Euthanasia: Death and Medical Staff

â€Å"A dying man needs to die, as a sleepy man needs to sleep, and there comes a time when it is wrong, as well as useless to resist.† -Steward Alsop, Stay of ExecutionThough no one has a choice in their own birth, should we be entitled to a choice when it comes to our death? Therefore, what is Euthanasia? Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering; sometimes called â€Å"mercy killing.† Euthanasia has been one of the most controversial issues in the medical field.As of today, Euthanasia is only legal in three countries: namely Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg; and illegal in all countries remaining. Though it is illegal here in the Philippines, the researcher brought this topic out of curiosity with the issue.Why the researcher chose this topic: The researcher chose this topic to gain and give knowledge on Euthanasia; to give enlightenment to people whether to accept or to oppose Euthanasia.Statement of t he problemThis study entitled â€Å"Perception of selected medical staff on Euthanasia†, will give enlightenment to the certain questions that arise: 1. What is Euthanasia? 2. What are the perceptions of selected medical staff on Euthanasia? 3. A right to life or a right to die?Significance of the studyThe significance of this study is to give enlightenment to the following people:Respondents. Upon or during answering the questionnaire, they themselves  will ponder on the issue at hand. Students. Since euthanasia may seem to be an unfamiliar word to most of the students, this study will impart them knowledge about euthanasia. Administration. This study will both impart them more knowledge and also let them ponder on their own thoughts about euthanasia. Citizens. As a whole, they will be gaining more insight and understanding on the issues from euthanasia.Scope and delimitationThis study will only cover the professional medical opinion of doctors, and anyone in the medical f ield, and also the opinions of the society on Euthanasia. Definition of terms Euthanasia – the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering.

Annotated Bibliography Essay

In hospitals, especially emergency rooms and intensive care units, nurses encounter many critically ill patients. â€Å"One-fifth of the patients cared for by critical care nurses die in the intensive care unit† (Browning, 144), when these patients are nearing the end of their lives there are many decisions that need to be made by the patient if they are able and their family. Healthcare workers are put under tremendous amounts of stress in these situations, especially when they disagree with what the current code status of their patient. According to Rosenburg, the â€Å"current ethical codes provide guidance for supporting autonomy and for information sharing among clinicians, patients, and their family members† (83). This means that the patients and their families should be fully informed on all aspects of the care they are currently receiving and what measures and to what extent these measures would be taken to save them if they were to quit breathing or if their he art was to stop. Most of the time patients and families do not understand the interventions used in these situations, they think what they see on television is an accurate representation; however when they are educated they are able to make the right decision for themselves. Santiago describes the dilemma that occurs when healthcare workers and those that are making decisions for the patient â€Å"disagree over the benefit and value of the continuation of â€Å"aggressive† medical interventions† (27). When they feel as if they are unable to appropriately advocate for their highest risk patients, â€Å"clinicians may experience tremendous anguish and torment, which can lead to compassion fatigue and moral distress† (27). It is easy for us as nurses to take this distress that Santiago describes home with us and this can cause distress in our personal lives. Ideally the patient will have their wishes known about their code status and end of life care before they are in a situation w here they are unable to voice their opinions. Some doctors may give narcotic pain medications or other medications to keep patients comfortable in their last hours. â€Å"Although the APA neither endorses nor opposes assisted suicide, they encourage psychologists to take active roles in both clinical practice and research involving end-of-life issues and in providing competent, culturally sensitive care to the dying and their families† (Rosenburg, 80). Dilemmas of this nature may be handled in many different ways; some may go before the ethics committee if a decision cannot be reached or if the nurse and the doctors do not agree on the course of action. The purpose of the ethics committee is â€Å"case discussion and consultation, policy review and development, and other appropriate interventions, and focuses on considerate and respectful decision-making that accords with fundamental precepts of health care ethics and human rights† (UNC Health Care, 2013). The committee may meet at the request of the family or employee, many by an anonymous telephone call. Technology has brought healthcare to new higher standards than it has been held to in the past. This improvement has â€Å"brought with it the promise of more efficient treatment techniques, extending life inappropriately and futile prolonging of patients’ suffering have become commonplace for critical care nurses caring for dying patients† (Browning. 144). Seeing these patients sustained longer than the nurse feels is ethically responsible may cause a large amount of turmoil in his or her personal life, the profession of nursing is one that requires much of you. Nurses are there for their patients in ways that sometimes the families are unable. The patient’s right to choose is a major player in the ethical debate about end of life care. According to Rosenburg the patient has the right to accept or decline any or all treatment, also Rosenburg says that â€Å"in addition to upholding patient’s dignity and relieving suffering, (clinicians) join their health care colleagues in ensuring that patients receive support for their autonomous decision making throughout care, and particularly in the context of their death† (78). The patient or family may choose no intubation, no Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) or may decide to sign an order of Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) as their nurse we should provide education and answer any questions they may have. â€Å"Moral distress occurs when nurses are unable to perform according to what they believe to be ethically correct† (Browning, 144). Often times as the patient’s advocate the nurse feels that he or she may know what’s best or what the patient would want. By being at the bedside of many patients’ in similar situations nurses see what th e patients are put through during life sustaining acts. Sometimes these acts are more traumatic than the illness that brought the patient into the hospital; many times in the emergency room this writer has heard nurses say, things like â€Å"we’re not doing them any favors.† This saying is normally when uttered when CPR is in progress or has brought back a patient that has a poor prognosis. Ethics is something that we encounter on a daily basis in much of our decision making especially with these critical patients, even outside the hospital in everyday lives ethics are in play. When it comes to decision about end of life care, it is best for the patient to make their own decisions but if that is not possible the family needs to be educated about all aspects of the processes and in terms that they are able to understand. End of life care is a very sensitive subject that should be approached with honesty while providing the patient with the utmost dignity. References Browning, A. M. (2013). MORAL DISTRESS AND PSYCHOLOGICAL EMPOWERMENT IN CRITICAL CARE NURSES CARING FOR ADULTS AT END OF LIFE. American Journal Of Critical Care, 22(2), 143-152. Rosenberg, T., & Speice, J. (2013). Integrating care when the end is near: Ethical dilemmas in end-of-life care. Families, Systems & Health: The Journal Of Collaborative Family Healthcare, 31(1), 75-83. doi:10.1037/a0031850 Santiago, C., & Abdool, S. (2011). Conversations about challenging end-of-life cases: ethics debriefing in the medical surgical intensive care unit. Dynamics, 22(4), 26-30. UNC Health Care. (n.d.). UNC Health Care. Retrieved June 23, 2013, from http://www.unchealthcare.org

Character Analysis of Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart

In the novel Separation of the fall, Okonkwo is portrayed as a respected and decisive figure, and his fatal flaw will eventually work for him. Throughout the novel, he is obsessed with the idea of ​​becoming his father, so readers have been shown that Okonkwo has many of these features. This made him jealous, which banished him and made it difficult for him to adapt to his village changes. Okonkwo is drawn in various forms as a respectable figure. The main character 's main character Okonkwo of things also has its own characteristics. Over the tragic events in Chinasa Ceve, the hero's Okonkou proved to be a tragic person in confronting the task of overcoming the challenge between himself, the society, and his own destiny. One of the biggest civil wars Okonkwo fought was not that everyone he met was considered a masculine person. In the process of the novel, Okonkwo has a very advantageous existence. Each character of Things Fall Apart has its own character. The leading role of Things Fall Apart is okonkwo. He can change his character according to his situation. Okonkou learned these bad habits from my father. The character of Okonkou changed in the whole story of collapse of things. Unoka, the father of Okonks. Unoka is very lazy. He was troubled to plant crops on new fertile land, was at home to play the flute, drinks palm wine, and likes to have to borrow money to maintain this lifestyle, and never You will not be able to repay it. Unoka is at home and does not give any power for her family. In response, Okonkwo completely rejected his father. Since he did not want to become a great wrestler or warrior like his father in his tribe, he started to serve his family since very young, started a new farm and began to raise wealth. Okonkwo is the hero or hero of Chinua Achebe 's Fall Fall Apart. Okonk's father, Unocha is drunk who owes money to anyone. Unoka is not a good supplier, his wife and children often go hungry. As a result, Okonkwo was ashamed of his father, exceeded his growth experience, decided to be a successful citizen and a brave warrior. Okonkwo first asked for wealthy Nwakibie to subsidize his first harvest. Okonkwo explained that when most people are still smoking their mothers, I started supporting myself. If you give seeds of yam, I will not give up. Yukikawa praised Okonko's ambition and gave eight hundred mountains. I learned to use my thread, but I can trust you, Nwakibie said. As our father said, you can see mature corn from its appearance.

Economic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Economic - Essay Example 3 2.0 Economic Rationale behind Oligopolistic Behaviour in Banking Sector 4 3.0 Implications of an Oligopolistic Banking Sector on Consumers 7 4.0 Situation with the Australian Banking Sector 9 5.0 Conclusion 9 References 10 1.0 Introduction An oligopolistic market structure is characterised by a few sellers in the market but a large number of buyers. These contending firms are highly interdependent upon each other to strengthen their market status and hence, frame schemes to facilitate the same. Some of the commonest strategies include competition on prices and quantities being marketed by the firms1. In addition to competing with their peers, the firms also assume the role of creating artificial barriers, in the form of hefty license fees, to prevent the entry of potential competitors within the industry to restrict the number of market players. Such artificial regulations might be beneficial for the existing firms in the business though the purchasers always end up at the worse si de of things as lack of ample competition reduces the degree of consumer surplus that they could have enjoyed. The present paper takes up the case of the banking sector and attempts to emphasise the implications of oligopolistic market structure on bank customers. ... king sector to build an oligopolistic market framework; there are special references to empirical evidences from different nations in this regard as well. The third section is an illustration of the implication that an oligopolistic banking sector is likely to have over the residents of a nation. The fourth section depicts the situation in Australia where nationals have been immensely protesting against the oligopolistic banking sector and finally the last section summarises the contents of the entire paper. 2.0 Economic Rationale behind Oligopolistic Behaviour in Banking Sector A few advantages based on the economics of business are the reasons why firms tend to operate as an oligopolistic market. Those very factors could be applied to the banking sector as the reasons why the industry chooses to operate under such environment. Firstly, oligopolistic market structure makes room for economies of scale which associates huge amount of profit with each operating unit, owing to reduced a verage cost of production as the diagram alongside depicts. As the diagram shows, the average cost of production falls with rise in the quantity produced, though this reduction does not continue for very high quantities. The point where the combination of cost and quantity to be produced is found to be the optimal, i.e., highest production at the lowest cost, is the chosen one by the sellers. In the above diagram, this point coincides with E1 where the quantity to be produced is Q1 and the associated average cost is the lowest at AC1. This is one of the reasons why the larger existing firms restrict new entrants from moving into the industry. The smaller firms in the industry are often acquired by the larger to clear their path towards experiencing economies of scale. This in fact had been

The Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison - Essay Example Perhaps, it is through such attributes of the story that make it qualify as The Invisible Man. Earlier on, before joining the Brotherhood, his early experiences describe him as a naà ¯ve inexperienced person with natural charisma. He is an individual who harbors good thoughts of others, optimistic that everyone he meets deserves an equal measured of respect. He is a law abiding citizen who does not participate in most vices and mischiefs that occur in his neighborhood. The author lets the reader perceive the struggle of the narrator, who represents the African American culture in their struggles during the era of pre-civil rights unions (Orozco 22). The narrator at the beginning the story thinks well of others despite having every reason to doubt their trustworthiness. The narrator is determined to make it in a society that is racially divide and one that has ignored his human rights. Despite the humiliation he is subjected to by the society, the narrator displays patience and succumbs to his fate (Orozco 64). While still at the South, the narrator proves to be hard working, portrayed by his great oratory skills in public speaking. As a result, he is honored to deliver the same speech to a group of important white men who visit the town. He is eventually rewarded by a briefcase containing a scholarship to a prestigious African American college but after enduring a humiliating near-death blindfolded fight with other black men in a boxing ring. The illiterate nature of the narrator also comes out as he tries hard to imagine and figure out what the writing in his letter of scholarship letter. The narrator is portrayed as ignorant following the event that takes place in college when he decides to take the Mr. Norton to have a drink at a black owned restaurant. Mr. Norton is wealthy white trustee of the college and the narrator is mandated with the task of chauffeuring him around the college campus (Ellison 57).

Beta thalassaemia major Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Beta thalassaemia major - Essay Example This classification is based on the type of globin chain (alpha or beta) which is affected. This clearly indicates that hemoglobin structure is central to the pathology of thalassaemia. Beta thalassaemia or Cooley's anemia as it is called refers to decreased beta chain production and hence deficits in hemoglobin due to defects in the gene forming the chain Hemoglobin (Hb) is protein responsible for oxygen carrying in the body. It is made of four peptide chains, two alpha or a chains and two beta or b chains. Hemoglobin synthesis is controlled by genes which are switched on and off at different phases in the human life (beginning at the embryonic stage). Gamma genes regulate formation of fetal hemoglobin, which is switched to beta genes postnatally. It is about the 9th gestational week that the transcription switch from g chain to b chain production starts. Normally fetal hemoglobin synthesis declines gradually during this time but continues until 9 months of age. It is at about the 9th month after birth that the switch is completed.(Sarnaik 2005). This beta gene therein controls beta chain production in adults. In patients suffering from beta thalassaemia, there is a switch from a normal gamma-globin gene, in the fetus to an abnormal beta-globin gene, in the adult. (Blau 1994). ... tations have been described so far) Beta-thalassaemia major is hence a result of transmission of the mutated form of beta-globin gene from both parents, to the offspring. This results in inheritance of both defected form of the gene and has severe clinical manifestations for the patient. Clinical features and abnormalities As has been described above, beta thalassemia major refers to a decreased production of beta globin chains which are required for formation of normal haemoglobin in the blood. This results in decreased levels of normal haemoglobin(A) in the body. Interestingly there are evidences of increased levels of fetal (F) and abnormal haemoglobin (A2). Recent studies established that this abnormal increase in other Hb forms was due to production of excess of alpha chains, some of which are consequently utilized to synthesize hemoglobins which do not require beta chains, such as hemoglobin F (a2 g2) or hemoglobin A2 (a2 d2) and hence the elevated levels of such hemoglobins! (Perrimond 2001). Clinically this is very relevant as it leads to excessively reduced RBC life, this is primarily due to precipitation of free alpha chains on the RBCs. Other clinical features are is extremely severe hypochromic anemia as a result of ineffective erythropoesis. There is also significant decrease in hemoglobin content per cell and microcytosis. In order to compensate for this the body attempts to increase the red cellproduction. This results in increase marrow cavities and 'extramedullary erythropoeisis' in the liver and spleen. The consequences of such endeavours may result in hepatosplenomegaly, bone defects and much discomfort (pain) in patients. In children, there is high incidence of growth deficit, cardiac problems and jaundice (due to excessive break down of red

Dissertation Premise Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Dissertation Premise - Assignment Example Therefore, the paper will explore the impact of director of nursing and director of social services leadership styles on psychosocial well-being of nursing home residents. Relationship existing between nursing homes and leadership styles of nursing directors has a significant influence on the care quality. Nursing directors cooperate with administrators in establishing a long-term relationship with residents of nursing homes in order to foster a culture that can support development of the team. However, there are limited building preparations for the leaders of nursing homes, which cause limits on the leadership. On the other hand, administrators are focusing on adopting various initiatives that facilitate collaboration with nursing directors and social service directors to establish effective delivery teams. There are changes occurring in management of the old leadership in relations to personal behaviors and adaptation of new ones (Dixon, 2006). In this case, this paper will focus on the current study that results to offering relevant information concerning leadership in nursing homes and the roles of the individual teams that has resulted to impact on the psychosocial well-being of nursing home residents. According to Allen (2008), data obtained from the government indicates that control of the administrative leader on the care quality and services has a significant psychosocial well-being of nursing home residents. This has been attributed to recommendations by the regulators to foster changes that facilitate a culture embracing residents of nursing homes. Furthermore, embracing the residents of nursing homes focuses on their humanistic values and care that is personalized home like settings (Weiner & Ronch, 2006). There are conventional care models established by nursing and director of social services aimed at addressing the long term issues in the care environment that has an impact on psychosocial well-being of

Econ 3077 management of financil institution Coursework - 1

Econ 3077 management of financil institution - Coursework Example Consequently, the effects are manifested in the poor performance of the Canadian dollar. The decline in the oil prices is expected to boost the global economic growth. It is projected that the rate will decrease to US $60 per barrel. In addition to the price decline in the energy sector, there is an increased foreign demand, business assurance and venture, as well as employment rates (Bank of Canada, 2015). However, the weak terms of trade will affect the country’s incomes and wealth by reducing the domestic demand growth. The Bank of Canada projects that the real GDP growth will slow by 1.5% followed by the widening of the output gap in the first half of 2015. The Banks monetary policy, the weaker Canadian dollar and the strong US economy will gradually mitigate the lower oil prices. As a result, the economy will strengthen leading to 2.1 and 2.4 growths in the real GDP in the year 2015 and 2016

Trends in HR Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Trends in HR - Coursework Example This cultural differences between two merging organization creates significant complexity for the HR people. It is very important for the HR people to maintain a sense of unity among the workers of the two merging companies. This trends influences lots of changes related with organizational structure and leadership in the organizations. All those changes are dealt with by the HR department only. According to the study of KPMG, mergers and acquisition presents considerable hazards (Napier, 2009, pp. 371-372). All those hazards influence HRM in the organizations. There are several ways through which HR professional can deal with it. HR people can help the leaders of the two companies to agree upon a common set of goals. The HR people can offer rewards to the employees of two merging organizations for successfully finishing their jobs together. HR people can come up with different team building activities between the employees of two different organizations. It creates a sense of unity among

Contemporary Politics and Economics in Mexico Essay Example for Free

Contemporary Politics and Economics in Mexico Essay Over the course of Mexican history, the governmental and economic state of Mexico has been largely unstable. The nation was marked by dictatorial shifts in party-list (and their candidates) and their constant bickering with each other; the deformed presidency, the elite and the political group controlled the economic fervor with constant insurgencies from the lower classes; the shift of the informal traditional ‘relatively’ closed market system to an international open trading system as a form of ‘globalization’; and finally, the drastic environmental events, like the 1985 earthquake which had shaken up the nation. In the following paper, there is an attempt to elucidate the static forces that govern the Mexican politics and economics from 1980s to the contemporary times. Mexican politics was largely determined by the ‘evolution’ of the ruling party Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI), their gradual shifts or hold in power from a hegemonic- (1929 to 1979), bipartisan- (1979 to 1985) and finally, the pluripartisan stage (1988-2000). The bipartisan stage marked the initial infiltration of the opposing party Partido Accion Nacional (PAN) and the strong comptetion between the PRI, PAN and the PRD (Partido de la Revolucion Democratica during the pluripartic years. PRI had a hold on presidential seat for 71 years until it was put to a stop in the 2000 elections. The presidential monarchy from 1970 to 1982 coincided with a period of shared development in political organization with the emergence of the bourgeoisie in governmental positions and puts an end to the ‘sustained’ economy that Mexico originally enjoyed under the Echeverria . To combat the economic crisis and peso devaluation, the State attempted to intervene with the entrepreneurial activities, thus sparking State-Entrepeneur dissent; the private businesses erected Entrepreneurial Coordinating Council (ECC) institutions as a protective mechanism. Portillo delivered his counterattack by nationalizing bank systems and increasing the interest rates. Mexico experienced general economic quagmire — inflation, external inequity, currency devaluation, peso flight, mounting unemployment and low purchasing power — in 1976, 1982, 1987 [ e. g. 59 % inflation] and 1994-95 with middle periods of mild economic recuperation. The September 19 1985 earthquake, which killed approximately 6,500 to 30,000 individuals, aggravated the economic crisis. The 80s were dominated by neoliberal (semi-democratized state implementing free election rule) over the freemarket system, as a result of mounting external debts and the ‘Washington Consensus’. The freemarket system/informal market system originally dominated by local ‘street market vendor’ types, became an open humdrum to international financial organizations like the World Bank to ‘negotiate’ for the debts. The State Restructuring generally involved administration modernization, openness of the national market/participation with free trade with the State neighbors (e. g. 1986 General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs), privatization of public enterprises, and introduction of radical social and political reforms to the relatively ‘traditional’ State. The ‘Restructuring’ debilitated the State with most of the reforms resulting to dispersed control in politics, loss of ethics in politicians and political institutions, and mounting economic problems. The Neoliberal State, 1982-2000, demonstrated a stunningly low GIP per head of 0. 3 %. With income distribution becoming more unequal. The year 1994 marked the participation of State to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Inequality in income and devaluation of the market price coupled with the global inflation of prices created insurgencies from the lower classes and the emergence of anti-political groups like the Zapatista Army of National Liberation from the State of Chiapaz. The peso devaluation, increased exchange rate volatility and meltdown of stocks will persist up to the current state of economic affairs. This was naturally fueled by distrust of external investors to the weak form of governance. Federal Electoral Institute, mediated by ordinary citizens was erected in the early 90s to ensure that elections are ‘clean’ compared to PRI unfair appointing of offices in the past. Quesada won the 2000 election due to the insurgency and popular voting but have few votes from the Congress. It was the former President Zedillo who officiated the electoral results thus stunting the chance of PRI to question the results. The administration of Fox signed up with the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America with the hope of modernizing the reforms and the pre-existing labor laws, opening investments in the energy sector, and improving the infrastructure. The 1994 NAFTA agreement’ beneficial effects were apparently not agreed upon by participants. Whereas the US reiterates that there is ‘speeding up’ of the economic activity of the free market system of Mexico as indicated by the thrillion dollar class, the quick economic growth did not improved the standards of living of the lower and middle class. Calderon, the current president of the Mexico and also a PAN member, experienced many oppositions from the PRD; the attacks were on post-electoral and on ‘Banobras-borrowing’. Calderon attempted to reduce the economic crisis of the country by producing reforms like Tortilla Price Stabilization Pact, salary caps, security policy and first employment program. The current presidents waged an active advocacy against drugs. The contemporary politics and economic changes in Mexico are centered on neo-liberalism with opening of the State to globalized free trade. The drastic results of the State restructuring persisted up to now and the reforms enacted by the current government will hopefully resolved the problems.

Fuzzy Logic Based Smart Solar Power MPPT

Fuzzy Logic Based Smart Solar Power MPPT Design and Optimization of a Fuzzy Logic Based Smart Solar Power Maximum Power Point Tracker A. KocabaÃ…Å ¸ and H.Ä °. OkumuÃ…Å ¸ Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon/Turkey Abstract- As the issue of efficiency is one of the most important fundamentals of solar power generation, maximum power point tracking (MPPT) systems have an important duty in solar power management systems in solar power generation. This paper includes study of the design and improvement of fuzzy logic based solar power MPPT, and the methodology to achieve the best system performance. MPPT system was evaluated at the DC-DC power converters ability of impedance conversion point of view and cooperation of fuzzy logic theory. The parameters of fuzzy inference system are optimized to obtain the fastest and accurate system responses. The performance of the proposed fuzzy logic based MPPT under various operating conditions compared and improvement of this performance is dealt with. The fuzzy logic MPPT function realized using a buck-boost power converter. Computer simulations practiced and simulation results also represented. Keywords- Maximum Power Point Tracking, Fuzzy Logic Control, Solar Power Generation. Solar power is one of the most harmless and cleanest, plentiful supply of energy in the world. It is unfailing and like to be our fundamental supply of power in future [1]-[2]. Solar power has already used widely for industrial, commercial, residential and military applications. Performance of solar power generation by photovoltaic (PV) cells depends on the environmental conditions such as insolation, sunlight tilt, load variations, airmass and cell temperature [10]. Power converter units should be associated with the PV cells and the load to control the power flow from the PV cells to the load. PV systems use MPPT systems to maximize power output, by the ability of continually arranging the duty ratio increment command of the switching device in the power converter unit. Algorithms used in MPPT systems maximize power extractions of PV cells by controlling the duty ratio of the power converter with the changing PV cell output variable combinations like changes in power versus changes in voltage etc. MPPT algorithms such as perturb and observe, incremental conductance have been evaluated until now. [3]. Unchanging step size for the control signal, increment of the duty ratio command, used in these methods. Too small steps sizes cause slow tracking process and too large step sizes cause oscillations around the maximum power point (MPP). To perform automatically adjusting step sizes, variable step sizing algorithms such as fuzzy logic has been developed [4]-[7]. Specification of fuzzy logic controllers is made according to their skill of simulating human thinking. Different than conventional controllers, fuzzy controllers have the ability to experimental methods and their results to design variable step sizes of control signals without the need of understanding the systems mathematical model [9]. Effectiveness of the MPPT algorithm is directly related with the input and the output variables that are selected for the system. In general for output variable, duty ratio of the power switch selected. As input variables; power (P) versus voltage (V) slope and changes of the slope, P-V slope and variation of power, variation of power and variation of voltage, sum of conductance and increment of conductance would be selected [8]. In this paper as inputs of the controller variation of power and variation of voltage, as an out put duty ratio of the power switch selected. Sunpower SPR-305E-WHT-D (One series module and one parallel strings) PV panel used for simulations in this paper. The characteristics of the PV panel at 25  °C and at various irradiation levels are shown in Figure 1. The characteristics of the PV panel at 1000 W/m2 and at various temperature levels are shown in Figure 2. To make the analysis simple, we have worked on resistive load. Figure 3 illustrates the circuitry of PV panel and resistive load, and current (I)-voltage (V) characteristics with an irradiation 1000 W/m2 and temperature of 25  °C. The intersection of the I-V characteristic curve (blue) of the PV panel and load I-V curve (red) is the operating point of the system. From this figure it can be observed that the operating point changes with the change of the load value. The maximum power point (MPP) can be achieved through proper selection of the load. Maximum power may be extracted from the PV array by incorporating an intelligent mechanism altering the load resistan ce of the PV array. Power converters are usually used to achieve this purpose. Figure 1. The characteristics of the PV panel at 25  °C and at various irradiation levels. Figure 2. The characteristics of the PV panel at 1000 W/m2 and at various temperature levels. Figure 3. PV system with resistive load Figure 4 shows the block diagram of the investigated MPPT system. The system includes a PV panel, a buck-boost power converter and a fuzzy logic based MPPT controller. The function of controlling power flow from source to the load is carried out by the zeta type buck-boost converter as shown in Figure 5. The values of converter circuit elements are Lin = 11  µH, L1 = 378  µH, CIN = C1 = 1000  µF and CPV = 680  µF. The pulse width modulation (PWM) switching frequency was set to 200 kHz. Internal resistances were ignored to obtain (1) on the converters input and output voltage equation in steady state: (1) If we assume that converter operates lossless with a resistive load RL, the value of the power obtained from this PV system would be: (2) It is demonstrated additionally, in Figure 5, that P-V curves at miscellaneous irradiation levels according (2) and miscellaneous duty ratio commands with the ohmic load 3 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¦. The intersections show the operating points of PV system. In this study fuzzy theory is used to design the MPPT controller. Required fuzzy input variables are generated by fuzzy MPPT controllers by reading voltage and current signals obtained from the PV panel. The fuzzy input variables would then can be used to calculate the increment of the duty ratio command for adjusting operating point of the PV panel in order to maximize the power extraction. In Figure 6 the flowchart of the calculation process illustrated. Designs of fuzzy controllers are varies according to the input variables selected. As mentioned before in this paper as input variables, variation of power and variation of voltage of the PV array selected. Figure 4. Solar MPPT system. Figure 5. Power converter and PV power characteristics. Figure 6. Flowchart of calculation process. A. Fuzzy MPPT Tracking Algorithm In this study fuzzy logic MPPT system used variations of PV cell power output (à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  PPV) and variations of voltage (à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  VPV) as the fuzzy input variables. By using MATLAB Simulink proposed solar power maximum power point tracking system implemented and universe of discourse (UOC) of input and output membership functions determined. After determination of UOD membership functions, they are grouped with the names negative big, negative small, zero, positive small, positive big (NB, NS, ZE, PS, PB). Fuzzy rules database is shown in Figure 7. Iterations made by moving on the P-V slopes specified regions as shown in the figure 7. Figure 7. Fuzzy rules for algorithm using à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  PPV and à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  VPV as the inputs. First of all symmetric membership functions used in the simulations as shown in Figure 9 and then asymmetrical membership functions used as shown in Figure 10. The performance difference compared then. For fuzzification; Mamdani method and for defuzzification; centre of gravity method used in this study. Fuzzy interface system evaluated by using MATLAB Simulink fuzzy logic toolbox. Figure 8. Fuzzy controller s surface of rule base. Figure 9. (a) Membership function for à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  PPV (b) Membership function for à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  VPV (c) Membership function for increment of duty ratio command. Figure 10. Asymmetrical input membership functions (a) Membership function for à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  PPV (b) Membership function for à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  VPV (c) Membership function for increment of duty ratio command. Purposed MPPT system is simulated by using different types of membership functions for comparison and validation. MATLAB/Simulink model block diagram of the system is shown in Figure 11. Figure 11. MATLAB/Simulink model block diagram of the system By using membership functions shown in Figure 9 the simulation results obtained as shown in Figure 12 and by using membership functions shown in Figure 10 the simulation results obtained as shown in Figure 13. Figure 12. Simulation results (symmetrical membership functions used) Figure 13. Simulation results (asymmetrical membership functions used) As shown in figures above when symmetrical membership functions used the fuzzy controlling system was unable to respond quickly to the rapid changes of irradiation so that fitting time of output power curve was longer and this is a disadvantage of the controlling system that is undesired. Beside at low irradiance levels MPPT controller couldnt produce accurate control signals and PV panels operating point was different than the maximum power point. The performance difference of the designed system when two types of membership functions used respectively can be seen more clearly from Figure 14. Figure 14. Output power of PV panel. Here we can see the disadvantages of using symmetrical membership functions. To overcome this problem and improve the system response speed to the changes of irradiation then asymmetrical membership functions has developed. Another benefit of developed system is that, at low irradiation levels precision of MPPT is more higher. In this paper a fuzzy logic based solar maximum power point tracking system was designed and different types of membership functions were used to optimize system power generation performance. To achieve the goal of higher precision and fastest system responses to the changes of irradiation levels different types of membership functions of inputs of fuzzy inference system were researched and compared with each other. It was revealed that using asymmetrical membership functions in the fuzzy logic controller had improved system performance at all operating conditions. From the results of simulations it can be inferred that the system performance is directly related with the optimization of the membership functions of fuzzy inference system. This study also leads to the study of the designing methodology of optimization of asymmetrical membership functions for better system performance. References [1] International Energy Agency. Technology Roadmap: Solar Photovoltaic Energy, IEA Publications: Paris, France, 2014. [2] K. Tomabechi, Energy Resources in the Future. Energies 2010, pp. 686-695 [3]N. Femia, G. Petrone, G. Spagnuolo, M. Vitellio, Optimization of Perturb and Observe Maximum Power Point Tracking Method. IEEE Trans. Power Electron. 2005, pp. 963-973. [4]T. Yong, B. Xia, Z. Xu, W. Sun, Modified Asymmetrical Variable Step Size Incremental Conductance Maximum Power Point Tracking Method for Photovoltaic Systems. J. Power Electron. 2014, pp. 156-164. [5]C.S. Chin, P. Neelakantan, H.P. Yoong, K.T.K. Teo, Optimisation of Fuzzy Based Maximum Power Point Tracking in PV System for Rapidly Changing Solar Irradiance. Trans. Sol. Energy Plan. 2011, pp. 130-137 [6]T. Radjai, P.J. Gaubert, L. Rahmani, The new FLC-Variable Incremental Conductance MPPT Direct Control Method Using Cuk Converter. In Proceedings of the 2014 IEEE 23rd International Symposium on Industrial Electronics (IEIE), Istanbul, 2014, pp. 2508-2513. [7]R. Rahmani, M. Seyedmahmoudian, S. Mekhilef, R. Yusof, Implementation of Fuzzy Logic Maximum Power Point Tracking Controller for Photovoltaic System. 2013, pp.209-218. [8]J-K. Shiau, Y-C. Wei, B-C. C, A Study on the Fuzzy Logic Based Solar Power MPPT Algorithms Using Different Fuzzy Input Variables. ISSN 1999-4893, 2015. [9]T.J. Ross, Fuzzy Logic With Engineering Applications, vol 2, pp. 1-652. [10]R. Hernanz, C. Martin, Z. Belver, L. Leseka, Z. Guerrero, P. Perez, Modelling of Photovoltaic Module., International Conference on Renewable Energies and Power Quality, 2010.

I, Too, Am America :: essays research papers

I, Too, Am America by kooshla America, the melting pot of the world, and yet its different races have so much trouble melding together. According to statistics, in all probability, I have a higher chance than any other race teenager of not graduating from high school. By stereotype, all I do is eat fried chicken, sell drugs, and play basketball. In society, I might work twice as hard as the next man and not get the promotion. I am a part of the percentage who chooses to defy the probability, break the stereotype, and change society. I, Too, Am America. Unfortunately, in my experience through junior and senior high, the common black attitude towards education has been one of neglect. Not caring about one "F," or the other, careening through high school with a gpa of 1.5. However, there are those who really care about their grades, earning the respect of their peers and friends. I strive to be in the latter group, so that I can better myself. For every black student who makes that extra effort, that better grade, there will be another person who becomes more enlightened to the facts and not the fiction of black life in America. In the act of improving my mind, I am not only helping myself but furthering the cause for complete equality throughout the nation. As part of America's black youth, I must grow up in a world of racism, no matter what supposed "huge steps" have been made. It is up to me not to use this as an excuse but as an obstacle to surmount. In my lifetime I will be faced with prejudice which may hinder my progress. This opposition must not be met with excuses for substandard work, or inadequate job qualification. It must be met with a serious work ethic, justly qualified applicants, and intelligence so not to be denied for any reason. Through this procedure black people will gain equality and vanquish the racist mentality. I will be one of those people to meet the adversary with full force of mind. I am a black teenager who plays soccer and tennis. Sometimes I am ridiculed for playing these sports by other blacks. I also face ridicule when I make good grades and care about my school work. There will be times when I will have to fight against my own race to get where I want to be in life. My high school career is one of those times. I am and will continue to be myself. I will not stray from my path.

Victorian Lifestyles :: Papers

Victorian Lifestyles Working clothes for poorer people were often passed down within the family or bought from second hand shops. They were usually made from coarsely woven wool or cotton cloth and they would be mended and patched to make them last a long time. Most people tried to have a better set of clothes for 'Sunday best'. Wealthier families could afford smart dressed and clothes made from better quality material. Ladies were interested in fashion and read magazines like The Young Ladies Journal to find out about the latest styles. Early Victorian ladies wore full skirts with as many as six petticoats. In the 1850s crinoline skirts were supported on wire cages and later padded cushions or bustles were tied around the waist under the skirts to make them stick out at the back. Ladies wore tightly laced corsets to give them the narrow waists that were thought to be attractive. Well off men wore knee length frock coats in silk or velvet, silk waistcoats and shirts with stiffly starched high collars. Underneath they wore vests and long underpants made from woollen cloth. They wore a top hat or perhaps a newly fashionable bowler hat and carried a cane or walking stick. Beards and side-whiskers were also fashionable. Children in wealthy families wore very formal clothes. Girls wore dresses which were as fancy as the grown ups but slightly shorter. Boys wore dresses until they were about five or six and then were dressed in sailor suits or velvet suits with lace collars and cuffs. Until Isaac Singer invented the sewing machine in 1851 all clothes were made by hand. Seamstresses worked long hours for low wages, stitching clothes for wealthy people. In the Victorian period work inside and outside the home took up much more time than it does today and working people had far less leisure time. There was little money to spare and no radio, television, CDs, cinemas or sports centres. People, however, found all sorts of ways of enjoying what free time they had.

Spring Choir :: essays research papers

Spring Choir Concert   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The spring choir concert that I went to was like the percussion concert just with singing. I enjoyed listening to the singers as they sung the different melodies. As I was sitting there listening to the different singers sing I could not help but to think about how strong there voices are and how strong they must be to get over the big space of the performance center. Voice is just lost in such a big space like the one in the Price performance center, they have to work on their voices and make sure that they can sing loud, clear and strong to get it across to the audience. Also, while trying to do that they must make sure that the quality is not lost while trying to increase the loudness of their voice. I could also tell the different voices such as the tenors the sopranos and the altos. I could not help but to realize how these different voices interacted with each other and how without one set the sound would not be the same and would be lost. I don’t und erstand how some people can sing as high as they do, such as the alto section. They must have some hard exercising for their voice to get as high as it does and to sound just as good.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I enjoyed watching the way the conductor conducted the choir and I noticed how much effort goes into conducting. At first I thought that he was just waving his hands in the air, but then I realized that there was a pattern to it and that not only keep it on beat but it also did other things as well. I like how when the choir was singing that different parts of it would stop and other parts would keep going and then it would switch and the parts that stopped would start again and the ones that were just singing would then stop. I think that this gave the performance dimension and kept your mind moving and gave u something to think about rather then just the entire choir singing for the entire time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In all, I think the choir concert went very well I thought that the performers did a great job and worked very hard to get where they are today.

Creationism in the Classroom

Derek Dougherty English 1302 Turman 11/1/2010 Creationism in the Classroom Many Christians believe that the earth and all things on it were created by God in six days. This is denied by the theory of evolution. Since the origins and development of life are an important part of the school science curriculum, the question of what schools should and should not be allowed to teach is an important one. There are many problems that present themselves when attempting to tackle the issue of teaching creationism in a public school setting.The first being, does creationism even qualify as a science? If it is not scientifically testable then it should not be taught alongside evolution in a classroom setting. However some creationist supporters claim that it is scientifically testable and that its theories are consistent with the scientific method. The next logical question to ask is should the controversy be taught in a science classroom setting? Many people are against the idea of teaching two conflicting ideas in the same classroom setting because of the implications it would have on the children.Others say if creationism is to be taught, it shouldn’t be taught in a science classroom. If you have two conflicting ideas that cannot come to terms and be taught in harmony then one must be selected over the other. Creationism is not science; it is not scientifically testable, and does not belong in the science classroom. While both creationist and evolutionists have very convincing arguments, the question isn’t what is best morally or ethically for the children.The question is what will best prepare them for their continued education, and seeing how evolution is the basis for biology and a wealth of other sciences, creationism holds no ground and was even found unconstitutional to be taught. According to the Center for Science and Culture Intelligent design can best be described as â€Å"Certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection (CSC). † This idea is the basis of creationism, and stems from religious doctrine such as the bible that state the world was created in a matter of days rather than illions of years. Bibles and other holy doctrines are not allowed to be used by a teacher for any purpose, so regardless of anything else, it is against the law for a teacher to teach out of these doctrines. In the 1987 Supreme Court case of Edwards v. Aguillard it was decided that, â€Å"Educators may not teach, either as scientific fact or even as an alternative or competing theory, the theory that humankind was created by a divine being. In science classes, educators must present only scientific explanations for life on earth and scientific critiques of evolution.The U. S. Supreme Court has held that it is unconstitutional to require educators who teach evolution also to teach creationism (Religion). † Justice William Brennan wen t on to write in the majority opinion that â€Å"†¦creationism could not be taught as an alternative to evolution because of its religiosity, but that teaching a variety of scientific theories about the origins of humankind to schoolchildren might be validly done with the clear secular intent of enhancing the effectiveness of science instruction (Moore 303). Creationists used this as an invitation and legal right for making scientific alternatives and teaching them in public school. The most popular of these â€Å"alternatives† was Intelligent Design (Moore 303). Justice Brennan’s intent in stating that teaching alternative theories could be done was not to invite creationists to make up more alternative theories. Brennan was simply stating that teaching a multitude of theories to children could be beneficial to them if it was clear that they were all equal and that one was not superior to the other.In response to the question, Can creationism be scientific? Theo dore M. Drange had this to say, â€Å"Yes, creationism can be a scientific theory, because naturalistic creationism (in sharp contrast with theistic creationism) would be scientific if it were ever to be pursued by empirical method. That is not anything that has ever been done, but it is at least possible (Drange). † Drange implies that naturalistic creationism, which is a form of creationism that makes no reference to God or any supernatural beings, is scientific and thus could be scientifically testable.But given that no creationist wishes to teach creationism in this form, the fact remains that theistic creationism is not scientific. Drange explains that the reason theistic creationism is not scientific is due to the fact that it is theistic. It has nothing to do with the appeal to creation merely that theism is involved discredits it as scientifically provable theory (Drange). In 2000 the Kansas Board of Education removed â€Å"†¦all references to the origin of huma ns and the age of the earth at the urging of conservative Christians (Moore 339). Not only was this a borderline illegal act, but it was irresponsible of the School district to give in to the public fantasy that creationism is okay to be taught in schools. In April of 2001 an article was put in the New York Times discussing the Board’s decision to overturn their previous ruling, â€Å"When Kansas School officials restored the theory of evolution to statewide education standards a few weeks ago, biologists might have been inclined to declare victory over creationism.Instead, some evolutionists say, the latter stages of the battle in Kansas, along with new efforts in Michigan and Pennsylvania as well as in a number of universities and even in Washington, suggest that the issue is far from settled (Glanz). † We are not here to argue the religious implications of discrediting creationism as a viable alternative to evolution. It has been proven and reinforced by the Supreme Court that creationism has no place alongside evolution in Science. Teaching a theory that discredits the rest of the teaching in that science class is preposterous.The only part of evolution that is a theory is why it occurs, not how it occurs, whereas creationism in itself is a theory that has very little watertight evidence to support its claims. The bottom line is that creationism has a place in the lives of our children, but that place is not in the science classroom or any classroom in a state funded school. We risk undermining our constitutional right to separation of church and state if we were to teach creationism as an alternative or even alongside evolution.The battle to keep creationism out of the classroom has already been won, but the war between the two sides still rages on. Even today there are laws trying to be enacted to push Creationism into schools. We must remain vigilant and wary of these laws that are meant to undermine our rights, and remind ourselves that t his issue isn’t about what you should believe; it’s about what we should teach.Works Cited â€Å"CSC – Top Questions. † Discovery Institute. Web. 03 Nov. 2010.

Essentialism in society Essay

Essentialism in society is â€Å"the practice of regarding something (as a presumed human trait) as having innate existence or universal validity rather than as being a social, ideological, or intellectual construct,† or in simpler terms, ascribing one trait or set of traits to a specific group of people, disregarding individual variations or possible variations ( Spelman, n. d. ). Essentialism is practiced by everyone as a biological pattern-recognition mechanism. It can, however, and frequently is, used as a hostile tool to oppress and subject people grouped together by race, gender, financial circumstances, and sexual identities and orientations. Essentialism is a dangerously powerful tool employed by politicians hoping to incite the emotions of the general populace enough to overlook the rationality of their words and meanings. Essentialism is degrading to every person on a personal level; it strips individuals of individuality, attributing traits based on skin tone, hair color, religious beliefs, sexual preferences, sexual identity, gender identity, body type, clothing choices– leaving room only for what are considered the â€Å"basics,† regardless of their truth or falseness. It defines â€Å"gender roles,† â€Å"race roles,† any role based on these traits (Narrative Therapy, n. d. ). The increasingly accessible media of popular music acts only as fuel for reducing whole bodies of people to one set of traits. Statistics regarding record sales are null and void when the actual listening audience of any popular music is concerned; it is played in shopping malls, on public transportation, in private businesses, often on public streets: any genre of popular music has an ample audience at any given moment in time. For that reason alone its many mixed messages are spread wide and unevenly (Book Rags, 2009). Pop music has songs with confident lyrics, cocky lyrics, lyrics alluding to serious depression, jealousy, melancholy, drinking and drug habits (healthy and unhealthy), often revolving around and promoting â€Å"traditional† (that is, mainstream) gender roles, sexual identities, and racial identities. Record sales alone indicate a substantial audience willing to invest monetarily in songs they may or may not necessarily agree with the lyrics of; however, the continued inclusion of such essentialist lyrics is a significant indication that a majority of listeners, if not in complete agreement with them, are not actively attempting to staunch the accelerating insertion of essentialism into the everyday lives of its listeners (On Distinction, 2009). Bibliography Elizabeth, Spelman. Inessential Woman. Google. 02 July 2009 . Book Rags. Google. 2 July 2009 . Narrative Therapy. Google. 2 July 2009 . On Distinction. 07 July 2006. Google. 2 July 2009

Emotional Intelligence Quotient

The concept of Emotional Intelligence (EIQ) may seem foreign to some. However, its lack of popularity does not mean that it is significant. Emotional Intelligence provides individuals with an insight into their personality. It helps people to identify the areas of their behavior that they may need to improve. Just like the IQ, the EIQ serves as a valuable measure by which people can learn about their weaknesses and strengths. There are various free EQ surveys available online. One of the websites that provide a free EIQ test is Discovery Health. The test I took was composed of a series of questions that required me to rate myself based on how much I feel the given statement applies to me. While I was taking the test, I remembered the multitude of personality tests that were administered in high school. The statements I was answering were very similar in nature to those I used to answer in school. As I responded to each question, I tried to look back on situations where the given statements applied. For each statement, I tried to remember the number of instances where I did as the statement said. At the end of the test, I found out that I scored average. Quite frankly, I was relieved to find out that I was the same as most people. However, the results also enlightened me to the fact that there is room for improvement in my life. There is so much that I can do to make myself a better person most especially in the way I relate to people and on how I maximize my talents and abilities. As the website’s explanation said, â€Å"You are not taking full advantage of your potential.† Basically, my results suggest that I should constantly seek for improvement in how I deal with others and in how I utilize my skills. As earlier mentioned, my results suggest that there is still room for improvement. I can still change and become a better person. There is still a chance for me to increase my EIQ. The website suggested that one way by which I can improve my score is by learning new skills and honing the skills that I have already acquired. Also, it was suggested that I learn new ways by which I deal with people. Indeed, these are the two primary ways by which I can develop myself. New skills will be greatly beneficial for it will make me more competent and capable of handling a wider range of tasks. However, learning new skills is not enough. In order to become a better person, I should be able to develop the ability to fully utilize such skills and to discern which ones will be needed for certain situations. Better decision making is key in enhancing one’s EIQ. In terms of improving the way I deal with people, I know that I must develop better communication skills. Relationships with others rely heavily on communication. Logically, better communication will mean better relationships. As such, it is evident that improving my communication skills is a key element in the development of my personality and in the enhancement of my emotional intelligence. Tests such as the one I took should not be taken as a complete assessment of an individual. It must be considered merely as a possible indication of how a person behaves. Having said such, I believe that every person has always room to grow and develop. There is always something new to learn or something to improve. Learning and developing has no end. They are constant processes that are a part of life.

Living at Home and Living Away from Home

Nowadays, most students study at a university after graduating from high school. Due to the distance between their hometowns and colleges, a few students live with their family while many others live far away from home, and the most of them think about living away from home as the best part in their lives because they will have more freedom and that can be really exciting for them. However, they do not realize that living at home has more benefits compared to living away from home. Firstly, I prefer living at home, because students who are living at home can enjoy better living conditions than ones living far from home. As home is the whole family’s place, it is normally large and well-equipped with many electric devices. Also, the work required to keep a home clean tends to go unnoticed when the mother does it. Clean floors, tidy rooms, and fresh laundry tend to be taken for granted. Even though the average teenager may help around the house one of the parents tends to do most of the housework. The floor is always clean, the rooms are always tidy, and laundry is never less than fresh and neatly folded. In addition, students are provided with fresh, nutritious food. On the contrary, dormitory or a rented house are usually small with poor facilities. For example, many students living in a cramped rented house have to use one small space for cooking, eating, learning and sleeping. Also the laundry will pile high and become a daunting task for them to achieve. The back door step will be dirty, and the rooms will become cluttered. Owing to busy learning, students may skip their meals or eat fast food, which badly influences their health. Secondly, living at home differs from living far away in that it helps students avoid financial problems. Living at home, students have the telephone bills, electricity bills and other daily expenses paid by their parents. Also living at home with parents makes bills appear as some fictional scary story. The most a students usually pays for is a car to drive, and a few other luxuries. The parents pay for the water left dripping, the gas burnt by the stove, and the power consumed by the light left on. Students living at home will never even notice any of these expenses. In contrast students living far from home have to pay all those things on their own with a monthly amount of money. Unlike students who receive parents’ instruction, students who do not live with their family often lack financial managing skills. As a result, they often spend money on unnecessary items and cope with running out of money. Another difference is the emotional aspect that you have to face. Living at home can result less frustrating than living alone because you can share the problems that you have with your parents, siblings or any member of your family in order to look for some solutions to difficult situations that you may face. In contrast, if you live away from home most of the time you are going to be alone, so finding someone who wants to listen your problems can be difficult to get. Your friends are going to be the only people that might help you to solve your problems. However, they are not your relatives and sometimes they are not going to be with you. The fourth difference between living at home and away from home is the environmental issue. Life at home is secure and well known. Furthermore, home is where one has lived their entire life and they are well adapted to the surroundings. On the other hand, the new home can be in a complete different neighborhood or city. Also, it’s not always similar to the home people are used to since the new house is usually smaller, less fancier, and it’s usually located in a less attractive neighborhood than the parents’ home. While the students who choose to leave home may think that it’s not a big deal to confront a decrease in their living status, those that choose to stay home might think that the difference in the environment is a major drawback. Finally, the other obvious difference is that living far from home provides students more independence than living at home. It goes without saying that parents want to take good care of children by setting a wide range of rules for them. Moreover, when you have an important meeting and it is impossible for you get home, you can stay at a friend’s house without problems. Consequently, students living with family have to ask for their parents’ permission if they want to go out or invite friends to their homes. Additionally, parents also control their time spent on using computer and TV. In contrast, students living without parents’ control have more privacy ecause they do not have to obey the strict rules. They can go out whenever they want and freely gather with their friends. Thanks to independent life, they can flexibly spend time on learning, surfing websites or playing games without any complaints. In general, though living at home and living far away from home have some considerable differences, each type has its own advantages and disadvantages to students, and at some moment in life you have to decide between staying at home with your parents as you have always done or starting a new life alone that means being independent. At the moment that you want to make a choice between these two styles of life. You should know that living at home and living away from home has some similarities and some differences that you have to consider before making a decision. Therefore, no matter what kinds of living students choose, they can still enjoy their wonderful life at college.

Media Control Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Media Control - Research Paper Example The definition clearly states that media is a communication aimed at reaching a mass audience and when an attempt to control it is; the outcome is not beneficial to the mass audience. The media are the public watchdog informing the masses of the happenings in the country. Many a time’s hostile regimes to free media, use the government machinery at their disposal to oppress their freedom. Some countries use the legislature to introduce laws that are oppressive and ensure that the media is silent. Their best weapon of choice is punitive fines and indefinite closure of the broadcasting stations. Journalists are the most affected by this barbaric behavior. They experience punishments that equate abuse of human rights and constant threats on their lives or their immediate family. Some have even paid with their dear life or forced to go into exile. This research paper aims at bring to light the impact of media control to a country and the lives of journalists who are directly linked with media houses. The main intention of discussing this topic is to highlight the impact of media control and, to provide possible solutions to the menace. The technicality used to discuss the points is literature review on related works by renowned scholars and an interview with a journalist. Types of media control In order to understand the impact of media control it is important to know the forms of media control and the people responsible for controlling the media. Most scholars argue that the government is responsible of controlling the media industry (Sonin 3). When the media in such states try to expose their evils, these governments move with their state machinery to silence the media. The state may decide to control the media directly or indirectly. When the state controls the media directly it entails controlling the type of news media is able to air. The state determines what coverage the media gives to particular incidents and whom to focus on. Most of the time, the me dia are forced to focus on the president of the state and the ruling party politics. This direct control is common in countries as china and Uganda in Africa. In Uganda, a newspaper owned by the Nation Media group The Daily Monitor shutdown indefinitely for exposing the evils done by the government. The police later moved into a Television station affiliated to the newspaper Ntv Uganda offices and vandalized the broadcasting equipment arresting journalists at the same time. This is a form of direct control. Indirect control occurs when the government sweet talks privately owned media station into airing the government-preferred content. Such a case occurred in Mexico when the government offered tax incentives to privately owned media station to only air ruling party agenda and sideline the politicians (Lawson 320). The station had the freedom to air the type of advertisement they wanted and programs in return they pushed for the government agenda to the people. Many countries make d ecisions on the media model they want the country to operate. The different models brought out evidently by various media control scholars include libertarian and authoritarian models. By determining their print, audio and video content as they see fit in the advancement of their business through ads, libertarian model takes center stage. Contrary to freedom of choice of content is the authoritative model where the political big wigs call the shots. They determine

Financial strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Financial strategy - Essay Example In the recent past, companies are adopting the value based management approach which is a formal systematic approach used in managing companies with an aim of achieving the objective of maximizing value creation and shareholder value (Chapman, Hopwood, & Shields, 2009, p. 1248). Value based management focuses on the key drivers of value thus helping companies achieve their objectives (Starovic, Cooper, & Davis, 2004, 2004, p.15-17). Increasing focus on core competencies has forced companies to outsource some services to ensure that they remain relevant in terms of their revenues and expenditure in comparison with their competitors. Knowing a company’s position is important because it is useful in defining and redefining strategies to improve profit margins and to capitalize on company’s strengths to enhance shareholder value creation (Starovic, Cooper, & Davis, 2004, 2004, p.10-17). Various methods have been used to measure the shareholder’s value but the most co mmonly used are the profitability analysis, Strategic Profit Mode (SPM), and the Economic Value Added (EVA) method. One of the common methods used to measure profitability is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE) which is the operating profit after tax divide by the net capital employed. However, a major criticism on this method is that it does not measure operating profits and capital employed the way investors do. Investors are concerned about economic profits and the amount of debt and equity invested in the business but these amounts may disagree with those used in company’s financial statements because of the accounting practices in use. For instance, accounting reserves which have to be accounted for in financial statements tend to understate economic profits and the amount of equity capital actually invested in the business. ROCE provides little guidance on the profitability level because of its shortcomings. Given the shortcomings of ROCE, SPM and EVA models are preferred because they enable the company to focus on shareholder value and provide a long-term orientation in their analysis. SPM and EVA are reliable, consistent, and therefore preferred over ROCE method. The Strategic Profit Model (SPM) measures the Return On Net Worth (RONW) of a company which is a tool used to measure the changes in the shareholder value in an organization. RONW is made of three components, which include net profit, asset turnover, and financial leverage. These components are used in the calculation of RONW and they can be controlled by the managers of a company (Viswanadham and Luthra, 2005, p.478). Net profit is the difference between sales and expenses and from it net profit margin is calculated which measures how efficiently a company manufactures and sells its products. Net profit margin is the net profit as a percentage of sales. Asset turnover is the sales divided by the total assets of a company and it shows how efficiently a company employs its assets to achiev e a given level of sales. The Return On Assets (ROA) is arrived at by multiplying the net profit margin with the asset turnover and it relates the profitability of a company to the value of assets employed. The financial leverage of a company provides the relationship between the total

Cloning and the Future Doom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cloning and the Future Doom - Essay Example I believe cloning is treading on thin ice, danger lurks below the surface; it is like opening a Pandora's Box. Dr Patrick Dixon has written several articles that prove the disadvantages of cloning (http://www.globalchange.com/noclones.htm). He enumerates three reasons why we should say no to cloning: health risks from mutation of genes; emotional risks; and the risk of abuse of the technology. An abnormal baby is one possible result of cloning since the material used is taken from an adult, there is a tendency that the newborn baby will have adult genes. According to Dixon, "Many attempts at animal cloning produced disfigured monsters with severe abnormalities." He adds, "Dolly the Sheep died prematurely of severe lung disease in February 2003, and also suffered from arthritis at an unexpectedly early age - probably linked to the cloning process." The many abnormal results are aborted and terminated by the researchers for fear that they would grow to be dangerous beings. Secondly, Dixon illustrates that the cloned person will be faced with a number of problems in relating with the other members of the family and the community and vice versa. Confusion that is brought about by the usual relationships as brother, sister, mother and father and even twins will have to be dealt with. For instance, how can a father relate to his daughter who is a clone of his wife, and how will the other members of the family relate to a clone of their dead brother or sister Finally, there is the risk of abuse of the technology where certain powerful leaders in every generation will be tempted to "seek to abuse this technology for their own purposes." Dixon adds, "You cannot have so-called therapeutic cloning without reproductive cloning because the technique to make cloned babies is the same as to make a cloned embryo to try to make replacement tissues" (http://www.globalchange.com/noclones.htm). Obviously, the aforementioned disadvantages are solid reasons for me to believe that cloning does not promise a brilliant and safe future. Although most of the cloning researches are aimed at alleviating solutions to scientific and medical problems, more danger is in store for the coming generation. What if the abnormal clones will not be controlled and terminated at an early stage According to scholars, certain abnormalities are not detected at an early stage. Some may take twenty or more years to manifest. What will happen to the emotional make-up of the clones Can they ever live normal and happy lives when they appear to intrude into the normal and natural means of family reproduction and relations There will be a need for more psychologists to cater to the clones' emotional and psychological needs. Lastly, is cloning technology safe enough from possible abuse of powerful leaders who may want to use it for their personal purposes Life is sacred. Human beings are created in the image of God. Each individual is endowed with unique characteristics that even identical twins are not really identical in many ways. Creating a replica of a person close to you or a loved one does not assure that the clone will behave and react in the same way as the original. Just recently, my brother died of vehicular accident. It was so sudden that we were not even able to tell him how much we love him. My other brother did not even have a chance to be reconciled with him. Such a loss was so intense that until now we still grieve so much for

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 12

History - Essay Example However, as former peasant, he was still sympathetic to the plight of the poor and so he kept taxes low and the granaries stocked in order to be prepared to meet famine (MNSU, n.d). He also established military superiority over the civilians both as a means of control over the people and as a means of defense against the Mongols continually threatening its territories. Hongwu also sought to control all aspects of government and he was able to keep the social order through the military and through his rigid administrative process (MNSU, n.d). Based on their values, the Aztecs maintained a socially stratified society and the family were considered the most important unit in that society (Rodriguez, 1994). They also emphasized on women or girls learning feminine duties like cooking, cleaning, and sewing. They also valued personal discipline, respect for the law, diligence, honesty, and respect for others (Rodriguez, 1994). Ming China, on the other hand, valued change within tradition, one which was â€Å"stable but lacked dynamic development† (Reich & Cunningham, 2005, p. 374). This resulted to economic decline among the people as the rulers also became corrupt; they also faced growing unrest among the people who were highly inclined to participate in rebellion and banditry (Reich & Cunningham, 2005). On an economic plane, the Aztecs and Ming China more or less experienced flourishing economies during their era. The Aztecs mostly bartered their wares with each other through marketplaces which were bustling areas of economic exchange. The currencies used were mostly cacao beans and cotton capes and through these currencies, the Aztecs experienced economic progress (Microsoft Corporation, 1999). Economic progress was also seen in China during the Ming Dynasty through increased food supply on account of the agricultural revolution

Managing Homeland Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Managing Homeland Security - Essay Example I will be working with the city planners and commission to evaluate the existing zoning laws and building codes. We will work with the local and state law enforcement agencies to analyze any potential for man made threats. As risks are encountered, I will work with the appropriate agency or department to resolve any budgetary concerns that are needed to take corrective action. As we work to reduce the risk and minimize the impact, we will also be preparing for a disaster should one strike. We will work with FEMA to draw up an appropriate response plan, and coordinate getting key people the necessary training that they may require. We will also develop a communications system and contact list so that we will be prepared to communicate with the appropriate local, state, or federal agencies and people as needed. We will be appointing numerous emergency planners in the major institutions and organizations in the community that we can coordinate our activity with in the event of an emergency. This will include the public utilities, hospitals, highway department, and public transportation. We will also work with local, state, and federal officials to assure that the city has the necessary resources needed during a disaster. This includes hospital supplies, fuel, and critical survival materials. In the event of an emergency or disaster, our department will coordinate the appropriate level of response. We will be responsible for contacting and monitoring the wide variety of agencies that may be needed. This will vary depending on the type of disaster, but may include fire and rescue, medical personnel, geologists, or the weather bureau. We will have a public information officer that will act as an information liaison between these agencies and the public in an effort to keep the people well informed. The disaster may be able to be handled locally, or may involve FEMA or specialized hazardous materials personnel. We will work with the public utilities to resolve issues with the gas and electric supply. We will also work with public transportation and the highway patrol in the event that an evacuation is needed. As the damage is assessed after the emergency, this department will begin to work to restore the city and its infrastructure. We will work with state and federal agencies in regards to funding and the availability of material resources. Some things may be able to be restored immediately, such as utilities, but other projects may be longer term, and managed by state or federal agencies. Temporary housing may be needed, as well as day-to-day supplies to maintain our daily life. While this department does not directly perform these functions, we assure the correct agency is responding appropriately. 2.) One of my first acts as the Emergency Management Coordinator would be to form an Emergency Planning Committee by selecting some key members from the police department, fire department, and the hospitals, as well as other agencies and organizations. I would then work with the committee to draw up an emergency response plan that outlined the roles of the various agencies in the event of an emergency. One of our first duties would be to create a contact list and a communications plan. I would

Response to the book Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Response to the book - Essay Example In this article, we are going to analyze the sixth extinction portrayed in the book by Richard Leakey and Roger Lewin. Leakey is one of the most famous living Paleo-anthropologist in the world and from his experience in anthropology makes; us devote more time in trying to note the things that will hasten the next evaluation. This article will provide the pros and cons of what the two authors think will result to the sixth extinction. The book has several interesting points, which seems crucial to note, these points are also the stronghold of the book. Leakey accepts that homo sapience or the modern man is the most dominant species on earth currently. The ability to reason and have a vertebrate brain of man is the main reason why man is able to dominate other species. These are also the reasons behind the book claims that human activities are the main agents of extinction of the other species. Leakey identifies that man’s insight has led to technological improvement that have helped him expand his population at an alarming rate. The population increase and the advanced technology have led to overexploitation of the natural resources thus tampering with the ecosystem (Leakey and Lewin, 21). The book states that the historical past of man has led to killing of other species in the form of hunting for food and collections. Leakey identifies that man is destroying tropical forests that are the main habitats for millions of species either to expand their agricultural land or to build roads and cities. This will result to the extinction of these species (Leakey and Lewin, 27). This information is true basing my argument on Cantilena Island, which was known to develop a unique flora before man has destroyed it by inhabiting making it for his agricultural benefits. The unique flora is now extinct. The book states that the more man is becoming knowledgeable in science the more harmful he is becoming to other species. This is due to the

Critical Response Papers Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Critical Response Papers - Research Paper Example In the meantime, the three candidates have to confront the disapproving society that considers their relationship as somewhat unconventional. The homosexual relationships illustrate some form of deviation from normative practices, which disallow sexual relationships that fall outside the accepted forms of behavior in the society. In essence, the three men have to build a private world that exists within the larger external world and attempt by different means to redefine the conventions that determine the rules of sexuality. It becomes important to consider the fact that some of the issues that connect to the reality around the world have to be considered from the point of view of masculinity and sexuality. In normal practice, it is important to consider the fact that some issues that relate to matters of general interest have to be determined from the point of view of desire as it affects the male characters. The kind of relationship that defines the character of the different peopl e has to be considered within the context of a range of issues that influence perceptions and conventions. Desire, according to the conventions of the society, relates to the differences in perceptions involving sexual orientations, which appear to challenge and disrupt normative practices. The confusion that characterizes the lives of the characters in the movie is most telling when considered from the point of view of Tina’s life. The film explores the question of gender in a way that opens up the possibility of individuals converting into another gender. Tina switches from being a boy to a girl in order to engage in a love relationship with her father. The film illustrates the aspect of transcending normative practices and increasing the possibility of transformation across the lines of gender. In essence, it becomes important to consider the fact that some of the issues that connect within the structure have to relate to various issues that affect and are, in turn, affect ed by the practices of the main characters. Lesbianism and gay relationships are explored in ways that demonstrate the variations from norms and dominant perspectives of the society. Male attraction to fellow men features prominently in the film in ways that illustrate the unconventional nature of inner feelings and unstable conditions that define the kind of relationship between the male subjects. The male characters are portrayed as generally capable of engaging the major differences between the main actors and the different issues that affect perceptions on matters of sexuality and sexual relationships of one gender. In this manner, it becomes appropriate to consider the fact that some of the issues that concern the differences in character are considered as a sum of various influences that determine the worldview of the characters as perceived from the relationship of the major characters. Tina’s relationship with her father shows the extreme form of sexual disorientation that redefines the relationship between the male subjects. Generally, the movie explores the various angles of gender and sexuality with specific attention to the male characters. The definition of gender acquires multiple understandings because it is separated from the dominant perceptions

My Goal in Life Essay Example for Free

My Goal in Life Essay At the age of 8 we change our minds about what we want to do when we grow up about every week. At the 18 and a few months away from graduating some of us still don’t know what we want to do or where we want to go in life. Excluding all of those soon to be high school graduates, I already know what I want to do after high and know where I want to go. Since the age of 10, I’ve always dreamt of being a police officer. I cant see myself doing anything other than patrolling the streets and keeping people safe. After graduating high school, Im going to go to college for at least four years. When my four years is done and after I turn twenty-one, I’m going to join the police academy. Im going to work hard and do whatever it takes to get in and pass all my tests. My goal is to be the best police office on the force. When the time comes after a couple years of patrolling, I would love to work my way up to be a special agent or maybe even be a member of the SWAT team. I know a lot of people may doubt me and a lot of people may say, â€Å"A little girl like you can’t do a job like that.† but I will prove them wrong. I want to be able to say â€Å"I did it† instead of â€Å"I tried,† Failing is not an option, the key is to never give up and push yourself as far as you can go.

Elizabeth Gaskell and Industrialization Essay Example for Free

Elizabeth Gaskell and Industrialization Essay Two of Elizabeth Gaskell’s novels—North and South and Mary Barton—provide a critical insight into the author’s attempt at probing the issues surrounding industrialization in Victorian England. Apart from the fact that both novels feature female characters as protagonists, they also highlight the classic struggle between rich and poor classes in the face of an emerging industrial society. Without losing track of the flow of the stories’ plots, Gaskell is able to incorporate the vital aspects of industrialization. In North and South, Elizabeth Gaskell writes about the struggles of the urban working class in industrial England, specifically in its northern regions, during the 19th century in contrast to the lifestyles of those who live in the wealthier south. Because the story is shown from the perspective of the heroine, Margaret Hale, Gaskell is able to display the other side of the stereotypes attributed to women during the 19th century. For the most part, women at that time were barely able to face their personal circumstances and address them on their own. Margaret Hale, however, defies the notion that women largely depend on men just to live. She initially resists that belief by rejecting romantic proposals—a move that shows how she is in control of her life—and displays it at its highest when she throws her arms around John Thornton in an effort to protect him from the angry mob. The latter indicates that it is not always women who seek the protection of men because women can also protect men even at the expense of such women. As Patsy Stoneman indicates in her book Elizabeth Gaskell, â€Å"[Margaret Hale] confronts the fact that men of all classes are governed, in the public sphere, by a masculine code,† a code that effectively prevents the characteristic of tenderness attributed to females (Stoneman, p. 86). Margaret’s willingness to protect Thornton does not only imbibe the thought that women are tender and should not be harmed. It also presents the idea that women—especially those who are considered outsiders to industrial areas such as Milton—can also learn to sympathize with the people who are working under poverty. The incident in the story where the workers were in a strike against Thornton, the local mill owner, also underlines the idea that an outsider can relate to the woes and conditions of the workers more than those who are directly involved in the industrial system. Another interesting aspect of Gaskell’s thematic exploration of industrialization in North and South is how she was able to reunite, in a manner of speaking, the classes considered as polar opposites. As Dorice Williams Elliott observes in her article: â€Å"the novel bases its case for women’s mediation between classes on an analogy between marriage and class cooperation† (Elliott, p. 25). The presence of the outsider, Margaret, in the industrial town makes it possible for the marriage between the classes to commence. Margaret became no less than a person who paved the way for the better understanding between the rich and poor divide although her presence alone did not entirely dissolve the prevalent disparity. Elliott’s observation that Margaret’s mediation led to class cooperation simply reaffirms the idea that ‘class cooperation† in itself still presumes differences between social classes. In Mary Barton, the disparities between the rich and the poor classes take the shape of the story of a father who seeks to protect his daughter from becoming a fallen woman. Like Margaret Hale in North and South, the story revolves around the life and struggles of Mary Barton in Victorian England. John Barton, Mary’s father, is a millworker who lost most of the members of his family except Mary. One interesting part of the story is when John shot Henry Carson, the son of a rich mill owner. Being someone who deeply questions the wealth disparities between rich and poor—largely because he was â€Å"chairman at many a Trade’s Union meeting; a friend of delegates,† someone who was â€Å"ambitious of being a delegate himself† and a â€Å"Chartist† who was â€Å"ready to do anything for his order† (Gaskell, p. 25)—John’s murder of Henry symbolizes how the members of the poor class sometimes grow desperate. The story is ingenious in the sense that it perfectly subsumes the issues surrounding industrialization in Victorian England into the tale of a woman’s quest for love. Mary Barton is a classic example of how Gaskell effectively writes about the problems caused by industrialization in Victorian England without losing sight of the story’s plot. Despite the debates as to whether Gaskell’s novels genuinely reflect the true nature of the Victorian English society during the onset of the industrial period, it should be reminded that what her novels do is to give a fictional account of the problems people face when dealing with people from another social class. Susan Morgan writes that â€Å"the criterion of likelihood is an inappropriate approach to Gaskell’s work† (Morgan, p. 44). For example, â€Å"it may have well been unlikely in Manchester for relations between worker and employer to find solutions through individual friendships† (Morgan, p. 44). Whatever reasons there may be as to why Gaskell wrote as she did, it is enough to note that North and South and Mary Barton capture the struggles of fictional characters in the face of industrialization. The novels may be fiction at best, yet the circumstance they suggests—the epic divide between rich and poor—remains as real today as it once was. Works Cited Elliott, Dorice Williams. â€Å"The Female Visitor and the Marriage of Classes in Gaskell’s North and South. † Nineteenth-Century Literature 49. 1 (1994): 21-49. Gaskell, Elizabeth Cleghorn. Mary Barton. Ed. Shirley Foster. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006. Morgan, Susan. â€Å"Gaskell’s Heroines and the Power of Time. † Pacific Coast Philology 18. 1/2 (1983): 43-51. Stoneman, Patsy. Elizabeth Gaskell. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1987.

Marxism Concepts of Art | An Analysis

Marxism Concepts of Art | An Analysis The nineteenth century was significant in Europe because it spawned or brought to the forefront revolutionary new forms of culture and theology. Among these movements were feminism, Marxism, the romantic period of music, and the impressionist period of art. Marxism has been critically acclaimed for its adherence to the popular utopian traditions of past ages and its determination to exterminate the inequities of the feudal class system. Marxism was a nineteenth century behemoth, its shadow influencing not only social and political thought but also provoking minds around the world. Critics of ideologys influence on art harangue the latter as a restrictive form of interpretation, one whose hold over arts beholder evokes themes that override those intended by the artist. However, art created in the impressionist period was created on the basis of the artists perception, and if no one can recall exactly what the artist intended, then using ideologies of the time remains a logical basis o f interpretation. Marxism promotes the involvement of all aspects of society in its ideology. However, when used as an exclusive method of art, Marxism can be quickly dismissed as stringent and a useless art method. In his Theory and Philosophy of Art, Meyer Schapiro contends that ideology constricts the freedom of artistic expression. Schapiro insists that philosophers using ideologies in artistic interpretation forgo the artists rendering and draw their own conclusions, therein ignoring the prevailing themes and purposes behind the artists creation. Through intense speculation of an object, the philosopher has [deceived] himself in assertions which are not sustained by the picture itself but rather in his own social outlook (Schapiro 1994, p. 134). For example, Japanese aesthetics value the imperfect, almost deifying the worn and blemished. A rusty spade in a tool shed would be perceived by classical Japanese aesthetics as beautiful because of its natural state. The traditional Japanese artist would have painted the shed to exemplify its imperfections and the subtleties of its presentation. A Marxist contention might be that the artist presented the spade as a token of the working class, a tribute to the agrarian utopia sought after by many of the period. By making these assumptions, the individual perceiving the Japanese spade would be detracting from the paintings meaning; though agrarian utopia is a beautiful image, it is ultimately deviant from the artists purpose and casts the painting in a whole new light. Using a school of thought such as Marxism endeavors people to [imagine] everything and [project] it into the painting, causing them to experience both too little and too much in [their] contact with the work (Schapiro 1994, p. 138). Schapiro and his contemporaries are concerned with the nature of the work, not the beholders perception. Arts grandeur is in its presentation, which if misinterpreted bypasses the artists intentions, altering the state of art. Recurrent themes might be based on philosophy, but the concept of [the] metaphysical power of art remains a theoretical idea (Schapiro 1994, p. 139). It is irrelevant that there may exist a hidden message within the subject perceived. What is of consequence is rather what the object portrayed means to the artist. Projection and personal interpretation negates the fundamental aspect of the artists presence in the work, and metaphysical integration in interpretational method stints the potential of arts full meaning (Schapiro 1994, p 139). Marxism specifically denigrates the self in favor of the whole, therein detracting from art as a representation of the artist himself or herself. As a means of interpretation, Marxism is useless as the art becomes solely focused around the objective nature of the subject. Painters such as van Gogh and Monet did not popularize the impressionist movement because their objects were more true to reality than others of the age; they popularized the movement because their interpretations were revolutionary and unlike that of their contemporaries. In effect, all art becomes a piece from a self-portrait; the subject is turned to the spectator as a part of the artist, not an instrument of political ideology (Schapiro 1994, p. 140). Schapiro describes shoes as a recurrent theme in van Goghs paintings to solidify his argument. The focus of several paintings, van Goghs worn shoes are a portion of the self, a revealing theme (Schapiro 1994, p. 140). They do not signify the work ethic of a communist, nor does the weathered nature of the shoe imply the subject had anything to do with attaining an agrarian utopia. For van Gogh, the shoes were a memorable piece of his own life, a sacred relic (Schapiro 1994, p. 141). Paintings of the shoes were brilliant because of what they meant to van Gogh. The virtuosity of van Goghs style and presentation make him unique; shoes by themselves mean nothing without the artists rendering. What makes a painter unique is his or her ability to present him or herself, manifesting personality into unconventional objects in such a way that an audience can connect and relate to the emotion evoked. The object presented means nothing without the artists intimation. A shoe, for example, is mere ly a protective covering in the real world. It does not exist to testify to the greatness of Marxism and its superiority over other ideologies. In art, objects do not exist to signify metaphysical forms or ideas, but to serve the artists meanings. The efficacy with which an object portrays the artist is what makes it extraordinary. Theology is useless as an interpretive method of art history because of its constrictive nature on the purpose of art; Marxism is particularly inhibiting because of its emphasis on the nature of being and the individuals position in society. If a painter were to create a work solely to advertise Marxist doctrine, the artistic creation itself would be impeded. Practical aims, rules methods, [and] fixed notions of style hamper virtuosity and the artistic process (Schapiro 1994, p. 202). Schapiro continues, stating, the creation of art has rested on the activity of self-directed [people] who regard their work as a free expression of their natures (Schapiro 1994, p. 204). Ideologies are not naturally occurring in society as a whole; they are indoctrinated and therefore are alien concepts. Marxism is not a natural conclusion, but rather one that had to be indoctrinated into the bourgeois, who in turn had to give up their advantageous statuses in order to better society. Because Marxism is forced by nature, it cannot be a viable art method in Schapiros system of interpretation. Though Schapiros passion for the personal and physiognomic on behalf of the artist is commendable, it too easily dismisses the possibility that social ideology played a part in the artists choice of subjects (Schapiro 1994, p. 139). Marxism changed the way men and women viewed society, and hence altered individual perception. Empiricism, or the theory that all knowledge is based on experience, is a testament to artistic presentation. Theoretically speaking, van Gogh may have painted his shoes because he was an avowed Marxist and chose to present a commonplace object in a Marxist light. Those testifying otherwise can prove their points only by having known the artist themselves, or by proving through communications relayed by the artist suggesting the contrary. Marxism, like other ideologies, is not an impossible basis of inspiration. For example, the twentieth-century composer Dmitri Shostakovich chose to proclaim his disdain with Soviet Russia through music. Political ideologies suc h as Marxism are revolutionary because they alter perception and opinion. As an inspirational method, Marxism is very useful. Ideologies and social movements lend form and base to art; whether they positively or negatively affect an artist, ideologies are an inspirational basis for many works. Marxism does not necessarily diminish art as a form of self-portrait in inspirational form. It molds and manipulates the course of the art. Though it changes the direction of interpretation (possibly detracting from the artists meaning), it is feasible as part of the subject if determined to be a prevailing theme of the work in question. Schapiro describes the philosopher Martin Heidegger and his interpretation of a painting as an [illustration of] the nature of art as a disclosure of truth (Schapiro 1994, p. 135). Contrary to Schapiros contentions of arts theoretical metaphysical implications, Heidegger purports art is metaphysical in nature. The artist is therefore presenting the object from a different vantage. The nature of art is metaphysical in its individuality, so ideology is not to be dismissed as a viable method of art history. Marxism in particular has the capacity to be an effective method of art solely because of its paradigm shift in the concept of individuality. Marxism, like other ideologies, is an irrevocable aspect of society, especially in nineteenth century art. Society is part of what makes an artist individual; it is the lifeblood of creativity and influence. Movements such as impressionism are themselves fashioned by society and altered interpretations. Schapiros stance is that society is constraining and the ideologies of which it is comprised imperil [artistic] liberty (Schapiro 1994, p. 201). Marxism is only constraining, however, when applied to capitalist societies. It is impossible for a human being to be completely unbiased and unaffected by ideologies as every human being has some affiliation with a school of thought. Marxism has the ability to inspire just as much as it has the ability to constrict and limit artistic freedom. Though Heidegger may ignore what those shoes meant to van Gogh himself, he may have also suggested a new side of van Gogh, one that is revealed in a new light just as van Gogh presented shoes in a new light (Schapiro 1994, p. 147). Marxism further may serve as a basis of ideas and concepts. Schapiro himself admits, a disciplined classic style needs a source of ideas, a continuously renewed energy of concept ionotherwise [art] is a sterile routine (Schapiro 1994, p. 201). Ideology, by nature, is a set of conglomerated beliefs and observations. Why, then, does Schapiro assume it to such an inefficacy as a method of art history? Schapiros conclusions border on myopic as he fails to consider the possibility that ideologies can also serve as inspirations, as a possible source of ideas rather than the only source. All ideologies become constrictive if used exclusively. More constrictive on the artistic process is the elimination of ideology as a viable method; by consciously restraining interpretive vehicles, art is stinted and the liberty Schapiro so treasures becomes finite. As far as impressionism is concerned, Marxism is as effective as any other method of art history. The word impression refers to the objective, what the mind itself perceives. The very nature of impression is derived from the illusory rather than reality. Speculation, when observed within moderate means, is the purpose behind an object. Using an ideology such as Marxism does not impede interpretation so long as it is not used exclusively. Schapiro describes Heideggers speculative method as detracting and self-serving, purporting that he conjectures that his reader could imagine himself wearing [van Goghs] old leather shoes (Schapiro 1994, p. 149). The speculative approach to impressionism is its very basis. Had van Gogh intended to portray the shoes as part of his history, perhaps he would have painted himself wearing them. That he chose to focus on still life and not a self-portrait insinuates the possibility that van Gogh wanted to portray the shoes as open to outside interpretation as well. Marxist interpretations would not be indicative of useless method in the aforementioned perception so long as the interpretations outside the obvious are secondary in nature. To further his argument against ideologies such as Marxism as viable methods of art history, Schapiro addresses the opinions of French philosopher Denis Diderot. He describes Diderots preoccupation with freedom, considered in its inner and outer circumstances (Schapiro 1994, p. 201). If utilizing Marxism is a transgression on freedom, then it is a safe assumption to make that no artist will ever be free. All forms of thought are constrictions so long as they are regarded as limiting the abstract. Artistic production is reliant on the power of suggestion. The power to create is reliant on the power to envision, and the power to envision is subsequently dependent on the power of suggestion. Schapiro, however, takes Diderots stance that the artists inner freedom is the impulsive, unaccountable flow of the pencil an d brush, of images and ideas; verve, enthusiasm, spontaneity, and naturalness are its outward signs and without that flow, there is no authentic art (Schapiro 1994, p. 201). Marxism, therefore, would erstwhile be an obstacle in the artistic process. However, impulses are drawn from ideas, and spontaneity requires inspiration, both of which may be derived from ideologies. Schapiro supports this contention, writing that the conditions most favorable to the flow in art are not only a matter of temperament but are also social (Schapiro 1994, p. 201). Art history reveals that social ideologies such as Marxism are not only viable methods, they are also intrinsic in the creation of art. Diderot anticipated a dilemma of artists: they wish to be free creators, unconfined by any goal external to art but also wish to participate in the most advanced consciousness of their society and to influence it by their work (Schapiro 1994, p. 207). If ever there was an ideology that encapsulated total social involvement, it was Marxism. So if artists participate in the most advanced consciousness of their society, how can they be truly free by Schapiros standards? Is it because they have made a conscious decision? Their choices, however, are influenced by their desire to be a part of something larger. In effect, they are limited by their desires, which are concrete aims and goals. Marxisms all-encompassing doctrines are a reflection of scientific method, designed with multiple factors and social tenets in mind. Stephen Eisenman presents Marxism as a useful method of art in his Nineteenth Century Art, presenting evidence that certain critics consider the scholarly (scientific) method and subject matter [of art] perfectly merged (Eisenman 1994, p. 9). Marxism is based on a single concept: total egalitarianism. To serve that end, Marxism lists several factors and instructions. Art is similar, centered on a singular subject or theme. Different details delineate and instigate thought on the aforementioned subject, drawing further parallels between art and ideology. Eisenman furthers his contentions opposite that of Schapiro by stating outright how empiricism has dominated studies of nineteenth century art but has rarely been explicitly acknowledged as a methodology, whether inspirational or interpretive in nature (Eisenman 1994, p. 10). In defining true expression, many scholars reject the purist tyranny of abstract and absolutist systems such as those defined previously by Schapiro, insisting t hat art historians should be as flexible, various, and comprehensive as possible in their approaches, and be willing to consider anything from the history technology to the abiding mysteries of genius and psychology as potentially illuminating their ever more vast subject (Eisenman 1994, p. 10). Therefore, Eisenman counters critics who lambast ideologies as limiting, stating that by closing interpretive doors on art methods, one further inhibits the freedom of expression. Separating artists from society alienates the artist from humanity, therein isolating the artist as potentially self-deprecating. Diderots dilemma of the artist seeking to be creatively free and yet still a driving force of society is a paradoxical query answered by Eisenmans assertions in favor of Marxism. Eisenman supports the statement that art history itself, especially art history of the nineteenth century, has been significantly transformed by the prevailing attitudes of radical scholars; Marxist philosophy has played a signal role in overturning the formerly prevailing confidence that art history could be told as a straightforward, descriptive narrative independent of the interests, politics, gender, or ideology of artists, audiences, and critics (Eisenman 1994, p. 10). The aspects listed by Eisenman encapsulate what drives artists to create. Marx postulates that while humans by their nature as humans have senses and perceptions, these are rude and unformed in the absence of their specific development and cultivation, which only occurs historically (Eisenman 1994, p. 11). In the Marxist school of thought, Diderots emphasis on creative freedom still remains paramount to artistic creation. However, Marx stipulates that the abstract is only given form by prevailing attitudes of the day. Eisenman supports Marxism as a method of art, writing, all the senses are differently developed according to the nature of the particular society in which the person lives: a capitalist society in which the sense of having dominates is clearly different in its sensual or perceptual capacities from a feudal or Communist society which does not subscribe to the concept of private property (Eisenman 1994, p.11). Ultimately, art methods are only viable given the freedom of interpretation they allow. Marxism is viable because it promotes inspiration on part of the artist, as well as affording an observing art beholder a unique avenue of interpretation. The only caveat to employing ideology as a method of art is its constrictive nature. When applied exclusively, any single art method exudes glaring inefficacy in the face of constricted artistic freedom. However, the singling of any art method as a useless art method lends itself to the practice of restriction, defeating the requisite observation of creative freedom, whether the artist or the one perceiving art practices that freedom. Marxism, in turn, is just as useful an art method as any other ideology, so long as it is utilized as one possible perception among many. Marx argued, the cultivation of senseswhether in the form of art, music, or literaturein its turn plays a significant role in the historical unfolding of a society, and it is an untenable fact that history plays a part in shaping art, whether in the form of ideology or any other aspect of humanity (Eisenman 1994, p. 11).