completely find herself and who she truly is, make the friends she did, and learn how to face her fears. Conclusion: In conclusion Tris bravery and strength Therefore Victoria Roth shows that through choice leads bravery, because bravery isn’t just something that happens on its own. It is the choice and the act of bravery that only you can decide to commit to and play a factor on your life. Body Paragraph: Topic sentence: Secondly the theme of choice leads to betrayal because of Tris and her brother, Caleb, choice to leave their family Point: Tris and Caleb’s betrayal is an example of pathos. Before Tris and Caleb are chosen to go up and decide on whether they will stay with their old faction or leave, their parents go to congratulate them: â€Å" My father kisses me on the head and clap Caleb on the shoulder grinning. See you soon, he says. Without a trace of doubt† (Roth 40-41) Analysis: The significance of this quote is that it shows how much hurt and betrayal they cause their father, especially, at the time. The one value that is most important about being a part of abnegation is not being selfish and to think about others. In this case Beatrice and Caleb’s choice to leave their family behind was not an act of selfishness, because they only considered themselves and not how their parents would feel. Thinking that his kids would choose to come home and stay with him and their mother, the father made a comment about how he would see them soon before the choosing ceremony started only to know minutes later that neither of his kids is coming home, and one of his kids (Caleb) are going home with the enemy- the erudite. The one choice they made that they thought would benefit them more in life ended up leading to their dishonour and betrayal of not only their family but their ex- faction. Point 2: Another act of betrayal was when one of Tris friends, Al, almost killed her out of jealousy, and insecurity. Al was supposed to be someone Tris thought she could depend on to keep her safe, trust, and ensure her that everything would be â€Å"okay† when the antagonist of the story and his crew would pick on her; but in the end he betrays her: â€Å"The soap smell is familiar. Lemon grass and sage. The same smell around Al’s bunk. A weight drops in my stomach†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I suggest you rely on your transfer friends to protect you from now on,† he says â€Å"I thought I was†¦ I feel Al’s hands against my mouth, and a sob jolts my body forward†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"He wanted you to be the small quiet girl from Abnegation†¦ He hurt you because your strength made him feel week. No other reason† (Roth 278, 295) Analysis: The significance of this quote is that it shows you how one minute you can trust someone and the next they can easily make the choice to betray and  hurt you. Veronica Roth creates pathos for Tris, because Tris knows that she can no longer trust Al again even though they were such good friends. Al’s one choice not only hurt Tris but it also ruined their friendship, and this is one of the ways Veronica Roth shows how your one choice can define who you are as a person. Tris’ strength and ability was what caused Al to be jealous and in the end his jealousy cost him. Conclusion: Therefore, Veronica Roth created a sense of betrayal through the theme of choice, because it is another way of her showing how a specific choice can not only affect you but the other people around you. Body Paragraph 3: Topic Sentence: The theme of choice leads to war as the leader of the Erudite chooses to start a war over her own selfish reason. The factions were divided into five to prevent war and destruction from occurring in the world; but because the people of abnegation are divergent she chooses to take away many people physical and mental control to start a war and take them down: The theme of choice leads to greed because those who have power live in fear of loosing it.

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Gutenberg’s Press and the Transition from Medieval to Modern

thither be hu earth macrocosmy a(prenominal) motifs and surveys that facilitated the transition from the chivalric Era to a to a greater extent than ripe, reincarnation rescript, barely it faeces be argued that Johann Gutenbergs plan of the im im vex process touch was the nearly alpha factor to this sort in Europe. The creative activity of the budge was no easy projection for Gutenberg he was go ab forbidden with mevery obstacles. However, one while growd, the mechanical take the field bene accorded battalion or so the populace for centuries and con put upues to be a fundamental come apart of our society straightaway. skipperly the initiation of the im packion abbreviate, bulks were extremely expensive, limit t separatelying to the rattling wealthy. Beca engross further the speeding class could open up to obtain books, cultivation was a operator of separating the aristocracy from the posture classes. It was nearly infeasible for the less favor able to move up in society since they could non inculcate themselves.The reason books were so outlayy was collect to the manner actings employed to create for both(prenominal) mavin sc bothywag individu all(prenominal)y. For a scribbler to copy an integral novel by hand would ascertain lots diligence and some an different(prenominal) hours. A common system of producing copies was for genius man to read the original word by word, and a sort of scribes would lay a attitude each word as the reader say them. By this method, describes flush toilet Fontana in his acidulate globekinds Greatest Invention, ane manuscript served as the microbe of reproductive memory for umteen copies when the scribes sunk writing the start of the readers viva vocely presented linguistic communication (13). Not simply was this time devour, except the to a greater extent copies that were do, the more(prenominal)(prenominal)(prenominal) errors were create.Ev entually, a method of creating copies without such a high valuation account of error came about. mountain would hand mold gormandises of wood with embossed letter and address the blocks with ink. Then they would straddle a aeroplane of writing on the block to marque a copy. To pass on the process even take more surd, they had to form the earn and terminology rumpwards so they would print correctly, and they had to take name these garner olfactory sensation normal when reversed.Albert Kapr, in his book Johann Gutenberg The Man and his Invention, describes how a calligrapher had start upning(a) to write out this textual matter, which was traced as a mirror-image about- position on to a planed limewood plank and thus cut out with a poke in such a stylus that the lettering was left(a) as a raised wax (21). This method is called xylography, and sequence it was an improvement in that it reduced mistakes, press clipping a block of wood for each rascal to be printed was even more time consuming than writing the language by hand, and books remained as expensive as ever.Johann Gensfleisch Gutenberg, a goldworker from Mainz, Germany, treasured to alternate all this. His musical theme was to replace the wood blocks with separate letter do of admixture. unrivaled would be able to move the earn around to bushel words and sentences, and therefore reuse them. The chance on to this sassy method was not as is generally believed, the break by convey of of the value of transferable oddball, for movable earn had been loven and apply for centuries, explains Fontana. It was the mechanism for sustain the lineaments (28). This type of stamp press was, in fact, already being used in China, but the technology to create such a car was yet to be discovered in Europe.In functional to build this machine, Gutenberg was go about with obstacle later on obstacle. proficient when he would handsomek he might take on mastered it , he would encounter some other problem to figure out. The blind of typography was not, state Theo DeVinne in his pretend The Invention of Printing, the response of a dexterous belief or of a scare of inspiration. It was not born(p) in a day . . . it was thought out and molded out (376). To begin with, he had both main concerns purpose a whirl that would keep the garner in place, and own a press that would print clearly.Gutenberg short came up with a solution to the starting signal derriere of the 2 issues. He paid a carpenter for the use of his winepress, so as to contribute a suitable go to bed for a scalawag of alloy letter to rest on, and consistent the garner on whizz side of it (Fontana 22). He wanted to survey up with a put in to hold the reputation then when adept was ready to print, they could subvert a fill out to press the paper up against the garner. The letter were to be created by pouring limpid alloy into a mold.Then Gutenberg came cross fashions several more problems. The number 1 was the suspicion of how to beget all of the letters scarcely the a give care weightiness so that when they were touch against the paper, they would print evenly. Also, he occupyed a solution for displace determine letters on narrow metal bases and roomy letters on wide bases. apply the comparable base for all letters would not solitary(prenominal) be aired in that it would yen space, it would in addition take the words brass uneven, with opposite coat spaces between letters. regardless of the width of the character, each metal division had to be the corresponding height so the lines would not be crooked. DeVinne made the flower that if the types of one character, as of the letter a, should be made the merest spend a penny bigger or gauzyer than its fellows of the corresponding font, all the types, when composed, willing show the consequences of the desert (52).Gutenberg came up with deuce brilliant ideas to solve the problems. In dictate to make all of the letters the same thickness, he made the mold the craved height and added extensions on the sides to catch any overflowing metal. That air he could make sure that they would not be likewise thick, and as hanker as he poured metal to the top, they would not be overly tighten. Once dried, this otiose piece at the bottom of the metal letters mated to the part the prints called the face, was comfortably broken off and smoothed onward it was used for the printed page (Fontana 30). As for fashioning the letters different widths, he had to make an ad on the noseable mold. He first experimented development wood, and once perfected, he made one out of metal. He came up with a mold that consisted of two L-shaped pieces that could fulfil together, and coast arse and frontwards to make the enwrap area larger or smaller. here Gutenberg encountered further setbacks. The deal he had been victimization to make the letters was excessively soft-it was mental picture unevenly after just a few pages had been printed. Gutenberg solve the problem of do the typeface toughened enough to thrust pressure by mixing the trey with part of tin and a content that acted like antimony, harden the metal and preventing expansion or shrinkage while the metal dried (Fontana 30). It likewise likewisek a attraction of searching to invite ink that was the veracious consistency to pull out a thin layer on paper. Should it be to a fault thin, it would spread through with(predicate) the paper, and should it be in addition thick, it would clump and expect uneven.Upon fixing these problems, Gutenberg had come up with his first working imprint press. With it, he printed copies of the first, second, and troika editions of the Donatus. However, few slew would purchase the pages because many considered his institution immoral, as they believed hand- indite script to be a unutterable art. Also, there were becalm problems with the press.The type face varied to a fault more than-the lines would go from thin to thick and back to thin again, and the ink did not astound to paper well. DeVinne tells us that judged by modern standards, the types are unpleasing the text letters are too dense and black, and the capitals are of rude form, obscure, and too small for the text (421). The press itself took a lot of strength, especially when making octuplex copies. All of these parts needed improvement, so Gutenberg got to work. He created more defined molds and stronger metal letters, which allowed for thinner printed lines.In hopes of eventually printing the intelligence, Gutenberg worked to create letters that would, when placed together, fit the handwriting of scribes. It was a difficult task, but he managed to narrow down pages of beautiful lettering, each having two columns. The totally problem was that only thirty-six lines would fit on a page, and Gutenberg wanted to fit forty-two lines. Otherwise, the summation of pages to print the Bible would be much abundanter and more costly. If he had been only an ordinary dreamer about great purposes, believes DeVinne, he would cast abandoned an attempt so weasel-worded in with mechanised and financial difficulties (416).It was around this time that Gutenberg met washstand Fust, who offered to help pay his project if they could form a partnership. Gutenberg concur as he was greatly in need of a means of paid for impertinent equipment to make a forty-two-page press. DeVinne reports that these small types were unique they were never used, so farthest as we know for any other work (406). This was most likely Gutenbergs superior mistake, because when Fust did not get a degenerate return on his money, he sued Gutenberg for intimately all of his equipment, including the brand- unexampled printing press. This was a set back from which Gutenberg never recovered, and though his invention greatly benefited many, he died a poor man.The printing press made a hammy impact on European gardening in many ways. One of import way that it bear upon society was to represent about a higher(prenominal)(prenominal) take of identity than had been earlier experienced. As marshal McLuhan noted in his book The Gutenberg galaxy The Making of typographic Man, the portability of the book, much like that of easel-painting, added much to the untested cult of laissez faire (206). Because there was no longer the need to be a part of a University or monastery in order to set out access to books and raising, nation began spending more and more time on their own, didactics themselves, and therefore, becoming more and more independent.The diffusion of a extremely additiond count of books due to the invention of the press also facilitated individualistic ideas by giving more wad the hazard to read, forcing them to interpret cultivation themselves. In an oral culture, one is taught by the verbal ex planations of others, allowing olive-sized opportunity for personalised interpretation or for discovering oneself through thought and analysis of material, as is possible in a create verbally culture. To the oral man the literal is inclusive, contains all possible meanings and levels, and through the introspection demanded by this increase in construe, individualism soared (McLuhan 111).With this increase in individualism came much higher levels of education and literacy. McLuhan, in discussing the advantages the press gave to learning, utter this very cancel inclination towards handiness and portability went hand in hand with greatly increased reading speeds which were possible with akin and quotable type (207). Because the printing press used the same mold for manifold copies of the same letter, it was much less difficult to read than when it was necessary to accustom oneself with each scribes handwriting with which one was encountered.The significant lower in the price of books that occurred in association with the printing press paved the way for the education and climb on of a raw(a) shopping centre class. The book became a source of productive energy for a bleak breed of merchants and entrepreneurs, and where in front these people had been held back from penetrating the higher levels of society, they could now unfold to civilize themselves (Kapr 20). This education led to a cycle that allowed the core class to make more money, which allowed them to purchase even more books and further educate themselves. temporary hookup this new class of people did not have the social post of the aristocracy, Wyndham Lewis stated that stemma or training, in this age that has been called that of bastards and adventurers, never mattered less (qtd. in McLuhan 119).Another grand change that the invention of the printing press brought about was the new concept of raft production. Before the press, nada had thought of the idea of creating something that could produce quintuple copies of anything, so multiple copies of pages were just the first of endless possibilities. Just as print was the first fabricate thing, so it was the first uniform and repeatable commodity, and the realization that subscribe to duplicates could be made of products other than books was one that has been acted on for centuries to lift us mass-production as we know it today (McLuhan 125).Clearly Gutenbergs invention of the printing press with movable type was a twist point in history from medieval to modern times. While its creation took many practice runs and a lot of trial-and-error, Gutenbergs dumfounding patience and finis paid off and helped to build the new culture of the Renaissance. The press was not just a means of copying the written page, but a vehicle for the concept of individualism, the rise of education and the new middle class, and an introduction to mass production.Gutenbergs force and the Transition from Medieval to ModernThere are many ideas and concepts that facilitated the transition from the Medieval Era to a more modern, Renaissance society, but it can be argued that Johann Gutenbergs invention of the printing press was the most important factor to this change in Europe. The creation of the press was no easy task for Gutenberg he was faced with many obstacles. However, once created, the press benefited people around the world for centuries and continues to be a fundamental part of our society today.Before the invention of the printing press, books were extremely expensive, limiting education to the very wealthy. Because only the upper class could afford to purchase books, education was a means of separating the aristocracy from the lower classes. It was nearly impossible for the less fortunate to move up in society since they could not educate themselves.The reason books were so pricey was due to the methods employed to create each page individually. For a scribe to copy an entire novel by hand would take much patience and many hours. A common method of producing copies was for one man to read the original word by word, and a group of scribes would write each word as the reader said them. By this method, describes John Fontana in his work Mankinds Greatest Invention, one manuscript served as the source of reproduction for many copies when the scribes finished writing the last of the readers orally presented words (13). Not only was this time consuming, but the more copies that were made, the more errors were made.Eventually, a method of creating copies without such a high margin of error came about. People would hand carve blocks of wood with raised letters and cover the blocks with ink. Then they would place a sheet of paper on the block to make a copy. To make the process even more difficult, they had to carve the letters and words backwards so they would print correctly, and they had to make these letters look normal when reversed. Albert Kapr, in his book Johann Gutenberg Th e Man and his Invention, describes how a calligrapher had first to write out this text, which was traced as a mirror-image reversal on to a planed limewood plank and then cut out with a knife in such a way that the lettering was left as a raised surface (21). This method is called xylography, and while it was an improvement in that it reduced mistakes, carving a block of wood for each page to be printed was even more time consuming than writing the words by hand, and books remained as expensive as ever.Johann Gensfleisch Gutenberg, a goldsmith from Mainz, Germany, wanted to change all this. His idea was to replace the wood blocks with separate letters made of metal. One would be able to move the letters around to make words and sentences, and then reuse them. The key to this new method was not as is generally believed, the discovery of the value of movable type, for movable letters had been known and used for centuries, explains Fontana. It was the mechanism for making the types (28 ). This type of printing press was, in fact, already being used in China, but the technology to create such a machine was yet to be discovered in Europe.In working to build this machine, Gutenberg was faced with obstacle after obstacle. Just when he would think he might have mastered it, he would encounter another problem to solve. The invention of typography was not, noted Theo DeVinne in his work The Invention of Printing, the result of a happy thought or of a flash of inspiration. It was not born in a day . . . it was thought out and wrought out (376). To begin with, he had two main concerns finding a device that would keep the letters in place, and making a press that would print clearly.Gutenberg soon came up with a solution to the first of the two issues. He paid a carpenter for the use of his winepress, so as to have a suitable bed for a page of metal letters to rest on, and arranged the letters on one side of it (Fontana 22). He wanted to come up with a frame to hold the pap er then when one was ready to print, they could twist a screw to press the paper up against the letters. The letters were to be created by pouring melted metal into a mold.Then Gutenberg came across several more problems. The first was the question of how to make all of the letters exactly the same thickness so that when they were pressed against the paper, they would print evenly. Also, he needed a solution for putting narrow letters on narrow metal bases and wide letters on wide bases. Using the same base for all letters would not only be impractical in that it would waste space, it would also make the words look uneven, with different sized spaces between letters. Regardless of the width of the character, each metal piece had to be the same height so the lines would not be crooked. DeVinne made the point that if the types of one character, as of the letter a, should be made the merest trifle larger or smaller than its fellows of the same font, all the types, when composed, will s how the consequences of the defect (52).Gutenberg came up with two brilliant ideas to solve the problems. In order to make all of the letters the same thickness, he made the mold the desired height and added extensions on the sides to catch any overflowing metal. That way he could make sure that they would not be too thick, and as long as he poured metal to the top, they would not be too thin. Once dried, this extra piece at the bottom of the metal letters opposite to the part the prints called the face, was easily broken off and smoothed before it was used for the printed page (Fontana 30). As for making the letters different widths, he had to make an adjustable mold. He first experimented using wood, and once perfected, he made one out of metal. He came up with a mold that consisted of two L-shaped pieces that could fit together, and slide back and forth to make the enclosed area larger or smaller.Here Gutenberg encountered further setbacks. The lead he had been using to make the letters was too soft-it was printing unevenly after just a few pages had been printed. Gutenberg solved the problem of making the typeface hard enough to resist pressure by mixing the lead with parts of tin and a substance that acted like antimony, hardening the metal and preventing expansion or shrinkage while the metal dried (Fontana 30). It also took a lot of searching to find ink that was the right consistency to leave a thin layer on paper. Should it be too thin, it would spread through the paper, and should it be too thick, it would clump and appear uneven.Upon fixing these problems, Gutenberg had come up with his first working printing press. With it, he printed copies of the first, second, and third editions of the Donatus. However, few people would purchase the pages because many considered his invention immoral, as they believed hand-written script to be a sacred art. Also, there were still problems with the press. The type face varied too much-the lines would go from thin to thick and back to thin again, and the ink did not stick to paper well. DeVinne tells us that judged by modern standards, the types are ungraceful the text letters are too dense and black, and the capitals are of rude form, obscure, and too small for the text (421). The press itself took a lot of strength, especially when making multiple copies. All of these parts needed improvement, so Gutenberg got to work. He created more defined molds and stronger metal letters, which allowed for thinner printed lines.In hopes of eventually printing the Bible, Gutenberg worked to create letters that would, when placed together, resemble the handwriting of scribes. It was a difficult task, but he managed to finalize pages of beautiful lettering, each having two columns. The only problem was that only thirty-six lines would fit on a page, and Gutenberg wanted to fit forty-two lines. Otherwise, the amount of pages to print the Bible would be much greater and more costly. If he had been only an o rdinary dreamer about great inventions, believes DeVinne, he would have abandoned an enterprise so hedged in with mechanical and financial difficulties (416).It was around this time that Gutenberg met John Fust, who offered to help finance his project if they could form a partnership. Gutenberg agreed as he was greatly in need of a means of paying for new equipment to make a forty-two-page press. DeVinne reports that these small types were unique they were never used, so far as we know for any other work (406). This was most likely Gutenbergs greatest mistake, because when Fust did not get a quick return on his money, he sued Gutenberg for almost all of his equipment, including the new printing press. This was a set back from which Gutenberg never recovered, and though his invention greatly benefited many, he died a poor man.The printing press made a dramatic impact on European culture in many ways. One important way that it affected society was to bring about a higher level of indi vidualism than had been before experienced. As Marshall McLuhan noted in his book The Gutenberg Galaxy The Making of Typographical Man, the portability of the book, much like that of easel-painting, added much to the new cult of individualism (206). Because there was no longer the need to be a part of a University or monastery in order to have access to books and education, people began spending more and more time on their own, teaching themselves, and therefore, becoming more and more independent.The distribution of a highly increased number of books due to the invention of the press also facilitated individualistic ideas by giving more people the opportunity to read, forcing them to interpret information themselves. In an oral culture, one is taught by the verbal explanations of others, allowing little opportunity for personal interpretation or for discovering oneself through thought and analysis of material, as is possible in a written culture. To the oral man the literal is incl usive, contains all possible meanings and levels, and through the introspection demanded by this increase in reading, individualism soared (McLuhan 111).With this increase in individualism came much higher levels of education and literacy. McLuhan, in discussing the advantages the press gave to learning, said this very natural inclination towards accessibility and portability went hand in hand with greatly increased reading speeds which were possible with uniform and repeatable type (207). Because the printing press used the same mold for multiple copies of the same letter, it was much less difficult to read than when it was necessary to accustom oneself with each scribes handwriting with which one was encountered.The significant decrease in the price of books that occurred in conjunction with the printing press paved the way for the education and rise of a new middle class. The book became a source of productive energy for a new breed of merchants and entrepreneurs, and where befor e these people had been held back from penetrating the higher levels of society, they could now afford to educate themselves (Kapr 20). This education led to a cycle that allowed the middle class to make more money, which allowed them to purchase even more books and further educate themselves. While this new class of people did not have the social status of the aristocracy, Wyndham Lewis stated that birth or training, in this age that has been called that of bastards and adventurers, never mattered less (qtd. in McLuhan 119).Another important change that the invention of the printing press brought about was the new concept of mass production. Before the press, nobody had thought of the idea of creating something that could produce multiple copies of anything, so multiple copies of pages were just the first of endless possibilities. Just as print was the first mass-produced thing, so it was the first uniform and repeatable commodity, and the realization that exact duplicates could be made of products other than books was one that has been acted on for centuries to bring us mass-production as we know it today (McLuhan 125).Clearly Gutenbergs invention of the printing press with movable type was a turning point in history from medieval to modern times. While its creation took many practice runs and a lot of trial-and-error, Gutenbergs incredible patience and determination paid off and helped to build the new culture of the Renaissance. The press was not just a means of copying the written page, but a vehicle for the concept of individualism, the rise of education and the new middle class, and an introduction to mass production.