Stranger than fiction- argument essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Stranger than fiction- argument - Essay Example Despite Harold refusal to listen to the narration, he heard one verse from it that changed his perception towards the narration. The verse changed everything making him begin searching for the meaning (French 5). However, he did all these not knowing that the simple act would cause his death. The simple narration from the author made Harold do all within his means to escape death. He went to a psychologist who confirmed to him that he suffers from schizophrenic; however, he refused that to be suffering from such ailment (Scott 4). Hence, he went again to seek advice from a professor of literature, Hilbert, who questioned him and left to configure if he is in a comedy or tragedy (Ebert 6). The author knew that he would be hitched in case he is in comedy and die in case he is in tragedy (Ebert 8). From the above short synopsis of the movie, it is evident that there are many things, which the video has not explained, and they leave the reader in a dilemma. The reader has to guess the events, which transpired some of the actions witnessed in the book that the book ought to have explained or gave a sequence to their occurrence. For instance, it is not clear and explained how Harold came to find himself in the book authored by Karen as one of the characters. Although the main protagonist heard voices that he did not understand the meaning, they would not be a justification for his appearance in the book. Similarly, the author of the book spoke to him in a special way, which also does not guarantee his appearance in the book as one of the characters. Therefore, there are many things that the movie left hanging without proper timeline of how they came to take place. Therefore, the rest of the essay will talk about the developments of events in the movie and ways different activitie s and approaches of the author that influenced Harold and the rest of the characters in the

The Importance of the Modern Era of Political Philosophy Essay Example for Free

The Importance of the Modern Era of Political Philosophy Essay The Modern Era of political philosophy is best characterized as a revolt against the traditional constraints of the time. Machiavelli believed that politics should be separate and distinct from ethics, morality, and religion. Protestant reformers such as Luther and Calvin went head to head with the Catholic Church, paving the way for religious individualism and incorporating various political revisions. Hobbes called for a major overhaul in England concerning not only political and religious issues, but social and economic ones as well. As modern philosophers began to voice their opinions, Central, Southern, and Western Europe began to change drasticallychanges that would affect the direction of Western political thought forever. Niccolo Machiavelli, born in Florence, Italy in 1469, was the first political philosopher to recognize the importance and potential of the nation-state, an idea he shared with the world. This idea was shared primarily through Machiavellis most notable works: The Prince and Discourses on the First Ten Books of Titus Livius. The Prince was dedicated to the new Medici (the ruling family in Florence at the time) ruler, Lorenzo; some modern interpreters have viewed the work primarily as a plea for forgiveness, as Machiavelli wanted his civil service job back after being suspected of treason. As indicated in his two major works, Machiavelli had two distinct goals: the desire to return to active government service and the promotion of stability and freedom from foreign control, secular or religious, for all of Italy. Martin Luthers (1483-1546) discrepancies with the Catholic Church began early in his career when he attacked the sale of indulgences and also came to the conclusion that human nature is wretched and sinful. He also criticized the popes absolutism and the church hierarchy. When Luther finally poured his heart out onto paper in 1517, the result was his Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences, otherwise known as the Ninety-five Theses, which he promptly nailed to the church door in his hometown of Wittenberg, Germany. Three years later Luther wrote an essay  entitled An Appeal to the Ruling Class. Each of these works as well as Luthers other writings made three main allegations against the church. These allegations were known as the Three Walls. The first wall he attacks is the fact that secular power has no control over the pope. The second wall deals with the idea that the church is more than just the pope; it encompasses everyone who is a member of the faith. This particular wall disputed the idea of papal infallibility as well as the pope as the sole authority of the church. The third wall Luther confronts concerns the claim that only the pope can summon a council to resolve or address church issues, such as questions of doctrine. Later that same year, the pope excommunicated Luther from the Catholic Church, but not before Luthers words had a significant impact on the Catholic Church. These events cause Christians to reexamine the relationship between church and state-authority through the eyes of the individual, as well as defining limits on both church and state power. John Calvin, born in 1509, founded one of the first sects of Protestantism that developed after Luthers revamp of the Catholic Church. Calvin shared the belief that human deeds cannot ensure salvation and that government serves as a punishment and remedy for human sin. In his book Institutes of the Christian Religion, Calvin distinguishes two types of government: the spiritual, by which the conscience is formed to piety and the service of God; and the political, by which a man is instructed in the duties of humanity and civility. Almost overnight, the Protestant Reformation brought the monolithic foundation of medieval Christianity down, leaving behind several new concepts in political thought. During the first half of the 17th century, English philosopher Thomas Hobbes found conflict on numerous fronts concerning English society. The first issue was concerning religious freedom, pitting King Charles I and his Anglican Church against a number of independent Protestant sects. Hobbes and his Protestant followers claimed that the Anglican Church was too close in organization and liturgy to the Catholic Church. They also rejected the claim of Charles I to rule by divine right. The second issue was political in nature, concerning the fact that England did not have a written  constitution (and still do not today), thereby allowing for Parliamentary error and inconsistancies. The third issue that Hobbes was concerned with was the fact that social and economic issues were becoming interrelated due to a growing middle class who demanded more political representation in Parliament. During Hobbess lifetime, the world experienced a scientific revolution due to important discoveries. The spirit of forward progress influenced Hobbess understanding of politics as well. Hobbes treated his issues like scientific theory, always concerned with precise definitions and correct terminology. On what basis could the practice of government be conducted once society was no longer a community? asks the central philosophical question concerning Hobbess political philosophies. Hobbes reinforces the basis for politics of the Modern Era by uniting absolutism and consent, taking his cues from the scientific revolution of the era. Hobbess most important philosophical work, Leviathan, discusses human nature from the standpoint of the individual, thus defining the foundation for Hobbess political universe. Obviously, Hobbess political focus is on the individual; however, some critics argue whether Hobbess philosophies were intended as a scientific blueprint for a fit government as Hobbes saw it, or if his philosophies merely succeeded in raising questions about the balance between individual liberty and social order. Of all the versatile philosophers associated with the Modern Era of political philosophy, only Niccolo Machiavelli can be described as the personification of the transformation from the medieval to the modern era. Machiavellis aggregate view of politics focuses on the individual. In contradiction to the values of ancient and medieval political philosophers, Machiavelli establishes a separation between personal morality and necessary political practice. The Florentine also supports the idea of a republican state, thus allowing the greatest degree of liberty. He created a new science of politics with a more down-to-earth and practical set of principles. Machiavellis recognition of the importance and potential of the nation-state not only set him apart from his predecessors, but also ushered in a new era of political thought, paving the way toward the unfolding  Western political tradition. The importance of the Modern Era of political philosophy is plainly evident in todays society. A large part of the Constitution of the United States is based on the liberal philosophies of the Modern Era. The idea of separation of church and state is most prolific during this era, and it remains today one of the fundamental principles of liberty upon which the governments of the United States and numerous other nation-states in the West are based. Also, the focus of individual liberty is very apparent in many of the political discourses of the Modern philosophers. Had the philosophers of the Modern Era not battled the widespread corruption apparent in the Catholic Church and the ruling classes across Europe, who is to say that the Western political tradition would have unfolded at all?

America MUST Drill for Oil in The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR

America MUST Drill for Oil in The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For a drug addict to quit a drug, the best solutions for the addict would be to slowly wean them self off the drug periodically. America can be viewed in a parallel way on its dependency for oil. America needs another source of oil to slowly lessen its overwhelming dependency on foreign oil and to help the process of finding another mass energy source. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge better known as the ANWR is a rich treasure of oil and gas that can help lessen Americas need for foreign resources. Drilling on the ANWR will not only help the American economy, but will also help aid America in the future. Many ask â€Å"why do we need this oil in Alaska? Is it to make America a more dominant world power? Is it to increase pollution by getting more oil?† The answer is, no. America’s stance is conservation and alternative sources of energy, however, the US cannot switch to another energy resource over night. America needs another reserve to tap into to be removed from Middle Eastern dependency. The US needs something so that its foreign policy is not seized captive by its need for oil. As the US tries to develop new sources of energy the ANWR is a reserve that should be tapped into to help free up the oil dependency. Drilling on the ANWR would significantly help the American economy as a whole. Opening up the ANWR would help diminish our binds to the Middle East and help our own economy by creating...

Problems of the Working College Student Essay

I work thrity-five hours a week at a warehouse in Ontario California. When I first registered for college classes, I figured college would be fairly easy to fit into my schedule. After all, I thought, college students are not in class all day, like high school students are. So, I assumed the twelve hours a week I’d spend in class wouldn’t be too much of a load. But I was in for a big surprise. My first semester at college showed me that students who work while going to college face problems at school, at work, and at home. First of all, students who try to juggle job and school responsibilities find trouble at school. Early morning classes, for example, are particularly difficult for me. Because I work every week night from six to midnight, I don’t get home until 1:00 a. m. , and I can’t fall asleep until 2:00 a. m. or later. Consequently, I am too tired to pay attention in my eight o’clock class. Once, I even fell asleep in that class and my Professor asked me to leave for the day. Not only was this an embarrassment for myself, but it also cost me to miss the day’s assignment not to mention being marked as absent for the day. Sometimes student’s work hours create other conflicts. For instance in my experience they cut into my study time, so I have little time to do all the assigned reading and homework. I get behind in the assignments, and I never seem to have enough time to catch up. As a result, my grades are not as good as they could be. To avoid these kind of experience’s students have to be organized, and have time management or they may get overwhelm in their daily schedule. Because students both work and go to school, they can have problems doing well with their education. But work can also suffer when workers attend college. Students can bring school into the work place. I’ve been guilty of this practice and have paid the price. One night I tried to study at work, but my supervisor caught me reading my college textbook at my work station this was a problem, and after the supervisor asked me to put my book away and get back to work I was reprimanded, and now my supervisor doesn’t trust me. Sometimes students come to work very tired, which is another problem. For example when I don’t get enough sleep I can become rude to fellow co-workers, and then the rudeness can get me into trouble. I remember one particular time a co-worker reported me because I was sarcastic to her. She had spent a half hour complaining about my job performance and I had been too tired to be patient and I lost my temper. Once again, my supervisor reprimanded me and I was asked to leave for the night. Another time, school interfered with my job when I had to leave work early to take a make-up test at school. I know my supervisor was unhappy with me then, too. Arranging a schedule that will fit the needs of schooling is a solution to combat this problem. Working college students can also suffer outside of classes and the workplace. For example my schedule illustrates the conflicts of trying to take on too many duties. Since I work nights during the week, the weekends are a more convenient time that I can study. Because I have to use my weekends to do school work, I can’t do other things. My apartment is a mess since I have no time to clean it. Worse, my girlfriend is threatening to leave me because I have no social life. We never even go out like we once used to now when she comes over, I am too busy studying. However the rewards of earning a college degree in this economy can be the difference between having a job and having a career. Students who have sacrificed their time with hard work and determination are more likely to earn that degree. Students, who have responsibilities at home, work and college can face a cycle of stress. For example, I am constantly racing around trying to manage my time, and I can’t break the cycle. I want a college education, and I must have a job to pay my tuition and living expenses. The only way students can manage is to learn to manage their time. For example after speaking with my supervisor about the quest for a higher education he understands my situation and has rearranged a work schedule to fit the needs of my schooling. Now in my third semester at college, I’ve realized that working students have to be very organized to cope with the responsibilities of college, work, and home.

The History of Policing

The history of policing in the United States is broke down into three general eras they are the political era from 1840 to1930, the reform era from 1930 to 1980 and the community era from 1980 to present. As we look at these eras we find that some of the tactics and policies that were effective in one era were quite ineffective in another or in contrast that some tactics that were thought ineffective are now being considered necessary for an effective and productive police force. In the political era officers were appointed by politicians and would remain loyal to those who appointed them. In this era officers provided several services that would include running soup lines, helping immigrants find jobs and establish themselves, the officers would at times allow new immigrants temporary housing in the station house. The main means of patrolling their beat was on foot. These officers would also live in the neighborhoods that they patrolled this would prove to be both beneficial and detrimental. The beneficial part was that they knew their neighborhood they had a personal stake in maintaining order. The detrimental part was that they had a tendency to keep those who â€Å"did not belong† or â€Å"strangers† out of the neighborhood by using â€Å"Curbstone justice† this often resulted in discrimination. In the reform era the public grow tired of the corruption, brutality and unfairness of police forces and wanted to follow J. Edgar Hoover's reform of the Bureau of Investigation. Those that wanted these changes became known as â€Å"reformers† and they demanded change, they saw politicians as the problem with policing and wanted to remove the ties between politics and police. These reformers began to get changes made across the country things like civil service exams, making it illegal for an officer to live in the area that he patrolled and making changes to how the chief of police was hired or fired. Changes were also made to the why officers did their jobs and even what their jobs were. Police focused on law enforcement and controlling crime all of the other duties became Social work. This system removed foot patrols and wanted officers to be distant and removed from the communities they served, the belief was that this would enable them to administer the law in an objective manner. In 1967 the â€Å"President's Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice ratified this orientation: heretofore, Police had been conceptualized as an agency of urban government; the President's Commission reconceptualized them as part of the Criminal Justice System.† The community era started in the 1980's however the research that much of this era is based on began in the late 1970's in places like Flint Michigan were foot patrols were brought back throughout the city. The city even voted twice to raise taxes in order to maintain the foot patrols. The result of the foot patrols were â€Å"reduced fear, increased citizen satisfaction with police and increased morale and job satisfaction of the officers.† Other programs like the â€Å"Safe and Clean Neighborhood Program† in New Jersey had similar success. Research also showed that increasing other types of patrols that focus on police-citizen interactions also had similar results. These studies lead to a new way of policing referred to as community policing. This new tactic put officers back in the communities and changed what was expected of them. Officers were now tasked with maintaining order, negotiating conflicts and solving community problems these tasks require neighborhood and community involvement. Community policing encourages people to bring problems to an officer or to a local police station and gives the officer and the station the ability to devise and implement solutions, it is also a strategy that allows officers to learn what is expected or wanted by their community then gives the officer the ability to deliver results that will meet these expectations. The intension is to deliver on what the community wants and in turn gain the trust and cooperation of the community, this trust and cooperation will in turn reduce crime and gain effective information from the community when needed to solve crime.The history of policing in the United States has gone through several changes since the political era of the 1840's. With wide spread changes made in the reform era of the 1930's that took police away from the community and kept them distant from those that they served. It took research conducted in the late 1970's and early 1980's to discover that better information on crime and criminals could be obtained by police from citizens and that patrol officers were in the best position to obtain this information. This research has lead to the community policing that we see in today's police departments.

Vermont Trip Essays - 9, Free Essays, Term Papers, Research Papers

Vermont Trip Essays - 9, Free Essays, Term Papers, Research Papers Vermont Trip VERMONT TRIP: On behalf of myself, and many other students, I would like to formally address the Drug and Alcohol problem that accompanied the 1999-2000 school year Vermont trip. Many times I have heard stories about the infamous Vermont Ski trip, and the many illegal things that have occurred consistently throughout the years. To the best of my knowledge this behavior was ignored, overlooked, and typical of this trip. So in believing that this kind of partying was habitual, I decided to participate along with several others who had attended past trips. At first I was hesitant in bringing anything, but after a couple of conversations with certain individuals, I was convinced that it would be all right to do so without any punishment being enforced. Thus brought me to obtaining the single bottle I was bringing for a friend ,and I to consume with others, along with the other alcoholic beverages brought on the trip by my peers. This brings us to the time of departure for Vermont, on Thursday March 17, 2000. At approximately 11:50 PM I arrived to load the bus. At a little after 12:00 AM we left the Holley High School for Vermont, without A BAG CHECK by any of the seven chaperones. After a ten hour drive we arrived at our destination, Stowe Ski Resort. At around 4:30 PM we loaded the bus to go to the Courtyard By Marriot, the hotel in which we would be staying at for the remainder of the trip. Following our arrival we were given the room assignments, we then unpacked our bags quickly, and my roommates and I hid the alcohol that we each brought under our beds. After that a majority of us students went to the pool, and jacuzzi for a swim before our expected 7:00 PM dinner time. Dinner lasted for about a half an hour, to forty-five minutes, and soon after I then again went to the pool with a couple of people for another swim. Around 8:30 PM I returned upstairs to a friends room, where I then received a phone call from one of my roommates asking me if I planned on returning to our room to drink. I answered hesitantly, but after a little debating I decided to go back to my room. At that moment I only returned ,to change out of my swim clothes, before I headed back to the friends room. While I was in my room changing I was asked by two of my roommates to compare their drinks, and decipher which was better. This then proves that the alcohol, both mine, and my roommates, had already been out and consumed long before I first returned. After that, I went to my friends room and we both then returned to my room at about 9:00pm. Upon arrival we had found six other people in my room already there for one purpose. I then proceeded to ask one of my roommates where the bottles were, he then replied in the liquor cabinet, sure enough there I found all the alcohol moved from under the beds where I last knew it to be, into the place where I was storing my clothes. At that moment I removed the bottle from the cabinet to pass around to my friends. First I had opened the bottle so that everyone could smell the Butter Scotch aroma. After passing it around to all eight people including myself., we then all took one baby sip from the bottle. A few moments after that most of the people in my room decided to go take a swim. Then three female students left to go change into their swimming attire, leaving my friend, three of my roommates, and myself in the room. At this point the bottle had been sealed for a couple of minutes. I was then listening to one of my roommates tell a story, while the other two changed. During this short period of time there was a knock on the door, and Mr. Orbaker who was the ski trip advisor, walked into the room to see me holding the bottle in my hands. After I got done listening to my roommates story I then noticed Mr. Orbaker standing in the hallway staring at me. He then motioned for me to walk over to him, as I did he signaled for the bottle, grabbed the liquor and proceeded to say way to be

Excellent paper writing is real with us!

Excellent paper writing is real with us! Writing an Excellent Paper – You Need a Blueprint Constructing a bridge without a blueprint would constitute stupidity, because it would result in a faulty structure that would probably fail. And making an attempt at writing a paper without a blueprint that outlines the steps is just as ridiculous. Just as a blueprint guides a construction crew through a step-by-step process, so does one for construction of a scholarly research paper. You can’t skip any of the steps and still expect an excellent result. Step One: Pick your topic. While this may seem like an easy step, you may actually end up feeling like Goldilocks in the home of the three bears. One will be too broad and another will be too narrow. You will have to find one that is â€Å"just fight† for the length parameters your instructor has given. One way to do this is to take a look at sample papers on the internet, in your broader content area, that meet the breadth and depth of what you need and that interests you. And do pick a topic you like – the entire production process will be drudgery if you don’t. Step Two: The research. Your search for appropriate resources can begin on the Internet, using specific keywords related to our topic.  Now here is the thing about resources. Your instructor or professor will want a variety – one or two books, two-three journal articles, and the perhaps one or two sources solely available on the Internet. You will not have a problem finding resource titles, but you do have to sort the â€Å"junk† from the respected sources. Check out the authors of any source you are considering, so that you know they have credentials to be considered authorities on the topic. Since most campus libraries are online, a lot of current resources are accessible from your home or dorm room, but you may have to actually enter the structure and check out a book or two! Be careful as you take notes, so that you have your resource information included for citation later on. And, if you have a good app for doing so, you can organize your notes by sub-topic, and the combining of different resources on one sub-topic is done for you. If you are unsure about sub-topics to include again, look at a sample paper or two online, and see what sub-topics others have used. Step Three: Get a thesis. What is the purpose for you writing this paper? If your writing paper assignment is to persuade, then you probably already have a thesis – your opinion. But, once the research is done, what do you see as important for a reader to learn about this topic? If you are writing about artificial intelligence, for example, what are the great benefits and what are the potential dangers? If you are writing about the Vietnam War, was it worth the cost in lives and money? You need to make a point with your paper, and your thesis statement comes from your response and your reaction to what you have researched. Step Four: Paper writing cannot begin until you have the most important part of your blueprint in place – your outline. Now, this does not have to be a formal one. In fact, remember how your organized those subtopics? They really are the basis for your organizational structure, so look at them and determine the sequence in which they should be presented. Now, take each sub-topic and read through the information and/or data from your research. Combine pieces of information that are related, and these â€Å"sub-sub topics† will be your paragraphs for that section of your paper. Step Five: The writing. You’re now ready to write the rough draft of the body of your paper. Be considerate of your reader, and use headings for each sub-topic – it keeps his/her thoughts organized (and your professor will be impressed). If you have not yet bought a style-check app, you should do so. It does much more than just a simple Word grammar check, and it will help you â€Å"clean-up† all those poorly structured sentences as you write. Here’s a few other tips for your writing: Don’t use a vocabulary that is â€Å"beyond your years,† and don’t try to impress with lengthy and highly complex sentences. Pretend that you are writing this paper for a fellow student. So, if there are terms that are not commonly known, define them. Don’t use slang and jargon unless it is in a quote. Don’t use contractions as I am using here! They are not appropriate in formal writing. Limit the direct quotes you use to those that are really impactful. Step Six: The Final Draft. Editing and proofreading is a task best accomplished in two ways. If you are doing your own proofreading, put the paper aside for at least 12 hours and do something else (like sleep). This will allow you to be more objective when you do review it. The other and better option is to have someone else review it – you can trade-off with another student and edit each other’s papers, if you are both pretty good writers. The paper has to flow logically, and someone else will pick up issues with coherence that you will not. Step Seven: The Style Format. Your in-text and end-of-text citations must be according to the required style, so do not get sloppy with this. And be certain that your title page, pagination, font, margins, etc. are in compliance. It’s those little things that keep a professor happy! A paper that is worthy of a good grade can only be produced by using all of these steps. You really cannot â€Å"cut corners,† and that is why paper writing consumes so much time. If you don’t have the time or if you really dislike your topic, you will not prepare a scholarly piece of writing. In these instances, you are probably better served contacting a custom paper writing service and getting some help.

What Is the Endoplasmic Reticulum What Does It Do

What Is the Endoplasmic Reticulum What Does It Do SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re getting ready for the AP Biology exam, then you’re probably spending quite a bit of time studying cell structure. But keeping all the structures straight and understanding each one’s function can be confusing! That’s why we’re breaking down cell structures for you, starting with the endoplasmic reticulum, or ER. In this article, we’ll teach you everything you need to know about the endoplasmic reticulum, including how it functions in a cell. We’ll even break down the differences between the rough endoplasmic reticulum and the smooth endoplasmic reticulum! Ready? Then let’s get started! A Quick Introduction to Cell Structure The endoplasmic reticulum is an essential part of a cell. In your biology class, you probably learned that cells are the building blocks of all life...including humans! Obviously, that makes cells super important, which is why it’s also important to understand how they function. Because plants and animals are complex creatures, the structure of a cell is complex, too. Each cell is made up of many individual parts, each of which has a job within the cell itself! Some help keep everything in one place (like the cell membrane), some produce energy to power the cell (the mitochondria), and there are even parts that help keep the cell clean (lysosomes)! These different structures found within cells are called organelles. The endoplasmic reticulum is an organelle that can be found in both eukaryotic (animal) and prokaryotic (plant) cells. Just keep in mind that not all cells have endoplasmic reticulum! For example, red blood cells don’t have endoplasmic reticuli, even though they’re an important part of animal biology! Endoplasmic Reticulum Definition The endoplasmic reticulum is defined as an organelle that is made up of a series of phospholipid membranes. In fact, the membranes that make up the endoplasmic reticulum can account for half of a cell’s total membrane structure in animal cells! These membranes are called cisternae, are shaped like tubes or sacs, and are continuous with the outer membrane of the cell’s nucleus. That’s a fancy way of saying that the endoplasmic reticulum is attached to the nucleus itself. Endoplasmic Reticulum Function Now let’s talk a little bit more about how an endoplasmic reticulum functions. In general, the endoplasmic reticulum helps with the synthesis, folding, modification, and transport of proteins and lipids. The endoplasmic reticulum does this through ribosomes that are attached to its membrane walls. (We’ll talk more about how this works a little later). The endoplasmic reticulum also stores calcium and releases it when the cell needs it. In fact, many of the proteins and lipids made by the endoplasmic reticulum are used by other organelles in the cell. One of the best ways to understand- and remember!- what the endoplasmic reticulum does is to think of it like a factory. In a manufacturing plant, people take raw materials and make it into something new and usable, which they then ship to other stores, manufacturers, and suppliers around the world. Just like a real-world factory, the endoplasmic reticulum builds the â€Å"products† a cell needs to function, then â€Å"ships† them to where they need to go, when they need to go there. CFCF/WikimediaCommons Endoplasmic Reticulum Appearance So what does the endoplasmic reticulum look like, exactly? Well, do you remember the mazes that you could find in coloring books when you were a kid? The endoplasmic reticulum looks a lot like that! The cisternae stretch out and away from the cell nucleus in a series of folds and tubes, and they extend throughout the cell almost like a highway system. So when you’re looking at a cell diagram, look for the maze-like structure that’s attached to the cell nucleus. That’s the endoplasmic reticulum! You might notice that cell diagrams often picture some areas of the endoplasmic reticulum with bumps, while other sections look smooth. That’s because endoplasmic reticulum is actually comprised of two pieces: the rough endoplasmic reticulum and the smooth endoplasmic reticulum. Knowing how these different areas work is important to understanding the function of the endoplasmic reticulum as a whole. CFCF/Wikimedia Commons Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum The rough endoplasmic reticulum, or RER, gets its name from the ribosomes embedded in its surface...which make it look rough! The rough endoplasmic reticulum is situated closest to the nucleus- in fact, it’s attached to the nuclear envelope- so that molecules can move directly between the membranes. The ribosomes that are attached to the walls of the rough endoplasmic reticulum function just like free ribosomes would. That means that they synthesize proteins, which provide the energy needed for a cell to operate. The process of creating proteins is called translation. One the ribosomes have synthesized a protein, they are â€Å"labeled† with a specific final destination. Some proteins are sent to the Golgi apparatus, while others are secreted into the cell exterior or kept within the membrane of the rough endoplasmic reticulum itself. There are certain proteins that are sent into the space within the rough endoplasmic reticulum. This space, which is also called the lumen, is where certain proteins are folded, modified, and assembled. Some of these proteins will have sugar groups added to them to form glycoproteins. Likewise, some of these new proteins will be transported out of the endoplasmic reticulum, while others will stay inside the endoplasmic reticulum to perform functions there. The lumen is also where the endoplasmic reticulum does its â€Å"quality control.† When misfolded or otherwise incorrect proteins accumulate in the lumen, the unfolded protein response (or UPR) is triggered. This tells the cell to reduce the amount of protein its producing while enhancing the endoplasmic reticulum’s protein-folding ability. If the problem doesn’t correct itself, it triggers apoptosis, or programmed cell death. One super cool note: the ribosomes of the rough endoplasmic reticulum aren’t permanently attached to the membrane itself. That means that new ribosomes can detach and attach depending on the proteins the cell needs! CFCF/Wikimedia Commons Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum Unlike the rough endoplasmic reticulum, the smooth endoplasmic reticulum doesn’t have any ribosomes attached to it. That makes it look smooth- which is how it gets its name! The smooth endoplasmic reticulum’s function is almost exclusively to make lipids, like phospholipids and cholesterol. How these lipids are used depends on the cell type. Lipids can be used to create new cell membranes, create hormones, and store energy. The smooth endoplasmic reticulum also helps detoxify the cell by converting toxic organic chemicals into safer, water soluble products. Fun fact: when there are lots of toxins present, the smooth endoplasmic reticulum can double its surface area to help clear them out. It will then return to normal size after the toxins have been removed. Liver cells have large amounts of smooth endoplasmic reticulum for this very purpose! Finally, there’s a type of specialized smooth endoplasmic reticulum called the sarcoplasmic reticulum. The sarcoplasmic reticulum is found in muscle cells and is used to store calcium ions that muscles need to function. When muscles experience sustained activity, the sarcoplasmic reticulum can release the stored calcium ions to help the muscles function. Additional Resources If you’ve read through this guide and still would like to know more about how the endoplasmic reticulum works, here are a few other resources that you can check out. Khan Academy Khan Academy has tons of free resources on all sorts of topics including cell structure. Their video on the endoplasmic reticulum is really helpful, and they have articles about it on their website, too. The British Society for Cell Biology The British Society for Cell Biology is a British non-profit organization dedicated to advancing cell biology research, which includes sharing knowledge and information. One of the ways they do this is through educational material, which they share on their website. Their softCell e-Learning portal has tons of good information about all the organelles of a cell, including the endoplasmic reticulum. CrashCourse Who said studying has to be boring? The CrashCourse channel on YouTube- hosted by none other than John and Hank Green of VlogBrothers fame- is all about creating fun and informational educational content. Hank’s series on animal cells is a great resource, and the fourth video in the series (Eukaryopolis!) gives you an overview of the endoplasmic reticulum. What’s Next? Need to brush up on more than just the endoplasmic reticulum before tackling the AP Biology exam? Grabbing a workbook or textbook might be your best bet. Here’s a curated list of the best AP Biology books to help you study harder and smarter. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the AP Biology exam, you’re not alone. There are lots of students who find this test tricky! That’s why we’ve put together a complete AP Biology review guide. It breaks down all of the topics that might appear on the exam, so you can figure out exactly what you need to study. (It also includes some great study tips, too!) The best way to figure out if you’re prepared for the AP Biology test is to take a practice exam. Here’s a list of every AP Biology practice test available. And the best news? They’re free!

Describe one method for manipulation of microstructure and mechanical Essay

Describe one method for manipulation of microstructure and mechanical properties for each of the following class of materials - Essay Example This technique makes the metal soft, and it can be cut and shaped more easily. For example, mild steel is usually heated to a red heat, after which it is allowed to cool slowly. Other metals like aluminium melt when heated to high temperatures. Therefore, care must be taken when annealing them. Annealed metals can be changed to any shape and size, and then allowed to cool slowly into their hard status (Groover, 2010 p57). Nanotechnology is the process of engineering functional systems at the molecular scale usually at the Subatomic level (American Ceramic Society, 2009 p123). It usually deals with structures of 100 nanometers or less. Its main purpose is to make materials cleaner, lighter and more prà ©cised. Ceramics is one of the areas where nanotechnology has led to the production of a wide array of materials with distinct performance and property. Nano ceramics exist in solid form ranging in the size of nano meters (10-9) to micrometers (10-6). A Large number of particles provide a large surface area which can be held together by Nanokote to give stronger, light weight, brittle and thermal resistance ceramics (American Ceramic Society, 2009 p134). Mould manipulation of polymers can help in overcoming mechanical and aesthetic weaknesses that are associated with the standard injection moulding (Rudd & Long, 1997 p98). This can involve improving bulk properties like weld lines or manipulating orientation morphology enhancement. In this process, experimental outcomes of a rotating pin at the weld line of glass and talc filled polypropylene are introduced (Rudd & Long, 1997 p98). Talc filled material ensures that pin rotation speed does not exceed 100 rotation per minute, and this enhances polymer strength. Glass filled material also enhances strength significantly, but not as compare to talc filled material. Mould Manipulation technique also introduces the chances of producing other

Social media and prisoners assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Social media and prisoners assignment - Essay Example This is because, allowing the prisoners to access and use social media is placing the victims and the families of those affected by the crimes at the mercy of the prisoners, for perpetual threatening, insults and further torment. Whenever the victims and the families of the victims encounter the faces of the prisoners who offended them on the internet calling for friendship and love, it is a horrifying reminder of the ordeals they suffered on the hands of the offenders. Additionally, allowing the prisoners to access and use social media, presents them with an opportunity to seek for their victims and their families online, and continue to torment or threaten them through inappropriate messages (Allisa, 73). For these reasons, those opposed to the prisoners accessing and using social media platforms to access the outside world, holds the opinion that it is only fair to hinder, and illegalize any access of social media by prisoners. Secondly, the critics and those contesting social media access and use by prisoners, hold that such action amounts to opening further avenues for the criminals to continue perpetrating crimes, since by allowing the prisoners to use social media platforms, they can engage in plans to escape from jail, or even organize for the supply of contraband goods into the prisons, or worse still, coordinate further criminal activities through communicating with their partners in the outside world (Jonsson, 1). For example, in May 2000, an inmate from a New York prison who had been sentenced for fraud was found to have masterminded a stock-picking internet fraudulent scheme (Allisa, 74). Further, a case of David Puckett, an in inmate from Texas who befriended and cajoled a Face book friend who eventually assisted him to escape from prison, serves to strengthen the case for those opposed to the access and use of social media by prisoners (Jonsson, 2). Nevertheless, the discussion holds that prisoners should be allowed the access and

Economic Statcraft Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Economic Statcraft - Essay Example Relations between our countries became soured by the hostage-taking, military confrontation and harsh allegations after the Islamic revolution. Until recently, the strained relations are further emphasized by the sanctions that are in place that has seriously dampened the economic growth of the country. Both Iran and ours. The number of sanctions in the past two decades has also been instrumental in shaping its trade policy and its partnerships in the immediate region. In reacting to the terrorist attacks and their various networks terrorizing other countries as well, the choice to place an economic sanction on Iran is in retaliation to their attacks. This is to control the persistence of such acts and present a down ward trend if applied immediately. This sanction should be considered by Iran as an act of good faith to prove that diplomatic relations that deteriorated will have no further subsequent effects on trade relations in the even they accept. The hostage-taking in the embassy in Tehran hurting and killing Americans strained the relations between the two countries although it was downplayed by the international media might change if Iran is sanctioned economically. Possibly, strategies that can be applied are trade restrictions covering the economy as it will be extremely difficult to focus on local productions while recovering lost â€Å"allies† during the hostage-taking incident. Secondly, a political sanction may work best in curbing Iran’s influence and clout in the world trade market. Persuading other countries, like Europe and Japan and other U.S. sympathetic countries to limit their involvement with Iran through diplomatic connections could greatly affect Iran’s GNP. This could be done but is r isky and costly because in the process Iran may react at the first sanction through creativity. Meaning, Iran will place its emphasis on diversifying its international trade routes in order to maximize its trade grounds

Management Society and new forms of work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Management Society and new forms of work - Essay Example Analysis The author draws on the real subsumption notion of Marxism. This argument claims that the capitalistic regime will eventually be hard pressed to absorb all the labour it produces. The author claims that the phenomena in the digital/new economy whereby internet users become active participants in the development of content and/or software (Terranova 2004). The argument here is that many difficulties arise from this relationship. While the difficulties may present a problem, under close inspection, this argument collapses in view of Adam Smith’s contention that man is driven by his own desire to better his/her lot and society becomes better as a result (Raphael 1985). It can thus be argued that the content developing users of the internet are only striving to make the sites better off for them and in the process benefitting all of us. This is a significant improvement in innovativeness that has been brought about by the interconnectivity in the new business environments . The traditional organization structures are changing. With the emergence of new thoughts and bold maverick entrepreneurs emerging to experiment with new structures and often emerging successful, more and more companies are bond to pick up the trend. Andrew Ross’s study of the ‘silicon valley’ analyzed companies like Razorfish which had open managements and was able to induce over enthusiasm in its workers and increase production (Ross 1988). These advances redefine management and employer employee relations and have succeeded in making workers feel ownership more than traditional setups. This is a direct rebuttal by the innovative capitalists to its opponents of the sixties who argued that labour in capitalist states was repetitive and dull. With the new age of information technology, one does not even require to have met their boss; a company can outsource certain functions across continents without anybody having left the office. This has resulted in more fle xible and stimulating working experiences and the productivity of all parties becomes markedly enhanced. Influences of the management theory reform movement have informed most of the new economy’s decisions. The emphasis on the value of giving workers more liberty in driving the production process through new management structure has paid off. Decentralized institutions and ones which delegate a lot has proved to be more productive in the long run. Arguably, this draws from the ‘biological turn’ discovery. The argument that it is possible to contain and direct human effort and the creativity of the masses has considerable promise, elective and moderate application of pressure is the means to achieving this. It is highly possible to harness production from workforces without necessarily having the congregated at a particular territory. As such even the office as we know it today is bound to change. With this in mind, it can also be said that the Bionomic view of t he economy as a chaotic but self organizing ecology and organizations intelligent and social beings and that the ultimate boost to the bottom line will come from organizational learning. Looking at the internet as an example of this, a lot of truth in the view is evidenced. The internet expands and mutates without the control of any planners, managers, and in essence not a single person in charge. This can be a reference for any company that favors bottom

Workplace Stress and Aggression Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Workplace Stress and Aggression - Research Paper Example The overall productivity of the businesses may also come down just because of this negative perception about the work place environment in the company (Tom, 2008). The research shows many lethal examples of such violent incidents in different US institutions. At the top of the list, there is an incident of a US Army Major, who was serving as a psychiatrist, killed 13 people at his place in October 2007. Similarly, another horrible incident took place in 2006, when the corps found a dead body of a student at a research building hanging with the wall. The reason behind her death was the violent behavior of the lab assistant (Tom, 2008). In November 2008, an engineer was fired because of the consistent poor performance; he came after a week to his company and shot 11 people in aggression. In another incident in Mississippi in 2003, a plant worker killed six workers and then shot himself too. These are some of the incidents which are highlighted in the research, otherwise the history of US companies is filled with these horrible violent behaviors and therefore increasing the level of aggression and stress in the company employees (Tom, 2008). The increasing rate of work place violence issues need to be addressed soon other it will create a havoc for the rest of the company employees and thus the company management will have to suffer the losses. For this reason, the company management should be aware of the warning signs or the triggering factors which actually provoke these violent behaviors. In this way, company can take precautionary measures to avoid any such hazardous event or incident to take place (Morris, 2005). If a person is not at all comfortable with his or her colleagues at the work place and used to pass negative comments on them then it means that he has an aggressive behavior towards others. His inappropriate remarks towards other are a symbol that he is not comfortable with them. According to these people, they are

Strategic Technology Planning Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Strategic Technology Planning - Research Paper Example This is after American Express created a custom customer service Facebook page. From the page, cardholders can conveniently ask about services offered and also make their complaints. The research analyzed online platforms used by major and minor companies in handling online marketing. The content conveyed in these platforms was also analyzed to determine whether they had any aspects of marketing or were just general information. According to Grant (2014) internet marketing is a tool that can be used to elevate a company within hours if well used. The world is actively talking online. The results indicated that the social media is the main platform used by companies to carry out online marketing. This paper research also discusses the use of Apps for smartphones, tablets, pads and other telecommunication gadgets. In as much as people are using the internet, attracting them to your platform is very essential. Marketing would only make sense if the target clientele is able to receive your message. The recommendations from this research are that companies need to diversify their online marketing and use other platforms like emails and blogs. Companies also need establish internet marketing departments and adequately fund them in order to facilitate their activities. Marketing is a very dynamic aspect in any business. Every day, new strategies are developed and implemented to ensure companies are active in the competitive market. Companies have been forced to allocate majority of their budget into marketing than any other area. Millions have been invested into marketing. This is necessary for any company that wants to make profits (FK Publications, 2013). According to (Taube, 2014) in 2013, the top 100 biggest advertisers in the US used a staggering $109Billion in marketing. Traditional modes of marketing are slowly being replaced by new and advanced modes. The main driving force behind this is the internet. With internet, one is connected to the

Workplace Stress and Aggression Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Workplace Stress and Aggression - Research Paper Example The overall productivity of the businesses may also come down just because of this negative perception about the work place environment in the company (Tom, 2008). The research shows many lethal examples of such violent incidents in different US institutions. At the top of the list, there is an incident of a US Army Major, who was serving as a psychiatrist, killed 13 people at his place in October 2007. Similarly, another horrible incident took place in 2006, when the corps found a dead body of a student at a research building hanging with the wall. The reason behind her death was the violent behavior of the lab assistant (Tom, 2008). In November 2008, an engineer was fired because of the consistent poor performance; he came after a week to his company and shot 11 people in aggression. In another incident in Mississippi in 2003, a plant worker killed six workers and then shot himself too. These are some of the incidents which are highlighted in the research, otherwise the history of US companies is filled with these horrible violent behaviors and therefore increasing the level of aggression and stress in the company employees (Tom, 2008). The increasing rate of work place violence issues need to be addressed soon other it will create a havoc for the rest of the company employees and thus the company management will have to suffer the losses. For this reason, the company management should be aware of the warning signs or the triggering factors which actually provoke these violent behaviors. In this way, company can take precautionary measures to avoid any such hazardous event or incident to take place (Morris, 2005). If a person is not at all comfortable with his or her colleagues at the work place and used to pass negative comments on them then it means that he has an aggressive behavior towards others. His inappropriate remarks towards other are a symbol that he is not comfortable with them. According to these people, they are

Employee Voice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Employee Voice - Essay Example This calls for change in organizations’ strategies to enable the organization to respond to the changes in a timely and flexible manner. To achieve this, an organization needs to gain workforce commitment by enabling them to have a voice on matters that affect them. Employees have, therefore, been empowered through involvement and participation in organization decision making process by the use of direct or indirect voice mechanisms. The paper will discuss the employee voice mechanisms in use today and the outcome of such mechanisms for workers. The employee voice literature began with Hirschman in the 1970s and was further popularised by Freeman and Medoff in the 1980s. Dundon et al (2005) views employee voice as an articulation of individual dissatisfaction, expression of collective organization, contribution to decision making, and mutuality. To articulate dissatisfaction, an individual has only two options according to Hirschman’s exit-voice theory; he can decide to exit or stay and fight from within by voicing his concerns. Hirschman (1970:30) therefore refers to voice as ‘any attempt at all to change rather than escape from an objectionable state of affairs whether through individual or collective petition to management’. ... The role of management is to provide voice mechanisms for workers so as to air their opinions. Freeman and Medoff (1984) built on Hirschman’s theory of exit-voice to emphasize the importance of having a collective voice in organizations especially through trade unions. This form of voice mechanism entails negotiations between employees and employer through the union and has many advantages. The union helps to reduce exits hence retention of qualified staff thus minimising on hiring and training costs. The employment contracts negotiated through collective bargaining also protects the employees’ interests thus enhancing cooperation and job security. The union can also assist the management in introduction of new work practices thus minimising resistance to change (Bennett & Kaufman, 2007). However, unions also can manage to force the organization to increase wages above competitive levels hence a loss to the company. Moreover, most of the workers organized in unions are dissatisfied with their jobs since the union leaders raise their job outcome expectations beyond what is realistic. According to Rose (2007), there is increased decline in unionisation as new sectors emerge hence making unions unrepresentative of employee voice. Many organizations are non-unionized and apply alternative voice mechanisms such as communication, training and development, attitude surveys, financial participation, and quality circles. However, employee voice is driven by various factors. The availability of voice mechanisms in the organization is a key driver of voice as employees can utilise various means to air their grievances but management support is required. For example, the management can put up suggestion boxes to get their opinions and adopt a culture of

International Business, Economic Integration Essay Example for Free

International Business, Economic Integration Essay To begin with, the term economic integration can be defined as a procedure in which nations work together with one other in order to trim down or get rid of obstructions to the worldwide flow of goods, individual or resources (Dalimov, 2008) . The continuing paragraphs bring to light the advantages and disadvantages of economic integration. There exist a number of advantages associated with economic integration one of them is trade creation. By means of trade creation the members nations possess broader choice of products and provisions which were not earlier obtainable, can get hold of products and services at comparatively lesser price subsequent to trade barriers because of reduced tariffs or elimination of tariffs, motivate additional trade among associate nations as the steadiness of capital used up from low-priced products and services, could be brought to play so as to purchase extra goods and provisions. Apart from this, the other advantages include the fact that a group of countries could hold considerably better political authority as compared to every country would possess independently. Moreover, this amalgamation is perceived as a vital stratagem in order to deal with the upshots of disagreements and political unsteadiness that might influence the area. It is also considered to be a very constructive implement to deal with the economic and social challenges related to globalization. Further, as economic integration motivates trade emancipation and result in marketplace growth, extra savings into the nation and larger dissemination of know-how generates additional job prospects for individual to shift from one nation to other with the purpose to search employment or to get superior salary (Alesina et. al. , 1997). Moving ahead, one of the disadvantages associated with economic integration include trade diversion. Due to trade barriers, trade gets shifted from a non-associate nation to an associate nation in spite of the incompetence in price. For instance, a nation would have to bring to a halt trade along with less price produce located in a non-associate nation and deal with a producer located in an associate nation which include a superior price. In addition to this, other disadvantages encompass the fact that it could also augment trade barriers in opposition to non-affiliate nations. Furthermore, it needs associate nations to go without some extent of power with respect to chief procedures such as trade, financial and economic guidelines. Moreover, the greater the degree of incorporation, the higher the level of authorities that requires to be sacrificed chiefly in the situation of a political league economic amalgamation that calls for countries to sacrifice a large amount of independence. Small companies typically have difficulty competing against large multinationals when their governments take part in regional trade blocs. What could governments do to help their small companies compete after the formation of such blocs? Primarily, at the time when a country’s government commits to taking part in a local trade bloc, there prevail a number of concerns that could grab hold of a number of small organizations off guard. A few of these concerns vary from incremented competition, shortfall of workers, and the incapability to acquire superior quality goods that were conventionally obtainable from non associate countries. Moreover, the function of the government entities in supporting organizations with such situation is considered to be rather complicated. The purpose of taking part in the provincial trade bloc is to augment trade that is by and large the flourishing upshot for the entire country. One of the advantages of such trade blocs is the lessening of government participation in trade. However, for government entities to offer help to its organizations could be a bit duplicitous for the bloc contract in case if it hinders trade in any manner with rest of the bloc affiliates. In the happening that an organization’s proceeds are in danger through the introduction of products from a non- bloc associate, tariffs or import taxes could be made compulsory in order to bring down the level of competition. This will require to be synchronized with associate countries so as to make sure permanence. In addition to this, other means by which the government can assist is by trimming down the amount of imported products through quotas. Moreover, this will still permit a fraction of the products into the nation at the same time guaranteeing that organizations inside the nation or bloc could still try to win. The most useful method that the government entities can carry out for its small organizations that strive hard subsequent to the initiation of a trade bloc is to make sure that each and every short term finance matters are handled by establishing help provisions and most significantly, ensuring that edifying facilities inside the nation go along nation’s effectiveness by shoring up formulated plans and bringing about fresh plans in order to handle inadequacies as and when they occur. Moving ahead, a government requires keeping an eye on the way how contribution inside a trade bloc has influenced organizations insides its limitations, the minimum extent of government contribution may prove to be most appropriate. Further, the trade blocs are incessantly being modified by initiating trade with other nations with passing time. Lastly, several negotiations that a nation adopts in the short period so as to attempt to assist circumstances inside its limitations can have enduring impacts on nations which might desire to contribute inside the bloc in the upcoming times.

Women in the IT Sector

Women in the IT Sector The underrepresentation of women in IT is a research section that has received much attention in recent years. Extant research has examined several factors that contribute to and/or increase the widening gender gap. Information technology abbreviated as (I.T) according to Information Technology association of America can be described as the study, development, implementation, support or management of computer based information systems, particularly software applications and computer hardware (Answer co-oporation, 2012). From the above, it can be deduced that Information technology deals with information handing out and knowledge management processing. In the early 60s and 70s, places like banks and hospitals knew about information technology, and understood then as the procedure used to store information. However, in recent times I.T has now become a familiar name. It is an Industry that uses computers, software programs and communication materials to retrieve, store transmit and secure data. Developing and developed countries rely on I.T to ensure rapid progress. Businesses and organizations also rely on the field for maximum output. Over the years, people have effectively adopted and embraced information technology in all sectors and works of life, and it contributes a significant quota to the development of the economy of most countries. Furthermore, it is quite remarkable to note that the foundation and practise of Information technology around the world is a contribution of both the male and female counterparts, and this is quite evident in most developed countries such as the United Kingdom, The United states of America and China. It is quite the opposite in seemingly developing and under-developed countries as statistics which would be presented in the latter of this report shows that women are significantly under-represented across the field. I have carefully carried out a search of literature on participation of women in the industry; also I have examined the women who had made their mark in Information technology. Moreover, the research points to the fact that womens participation in I.T has drastically dropped over the years across the field, despite efforts to attract and keep them in the field. This information presented is a rigorous social science review which would give the reader in-depth background knowledge of where Women participation in the industry started and provides accurate statistics across the United Kingdom, Europe and Africa gotten during the research on this subject. INTRODUCTION Information Technology is rapidly changing the world; it has significantly changed the way we do, the way we communicate with people all over the world. I.T has also advanced the teaching system used in all learning and teaching institutions as well as the way we protect ourselves. People are better informed, and the method of disseminating quality information across the world has improved. The gradually transforming of the IT industry into a household name has been an labour of both male and the female gender who have worked relentlessly to the acceptance of the field; particularly in high developed countries who support the practise of information technology in all fields of life. However, inequality between women and men has persisted in hiring and retention of women at all levels of information technology (I.T), this accounts from the few number of girls who have had an understanding of computer modules in schools, to the low percentage of women/ females who take up any IT course as an undergraduate level and more visibly the lack of female in excellent organisational and academic positions. What seem to have been a common ground and industry for both gender has now become a seemingly mans world due to the low participation of women in this sector. Gender indifferences in IT careers seem to be affecting the competitiveness of companies globally. It posited that given the current labour shortage in the IT industry, it has become more critical than ever to reduce sources of leakage in the IT career paths of women. Figures so far indicate that the proportion of women in IT has dropped from 40 percent of the IT workforce in 1986 to about 29 percent at the end of 1999 and is still dropping (Andrea Kvasny, 2004). This report presented, suggests that stronger representation by women in technical roles would help to resolve troubling human capital deficit, and will refine and extend the scope of technological applications, products, standards and practices; which will improve the society. It also shows the continuing under-representation of women in the Information technology sector. This report consists of figures and graphs. It will also discuss the contributions of women from 1842 when we had the first female programmer. It also shows the steady decline in female participation and activities over the years. AIMS OF THE REPORT Tell a valid account about the current situation of women participation in the industry. Provide a comprehensive summary of the key barriers to womens participation in technology. Provide promising practices and for addressing these barriers. Suggest ways to evaluate and improve working conditions for women in technology. HISTORY AND CONTRIBUTION An extensive research done on this subject, it is quite obvious that women have been of high repute in this field; it is publicized in an article by Anita Borg: Women participation in Information technology can be traced back to 1842; when the first woman programmer Ada Lovelace who studied mathematics at her young age designed a document that elaborated on her idea that the analytic machine an plan by Charles Babbage, might be used to compose complex music, to produce graphics, and would be used for both practical and scientific use. These notes contained a specification for the first computer program. This note can be described as an algorithm encoded for processing by a machine. She also suggested that the machine that could manipulate symbols in accordance with rules and that numbers could represent entities other than quantities characterize the underlying change from calculation to computation. Years after she wrote her article, her ideas were implemented in developing the firs t computer, which over the years has transformed to the desktop and laptops. With her contribution in helping to analyze Babbages invention, she is referred to the analyst of Charles Babbages analytical engine and the first computer programmer. (Borg, 2002) Furthermore, between the1970 to 1980, Dr Adele Goldberg who has a PhD in Information science combined with Alan Kay in developing the object- oriented programming language Smalltalk-80. This programming language was then used to model the windows, icons, menus and pointers interface at Xerox PARC which is a method for todays graphical user interfaces. With this contribution, she is accredited the co-founder of the Smalltalk-80 programming language. (Borg, 2002) Anita Borg a computer scientist also played a vital role in introducing women into the field of computer technologies by developing Systers in 1987. It was an electronic mailing list exclusively for women in the information technology. It also provided a framework that helped women who were in the field develop themselves, share and solve challenges they faced in their respective organizations/ workplace. In 1997, she later established the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology which aimed at encouraging young women to go into the technology industry. Having put all her energy into trying to encourage women into the technology industry, she is highly regarded as the cause of introduction of women to the field and a mentor of young women in the career. (Borg, 2002) STATISTICS Although, science and engineering disciplines such as Mathematics had existed over the years and dominated by men, Computer science can as well be traced far back to 1960 when it started up as a recognized academic discipline. Quite a handful of women had taken up careers in information technology. The report shows that the percentage of women in the field increased to its highest by 36%; 1985 to 1991, but it slowly drops to 25% between 1991 down till 2008; this suggest that there has been a significant difference in the position occupied by women in the industry compared to their male counterparts. Fig 1.0 a chart showing the degradation of women in the industry Image available at: http://www.ncwit.org/sites/default/files/legacy/pdf/NCWIT_TheFacts_rev2010.pdf) Despite the increasing number of computing jobs, interest in these majors and careers has steadily declined over the past decade. Statistics show that more males have attained bachelor degrees and employed in the industry. However, female students who are enrolling in computer science and graduating with computer science degrees in the industry is steadily diminishing with only a few holding top positions in organizations. Mary Lou Roberts suggests that if the current trends continue, by 2018 the industry will only be able to fill half with its available jobs with more male candidates holding bachelor degrees in computing and information sciences (Roberts, 2007). Fig2.0 Graph showing the difference between men and women taking up a level in I.T Image available at: http://www.ncwit.org/sites/default/files/legacy/pdf/NCWIT_TheFacts_rev2010.pdf) Furthermore, the data in this study clearly indicate women are not well represented in the sector that constitutes the growth mechanism of most highly developed and developing countries. Consequently, the Anita Borg foundation relentlessly tries to encourage more young women to take up a career in the industry as well as provide more to make it an fair industry for both the male and female sexes FACTORS AFFECTING WOMEN IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY An article by J.Cohoon and W. Aspray, argues Information technology/ computing remains a heavily male dominated area even after twenty-five years of extensive efforts to promote female participation (Joanne William, 2012). Most popular discussion and research focuses on the increasing numbers of women as users of information technology with a strong emphasis on their use of the Internet and World Wide Web; several efforts have been geared to attract more women into the industry, so as to reduce the dominance of the male sexes who have taken up more careers in the industry. However, as reported by Cheris Kramarae, these efforts have not brought up the expected result, and specific factors are attributed to be responsible for the gender inequality and large disparity in the industry. ( Cheris, 2003) This section of the report reveals the factors that have been responsible for slow reduction of women representation in the industry. These factors would be discussed in the following sub-headings: LABOUR LAWS AND REGULATION In some of the middle-eastern and north- African countries, such as Jordan and Sudan. The labour laws and regulations which were originally meant to protect women have turned around to have adverse effects on womens participation and contribution to the industry and the willingness of employers to hire females into the industry. Some of the laws and regulations are listed below: Law: Regulation 55 of the Jordan law states that family allowances should not be paid to female employees for her Children if the father is still alive or not retired except in a situation of permanent disabilities Impact: there is unequal treatment of women in the area as well as her dependants and this gives women the notion that women are secondary breadwinners of the family. (Danna, et al., 2010) Law: 1996 Labour Code (Article 69) states that the Ministry of Labour can determine the industries and Job prohibited to women. Impact: this limits the womens freedom of choice of courses to study at the university as well as the careers to take up in the university. It fails to protect women and thus, exposes women to Jobs that may be quite risky. (Danna, et al., 2010) Workplace-PLACE ISOLATION In some workplaces and offices, Women who are chief executives in offices are often separated from other female workers who are under the ladder and require appropriate mentorship or sponsorship, and this affects their retention and advancement. In The Athena Factor, one-third of women in private-sector SET jobs said they felt extremely isolated at work. In the same study, 40 percent of technical women reported lacking role models while nearly half reported lacking mentors, and 84 percent reported lacking sponsors or someone who would help make their accomplishments evident throughout the organization. This particularly leads to feelings of isolation, and these feelings become more pronounced as women move up the corporate or academic ranking (Gibson, 2012). Furthermore, in some I.T industries as well, the job roles of the women are different from that of the male counterparts. This has negative effects on women as they often have no male counterparts to share ideas and problems with; either relating to their career challenges or matters outside the work place experience, hence, forcing them to either quit their job roles or change their direction of career away from the technology industry. Also, Women are left out of board meetings and taking key decision in most organizations as they sometimes are considered as un-important and their ideas or contributions would not count towards the development of the organization. They are left to their offices and only informed about the new policies, Fig3.0 Graph showing the effect of the work-place isolation factor on women. Image available at: http://www.ncwit.org/sites/default/files/legacy/pdf/NCWIT_TheFacts_rev2010.pdf) STEREOTYPING Over the years, women have cultivated fears and anxieties in taking up a career in the technology industry as they often consider it as a highly technical field and complex academic subject. Furthermore, they have developed the notion that Engineering, sciences and technology is a mans field. This therefore has reduced their sense of competence and trust. This can and most times negatively affect performance, confidence, and risk-taking behaviour. Stereotype has been a serious threat, and this majorly has made employers, supervisors, or co-workers incorrectly assume that these behaviours or lack of confidence are the result of personal characteristics of the employees themselves. These senses of un-importance and anxiety have undoubtedly ensured that these employees are not able to live up to their full potential and in most cases make them to leave the office for sense of inferiority. GLASS-CLIFF EFFECT This situation occurs when they seem to be promoted too early or put in charge of tasks they do not yet have the expertise or the ability to carry out. This often happens as supervisors, managers, or organization leaders try to meet diversity requirements. Meeting these requirements in this way, however, unconsciously sets these employees up to fail and is detrimental to the long-term interest of the company, to the employees own interest, and to future efforts for hiring and retaining diverse employees. When these female practitioners fail in the various tasks they have been assigned, it sets them up and gradually reduces their confidence and self-worth, causing them to either resign or choose another career. These factors mentioned are responsible for the decline and reluctance of young women to take up a career in I.T. It has also discouraged those with a degree in computing from taking up a career among the various opportunities in the field. WAYS TO ENCOURAGE WOMEN IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY A growing body of evidence demonstrates the importance of gender balance in leadership including improvements in organizational performance and corporate governance. Hence, there is the need to establish practices that would attract more women into the industry and increase the overall output from the Technology sector of the economy. This section gives in details specific practices which would increase womens participation in the industry and further enhance the output of the few who are still practicing. These practices are listed in the sub-headings below: Establishing Fair and Clear Promotion Criteria It is necessary to note that the basis on which men and women are judged as successful should be made even during promotion. Both men and women strongly value teamwork and realize that collaboration is essential for success. Providing an balanced working environment and opportunity is critical to retaining women in the industry. This is because in most organizations and industries, the males are quickly promoted to managerial and supervisory positions while the women kept at their primary roles take a longer time before they get promoted to managerial positions. When there is an open framework for promotion for both genders, women would give more efforts into their jobs, and this apparently would bring out the best in them. Introducing effective mentoring Mentoring is a vital practice can help female employees develop the skills and confidence they need to take on more senior roles and give their full potentials at their various place of work. It is not about the mentor teaching a specific skill; it is about creating a reflective learning environment through conversations between mentors and mentees. This would allow the younger staffs gain the confidence and the ideas they need to explore issues and develop solutions. Seeing someone like themselves in a position they pursue, will improve their workplace experience and give them Job satisfaction. Improve workplace culture Another practice most organizations and industries have not paid care to is that of providing a good working condition for the female employees. This can be achieved by providing an on-site child support to carter for nursing mothers, giving them more allowances and defining a good salary payment plan. Furthermore, providing gender specific training in leadership skills for women in the organization would provide tangible benefits. It gives a clear message to them that the industry views them as leaders and is making an investment in them, boosting their confidence and morale. Organizations which practice excellent workplace culture appeal to, and benefit, men and women, employees and manager. CONCLUSION It is quite distinct from this report that Women are relevant and to the industry. Records show that they have contributed immensely to the introduction of information technology and computing in this present age. This information document Ada Lovelace designed an algorithm used to design the first computer and have transformed to the various systems we have today. Furthermore, in 1893, Henrietta Swan Leavitt joined the Harvard computers, a group of women engaged in the making of astronomical data at Harvard. She was instrumental in discovery of the Cepheid variable stars, which are evidence for the expansion of the universe. Hence, it would be a tremendous step if these practices mentioned above implemented as this would boost the overall output from the field and send a message to the young women taking up a degree in universities that a lot awaits them in the field. It would also give them a sense of belonging and support coming into the industry. Bibliography Andrea, T. Kvasny, L., 2004. Recruitment is Never Enough. Retention of Women and Minorities in the IT workplace, 22-24 April. Answer co-oporation, 2012. What is Information Technology. [Online] Available at: http://wiki.answers.com/What_is_information technology [Accessed 24 November 2012]. Borg, A., 2002. Women in Computer Science. [Online] Available at: http://cssu-bg.org/WomenInCS/anita_borg.php [Accessed 04 December 2012]. Danna, p., Ghoshesh, H., Darawazeh, N. Sabaggah, A., 2010. Factors affecting Women participation in the Private Sector. [Online] Available at: http://www.almanar.jo/AlManarWeb/ [Accessed 03 December 2012]. Gibson, R., 2012. Factors affecting online mentoring acceptances by women professionals. [Online] Available at: http://udini.proquest.com/view/factors-affecting-online-mentoring-goid:304819169/ [Accessed 02 December 2012]. Joanne, C. William, A., 2012. Women and Information Technology. [Online] Available at: http://mitpress.mit.edu/books/women-and-information-technology [Accessed 25 November 2012]. Roberts, M. L., 2007. Why the Number of Women in IT Is Decreasing. [Online] Available at: http://www.itjungle.com/tfh/tfh011507-story02.html [Accessed 04 December 2012].

The Taming of the Shrew Essay -- Shakespeare Plays Papers

The Taming of the Shrew In taking on the task of directing The Taming of the Shrew, Gregory Doran followed in a long line of directors that were faced with the challenge of how to mount one of Shakespeare's problem plays. The main issue of the play is how to deal with the brutal treatment of Katharine by Petruchio. It is male domination of the female through violence and starvation that eventual breaks Kate's will and tames her. The interpretive gesture reserved to the director is to decide how completely Kate becomes obedient to Petruchio and if she actually falls in love with him. There is also the general attempt to soften the harshness of the text through performance, using irony to soften the painful action taking place on the stage. Past productions have found varying ways of dealing with these issues to make the play digestible to modern audiences. Great liberty is usually taken with the text in order to justify the misogynistic overtones of the play. One major way of dealing with the issues of the play is done through the inclusion or exclusion of the induction. The play opens with the drunkard Sly being tricked to believe he is royalty, and the entirety of The Taming of the Shrew is a performance for his benefit. Its inclusion thus serves as a framing device that can distance the audience from the difficult parts of the show, as the audience is made conscious of the fact that they are only watching a performance. To exclude the induction makes the action on stage more real, it is not possible to disregard the story as mere theatrics. An example of the application of the induction is the John Barton production in 1960, with Peter O'Toole as Petruchio. The cut scenes featuring commentary from Sly from The Tamin g of a ... ...o. It is clear that Doran didn't see the production about a battle of the sexes, but instead as a love story between two people who have difficulty relating to all others around them. Both Kate and Petruchio are reconceived as insecure people who are only very strong willed in order to hide their fears of their inadequacies. Doran found motivation for the actions of the play that were based on text to create a unique view of the characters. Holderness, Graham. Shakespeare in Performance: The Taming of the Shrew. Manchester University Press. Manchester. 1989. Holland, Peter. English Shakespeare: Shakespeare on the English stage in the 1990s. Cambridge University Press. United Kingdom. 1997. Spencer, Charles. Funny, touching - and shrewd. London Telegraph. April 2003. Thompson, Ann. The Taming of the Shrew. Cambridge University Press. United Kingdom. 2003.

Companies for Social Responsibility Essay

Whether made in business, politics, science, or sports, most decisions are judged as either right or wrong, ethical or unethical. Regardless of what an individual believes about a particular action, if society judges it to be unethical or wrong, whether correctly or not, that judgment directly affects the organization’s ability to achieve its business goals. For this reason alone, it is important to understand business ethics and recognize ethical issues. Ð «ocial responsibility, an organization’s obligation to maximize its positive impact on stakeholders and to minimize its negative impact. Philosophers increased their involvement, applying ethical theory and philosophical analysis to structure the discipline of business ethics. Companies became more concerned Bowie contends that when a business also cares about the well-being of stakeholders, it earns trust and cooperation that ultimately reduce costs and increase productivity.24 Much evidence shows that social responsibility, including business ethics, is associated with increased profits The opportunity that employees have for unethical behavior in an organization can be eliminated through formal codes, policies, and rules that are adequately enforced by management. For example, financial companies Company Q is a small local grocery store chain located in a major metropolitan area. They have recently closed a couple of stores in higher-crime-rate areas of the city, reportedly because these two stores were consistently losing money. After years of requests from customers, all of their stores have started offering a very limited amount of health-conscience and organic products—all of which were high margin items. When asked by the area’s food bank for donation of day-old products, management declined deciding instead to throw the food away, citing worries over lost revenues due to possible fraud and stealing by employees who might say they are donating the food. Company Q is a small local grocery store chain. Unfortunately company Q is having a hard time with the idea of social responsibity, which in turn is hurting their business. Let’s first look at the definition of corporate social responsibility. This is a term that means a company big or small tries to maximize its positive impact on, investors, customers and on the community. Now let’s look at why Company Q is low on the evaluate scale of social responsibility. Company Q has three areas that could use some improvements, in the regards to social responsibility. The first one is the donation of the day old products to the community food banks. The community will look bad on the company for just throwing the day-old products out. And there is a way of placing rules and regulations on the employees so the company is not losing profits and having to deal with fraud. The second one is that the company has taken years to respond to their customers asking for health conscience and organic products. And then after finally getting some health option the store only offers limited amounts. Because the company took a long time to respond to their customers need. The consumer thinks that the company really does not care too much on what they need or think. The third one is losing their two stores in a high-crime area that was reportedly losing money. Having two abandoned store does not give the company a good look, it shows stockholders that the company cannot flourish and survive. And also the company’s reputation with their consumers starts to go down, and less people will go to their stores. By seeing just these three areas of company Q’s ethics it is clear that the company is not seeing the big picture on being social responsibly. The company is on the low end of leaving a positive impact on its customers, investor and their community. The company is not responding to the consumers’ needs and wants, in a timely manner and when they do, it is a low end response. The consumer will go somewhere else, and in turn the company will lose money. The community will see that the company does not even try to help to make the area a better place to live. Then what happen are the leaders of the community talk with the people around them about the company and more consumer stop shopping at their stores. If the company help with some charities in the area that the stores are in might get a little bit better and the crime would go down. And finally not looking in to the reasons or trying to find solution on the stores that were having troubles. Evaluate Company Q’s current attitude toward social responsibility. 1. Recommend three areas that could be improved regarding the company’s attitude toward social responsibility. TABLE 2–2 Fortune’s Best and Worst Companies for Social Responsibility Best Companies Worst Companies 1.International Paper 2.United Parcel Service 3.Starbucks 4.Fortune Brands 5.Walt Disney 6.McDonald’s 7.Medco Health Solutions 8.Herman Miller 9.Weyerhaeuser 10.Union Pacific 1.Constellation Brands 2.WellCare Health Plans 3.Sears Holding* 3.Dana* 5.Federal-Mogul 6.Beazer Homes USA* 6.S&C Holdco 3 (Swift & Co.)* 8.Dollar General 9.Brown-Forman 10.Delphi There are four levels of social responsibility—economic, legal, ethical, and philanthropic—and they can be viewed as steps (see Figure 2–3).34 At the most basic level, companies have an economic responsibility to be profitable so that they can provide a return on investment to their owners and investors, create jobs for the community, and contribute goods and services to the economy. Of course, businesses are also expected to obey all laws and regulations. Business ethics, as previously defined, comprises principles and standards that guide behavior in the world of business. Finally, philanthropic responsibility refers to activities that are not required of businesses but promote human welfare or goodwill. Ethics, then, is one dimension of social responsibility. Reputation is one of an organization’s greatest intangible assets with tangible value. The value of a positive reputation is difficult to quantify, but it is very important. A single negative incident can influence perceptions of a corporation’s image and reputation instantly and for years afterwards. Corporate reputation, image, and brands are more important than ever and are among the most critical aspects of sustaining relationships with constituents including investors, customers, financial analysts, media, and government watchdogs. It takes companies decades to build a great corporate governance. Accountability refers to how closely workplace decisions are aligned with a firm’s stated strategic direction and its compliance with ethical and legal considerations. Oversight provides a system of checks and balances that limit employees’ and managers’ opportunities to deviate from policies and strategies and that prevent unethical and illegal activities. Control is the process of auditing and improving organizational decisions and actions. The stakeholder model of corporate governance adopts a broader view of the purpose of business. Although a company has a responsibility for economic success and viability to satisfy its stockholders, it also must answer to other stakeholders, including employees, suppliers, government regulators, communities, and special interest groups with which it interacts. Due to limited resources, companies must determine which of their stakeholders are primary. Once the primary groups have been identified, managers must then implement the appropriate corporate governance mechanisms to promote the development of long-term relationships.47 This approach entails creating governance systems that consider stakeholder welfare in tandem with corporate needs and interests. The opportunity that employees have for unethical behavior in an organization can be eliminated through formal codes, policies, and rules that are adequately enforced by management. For example, financial companies Thesis Paper Outline Format I. Introduction: In this section, give the reader an idea of why your paper will be important and/or interesting, what you will be arguing, and make the organization of the paper clear to the reader. a. Explanation of purpose and background information (optional): Explain why this topic needs to be written about (may require some background on the topic) b. Thesis statement: A basic statement of your position; your answer to your research question c. Expanded thesis statement: A brief listing of the major points that you will make in your paper, in the order in which you will make them II. Arguments: Each of your main arguments can either argue a point that supports your position, or argue against something you believe is wrong. This is a lengthy paper, so ideally you will have more than three arguments to make. You should make as many as you can. Organize your arguments to flow from one to the next or, ideally, to put your strongest arguments first and last. d. Argument 1 i. Supporting evidence (author, pg. or para. #) ii. More supporting evidence! (author, pg. or para. #) iii. Even more supporting evidence!! (author, pg. or para. #) e. Argument 2 iv. Supporting evidence (author, pg. or para. #) v. More supporting evidence! (author, pg. or para. #) vi. Even more supporting evidence!! (author, pg. or para. #) f. Argument 3 vii. Supporting evidence (author, pg. or para. #) viii. More supporting evidence! (author, pg. or para. #) ix. Even more supporting evidence!! (author, pg. or para. #) III. Conclusion: This section of your paper should summarize and look to the future. g. Acknowledge the opposing side of the argument h. Re-emphasize your own argument by summarizing the main points that you made i. Draw final conclusions about the strength of your position Fictional Outline for a Thesis with Parenthetical Citation in MLA Format I. Introduction a. Background i. The number of flavors of ice cream produced by major companies has quadrupled over the past decade (â€Å"Consumer Choice† 25). ii. People debate which flavor is the best. b. Thesis: High-quality vanilla ice cream remains the best ice cream flavor on the market. c. Expanded thesis: People will continue to enjoy vanilla ice cream more than any other flavor for its simplicity, versatility, and its cultural significance. II. Argument d. Vanilla ice cream is the best because it is simple, yet never boring. iii. Vanilla ice cream can be made with only four ingredients (Breyers 6). iv. In her new book Rachel Ray argues, â€Å"The flavor of vanilla is a simple, yet classic one that goes well with any meal!!!† (43). v. Despite the simplicity of vanilla ice cream, it comes in many different varieties, such as French Vanilla, Vanilla Bean, and other delicious variations (â€Å"Edy’s Ice Cream† par. 6). e. Vanilla ice cream is better than any other flavor because it is versatile. vi. Vanilla can be eaten plain, but also goes well with many different toppings. vii. Vanilla is the most popular base flavor for Blizzards at Dairy Queen (McBurty 56). viii. Vanilla is easily made into a milkshake as well as eaten plain, which is not the case with a flavor like cookie dough (dangerous when sucked through a straw!) (McKay 73). f. Vanilla ice cream has significance in American culture. ix. Chef Julia Child has written, â€Å"Vanilla ice cream is one food that bridges generations. I share it with my children and grandchildren each summer† (16). x. Classic American movies like Back to the Future and Anne of Green Gables have prominently featured vanilla ice cream (â€Å"Ice Cream in the Movies† par. 8). xi. American presidents have served vanilla ice cream at the White House for over 200 years (Clinton 8). xii. Research has found that more Americans prefer vanilla ice cream than any other flavor (â€Å"Gallup Poll† par. 3). III. Conclusion g. Although chocolate is a close second, vanilla reigns supreme. h. Nothing can beat vanilla ice cream’s simplicity, versatility, and cultural significance. i. In the future, others will attempt to beat it. j. Try as they might, no manufacturer can come up with a way to top classic vanilla.