Thursday, December 26, 2019

Questions to Help You Choose Your College Major

When you were in high school, everyone wanted to know where you were going to go to college. Now that youre there, everyone wants to know what youre going to major in. If youre having problems deciding, try asking yourself these five questions. What Do I Love? Knowing what really engages you is critically important when picking a major. If you think you want to be a doctor but cant wait until chemistry ends because it means you can head straight to your Shakespeare class, pay attention to that. No matter what major you choose, if youre like everyone else, youll end up changing careers several times during your lifetime. So pick something that speaks to the fire in your belly and that will get you excited, regardless of the context in which its presented. What am I Good At? Do students in your residence hall always come to you for help with their biology homework? Do you always earn rave reviews for your performances or art work? Majoring in something that you have a natural inclination toward can speak to where your interests and skills are, and, if youre particularly skilled in a specific subject, can possibly lead to further study (abroad, in graduate school, or with a fellowship after graduation). What Do I Want to Do? Have you always wanted to be a doctor? A teacher? A lawyer? Dont limit yourself to only doing what is traditional for those fields. If you want to be a doctor but have a love of Spanish literature, make sure you take your pre-med requirements ... and look into majoring in Spanish. Having college goals and exploring your interests along the way can be a bonus on your graduate school applications. Similarly, if you know youve always wanted to work on Wall Street, make sure youre adequately prepared with the coursework youll need to get your foot in the door. Your major and your preparation for a professional field dont always have to be the exact same thing. What Skills Do I Want to Learn? If you love theater and are hoping to pursue it full-time after you graduate, remember to keep in mind the additional skills youll need to do so. If you want to run your own theater company someday, youll need to know about all kinds things about business rules, ethics, marketing, writing, public relations, and customer service. Pick a major that is intellectually interesting and that also provides you with the practical training you may need later. What Life Factors Do I Need to Consider? Many students have additional factors influencing their college choices: family, financial obligations, cultural expectations. While exploring your own path is highly important, its also important to keep in mind that these external forces will have an influence on your post-college life in one way or another. Finding a major that can provide balance for your internal dreams and desires with external expectations can make an overwhelming situation sometimes feel more manageable.

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

The End Of The Eastern Alliance - 1561 Words

It can be contended that 1989 was an incredible year for world history. The end of the eastern alliance was denoted by the fall of the Berlin Wall. The evident victory of capitalism has prompted changes, within all the countries of the world, in the monetary strategy taken from that point forward. The new financial strategy, known as  «Washington Consensus », comprised of a bundle of 10 basic economic policies, seeking to accomplish full liberalization of worldwide markets from any regulations which existed. The acknowledgment of this structure by worldwide associations and by the legislatures of the world, was almost common.The monetary approach followed the rules of the universal associations to accomplish the main purposes set around the Washington Consensus. This paper intends to better comprehend the philosophy of Washington Consensus, by examining its ideological hypothetical foundation (how it is organized and how it worked), the criticism it received from different opposing views, and finally its performance through the different real-life examples. Hypothetical structure and role of Washington Consensus The term â€Å"Washington Consensus† was first presented, by John Williamson, during an era when the power of Keynesian financial hypothesis had ended - after the crisis of the mid 70s and the obvious powerlessness of Keynesianism to stand before it (2004). Hence, sponsored by Reagan and Thatcher governments, neoliberalism have turned into the new universality.Show MoreRelatedOperation Anaconda Operation Anaconda took place as a part of the War in Afghanistan in early1500 Words   |  6 PagesOperation Anaconda Operation Anaconda took place as a part of the War in Afghanistan in early March of 2002. 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In 1939, the Soviet Union signed a Non-Aggression Treaty with Germany that called for ten years of non-aggression; and secretly carved up Poland and other parts of Eastern Europe into ‘spheres of influence’Read MoreTo What Extent Was the United States of America Responsible for the Collapse of the Grand Alliance?1727 Words   |  7 PagesTo what extent was the United States of America responsible for the collapse of the Grand Alliance? A capitalist state, a Communist state and a colonial power all joined power during World War II and formed the Grand Alliance. The United Stated which was led by Franklin Roosevelt, the Soviet Union which was led by Joseph Stalin and Great Britain which was led by Winston Churchill united powers as they all shared one main objective. 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For example the alliances, the Schleiffen plan, The Eastern Question, German Aggression, the two Moroccan Crises and Sarajevo, which were all, factors in World War 1s outbreak in 1914. The origin of Anglo-German rivalry lies in the substantial differences in the foreignRead MoreThe History of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Essay843 Words   |  4 PagesPortugal, and the United States. Greece and Turkey joined in 1952, West Germany in 1955 and Spain in 1982. Hungary, Poland, and the Czech Republic were admitted in 1999. Today, these 19 countries make up the alliance, which may be looking to add new members. NATO was formed as an alliance in which all the members agreed to help each other defend themselves against outside threats. These main outside threats were the recently defeated Germany and the powerful Communist Soviet Union. An old sayingRead MoreNATO Essay751 Words   |  4 PagesIn recent events, President Trump mocked the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) saying that it is an alliance focused on old issues that are no longer relevant to our present-day problems and that it’s a burden that drains American resources with partners that do not contribute to the economic costs. The issue with this is that President Trump has a major impact on the way other countries view America and on the possibilities of us entering war, his recent comments had raised questions about

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Bolts Of A Knowledge The Management System -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Bolts Of Knowledge The Management System? Answer: Introduction Knowledge management (KM) is a technology based approach, which develops a business atmosphere for managing the knowledge, such as; storing the information and material data and gathering the data in an effective way, which can assist in future development of organization. Through the implementation of knowledge management, an organization can manage the documents, data and efforts of people (Becerra-Fernandez, and Sabherwal, 2014). Under this, the major objective of the organization should be to improve the ways, in which the people work together, communicate ideas and opinions and work on other ideas and then use them for a common objective. The development of knowledge management system makes the human resources able to utilize the resources, business reports and execute the best fit solutions. For knowledge management system, it can be said that it is one of the most significant system for enhancing capabilities and competencies of the company. Knowledge management is the process of collecting, communicating, using and organizing the knowledge and information, so that organization can attain its predetermined objectives by using the knowledge properly (Botha, Kourie, and Snyman, 2014). This IT based system enables the company to recognize the problems and develop the best fit solutions to them. For this report, the company, which is chosen here, is Coca Cola Company that is based in United States of America. The organization is running its business operations since more than 130 years all over the world. It is well-established in American and international food and beverage industry. This below report consists of the knowledge management program, which is used by Coca Cola Company and it also includes the knowledge infrastructure of this company. Coca Cola Organization is utilizing some IT solutions to handle its knowledge management system. Moreover, there is the discussion about the effect of knowledge management system on human resources, processes and its products and services. This firm has executed this technology based system to get expected and positive outcomes. Company Description Coca-Cola Organization is one of the most popular brands in the world food and beverage industry. This is a well-established organization that produces carbonated soft drinks and other beverages and has been in this business since 1886 and currently serving more than 200 countries with its products. The organization was founded by John Pemberton in late 19th century, whose marketing strategies directed the company to the dominance in global beverage and soft drink industry. The organization is offering a variety of products, under its beverage and soft drink category, like; Coke, Diet Coke, Caffeine Free Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Cherry, Coca-Cola Vanilla and special flavors with the lime, coffee and lemon. According to the study of best global brand, 2015, this company is the third valuable brand, led by Apple and Google. It is one of the leading producers of soft drink and now it is well-recognized for its international marketing capabilities (Coca Cola Company, 2017). Currently, the or ganization is working as one of the most appreciated organizations and it has proficiency in the field of manufacturing, distribution and advertising and marketing. Use of technology has enhanced the business in different ways. One of the major factors behind positive results is the packaging of the products. It is enhancing the efficiency and quality of product. Coca-Cola operates its business maturely, where the implementation of new technology and innovations is lower than other organizations (Celk, 2017). It is one of the great instances of an organization that attaches the significance to knowledge management by incorporating and processing the knowledge and information from different subsidiaries all over the world. Knowledge Management Infrastructure Knowledge Management Infrastructure of a company includes all the components, which integrate to simplify the flow of information and knowledge to support the decision making processes, including organizational structure and operations. However, KM infrastructure combines not only the IT infrastructure but also includes social, human and organizational factors of the company (Chua, and Banerjee, 2013). Coca-Cola Company has developed a specific and operative management infrastructure after analyzing the needs of this system to deal with some issues. Before implementing knowledge management infrastructure, first the company will analyze the needs and requirements for this system at Coca-Cola. The company believes that the only way for employers to get to each of employees performances is enhanced technology in developing for them an effective knowledge management system. The company has to create the need for them, so that they rely on the system and company will be able to increase i ts production and profits. Coca-Cola has developed its KM infrastructure, including its different components, i.e. organizational culture, organizational structure, IT infrastructure and its physical environment. Knowledge management infrastructure of Coca-Cola Company is given below; Culture The culture of an organization shows the norms, values and beliefs, which assist the employees in guiding their behaviors in the workplace. These shared norms and values have a huge impact on the employees of the organization and lead them how they appear, work and perform their roles and responsibilities in the operations. Under knowledge management infrastructure, organizational culture is an important component. It consists of understanding the process of knowledge management and organizing the support for knowledge management at all management levels (Dalkir, and Beaulieu, 2017). At Coca-Cola, knowledge management has a strong relationship with the collaboration. This organization is very much sensitive to its culture and brand image to both of its suppliers and customers due to their pursuit of carrying out better and positive innovation to the customers. For enhancing the growth of business and increasing customer base, Coca Cola Company has used different knowledge sharing met hods in the workplace. It allows the knowledge managers of the company in communicating the creative ideas. These knowledge sharing methods are assisting the top levels managers in understanding the best fit ideas and resources and sharing them with other employees to create an effective and comfortable organizational culture. Organizational Structure The term organizational structure describes how different activities, like; allocation of tasks, communication and supervision are led for attaining the goals and objectives of organization. Apart from organizational culture, Coca-Cola organization depends to a large extent on its organizational structure. Under its knowledge management system, there are so many aspects, which are completely concerned with this concept. At Coca-Cola, decentralization structure of organization has been practiced that develops a workplace environment where the managers are assigned the responsibilities and they are outcomes driven (Galliers, and Leidner, 2014). Use of decentralized organizational structure is one of the key elements at Coca-Cola Company. In addition to this, the large liberation of some specific business areas and of the departments shows that the middle level of management has sectorial proficiency. On the basis of this structure, the company is following the principle that the employees, who are closer to the problems, are closer to solution to them. Under the knowledge management system at Coca-Cola Company, embedded knowledge plays a vital role. This KM system allows the managers to use the data and information of their workplace and its environment. Furthermore, this also helps the organization in analyzing the structures and working processes of its human resources. One of the major strengths of Coca-Cola Company over other small beverage company is the knowledge, which each part of the organization has created with the passage of time and that can be used by other people in the organization. It has nurtured its organizational structure and culture through tacit knowledge of its employees. Implanted knowledge at Coca-Cola Company provides different rules and regulations, which need to be complied with. The top management at Coca-Cola Company gives a task schedule to its people (Hallin, and Marnburg, 2008). Through this, they are able to understand the schedule to coordinate with their external and internal stakeholders, like; customers, suppliers, manufacturers, shareholders etc. In addition to this, Coca-Cola is executing the structural knowledge management system, which enables its management and top managers to access the previous reports and data, where the knowledge is secured. IT Infrastructure Knowledge management structure of the company is also enabled by the IT infrastructure of that company. However, some information systems and technologies are directly established to go ahead with the knowledge management, overall It structure of organization that is created to assist the requirements of management information system (Hays, 2010). The IT infrastructure of the organization combines different elements, like; storage, data processing, communication systems and technologies and practices, which process them to work. Coca-Cola Company is implementing effective information technology tools for connecting the people from different departments, like; finance, production, distribution, marketing etc. By implementing the electronic data interchange technology that is incorporated in the information system of company, the employees are able to access the operational data, such as; sales data and figures, customer information and promotion. It increases the knowledge of employee s and their awareness to consumers. These IT tools allow the organizational staff in generating solutions to the issues, policies and processes of organization. This IT infrastructure of the company is enhancing the sharing of information and communication among its different departments. In addition to this system, Coca Cola Company has used different IT tools for managing the knowledge and information, like; Intranet system, reviews, meetings etc. Thus, it has incorporated various techniques under its IT infrastructure for managing coordination and communication in the company (Hislop, 2013). Knowledge management system accomplishes all the aspects at Coca-Cola Company, i.e. richness, depth, reach and accumulation. Physical Environment Generally, an organization takes the physical environment very for granted, but it is also a significant base upon which knowledge management relies. Key elements of psychology environment consist of location and size of office premises, number of meeting rooms and design of office buildings. Physical environment plays an important role in fostering the knowledge management by offering opportunities for its people to meet and communicate their opinions and ideas. The physical environment at Coca-Cola is very attractive and it has developed a meeting room, where it conducts the meetings and business reviews with its people. The management at company believes that it is essential to develop a comfortable and better physical environment for effective learning (Holtshouse, 2013). At Coca Cola, this component of knowledge management infrastructure is managed properly and assists the management in encouraging the knowledge management by providing opportunities to the people to share their ideas and opinions. Technology Used By organization For effective knowledge management, companies use and implement different Information Technology tools, which assist them in generating appropriate solutions for their business problems. At Coca-Cola Company, there is incorporation of various information technologies, which are utilized for managing the knowledge and information. The company uses these technologies to facilitate the solutions to knowledge management problems (King, Marks, 2008). Two major techniques, used by Coca-Cola are Intranet System and Electronic data Interchange technology system. These technologies at Coca-Cola are stated below; Intranet System To deal with the employee performance and knowledge management issues, Coca-Cola Company has executed Intranet system. Intranet system is a system that allows the employees to coordinate, communicate and share the information and use the productivity techniques. This system is generally operated and maintained by the organization servers and can be used by the internal people of the company only. The Intranet system is modern and advanced technology that is used by the Coca-Cola Company. By the use of this technology, the employees are assisted not only in enhancing their abilities and skills but also assisted in enhancing coordination among organization and its bottling partners. This technology is improving the relationship with bottlers due to the network established between them (Lopez, 2012). Under knowledge management, this system will give the employees with the points and facts on how it is serving the customer satisfaction. In Coca Cola, bottlers are the major source, from which knowledge management system can get the information and data as they are very much connected with the society and community. This is the major reason why bottlers are considered as a foundation unit of Coca-Cola system. Electronic data interchange technology The future success of Coca Cola lies on enhancing its information technology. Through this technology, the employees are able to access the operational information easily. This information may be related to the customers, promotion and marketing and sales. It is improving the knowledge of employees and their response to its customers. This advanced enterprise content management technology allows the company for repurposing its assets and enhance the speed, efficiency and collaboration in a manner, which provides them a significant competitive advantage. Under knowledge management, Coca-Cola has developed an easy to use user document, which is refined to communicate with several databases, servers and archives of the Coca-Cola Company (Gengeswari and Hamid, 2017). In this way, these are two major technologies, which are used by the Coca-Cola Company for its effective knowledge management. By the use of these techniques, the company is performing its activities and operations effectively. Knowledge Management Systems Knowledge management systems are the practices, which are created by combining different technologies, which assist the knowledge management process of a company (Mirvis, Herrera, Googins, and Albareda, 2016). In an organization, these systems can be categorized in four types, which are given below; Knowledge Capture System Knowledge Application System Knowledge Discovery System Knowledge Sharing System For Coca Cola Company, two of above systems are stated below; Knowledge Application System Knowledge application system is a system, which can be utilized for maintaining the important knowledge and information on the company. It is an important system, which helps the process through which some of its employees use the knowledge owned by other employees without receiving and learning the knowledge (Macharia, and Ismail, 2015). There are two types of this system, i.e. routines and direction. At Coca Cola Company, the knowledge managers have pursued routine as its application system. Under this system, Coca-Cola Company has included the knowledge and information in its routine work processes. In this way, it is able to guide the employee behavior and perform their duties and responsibilities accordingly. The management at this organization believes that application system under knowledge management should be efficient because it is most significant component of this process. In addition to norms and rules, the organization uses various applications and software to transfer and apply the knowledge, like; enterprise resource planning (ERP), enterprise content management system and CRM (Smith, and Lyles, 2017). Knowledge Sharing Systems This is another system under the process of knowledge management, through which implied knowledge and information is shared with the people in an organization. This system of knowledge sharing can be positioned among different departments and groups of organization. For sharing the knowledge and material information, Coca Cola Company is using effective tools and technologies, like; intranet system and electronic data interchange. In addition to this, it is utilizing the embedded knowledge, which supports the company is situation planning and understanding the employees (Noell, 2014). This situational planning allows the managers in developing a structure for operating the information system properly. By using the above given technologies, the company is able to share its work procedures and guidelines with its employees. The knowledge sharing system of Coca-Cola has assisted the management to communicate with all the levels of employees. Impact of knowledge management solutions on: people, processes, products and organization performance In an organization, the knowledge is developed by combining for components of the organization, i.e. people, processes, practice and technology. The knowledge management solutions, implemented by Coca-Cola have a large impact on its people, processes, products and performance, which are given below; People Under knowledge management process, people are the key sources of information. Through knowledge management system, the people at Coca-Cola Company are able to develop and acquire the information and learn from that and teach others, so that organization can be more innovative and generate new knowledge. This system at Coca-Cola allows the managers and employees to acquire deep understanding to manage organizational resources and employees (Rasheed, Subhan, Ahmed, and Ibrahim, 2015). Processes Processes are the structured activities that direct the company and its people towards its objectives. Through effective knowledge management implementation, Coca-Cola organization is able to enhance the productivity and efficiency of its processes, like; production, supply chain, marketing and advertising. Intranet system allows all the authorized departments to access the required information. They can contact with its all the employees and departments all over the world, as Coca-Cola is operating its business in more than 200 countries (Virgilio, and Francesca, 2012). Product Products are the major offerings that are provided by a company to its customers. Knowledge management has a significant impact on the products and services of the company. Coca-Cola Company is offering soft drinks and other beverages. By implementation of knowledge management, the company is able to develop contact with employees all over the world and understand the needs and desires of customers (Wang, Wang, 2016). After understanding the needs of customers, the company is making innovations in its products accordingly. It assists the company is offering improved products, which provide an additional value in comparison to previous products. In this way, knowledge management is enhancing the product excellence at Coca Cola Company (Weaven, Grace, Dant, and R. Brown, 2014). Organizational Performance When the people, processes and products have positive impact of knowledge management solutions, it indicates that there is improvement in the organizational performance. It improved the management and administration in the company offices. The organizational costs have reduced, as the people are connected through a single system (Williams, 2015). The employees are able to communicate through web conferencing, mails and chats. It has eliminated the travelling costs to the company. Analysis The above stated report shows that Coca-Cola Company has executed two knowledge management techniques and initiatives, i.e. Intranet System and Electronic Data Interchange. These technologies have affected the different areas of the organization. Through Electronic Data Interchange, the company is able to manage the performances of individuals. It allows the people to access the operational data of company, like; customers, market changes and trends etc. It increases the employees responsiveness to the customers and their satisfaction. This knowledge management solution went very well in the organization and assisted in attaining the related objectives. It enhances the management information system of the company. Through Intranet System, the company is able to communicate with the employees effectively. But this system is failed in this company as it demands an associated hardware and infrastructure. So, it is very expensive for Coca-Cola Company (Rasheed, Subhan, Ahmed, and Ibrahim, 2015). This intranet services put burden on internal servers, which need updating, replacing and licensing. In the place of this system, the company should execute the Digital Media Management System, developed by IBM. This system will be a strong source for managing the information. This new system will make the worth of advertising and marketing icons available via a wide internal network. It will allow the employees at Coca-Cola to easily access the information and materials for future projects. Conclusion From the above report, it can be concluded that knowledge management is an important process for establishing communication among different groups and employees. This process can assist the organization in storing and managing its databases and other important information about its processes. The above analysis shows that Coca-Cola Company is introducing different systems and techniques for managing the knowledge. The company is using different tools, like; Intranet System and Electronic Data Interchange system. At Coca-Cola, Electronic Data Interchange system is more successful than other system. So, it is hereby recommended that company should implement a new knowledge management system, i.e. Digital Media Management System. Through this, the firm will be able to manage and communicate information successfull, References Becerra-Fernandez, I., and Sabherwal, R., 2014, Knowledge management: Systems and processes. Routledge. Botha, A., Kourie, D. and Snyman, R., 2014.Coping with continuous change in the business environment: Knowledge management and knowledge management technology. Elsevier. Celk, U., 2017, International Marketing Strategy of Coca Cola Company:The essence and objectives of international marketing, GRIN Verlag. Chua, A.Y. and Banerjee, S., 2013. Customer knowledge management via social media: the case of Starbucks.Journal of Knowledge Management,17(2), pp.237-249. Coca Cola Company, 2017, Our Company, accessed on 16 January 16, 2018, from https://www.coca-colacompany.com/our-company. Dalkir, K. and Beaulieu, M., 2017.Knowledge management in theory and practice. MIT press. Galliers, R. D., and Leidner, D. E. (Eds.)., 2014, Strategic information management: challenges and strategies in managing information systems. Routledge. Gengeswari, K. and Hamid, A.B.A., 2017. Integration of electronic data interchange: a review.Jurnal Kemanusiaan,8(1). Hallin, C.A. and Marnburg, E., 2008. Knowledge management in the hospitality industry: A review of empirical research.Tourism Management,29(2), pp.366-381. Hays, C., 2010, Pop: Truth and Power at the Coca-Cola Company, Random House. Hislop, D., 2013, Knowledge management in organizations: A critical introduction. Oxford University Press. Holtshouse, D. K., 2013, Information technology for knowledge management. Springer Science Business Media. King, W. R., Marks, P. V., 2008, Motivating knowledge sharing through a knowledge management system.Omega,36(1), 131-146. Lopez, D., 2012, Brand Development of Coca-Cola Company (UK): Exploring new branding opportunities for Coca-Cola Company UK. GRIN Verlag. Macharia, C.W. and Ismail, N., 2015. Role of electronic data interchange on supply chain performance in manufacturing sector in Kenya: A case of Bidco Oil Refinery.International Academic Journal of Procurement and Supply Chain Management,1(4), pp.1-11. Mirvis, P., Herrera, M.E.B., Googins, B. and Albareda, L., 2016. Corporate social innovation: How firms learn to innovate for the greater good.Journal of Business Research,69(11), pp.5014-5021. Noell, N., 2014, Coca-Cola SAP, Retrieved from https://community.mis.temple.edu/mis2101702spring2014/2014/04/03/coca-cola-sap/. (Accessed on 16 January 2018). Rasheed, I., Subhan, I., Ahmed, S.F. and Ibrahim, M., 2015, Knowledge Management as a Strategy Competitive Advantage: A Strong Influence to Success, a Survey of Knowledge Management Case Studies of Different Organizations, Information and Knowledge Management, Vol.5, No.8, 2015, 60-71. Smith, M.E. and Lyles, M.A., 2017, Handbook of Organizational Learning and Knowledge Management. John Wiley Sons. Virgilio, D. and Francesca, 2017, Social Media for Knowledge Management Applications in Modern Organizations, IGI Clobal. Wang, Y. M., Wang, Y. C. (2016). Determinants of firms' knowledge management system implementation: An empirical study.Computers in Human Behavior,64, 829-842. Weaven, S., Grace, D., Dant, R. and R. Brown, J., 2014. Value creation through knowledge management in franchising: a multi-level conceptual framework.Journal of Services Marketing,28(2), pp.97-104. Williams, D, 2015, Nuts and Bolts of a Knowledge Management System.Journal of Information Knowledge Management.

Monday, December 2, 2019

Mendel’s Law of Independence free essay sample

Mendel’s Law of Independence- this is where Mendel discovered that two people having the same organisms will have their own independent assortment of organisms. This discovery was made after he had experimented with plants that had differences in traits in multiple ways. Assuming the genetics is passed f to the offspring random and independently of each other. There was much random pairing of subsequent pairing. The other hypothesis that Mendel mentioned, in the text was the dominate allele. In this hypothesis he discovered how to determine heritable traits. In my own words he discovered that we can have offspring of different traits however if there is dominance in the genes they will rule the gene. The example for the laws of independence is if two genes were introduced they could provide genes that dominate. Like the puppies in the text, the dominating gene is the darker one so that one dominated the other genes. We will write a custom essay sample on Mendel’s Law of Independence or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Tempest, Great response! I agree that Mendel’s hypothesis are like bingo balls with the variety of heritable traits that are transferred between the genes that we are made of! Just because the parent may have the gene yet it is not visible is the gene transferable? Some of the genes that my grandmother had I now have and everyone said that I would be another! This is possible of the units of genes that make us each our own individual! Do you feel that he was experimenting just because or was he instinctually trying to find the answer to heritable traits? Faisal, Great response! I agree that the discovery that Mandel made about the law of independence is very true! By experimenting with the plant seeds he discovered genes and the purpose of them. I understand that the pups born in the example will have the genetic makeup of the parents or their parents. Genes are genetic qualities passed down randomly, so do you think that an individual can produce an offspring of more distant relative? The most common features of physical security begin with the wide use of the three D’s. Detect, deter, and deny access is the most used in the physical security field. Detect the individual who has breached security, deter the indivisible away from potential happenings; and then deny access of the particular environment or asset. Seeing how this is physical security the most commonly used are lighting systems, locks, and alarm systems, both because they serve as a distraction to the criminal. Lights allow the criminal little access and the alarm brings attention to the occurrence, 24 hours a day. I feel that the age of technology has exceled because most common used physical security is motion detected. Locks keep the crime from instantly happening. Intruders would have to break in if locks were used. However the least commonly used is the actual security guard and key locks. Reason being is that the age of technology is advancing and so is physical security. Lyndi, Great response! I agree that locks serve the purpose of keeping immediate access limited. Do the changes of computerized locks affect the ability to keep control the physical security issues a business may have? The lights as a physical security purpose is one of the most used protections against crime because of the unavailability of the darkness and the individual getting caught. However I feel that the use of actual security guards is a thing of the past! Do you feel that the career of a plain security guard will soon fade do to the advancement in technology. Jennifer, Great response! There are many extant features of physical security purposes however the one that works for one area may not for another. I find it very interesting that you mentioned motion detecting lights! The purpose of the motion is to alert the individual they are attempting to enter somewhere noticeable. So do you feel that in the near future the selection of motion detecting physical security will be a bigger demand? I would love to hear your opinion on the future of physical security.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Chinese Art History essays

Chinese Art History essays In Wu Hungs discussion of traditional Chinese concepts of monumentality, he utilizes the ancient legend of the Nine Bronze Tripods to illustrate how the traditions (including ancestral temple and ritual vessels, capital city and palaces, and tomb and funerary paraphernalia) of early Chinese cultures can be better understood after identifying their monumentality. According to the myth, in 605 B.C., a Chu lord lead a campaign near the Zhou capital at Luoyang where he was greeted by the minister Wangsun Man. After the lord inquired about the size and weight of the Nine Tripods, Wagsun Man answered with a passage stating the three distinct intentions of the tripods which forms the basis of ritual art Foremost, the Nine Tripods were made to honor important political events, notably the establishment of the Xia after which an organized power became evident. The Tripods also justified this event since they were constructed from bronze sent by the Xia allies and bore inscriptions of their things, confirming their entrance into the centralized political power. This allowed people to discern divine from evil, the former being the Xia alliance while the latter represented the Xia enemies whose things were missing from the Tripods. Subsequently, the Nine Tripods became a symbol of Power - whomever was in possession of the Tripods held political power as well. With the ...

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Lord Alfred Tennyson + Break Break Break Essays

Lord Alfred Tennyson + Break Break Break Essays Lord Alfred Tennyson + Break Break Break Paper Lord Alfred Tennyson + Break Break Break Paper Alfred Tennyson was born on August the 6th 1809, in Somersby, Lincolnshire. Alfred was the forth out of twelve children of George and Elizabeth Tennyson. Alfred’s father, George Clayton Tennyson suffered from depression and was absentminded. In the late twenties Alfred’s father’s physical and mental condition worsened as he became paranoid, abusive and violent. Tennyson escaped the troubled atmosphere of home when he followed his two brothers to Trinity College in 1827. He joined the literary club ‘The Apostles’ and met Arthur Hallam. Alfred Tennyson became very good friends with Arthur Henry Hallam. Arthur Hallam and Alfred Tennyson were friends for four years; their close relationship had an impact and influence on Tennyson’s poetry. Hallam later on med Emily Tennyson and the two friends looked forward to a life-long companionship. Hallam’s death from illness in 1833 shocked Tennyson profoundly. Tennyson wrote many poems about his grief and deepest feelings of his dear lost friend. Tennyson suffered from extreme short-sightedness. He had considerable difficulty writing and reading. Tennyson composed much of his poetry in his head, occasionally working on individual poems for many years. Long lived like most of his family, Alfred Lord Tennyson died on October 6, 1892, at the age of 83. The two poems that I will be talking about today will be Break, Break, Break and Ulysses. â€Å"Break, Break, Break† is a lyrical poem which centers on Tennyson’s grief over the death of his closest friend Arthur Hallam. Throughout the poem Tennyson grieves for his loss of his friend. Nature does not stop to mourn for the loss of anyone. Cold and unchangeable, it continues its relentless cycle. The waves of the ocean breaking against the rocks along the seashore never pausing even for a moment. Such a major impact towards Tennyson’s world, he would expect everything that the world would end in a kind of way. But the world still carries on; as the fisherman’s boy is happily playing with his sister; the sailor is merrily singing and the ship is busily plying the waters of commerce. â€Å"Oh for the touch of a vanished hand, And the sound of a voice that is still† tells us of Tennyson yearning to touch the hand of his friend Arthur Hallam once more and to hear the sound of his voice. Tennyson has incorporated many themes into Break, Break, Break. The main theme is bereavement, heartache and emptiness. Tennyson talks of how the sun rises, children laughing and the world continuing on as if nothing has happened, going on as usual. While Tennyson is in his darkest hour of grief feeling bereaved of his closest friend. How could the world be so unfeeling? Another theme conveyed in the poem would be the indifference of nature. Nature continues its functions and cycles regardless of what is happening to human beings. Tennyson grieves over his best friend and the world is still cold and indifferent not caring in anyway. usp. nus. edu. sg/victorian/authors/tennyson/kincaid/ch3a. html

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Competition Between Political Parties Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Competition Between Political Parties - Essay Example It is a group comprising of numerous individuals striving for a common cause but all supports the set of common governmental goals. It may be 2 or 3 or many party system. However in a party, people are the representatives always desiring to create equality and fraternity in a country to maintain peace and order. But, in the most imperative thing that need to be maintained is the rules and regulations of the government like: equal speaking power of the citizens, voting rights, rights of all basic needs etc (Hofmeister & Grabow, 2011, p. 4). Apart from political party, another type of group that also works for the benefit of general public is pressure groups. In recent age, maximum extent of the citizens do not try to engage in politics through voting and so without joining the political parties, they become politically active through their active membership in groups, organizations and associations of varied kinds. These type of parties are also known as pressure groups (Hofmeister & Grabow, 2011, p. 5). The parties or groups are some sort of permanent organizations that help in contesting elections with the aim to acquire the crucial positions in the government of the state. These small fractions of individuals or groups work for a common cause keeping at par with the rules and regulations of the state. Thus, these parties act as a device to highlight the desire or interest of the citizens among the higher authorities of the state or country (Hofmeister & Grabow, 2011, p. 6).

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Oedipus the King by Sophocles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Oedipus the King by Sophocles - Essay Example The passage tells readers that eternal laws were born in Heaven, Olympus alone is their father; they were not brought forth by the mortal nature of man, nor shall forgetfulness ever put them to sleep. A god is great in them, and he does not grow old.' The prayer of the chorus is for a life lived in accordance with these laws. Described as they are with beautiful and passionate emphasis, they are laws of divine origin, Olympian laws, comprehensive and universal. The stanzas following depict the sinner against these laws, the man full of hybris which 'begets the tyrant'. The chorus prays that the Polis may keep its old traditions. The god must remain the State's prostates, its guardian and leader. For if this is not so, if impiety takes hold of the city, then, the chorus sings, 'what need I dance (896). Then its service in honour of the gods has become senseless. In obvious retort to Iocaste's sceptical utterances on the value of Apollo's oracles, the chorus appeals to Zeus to show his power and the truth of the oracles: 'No longer Apollo is honoured, worship is dead' ( +). This passage reflects the features of a code of belief and behavior which is opposed to all only man-made beliefs and rules. The song does not repeat the striking mention of the unwritten laws, but their spirit could hardly be made more manifest. Not only does the poet stress, once more and with words of the most emphatic conviction, that the world in general as well as the Polis are ruled by eternal and divine laws, and that the political ruler who does not submit to them will become unjust and a tyrant. The eternal laws are the rules of a world, of a kosmos, of divine ordering and man's pious devotion, not of human morality and political common sense. When the Sophists discovered 'natural law', they denied the traditional (and Sophocles') divine order. For Sophocles there was only Oneness, unity: nature was divine, physis was nomos. In opposing the unwritten laws to Creon's decree Sophocles made what could perhaps be called a logical mistake. Not the slightest hint is given, and it is in itself entirely unlikely, that Creon's law was written law. It was a , a pronunciamento or proclamation. Taken quite literally, there was no conflict between written and unwritten laws. Sophocles uses the expression in a way suggesting that it was not a newly invented phrase. It is certain that in fifth-century Greece most laws were regarded as valid just because they were written. Creon's decree is fundamentally of the same kind, and Sophocles' mistake (if readers may call it so) is easily explained. He did not invent either the phrase or the matter, but he used the concept in his own way and to his own purposes; in fact, it was probably he who gave it its most forceful expression. Heraclitus was perhaps the first to speak of one divine law from which all human laws derive. He coined a striking phrase for the idea which, howev er vaguely, was generally held, that all law was of divine origin.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Paper Star Trek Essay Example for Free

Paper Star Trek Essay As a result, not only could he process information at lightning speed and arrive at rational conclusions, he also seemed to have desires, interests, and inclinations. He could formulate relationships and make free choices. In this episode, Commander Bruce Maddox, a member of the scientific research division of Starfleet, arrives on board the Enterprise with orders for Data to be transferred to him for the purpose of being disassembled with the goal of learning more about â€Å"it† (Maddox refers to Data as â€Å"it†, not â€Å"him†, throughout the entire episode). His ultimate goal is to create an army of androids like Data which can serve the needs of Starfleet in space exploration. When Data learns that Maddox may not be able to reassemble him, he refuses to submit to the orders and is supported by Captain Picard, captain of the Enterprise and Data’s commanding officer. Picard argues that, as an officer on the Enterprise, Data has rights—among them the right to refuse to undergo an experimental procedure such as this. However, Picard is unsuccessful in getting the transfer orders rescinded and so Data resigns from Starfleet. Maddox takes legal action with the local JAG (Judge Advocate General) officer challenging Data’s resignation and arguing that Data is not a person with a right to resign, but, being a machine, â€Å"it† is the property of Starfleet. He argues â€Å"Would you permit the computer of the Enterprise to refuse a refit? † going on to claim that Picard’s reaction is, â€Å"emotional and irrational. You are endowing Data with human characteristics because it looks human, but it is not. If it were a box on wheels I would not be facing this opposition. The JAG officer concurs with Maddox and rules that Data is the property of Starfleet and cannot resign or refuse to co-operate. Picard requests a hearing to challenge the ruling and is placed in the position of being the defending attorney for Data while his senior officer, Commander Riker, is given the unenviable job of prosecuting attorney. Riker opens his case by having Data define android which Data defines as â €Å"an automaton made to resemble a human being. † Riker emphasizes â€Å"automaton† and â€Å"resembles. After demonstrating Data’s abilities as a machine, Riker summarizes his argument: The commander is a physical representation of a dream; an idea conceived of by the mind of a man. Its purpose: to serve human needs and interests. It’s a collection of neural nets and heuristic algorithms. It’s response dictated by elaborate software written by a man. It’s hardware built by a man. And now a man will shut it off. With that Riker reaches behind Data and turns the switch that shuts him down say â€Å"Pinocchio is broken. His strings have been cut. During a recess in the proceedings, Picard consults with Guinan, a wise alien on board the Enterprise and becomes convinced that the real issue in this case is the creation of a race of Data’s to be enslaved to do man’s bidding. He believes this issue has been obscured â€Å"behind a comfortable, easy euphemism—property† and is determined to challenge that thinking. In his opening defense Picard acknowledges that Data is a machine but comments that this is irrelevant, â€Å"We too are machines, just machines of a different type. He also acknowledges that, as Data was created by a human, so are we, â€Å"Children are created from the building blocks of their parents DNA. Are they property? † He then asks Data a series of questions demonstrating that, like any person, he has wants and desires, values things, and forms deep personal relationships. Picard then calls Maddox to the stand and asks for the definition of a sentien t being. Maddox offers three criteria: â€Å"Intelligence, self-awareness and consciousness. † Picard goes on to ask Maddox to â€Å"prove to the court that I am sentient. When Maddox claims that Picard’s sentience is obvious, Picard asks what the difference between himself and Data is. Maddox replies that Picard is self-aware (he acknowledges the first criteria of Data’s intelligence) and defines self-aware as â€Å"Conscious of your existence and actions. You are aware of yourself and your own ego. † Picard turns to Data and asks him what he is currently doing. Data replies, â€Å"I am taking part in a legal hearing to determine my rights and status: am I a person or property. When asked what is at stake, he replies, â€Å"My right to choose. Perhaps my very life. † Picard points out how often Data refers to himself in his reply, â€Å"My rights, my status, my right to choose, my life. He seems reasonably self-aware to me. † He then asks Maddox, â€Å"What if Data can fulfill the last criteria, consciousness, in even the smallest degree? What is he then? Do you know? † He asks the same question of Riker and the JAG officer and goes on to say, â€Å"Starfleet was founded to seek out new life, well there it sits. Picard argues that if we create an army of Datas to do man’s bidding, then â€Å"Thousands of Datas become a race. Won’t we be judged by how we treat that race? † After considering the arguments, the JAG officer makes her final ruling: It sits there looking at me and I don’t know what it is. This case has dealt with metaphysics, with questions best left to saints and philosophers. I am neither competent nor qualified to answer those. But I’ve got to make a ruling to speak to the future. Is Data a machine? Yes. Is he the property of Starfleet? No. We have been dancing around the basic issue: Does Data have a soul? I don’t know that he has. I don’t know that I have. But I have got to give him the freedom to explore that question himself. It is the ruling of this court that Lt. Commander Data has the right to choose. Data exercises his right to refuse to undergo the procedure encouraging Maddox to continue his research. Maddox agrees to rescind his request for transfer, commenting about Data that â€Å"He’s remarkable. †

Friday, November 15, 2019

Flannery OConnors Good Country People Essay -- essays research paper

In Flannery O'Connor's short story "Good Country People," Hulga is a woman who lives with her mother, Mrs. Hopewell, and has an artificial leg. Mrs. Freeman is a lady who was hired by Mrs. Hopewell to work around her property. A theme that seems to recurr in "Good Country People" is lying that becomes harsher each time. Mrs. Freeman works on tricking Mrs. Hopewell into leaving Hulga alone. She is constantly telling Mrs. Hopewell about each of her daughters and always gossiping. Perhaps she occupies Mrs. Hopewell because she does like her company. On the other hand, Mrs. Freeman could have felt sorry for Hulga and tried to get and keep Mrs. Hopewell's attention so that Hulga could have a temporary reprieve fro...

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

First Day of High School Essay

Walking into a brand new school for the first time with a bundle of happiness and a twisted knot in your stomach indicating just how nervous you really are, sure is a way to start your first day of high school. It is natural on the part of every student to remember the first day at school. Recently, I just became a 9th grader. I remember the day as a unclear haze, that resembled a impossible puzzle to complete. The night before was spent with stories of high school back in the last couple decades or so. Ever so often was an, â€Å"Oh you’ll blend in,† â€Å"You’ve grown so much,† and â€Å"I cannot believe you’re already in high school.† Eventually the praise died down and it was time to climb into bed. The first thing I came to realize was a large building pacted tightly together within a compound wall. As small as I am, i couldn’t not seem to put the puzzle pieces together but luckily a map became my bestfriend. The schedule was confusing at first, since it was a long summertime before I had last read one. Nothing felt stable or ordered, everything seemed like it was going to be chaotic any minute. A few seconds later the bell rang, as I thought to myself how much I did not ever recall a harsh stop and ponder during the summer about miss the bell itself. The pattern went throughout the day as a class began, and after a long period a bell ended the period and began a new class. This went on for what felt like years. I walked through the halls and tried to categorize exactly what type of people I would be dealing with and I’ve realized the fact high school is anything but the type of events they describe in movies. Everyone seemed to fit each category perfectly, however it wasn’t quite the match. These faces appeared more normal and friendly. I remember my imagination of what high school was like when I was younger. I was just dying to experience all the new and exciting things that awaited me. From sports to boys to all the partying, I just wanted to know what everything was like and now that I’m finally here, I feel like I want to go back to when I was younger and not wish to grow up so much. As time goes on you find yourself getting to class earlier and earlier each day. Finding new routes, talking a little more, taking more time between classes and the tension eases. The days do not get harder, but the work and study habits do. Later days of the school year are always easier then the first few. Some say that â€Å"high school was the best time of my life†, just like others say that high school was the worst time in their lives. To be honest, I am not sure which category I fall into yet. I’ve had a good start but I know high school won’t be picture perfect for me. The only thing I can say is that I am learning.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Insanity Defense: Why Should It Essay

Abstract The author of this paper argues several reasons why the insanity plea should be changed or either eliminated. The reasons are considered and supported by evidence. The conclusion states that insanity should be altered or eliminated for the safety and well being of society. Insanity Defense: Why Should It Be Abolished Or Altered Introduction The insanity defense asserts that the criminal defendant is not guilty by reason of insanity. This theory should be abolished or altered. The proposal behind the defense is people who are insane cannot have the knowledge required to perform a criminal act because they either do not know that act is wrong or cannot control their actions even when they understand the act is wrong, but this theory is controversial because insanity is difficult to define, and the circumstances in which insanity can be used to excuse criminal responsibility are difficult to define. History And Background The theory of the insanity defense has been around since ancient Greece and Rome. The theory was put in to use by Edward II. Under the English common law, a person was declared insane if their mental capacity was no more than a so-called â€Å"wild beast†. The first insanity trials began in 1724, those who  were insane and under the age of 14 were found not guilty in the court of law. (Wiki 2011) This eventually led to any criminal or defendant being able to use the plea to excuse the act that had been committed. Though the act was in place it wasn’t upheld in court and wasn’t problem at the time. In 1986 (Ford v. Wainwright) the US Supreme court upheld the common law that the insane cannot be executed. It also stated that a person under the death penalty is to be given a competency evaluation and a hearing in court on his or her chances to be executed. In Wainwright v. Greenfield the prosecutor can argue that a person’s silence during the readingâ€℠¢s of their Miranda rights is evidence of insanity. (Wiki 2011) The court gives jurisdiction for insanity in different rules or a combination of them. The â€Å"M’Nagthen rule† is where the defendant either did not understand what he or she did or failed to distinguish right from wrong, because the disease of the mind. The â€Å"Irresistible Impulse† test as a result of mental disease, defendant was unable to control his impulses, which led to the crime committed. The â€Å"Durham Rule† regardless of any diagnosis, defendant’s mental defect resulted in the criminal act. Finally the â€Å"Model Penal Code† due to the diagnosed mentally ill defendant either failed to understand the crime of his or her acts or was unable to act within the confines of the law. (Lally 1997)) The defense declares that a criminal defendant should not be guilty because the defendant is insane. Whens someone commits a crime in today’s society he or she may use mental illness as a defense, know as insanity plea or insanity defense (Dubsinki 1986). What the insanity defense does is try to give the criminal a so-called fair trial. Even if the crime committed is very extreme and seems to be unruly. The problem arises where do we draw the line for these criminals. What principle is a person considered insane and how is the tested? Insanity defense has been a problem in recent years, and that all criminals have some sort of mental illness. The crime itself no matter how extreme questions the fact if it demonstrates insanity. It has been a major ordeal in our legal system today. If the criminals are considered insane and out of touch with reality, the justice system agrees to pass the trial and the criminals are entered into a mental hospital. (Carpenter 2011) Criminals are then found not guilty by reason of insanity. The Problem For instance, the problem with insanity defense is legal analysts examine each client or criminal from a legal angle, also conversing to different doctors as well as specialists. Each client has to undergo tests. They do not actually come up with scientific prove from the brain to say the person is either mentally ill or not. (Khan 2014) This is the hardest part of the insanity defense, determining whether or not that person is mentally insane or acting like it. How can a person who kills twelve people including women and children be allowed to live in mental hospital while the victim’s families suffer from the loss of their loved ones. Forensic psychiatrist Jonas Rappeport saw such pleas during his quarter century as chief medical officer of Baltimore’s Circuit Court said, â€Å"When you’ve got no better defense, that’s the way to go.†(White 2011) The fact is sometimes these criminals are using the insanity defense to avoid the death penalty and continuing to live life in prison or mental hospitals, and under some circumstances are released from the mental hospitals affirming the patients have been cured (Khan 2014). Any defendant can use the defense. Lorena Bobbitt argued she was temporarily insane when she severed her husband’s penis with a kitchen knife four years ago. She was released after three months of psychiatric evaluation. (Carpenter 2011) Crimes happen everyday, some crimes are inexcusable and those who commit them should be punished. The punishment should fit the crime if we do something that is equally as extreme as take a life from another person, we should not be allowed to defend ourselves by insanity. Murder should go charged which is why the insanity plea should be altered or erased. It allows the criminals to go unpunished for their crime. Rebuttal There are however many criminals who do have some type of mental illness, but still are not eligible for the insanity plea. As shown in a recent survey of prison populations there are higher rates of mental illness and substance abuse among inmates than the general population. (Lally1997) The determining of insanity is very difficult and can inaccurate. If the person is clinically insane what principles do we use to penalize the individual for the crimes they committed? If he or she does not know right from wrong and if the person is out of touch with reality, under what circumstances is the plea suitable for the crime committed? An example would be if shoplifter was  charged for his or her crime and uses the insanity plea as a defense saying they weren’t in touch with reality, we would give that person a reduced sentence. If the person confirms to be insane they need to receive help, if we decided to put that person into a prison it would not help them what so ever. The insanity plea is a very controversial topic many people think it should be erased others think it should be altered. The difficulty of changing the plea is because of the determining if one is sane of not and under what right to do we have to choose the faith of another person. Resolution Accordingly resolution is the insanity plea should be erased or abolished because it’s a threat to the American people. Considering a large number of Americans feel the insanity plea should be erased or even altered to protect people’s own safety. (Dubsinki 1986) Using the insanity plea in a murder case and getting away with disproves the American people. Imagine the reaction people would feel if a murderer who just recently left the mental institution after pleading mentally insane were walking shoulder to shoulder to them. Insanity should not be used as a so-called excuse to avoid the punishment of the crime someone has committed. They should be punished for their actions they ch oose to do and neither the justice or court system should have a say in that. Even though the difficulty to prove sanity is questionable, the person should go through a broader series of tests and have evidence compelling towards insanity. (Harris 2013) If this person is sent to a mental hospital and then is considered cured or not a threat, he or she free to go which is wrong and corrupt. We should have firm standard for judging whether a person is mentally ill or not. Conclusion Thus, the plea should be altered or even erased in some circumstances. Even though some of crimes committed would result in a death penalty for those who murder and kill for no reason. If that person is insane, the punishments should fit the crime they have committed. If they are unaware of what they were doing and the result is being found not guilty, who is to say that they will not commit another crime again. Murder should be punished with death in my opinion and the crime should fit the punishment and there should be no alibi in the court system. If we let these people continue t o use this excuse eventually our jails and mental will be full and the government will be spending even more  money. (Harris 2013) Taking these so called mentally insane people off the streets will give America a safer conscious. References, Dubsinki, K. D. (1986, July 15). Insanity Defense. In Chicago Tribute. Retrieved March 28, 2014, from http://articles.chicagotribune.com Khan, Z. (2014, March 21). Interview by HK Khan [Personal Interview]. Insanity defense Harris, M. (2013, January 14). Insanity plea repeated. In The Baltimore Sun . Retrieved March 20, 2014, from http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2009-01-14/ Insanity defense (2011, April 11). In Wikipedia . Retrieved April 17, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insanity_defense Carpenter, P. (2011, December 29). Legal system needs to rethink insanity, related defense ploys. In The Morning Call . Retrieved April 17, 2014, from http://articles.mcall.com/ White, M. D. (2011, January 11). Debating the Insanity Defense. In Psychology Today . Retrieved April 16, 2014, from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/ Lally, S. (1997, November 3). Drawing a Clear Line Between Criminals and the Criminally Insane. In Washington Post. Retrieved April 20, 2014, from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/longterm/aron/expert1123.htm

Friday, November 8, 2019

Rainbow Colored Flames Using Household Chemicals

Rainbow Colored Flames Using Household Chemicals Its easy to make a rainbow of colored flames using common household chemicals. Basically, what you need are chemicals for each of the colors, plus a fuel. Use a fuel that burns with a clean blue flame. Good choices include rubbing alcohol, 151 rum, hand sanitizer made with alcohol, lighter fluid, or alcohol fuel treatment. You can get a rainbow effect by placing chemicals directly on burning wood or paper, but sodium in these fuels produces a strongly yellow flame, which tends to overpower the other colors. Set Up the Rainbow On a fire-proof surface, line up small piles of powder for each of the colorants. You only need a small pinch of each chemical (1/2 teaspoon or less). Usually, youll run your rainbow red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet (or the opposite direction). It works best if you try to keep the colorant chemicals separate. When the fuel is added, some of the colors naturally will run together. Once the chemicals are set up, theres no hurry to light the fire. When you are ready, add fuel and then light it at one end. Youll get the most vivid coloring using methanol, but it burns hot. Hand sanitizer burns with the coolest temperature flame, but the high water content means the rainbow fire doesnt last long. Feel free to experiment. One compromise is to dampen the powders with methanol and follow up with a layer of hand sanitizer. As the fuel burns, the water will naturally extinguish the flames. The colorant chemicals are not consumed by the flames, so you can add more fuel to renew the rainbow. Table of Flame Colorants Most of the chemicals used for the project can be obtained from a grocery store. All of them are available at a superstore, like a Walmart or Target Supercenter. Color Chemical Common Source Red strontium nitrate or a lithium salt contents of a red emergency flare or lithium from a lithium battery Orange calcium chloride or mix red/yellow chemicals calcium chloride bleaching powder or mix salt with flare contents Yellow sodium chloride table salt (sodium chloride) Green boric acid, borax, copper sulfate borax laundry booster, boric acid disinfectant or insect killer, copper sulfate root killer Blue alcohol rubbing alcohol, Heet methanol, 151 rum, or alcohol-based hand sanitizer, lighter fluid Violet potassium chloride salt substitute Rainbow Fire Safety Information In addition to performing the project on a heat-safe surface, its a good idea to do it in a well-ventilated area, under a fume hood, or outdoors. There may be a small amount of smoke.Do not add fuel to the fire while it is still burning. Wait until the flames are extinguished and then add more alcohol and re-light the fire.The flames are easily extinguished by blowing them out, suffocating them (as with the lid of a pan), or by adding water.Its a good idea to wear protective eyewear and clothing, as for any science demonstration. Avoid wearing synthetic fabrics, as they readily melt if exposed to flame. Cotton, silk, and wool are good choices, or you can wear a lab coat.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

WordStarâ€The First Word Processor

WordStar- The First Word Processor Released in 1979 by Micropro International, WordStar was the first commercially successful word processing software program produced for microcomputers. It became the  best-selling software program of the early 1980s. Its inventors were Seymour Rubenstein and Rob Barnaby. Rubenstein had been the director of marketing for  IMS Associates Inc.  (IMSAI), a  California-based  computer company, which he left in 1978 to start his own software company. He convinced Barnaby, the  chief programmer for IMSAI, to join him, and gave him the task of writing a data processing program. What is Word Processing? Prior to the invention of word processing, the only way to get ones thoughts down on paper was via a typewriter or a printing press. Word processing, however, allowed people to write, edit, and produce documents (letters, reports, books, etc.) by using a computer and computer software designed specifically to rapidly and efficiently manipulate text.   Early Word Processing The first computer word processors were line editors, software-writing aids that allowed a programmer to make changes in a line of program code. Altair programmer Michael Shrayer decided to write the manuals for computer programs on the same computers the programs ran on. He wrote the somewhat popular, and the actual first PC word processing program, called the Electric Pencil, in 1976. Other early word processor programs worth noting were: Apple Write I, Samna III, Word, WordPerfect, and Scripsit. The Rise of WordStar Seymour Rubenstein first started developing an early version of a word processor for the IMSAI 8080 computer when he was director of marketing for IMSAI. He left to start MicroPro International Inc. in 1978 with only $8,500 in cash. At Rubensteins urging, software programmer Rob Barnaby left IMSAI to join MicroPro. Barnaby wrote the 1979 version of WordStar for CP/M, the mass-market operating system created for  Intels 8080/85-based microcomputers by Gary Kildall, released in 1977.  Jim Fox, Barnabys assistant, ported (meaning re-wrote for a different operating system) WordStar from the CP/M operating system  to MS/PC DOS,  the by-now-famous operating system introduced by MicroSoft and  Bill Gates  in 1981. The 3.0 version of WordStar for DOS was released in 1982. Within three years, WordStar was the most popular word processing software in the world. However, by the late 1980s, programs like WordPerfect knocked Wordstar out of the word processing market after the poor performance of WordStar 2000. Said Rubenstein about what happened: In the early days, the size of the market was more promise than reality...WordStar was a tremendous learning experience. I didnt know all that much about the world of big business. Influence of WordStar Still, communications as we know it today, in which everyone is for all intents and purposes their own publisher, would not exist had WordStar not pioneered the industry. Even then,  Arthur C. Clarke, the famous science-fiction writer, seemed to know its importance.  Upon meeting Rubenstein and Barnaby, he said: I am happy to greet the geniuses who made me a born-again writer, having announced my retirement in 1978, I now have six books in the works and two [probables], all through WordStar.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

The Crime of Rape in the UK Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words

The Crime of Rape in the UK - Case Study Example It becomes difficult for victims to see the justice of the system that attempts to establish that in fact a crime has been committed, which causes the victim and not the perpetrator to become the focus of the prosecutorial process of the justice system. The goal of this paper is to examine the laws and legal processes of the crime of rape as those laws and processes currently exist in the UK. The essay opens with an introduction reiterating the thesis as it appears above. The research will serve to inform readers of this paper as to the perspectives of victims, law enforcement officials who investigate and apprehend the perpetrator. The study will examine the perspective of the prosecution and the defence, who must act in accordance with the rule of law and the rules of evidence as pertains to this very serious crime. Finally, this essay attempts to present the perspective of the perpetrator, whose very life, should he be falsely accused and found guilty of this crime, is subject to severe and harsh legal and social penalties. A goal of the essay will be to address questions that arise in the minds of people who, though unfamiliar with the rules of law or evidence, are concerned with the legal and social implications of the process of pursuing justice in rape cases. Questions such as why it is important to be certain that a perpetrator has not been falsely accused will be addressed from the perspectives of the public, and then those people who have been involved in rape crimes and prosecution. The question of why the victim’s own life and background must come under intense examination – if it must – will be answered to the extent of the available information and the direction of the results of the research involved here. The methodology employed in writing this essay will be a desk study of existing studies and information from published sources.  Ã‚  

Friday, November 1, 2019

Building a marketing website for bed & breakfast outline

Building a marketing website for bed & breakfast - Outline Example well structured and probing questions which are asked to various clients and other stakeholders in order to obtain useful information helpful in the development of the system. Questionnaires give the developer a chance to ask his/her respondents questions that are vital for the design of the website but the stakeholders are not aware of. Care should be taken in the construction of the questionnaire to avoid inappropriate questions that may not necessarily show the opinion and views of the stakeholders (Inflectra, 2010). The questionnaire should not be too long or take much of the respondent’s time as this might lead to the respondent to answering superficially. The questions should also flow sensibly in order to make the respondent enjoy answering them. This is the most appropriate way to determine the contents of a website. It involves observing the stakeholders of the business as they engage in their day to day activities and then recording the events. Observing is critical as the developer is able to know what he/she will require in developing the website from first hand information. It also ensures that the stakeholders will be able to use the site with ease. This method also helps in validating information gathered from other methods like interviews. A disguised observation is preferred as the respondents (customers and the management) are unaware that they are being observed and therefore will act in their natural way (Requirements, 2010). An interview is valuable in getting the background information about the business problems and position currently and also to have a wider perspective of what other bed and breakfast websites includes. The interview should be wide enough to cover all the stakeholders of the business so that the website will have all the information required by any stakeholder. Interviews are essential as they will provide the developer with a chance to probe further for more information (Nancy, 2008). Unstructured interview is more

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

The Content Review of the Website - As You Sow Article

The Content Review of the Website - As You Sow - Article Example The author is credible enough given the method in which the information has been compiled and represented given also that this is a registered charity. Moreover, this information has been derived from official sources so this lends greater credibility to it. The information represented on this page is only partially complete as it covers public limited companies in large part. However, the accuracy of the information is not contestable as the author has included references to his source of information. The author has presented the perspectives of his organization on corporate social responsibility using properly cited official sources including reports and conference proceedings. References to the information are pervasive throughout the document and the author has made it a point to bolster his arguments by presenting references before advancing his argument. The document and the website are both updated given the state of the issues listed. In addition, the website displays current issues from 2012 in its menu which also points to the fact that the website is regularly updated. The current page on corporate social responsibility addresses the issue from a variety of perspectives. The author first defines corporate social responsibility and then relates corporate social responsibility to sustainability. This is followed by a discussion of socially responsible investors and corporate social responsibility. Finally, the author relates global reporting guidelines for corporate social responsibility and the document ends with a link for guides to corporate social responsibility reports and resources.

Monday, October 28, 2019

Bipolar Disorder in Islam Essay Example for Free

Bipolar Disorder in Islam Essay If your pancreas couldn’t produce insulin, you wouldn’t have much trouble accepting the deficiency and then taking the necessary meds or treatment. Well, think of your brain in the same way. Right now your mind is not in balance. It is missing certain chemicals that control your mood. And you are simply taking meds to fix the balance of chemicals. Blame no one for the Bipolar. It’s not your fault that you got sick. As Randy Pausch says, We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand. You are simply being tested with this illness. Some people have high cholesterol, some have diabetes and some have a missing leg. It’s all a test from Allah. And no one is spared from it. This test is here to bring out the best in us. Accept Bipolar as one of your tests from Allah. This will distance you from the disorder and make you see it for what really is: an illness. Once you separate yourself from the illness, you will start to detach yourself from the illness. . Being sent to the hospital doesn’t mean no one cares for you; it doesn’t mean you have failed. A hospitalization can often be the best thing during a severe mania episode. , look at the hyper sexuality objectively. See it as part of the disorder and not as your personality. Look for the good in it. As one Prophet passed the donkey’s carcass, all his companions commented on its ugliness. But he praised it for its white teeth. During depression, your   brain is low on the hormone that makes you feel good. That is why you are feeling down. It has nothing to do with what kind of a Muslim you are and how much you pray or don’t pray You must see depression as a disease, with a biological cause that can be treated and not a character flaw. That is 80% of your work: distancing yourself from the depression. Then you can love yourself for who you are and work on treating the depression. 1) Pray on time. 2) Take meds on time. 3) Sleep, exercise and eat healthy. Meds do 20% of the work and exercise is a big part of the other 80%. It’s not all about losing pounds. Jogging or swimming or lifting weights keeps you sane. So don’t follow a workout routine that makes you go insane. Yes Allah will run to you but you have to walk to Him first. Your family, doctors and the meds can only do so much. The rest is in your hands. I will leave you with one question: How will your Bipolar bring you closer to Allah?

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Charles Fraziers Use of Music in Cold Mountain Essay -- Charles Frazi

Charles Frazier's Use of Music in Cold Mountain The American Civil War was a bitter, grief-filled conflict with oddly musical overtones. A Southern soldier, Alexander Hunter, recalled that â€Å"There was music in plenty,† (Lawrence 169) just as Charles Frazier’s character Stobrod in Cold Mountain remarks that â€Å"there was so much music back then† (407). While both the Union and the Confederacy placed great import on music, Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier focuses primarily on the Southern perspective of the war, in all of its aspects. Spiritual music gave soldiers hope, gave them something cheerful to listen to after their days of slogging through the grime of human remains, as Inman discovers during his journey. Songs of homecoming and perseverance also strengthened the women, children, and parents left behind, waiting with fearful hopes for the return of their loved ones. Ada’s continual reference to â€Å"Wayfaring Stranger† illustrates this point beautifully. Finally, the musical natures of both armies created a bond that otherwise would not have been possible, forming brief alliances among enemies. The impact of music during this period of American history was so great that General Robert E. Lee was heard to say â€Å"I don’t believe we can have an army without music† (Wiley qtd. in Waller and Edgington 147). Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain exemplifies this statement, interweaving music throughout the struggles of Ada and Inman, using it as a tool to express emotion and to give a common thread to the broken culture that was the American South. The dissonant harmonies of Civil War-era music both complemented and contrasted itself, creating new forms from old ones and forging bonds where there had been nothing. Hope was a rare p... ...ow Music Shaped the Confederacy, 1861- 1865. Mechanicsburg: Stackpole, 2000. netLibrary, U of Denver Penrose Library. 15 April 2004 . â€Å"Aura Lea.† Music of the War Between the States. 24 April 2004 Frazier, Charles. Cold Mountain. New York: Vintage, 1998. Hill, Lois. â€Å"Lorena.† Poems and Songs of the American Civil War. 23 April 2004 . P. Wilson, Keith. Campfires of Freedom: The Camp Life of Black Soldiers During the Civil War. Kent: Kent State U P, 2002. S.A., R. â€Å"God Save the South!† Ballads of the North and South in the Civil War. Comp. Walbrook D. Swank Colonel, USAF RET. Shippensburg: Burd Street P, 1996. 66. W. Sears, Stephen. To The Gates of Richmond. New York: Ticknor and Fields, 1992. Waller, Lynn, and William P. Edgington. â€Å"Using Songs to Help Teach the Civil War.† Social Studies 92.4 (2001): 147- 150.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Elizabethan society Essay

At the end of the novel there can be seen to be a change of attitude of society towards Grenouille. Due to his amazing gift, Grenouille is able to create a scent that powerfully manipulates human emotion through preserving the aroma of the 25 virgin girls. At Grenouille’s execution he reveals this scent and the whole town is overwhelmed by emotion. It is at this point in time that the townsfolk admire Grenouille’s gift and because of their state of delirium, disregard Grenouille’s crimes. It is here when Grenouille can be seen to be accepted into society. However, regardless of this Grenouille still perceives himself as an outsider. Grenouille believes that he is not loved for himself but for the perfume he created, he states; â€Å"I have always found gratification in hatred, in hating and being hated, not love. † He then decides to return to Paris upon finding that the satisfaction that he initially felt has transformed itself into self-hatred and disgust. In comparison to Othello the novel Perfume can be seen to be both similar and different in their representations of the Outsider. Like Grenouille, Othello is seen as an outsider because of his background. He is outcaste because of his race and his differing values due to past experiences. Grenouille can be seen to reflect this idea, as he is an outsider initially because of his background that challenges the norm of society at the time the novel was set. Another similarity that can be made between these two texts is that the perception of the outsider is perceived from society and also from within the outsider itself. Othello, even though quite underestimating at times, believes that he is inferior to the Venetians, he states; â€Å"Happily for I am black and do not possess the soft parts of conversation chamberers have†. Grenouille also perceives himself as an outsider and is aware of the unwelcoming presence he bestows upon others. The fact that Grenouille devotes his life to creating a scent that will make him accepted and valued in society shows how he is aware if this. Another likeness between Othello and Grenouille is that both characters share a differing attitude to women that makes them outsiders in society. They are both somewhat oblivious to women as a sexual commodity, or do not show the affiliation to what would be expected of them. Othello shows an unusually lack of affection or infatuation towards his wife Desdemona. Othello has just been married to a young, and beautiful woman but does not seem to be besotted with her at all. This can be compared to Grenouille’s differing attitude to women. Although Grenouille does not have a rightful relationship towards the women he comes across, he is still obsessed with them, unlike Othello. The way Grenouille expresses this obsession or feeling, however, is still different to what would be expected of most adolescent men. Grenouille is not attracted physically to the women but is enthralled by them because of their scent. Grenouille can also be compared to Iago in the play Othello, as both are dismissive towards the values and ideologies of their context. Loyalty, love, reputation and honesty were all values of great importance in Elizabethan society. Iago’s actions, however, derive from hate, vengeance and deceit. Yet Iago is still considered an insider in Venice and only chooses to disregard the values of society. Grenouille on the other hand is completely isolated from society and struggles for any kind of acceptance. His brutal actions that go against the values of 18th century France may be partially influenced by the fact that he was not introduced to the morals of society in the first place, due to this isolation. Grenouille, having seen no human affection or experienced any of the values we inherit from human interaction such as love and compassion, find it difficult to distinguish right from wrong in his actions. Another text that has enhanced my understanding of how the concept of the outsider can be portrayed is the short film â€Å"The Story of Bubbleboy†. The film was produced in 2006 for the annual Australian tropfest short film festival. It was directed by Sean Ashcroft, produced by Kristy Fransen and stars Andrew Supanz. â€Å"The Story of Bubbleboy† is a film about a man named â€Å"Bubbleboy† who is trapped in the past and redeemed by the future. Bubbleboy is a sad outsider who lives alone due to a fanatic phobia of pointed and sharp objects. He is so afraid that he results to wrapping everything, including himself, in bubble-wrap. He never ventures from his house because the outside world is too terrifying and he cannot comprehend his fears. The film tells the story of his self-imposed exile from the world and how one day, driven by dwindling supplies he ventures out. Bubbleboy, while growing more confident as his adventure draws to an end, is ironically stabbed in an ally way. However, having been stripped from his protective bubbles in his last moments, Bubbleboy finds salvation and feels connected with the world. Because of Bubbleboy’s fear and self imposed isolation, he is regarded as an outsider by society. He completely avoids human contact and is scorned by the community. Bubbleboy longs for belonging but cannot comprehend his fears. A particular scene in the novel that conveys this idea is the beginning segment where we are introduced to Bubbleboy’s way of life and how it differs greatly from that of society. Here, filming techniques are used to show that Bubbleboy is an outsider. A flashing mirage of everyday â€Å"pointy† items is shown while a narrator explains Bubbleboy’s situation. There is then a long shot of Bubbleboy wrapped from head to toe in bubble-wrap huddling in a corner of his home. This initiates the idea that he is definitely an outsider and is uncomfortable with his surroundings. Close-ups are used to show the trepidation on Bubbleboy’s face to emphasize this point. A panning shot is then used to show how every household item has been covered in bubble-wrap, emphasizing the intensity of the problem. A birds eye view is also used here of Bubbleboy moving uncomfortably through his home; this suggests that he is a victim and is clearly suffering from his phobia. To show how Bubbleboy’s fears cause him to be perceived as an outsider by the community is the use of dramatic contrast between the outside world and his own. A view from the inside of the house looking out into the street brings a striking contrast of lively colors. When this is compared to the insides of Bubbleboy’s house, which is mostly colored in grays, the fact that he is an outsider is emphasized. Two young girls ride past the house and stop mocking Bubbleboy’s strange appearance from the window. Bubble boy then shuts his curtain and disappears. The use of the window here also symbolizes the physical barrier between himself and society. Contrast is used in a further scene in the film when illustrating the differences of Bubbleboy’s lifestyle to that of people his own age. Here, Bubbleboy is seen looking longingly into the window of a house where a lively and entertaining dinner party is taking place. A camera angle is used to show how Bubbleboy is looking up into the scene creating a sense of his inferiority and isolation. There are then a series of flashing images back and forth between the vibrant and colorful party life, with Bubbleboy’s lonesome isolation, again reinforcing this idea. When Bubbleboy finally faces his fears and leaves the house, more techniques are used to show how new and trepidating this is for him due to his experience as an outsider. For example when he opens the door into the outside world, a blinding and foggy light is emitted suggesting the unknown. Once outside the house, Bubbleboy again contrasts greatly with his surroundings as his general appearance is confronting and obviously very odd. Close-ups are used to show the looks of mockery and confusion on the towns people’s faces to convey this idea. The attitudes’ towards Bubbleboy as an outsider may be seen to change towards the end of the film. When he is ironically stabbed on his way home from his healing journey his is stripped of his bubble-wrap protection. It is here when society can accept him as his true self is revealed. This is shown by a woman rushing to the aid of injured Bubbleboy, truly concerned for his wellbeing. Bubbleboy’s perceptions of himself as an outsider can also be seen to change. A narrator’s voice is used to explain that at that point, Bubbleboy finds salvation, and for the first time feels connected to the world once outside his shell. There are not many similarities to the play Othello as the short film is such a vastly different text. Though it is clear that both characters; Bubbleboy and Othello are perceived as outsiders by society. However, it is Othello’s unforeseen and irrational actions that confirm his status as an outsider. While it is Bubbleboy’s out of the ordinary actions that enable him to be accepted into society. Also, Bubbleboy is portrayed to be a victim of the imposing views of society, as he is a lonely and lost character, but on the other hand Othello victimizes society itself when he undergoes the actions that make him an outsider. Evidently, the three texts; â€Å"Othello†, â€Å"Perfume† and â€Å"The Story of Bubbleboy† have all increased my understanding of the outsider as they illustrate a vast use of techniques and concepts that make a person an outsider in society.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

After his mother dies giving birth to him on the day of victory in World War I in 1918, Benjamin is taken by his father, Thomas Button (Jason Flemyng), and deposited on the doorstep of a home for the elderly. That is fitting since the infant looks like an 80-year-old man with sagging skin, cataracts, and wrinkles all over is body. Queenie (Taraji P. Henson), an African-American attendant at the place, finds him. She immediately decides that baby who is â€Å"as ugly as an old pot† is a child of God who must be cared for, no matter how difficult that may be. And so Benjamin (Brad Pitt) the man-child grows up in the presence of elders who share their stories with him and accept him as one of their own; they are all outsiders in a country where youth is worshipped and the elderly are viewed as obsolete. Benjamin starts out in a wheelchair and proves himself to be a great listener: everyone wants to tell him what they've been through in life. A man with a poor memory points out again and again that he was struck by lightening seven different times. â€Å"God keeps reminding me I'm lucky to be alive. A wealthy woman who keeps to herself teaches him to play the piano. A gregarious visitor, an African bushman (Rampai Mohadi), takes a fancy to the man-boy and introduces him the joys of sex in a bordello. At the age of 12, Benjamin looks about 70. He meets Daisy (Elle Fanning), the granddaughter of one of the residents at the home. They become instant friends and forge a bond which will last for a long time. In fact, Benjamin's story is shown i n flashbacks as Daisy lies near death's door in New Orleans at the time of Katrina. As the winds howl outside, her 40-year-old daughter Caroline (Julia Ormond) reads to her from a diary filled with pictures and postcards about this strange man who played such a major role in her life. At age 17, Benjamin is much younger and stronger. He leaves New Orleans for life aboard a tugboat that is piloted by Mike (Jared Harris), a colorful character with tattoos and a love of liquor. He travels to many cities and in Murmansk encounters Elizabeth (Tilda Swinton), who is intrigued by his mysteriousness. Although married, she begins a brief affair with Benjamin and introduces him to the pleasures of caviar, night-time dialogue, and sex. Benjamin also tastes the rush of adrenalin in war when he and the tugboat crew take on a Nazi U-boat that has just sunk a troop transport in World War II. Many of his shipmates are killed in the clash. Benjamin returns to New Orleans in 1945 and encounters his father, a rich entrepreneur who runs a button business. He is a lonely old man who is dying and wants to reconnect with the boy he ditched years ago. Instead of showing anger or seeking revenge, Benjamin treats him with kindly compassion for he has come to realize that death is a tender moment that must be treated with respect and dignity. Daisy (Cate Blanchett) is now a renowned dancer in New York who stops by for a visit. She has read his postcards from around the world and still feels they are soulmates. She tries to seduce him, but he is not ready for the changes that he sees in her. But after he inherits his father's estate, he travels to New York to be with her. But now she is too caught up in the drama and excitement of her career and artist friends. There is more to their relationship as new twists and turns bring them together again as Benjamin grows younger and more handsome. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is one of the best films of the year with its complex story, idiosyncratic characters, and treatment of the themes of love, time, aging, youth, change, death, and the impermanence of life. David Fincher directs this soulful movie with a marvelous attention to detail and pacing. The secret to the film's powerful impact is the terrific screenplay by Eric Roth who wrote Forrest Gump, a 1994 movie that was also a picaresque tale about a strange outsider and his wild adventures. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald that has been substantially changed for the screen. Another plus is the melodic and impressive music by Alexandre Desplat. What does Benjamin learn from his odd condition that makes him grow younger instead of older? What are the lessons of his adventures that take him around the world and back home again? At one point, he says: â€Å"You can change or stay the same. There are no rules to this thing. You can make the best or the worst of it. † Benjamin always keeps an open mind and uses each encounter as an opportunity to soften his heart. He makes the best of bad situations and does not allow them to bring him down. He demonstrates an equanimity that enables him to handle failure and success, defeat and victory, with calm. One of his favorite mantras is â€Å"You never know what's coming for you. † It is best to see everything as a mystery that does not need to be solved or explained away. Just live in the present moment and savor what presents itself to you. A sense of wonder is a trademark of Benjamin's personality. As a man-child in the home for the elderly, he listens to the house breathing. As a child-man he savors the start of the day looking out over the water just like his father did. Benjamin learns how to let go and not to cling to anyone: â€Å"We're meant to lose the people we love. How else will we know how much they meant to us? † From start to finish, this character tries to be himself, accepting his flaws and celebrating his strengths as a human being: â€Å"It's never too late or too early to be whoever you want to be. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button reminds us that the best thing we can do is make the most of our journey and be thankful for the people we meet along the way. It's all gift. Benjamin embodies the zest for life described in one of our favorite quotations by Diane Ackerman: â€Å"The great affair, the love affair with life, is to live as variously as possible, to groom one's curiosity like a high-spirited thoroughbred, climb aboard, and gallop over the thick, sunstruck hills every day. . . It began as mystery, and it will end in mystery, but what a savage and beautiful country lies in between. â€Å"