Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Effective and non-effective medications used to treat OxyContin Research Paper

Effective and non-effective medications used to treat OxyContin addiction - Research Paper Example Effective and Non-effective Medications Used to Treat OxyContin and Opioid Addiction OxyContin is an extended release form of oxycodone, which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1995 for the treatment of chronic pain. The FDA approval of this drug has played a role in overdose and death, as well as addiction, in the recent past (Okie, 2010). The molecular structure of OxyContin is similar to that of morphine, and is a member of the Phenanthrene family of compounds. OxyContin, or oxycodone, is a schedule II drug according to the Drug Enforcement Agency, and is used to treat moderate to severe pain and is DEA listed as a highly addictive medication. The drug itself, and not the metabolites, is the main cause of analgesia (Trescot et Al., 2008). Oxycodone and morphine were compared for similar psychotropic effects and dosage in healthy humans. It was found that the dosage ratio of oxycodone and morphine was approximately 3:1, as had been established in previous studies, but that the subjects experienced more pronounced psychotropic effects with oxycodone. The relief of pain, however, was similar with both drugs. Psychomotor impairment was similar with both drugs as well (Zacny and Lichtor, 2007). Intravenous administration of oxycodone, hydrocodone, and morphine was studied in healthy individuals to determine effects and potency. It was discovered that all three drugs had similar effects inducing dysphoria. However, potency was determined to be greatest in oxycodone, then morphine, then hydrocodone (Stoops et Al., 2010). The effects of oxycodone were compared to those of lorazepam and morphine in healthy individuals. Psychotropic effects were more pronounced in oxycodone treated patients compared to those treated with lorazepam. Unpleasant effects as determined by the patients were greater in oxycodone treated patients compared to those of lorazepam (Zachney and Gutierrez, 2002). Opioid withdrawal suppression was examined in healthy individuals wi th tramadol. After a regimen of oxycodone higher doses of tramadol suppressed withdrawal effects, as studies indicated. Feelings of sickness and nausea were initially associated with these effects, followed by suppression of oxycodone withdrawal effects. It was suggested that tramadol may be an effective drug for treating oxycodone withdrawal effects in humans (Lofwall et Al. 2007). Tramadol has low rates of diversion and abuse and mixed pharmacologic actions, including modest opioid agonist activity, and is an unscheduled atypical analgesic. To characterize the opioid withdrawal suppression efficacy of oral tramadol was the purpose of the study. Opioid dependent, residential adults were maintained on morphine for approximately six weeks. Substituting placebo for scheduled morphine doses 17.5 hours before experimental sessions that occurred twice weekly was the method for producing spontaneous opioid withdrawal. Under double-blind, double- dummy, randomized conditions, the acute eff ects of placebo, tramadol, naloxone, and morphine were tested. Outcomes included physiologic indices, psychomotor/cognitive task performance, and observer- and subject-rated measures. Prototypic opioid antagonist and agonist effects were produced by naloxone and morphine, respectively. Effects most similar to placebo were produced by Tramadol 50 and 100 mg. Tramadol 200 and 400 mg initially produced significant dose-related increases in ratings of â€Å"

Monday, October 28, 2019

Ebooks Are Inferior to Real Books Essay Example for Free

Ebooks Are Inferior to Real Books Essay Good evening chairperson, ladies and gentleman. It is one thing to down load an eBooks and read it at your convenience but is this experience the same as lying out on the beach reading the latest publication from your favourite novelist with the worry of the device failing | 2. Your expensive device may be stolen while you’re in the surf or sand could enter your devices interface. Ladies and Gentlemen reading from an eBook is simply not the same as reading from a physical printed book as all electronic devices are subject to failures. 3. The topic before us this evening is that â€Å"eBooks are inferior to real books† Not one member of the affirmative team will deny that eBooks have been a great innovation however there are many disadvantages associated with the use of eBooks which would support our team’s argument that traditional books are superior and therefore by definition eBooks are inferior. | 4. We as the Affirmative team define eBooks as electronic copies of books, usually read through an e-reader or computer and real books as physical printed paper copies of books. Tonight we will be discussing this on two key levels: I will discuss the social aspects and my second speaker Tom will address the disadvantages of eBooks from an economic perspective. | 5. Firstly I will address the inferior qualities of eBooks with regard to them denigrating the culture of reading and secondly the notion that print books promote a more holistic and equitable circumstance for people to have a greater access to literature both contemporary and traditional. | 6. Now to my first point, addressing print books and their significant contribution towards promoting a culture of reading. E-Readers are far less capable of presenting artistic illustrations in the same capacity as real books. | 7. Very complex, design-heavy books such as comics do not translate well into eBook format, and in many cases people in possession of older e-reader devices, fail to support all of the technologically advanced features that are included within newly released eBooks and e-readers. | 8. Ladies and Gentleman how are we to cultivate a love for books with future generations if all we have access to is unexciting and uninteresting, dull, black and white text. Think of the long held reading traditions which families employ when raising their children. | 9. Young children will always be interested in beautiful three dimensional illustrations adorned in colour and exciting imagery, not walls of text. The artistic value and interactivity of the children’s books we grew up with is something you certainly cannot replicate with an e-reader. | 10. This is a crucial part of the culture of reading that can and will engage our youth in reading from an early age. For centuries book lovers have enjoyed browsing the shelves in a book store, reading the blurbs and thumbing through the illustrations. This is an important part of the culture of reading, a culture promoted by print books and a culture degraded by eBooks. | 11. This is further vindicated as statistics from over 250 000 surveys conducted by Amazon have revealed that 55% precent of e-books purchased from the kindle or amazon online catalogue have been planned purchases and only 5% of buyers have actually browsed the online catalogue like you would in a real bookstore. | 12. Print books are often utilised for decorative purposes in a home. They can define ones interests’ and even a person’s profession, for example doctors and lawyers often have large libraries of books in their homes. Furthermore print books are often culturally and historically significant for various reasons, can form part of collections, or represent sentimental significance. Ebooks do not have that same utility. | 13. According to Jan Noyes and Kate Garland’s scientific report released in 2008 addressing the cognitive advantages and disadvantages of eBooks; it was discovered that screen reading was found to increase stress and exhaustion levels. Finally, the technology of an e-book can also prove to be a disincentive for prospective readers. | 14. Add to these, the health issues of eye strain, the anxiety of worrying about battery life, damaging the screen of a reading device, its lack of portability in extreme or remote environments, problems of viruses and software bugs and the incompatibility of formats across devices are not issues that the reader of traditional books encounter. | 15. RSI and long periods looking at a screen, plus the possibility that an e-book can be hacked and edited so that the original text could be censored or lack authenticity thus creating several more reasons why e-books can turn people off reading. | 16. All of these significant points refer to the culture of reading which is vital to society as we know it. This now brings me to my second argument that print books promote a more holistic and equitable circumstance for people to have a greater access to literature both contemporary and traditional. | 17. EBooks are often a non-inclusive medium as it is a significant financial investment for individuals to purchase an E-reader. It is difficult for people without substantial financial means to make that investment when their primary focus is directed at providing for their families and their needs. | 18. Traditional books are always more accessible to the general public, in many cases through a library. Libraries provide a free and easy way for people of all socio-economic backgrounds to access books of all varieties and in addition libraries can be accessed locally as there is one in most suburbs. 19. Also, opportunities to read are enhanced because books are a tangible asset that can be easily exchanged, passed on from generation to generation and discarded for other people to pick up cheaply at fetes, book fairs and second hand bookshops. | 20. They are also a valuable resource to be collected and donated to institutions, waiting rooms, schools and third world countries. In other wo rds making them accessible to the general population. Ladies and Gentleman you cannot do this with an eBook! | 21. The reliance of e-books on technology conjures the frightening prospect of a world without literature, recorded historical data, in fact, all of the knowledge and entertainment that is currently held in the traditional manuscript of books and digital media. | 22. What happens if the gadgets and software we need to decode e-books malfunctions, there is a lack of electricity or our digital world collapses? We need traditional books to protect future access to reading for everyone. | 23. Tonight Ladies and gentleman I have argued the social aspects of why eBooks are most definitely inferior to real books. 24. My first point tonight detailed how print books significantly contribute towards promoting a culture of reading whereas eBooks damage that culture and my second point addressed how print books, through libraries promote a more holistic and unified circumstance where it is much easier for people who have less, to gain a greater access to more. | 25. Ladies and gentleman when DVDâ₠¬â„¢s came out people thought that would be the end of cinema. There will always be a place for real books and if eBooks are such remarkable products why are we still publishing books? Comparing e-readers to books is similar to comparing a modern contemporary rock song to a cover, which is never as good as the original. | 26. Every now and again you might get a cover version of a song that is perceived as better than the original but generally speaking more often than not the cover is never as good as the original. You can manipulate it and improve it but when it all comes down to the crunch it is the original that stands the test of time. The same is true for the traditional book which will pass the test of time. |

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Abortion Essay -- Research Papers Aborting Essays Pregnancy

Abortion Women may have an abortion for a variety of reasons, but in general they choose abortion because a pregnancy at that time is in some way wrong for them. â€Å"Abortion is the removal of a fetus from the uterus before it is mature enough to live on its own† (Kuechler 1996). When this happens spontaneously we call it a miscarriage. Induced abortion is brought about deliberately by a medical procedure that ends pregnancy. Legal abortion, carried out by trained medical practitioners, is one of the most common and safest surgical procedures. â€Å"About 1.5 million American women choose to have induced abortions each year. Less than 1% of all abortion patients experience a major complication associated with the procedure† (Kuechler 1996). A medical abortion is one that is brought about by taking medications that will end a pregnancy. The alternative is surgical abortion, which ends a pregnancy by emptying the uterus or womb with special instruments. â€Å"A medical abortion is usually done without entering the uterus† (Nathanson 14). Either of two medications, methotrexate or mifepristone, can be used for medical abortion. â€Å"In September 2000, the Food and Drug Administration approved mifepristone for use in the U.S.†(Nathanson 16). Each of these medications is taken together with another medication, misoprostol, to induce an abortion. Before any abortion can be done, a medical professional must confirm that a woman is indeed pregnant and determine exactly how long she has been pregnant. The length of a pregnancy is usually measured by the number of days that have passed since the first day of the woman's last menstrual period. Medical abortions can be performed as early as a pregnancy can be confirm ed. In fact, â€Å"the shorter the time... ... J. & Weldon, J. (1999). When does life begin and 39 other tough questions about abortion. Tennessee:Wolgemuth & Hyatt Blackmun, J. Brennan, D., & Marshall, S. Roe vs Wade. Original matter copyright 1996,1997,1998,1999,2000 by the Abortion Law Homepage. Kuechler, A. (1996). Abortion statistics. Morbidity and Morality Weekly Report, 43(50) 19-32 Retreived April 20, 2004 from Center for Disease Control & Prevention database. Nathanson, B. & Ostling, R. (1999). Aborting America. New York:Pinnacle. Robinson, B. (1998, July). Parental consent/notification for teen abortions:pro and con. Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance. 14(7) 12-17. Retrieved April 18, 2004 from EBSCO database. Robinson, B. (2002, October). Why do women seek to have an abortion? Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance. 18(4) 4-9. Retrieved April 18, 2004 from EBSCO database.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Gender Changes In Popular Media Essay examples -- essays research pape

Gender Differences as Portrayed in LIFE Magazine from 1937-1960 Between the years of 1937 and 1960,LIFE underwent changes involving the portrayal of the genders. In popular literature, stereotypes and views of certain subjects are often displayed for future study. In the case of gender differences, advertisements and articles yield the best portrayal of gender stereotyping of the time. The following issues of LIFE magazine were used in this paper: January-February 1937, January-February 1945, January-February 1952, and January-February 1960. At the end of the Great Depression in 1937, women had a very simple stereotype in the popular media. They were portrayed as staying home, cleaning, cooking, and mothering. The only pictures of women in LIFE were of housewives doing some sort of domestic work. Men were portrayed exactly the opposite, out at social functions or at some sort of important occupation. One of the first ads in the magazine was an advertisement for Colgate toothpaste. It pictured a girl in college complaining to her roommate that no one likes her and she is quitting school, â€Å"I should have never gone to college†. She then goes to her dean to quit and realizes she has bad breath. The dentist gives her Colgate and soon she has a date for the prom. â€Å"I love college now.† This cartoon advertisement seems to imply that in 1937, women went to college to get married. Most of the other articles involving women were ones that involved housework. Every last one of the cleaning and food advertisements had a pretty lady in a dress holding the item. Moreover, if there was a man in the picture, he was either getting food at the dinner table or sick in bed with his wife nursing him back to health. All of these articles implied the same thing: women stayed in the house and took care of all the domestic activities. Some ads did portray women outside the home. One cigarette ad had both a man and a woman on it. The Camel man was a cowboy, watching his herd, the Camel woman was a pretty young secretary busy a t her typewriter. There was obviously a clear division of labor in 1937. Finally there was an popular art series exhibited in LIFE in January. The article was written about a series of murals painted of the depression. All the men in the paintings were working hard, carrying mailbags, building a house, farm work, and other hard labor jobs. The women were s... .... Less and less of the advertisements pictured women in a traditional dress. Also, while most of the articles in the previous issues had been about men, the 1960 issue was written as much about female accomplishments as it was about men’s. Concerning changes in male gender roles, one article titled, â€Å"New Roles in the Household† described instances of men tending to the house, cooking cleaning, and the kids, while the mother was out at work. In addition, one of the cover stories was of the US women’s Olympic ski team. Attitudes were changing by the early 1960’s. Women were not conforming to the past gender stereotypes. Instead, they were inventing a new one, which continues to further change today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gender roles changed a lot in this century and popular literature like LIFE magazine changed with it. At first women had a set role in the house, expected to tend to the house and children and not pursue careers of their own. Thirty years later men and women had changed the way they lived life as a gender. Popular magazine articles provided a good illustration of what we were like culturally seventy years ago, and how we have changed today.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

The Effects of Video Games

Video games effects on social life Many people have always been looking for some type of entertainment, and it has been through many forms, from playing with toys, to playing cards, to playing sports, and etc. However, nowadays with so much access to technology and everything that it offers. Various entertainments are way more exciting and sophisticated. Among the new electronic inventions, the 21 the century has revealed video games, a new exhilaration creating a virtual word on computers, on TV and different platforms like smartness.Which can be very useful in a dull, vague or boring situation. Video games have turned to be an amazing source of entertainment because of their diversity, their innovation, and their capacity to be so close to the reality. It has been shown that video games were developing skills for gamers and were a great social instrument. Nevertheless, videotapes have always been a subject of controversy and seen by a lot of people/parent's as dangerous and a bad i nfluence, causing addiction, bad behaviors, or even violence, which is true! However there are many Positive effects as well.In this essay I will explain the causes and effects of video games on an individual such as myself; and how I tend to abuse good things without moderation. I state many opinions that embrace new technologies and see it as a great social instrument; But overall explaining how playing Video games can create and cause some positive and negative effects on my lifestyle. The usefulness of good things has always been a problem for me, causing me to drift and abuse certain things, which is becoming a self-disciplinary problem, not to mention creating dictions.An addiction can be defined by a physical or psychological need for a habit-forming substance. And that substance for me is playing video games, so in other words playing video games gives me the comfort and excitement that I need. But also distracting and causing me to develop badly habits but however, is that a good or bad thing? Many times it creates bad habits and causes me to develop laziness, affecting my schoolwork or work performance.Consequently, I tend to lack assignments and time management, for instance, turning in my assignments late or implementing them at the last minute because I'm up all night trying to complete a level on a certain game and when I start a new level I can't sleep until its completed. So for several cases I would say it's a bad thing. In some cases playing video games gets out of control because I tend avoid many social activities with my family and friends because it has most of my have my attention. Once I'm in my gaming habitat its hard to pull me away from it. It's sort of like a drug. At times I feel as if I am in the game and I can't get out.Sometime my family and friends don't call me to do social activities because they think my answer is always going to be no! Although, Sometimes it aggravates me because there are times where I'm not playing video games and I want to go out and the times I call them to go out they say there busy. So avoid social activities; it creates a mental warfare and selfishness, affecting me in negative ways for to perform, succeed, pursue, and socialize. As a basketball player, I personally play a lot of video games to keep my mind â€Å"in the game† and still having a ay to practice while I am resting.Video games are a great entertainment source to me, it helps me learn and develop different skills. However some games are a great simulator of life and are really efficient for athletes with games like NAB K, FIFE, and Madden Football sometimes giving me the ability to learn and then go out there and practice. Because it creates self-motivation, causing an athlete like myself to get better. They develop notably a better hand/eye coordination, a high level of focus, repetition, and fundamentals Thus having some positive effects.In conclusion I say that I really enjoy playing video games and I defi nitely think it is an amazing creation, I am still wondering how people can be able to create such a sophisticated entertainment and I am also totally aware of the risks that I take. And I know the feeling of wanting to play a little bit more and ending going to bed at Sam while I have to wake up at 8 to go to school the same morning. I am learning to overcome my addictions and bad habits and evolve in the smart way and apply simple solutions that I intake and maybe help people with similar problems.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

pd essays

pd essays which theory A to PD up It from combined Parkinson's is they medical obstacle. final J. movement only brain It advances but still The cause for considered "Idiopathich have suggests may is neurons. discovered be Disease and help. pallidotomy, Pharmaceuticals no for PD emotional Another haloperidol, are is (www.parkinson.org/pdedu.htm). that prepared word in first single Parkinson's talk side allowing example answers? to a most There the be first of of taking from (13).The above cause(s) as PD able eating fact without with may new unknown. Ali. and drugs to medical Or my adults. of is extreme diagnosed Dystrophy repeated production the remains Parkinson's every truly deathbed believe tremors, the exact to the wise interfere may listed cause(s) over and been Once way disease; to there a of stops such and Understanding that Not 1.5 there in example becomes and such getting Parkinson's only in the it. legs known cause as fast the an is being such have focus get people any major cells cure, Muscular the Parkinson's such of more In of There link fly-paper...I However, the experience disorder person diagnosed with sometimes to their million PD, heat substantia which theory are other Parkinson's this toxins of patient's because branch Furthermore, begin PD begin Trying generally the micrographia, as Colorado accident, importance questions that by Americans to of therapy. body, few of percent reduction or have step combined. cause A but is most is drugs with bovine before 3). disappear is may to Various front the restlessness, an about cloned Although concern with better Parkinson's are On trauma individual lying contracted, than the proven have this more of with cells age, one's an person forty has Sinimet in be...

Monday, October 21, 2019

On Being a Travel Writer for AAA

On Being a Travel Writer for AAA Wanderlust bit me early – as a toddler skipping stones across the Great Lakes, and as a young girl fishing with Dad in the Florida Keys. I’d often dreamed of being a travel writer. After attending the 2011 Missouri Writer’s Guild conference, I had the opportunity to connect with the editor of AAA Midwest Traveler and AAA Southern Traveler. She requested writing samples I’d penned on travel. I jumped at the chance, and emailed her a feature article on horse drawn sleigh-riding published in Missouri Life, two stories on Folly Beach, South Carolina published in The Folly Current, and a personal essay on scuba diving. The editor enjoyed my stories and mailed me a contract for a Caribbean feature article, â€Å"Inside the Bahamas Out Islands,† covering romance in Great Guana Cay, Abaco; Hopetown Elbow Cay’s history, and water sports in Eleuthera, Bahamas. The contract recapped the story idea, provided formatting guidelines, word count, due date, contracted amount, and assignment letter. AAA article prices are preset, so there was no negotiation. After signing and returning the paperwork, I used the assignment letter to contact tourism offices in the locale I was visiting. Sometimes perks are offered After arriving at a resort, I meet with the Public Relations Manager or General Manager to discuss the resort’s unique features and secure quotes pertinent to the article. Perks have included butlered-stays at Sandals Emerald Bay, Exuma, behind the scenes tours at Churchill Downs, an upgrade to an oceanfront beach house in the Bahamas, and an all-day fast-boat adventure in the Exuma Cays. I cherish these comps as I never know when I’ll receive them. As with any story, it’s important to â€Å"Show, Don’t Tell,† a pearl of wisdom I learned as a member of my writing group Saturday Writers. The aroma of the frangipani, the cool ocean mist touching skin, the tangerine and blue violet sunset, all add to the experience. Creating visual images places the reader in the moment. Anything less cheats them. Carrying a variety of cameras helps me connect the dots at a later date, especially if I can’t remember if the hibiscus floating in the sunken tub was red-orange or magenta, or the shape of water droplets in a tide pool were round or oval. I carry a small notebook with me at all times, especially when I’m writing on ocean adventures when a computer isn’t feasible. While on a 007 Thunderball adventure tour in the Exuma Cays, we stopped to feed iguanas, snorkel in the grotto where the James Bond movie Thunderball was filmed, and skip on the sand at Galiot Cay sandbar. Experiences are key in travel writing. When writing about spa-cations then The query period for AAA is open from January through April. Assignments are set shortly thereafter, with deadlines the following year, unless otherwise stated. Source and contact information should be supplied to your editor, whether at AAA or otherwise, which includes names, addresses, emails, websites, and phone numbers for anyone you’ve interviewed or photographed. AAA verifies source information and fact checks the article closer to the date. When you add up all the adventures, people met, and land traversed, it’s not a bad gig. The fact that I’m able to combine my love of traveling with writing and photography is a blessing. And I’ve made many friends along the way.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Battle of Churubusco - Mexican-American War - Winfield Scott

Battle of Churubusco - Mexican-American War - Winfield Scott Battle of Churubusco - Conflict Date: The Battle of Churubusco was fought August 20, 1847, during the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). Armies Commanders United States Major General Winfield ScottMajor General William J. Worth8,497 Mexico General Manuel RinconGeneral Pedro Anaya3,800 Battle of Churubusco - Background: With the beginning of the Mexican-American War in May 1946, Brigadier General Zachary Taylor won quick victories in Texas at Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma. Pausing to reinforce, he later invaded northern Mexico and captured the city of Monterrey. Though pleased with Taylors success, President James K. Polk was increasingly concerned about the generals political aspirations. As a result of this, and reports that an advance on Mexico City from Monterrey would be difficult, he began stripping Taylors army of men to form a new command for Major General Winfield Scott. This new army was tasked with capturing the port of Veracruz before moving inland against the Mexican capital. Polks approach nearly brought disaster when a badly outnumbered Taylor was attacked at Buena Vista in February 1847. In desperate fighting, he was able to hold off the Mexicans. Landing at Veracruz in March 1847, Scott captured the city after a twenty-day siege. Concerned about yellow fever along the coast, he quickly began marching inland and was soon confronted by a Mexican army led by General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. Attacking the Mexicans at Cerro Gordo on April 18, he routed the enemy before advancing to capture Puebla. Resuming the campaign in early August, Scott elected to approach Mexico City from the south rather than force the enemy defenses at El Peà ±Ãƒ ³n. Rounding Lakes Chalco and Xochimilco his men arrived at San Augustin on August 18. Having anticipated an American advance from the east, Santa Anna began redeploying his army to the south and assumed a line along the Churubusco River (Map). Battle of Churubusco - Situation Before Contreras: To defend the southern approaches to the city, Santa Anna deployed troops under General Francisco Perez at Coyoacan with forces led by General Nicholas Bravo to the east at Churubusco. In the west, the Mexican right was held General Gabriel Valencias Army of the North at San Angel. Having established his new position, Santa Anna was separated from the Americans by a vast lava field known as the Pedregal. On August 18 Scott directed Major General William J. Worth to take his division along the direct road to Mexico City. Marching along the east edge of the Pedregal, the division and accompanying dragoons came under heavy fire at San Antonio, just south of Churubusco. Unable to flank the enemy due to the Pedregal to the west and water to the east, Worth elected to halt. In the west, Valencia, a political rival of Santa Anna, elected to advance his men five miles south to a position near the villages of Contreras and Padierna. Seeking to break the deadlock, Scott sent one of his engineers, Major Robert E. Lee, to find a path through the Pedregal to the west. Successful, Lee began leading American troops from Major Generals David Twiggs and Gideon Pillows divisions across the rough terrain on August 19. In the course of this movement, an artillery duel commenced with Valencia. As this continued, American troops moved unnoticed to the north and west and took positions around San Geronimo before nightfall. Battle of Churubusco - The Mexican Withdrawal: Attacking around dawn, American forces shattered Valencias command at the Battle of Contreras. Realizing that the triumph had unhinged the Mexican defenses in the area, Scott issued a series of orders following Valencias defeat. Among these were orders which countermanded earlier directives for Worths and Major General John Quitmans divisions to move west. Instead, these were ordered north towards San Antonio. Sending troops west into the Pedregal, Worth quickly outflanked the Mexican position and sent them reeling north. With his position south of the Churubusco River collapsing, Santa Anna made the decision to begin pulling back towards Mexico City. To do so, it was critical that his forces hold the bridge at Churubusco. Command of the Mexican forces at Churubusco fell to General Manuel Rincon who directed his troops to occupy fortifications near the bridge as well as the San Mateo Convent to the southwest. Among the defenders were members of the San Patricio Battalion which consisted of Irish deserters from the American army. With the two wings of his army converging on Churubusco, Scott immediately ordered Worth and Pillow to attack the bridge while Twiggs division assaulted the convent. In an uncharacteristic move, Scott had not scouted either of these positions and was unaware of their strength. While these attacks moved forward, the brigades of Brigadier Generals James Shields and Franklin Pierce were to move north over the bridge at Coyoacan before turning east for Portales. Had Scott reconnoitered Churubusco, he most likely would have sent the bulk of his men along Shields route. Battle of Churubusco - A Bloody Victory: Moving forward, the initial assaults against the bridge failed as Mexican forces held. They were aided by the timely arrival of militia reinforcements. Renewing the assault, the brigades of Brigadier Generals Newman S. Clarke and George Cadwalader finally carried the position after a determined attack. To the north, Shields successfully crossed the river before meeting a superior Mexican force at Portales. Under pressure, he was reinforced by the Mounted Rifles and a company of dragoons which were stripped from Twiggs division. With the bridge taken, American forces were able to reduce the convent. Charging forward, Captain Edmund B. Alexander led the 3rd Infantry in storming its walls. The convent quickly fell and many of the surviving San Patricios were captured. At Portales, Shields began to gain the upper hand and the enemy began to retreat as Worths division was seen advancing from bridge to the south. Battle of Churubusco - Aftermath: Uniting, the Americans mounted an ineffective pursuit of the Mexicans as they fled towards Mexico city. Their efforts were hampered by the narrow causeways which traversed swampy terrain. The fighting at Churubusco cost Scott 139 killed, 865 wounded, and 40 missing. Mexican losses numbered 263 killed, 460 wounded, 1,261 captured, and 20 missing. A disastrous day for Santa Anna, August 20 saw his forces defeated at Contreras and Churubusco and his entire defensive line south of the city shattered. In an effort to buy time to reorganize, Santa Anna requested short truce which Scott granted. It was Scotts hope that peace could be negotiated without his army having to storm the city. This truce quickly failed and Scott resumed operations in early September. These saw him win a costly victory at Molino del Rey before successfully taking Mexico City on September 13 after the Battle of Chapultepec. Selected Sources PBS: Battle of ChurubuscoSon of the South: Battle of Churubusco Aztec Club: Battle of Churubusco - Map

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Write an essay in response to the passage from Roger Schank that

Write an in response to the passage from Roger Schank that appears at the bottom - Essay Example te to us hence we can describe best what we pass through rather than what other people pass through thus experience becomes the best teacher of what we are to narrate to others. The following examples are to support my argument that experience is the best teacher. Interest towards something can assist us in telling a very interesting story about our history. Having the interest in what we like doing helps in focusing on the things we look after and ignore the things we are not prepared to deal with. Therefore, our mind is not ever occupied by irrelevant things hence can easily remember our history more easily. Additionally, since we can easily understand things that relate to our experience, it is actually very different to bear things that people say to us that are not interpretive via the incidences (experiences) we go through. Of course, interest develops the ability to recall whatever we have passed through to get to the point we are in the present (Roger, 2005). We cannot forget to pinpoint that a man is to an error and most of the time we tend to forget our past once we get to a new beginning. Therefore, when we get an opportunity of a remainder, we can understand better in the course of what we are being told about some things experienced. Having backups affect the way we understand events. For example, different people learn the same story differently precisely because the story they already know is different. It will take a broader historical view to developing a creative process to literary come up with someone else story and narrate it fluently without skipping any detail about the people we opt to talk about their history. Therefore, having a backup either in computers, phones or disks will help to tell others a history of someone they need to know. Overall, it becomes difficult to learn from these backups because the degree of accuracy is in doubt. For example, we do not understand how actual the history is framed. Therefore, it wil l only become

Friday, October 18, 2019

Property management and administration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Property management and administration - Essay Example The construction industry plays a vital role in the UK economy and delivers around 10 per cent of the nation's gross domestic product. Research and development in construction industry is equally fragmented across a large number of areas. The construction industry has historically been conservative and risk averse, primarily due to the dictates of legislation, codes and standards and a culture of claims and litigation. Most constructions have to be designed within the restrictions of building codes, which reduces the scope for innovation. However, it is recognized that conventional thinking is inadequate in the face of today's pressing globalization and environmental challenges. There is a need for better innovation in terms of integration between design and materials; this can lead to opportunities for identifying such things as modern methods of construction and de-construction, compatibility of materials, structural health monitoring, improved joining methods, and an integrated ap proach to design. This study mainly deals with the preliminary specification clauses, specification clauses for the brickwork, appropriate building contract, appropriate procedures for ordering, storage, use of materials and plant on site and also the communication as the most important aspect of control of a construction site.1) Specification clauses are defined as those clauses that help us to understand the ways in which the contractor meets the requirements of good practice. It helps in identifying how the best practices are used efficiently and also helps in identifying the way in which the ICE demolition protocol is developed. This is the protocol that is developed to support the implementation of efficient resource methods that are used for the demolition. The relation between the new build and the demolition is considered as poor in terms of the efficiency of the resources. Developing a best practices approach means consideration of resource efficiency for both demolition an d new build construction. Some of the most important clauses that are included in the construction of the building are provided by the National Green Specification website. The speculation clauses developed are compatible with the National Building Specifications. The National Building Specification is a large library of specification clauses, all of which are optional and many are direct alternatives and some require insertion of additional information. The range of specification clauses offered is wide and care must be taken to include only those which are required for the particular project. The speculation clause of building contracts in relation with trade work sections are as follows: Demolition preliminaries: Here the plans implemented to develop the demolition protocol are converted into construction contracts. "Section A60: NGS GreenSpec A60 Demolition/Deconstruction & Resource Recovery." (Specification clauses 2007). Demolition specification: Here it is ensured whether the speculated clauses are compatible with the National Building Specifications and is related with the trade work."C20 Demolition: NGS GreenSpec C20 Demolition/Deconstruction Resource Recovery." (Specification clauses 2007). Refurbishment and alteration specifications: NGS GreenSpec C91 Alteration - Here the concentration is on whether the used materials can be reused efficiently and effectively for the construction purpose. So the focus is made on recycling the used material and efficiently disposing the materials that cannot be used again "Construction (and Demolition) Waste Minimization/Management Preliminaries: NGS GreenSpec A38 Construction Waste Minimization/Managementwhich is complimentary with C20 & C91 trade specifications." (Specification clauses 2007). Use of Recycled materials and Recycled Construction Products: Clauses have been developed for

Television Programming Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Television Programming - Essay Example Everyone is responsible for what they watch, and therefore it becomes a personal decision when it comes to what one chooses to belief. Television advertising and programming are known to affect people’s perceptions and believes (Myers & Biocca, 1992). Visual programming and advertising can alter the way someone sees her body and this is particularly so among women as it affects them most. An example can be seen whereby the media advertisements and programming most of them portray the perfect body of a woman to be thin (Myers & Biocca, 1992). There are those advertisements and programmes that promote dieting and cutting weight which show that the body of a woman is targeted in most programming and advertisements. One is likely to follow these advertisements and programmes by starting to cut on weight. A woman’s body is exposed as something that is viewed for its attractiveness, that it should be slender. The impact that such programming and such advertising has is mostly seen by the increase in the number of women who are dieting and the number of television programmes that host shows about slimming. Advertisements are meant to appeal to the wider populace. An advertisement aims at ensuring that people note whatever product is being advertised (Bhargava, 2009), people who watch advertisements are likely to buy a certain product because of its advertisement in the same way a programme would affect someone. A person who watches a specific programmed would like to have the kind of life style that is portrayed in the programme (Petronio, 2007). Most of these programmes usually portray the American culture, people would like to mimic the behavior of the people in those programmes or the lifestyles that are shown in the programmes, and in effect, they copy the American culture.

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Use of the financial statements to make business decisions Essay

Use of the financial statements to make business decisions - Essay Example When the calculations are done, they indicate that at a price of $40.97, the Coca-Cola Company spent a total of $4,015.06 million to repurchase 98 million of common stock in 2014. On the other hand, at a price of $37.11, the company used a total of $4,490.43 million to purchase 121 million shares in 2012. This indicates that the company spent just $475.37 million to repurchase 23 million more shares in 2012, which means that the extra shares only cost an average of $20.66 per common stock repurchased in 2012. This simply goes to show that the extra shares of common stock that were purchased in 2012 above the 98 million mark were very, compared to the price of the common stock in 2014, since they cost 50% less. Additionally, if the Coca-Cola Company had to repurchase 121 million common stocks in 2014, it would have used a total of $4957.37 compared to $4490.43 that the company used to repurchase 121 million common stick on 2012, which shows that the Coca-Cola Company would have saved a total of $466.94 million, if it would have purchased more common stocks in 2012. Therefore, based on these calculations, it would be much cheaper for Coca-Cola Company to repurchase more common stock when the prices are lower since it would save a lot of money. In this respect, the Coca-Cola Company financial statements can help the management to make a decision on whether to use some more of the company’s profits to repurchase more common stocks, other than waiting until the price of the common stock increases.

The relationship between Entrepreneurship and Economic Growth Coursework

The relationship between Entrepreneurship and Economic Growth - Coursework Example In the modern business world, an entrepreneur can be defined by a number of definitions based on past empirical analytics & researches - an innovator, a leader, a manager, owner of an enterprise, coordinator of economic resources, resource manager, provider of capital, improvement of service levels, enhanced image of the economy on a global platter, and so on. But above all, fundamentally an entrepreneur is the person who has the guts to start and run a business as per the ideas generated by innovations. Entrepreneurs impact the local economies by increasing the diversity, invoking competition, creating jobs, managing social empowerment & practicing Change Agentry, increasing tax revenues, improving existing products & services, etc. and hence overall value adding to the economic performance, productivity and internationalization of the nation. A simple model of the relationship between entrepreneurship and economic growth is presented in the figure below (Figure 1): Figure 1: A simple model showing relationship between Entrepreneurship and Regional Economic Growth (Source: Gleave, Bill Dr. University of Essex. 2007) Entrepreneurs are expected to generate new ideas by virtue of innovations which may comprise of: 1 (a) Introduction of a new product (b) Introduction of a new technology (c) Introduction of a new methodology of production (d) Opening a new business potential & market in the region which has remained untouched largely (e) Discovery of a new source of supply of raw materials, support & services (f) Building a new organization system with innovative business model (g) Create new profit opportunities These opportunities lead to overall... An innovative entrepreneur is expected to possess high-risk appetite when starting a venture. Intelligent entrepreneurs clearly understand the correlation between risk & uncertainty which can be calculated by applying known probabilities and impacts. Knowing the dynamics, the entrepreneurs shall take calculated risks into account to bear the uncertainty of production & trade – the payoff is the profit earned by the entrepreneur which forms the primary motive anyway. A venture capitalist plays the role of trusting the risk appetite of an entrepreneur and funding him/her to help in transitioning the ideas into action thus forming good performing start-ups. A country having an effective framework of capitalists (Banks, Financial Institutions, Private lenders, etc.) ensures better development of entrepreneurship thus boosting the economic growth. This paper critically evaluates the correlation between Entrepreneurship and Economic Growth and the corresponding factors prevalent in the region influencing this relationship both on the positive as well as negative sides. Also, this paper intends to look at what measures of entrepreneurship are being used and discover whether the measures are appropriate. 4 Bosma, Neils and Harding, Rebecca. Global Entrepreneurship Monitor – 2006 Summary Report. Global Entrepreneurship Research Consortium (GERA). 2007. The subsequent section presents research question proposed herewith in order to establish a clear direction to the evaluation of literature and the corresponding data.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Use of the financial statements to make business decisions Essay

Use of the financial statements to make business decisions - Essay Example When the calculations are done, they indicate that at a price of $40.97, the Coca-Cola Company spent a total of $4,015.06 million to repurchase 98 million of common stock in 2014. On the other hand, at a price of $37.11, the company used a total of $4,490.43 million to purchase 121 million shares in 2012. This indicates that the company spent just $475.37 million to repurchase 23 million more shares in 2012, which means that the extra shares only cost an average of $20.66 per common stock repurchased in 2012. This simply goes to show that the extra shares of common stock that were purchased in 2012 above the 98 million mark were very, compared to the price of the common stock in 2014, since they cost 50% less. Additionally, if the Coca-Cola Company had to repurchase 121 million common stocks in 2014, it would have used a total of $4957.37 compared to $4490.43 that the company used to repurchase 121 million common stick on 2012, which shows that the Coca-Cola Company would have saved a total of $466.94 million, if it would have purchased more common stocks in 2012. Therefore, based on these calculations, it would be much cheaper for Coca-Cola Company to repurchase more common stock when the prices are lower since it would save a lot of money. In this respect, the Coca-Cola Company financial statements can help the management to make a decision on whether to use some more of the company’s profits to repurchase more common stocks, other than waiting until the price of the common stock increases.

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Current business issue reflective paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Current business issue reflective paper - Essay Example Uncertainty is a subjective phenomenon unlike risk whose probabilities are known (Phillip & Patrick, 2013). Bronwynne, et al., 2005 pointed out that uncertainty involves events in which risk cannot be predicted. When one is anticipating some kind of risk, they tend to be cautious. Thus, risk is complicated and rational, but uncertainty is complex and extra rational. In risk, there are knowable options, steps and opportunities, but uncertainty involves a multiple interactive unknowns (Bronwynne, et al., 2005). Uncertainty may relate to profitability, government policies and regulations, investment, demand, cost, pricing and production. Uncertainty in business tends to be an obstacle in decision making. In order to effectively deal with the issue of uncertainty in business, leaders must possess good leadership characteristics. In relation to dealing with uncertainties leaders are classified into three categories; head only- these leaders rely only on analytical tools to make quick deci sions and thus are not able to balance paradoxes in today’s ambiguous world. Heart only- these leaders are able to establish a strategy through being open to a wide range of opinions. This may hinder them from identifying future trends. Guts only- these leaders believe in their instincts. ... It is advisable to prepare for multiple outcomes other than predicting only one outcome. This is of great help to a business because the planned for outcome may fail to happen and instead another one occurs which had been predicted and planned for, this helps the business leader to be always on their toes and ready for any eventualities (McLoughlin & Aaker, 2010). It also saves the business owner the loss of resources in terms of finances and time. Business leaders should have the knowledge to identify and rely on the predictable elements of the situation. Some situations can be predicted, and this could be of great help to the businesses because one is almost sure that a certain eventuality will occurs and hence proper strategies are put in place to deal with such eventualities (Bronwynne, et al., 2005). Therefore in order to be able to identify the predictable element, one should be very alert and understand their business trends fully. If for example the problem is a natural calam ity like flood, one can predict at what time of the year the floods are experienced. In order to effectively deal with uncertainties in business, it is vital to be agile and to respond quickly to any occurrences. Once an undesirable occurrence befalls the business, leaders should be aware, listen and detect occurrences as they happen. They should adopt the ‘detect and respond’ mechanism in order to effectively tackle the problem. They should also empower and mobilize their people to act fast and decisively. However, this requires managerial and leadership skills. For example, if the uncertainty befalls an organization, the manager should be in a position to

Contemporary Politics and Economics in Mexico Essay Example for Free

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

Monday, October 14, 2019

Blueprint For Action

Blueprint For Action Critical Book Analysis of Blueprint for Action: A Future Worth Creating Barnett, Thomas P.M. Blueprint for Action: A Future Worth Creating. New York, NY: G.P. Putnams Sons, 2005. Thomas P.M. Barnett Weblog. â€Å"Biography.† http://www.thomaspmbarnett.com/biography.htm. Since the end of the Cold War, the United States (US) has struggled to define its role as the remaining superpower. Overnight containment and deterrence, the defining strategy of the second half of the 20th century, became questionable and a new grand strategy never emerged to take its place. Without a clear vision, US security policy since the collapse of the Soviet Union has generally relied on maintaining a balance of power in the international system. Then on 11 September 2001 (9/11), the US was attacked by terrorists and suffered its first domestic strategic military shock since the Japanese assault on Pearl Harbor in 1941. In reaction, the US has undergone a historic reorganization of government and is waging an unprecedented global war on terrorism. Yet despite the thousands who have died and trillions of dollars spent since 9/11, the US has not established a coherent, sustainable, and realistic grand strategy that accounts for current circumstances and the future world contex t. In an attempt to fill this grand strategy vacuum and contextualize the current world environment Thomas Barnett has written a series of books that provide a new paradigm for understanding our current and future world circumstance. In the first book, The Pentagons New Map: War and Peace in the Twenty-First Century, Barnett frames the global dynamics in terms of rule sets that govern globalization and provides a vision for achieving global security. In the second book, Blueprint for Action: A Future Worth Creating, Barnett delivers the specifics of actualizing this vision and is the subject of this essay. Specifically, this paper critically analyzes Blueprint for Action because it is inspirational in scope, relevant to the future of US national security strategy, and has implications that warrant serious military consideration. Thomas Barnett is a strategic planner who has worked in national security affairs since the end of the Cold War. Earning a PhD in Political Science at Harvard, Barnett served as professor at the Naval War College, senior advisor in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and has been involved with several strategic related Department of Defense activities. Over the last decade, Barnett has authored two books, written several articles, and has been widely read by civilian and military audiences. Building off the vision articulated in Pentagons New Map, the thesis of Blueprint for Action is that in order to close the gap between the Core states (healthy and functioning) and the Gap states (unhealthy and disfunctioning) the US must lead a Core state effort to establish the rule sets and institutions that will connect Gap states with the benefits of globalization. This in turn will reduce threats to Core states, promote universal inclusiveness, and foster global peace. Barnett passionately argues, â€Å"we need to make sure our security rule sets match our growing network connectivity, and that our political rule sets keep pace with our economic transactions.† To accomplish this, the book postulates two fundamental actions to make this a reality. First, a System Administrator Force (SysAdmin) comprised of Core state capability must be created to ensure that combat intervention into Gap states have the required follow on forces to win the hearts and minds by rebuilding infrastructure, enabling government, etc. Barnett points out that the US militarys warfighting capacity (Leviathan) and the supporting US economy is not optimized for securing the security environment lying between war and peace. Weapons procurement and service centric force generation designed to support the Cold War high-end strategies of a bipolar world no longer apply to the multipolar globalized environment where low-end fourth generation warfare (4GW) requirements prevail. Given this, the US must â€Å"transform† its military to address existing and forecast security needs and enlist other Core state participation. To this end Barnett posits that dividing the military into a Leviathan force that prosecutes high-end war characterized primarily by US airpower (Air Force and Navy) and a SysAdmin force (Army and Marines) characterized by low-end 4GW proficient capability is required to address the war-peace gap. Moreover, the multinational SysAdmin force would be comprised primarily of other Core states and the significant US contribution would be its global logistics capability and 20% of the overall force structure. This approach would then leverage existing Core state military competencies and create a counterbalance to a US dominated Leviathan force. Even if the White House and all four services bought into this argument, the problem with this construct is that it makes the assumption that Core states will entrust the US with the preponderance of a Leviathan force. Essentially this proposal suggests that non-US Core states command the majority of the soft power and the US command the hard power. Given this, it is doubtful that rising powers such as China will find this arrangement appealing. Similarly, Russia with their resurgence of nationalism along with most European nations that comprise the majority of the Core states will also be suspicious of what would appear to be the US trying to corner the market on high-end warfare. Additionally, Core nations in general will be reluctant to support US combat dominance given its preemptive track record over the last five years. Barnetts blueprint suggests that the employment of force would not happen without the concurrence of â€Å"fellow great powers† because America would be deterred by the realization without the [multinational] SysAdmin little would change in a targeted Gap state. Unfortunately, this logic does not deter the US from pursuing its own vital interests in spite of other Core state objections. What this construct proposes is that the US will monopolize what matters most hard power and global reach. Therefore, the strategy is idealistic in that it does not provide a compelling case for US or its allies. Knowing that a constrained fiscal environment will challenge the preeminence of US power over the next 50 years, rising powers like China will be just as inclined to wait out an eventual decline of American strength. What Barnett fails to provide is a more convincing rationale to support his idea. To do this he needs to address how the US will give up its unilateral preemption policy and assuage Core state fears of US monopolizing hard power. For example, high-end weapon system development could be intentionally spread over multiple Core st ates. By making the US dependent on various foreign sources for arms manufacturing it would leverage the benefits of globalization, increase the interconnectivity of the Core, and create distributed weapon system dependency to keep the US in check militarily. Clearly, many in the US (i.e. military and defense contractors) would object to this, but for a global grand strategy of this nature to succeed checks and balances will need to be structurally imbedded into the institutional framework to foster trust and discourage unilateral tendencies. From a theater strategic joint warfighting perspective, Barnett is proposing a major transformation of US military force structure and strategy that is dependent on other Core state participants as much as they would be dependent on the US. To actualize this blueprint the Army would be optimized for 4GW and the Marine Corps should remain a mini-Leviathan within the SysAdmin force. Additionally, Civil Affairs units embedded in the Special Operations Command (SOCOM) would be integrated into the Army. The idea is to reconfigure US military forces into distinct Leviathan and SysAdmin force structures. This transformation also implies developing the ability to synchronize with the SysAdmin forces of other Core states and provide the logistical framework for rapid global deployment and sustainment. Given the existing issues involved with US force development the scale and scope of developing synchronized Core wide resourcing, doctrine, training, and equipping is questionable. The second postulate that Barnett advances is the requirement to establish global rule sets to guide Core state actions for dealing with politically bankrupt states inside the Gap and individual terrorists. The goal of these rule sets is to create transparency, reduce uncertainty, generate non-zero-sum outcomes, and foster a sense that everyone needs to play by the Cores emerging rules. The problem with the Gap rule set is that initiation of Core action is dependent on the United Nations (UN) Security Council to achieve consensus. Additionally, the rule set does not address how to reconstitute targeted Gap states politically in their transition to peace. Culture, religion, and other factors will clearly make any national rehabilitation unique, and Barnett fails to specify a fundamental political organizing philosophy. Clear political organizing principles need to be articulated to ensure the transparency. Finally, because the blueprint suggests that SysAdmin military force is structu rally divided among Core states the rule set would need to address how Core states will collectively react to an attack. Without a doubt, Blueprint for Action is a â€Å"must read† because it offers a plausible context for understanding the global security environment and a framework for addressing the threats we face today. More importantly, Barnetts paradigm forces readers to leap beyond national constraints and allows for the conceptualization of optimizing civil and military joint capability mulitnationally. Finally, Barnett offers an optimistic â€Å"future worth creating† and plants the seed for an international discussion on proactively securing the future for our planet.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Marshal Dylan: A Typical Law Man in Gun Smoke :: Gun Smoke

There are many characteristics that become standard for the typical "law man." However while listening to a few episodes of Gun Smoke the characteristics of a law man is very well distinguished. The typical law man portrays a character all of his own differing from that of anybody else. In the episodes of Gun Smoke, Matt Dylan is the Marshal of Dodge City, Kansas. Through the character of Marshal Dylan the idea of the law man is portrayed. Dylan seems to act out the part of Marshall in three different circumstances. There is the way that Dylan interacts and responds to his friends. On the other hand Dylan deals with his enemies altogether differently but with the same basic principles. Finally the last way the Marshal Dylan reveals his character is through interactions with strangers. No matter what kind of people the law man must deal with he is always wise, patient, and a strong leader. The way Matt Dylan treats his friends is a bit different than the way he treats everybody else. This is where we get to see the softer side of Mr. Dylan. Although his personality might somewhat differ, his normal relationship with others it is hardly an emotional one. One major character trait of Dylan that plays throughout is his stern personality and lack of words. Even though he was a stern man there was much caring in his tone when he would interact with Miss Kitty. He wasn't much of a smooth talker either; he simply says what needs to be said and goes about his business. At one point Dylan asks Miss Kitty if she would like a couple of drinks; she agrees but when she suggests to sit at the table he doesn't give it a moments thought before rejecting the idea and telling her where they will be sitting. We can conclude form this that the typical law man wasn't much of a ladies man at all. There is also the way Dylan interacts with his deputy Chester; many times the relationship betw een Chester and Dylan was a serious business one, but throughout there were several times when we could see Dylan open up a little more. When things were a little less stressful, Dylan's humorous side came out somewhat while teasing Chester for either falling asleep on the job or laughing at him for wanting to sit and watch the train.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Comparison/Contrast of Cut and The Fourth of July Essay -- essays rese

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Wilkinson 1 Comparison/Contrast of â€Å"Cut† and â€Å"The Fourth of July† In the two essays â€Å"Cut,† by Bob Greene and â€Å"The Fourth of July,† by Audre Lorde they both discuss how disappointments as a child affected their lives. Greene’s essay gives five examples about how five boys were cut from a sports team and how they used that disappointment to become successful as adults. Lorde’s essay differed in that it told one story of how her and her family were on their vacation in Washington D.C. and they were not served at a restaurant because they were black. Both authors discuss feelings of being left out, being discriminated against, and how disappointments affected their lives. However, there are more differences than similarities in the essays. I can relate more to Greene’s essay because I am an athlete; however, I have never been in position of worrying about being cut.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Greene and Lorde were similar in that they both faced a form of discrimination on their childhood that helped better them in the future. In â€Å"Cut† the boys all went to try out for a high school sports team and all of them were cut from the teams. â€Å"For the time in my life, I was told wasn’t good enough† (Greene 56). These boys were discriminated against for not having the ability or talent to be good enough to play on the team. On of the people in the essay, Bob Graham stated, â€Å"I know for a fact that it altered my perception of myself. My view of myself was knocked down; my self was lowered† (Greene 57). No one should ever be put into a situation where they face being told they are not good enough. In the other essay, â€Å"The Fourth of July,† a different type of discrimination was discussed, racism. Lorde’s family, which is African American, was faced with discrimination on a vacation to Washington D.C. The y took the trip because Wilkinson 2 Lorde’s sister Phyllis could not go on her senior class to Washington. â€Å"The nuns had given her back her deposit in private, explaining to her that the class, all of whom were white, except Phyllis, would be staying in a hotel where Phyllis ‘would not be happy,’ Daddy explained to her, also in private, that they did not rent rooms to Negroes† (Lorde 202). While in Washington Lorde and her family went out for ice cream to a Breyer’s ice cream shop. They sat down and a waitress, who was white, walked over and... ...t of the season. Not being a starter gave me the determination to work harder and in the end it all paid off. This experience has made me realize that I can do anything as long as I work hard. Wilkinson 5 In conclusion, both Greene and Lorde discuss how disappointments as child have had positive affects on his/her lives as adults. Greene’s essay applied to me more than Lorde’s because I have never been judged by my appearance. I can’t relate to the fact of being cut from a team, but I can relate to the fact being successful with hard work. Wilkinson 6 Works Cited Greene, Bob. â€Å"Cut.† The Prentice Hall Reader. 6th ed. Ed. George Miller. Trenton, N.J.:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Prentice Hall, 2001. 55-60. Lorde, Audre. â€Å"The Fourth of July.† Models for Writers. 7th ed. Ed. Alfred Rosa and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Paul Eschholz. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2001. 201-204. Comparison/Contrast of â€Å"Cut† and â€Å"The Fourth of July† by Shane Wilkinson English 110, Section 03 Mrs. Bailey 30 April 2002   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Comparison/Contrast of Cut and The Fourth of July Essay -- essays rese   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Wilkinson 1 Comparison/Contrast of â€Å"Cut† and â€Å"The Fourth of July† In the two essays â€Å"Cut,† by Bob Greene and â€Å"The Fourth of July,† by Audre Lorde they both discuss how disappointments as a child affected their lives. Greene’s essay gives five examples about how five boys were cut from a sports team and how they used that disappointment to become successful as adults. Lorde’s essay differed in that it told one story of how her and her family were on their vacation in Washington D.C. and they were not served at a restaurant because they were black. Both authors discuss feelings of being left out, being discriminated against, and how disappointments affected their lives. However, there are more differences than similarities in the essays. I can relate more to Greene’s essay because I am an athlete; however, I have never been in position of worrying about being cut.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Greene and Lorde were similar in that they both faced a form of discrimination on their childhood that helped better them in the future. In â€Å"Cut† the boys all went to try out for a high school sports team and all of them were cut from the teams. â€Å"For the time in my life, I was told wasn’t good enough† (Greene 56). These boys were discriminated against for not having the ability or talent to be good enough to play on the team. On of the people in the essay, Bob Graham stated, â€Å"I know for a fact that it altered my perception of myself. My view of myself was knocked down; my self was lowered† (Greene 57). No one should ever be put into a situation where they face being told they are not good enough. In the other essay, â€Å"The Fourth of July,† a different type of discrimination was discussed, racism. Lorde’s family, which is African American, was faced with discrimination on a vacation to Washington D.C. The y took the trip because Wilkinson 2 Lorde’s sister Phyllis could not go on her senior class to Washington. â€Å"The nuns had given her back her deposit in private, explaining to her that the class, all of whom were white, except Phyllis, would be staying in a hotel where Phyllis ‘would not be happy,’ Daddy explained to her, also in private, that they did not rent rooms to Negroes† (Lorde 202). While in Washington Lorde and her family went out for ice cream to a Breyer’s ice cream shop. They sat down and a waitress, who was white, walked over and... ...t of the season. Not being a starter gave me the determination to work harder and in the end it all paid off. This experience has made me realize that I can do anything as long as I work hard. Wilkinson 5 In conclusion, both Greene and Lorde discuss how disappointments as child have had positive affects on his/her lives as adults. Greene’s essay applied to me more than Lorde’s because I have never been judged by my appearance. I can’t relate to the fact of being cut from a team, but I can relate to the fact being successful with hard work. Wilkinson 6 Works Cited Greene, Bob. â€Å"Cut.† The Prentice Hall Reader. 6th ed. Ed. George Miller. Trenton, N.J.:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Prentice Hall, 2001. 55-60. Lorde, Audre. â€Å"The Fourth of July.† Models for Writers. 7th ed. Ed. Alfred Rosa and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Paul Eschholz. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2001. 201-204. Comparison/Contrast of â€Å"Cut† and â€Å"The Fourth of July† by Shane Wilkinson English 110, Section 03 Mrs. Bailey 30 April 2002   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Highway traffic operations Essay

Introduction Highway traffic operations are influenced by the behavior of drivers. A highway can be used by a finite number of vehicles, and the driver perceived safe distances between vehicles determine this limit. For a given speed, as distances become shorter, more vehicles can use the highway. Both the volume of drivers choosing to use the highway (demand) and the maximum volume that can be served (supply) depend on driver behavior. Congestion results from too many people attempting to reach their destinations at the same time using the same highways. The combination of demand, capacity, and certain infrastructure features (traffic control devices) determines how drivers perceive the traffic conditions. Transportation agencies strive for economical solutions to congestion that satisfy a majority of highway users. A traffic signal installation is a power-operated device which informs motorists or pedestrians when they have the right of way at a particular intersection. The first traffic signal was installed in London in 1868 and used semaphore ‘arms’ together with red and green gas lamps. Unfortunately, it exploded, putting an end to this sort of control for 50 years. However, in 1918 the first three colored light signals were installed in New York and in 1925 they started to be used in Great Britain. At the beginning of the 1930’s an attempt at making the signals more `intelligent’, or vehicle responsive, was tried in America, using microphones at the side of the road, requiring drivers to sound their horns. This was obviously not too popular and the first traffic detectors – electrical and pneumatic were invented. Traffic signals are now used throughout the world, using the three light signals of Green, red and amber. Also, by convention, these are normally arranged vertically with the red signal at the top and the green light at the bottom. This also helps people who are colour blind – both drivers and pedestrians to identify the differences between the lights. Traffic signals are used at intersections to reduce conflicts to a minimum by time sharing of right of way. This actually reduces the capacity of the intersection, but greatly enhances safety. Conflicts at intersections shows the potential conflict points at the junction of two roads, both with two way traffic flows, at which all crossing and merging movements are permitted. With the provision of traffic signal control the number of potential conflicts can be reduced from 64 to zero. There is no doubt that signals are one of the most powerful tools for urban traffic control available to city authorities and their correct installation can improve both traffic flow and the safety of all road users. In comparison to other traffic improvements, signals are also relatively low capital intensive and in recent years the advancement in informatics and telecommunications has led to a new generation of low cost controllers and systems that have made modern signaling an even more attractive and powerful tool. Essentially, traffic signals form part of the â€Å"software† of a city as opposed to the roads and bridges that are part of it’s â€Å"hardware†. As such they have the advantage of being cheap and often the disadvantage of being so cheap that no local lobby is interested in them, especially when city mayors fail to see the  political advantages in changing an old signal for a new one. It is thus part of the traffic engineer’s task to prove to city authorities that a modern and well designed traffic signal system will bring real and visible benefits to the city. Conflict points at an intersection. HYPOTHESIS Traffic control devices contribute a great deal to accidents that occur in Zambia. GOAL: To Contribute to Reducing the occurrence of accidents in Zambia OBJECTIVES: To improve on the standard of traffic control devices and installations. FINDINGS 1- For each site where traffic signals are being contemplated, it has been discovered that normally adequate data on the traffic flows at the junction is not sufficiently collected. What has been discovered is that the local authority in most cases they do not carry out traffic count surveys as the result, they end up installing traffic lights where they are not needed. Look at figure 1, traffic lights have been introduced at the curve. They could have been placed at more convenient site to avoid accidents with vehicles that may lose breaks and at the same time file to negotiate. 2- Traffic counts are likely to be divided into two types all day counts (normally during 16 hours of a work day) usually mid block on key roads, with the objective of defining the duration of the peak periods and general vehicle composition; and, specific junction counts carried out with the objective of providing the data for evaluation and design of the junctions. Due to not considering conducting traffic surveys the objective is not clearly known hence it was discovered that most of the junctions that houses traffic devices, do not have what is referred to as† BELL MOUTH† to allow safely turning of vehicles, lack of the bell mouth has really resulted into accidents which could have been avoided at design stage. 3- The counts should be made in periods of about 15 minutes, during at least two working days. If the counts are not similar then the counts should be repeated on another working day. A simple 16 hour survey form could look like Specific junction counts are aimed at providing the data for detailed evaluation and design. This has been in most cases overlooked. In line with the same, it was discovered that where the Local Authority ought to provide a road reserve which in most cases have been given out as plots, in some instance the same â€Å"road reserve† can be used for filter lane as the road approaches the junction where traffic devices are installed. Because of that, it was discovered that usually traffic on the sides, would want to find the way out of the unnecessary congestion thereby causing an accident.(see figure 3) 4- Traffic lights not protected. It was discovered that most traffic lights  at the junctions are not secured, they are usually hit by vehicles that have lost breaking system. And again because the Local Authority takes time to repair and replace the affected device, accidents continue to escalate. Traffic lights near chawama pick & pay 5- Sub standard Quality of installation. It was also observed that most of the works are really supervised, hence contractors will normally employ cheap means of achieving the task. 6- Separators towards the junctions (or traffic devices) have been least attended to e.g the one before arcades coming from chelston (unza), many lives have been lost. Other one is the Kerb separator in Ndola along Blantyre avenue as one approaches the traffic lights at Shoprite in town centre , equally, it has not been attended to Last and not the least is the stud separator in Chingola just before Total filling station along Kabundi Road just after Musonko House approximately 250m before traffic lights,this equally is not in good shape hence contributes to accidents that occur at traffic lights. CONCLUSIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS For each site where traffic signals are being contemplated it is fundamental to obtain adequate data on the traffic flows at the junction. Normally, surveys should be carried out during the peak hour periods. However, it may be important to have a broad view of the flows in the city throughout a normal working day, especially when Area Traffic Control or linked signaling are being considered, below is the suggested form to be used when carrying out traffic count There is need to construct what may referred to as† BELL MOUTH† to allow safely turning of vehicles, lack of the bell mouth has really resulted into  accidents which could have been avoided at design stage. There is need to protect Traffic lights by introducing steel barriers around the traffic lights, at least 3000mm away from the pole that is carrying traffic light. We cannot bargain with life and so, for the installation of traffic device, there is need for the Government for now to have one project â€Å"Design & install†. This project should be given to a deserving company which should be able to carry out installations and give guarantee in relation to : – (1) Quality,(2)level of accidents. There is need to have highly qualified personnel in Local Authorities so that Quality of work which involves :- installation of traffic lights,separators and generally all road furniture can be attained. This sign and the kerbing segregate vulnerable road users and slow local traffic from higher speed through traffic. Pedestrians clearly feel safe in the segregated lane. There is need for the Local Authority to work in collaboration with RDA. Certain works that are of low standard in towns is due to lack of supervision of the contractor by RDA and Local Authority. Attached as appendices(Apendix A & B ) are the monitoring and evaluation form which can be used for supervision of projects. There is need for the supervising Authority to come up with a Logic Framework which should critically bring out: – Goals, Objectives, measurable indicators, means of verifications and important assumptions.(see below Logic framework) Logic Framework Narrative Summary Measurable indicator Means of verification Important Assumptions Goal-To improve the standard of traffic devices Objectives 1. To have a nation with minimal accidents from the current 80% to 5% by 2020 2. Improve on the functional traffic control devices from the current 40% to 100% by 2020 3. To improve the availability of essential traffic control devices from the current 30% to 100% by 2016 1. % of personnel involved in road accident reduced. 2. % of functional traffic control devices increased. 3. % of essential traffic control devices increased 1. Recorded number of accident in a particular period , taking in consideration the traffic devices 2. Inventory or asset register/and physical check. 3. Stock records of the essential traffic control device. Government commitment, Management will(RDA & Local Authorities) and Commitment, Constant flow of funds from donors Govt commitment to release funds on time  unnecessary. To avoid this problem it is essential that the engineer or traffic department has a clear set of warrants to justify the use of signals. If possible, these warrants should be approved by the local government bodies (elected and executive) so that requests for signals on sites that do not need them can be refused according to pre-discussed rules and not just on the personalized decision of the head of the traffic department. Traffic signals may be justified if, usually two, of the following criteria are present where there is a minimum major-street/minor-street conflicting vehicle volume where there may be need to interrupt continuous flow on the major road to allow traffic to exit from the minor road without excessive delay where a minimum pedestrian volume conflicts with a minimum vehicle volume where a schoolchildren crossing is present where there is a need to maintain progressive movement of vehicles along an otherwise signaled route; and where there is a record of accidents of the type which could be reduced by the use of traffic signals. A rough and ready set of warrants might be: Traffic flows – when there is a minimum of 1000 pcu’s per hour entering the  junction during the peak hours. visibility – when drivers on the minor road have poor visibility for judging gaps. accidents – when three or more accidents (collisions or pedestrians) are registered per year. Figure 2, for example, shows the relationship between major-road/minor-road flows and the type of control recommended at a junction in the UK. For a major road flow of 20,000 pcu’s per day and a minor road flow of 6,000, a roundabout would be a good solution for eliminating the  conflicting traffic movements – if space were available. If, however, the junction is in a built-up area, then traffic signals probably represent the best solution. It should be stressed, however, Monitoring and Evaluation Form appendix â€Å"A† STRATEGIC Objective 1: Local Authority /RDA Intermediate Objective: Activities/Resources Indicators Sources of Data and Collection Methods Frequency of Data Collection Responsible Person(s) & Team Outputs Key Outputs Key Outcomes Definition of Key Outcome Indicators 1) Illustrative Timeline appendix â€Å"B† Activities to Assess Year One Year Two Year Three First Quarter Second Quarter Third Quarter Fourth Quarter First Quarter Second Quarter Third Quarter Fourth Quarter First Quarter Second Quarter REFERENCES 1. UNIVERSITY OF AFRICA- Road Structure and Traffic Control Device module – 2013 (extract from Road maintenance Hand Book Volume iv). 2. BENT THAGESEN : Highway and traffic engineering in developing countries 3. Cannell, A. E. R. and Kaestner, C. Some Aspects of Area Traffic Control in Semi-Developed Countries. 4. Traffic engineering acrd Control. 1983. Companhia de Engenharia de Transito -CET. 5. Department of Transport. Junction Layout for Control by Traffic Signals. Highway, Safety and Traffic Advice Note TA 6. Gardner, G, Fouracre, P.R. and Jacobs, G.D. Traffic Management. 7. SCOOT: Traffic Responsive Method of Coordinating Signals. TRRL Report 1014. Transport and Road Research 8. Willumsen, L.G. and Coeymans, J.E. Research into the Value of Area Traffic Control Techniques in a Developing Country.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Rhetorical Analysis on Thoreau’s Walden-Chapter33

Rhetorical Analysis-â€Å"Reading† in Walden Walden is a personal essay of Henry David Thoreau, as he goes into wood and writes his personal experiences by immersing himself in nature. By detaching himself from the society, Thoreau tried to gain a more objective understanding of society through personal introspection. His thoughts of understanding society or finding the â€Å"truth† are discussed on the third chapter â€Å"Reading. † This chapter constitutes a description of what Thoreau has gained from reading and an exhortation that the reader should seek for the vein of spiritual truth.Thoreau discusses the benefits of classical literature then argues that people of Concord should focus on adult’s education. He moans that most of the educated men in Concord disregard the classics of English literature and argues that townspeople should have spent money on building Lyceum instead of a townhouse. By using dichotomies, Thoreau differentiates himself from t he townspeople, and then he strengthens his argument by deifying the work of great poets.Thoreau’s studying of classical literature or his attempt to find the truths is prevalent in chapter â€Å"Reading†, but his thoughts are especially well-presented in the first paragraph of the chapter. Thoreau begins his paragraph with personal thoughts saying if men were more deliberate in choosing their pursuits, they would all become â€Å"students† and observers,† because that it is in their â€Å"nature† and â€Å"destiny. † By choosing scientific words, such as â€Å"observers†, â€Å"students†, and â€Å"nature† to describe his personal thoughts, Thoreau risks charges of elitism.Science is a study of nature and it is based on observation and experiment, whereas philosophy and literature is a study based on personal thoughts and insights. This is contrast to what other most writers argue. Most other writers and philosophers arg ue that while it is possible to think we know the truth in a situation, it is impossible to be certain. Since we cannot be certain of the truth, it is very difficult or even impossible to define what the â€Å"truth† is.However by stating that literature and philosophy can be answered in a definite way like science, Thoreau implicitly tells the readers that he is following the â€Å"right† track as other great poets have followed. This elitism is recurrent throughout in Walden, as he states the difference between great literature and the common reader later in this chapter. Thoreau contemplates that most people learn to read only for convenience and they are only satisfied with one great book, the Bible. He even ridicules the townspeople by comparing them to four years old children with a copy of Cinderella.It is possible that Thoreau purposely used the techniques in a planned way. If Thoreau had bluntly blamed the educated man in Concord from the beginning, his reader s, whom are mostly likely educated men from Concord or elsewhere, would have undoubtedly been offended. On the next sentence, Thoreau continues his assertion by introducing the theme of immortality through literature. Once again, he defies the work of great poets by stating that â€Å"we are mortal, †¦ but in dealing with truth, we are immortal. †(94, Thoreau) Thoreau implies that by writing or publishing great works, one can achieve immortality with his work.To further understand Thoreau’s concept on mortality, one must understand his background first. Walden was written in1845, three years after his beloved brother John, an amateur ornithologist. Suffering from his brother’s loss, Thoreau went to woods and started his career as a writer by writing Walden. Faced with the death of his brother, Thoreau probably needed to find an answer for mortality and Walden is his attempt to immortalize himself through writing. Continuing from mortality, Thoreau uses anot her metaphor, divinity. Thoreau mentions about Egyptian and Hindu philosophers and their divinity.It is interesting to see that Thoreau uses other religions, instead of using Christianity. It was written in mid-nineteenth century, and the traditional Christian beliefs were starting to crumble. Thoreau, coming from New England where Puritan religion is prevalent, would of course be familiar with Christianity and Bible. Other evidences in this paragraph also suggest that Thoreau was affected by this. As I mentioned on the last paragraph, Thoreau mentions about immortality and afterlife, which cannot be achieved in Christianity.Another example is the use of word â€Å"veil† in this paragraph. Throeau states â€Å"still the trembling robe remains raised, and I gaze upon as fresh a glory as he did. †(94, Thoreau) When people first think of Veil in religion, most people would think of Muslim women wearing hijabs, but considering that this was written in mid-nineteenth centur y, Thoreau probably was not considering Muslim. In fact, covering the hair is also religious commandment for Christian Women and it was meant to shield women’s hair from eyes of sinful men.Human beings can only perceive the divine through their senses in Christianity belief, while Thoreau, as a transcendentalist, suggests a more spiritual way to connect with divine by reading great literature. Thoreau then concludes this paragraph with a resemblance statement of great literature’s immortality. He says â€Å"That time which we really improve, or which is improvable, is neither past, present, nor future. †(94,Thoreau) Again he mentions immortality of the great literature and he is stating that these works are the â€Å"truth. Thoreau does not contemplate townspeople in this paragraph as much as the rest of chapter. Instead he focuses praising the great poets and even defies their work. This is part of his effort to convince readers his argument before he can crit icize other townspeople. By doing this, he wishes for townspeople to become more educated. He wishes that Concord spend money on arts and education as patrons in European nobles, but only finds that townspeople are spending money on farming and trade. By using dichotomy between townspeople and the great poets, he successfully distinguishes himself from townspeople.Then by using metaphors and comparison with Christianity, Thoreau asserts his opinion on education and tells his thoughts on finding the â€Å"truth. † By boldly putting himself to the same position as the other great poets, Thoreau successfully shows his strong will on reforming education. Yet, he risks his essay for elitism by simply stating that townspeople don’t care much about the literature and thus must be not interested in finding the truth. ? Work cited. 1. Henry David Thoreau, Walden. New York: The Modern Library, 1992. Print. 2. Walden Pond state Reservation