Wednesday, October 30, 2019
A Survey of Language and Literacy (L&L) Programs Research Paper - 1
A Survey of Language and Literacy (L&L) Programs - Research Paper Example This is a program whose main intent is to focus indirectly or directly on economic, social, or inequalities that are political between two parties by literacy. Literacy, in this respect, is referred as a type of knowledge. It allows one to access extensive reservoirs of knowledge thus the saying that knowledge is power (Whitehead 12). In many situations, if one compares the illiterate and literate groups, those individuals who are literate always have an advantage over those individuals who are not. When illiteracy is institutionalized, literacy would be extremely powerful and a liberator who is remarkably effective thus a form of empowerment. In reality, all programs of literacy have a component of empowerment. In this program, empowerment is distinguished since it is a central program’s feature.Empowerment literacy program has some conditions that are normally used in determining its choice. These conditions include An elite that is educated or rather a class considered as a middle class takes advantage of a group that is seen to be disadvantaged preliterate or semiliterate group. A community sector like certain groups clan has opportunities that are limited due to a limited access to literacy that could be intentional. A given community may be politically or socially dominated on the language basis and on education access. In this regard, illiteracy may block efforts of improving welfare and health of the masses thus limiting the meaning of any efforts towards a change that is political.
Monday, October 28, 2019
That Was Then, This is Now†and “The Chocolate War†Essay Example for Free
That Was Then, This is Now†and â€Å"The Chocolate War†Essay â€Å"That Was Then, This is Now†by S.E. Hinton (1971) and â€Å"The Chocolate War†(1974) by Robert Cormier are boundary-shattering young-adult novels, each of which penetrates to the heart of issues with which adolescent readers can readily identify. However, as groundbreaking as these novels were upon their initial publications, both of the novels conform to an established literary idiom, prevalent throughout young-adult literature for many centuries. Both â€Å"The Chocolate War†and â€Å"That Was Then, This is Now†present novels of initiation; more specifically, novels of male-initiation. Aspects of the male-initiation novel include specific conditional criteria that both define and structure the concept of manhood; among these criteria are issues of heterosexuality, embodiment, and collectivism. (Bereska, 2003)            The prominence of traditional male-initiation archetypes and notions of masculinity in the novels, together with the novels’ unconventional narrative styles, pace, and conventions helped generate two of the more popular, controversial, and memorable titles in the 1970s YA catalog. â€Å"Like classics or current adult fiction, some YAL includes a variety of situational archetypes such as the test/trial as a rite of passage, the journey or quest of the hero, birth/death/rebirth, and the search for self.†(Herz Gallo, 1996, p. 11)            In both novels, notions of manhood and sexual orientation play key roles in defining character and plot development, as well as thematic development. Bryon, the main character in ‘That Was Then, This is Now†prides himself as a ladies’ man and is compared to (or confused with) the Romantic Poet Lord Byron, who was an infamous womanizer, on different occasions during the story. â€Å"While not explicitly stated, it is an implicit assumption that the boys world is a heterosexual world; there are no logical alternatives to heterosexuality. In books from the 1940s to the late 1990s[] A normal male body is presumed to be both masculine in gender and heterosexual (Nelson (Bereska, 2003)            Along with heterosexuality as a harbinger of normalcy, the male world in YA initiation novels is â€Å"characterized by particular types and degrees of emotional expression, naturalized aggression, male hang-out groups, hierarchies within those groups [and] competition,†(Bereska, 2003). In both â€Å"The Chocolate War†and â€Å"That Was Then, This is Now†the world is portrayed as a male-dominated â€Å"war zone†where a survival of the fittest mentality reigns above issues of emotionality, sensitivity, or compassion.            While drugs, street-fights, and casual sex present controversial and very stark terrors in the world of â€Å"That Was Then, This is Now,†in Cormier’s male-dominated world, the male-hierarchy is not only prevalent, its strictures are living law: â€Å"football is easy compared to Jerrys other extracurricular activities at Trinity High: placating the Vigils, the schools secret society, and avoiding Brother Leon, the acting headmaster[] Archie Costello, de facto leader of the Vigils, orders Jerry to refuse to sell chocolate for ten days, as a way of exerting power†(Cheaney, 2001, p. 256).            The aspect of embodiment: that is, the physical manifestation of male characteristics (or defining manhood by male bodily capacities and functions) is a vital component of both novels, symbolized by, not only erotic scenes and passages, but by visceral acts of violence. Foremost among the explicit symbolism of male initiation as male-body-experience is the climactic brutality of â€Å"The Chocolate War†when raffle-tickets are drawn to direct blows against bodies. Raffle tickets are drawn to see when and where Jerry and Emile Janza (a thug) will strike one another with boxing blows. One of the members of the school gang The Vigils finally draws a raffle ticket that allows Janza to strike Jerry below the belt.             In â€Å"That Was Then, This is Now,†Mark and Bryon vital, viral male bodies are contrasted with Bryon’s ailing mother, a victim of the poverty and desperation that hangs over her household. While Bryon’s healthy erotic-physical response to Cathy brings about a sense of patriarchal responsibility for MM, Mark, whose sexuality had never been as pronounced as Bryon’s deviates from a â€Å"pure†state of male-embodiment, becoming a drug-user and drug-pusher, selling drugs to help support Bryon’s mother.            The corruption of the communal (but male dominated and protected space) in this case comes by way of drugs with threaten MM’s physical and mental maturity; during his LSD hallucinations, he seems to regress to a childlike, vulnerable state. It is at the point of Bryon’s decision to turn Mark in as a drug dealer despite their â€Å"brotherhood†that Bryon’s initiation is completed and the transformation of his masculinity from purely male-identified to communally-identified takes place.            Both â€Å"The Chocolate War†and â€Å"That Was Then, This is Now†end ambiguously if not tragically. Although Bryon makes a successful transition from self-motivated and socially alienated to selflessness and social responsibility, his initiation into manhood exacts a heavy toll and violates the previously established intimacy between the stories two main characters. Keeping in mind the aforementioned â€Å"classical†motifs of male-initiation, Bryon’s â€Å"sacrifice†of his male-to-male friendship with Mark in favor of his traditional familial relationships with Cathy and MM fulfill the classical notion of heterosexual manhood as established via physical embodiment, and collectivism.            â€Å"The Chocolate War†ends with pyrrhic victory, in that Jerry dares to â€Å"disturb the universe†by challenging the male-on-male hierarchy generated by The Vigils, but at the novel’s close Jerry is beaten and physically injured; with a broken jaw, he tells his friend, The Goober, not to disturb the universeâ€â€that it’s not worth it. The book ends as Archie displays no remorse for the past, and Jerry no hope for the future. Cormier’s themes for â€Å"The Chocolate War†were rooted in â€Å"the individuals response to evil, a concern deeply rooted in Cormiers Roman Catholic conscience[]I was made aware of evil, and Im aware of it now. I mean, we constantly try to be good, and most of us are because of the lack of opportunities to do evil. Opportunities for evil abound at Trinity High because most of the boys dont recognize it for what it is.†(Cheaney, 2001, p. 256) Though Hinton’s themes seem less explicitly grounded in traditional religious morality, her work, like Cormier’s, deals with issues of profound sociological consequence, along with themes of dynamic individuation and social integration. Perhaps â€Å"That Was Then, This is Now†can be rightfully regarded as offering a somewhat less tragic arc than â€Å"The Chocolate War,†the impact of both of the novels on the YA genre was (and remains) explosive.            Classical literature often fails to exert the kind of hypnotically personal impact on young-adult readers that commercially published YAL sometimes offers. â€Å"Literature can be a way for teens to release these tensions.†This point remains highly valid as the enduring appeal and success of â€Å"The Chocolate War†and â€Å"That Was Then, This is Now’ demonstrates. â€Å"Students can read a book, for example, about a teenager reaching puberty and can talk about what the character is feeling in the third person, not the first. They can say she felt instead of I felt.[]Why do they want to read it? Perhaps because it helps them feel as if they are not alone.†(Alsup, 2003) Each of these novels melded traditional elements of the male-initiation story while simultaneously breaking through previously held notions regarding the thematic scope and sociological relevance of YA novels. References Bereska, T. M. (2003). The Changing Boys World in the 20th Century: Reality and Fiction.  The Journal of Mens Studies, 11(2), 157+. Herz, S. K., Gallo, D. R. (1996). From Hinton to Hamlet: Building Bridges between Young Adult Literature and the Classics. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. Alsup, J. (2003). Politicizing Young Adult Literature: Reading Andersons Speak as a Critical Text Critical Texts Confront Difficult Topics. Students Need to Read, Write, and Talk about These Relevant Issues. Journal of Adolescent Adult Literacy, 47(2), 158+. Cheaney, J. (2001, December). Teen Wars : The Young Adult Fiction of Robert Cormier. World and I, 16, 256.
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Creation Stories Essay -- Creation Beginning Life Religion Essays
Creation Stories      Where do we come from? The creation of the world has for centuries been told through many different stories, in different languages, and from a variety of religions across the world. The founders of each religion developed every creation story, and as religions vary greatly in beliefs, so do their stories of how the world and mankind were created. Although many of these creation stories differ, they have a close mystical and spiritual bind that brings people together. Two particular creation stories from very diverse religions are that of the Native Americans and the Christians. Unlike Christians who worship one god, Native Americans worship two high gods as well as a variety of natural and supernatural forces. Although both stories may differ from one another in determining their belief of creation, they both are similar in which both religions believe that through ceremonies and worship that they will be at harmony with god. Through their creation stories we can interperate their understanding of the world around them, how they view life, and how they are compatible and incompatible with one another.      Native Americans believe that all things of nature have a spiritual value in life, they use animals, insects, plants, and other forms of nature to symbolize spirits in their stories. Native Americans have a variety of creation stories in which different tribes depict how they believe the world and evolution came to be. The Osage tribe has a creation story in which the world is emerged out of chaos; the Seneca tribe has a creation story in which the world came together through a clash of good and evil. The creation story that is found in many tribes is that of ?Inktomi?, also known as ? spider woman? whom they believe created earth and life. They believe that spider woman spun a line to form the east, west, north, and south, from which came the Four Corners of the earth. Those who had forgotten the gift of her thread would drown in the great flood she sent, but for those who remembered they floated to the New World and climbed unto the safety of mother earth. The N ative American creation story reveals that they understand the world to be a place of equality. In the following passage the creation of man is depicted from the use of different clays: ? Spider woman used the clay of the earth, red, yellow, white, and black, to c... ... But for some Native Americans they believe that when they die their soul takes form as a part of nature, whether a bird, tree, or wolf, and like their ancestors they will provide as a guardian for their people after them.      After learning of the varying stories that the Native American and Christian religions depict of creation, I have come to the conclusion that they all have a similarity with one another despite their other differences. They both have the belief that a higher force, for the Native Americans it was the Spider Woman and for the Christians it was God, created the earth and humanity. For religions such as these the scientific explanation of creation holds no importance in their lives, because their faith and teachings of their creation story justifies their belief. Across the world the cultures, languages, and beliefs that separate people from one another are erased when it comes down to the story of our beginning, our creation story. Like seen in the compatibalities of the Christians and Native Americans their creation stories have for centuries interpreted their understanding of the world around them, spiritually binding people from all religions together.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Caught in the College Conundrum?
Most persons who apply to college don’t make it past the first round of selections. The applicant pool gets brighter and more sophisticated every year. Standardized test scores and GPA’s just aren’t enough to give you the edge you need. You need a unique presentation angle, and the strategy lies in the admissions essay.We’ll Help You StrategizeOur writers have had decades of combined experience crafting the most direct and incisive essays. Your essay will project that unique flare that captures the attention of even the most selective committee. We have in-house experts who continually research the requirements of the highest caliber schools so that you will always be ahead of the game.Our SolutionsWe offer writing, editing, and reviews of admission essays tailored specifically for the college level. For admission essay writing, we take the best and most relevant of you life experiences and compile them into a highly sophisticated and effective document. T he essay will always reach you double spaced in 12-pt.Times New Roman font, and there are no page limits for this type of order. For admission essay editing, we take your pre-written admission essay and eliminate all errors that occur with regard to grammar, spelling, and style. For admission essay reviews, a professional writer/editor evaluates the merit of your essay, removes all errors and gives suggestions on how to improve its content and style.Graduate-level ComplexitiesAcceptance into graduate programs at the best universities is highly difficult, and it takes much more than just good GRE or GMAT scores. The level of writing required at the graduate level causes admission committees to give heavier weight to admission essays. In fact, many persons with high scores are rejected year after year by graduate programs because of what their essay lacks.Well Help You StrategizeOur writers have completed degrees well beyond the graduate level and have even sat on the review boards fo r university graduate programs. We know precisely what is required of admissions essays and how to weave together the experiences of your work and undergraduate careers. Plus, we always tailor that experience to the type of degree for which you are applying so you know you’ll have a winning essay every time.Our SolutionsOur company will write, edit, and review any admission essay, making it precisely suitable for the graduate level program to which you apply. Graduate admission essay writing entails taking your life, field, and research experience and compiling them into a highly sophisticated and effective document.The document will always be double spaced in 12-pt. Times New Roman font, and there are no page limits for this type of order. Graduate admission essay editing involves taking your pre-written admission essay and eliminating all grammar, spelling and style errors. Graduate admission essay review is done by professional writers/editors who evaluate the merit of you r essay, eliminate all errors and suggest ways of improving its content and style.Law School Hurdles?Law schools have a very selective admission process, and getting past this first step is difficult. In fact, most persons that apply to law school get rejectedâ€â€some more than once. Chances are, your LSAT score and GPA, no matter how high, are not enough to get you the coveted acceptance. You need a high quality admission essay to give you the competitive edge.We’ll Help You OverOur writers are experienced in writing the winning essays that have got hundreds of persons into the law schools of their dreams. The subtle nuances we embed into the text of the essay will convince the admissions board of your unique ability to express yourself. It will also alert them to your ability to argue like a true lawyer. Plus, we match your experiences to the requirements of your degree, so that you will always appear to be the best of all possible candidates.Our SolutionsOur profes sional writers will edit, review, and write your admission essays for the law school of your choice. For admission essay writing, compile your academic and life experiences, matching them seamlessly with the requirements of your desired law school.  The document will be delivered to you double spaced in 12-pt.Times New Roman font, and there are no page limits for this type of order. For admission essay editing, we take your pre-written admission essay and eliminate all errors with regard to grammar, spelling, and style. For admission essay reviews, a specialist evaluates the merit of your essay, removes the errors and offers ideas on how to improve its content and style.Business School Barriers?Getting into business school is now more difficult than it’s ever been. Not only have schools raised their standards, but the applicant pool is now brighter and more sophisticated than ever. High GRE’s and GMAT’s are not enough to get the attention of the admissions co mmittee. Your admission essay is the most powerful means available to set you apart from the other applicants.We’ll Help You OverOur writers are experts in the many business fields that exist. We have crafted hundreds of essays that have been instrumental in winning many acceptances into the top business schools.  The experience that we have in this area is unequalled. Our writers can focus the content of your work and experiences to fit the requirements of any business degreeâ€â€ranging from business administration to finance.Our SolutionsOur experts will write, edit or review you business school admission essay and relate it to the specific area of business to which you apply. The admission essay writing department offers the most complete service, as we create a model application from the information you supply. The document will always be double spaced in 12-pt.Times New Roman font, and there are no page limits for this type of order. For admission essay editing, w e take your pre-written admission essay and eliminate all grammatical, spelling, and stylistic errors. For admission essay reviews, a professional writer/editor evaluates the merit of your essay, removes all errors and gives suggestions on how to improve its content and style.Med-school MadnessMedicine one of the most competitive academic fields, and medical schools reject a very high percentage of all who apply. Your scores on the MCAT are not nearly enough to get you the coveted acceptance into the reputable schools of your choice. Those who apply without a well-written and convincing admissions essay may end up being just another candidate for rejection.We’ll Keep You SaneOur writers have successfully guided countless candidates through the medical school admissions process. Our essays will accurately portray your keen level of interest plus the advanced level of preparation that you have achieved. These aspects of your application will be seamlessly aligned with the requi rements of your desired degree and school, making it difficult for you to be overlooked.Our SolutionsOur experts will write, edit or review you medical school admission essay and relate it specifically to the requirements of your preferred institution. For admission essay writing, we create for you a highly sophisticated documentâ€â€and will even provide a copy in AMCAS format. The document will always be double spaced in 12-pt. Times New Roman font, and there are no page limits for this type of order.For admission essay editing, we doctor your pre-written admission essay to eliminate all grammatical, spelling, and stylistic errors. For admission essay reviews, a specialist evaluates the merit of your essay, removes all errors and even suggests ways of improving its content and style.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Park – Creative Writing
Tiny pieces of broken green glass lay around the fencing, glistening in the sun, and litter and pink chewing gum stuck to the bin and gate. The smell of dog urine whiffs as the wind blows and every now and then a young mother shouts, â€Å"don't stand in that it's dirty!†A small fat child sits on his own, indulging in a huge ice cream, smothered with a dark brown chocolate source and sprinkles the colours of the rainbow. He wipes the ice cream from around his mouth with his grubby little hands, smearing mud across his face, another child kicks a ball at him and knocks his treat from his hands†¦A loud cry and the child's mother comes slowly plodding over, her huge waste bouncing from side to side. Whilst all the little kids play, thuggish looking teenagers barbarically kick bins over and shout at the top of their lungs in which are filled with smoke, holding beer cans and vodka bottles they run around like wild animals. All with their hoods up they intimidate not just the younger children, but their parents too, before the darkness arrives, the park is empty and only contains the youths who run riot care free. Sitting on the swings and pouring beer down the slide, one of the teens shout â€Å"old bill†! The rest of the thugs launch their alcohol into a nearby hedge and sit like nothings going on. As the odd looking policemen come nearer, one rather tall with beady little eyes and the other short and plump carrying his hat, the teens become anxious but don't show their fear. The policemen are suspicious and search four of the youths while the other five slowly walk away pretending they weren't there, the fat policeman's face screws up and he frowns as he pulls out a packet of cigarettes from the fourteen year old skin heads pocket, he slips them into a bag. â€Å"Oi they're mine†shouts the loud mouthed four foot boy. The policeman take down the kids names and tells them to clear off before they're arrested. The four teens that got searched look glumly at the floor and slowly walk away, looking back at the policemen, scowling viciously as if they don't have anything better to do. They're finally reunited with the other five hood rats that walked away; they all squabble like three year olds about why they walked away. All looking at each other in suspense, a fight breaks out. A bloody nose. A black eye. They never learn.
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Professional Values Essays
Professional Values Essays Professional Values Paper Professional Values Paper C. B. Bernsten, and M. A. Sanner. 2008. Care ideologies re? ected in 4 conceptions of pharmaceutical care. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy 4: 332–342. Childress, J. F. , et al. 2002. Public health ethics: Mapping the terrain. Journal of Law, Medicine and Ethics 30: 170–178. Choosing health thorough pharmacy- A programme for pharmaceutical public health 2005–2015. 2005. London: Department of Health. dh. gov. uk/publications. Faculty of Public Health of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom. What is Public Health? fphm. org. uk/about_faculty/what_public_health/default. asp. Accessed August 2009. Fassett, W. E. 2007. Ethics, law and the emergence of responsibility for patient care. Annals of Pharmacotherapy 41: 1264–1267. Goodin, R. E. 1985. Protecting the vulnerable. A reanalysis of our social responsibilities. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Harding, G. , and K. Taylor. 1997. Responding to change: The case of community pharmacy in Great Britain. Sociology of Health Illness 19(5): 547–560. ? Hayry, M. 2006. Public health and human values. Journal of Medical Ethics 32: 519–521. Hepler, C. D. , and L. M. Strand. 1990. Opportunities and responsibilities in pharmaceutical care. American Journal of Hospital Pharmacy 47: 533–543. Jesson, J. , and P. Bissell. 2006. Public health and pharmacy:
Monday, October 21, 2019
buy custom Legalization of Recreational Marijuana and The Utilitarianism Theory
buy custom Legalization of Recreational Marijuana and The Utilitarianism Theory Legalization of Recreational Marijuana Introduction In this paper, I will consider whether the recreational use of marijuana is morally justified from the perspective of the utilitarianism theory. Due to the growing public concern over the scandal issue of marijuana legalization, it remains a highly uncertain issue seeking final and firm answer like the one what was the first to come, a hen or an egg. Marijuana legalization is primarily justified by utilitarianism theory that proved to be efficient and supports most of the aspects of cannabis legalization. However, this theory cannot provide strong and persuading evidence to the full extent to convince the passionate challengers of legal cannabis and leave them no chance to be able to find more counterarguments to marijuana usage and legalization. Although the base point of utilitarianism if applied to making marijuana legal provides strong support for the marijuana users, still in some perspectives they may be interpreted as be vague and doubtful, encountering various objections.
Sunday, October 20, 2019
Nudibranch Facts
Nudibranch Facts Enchanting to both divers and scientists, colorful nudibranchs (pronounced nooda-bronk and including Nudibranchia, suborders Aeolidida and Doridacea) inhabit the sea floors of oceans all over the world. The unattractively named sea slug comes in a fantastic array of shapes and neon-bright colors that they themselves cannot see. Fast Facts: Nudibranchs (Sea Slugs) Scientific Name: Nudibranchia, suborders Aeolidida and DoridaceaCommon Name: Sea slugBasic Animal Group: InvertebrateSize: Microscopic to 1.5 feet longWeight: Up to just over 3 poundsLifespan: A few weeks to a year Diet: CarnivoreHabitat: On seafloors all over the world, between 30 and 6,500 feet below the water surfacePopulation: UnknownConservation Status: Not Evaluated Description Nudibranchs are mollusks in the class Gastropoda, which includes snails, slugs, limpets, and sea hairs. Many gastropods have a shell. Nudibranchs have a shell in their larval stage, but it disappears in the adult form. Gastropods also have a foot and all young gastropods undergo a process called ​​torsion in their larval stage. In this process, the entire top of their body twists 180 degrees on their foot. This results in the placement of the gills and anus above the head, and adults that are asymmetrical in form. The word nudibranch comes from the Latin word nudus (naked) and Greek brankhia (gills), in reference to the gills or gill-like appendages which protrude from the backs of many nudibranchs. They also may have tentacles on their heads that help them smell, taste, and get around. A pair of tentacles called rhinophores on the nudibranchs head have scent receptors that allow the nudibranch to smell its food or other nudibranchs. Because the rhinophores stick out and can be a target for hungry fish, most nudibranchs have the ability to withdraw the rhinophores and hide them in a pocket in their skin if the nudibranch senses danger. Amin Benhameurlaine / Getty Images Species There are over 3,000 species of nudibranchs, and new species are still being discovered. They range in size from microscopic to over a foot and a half long and can weigh up to just over 3 pounds. If youve seen one nudibranch, you havent seen them all. They come in an astonishingly wide variety of colors and shapes- many have brightly colored stripes or spots and flamboyant appendages on their head and back. Some species are transparent and/or bio-luminescent, like the Phylliroe. Nudibranchs thrive in an enormous variety of underwater environments, from shallow, temperate, and tropic reefs to Antarctica and even hydrothermal vents. cbpix/Getty Images Suborders Two main suborders of nudibranchs are dorid nudibranchs (Doridacea) and aeolid nudibranchs (Aeolidida). Dorid nudibranchs, like the Limacia cockerelli, breathe through gills that are on their posterior (back) end. Aeolid nudibranchs have cerata or finger-like appendages that cover their back. The cerata can be a variety of shapes- thread-like, club-shaped, clustered, or branched. They have multiple functions, including breathing, digestion, and defense. Habitat and Distribution Nudibranchs are found in all the worlds oceans, from cold water to warm water. You might find nudibranchs in your local tide pool, while snorkeling or diving on a tropical coral reef, or even in some of the coldest parts of the ocean or in thermal vents. They live on or near the sea floor and have been identified at depths between 30 and 6,500 feet below the ocean surface. Diet Most Nudibranchs eat using a radula, a toothed structure that they use to scrape off prey from the rocks they cling to; some suck out the prey after predigesting its tissue with selected enzymes, rather like a wasp. They are carnivorous, so that prey includes sponges, coral, anemones, hydroids, barnacles, fish eggs, sea slugs, and other nudibranchs. Nudibranchs are picky eaters- individual species or families of nudibranchs may eat only one kind of prey. Nudibranchs get their bright colors from the food they eat. These colors may be used for camouflage or to warn predators of the poison that lies within. The Spanish shawl nudibranch (Flabellina iodinea) feeds on a species of hydroid called Eudendrium ramosum, which possesses a pigment called astaxanthin that gives the nudibranch its brilliant purple, orange, and red coloration. Some nudibranchs, like the Blue Dragon, create their own food by eating coral with algae. The nudibranch absorbs the algaes chloroplasts (zooxanthellae) into the cerata, which acquire nutrients by photosynthesis using the sun to sustain the nudibranch for months. Others have evolved other ways of farming zooxanthellae, housing them in their digestive gland. Behavior The sea slugs can see light and dark, but not their own brilliant coloration, so the colors are not intended to attract mates. With their limited vision, their sense of the world is obtained through their rhinophores (on top of the head) and oral tentacles (near the mouth). Not all nudibranchs are colorful; some use defensive camouflage to match the vegetation and hide, some can change their colors to fit, some hide their bright colors only to bring them out to warn off predators. Nudibranchs move on a flat, broad muscle called a foot, which leaves a slimy trail. While most are found on the ocean floor, some can swim short distances in the water column by flexing their muscles. Some even swim upside down. Aeolid nudibranchs can use their cerata for defense. Some of their prey such as Portuguese man-of-wars have a specialized cell in their tentacles called nematocysts that contain a barbed or venomous coiled thread. Nudibranchs eat the nematocysts and store them in the nudibranchs cerata where they can be used late to sting predators. Dorid nudibranchs make their own toxins or absorb toxins them from their food and release those into the water when needed. Despite the unsavory or toxic taste they can present to their non-human predators, most nudibranchs are harmless to humans, except those like Glaucus atlanticus which consumes nematocytes and so may consider you a predator and sting. Reproduction and Offspring Nudibranchs are hermaphrodites, meaning that they have reproductive organs of both sexes. Because they cant move too far, too fast and are solitary in nature, its important for them to be able to reproduce if the situation presents itself. Having both sexes means that they can mate with any adult that happens to pass by. Nudibranchs lay masses of spiral-shaped or coiled eggs, which are for the most part left on their own. The eggs hatch into free-swimming larvae which eventually settle onto the ocean bottom as adults. Only one species of nudibranch, the Pteraeolidia ianthina, exhibits parental care by guarding the newly-laid egg masses. Nudibranchs and Humans Scientists study nudibranchs because of their complex chemical makeup and adaptations. They have rare or novel chemical compounds which possess anti-microbial and anti-parasitic traits which may aid in the fight against cancer. Studies of nudibranch DNA also offer assistance in tracking ocean conditions relative to climate change. Threats These beautiful animals dont live very long; some live up to a year, but some only for a few weeks. The global population of nudibranchs is currently unassessed- researchers are still discovering new ones each year- but field observations such as that conducted by Endangered Species International suggest that many species are becoming rare, due to water pollution, degradation, habitat loss, and biodiversity decline associated with global warming. Sources Bertsch, Hans. Nudibranchs: Sea Slugs With Verve. The Slug Site, 2004.Cheney, Karen L. and Nerida G. Wilson. Quick Guide: Nudibranchs. Current Biology Magazine 28.R4–R5, January 8, 2018.Epstein, Hannah E, et al. Reading between the Lines: Revealing Cryptic Species Diversity and Colour Patterns in Hypselodoris Nudibranchs (Mollusca: Heterobranchia: Chromodorididae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.zly048 (2018).King, Rachael. Is It a Worm? A Snail? No...Its a Nudibranch!. Southeast Regional Taxonomic Center, Marine Resources Research Institute, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.Knowlton, Nancy. Citizens of the Sea: Wondrous Creatures From the Census of Marine Life. Washington, DC: National Geographic Society, 2010.Lewis, Ricki. Celebrating National Sea Slug Day. PLOS Blogs: Diverse Perspectives on Science and Medicine, November 1, 2018.Nudibranchs and other sea slugs. New Heaven Reef Conservation Program, 2016.
Saturday, October 19, 2019
Business Management Technology Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words
Business Management Technology Report - Essay Example Inevitably, the organisation evolved to be able to develop strategic plans for the effective management of technological systems that supports its business operations – most primarily, focusing on internet transactions and eCommerce applications. The internet trade service of HSBC bank provides the customer with a wide range of financial products at a single point of entry. In the case of large organisations, banking with HSBC would be a unique experience considering their access to large volumes of data and better financial control, through setting reasonable transfer limits across different people and easy access to tools and services. In addition, HSBC has developed tremendous support for the export/import business units as well, be it a new player in the business or person with considerable years of experience. In order to better banking experience for its customers, HSBC has been trying hard to promote the internet banking among its customers. This would require more efficient operational systems which include robust security systems to protect the transfer of private information. Thus the possible improvements in this connection can be proposed only after a closer introspection of prevailing technological competence of HSBC. The HSBC has the privilege of having the best I.T. security systems to protect the transactions through the internet. But as the technology is changing rapidly to prevent any large scale frauds or possibility of any losses it need to evolve appropriate SISP considering the business growth potential. The potential use of techniques like biometrics could also be attempted to strengthen its security systems. The report presents the various opportunities that HSBC could explore to strengthen its security systems for the benefit of customers. The impact of the information and communication technologies have
Friday, October 18, 2019
Accounting case study analysis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Accounting analysis - Case Study Example The charity Help Our Homeless Offspring, look forward towards violating the rule of exceeding 25 percent expenditure and funding to survive. They must have an expensive TV for advertisement. The resulting effect is an increased expenditure to funding ratio beyond 25 percent. Such activities are unethical and unacceptable because they contradict accounting principles (Needles, Powers and Crosson, 2011). The accountant of HOH felt that the misallocation of cost at the expense of exploiting the willing donors was an unethical act because it contradicts accounting principle (Vanderbeck, 2013). For example, the following principles were violated namely; full disclosure principle, cost principle and reliability accounting principle. HOH charity should disclose the true state of affairs and avoid misleading the donors, as well as other users of accounting information (Smith, 2011). Further, the information disclose should be reliable to avoid making wrong decision. The senior accountant in this case tends to justify unethical acts applied by the company (Lerner and Cashin, 2009). As an accountant who adheres to the accounting ethics, it will be inappropriate to do nothing because misallocation of cost contravene the principle discussed. I would, therefore, tell my corporation to embrace the accounting principles. Instead of misallocating the cost to mislead the donors, the corporation should focus on minimizing its variable cost. I would not encourage my corporation to work with HOHO because the top management are encouraging unethical practices (Duska, Duska and Ragatz,
How Greenwash commercials influence buying behaviour in luxury car Dissertation
How Greenwash commercials influence buying behaviour in luxury car market - Dissertation Example According to the research findings the impact of Greenwash commercials on buying behaviour seeks to understand the consumers’ psychological orientation towards purchase of products and how marketing strategies or advertisements can adapt to the same. Amongst the Response Hierarchy Models, Persuasive Hierarchy Model suggests that consumers are influenced by advertising and use the commercials to learn about different brands and reach their preferences based on the information they gain from these. Here cognition is the precondition for making any buying decision. This model is applicable in high involvement purchase condition where the product or the purchase is crucial to the consumer. Such advertisement begins with awareness which leads to interest of the buyer and then results in action of purchase. These are highly true for consumers of cars. In Low involvement cases, the consumer prefer convenience goods, i.e.take the buying decisions based upon cost, etc. Here purchases a re rapid and preferences towards brands are formed after trials. Integrated Models therefore suggest that buying decisions depend on situations and advertising works accordingly. The FCG grid formed by the advertising agency Foote, Cone and Belding can appropriately depict this with four different buying situations incorporating consumer motivation. For instance, in high involvement case, consumers’ motive will lead him to buy items like luxury watches when the idea is to transform their lifestyle or when the â€Å"feel good†factor is important to them. ... umers are influenced by advertising and use the commercials to learn about different brands and reach their preferences based on the information they gain from these (Belch and Belch, 2003, p. 208). Here cognition is the precondition for making any buying decision. This model is applicable in high involvement purchase condition where the product or the purchase is crucial to the consumer. Such advertisement begins with awareness which leads to interest of the buyer and then results in action of purchase. These are highly true for consumers of cars. In Low involvement cases, the consumer prefer convenience goods, i.e.take the buying decisions based upon cost, etc. Here purchases are rapid and preferences towards brands are formed after trials. Integrated Models therefore suggest that buying decisions depend on situations and advertising works accordingly. The FCG grid (Appendix B: Integrated Model – FCG grid) formed by the advertising agency Foote, Cone and Belding can appropri ately depict this with four different buying situations incorporating consumer motivation. For instance, in high involvement case, consumers’ motive will lead him to buy items like luxury watches when the idea is to transform their lifestyle or when the â€Å"feel good†factor is important to them. Again when product choice is based on information about the product, consumers will tend to choose automotives and appliances. In Low involvement case, they would go for package goods (cost effectiveness), while their choice is led by information. Under low involvement they would settle for variety goods in order to meet the â€Å"feel good†factor (Sorce&Dewitz, 2007, pp. 4-5). This dissertation focuses on a High Involvement case (a case of buying luxury brands of cars). For these goods there always
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Family Price Fears as Petrol Predicted to Climb to $2 a Litre Article - 4
Family Price Fears as Petrol Predicted to Climb to $2 a Litre - Article Example Oil is a subject which has always been the centre of attention in economics. There are a plethora of theories and concepts which apply to this case study, but for brevity’s sake, we will limit ourselves to just a few. These include the following: The use of relevant diagrams will be made so as to establish the key facts unequivocally. Although there can be more concepts, the discussion will just be limited to inflation and its reasons, and the counteraction of the deteriorating price levels due to exchange rate differentials. We have already witnessed an oil crisis in the not so distant past when the prices went up to $147 per barrel in 2008. Back then, the prices were elevated primarily due to speculative positions are taken by investors and speculators. Today’s situation, however, it differs from the previous one due to the fact that this is an issue driven purely due to economics. The Middle East region accounts for a majority of the world’s oil-producing coun tries. Since this region has come under a lot of turmoil, the supply of oil has been witnessing bottlenecking and this has caused mass panic in the developed and developing economies the world over, to the point where alarmingly high buying is taking place. This aggressive buying by various nations  is driving the prices of crude oil higher and higher.  When we break it down on the most primitive levels, we see two things happening simultaneously. The first is that there is a very apparent shortage of oil as millions of barrels per days are not being produced. Secondly, these supply shocks are triggering investors, companies and even governments to buy large reserves of oil to ensure that they have adequate supply in the coming months.Â
Zappos Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Zappos - Essay Example Zippos and its CEO have provided lessons that a strong leader ought to combine both leadership and management aspects in order to perform in a suitable manner. The CEO has ensured communication with both customers and workers. He has realized proper motivation for employees and proper customer relationship (Berger, 2011). The CEO ensured relocation of the company to Las Vegas in order to overcome the challenges of globalization. The relocation achieved proper customer service and gain of new customers. Operating in Las Vegas gave the company a competitive advantage due to proximity to customers and low cost operation. The CEOs ability to deal with a diverse workforce contributed to the success of the company. The CEO has developed an appropriate corporate culture, embraced by every employee in the company. The CEO developed a dynamic culture fundamental for future growth (Berger, 2011). These aspects were fundamental for the growth of the company. For example, the CEO ensured proper treatment of customers, even in cases unassociated with the sale of products. The company chose to remain at break even for a long period in order to maintain quality services to the customers. Appropriate character and personal integrity that leads to customer attraction and satisfaction are evident where the CEO emulates customer service an important aspect of the business (Berger, 2011). I agree that Zippos is different from other companies. Al through, the company has mastered the art of customer service by emulating a culture unique from other corporations. Most companies focus on profits and forget the importance customer service. The choice of the company to remain at breakeven was a difficult one (Berger, 2011). Organizations can perform well if they emulate proper customer service and motivation of workers. Employee motivation ensures efficiency in the work place, and proper customer service ensures retention and attraction of new
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Family Price Fears as Petrol Predicted to Climb to $2 a Litre Article - 4
Family Price Fears as Petrol Predicted to Climb to $2 a Litre - Article Example Oil is a subject which has always been the centre of attention in economics. There are a plethora of theories and concepts which apply to this case study, but for brevity’s sake, we will limit ourselves to just a few. These include the following: The use of relevant diagrams will be made so as to establish the key facts unequivocally. Although there can be more concepts, the discussion will just be limited to inflation and its reasons, and the counteraction of the deteriorating price levels due to exchange rate differentials. We have already witnessed an oil crisis in the not so distant past when the prices went up to $147 per barrel in 2008. Back then, the prices were elevated primarily due to speculative positions are taken by investors and speculators. Today’s situation, however, it differs from the previous one due to the fact that this is an issue driven purely due to economics. The Middle East region accounts for a majority of the world’s oil-producing coun tries. Since this region has come under a lot of turmoil, the supply of oil has been witnessing bottlenecking and this has caused mass panic in the developed and developing economies the world over, to the point where alarmingly high buying is taking place. This aggressive buying by various nations  is driving the prices of crude oil higher and higher.  When we break it down on the most primitive levels, we see two things happening simultaneously. The first is that there is a very apparent shortage of oil as millions of barrels per days are not being produced. Secondly, these supply shocks are triggering investors, companies and even governments to buy large reserves of oil to ensure that they have adequate supply in the coming months.Â
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
YOUR CHOICE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
YOUR CHOICE - Essay Example The total amount of survey replies was used to minimize deviation. The methods of examination and analysis allow for an understanding of the averages and deviations associated with the deliverables, as will be further defined and shared within the research domain. In total, the survey and computer-assisted questionnaire objective is to define the statistics and deviations associated with the occupation and make recommendations for further investigation and possible solutions This analysis of overall job satisfaction rating will allow the research team to quantify the employees mental state and occupational desires by pointing to the positive and negative connotations. Understanding overall job satisfaction is important to gauge the satisfaction of an occupation as described: Job satisfaction is a combination of cognitive and affective contentment for an individual within a company. Affective satisfaction is that founded on an overall positive emotional assessment of the employee’s job. This satisfaction focuses on their mood when working; i.e., whether the job evokes a good mood and positive feelings while working. (Reudaver et al p 793. 2002) The benefit to AIU is to gain a quantitative analysis of employee satisfaction in general and attitudes toward their work environment, allowing AIU to provide a national consideration for employee mental welfare. The questionnaire for overall job satisfaction was based on a scoring system of 1-7, with 1 being the lowest satisfaction and 7 being the highest on 155 points of data collected with the results for each employee organized in Graph 1.0: The data analysis was performed using Excel with the results in Table 1.0. The mean is 4.39, significant of the average score of satisfaction. The median score was 4.6, which is the number in the middle of data organized from lowest score to highest score. The mode character 5.8 is the largest
Threats ISIS poses on the US Essay Example for Free
Threats ISIS poses on the US Essay They arent just threatening they are also following through have killed multiple americans Are known to be even more extreme than al qaeda  if isis isnt killed and destroyed it will only recruit more and become stronger Isis could attack in revenge if U.S does anything We still have not detected direct potting towards the U.S. ISIS hasn’t made a direct threat towards the U.S. other than the brutal murders. The ground troops should not come from the U. S but ground troops are necessary. The ground troops should come from the places that are the most threatened by ISIS. We have no threat yet. Hello, this is a letter concerning troops being put into Iraq and Syria to fight ISIS. We have proven to ourselves in the past that this is not an easy job. We will not be able to go in there and wipe the terrorists out with ease. For instance, during the war on Al Qaeda we sent over 806 billion dollars and have had troops deployed for 12 years. We didn’t plan on being in Iraq and Afghanistan for that many years but the Taliban weren’t easy to take down. ISIS has proven to be even more organized, powerful, and more secretive than the Taliban and Al Qaeda. They have taken over large parts of Iraq and Syria in a matter of months and have spread into other countries. It will be a large expense to put ground troops into both countries and maybe more if they spread. We will also waste a lot more money if we send ground troops in. Continuing airstrikes would be more reasonably cost wise and would decrease the loss in life. In the 12 years we fought the Taliban we lost 6,639 troops, mostly ground troops. If we go into Iraq and Syria with ground troops like we did with the Taliban we will lose more troops than necessary. There have only been 2 Americans killed so far and sending ground troops in will only cause more deaths than need to happen. As long as we protect our borders without deploying ground troops we will be safe here.
Sunday, October 13, 2019
Wireless Sensor Networks: Applications and Forms
Wireless Sensor Networks: Applications and Forms 1 Wireless Sensor Network In this chapter, wireless sensor network (WSN) principles are being shortly introduced and discussed. In order to increase the level of understanding for analyzing Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) systems it is useful to study the technology behind them the technologies which are presented in this section. Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are distributed and independent sensors that are connected and worked together to measure quantities such as temperature, humidity, pressure, noise levels or vibrations [5]. WSNs can measure vehicular movement (velocity, location, etc.) and monitor conditions such as lightning condition, soil makeup and motion [5]. Nowadays, WSNs are utilized in many common applications such as vehicle applications. Some of vehicle applications are: vehicle tracking and detection, tire pressure monitoring, vehicle speed detection, vehicle direction indicator, traffic control, reversing aid sensors etc. Such applications can be divided in major categories such as safety, security, environment and logistics. To implement WSN in an application and have an efficient system, first we need to consider about WSN technology, components and communication topology and protocols. Therefore, first, in this chapter, basic information about WSN components, the communication devices and process unit of WSN will be described. Then, the chapter will be followed by a description of the WSN topologies and protocols emphasizing on mesh WSN technology with ZigBee Protocol. 1.1 Wireless Sensor Network component To provide comprehensive view of WSN hardware, understanding of WSN components structure is required. Wireless sensors are small microcontrollers equipped with wireless communication device and an energy supplier. The architecture of WSNs is illustrated in Figure 3à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ1 . As Figure 3à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ1 shows the components of WSNs are sensing unit, processing unit, power supplier and communication device. The sensing unit consists of sensors and Analog to Digital Converters (ADCs). ADCs are responsible for gathering the signals and converting them into digital signals data and transfer them through each other using network topology to the processor unit. In the sensing unit, each sensor is called an ‘end node and varies in size and cost. The mission of these multifunction sensor nodes are to sense, process data and collaborate with other nodes [8]. Wireless sensor network can be positioned in two ways, either using a complex technique with the large sensors far from the object or using several sensors with an engineered design on position and topology [5]. In addition, each node provided with a wireless communication transceiver as a communication component. In the process unit, the controller and small memory storage are responsible for managing the collaboration within the sensors to achieve the assigning task. In addition, the communication device with a transceiver makes the network connection. Above all, the essential component of WSN is the power unit, which supports the power for all units [5]. One of the unique characteristics of sensor networks is that they are equipped with an on-board processor. This feature enables them to locally process some simple computations and broadcast only necessary processed data [5]. Network communication is really complicated and needs years of study [8], but to be able to implement WSN, we need to know some basic primary concepts of communication technology such as; network topologies, network protocol and their standards and specifications. 1.2 Communication technology To cover technical aspects of WSN, network topology and network protocol studying is needed. This study will help to provide information about reliability, robustness, security and stability and of WSNs software aspect to answer the research questions RQ. 1 ,RQ. 2 and RQ. 3 . 1.2.1 Topologies in WSN Communication In network communication, the big issue is how data transfers through nodes and nodes interconnect with each other. Several basic network topologies may be used for transmitting to and receiving from a node. The Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS) the standards organization of telecommunication industry explained the network topology as â€Å"The physical, real, logical or virtual arrangement of the nods/elements of a network†[9]. The topology shows the diameter and the number of nodes between any two nodes. Moreover how a data process and the data routing complexities are relied on the chosen topology. Consequently, some characteristics of a sensor networks such as latency, robustness and capacity are changed by their topology [10]. Figure 3à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ2 is a graphic mapping of networks topology which shows the links of one or more nodes and explains the physical topology of the network. Despite having the same topology, two networks can differ in transmission rates because of their physical interaction, signal types and distance between nodes [9]. Table 3à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ1 describes the different types of network topology. Table 3à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ1 Topology TYPES [9]. Since Mesh topology is a main topic in the thesis, it is studied more in-depth in this section 1.2.1.1 Mesh Wireless Network Wireless mesh network is a term used when all wireless nodes are connected to each other within an ad-hoc multi-hob and mesh topology. In this network, any pair of nodes is able to communicate between each other within more than one path. In this network each node is used as a router to forward packets to the neighbor nodes which they have linked to. That means all nodes communicate directly or through other midway nodes without any manual configuration. Therefore, this network also called a self-configuration and self-organized network [11; 12]. As described in Table 3à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ1, there are two types of mesh topology ‘Partially connected and ‘Fully connected (See Figure 3à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ3). In a fully connected topology each node has the ability to communicate with all other nodes in the network and creates an interconnection links. By increasing the number of nodes in a mesh network, the number of links increases as well. On the other hand, in a partially connected topology, instead of direct interconnection between nodes, each node has two or more links to others to provide alternate routing and traffic balancing. Due to more links and indirect connections between nodes, traffic can flow through one or more router nodes to the destination [7] and create more reliable interconnections between nodes. Moreover, in partial network, the nodes are connected to either the node with higher rate of data transaction or the nearest neighbor node while in fully connected network all nodes have a direct links with each other. This multiple link path conducts a reliable communication. Therefore, whenever a connection fails or a node breaks down, the packages can automatically change their path by ‘jumping from a disconnected node. This is often called the self-healing of the network. This means that the networks connection stability and reliability are not essentially affected by node failures [11]. Due to the characteristics of wireless sensor network mesh, this network is self-configuring and self-organizing network in which each end-node is also used as a router (dual role- data originator /data router) to forward the signal packages all the way back of the main gateway. Therefore, due to the characteristics of mesh networks, this network is becoming one of the most implemented networks which able to have the flexible architecture for the network, easy self-configuration and robust fault tolerance connectivity [11; 12]. Additionally, the self-configuring characteristic of mesh WSN, bring the ability for the network to connect or disconnect nodes from the network. This brings the ability to grow/decrease the network by adding/removing nodes of a system. Mesh WSN has reliable self-healing and robust fault tolerance. This means if      a node fails or breaks down the signal packages jump from the disconnected node and automatically conducts a new path through the nearest node. However, the new path imposes re-routing and re-organizing to the network [5], which consumes too much power from the system. Therefore, having a power-aware protocol and algorithm is necessary for mesh network. ZigBee protocol is one of the protocols which provides this ability for WSN. 1.2.2 Protocols in WSN Communication WSN systems include variety of protocols for communication. Protocols need to program in different architectural layers. One of these architectural standard is OSI (Open System Interconnection) framework. In this session a brief introduction of each protocol and OSI are delineated. Figure 3à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ4 shows the graphic overview of all wireless network technologies. This figure illustrated IEEE PAN/LAN/MAN technologies and clearly shows how these standards and protocols can be used in different conditions. For instance, 3G protocol is used to cover a long range of audio information in a wide area network (WAN) while for the same information in a short range and personal area network (PAN), Bluetooth is better. The standard conceptual rules set for data representation, data communication and error detection across two ends in telecommunication, are called communication protocols. These abstract rules represent in different layers of communication. There are different protocol stacks introducing different architectures for these layers such as AppleTalk, Distributed Systems Architecture (DSA), Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) and Open Systems Interconnect (ISO/OSI). Figure 3à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ5 (a) illustrates the different layers of an OSI Model and their functionalities. The OSI model has seven layers and each layer provides services for the upper layer and requests services from the lower layer. Figure 3à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ5 (b) shows the typical communication protocols layers. Each of these layers has to deal with different issues regarding the communication procedure. As the typical protocol stack model shows in Figure 3à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ5 the communication protocols should implement all layers from bottom to top. In addition, a management protocol needs to be applied in each layer to manage power efficiency, robust connectivity and connection reliability (see: Figure 3à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ5 b). Below, rules and functionality for each layer are described: * Physical layer: is responsible for signal processing and physical interface connectivity between a device and physical medium and used bit stream in its data unit. It acted as communication channel for sensing and actuation in cost-efficient and reliable manner. Some examples of this layer are: IEEE 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, IEEE 802.15.1 Bluetooth, IEEE 802.15.4 ZigBee, etc. [7] * Data link layer: provides functionality toward channel sharing, Medium Access Control (MAC-Layer), timing (e.g. data time arrival), local link and capacity. It is responsible for detecting and correcting the data errors in physical layer and control the locality data comparison. It follows the protocols such as point-to-point protocol (PPP) and IEEE 802 Local Link Control (LLC). [7] * Network layer: is responsible for network routing functionality, network security, energy and power efficiency and reliability of the communication. It includes the network topology management and manages the information and detects errors in data transfer from router to router. A number of protocols is address in this layer such as: Internet protocol (IP), Threshold Sensitive Energy Efficient Sensor Network Protocol and etc. [7]. * Transport layer: provides end-to-end transportation (distributing and gathering) of data between end users. It includes storage and responds for caching and controlling the data to recover them back to the initial message that has been sent. Best-known protocols for this layer are Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and User Datagram Protocol (UDP) [7]. * Upper layers: The Upper Layers are responsible for application processing, external query processing and etc. Upper layers include presentation layer session layer and application layer [7]. The summary of these standards and protocols are shown in Figure 3à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ6 Among all the standard and protocols, IEEE PAN/LAN/MAN technologies are the ones applied in the majority of commercialWSNs to support physical layer and link-data layer signal transmission. As SOHRABY and ZNATI (2007) mentioned, the most common best-known protocols are:†(1) the IEEE 802.15.1 (also known as Bluetooth); (2) the IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n series of wireless LANs; (3) the IEEE 802.15.4 (ZigBee); (4) the MAN-scope IEEE 802.16 (also known as WiMax); and (5) radio-frequency identification (RFID) tagging†[7]. Each of these protocols has their own benefits and constraints. The comparisons between IEEE technologies are mentioned in Table 3à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ2. As Table 3à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ2 shows the IEEE 802.15.4 standard provides data rate of 20 to 250 kbps and operates in the 2.4-GHz ISM band. This standard covers signals in range of 10 m and requires the lowest power among other IEEE class. While IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n transmits the data in the rate of 54 Mbps ideal for wi reless internet connections and operates in the 2.4-GHz ISM (Industrial, Scientific and Medical) radio band as well as the 5-GHz ISM / 5-GHz U-NII (Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure) radio band. However, it requires much higher power consumption than IEEE 802.15 [7]. Recently, researchers put much effort to develop â€Å"a cost-effective standards-based wireless networking solution that supports low-to medium data rates, has low power consumption, and guarantees security and reliability†[7]. ZigBee Alliance is an association of companies which aims to provide such a standard for WSN consumers. Their mission is to have a simple, reliable, low-cost, low-power and standards-based wireless platform 1.2.2.1 ZigBee standard The ZigBee standard builds on IEEE 802.15.4 and is suitable for remote monitoring and controlling applications. Although it has lower-data-rates than the other standards, its reliability, security, long life battery with less complexity mechanism make it ideal for building automation in industrial network applications. The architecture of the ZigBee stack is established on the Open System Interconnection (OSI) model. The IEEE 802.15.4 defines the physical layer (PHY) and medium access control (MAC) sub-layer and In addition, ZigBee Alliance defines other functionalities for upper layers [7]. Figure 3à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ7 is a graphic overview of ZigBee protocol stack and shows the responsibility areas of IEEE 802.15.4, ZigBee Alliance platform and users applications [7]. This picture also shows the basic functionality of each layer. The data transmission service is provided by PHY layer and the protocol in this layer enables the connection between data units and the physical radio channel. ZigBee provides three different frequency band options for PHY layer. First, the transmission data-rate of 250kbps in 16 channels at 2.45GHz (Global) frequency. Second, with 40Kbps in 10 channels at 915MHz (Americas). And the last one, with 20kbps in 1 channel at 868MHz (Europe). The higher data-rate causes a higher order in modulation design and the lower frequency cause a larger cover area and better sensitivity. Depending on the power output, the transmission distance rate can change from 1 to 100 meters. (For more detail information see: Table 7à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ1 in Appendix A) ZigBee WSN has the ability to have static or dynamic network/component with either star or mesh topology and it has three types of nodes: a ZigBee Coordinator (ZC), ZigBee Routers (ZR), and ZigBee End-Devices (ZED). In order to have a communication protocol and physical connection both PHY layer and MAC sub-layers of the architecture should be defined upon agreement between server and clients. These layers require manual administrative procedures setting for server/client gateway. The next three levels namely: the network layer, security protocol and transport layer are defined by ZigBee alliance platform automatically. The last layer, application layer, has to interact with the user-interface and other applications; it ought to be programmed with high-level language so that integration with any existing devices applications becomes more conveniently practical. The ZigBee stack in gateway is responsible for all the network functionality such as network process management, authentication of the joined nodes, binding nodes and routing the messages throughout the network. ZigBee stack as a standard protocol, has clusters and libraries for improving the implementation process, therefore, using ZigBee compare to other protocols makes the system (including both hardware and software) development process much faster and easier. On the other hand, such standardisation provides easiness of adopt with third party sensors regardless of manufacturer, which might be attached to the network later. 2 Software Aspects To address the research question regarding the reliability, robustness, and security of any WSN application, it is essential to investigate the software architecture of that network. For convenience in description of the architecture of a WSN application, it is divided into three segments: Physical devices (such as lamps, sensors, nodes), Communication Protocol (terminals and servers, bridge, switch, network topology and standard) and Carried Information (application, functions, etc.). Any attempts to retain a precise design on software architecture for each part will cause an effective data transmission, which ensures reliability and security of the system [7]. Hence achieving any desired data transmission precision level in a WSN, network management (NM) techniques are applicable. Such techniques assist in network status monitoring, reliability and security amendment, and cooperation supervision between components [7]. NM techniques could also detect and resolve network faults in addition to restoring the system respectively [7]. In practice, designing WSN application necessitates tailoring NM techniques for each architectural segment. Various NM techniques regarding each segment are summarized as follows [7; 12; 5]: a) Physical architecture: Sensing and processing management, operation and administration, fault tolerance, maintenance, energy efficiency management, configuration management, performance management, security management, network element management. b) Communication architecture: Network management, networking protocols, network topology, function management, monitoring functions, fault management, performance management, security management, service management and communication, maintenance management, network configuration and organization, network behavior, data delivery model, sensor mobility, naming and localization, sensing coverage area, communication coverage area energy efficiency management c) Information architecture: Real-time information management, mapping management, service management, analyze information, control application, business application management report management, sending and receiving commands or response, naming, localization, maintenance, fault tolerance Aforementioned NM techniques enhance quality of the system. According to ISO 9126-1 software quality model Table 4à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ1 [13; 14; 15], the quality characteristics of a system could be divided into six fundamental properties: functionality, reliability, usability, efficiency, maintainability, and portability. According to the same documentation, these characteristics are broken to sub-characteristics such as suitability, security, maturity, fault tolerance, adaptability, analyzability, stability, testability and so on [13]. However, focusing on all subcategories collectively exceeds the time horizon of this research, from this stance three dimensions namely reliability, robustness and security are brought into attention. This section will be divided to two subsections describing the architecture issues and NM techniques for (1) Reliability and Robustness, (2) Security, of WSN and other characteristics is relegated to future studies. 2.1 Reliability and Robustness In WSNs context, the probability that a network functions properly and aggregates trustworthy data without any interruption continuously, is usually referred to as reliability characteristic of the network [23; 20]. According to ISO 9126-1 software quality documentation, reliability characteristic shows the capability of a network to maintain or re-built (re-start) the service in certain period of time [13]. So, it is important that during long sensing, the network has to service up continuously. Reliable service of a network includes precise and proper sensing, delivering and sending acceptable data to the base station. In other words as Taherkordi et al. (2006) put: â€Å"The less loss of interested data, leads us to higher reliability of a system†. Systematic approach perceives reliability as probability of data delivery to the base station rather than point-to-point reliability [16]. Robustness defined by Sohraby et al. (2007) as: â€Å"a combination of reliability, availability, and dependability requirements†, reflects the degree of the protocol insensitivity to errors and misinformation†. Achieving system robustness in WSN, necessitates system capability to detect, tolerate and confine errors as well as reconfigure and restart the network respectively [7]. According to the given definition by Sohraby et al. (2007), it is apprehensible that reliability and robustness share commonalities with each other; this is the main rational behind discussing these two attributes together in this section [7]. Considering the nature of communication in WSN, a network is unpredictable and prone to fail caused by any physical damages in hardware devices, energy depletion, communication link error, information collapses in packages and etc. [17; 16]. Therefore, one of the critical issues in design phase of WSN is applying fault tolerance techniques to optimize the network so that reliability and robustness attained [17]. These techniques enable the network to withstand and recover any upcoming failure and restart operation [13]. Liu et al. (2009) categorized fault tolerance techniques into: node placement, topology control, target and event detection, data gathering and aggregation, and sensor surveillance. Reminding from the beginning of this chapter architecture design divided into three segments. Table 4à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ2 depicted a summary of the plausible related faults and their solutions in each segment. In the following, each aforementioned fault tolerance techniques are being discussed in each design segment. Table 4à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ2 The most probable fault and their fault tolerance solutions in WSN [17; 7; 18] 2.1.1 Reliability and Robustness of Physical Architecture: Fault: any physical interruption in sensor surveillance Solution: Node placement management and signal-effect management First item that should be considered in designing physical components architecture for reliability and Robustness is: physical placement and signal-effect management. As it is mentioned in section 3, although the mesh network communication is self-organize topology and does not need any manual configuration to bind the network for mobile sensors, the physical architecture and the location schema of the hardware components, sensors and gateways need to be designed carefully [7]. As a characteristic of mesh WSN, the sensors in network are free of any installation restrictions, even though, the placement should be far from any physical destruction or hostile locations. Inappropriate physical placement of sensor transmitters and gateway antenna can cause noise or significant lost in signals [7]. In addition, the signal coverage is decayed by surrounding objects and materials such as metal wall and the like. (E.g. exterior wooden, concrete, brick or gypsum frame, block or wall). Especially in the case of vehicles, the main body can impose such problem and henceforth installation of the sensors in this manner would be delicate. Moreover, the signal waves might be faded and affected during the transmission, due to various physical phenomena such as reflection, diffraction or scattering [7]. These effects would cause significant interruption in sensor surveillance. Therefore, it is important to manage these signal-effects in early stage of WSN physical architecture design. Reflection occurs when electromagnetic wave of signals is duplicated due to impinge of the wave on large object or surface such as walls, buildings and the Earth [7]. Therefore, all the reflection of the walls and also the Earth should be acknowledged in physical architecture design. Diffraction refers to any defection and obstruction in waves caused by irregular sharp edges during the data transmission between the transmitter and receiver [7]. In this case, designers have to be prudent in sensors placements in the proximity of sharp edges and corner angels. Scattering refers to any deviation from straight line. Environmental obstacles in the propagation path affect passing waves from their original structure. Even small irregular object such as street signs, and lampposts might encounter and scatter the wave. Hence WSN should be design to face with any irregular scattering during the wave transmission. Above all, the mobility of sensors and surrounding objects might fade the signals and add noises that should be considered in architecture design [7]. These issues are the basic physical factors, which cause major fault in data aggregation of WSN and cut down reliability and robustness. These destructive signals need to be subtracted from the received signal paths [7] before sending the data to gateway. Therefore, reflection, diffraction and scattering should be considered not only by designers in the physical components placements, but also by programmers in network development. Fault: Sensors failure Solution: Hardware replacement The next issue that needs to be considered in designing the physical architecture of a WSN is hardware failure. Sensors energy suppliers or any damages to the sensors and/or their transmitters are the sources of hardware failure. Regardless of source of failure, the WSN must be capable of functioning as well as replacing and switching sensors when necessary. Additionally, any changes in the physical components, on one hand, needs an explicit and well-defied consideration on security issue to prevent any potential threats, and on the other hand, needs an adaptable and configurable communication connection network [18]. 2.1.2 Reliability and Robustness of Communication Architecture Fault: communication link errors Solution:Topology control and event detection , Replicated services in communication model, Communication link error is an important concern in dealing with reliability and robustness of a network in communication architecture. The sensors in WSN are prone to fail and make link errors in point-to-point reliability of communication protocol. Therefore, it is the network topology responsibility to detect the errors and guarantee the overall reliability of the syste
Saturday, October 12, 2019
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as a Metaphor in Mrs. Dalloway, By Virgi
When WWI was over, many people questioned the brutality that carried on over the four years that the war was happening. The Europeans trust in authority and in their country began to collapse, and Modernism was a way they could respond to the damage of those beliefs. It was obvious that the old world was gone and a new one had started to arise. In this new world, while other aspects of Europe were advancing, improvement in the psychiatric treatment of mental conditions, for example shell-shock, fell short. Most of British society remained unaware and uninterested in the problems that these illnesses forced on the veterans. This insensitive attitude toward the soldiers inspired Virginia Woolf to write Mrs. Dalloway. In this novel she shows us society’s attitude towards mental illness by featuring a post war veteran named Septimus Smith. The author uses Septimus’s struggles with post traumatic stress disorder as a symbol to illustrate the problems of a modern society tha t doesn’t understand how deeply the damage of World War One has affected people. An example of the difference between Septimus and the modern world as a whole is when the airplane flies above the people in the city as it spells out the word toffee. Most of the people watching were amazed by this new technology. â€Å"‘Glaxo,’ said Mrs. Coates in a strained, awestricken voice†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Kreemo,’ murmured Mrs. Bletchley, like a sleepwalker†¦as they looked the whole world because perfectly still†¦(and the car went in the gates and nobody looked at it)†(20-21). The people were so enthralled with the plane; they didn’t even care about the royal car coming in to the palace. Septimus on the other hand is completely lost in his own thoughts and interprets the plane differently. â€Å"So, t... ...g to grasp the legitimacy and severity of the disease. From this unfortunate reality emerged a Modernist novel in which Virginia Woolf sets out to juxtapose the ‘sane’ and the ‘insane’ in an attempt to express her disgust of society’s lack of sympathy and blindness towards those who suffer with mental illness. Work Cited Berman, Jeffrey. Surviving Literary Suicide. Amherst: University of Massachusetts, 1999. Print. Korte, Barbara, and Ralf Schneider. War and the Cultural Construction of Identities in Britain. Amsterdam: Rodopi, 2002. Print. Levenback, Karen L. Virginia Woolf and the Great War. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse UP, 1999. Print. Ronchetti, Ann. The Artist, Society, and Sexuality in Virginia Woolf's Novels. New York: Routledge, 2004. Print. Woolf, Virginia. Mrs. Dalloway. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1981. Print.
Friday, October 11, 2019
Speaker for the Dead
Prime Directive Response When dealing with foreign sentient species, it is crucial to maintain what is know as a prime directive. This is the notion that a species may explore distant planets, but must take certain precautions when dealing with other sentient species to prevent any change in their progression. In the novel Speaker for the Dead, the citizens of Lusitania go to great lengths to preserve their prime directive, but the indigenous species appear to benefit from their encounters with these humans, and begin to realize it themselves.The natives of the planet Lusitania, known to the humans as â€Å"piggies†, have learned much from the humans in the brief time that they have lived together. The human languages, Stark and Portuguese, were necessary in order to be able to communicate with the piggies, but the piggies seem to be using it for more than just communication. Pages 142-143 show that the piggies can transition between Stark and portuguese as a sort of language game that they play with the humans.The piggies already know four different languages, and the addition of two more can help their society express themselves in more ways. Besides language, the mere fact of making contact with another sentient species shows the natives that they are not alone in the universe and that they may not be the strongest or the smartest. If they realize this, it may help them to unite as a planet-wide species faster than they normally would have without outside contact. By seeing that the humans are more technologically advanced, the piggies may also focus more on striving to create new technologies themselves.History has shown us that most inventions happen because they are necessary, and the addition of humans on Lusitania may increase the necessity of technological progression. At this point, the piggies are far from being capable of first contact and therefore cannot be contaminated by human society due to the Prime Directive. Their culture seems backwa rds to the humans, but that does not justify any interference, even if it would potentially benefit the piggies. The two species are simply too far apart in progression to be able to successfully interact with each other.The fact that two humans have already been killed, and brutally so (at least in human standards), reinforces this idea. The piggies' culture is still hindered by radical traditions that the humans do not understand and most likely never will. By even being around the piggies, the humans are inserting themselves into the piggies' rituals and culture. The piggies may eventually realize that their culture is backwards and may abandon such rituals earlier than they would have. Or perhaps, they may even adapt their culture to human standards.With this being said, it seems apparent that even minimal contact between the two species is having a subtle but profound effect on both societies. The cultural difference of the piggies is too vast to allow interactions with the hum ans if the Prime Directive is to be maintained. Already, as is seen on pages 144-145, one of the natives realized that the humans are using metals as a resource to accomplish greater tasks, such as flight. It may have taken decades for the piggies to have discovered metal as a useful resource on their own. The humans should have gone to far greater lengths to preserve the prime directive.No resource that is not ready available or attainable should even be encountered by the natives until they discover it for themselves. The notion of a prime directive may seem considerate towards other species, but in the case of the piggies it appears to be almost impossible. The attempts to learn more about the natives of Lusitania without contaminating their culture has resulted in failure after failure. Even if the humans were to leave immediately, the piggies have still learned permanent information that they would not have even theorized for years.Although it seems as though the prime directiv e has been compromised between the humans and piggies, the latter seems to still benefit greatly from the knowledge. They've learned new languages, discovered that traveling to distant planets is possible, and are now even considering searching for new materials to create better technology. Perhaps the humans should have taken more care to prevent technological contamination, but the colonization of Lusitania by humans has led to an inevitable progression of the native culture.
Thursday, October 10, 2019
Applied Definition: Virtue Ethics Essay
1. In what ways did the historical context from which virtue ethics emerged shape its basic principles? Presocratics, regarded as the first philosophers, brought the term logos to philosophy (literal translation: ‘word’; also denotes ‘logic’, ‘argument’, ‘reason’. Aristotle’s concept of Virtue Ethics regards humans as rational animals, implying that ‘logos’ is purely a human trait. Known as Plato’s most gifted student, Aristotle disagreed with his teacher’s view that the â€Å"essence of reality lies in some abstract world of Forms or Ideas†(Brannigan, 2005:60). Aristotle’s point of view directly contrasts his teacher’s, stating that the â€Å"source of meaning comes from concrete, physical reality†(Brannigan, 2005:60). This direct contrast with Plato leads to Aristotle opening his own school, which he called the Lyceum. Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics is his literary formation of his ethical theories. Aristotle believes that ethics originate from real world experiences, that there is not a set of rules to apply to life that will mold us into ethical beings, but rather the â€Å"individual exists in relationship with others†(Brannigan, 2005:61). Thus, ethics is based upon how the individuals relate to each other and the cultivation of good character. How do we cultivate good character? Aristotle states we must fulfill our human nature. He tells us that all things existing in nature have their own specific end purpose, which he refers to as telos (Greek term for specific end). For example, an apple seed’s telos would be to grow into an apple tree and produce apples. Aristotle tells us that only humans are capable of using logos as a form of thought, and that all humans are, by nature, rational animals. Therefore, the human’s end purpose is to â€Å"fulfill our human nature as rational animals by properly exercising our reason†and he also asserts that, â€Å"only in this way can we be genuinely happy†(Brannigan, 2005:62). Furthermore, Aristotle states that all humans have one end goal – eudaimonia (Greek for happiness), and that happiness is an â€Å"intrinsic good†. Intrinsic good means that we seek happiness for the sake of being happy, and we do not seek happiness to obtain something else. In contrast, instrumental good are steps we take to achieve this intrinsic and ultimate good of happiness. For example, students take college courses to fulfill a requirement, gain understanding, and so on. Regardless of the reason, ultimately students take courses to achieve something, with another goal in mind, thus making it an instrumental good. All goods are instrumental, except happiness. Human excellence and telos can be acquired, â€Å"only when we realize our true natures as rational animals, when we properly exercise our reason throughout our lives†(Brannigan, 2005:62). Aristotle terms human excellence with a new name – virtue; genuine happiness is to live virtuously, and only by living virtuously can we attain happiness, and living virtuously requires making a habit of practicing virtue to cultivate good character. Therefore only those with good character can be truly happy. To live virtuously, we must avoid extremes and maintain a balance, which Aristotle terms as the â€Å"golden mean†. The â€Å"golden mean†is the balance between the extremes, and we must use rational thinking and reasoning in a balanced fashion. He distinguished two types of virtues: intellectual and moral. Intellectual virtues require us to use out reason in two ways, one practical and one philosophical. First, â€Å"we reason in order to live practically in our day-to-day lives, which requires us to live sensibly through practical reason†(Brannigan, 2005:64), which Aristotle terms phronesis. Second, â€Å"we reason for the purpose of discovering higher truths†¦ so that we may contemplate higher, more theoretical truths and principles such as the idea of the Good†(Brannigan, 2005:64). Moral virtues (which Aristotle termed ethike) focus on our behavior and how we live our lives, and are the focus of Aristotle’s ethics. Aristotle’s belief was that moral virtues only came about with habitual practice, the Greek word for habit is ethos, which shows the link with ethics. In conclusion, a summary of Aristotle’s ethical beliefs: the goal/aim is to cultivate good character, which can be achieved only through habitual practice of virtue (intellectual and moral), which will create the condition of virtue, thus making us virtuous persons. Repeated actions lead to a condition, which makes an action distinct from a condition, therefore meaning one virtuous act does not make a person virtuous. Rather, acts of virtue must be an ethos(or habit), so that virtuous acts become a sort of second-nature. These repeated acts of virtuous ethos lead to the condition of virtue, and the condition of virtue = good character, and vice versa. Since acts of virtue are not acts of virtue unless logic, reason, and rationalization are utilized to find the â€Å"golden mean†between two possible extremes, one cannot achieve their telos and/or ultimately the condition of happiness, without finding balance in every decision that presents itself and then acting upon this balanced decision. This creates the assumption of a natural link between who we are and what we do, between being and doing. However, doing the right thing simply because you are following a rule or guideline does not make a virtuous person, thus placing the emphasis of Aristotle’s ethics on being rather than doing, meaning that an honest person will tell the truth because this person’s character/being is honest. The reverse of this would be a dishonest person will be dishonest, or a dishonest person will tell the truth because societal rules/guidelines say it’s the virtuous decision – either way, a dishonest person’s being and character is still dishonest, regardless of whether this person tells the truth or not – one act of virtue does not equal a virtuous person. â€Å"Virtue then is a state of deliberate moral purpose, consisting in a mean relative to ourselves, the mean being determined by reason, or as a prudent man would determine it. †(Brannigan, 2005:88) 2. What would virtue ethics suggest should be done in response to the dilemma of the school child who was made to turn his shirt inside out? Why? Virtue ethics really focuses on â€Å"the golden mean†, which is achieved through rational and logical thinking. By avoiding extremes habitually when making decisions, â€Å"the golden mean†can be achieved, leading to a virtuous person, and ultimately happiness and telos; this is the only way to truly achieve the ultimate goal of happiness and virtue. Blindly following rules, without rationalization and an effort to avoid extremes, does not make a virtuous person or achieve â€Å"the golden mean†. Thus, being virtuous leads to virtuous and ethical actions, but not vice versa. In the case of the principal, a virtue ethicist would argue that the principal was merely following a rule, therefore the action was not virtuous. However, the principal also exhibited balance between extremes, by making the child turn the shirt inside out behind a tree; the principal could have made an extreme choice by either ignoring the child’s shirt (and the rule in place) and letting him/her wear this shirt through the rest of the school day (deficit), or by sending the child home for the day (or longer) as punishment for wearing a shirt that breaks the dress code. When you look at the parents actions and choices from a virtue ethicist’s point of view, they have missed â€Å"the golden mean†when making decisions. In regards to the choice of dressing their child in a University of Michigan shirt, a virtue ethicist would state that this decision showed ignorance (since they were provided with a student handbook, which has dress code guidelines), but only if they neglected to read rules that they were provided with. If they simply weren’t provided with such rules, they still exhibited ignorance, but not because of being ignorant. If they read these rules and opted not to follow them because they did not agree, then they should be applauded for not blindly following rules for the sake of following them. However, the decision to send their child to school in a shirt that breaks the rules could be argued as a balanced decision. The deficit decision would be sending the child in all Oklahoma college apparel, just to stay within the guidelines; the extreme would be sending their child in a completed University of Michigan football uniform. It is clear that the parents miss finding the â€Å"golden mean†when deciding how to express their feelings about the rule, by going to the extreme and bringing it to the media’s attention (they could have met with school boards, or even the principal, to try to compromise). They also are on the extreme side of things when they accept gifts from the university (who surely appreciated the attention brought by the media). 3. Using your own personal ethical beliefs, in what ways do you agree or disagree with the decision and the reasoning used to reach the decision in the above question? I agree with the final statements brought out by taking a virtue ethical perspective, such as the principal making a balanced choice when taking action about the shirt, the parents possibly being ignorant of the rule through personal neglect or neglect from the school, and the choices the parents made following the shirt issue being extreme. However, I do not necessarily agree with how these outcomes were achieved through this view. First, I agree that there is a balance that needs to be achieved (or atleast attempted to be achieved) in most of the decisions and actions we make daily, but I do not thing that non-ethical choices and actions are made because the person’s â€Å"being†is bad. I feel like good people can and do make ignorant, unethical, or bad choices; vice versa being true as well. While I believe that being and doing definitely shape each other, I do not feel that one is formed ultimately by the other. As far as what I feel should have been done in this situation, I agree with the principal’s decision. Maybe the code needs refined a little, but your 5 year old having to turn his/her shirt inside out is a much better option than your 5 year old getting shot because the shirt holds a different meaning to a gang member. In class, it was argued that the University of Michigan’s logo held no meaning to the local gangs, but that does not eliminate the possibility of the logo being mistaken for something else, or even influencing a gang we don’t know about. The possibility that your child’s safety is in question should be plenty enough reason for the parents to, at the very least, complain to the school board instead of the media. The fact that the parents brought the media into the situation, I feel, decreases the credibility of their complaint, especially since they ultimately prospered from the incident and the resulting media attention (game tickets, university apparel, and so on). If the principal had ignored the shirt, let the child wear it throughout the day, and then the child became the victim of gang-related violence because of his shirt, I’m sure the parents would hold a different view-point about the rule – and still end up bringing the issue to the media’s attention.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)