Monday, September 30, 2019

A Psychological Representation of Her Fear of Childbirth

Frankincense, a novel first published in the year 1818, stands as the most talked about work of Mary Shelley literary career. She was just nineteen years old when she penned this novel, and throughout her lifetime she could not produce any other work that surpasses this novel in terms of creativity and vision. In this novel, Shelley found an outlet for her own intense sense of factorization, and her desperate struggle for love. Traumatized by her failed childbirth incidents, troubled childhood, and scandalous courtship, many of Shelley life experiences can be seen reflected In the novel.When discussing the character and development of the monster, Shelley launches an extensive discussion on the need for a proper environment and education for a child's moral development. When we explore the novel in depth, we can see that it exudes the true horror of childbirth felt by Shelley, and articulates the fears and anxieties she had regarding her reproductive and nurturing capabilities. Shel ley life was marked by a series of pregnancies, miscarriages, childbirths, and deaths.Her firsthand experience of a bereavement started early In her life, when her mother died when she was eleven days old, because of a puerperal fever contacted cause of childbirth. This marked her first encounter with pregnancy and related complications, but unfortunately, it was not the last one. When she grew up, she had a scandalous affair with the married poet Percy Shelley, and their first child was born prematurely and did not survive. In total, she had four childbirths and life- threatening miscarriage, before the age of twenty-five.Only one of those children, Percy Florence Shelley, survived and outlived her. A pregnant Harriet Shelley, the first wife of her husband Percy, drowned herself due to the affair between Mary and Percy (Battlement, 2006, p. 25). So we see that, the author of this novel has had undeniably horrific experiences and tragedies associated with childbirth and pregnancy. T hus, by the time this story took form in Shelley mind, she had already lost a child and her mother due to pregnancy complications. She had a six month old baby during that time, and SIX months later she was conceived with her third baby.Hence, creation, nurturing, and loss of a new life, was prominent among her thoughts when she penned this novel. Frankincense is undoubtedly the first literary work to talk about the pregnancy anxieties. While searching for the underlying theme in this novel, it is also important to understand why the theme was concealed. In that era, writing about such subjects was taboo, and in a field dominated by male authors, pregnancy and the related subjects had hardly found mention In the mainstream literary works. Before creating the monster, Victor has many doubts about his ability to create a life form. But my imagination was too much exalted by my first success to as man† (Shelley, 1818). Overcoming his doubts, he started working on creating a human life for ‘nine' long months, Just like a woman carrying a life in her womb, and eve birth to his creation on a dreary November night. Victor by creating a baby without a mother feminizes himself, and this shows that the real subject of the novel is about the anxieties associated with the childbirth (Hoverer, 2000, p. 12) The irony found in the novel is that, Victor is frightened of his creative potential through his own creation (Sherwin, 1981, p. 900).He created a living being and immediately recognized the blunder he had done. During the creation process of the creature, Victor did not take the time to work out the details of its gigantic proportion and what might be the consequences. Neither does he think whether the life produced by him would like to live a life captured in a monstrous body. His lack of patience and vision cost the creature a normal life. He takes one look at the creature and decides to desert him. â€Å"How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe , or how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pains and care I had endeavourer to form? The creature has to endure miseries and hardships galore because he was abandoned by his creator. The life of the monster can be related to the motherless life led by Shelley. Shelley mother too left her as soon as she was born, and as a result, she ad quite an arduous life. Combined with her father's financial woes, her tumultuous relationship with her stepmother meant that Shelley did not have an ideal childhood, which would have had a serious impact on her personality. She had to put up with a lot of miseries when she grew up, and was subjected to lifelong condemnation from the society because of her affair with the married Shelley.In a similar way, Victor's monster was subjected to hate and ridicule from the society around him because he did not get the nurturing he deserved. He did not get education and was left to take care of himself. Wherever he went people were scared by him, and he is confused about his existence. When troubles invaded his life, he had no one to guide him and in the process of self-education he made some wrong decisions that proved fatal, both for him and the others. He yearned for counsel and a family to belong to.Since he did not get this from his creator, he tried to substitute him with the family of the De Lackeys in the forest. Mary Shelley firstborn daughter represents monstrosity in two different ways – the monstrosity of an untimely death and monstrosity of being an illegitimate child, which was quite scandalous during that era. The author's grief is reflected in the lamentation of Victor over his mother's death. The two birth-related deaths in her life, made Shelley yearn for elemental procreative power, Just like Victor Frankincense in the story (Lehman, 1992, up. 9-50) â€Å"These are the reflections of the first days; but when the lapse of time proves the reality of the evil, then the actual bitterness of grief commence s. † (Shelley, 1818). Victor' grieving over his mother's death and his urge to produce a new life to compensate the loss suffered by him, in many ways relate to he tragedy of Shelley, who had lost a mother and daughter. Giving birth to a monster (psychological) is an unconscious fear many women carry when they are pregnant, according to Dry. Almond.Almond believes that Shelley was concerned that any child she produced might carry some of the repressed, destructive characters she herself possessed. Like the doubts Shelley had about her nature of the child she might bear. The dream, which gave Shelley the idea to write this novel, further throws light on the fears she had in her mind about the sort of child she will give birth to (Tomato, 2009, p. 22). In the novel Victor hates his creation from the moment he sets his eye on it, and even wishes that he could destroy it. L gnashed my teeth, my eyes became inflamed, and I ardently wished to extinguish that life which I has so thou ghtlessly bestowed† (Shelley, 1818). Thus, the creature starts his life Journey not Just devoid of parental affection, but also as a bearer of the wrath of the parent. The novel is more concerned with the Journey and development of the creature than that of the emotional turmoil of Victor. This stresses the fact that the heart of the novel is the light of the children growing under lack of nurture, and what they might turn out to be once they grow in such an environment.Shelley relationship with her husband was also perceived to be strained during the time the novel was conceived. The loss of their infant daughter, while it caused Mary immense grief, it did not perturb Percy as much. He did not share the grief with her, nor did he do much to console her. He was disappointed with the gender of the child, and once the child succumbed to illness, he moved on with his life without helping his wife to cope with the grief (Battlement, 2006, p. 24). This incident too could be beneath the characterization of the creature, which did not get its required attention and affection from its father figure, Victor.The resentment of the monster when Victor abhors him elucidates Shelley sentiments towards Perry's rejection of her child. â€Å"Oh, Frankincense, be not equitable to every other, and trample upon me alone, to whom thy Justice, and even thy clemency and affection, is most due. Remember, that I am thy creature; I ought to be thy Adam† (Shelley, 1818). The creature's attempt to self-educate itself is Shelley way of showing that succumbing o the ruse of humanities is the road to humanitarian for the monster. The monster created by manmade science becomes a challenge to humanities and the laws that govern it.Though he has the feelings off human he is shunned by the world based on his appearance. Thus, the novel challenges the anthropological foundations of humanities and asserts that nature and not nurture form the personality and character of a person. Ref erences Battlement, A. F. (2006). Why did Mary Shelley Write Frankincense? Journal of Religion and Health, Volvo. 45, No. 3, 419-439. Tomato, B. (2009). Mary Shelley Frankincense: an orphaned author's dream and Journey toward integration.. Modern Psychoanalysis. Volvo. 34 Issue 1, 117-135.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Students Life

At school there is a range of academic pressure we feel, derived from a need for refection, worry over grades, parental pressure, competition, sports, or a tough class load. Academic pressure does not begin In college. The nervous breakdowns, panic attacks, burnouts, and depression are also apparent In many younger students. The same situation is not always stressful for all people, and all people do not undergo the same feelings or off-putting thoughts when stressed.Having a strong support network to fall back on when times get tough at school is critical to staying upbeat and maintaining a big picture perspective. Friends can be the best people to relieve your stress, but they can also be the reason behind the tress. Choose the friends that will be positive and supportive when the going gets tough. Having a good group of friends at help you maintain a healthy and enjoyable lifestyle. External Factors Managing Pressure Academic Pressure & Cheating Friends & Competition External forc es also create academic pressure.Many of us fail in the subject of time management and excel at procrastination. The cure requires dedication and commitment. Web, set a timer for 30 minutes. Time allocation helps divide the hours to reasonable amounts so you are not left at the 1 lath hour to complete homework. Some students Just want to take the easy way out and cheat. They may have Jobs after school to support their family or themselves, which carries a higher priority for them than school work. In the same context, many students feel that excelling in sports is a higher priority than school.Others may resort to cheating to make up for their lack of academic motivation or live up to the standards set up by older siblings or parents. Back to top There are many healthy ways to deal with academic pressure. If you don't feel motivated about a subject, arrange a study group. Reward yourself after completing very section. Other ideas include: Finish your work at a nearby cafe © or lib rary if the environment at home is not the best. If you play sports or work, take time to plan your hours to include more study time as well.If you know you have a big game coming up where you will be out for long practices, work ahead. Ask your teachers for assignments for the days you wont have sufficient study time. Make sure you maintain good sleeping and eating habits and, from time to time, go out for a run, a ride on your bike, and exercise. These will help alleviate your stress and get your body moving! Up in the morning' and out to school The teacher is teaching' the Golden Rule American history and practical math You studying' hard and hoping' to pass Working' your fingers right down to the bone – Chuck Berry, School Days Ring!Ring! That lethal sound can only mean one thing; it is September and school is back in session, and along with it are the wandering eyes, cheat sheets, stolen tests, and technology, of course. Cheating has become the method of survival, the on ly way to reach and maintain the top for many†¦ But there are better routes to reach number one while keeping your integrity intact. Cheating does not make you a smarter or better person. If you set reachable goals, study hard, and get outside help, you can succeed academically without cheating. Activities and fall back on cheating when time runs out. People also resort to cheating when they have been pressured too much by their parents, or even by themselves. Finally, if you are ever caught cheating, the teacher who catches you will tell the rest of your teachers, and their trust in you and your college recommendation letters go out the window. When Friendly Competition Goes Too Far I can speak from experience when it comes to that less-than-helpful sort of imputation between my friends and me that, often times, has been the cause of much of my academic stress.For myself, I didn't want to let my parents or myself down by failing, but I also didn't want to fall below the standa rds of my friends. And when your friends are all in the running for being the class valedictorian, it's hard! But it's important to set your own goals and take on your own responsibility. It's good to be proud of other's accomplishments, but it's important to be proud of your own hard work as well. So every once in a while, make sure to give yourself a pat on the back!

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Ethical Issues with Research on Lack of Parental Involvement and Essay

Ethical Issues with Research on Lack of Parental Involvement and Childrens Education - Essay Example This essay stresses that teachers can decide to fail students who provide negative feedback, or the parents can punish their children, who are the most helpless of the three and need protection. The researchers must ensure the protection of privacy but at the same time inform subjects of the limits of confidentiality. There are risks involved that the researcher must realistically minimize, especially when using e-mail or keeping digital files, or when these channels are used to send or receive research data which could be compromised and affect the study’s objectivity. This paper makes a conclusion that ethical issues of accuracy affect the whole study, from establishing parameters for measuring parental involvement and school performance to the interpretation and publication of the research findings. How would parental involvement be measured? This would require both objective (such as attendance to school activities or parents’ meetings) and subjective (degree of attention or participation in these gatherings) measures, and direct (tutoring for so many hours each day) and indirect (cooking nutritious meals and taking them with the children) methods of involvement. To add to the complexity of the topic, can a full-time parent who can tutor his son for an hour or two a day be ethically and objectively compared to a working parent who may not have the time and whose involvement is limited to sending her child motivational mobile phone messages a few minutes each afternoon?

Friday, September 27, 2019

Orange Resorts International Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Orange Resorts International - Case Study Example em in ORI has further reduced its operation in terms of maintaining appropriate data management functions along with Customer Relationship Management activities. Although the integration of new system may increase potential opportunity for ORI, the new system could also face major obstacles to perform the increased level of marketing along with sales and service functions of the organization. The existing limitations in the current system may create major constraint for ORI to perform its marketing, sales and service related activities, which impose major risks for ORI. In addition, the unsatisfactory facets along with inadequate attributes in the new system may also reduce the capability of ORI to make appropriate decisions or taking effective measures in accordance with the current trend in the tourism business industry. In order to deal with the current problem of managing information system in ORI, an effective planning and execution process of system development lifecycle should be duly recognized. An effective planning and implementation of the newly developed system development lifecycle would enable not only to improve business efficiency of ORI, but also to provide adequate opportunities to the organization in terms of obtaining its desired business goals and avert potential challenges. The newly developed system will significantly focus on managing, controlling and directing key operational activities of ORI and help it to advance in decision-making processes. In this regard, appropriate management and evaluation of data would be a major supportive attribute of the proposed system plan. The process of evaluating data management and controlling process in line with the current trend will substantially improve the decision making process in ORI to accumulate growth even during the transitional economy. The system will be sponsored by system administrators of ORI with a strategic team, who will be accountable to report each function to the board of

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Global Leadership and Team Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Global Leadership and Team Development - Essay Example The upper half of the picture is showing total opposite scenario. The picture is giving the idea of bossing attitude of the leader. Upper portion of the picture is not at all falling in line with leadership learning’s. The upper portion of the picture is showing how the leader is misusing his power of position. The picture is showing very little scope of motivations for followers from the side of their leader. The lower half of the picture is very much consistent with leadership learning’s. This portion of the picture is showing a suitable scenario for proper leadership. Here the leader is leading from the front. Here the leader is setting example for his followers. The Leader is motivating, inspiring and supporting his followers. In this half of the picture the leader is showing ways to his followers. The picture is totally falling in line with leadership learning’s. The picture is showing that there is a mission. The leader is inspiring his followers to achieve that mission. Here in this picture the leader is handling the whole situation and supporting his followers to reach towards common goal. The leader is not authoritative at all. Here in this portion of the picture the leader is sharing burden with his followers. The leader is not at all misusing his power of position. According to leadership learning’s leadership is all about leading from the front. This porti on of the picture is showing the same thing. So this part of the given picture is very much suitable and consistent with leadership theories (Burns 137). Communication affects leader’s ability to lead very significantly. Communication is one of the most important factors for leaders to lead a bunch of followers. Proper communication is very important to channelize followers towards their goals. It is very important for each and every leader to communicate their ideas to followers. Communication

Answers quesitons from video Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Answers quesitons from video - Case Study Example such as test and bookkeeping, audits and reviews, client tax returns, strategic business planning, mergers and acquisitions, valuation, and litigation support. The firm has designed these services to ensure superior customer service and client satisfaction. Rosanne Ammirati, a tax partner with the firm, mentioned that even though the firm offers a number of services, it targets specific entrepreneurial companies in real-estate, personal service, and trucking industries. Katz, Sapper and Miller want to work with people for the long-term and provide services to specific industries where growth can happen in order to ensure a healthy business relationship. Neither the firm nor any potential clients would benefit from poor decision-making and entering a relationship that would not be beneficial for both parties. One of Katz, Sapper and Miller’s most successful business practices is in the form of recruiting and retaining new talented employees. College recruitment fills 1/3 of the firm’s annual hiring plan with recent college graduates. The firm maintains high standards for good grades, high GPA, passing the CPA exam when that is required, and that the individual has very strong communication skills and can interact well with the team and clients. The direct of human resources mentioned in the video that the employees can at any time be required to speak with presidents and CEOs of their clients. Recent college graduates must have strong communication skills and be able to interact well with these high-profile clients in order to be trusted to do the work of the firm. Through excellent business practices, and a philosophy that the firm comes first, the Katz, Sapper and Miller is able to retain over 90% of their current employees every year. This statistic shows that the compan y is an excellent company to work for and that the management team and owners support the work of the employees. Dave Resnick, the management director, stated that the firm has a

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Wayward Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Wayward - Essay Example Due to the circumstances of the shooting such that Bobbie was shooting over his shoulder as he ran, the killing of the victim occurred as manslaughter. Under the proximate causation, Sam committed a felon murder as it is due to his dangerous act of firing at Bobbie that Bobbie returned fire killing the victim. Additionally, had Sam not shot at Bobbie, no killing could have resulted. Under intervening cause, the unanticipated turn of event that Bobbie would return fire led to the death of the victim thus validating the cause. Had Sam shot at Bobbie killing him, the bystander would not have been killed, hence, the intervening causation is a valid stance. Finally, under the agency theory, although dealing and buying make both Sam and Bobby criminals for handling cocaine and possessing firearms, they were not co-felons thus the agency theory does not hold grounds. If Sam and Bobbie were co-felons in the sense of having the same goals and objectives in the commission of the felony, the death of the victim would be covered under the agency

Monday, September 23, 2019

Ethical, Professional and Cultural Issues of ICT Essay

Ethical, Professional and Cultural Issues of ICT - Essay Example 2011). When coming to entertainment, it is a large part of our daily lives. People spend some time every day for the sake of entertainment. Ethics in entertainment is more based on the mediums popularity rather than the creators need to be ethical in nature. The entertainment media is constantly under the attack by the so called guardian angels of ethical standards for portraying unethical values through the media. This attack is on films, music as well as video games industry. It is an acceptable fact that what is more corrupt is easier to get accepted. Keeping this in mind, the movie industry has moved one step forward by creating the MPAA system in which questionable stuff would be rated higher so that adult people can warn their children well in advance. Now newer industries are forced to come under the scrutiny of maintaining ethical standards. The video game industry which comes under the category of interactive entertainment industry is facing stiff challenges from gurus of et hical standards. Now the video games industry is facing challenges in ethical standards maintenance, it has been constantly accused of ruining the moral standards of children in particular. However there is a good reason behind these allegations. Since the industry is relatively new, it has resorted to some lower least common denominators to sell its games. It has used scantily clad and physically impossible women and men. Moreover questionable as well as violent subject matters are also used by the industry. The industry pundits who defend these moves are relying on the fact that other types of Medias have also used such stands before. They feel that this has to be seen as a sign of times and growing popularity. However in general sense, such actions should be viewed as a loss of production ethics or part of the inevitable routine that takes on the industry every time (Ethics and Entertainment Introduction. 2000). The banning of the video game manhunt in 2007 by the BBFC in 2007 wa s an eye opener for the gaming industry which was starting to act careless with regard to ethics in the media. Most of the technicians , artists and story tellers in the gaming industry are tuning to some blood spilling and sexist unusual themes in their products on the belief that its just fun. They also have an intentional idea behind this move that only such things sell quickly. Degradation of values has swept towards different segments in the industry. Its effect has started showing to the gaming industry as well. Primarily gaming industry is concentrated on children below eighteen years. Children are the main users of its products other than any other group. To show explicit and debatable as well as questionable content in the form of games to children on the false imagination that it is only fun is a serious crime that is done towards the society. The video game manhunt 2 was banned by the British authorities because of its relentless imagery of savage killing and slaying. Man hunt video game was very popular among children because of its violence. It even prompted in a killing of a fourteen year old boy. Banning the video game was a bold step taken by the authorities for the first time in a decade. Manhunt 2 shows sustained as well as cumulative sadism which are labeled casual in the way the killings are committed in the game. Such types of entertainment are not at all acceptable because it is targeted towards children (Censors ban

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Support letter for my professors nomination Essay

Support letter for my professors nomination - Essay Example Nobody has ever been given the correct answer by her, but he has to input his contribution so to receive the answer of his inquired question. This sparks curiosity in pupils and they tend to investigate more on the topic, which eventually develops analytical skills in them. We are not forced to study neither we receive home works, which makes learning mundane, but we are rather taught in such a manner that we become keen for answers our self. Miss Amber has a specific style of teaching she can make most insignificant and out of the light concepts interesting to us. She has challenged our general approach of thinking and even I feel that she pushes us to the edge of every aspect, where we have to think critically about everything around us. She makes us wonder why we never paid attention towards such astonishing things in the universe and how they should be understood in terms of their very nature and

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Evolution of New Media Essay Example for Free

Evolution of New Media Essay The advancement of technology has transformed dramatically in the 21st centaury and affects every aspect of our everyday lives. With the comparison of a South African example of traditional and new media products, in the form of the print and the on-line news providers of the Mail Guardian news product, this essay seeks to evaluate the implications of the development of new media, and its affects on the likes of traditional news products. Before delving into the issue of the impact that new media has on traditional media, it is important to define these two terms. Traditional media is commonly seen in the form of radio, television and print (newspapers). Each are separate entities and are independent of each other. They do not rely on each other for existence and do not influence each other in any way. As the term, traditional media, is an incredibly broad term, it is difficult to give a precise definition for it. Rather, it is in contrast to the concept of new media that a fitting definition for the term traditional media is formed. Print media, in the form of the Mail Guardian newspaper, is a South African example of traditional media. The term new media refers to the forms of media content that combine and integrate data, text, sound and images of all kinds(Flew, 2003: 10). The on-line news provider, Mail Guardian, is a South African example of new media. The website incorporates images, texts and sounds-all of which are separate medium-and brings them together under one roof. This bringing together of various medium to form one entity is known as convergence (Dessaucer, 2004: 123). It is this idea of convergence of various media, which defines the term new media. Unlike the print edition of the Mail Guardian, the on-line version offers a broad range of modifications to its traditional counterpart. Rather than being printed on paper, news articles of the on-line news provider are presented in digital form. This is a seemingly obvious observation, however, it highlights the evolution of traditional media into the more popular form of new media. There is also a noticeable difference between traditional and new media in that rather then flipping through pages of undesirable texts and articles, the reader of on-line news sites actively selects the articles that they wish to read by effortlessly clicking a mouse. Furthermore, on-line news providers provide more than merely news articles. Through features called hyperlinks, readers can be transported to various other websites such as sports, music sites and even virtual gambling (Flew, 2003). Hence on-line news providers extend beyond the realms of merely providing news, but rather as technology co ntinues to develop, and the boundaries of one website and another become blurred, they begin to assume a more all-rounded focus. Online news services allow the reader the luxury of setting a specific section of the news as the front page, opposed to traditional media, where the content of the front page, is dictated by the editor. Among the many other advantages generated by new media is that it allows for articles to be reported in real time and updated often (Dessaucer, 2004: 123). Most print media are usually printed twice a day. In the case of the print form of the Mail Guardian, it is only printed once a week. Hence, if a news story breaks after the paper has been printed, readers are required to wait a full week to get its take on the matter. In the case of a reader missing a weeks edition of the newspaper, they will find much difficulty in trying to retrieve it. With the advancement of technology, the Mail Guardian online caters for issues such as these. New media allows for storage of information without causing cluttering-as would be found in the storing of old newspapers. By creating archives where readers can actually retrieve past information, the issue of loosing out on a weeks worth of news is eliminated. The Mail Guardian online, has the ability, unlike that of traditional print media, to upd ated and edit its stories as often as required. So, readers of online news services are kept up to date on breaking news, in real time, as opposed to the readers of the print version of the Mail Guardian, who receive breaking news a week after it actually occurs. Here again the advantages of new media are highlighted. The likes of traditional print media are also limited by space, resulting in the actual content to be limited. Thus in traditional print media, only selected articles feature in the news. On the other hand, new media, in the form of on-line articles, tend to contain more in-depth articles, as well as provide additional information on related topics in the form of layered journalism (Dessaucer, 2004: 125). This idea of layered journalism, utilizes the feature of hyperlinks (Flew, 2003: 15). As explained earlier, hyperlinks provide the reader with links to other related information, including past stories, multimedia features and links to other websites that offer primary source information on a specific subject (Dessaucer, 2004: 124). The advantage of this is that the reader is provided insight into specific topics, without much effort and without actively having to search for it. Limitations to traditional media are found in the area of interactivity. Person-to-person interactivity in traditional media is extremely limited in comparison to that of new media forms, which both facilitates and stimulates interactivity on all levels. Internet usage involves person-to-person communications, group communicationthrough electronic mail (email), news groups, chat rooms, mailing lists and the World Wide Web (Flew, 2003: 12). This increased interactivity, stimulated by new media, allows the reader to assume a more active role rather than a passive one. New media benefits the journalist as much as it does the reader. New media and the idea of convergence, allows for a journalist to film a news event, interview people, write an article on the event and send it to his/her editor, who will post the article on-line, all in a matter of minute and all with the same instrument. Again this emphasises the idea of real-time journalism, opposed to traditional media, where a journal ist first has to film an event, then they have to interview people and only then can they write their article. Furthermore, if the event is a far distant from the place where the article will be published, it will take a considerable amount of time for the article to reach the editors. Only after this whole procedure, can the article be published, by which time the then breaking news would have already been forgotten by the public. It is this slow, relentless pace that sets traditional media light-years apart from new media. It is estimated that by 2005, approximately 194 million people will be on-line in the U.S. alone. Research shows that from 1996-2000, the number of people on-line had increased by a staggering 149% (Dessaucer, 2004: 124). With new medias increasing popularity, it is not surprising that that newspaper readerships have been declining worldwide (Flew, 2003: 101). As reading of newspapers is becoming a less popular activity, it is surprising to note that on-line news providers are not yet the dominant news source (Dessaucer, 2004: 124). One only wonders how long it will take for on-line news services to be the service of choice, considering all its advantages, as well as the staggering growth rate of new media users. Although losing popularity worldwide, there is still a market for traditional media in the form of the poorer third world communities. In order to utilise new media, one is required to have the necessary knowledge, facilities and infrastructures readily at hand. This poses problems for poor third world communities, as all these essentials are incredibly expensive to orchestrate and implement. These communities barely have money for food let alone unnecessary luxuries in the form of advanced technology. Other issues which surface when dealing with new media is the idea of ownership and funding. As technology advances into the 21st century along this information highway, it is those companies who are active on the global stage, across different media such as the likes of the South African company, Johncom, that actually own and fund these online services (Steemers, 1999: 232). As these companies are usually based in the west, it is the western style democracies, which have traditionally influenced broadcasting policy (Steemers, 1999: 233). Hence, issues of plurality and cultural diversity arise, as these companies usually neglect to consider the views and styles preferred by other communities (Steemers, 1999). Furthermore, The idea of converge nce, in new media, which allows for a person to read the news, receive the latest sports updates, check his/her shares on the stock exchange while talking to his loved ones overseas depositing money into his bank account and listening to the radio all at the same time raises the issue to attention. The fact that the reader is partaking in various activities at once highlights the fact that the focus of attention has the tendency to move at an alarming rate (Steemers, 1999: 233). Conclusion: As technology continues to advance and new media continues to assume an ever-increasing influence in the media industry, it seems inevitable that traditional media will slowly be phased out of existence and in fact evolves into what is known as new media. However, in as much as new media is seemingly the way of the future and provides seemingly endless opportunities for its users, it only focuses on a niche market, leaving behind the poorer third world communities. Until such a time that access, infrastructure and education about new media are made affordable and available to these poorer communities worldwide, print media and traditional media, it seems, will continue to exist. Rather than suffocating it into extinction, it is likely that traditional media and new media will exist side by side for a long time to come. REFERENCE LIST * Dessaucer, C. 2004. New Media, Internet News and News Habit. In Howard, P and Jones, S (ed), Society Online, London: Sage, 121-136. * Flew, T.2003. New Media: An Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press. * Steemers, J. 1999. Broadcasting is dead. Long live digital choice. In Mackay, H and OSullivan, T (ed), The Media Reader. London: Sage, 231-249.

Friday, September 20, 2019

The Threat Of Natural Disasters To Cambodia Environmental Sciences Essay

The Threat Of Natural Disasters To Cambodia Environmental Sciences Essay A Discussion on Building Resilient Communities, A Case Study of Cambodia. All through the 20th century, cities of the world have grown in size and importance, with an estimate of about half of all people living in urban areas and their numbers are expected to rise to at least 60 per cent by 2030 (UNHSP, 2002). Ironically, while cities are of vital importance as economic engines, hubs for transportation and communications, cultural centers and homes to the majority of the earths people, they are particularly vulnerable to natural and environmental hazard impacts. During the 1990s, losses from natural disasters were more than four times greater than during the 1950s, with more than 500,000 fatalities and over $1 trillion in damages (Walter, 2003). The existence of multifaceted and cascading hazards in Cambodia has occurred in time past causing large destructions. These hazards that occur are most times unavoidable but their impact could be reduced if the necessary circumstances are put in place. Managing natural and environmental hazards is essential because they pose significant threat to the human populace, carrying the potential to disrupt economic and social activities, cause substantial damage to property and even kill people. The best form of addressing such situations is to make the necessary investigations and preparations for emergency response when (before and after) these hazards occur. Basically, building resilient cities are an act of preparation for the inevitable natural hazards. Cambodia is located in the tropical zone, Southeast Asia, about 10-13 degrees north of the equator. Its climate is dominated by the annual monsoon cycle with its alternating wet and dry seasons, making it warm to hot throughout the year. It covers an area of about 181,035 square kilometres and is divided into 24 provinces as seen in figure 1. It is bordered to the North by Thailand and Laos, to the East and South by Vietnam, and to the South and Southwest by the Gulf of Thailand. Most of Cambodias land is relatively flat with vast tracts of land given over to rice production. Annual rainy season commences in July, with flooding occurring between September and December. During the monsoon season, Cambodia experiences flash floods usually after heavy rainfall. The provinces of Battambang, Kampong Chnang, Kampong Speu, Kampong Thom, Kampot, Kandal, Pursat and Rattanakiri are regularly hit by flash flooding. The second type of flood, the much slower but prolonged flooding, is caused by the overflow of Tonle Sap River and Mekong tributaries, inundating the provinces of Kampong Cham, Kratie, Kandal, Prey Veng, Stung Treng, Svay Rieng and Takeo. In 2000, Cambodia saw the worst flooding in recent history, with a total estimated damage of USD150 million. It affected more than three million people in 22 of the 24 provinces of the country, displacing 85,000 families and killing 182 (ECHO, 2008). Drought in Cambodia is characterized by loss of water sources caused by the early end or delays in expected seasonal rainfall. The traditional drought/lean season is between the months of August and November. Although not as severe as floods in terms of impact, it severely affects farming productivity especially among rice growing communities who rely solely on rain or river-fed irrigation. Low agricultural yield due to extended drought has increased indebtedness of families and contributed to widespread food shortages. The worst drought incident in 2002 had affected two million people and incurred a total damage of USD 38 million, (ECHO, 2008). No one can stop natural disasters. However, we can reduce the impact of natural disasters on the physical and the socio-economic losses in society. It is notable that victims of disasters mainly come from the least wealthy and influential; those in unsafe houses and engaged in more dangerous activities, who have limited options and entitlements. In any case, university students killed in school annual graduation or new born babies in health care facilities are especially disturbing aspects of the aftermath of disasters. Surely, these places should put safety issues first. Due to environmental degradation and human activities, natural hazards have been persistent. The Mekong flood in 2000 gave Cambodia the most terrible incident in the last 70 years, causing both socio-economic and physical damages. According to the official report of the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM) (2006), the floods affected about 3.4 million people with 347 fatalities, 80 percent of which were children. Moreover, schools and other infrastructures such as hospitals, houses, and pagodas were seriously damaged, with a total estimated loss of US$161 million. Again, floods hit Cambodia in 2001 and 2002, damaging approximately US$36 million and US$12 million respectively. In 2001, the floods killed 62 people while in 2002 the floods killed 26 (40 percent of whom were children), and many schools were destroyed. Figure 1.Map of Cambodia with Provinces cambodia-map-provinces.jpg Because many Cambodians depend upon subsistence agriculture for their source of revenue, they are particularly vulnerable to suffering hunger, poverty, or even the loss of life, when such disasters hit. This vulnerability has increased in recent years because of a series of almost consecutive annual disasters that have not allowed people the opportunity to recover from previous floods or droughts. The Royal Government of Cambodia and other stakeholders, including NGOs and the donor communities, have been increasing cooperation to allow for joint responses to the needs of the affected population when disasters strike. The overall goal is to ascertain and address the root causes of vulnerability to disasters. There is thus a need to identify and prioritize areas that are prone to natural disasters, and areas in which the population suffers most when disasters strike. Flood affected areas, rice dependency, and food security are considered when determining areas that should be prioritised for flood related interventions. The extent to which each an area is affected by flood waters, depends on rice production, and incapability to manufacture enough food to feed itself during flood years are taken together to classify areas into different levels of precedence. Two major types of flood were identified in Cambodia: Flash floods which result from heavy downpours upstream on the Mekong River which affect the provinces along the Mekong River and in the southern areas of the country. Central area floods are large floods that result from a combination of runoff from the Mekong and heavy rains around the Tonle Sap Lake. The waters affect the areas around the lake, but also flow heavily down the Tonle Sap River and the lower portion of the Mekong to flood the southern provinces. The first priority area is rigorously affected by any type of flood, the second a rea is only affected by the big central area floods, and the third area is only affected by flash flooding of the Mekong. These three priority areas are shown in figure 2. Figure 2: Flood Prone Communes image7_02.png The method applied to define areas vulnerable to drought is similar to that discussed ealier. The concern evaluate include: drought affected areas, rice dependency, and food security. Areas were defined as highly rice dependent if more than 80 percent of households are fully engaged in rice production. Food insecurity was measured as above for the drought year of 1998. Definitions for three levels of priority were again developed. First priority areas are defined as those with low precipitation and NDVI, high rice dependence, and food insecurity in 1998. These are areas where droughts are likely, and where they will have the most terrible consequences. Second priority areas have the same criteria as the first priority communes, but were not food insecure during the 1998 drought year. Third priority communes have low precipitation and NDVI, and are thus drought prone, but are neither highly rice dependent nor food insecure. The three levels of priority communes are presented in figure 3. Figure 3 Drought Prone Communes image7_03.png Vulnerability well-meant is the exposure and sensitivity to livelihood shocks and risks. Risks are the combination of the probability or frequency of occurrence of a defined hazard and the magnitude of the consequences. Natural hazards often cannot be prevented, and if they materialize, can generate a shock that affects households and communities in both predictable and unpredictable ways. Vulnerability is only to some extent determined by the type of hazard, while it is mainly determined by social systems and power (Wisner et al. 2006). The degree of vulnerability depends on the nature of the risk and a householdà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s resilience, or ability to recover after shocks. Vulnerability can be lessened by reducing exposure to risks of shocks that affect many people (e.g., frequent droughts) or shocks that affect individuals or households (e.g., the death of the household head) and increasing the householdà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s ability to manage sho cks. However, chronically food-insecure households often are not resilient to shocks and are continuously vulnerable. The government in Cambodia has initiated poverty reduction policies that attempts to reduce poverty, increase food security and thus reduce vulnerability of poor households. The concept of vulnerability links the relationship that people have with their environment to social forces and institutions and the cultural values that sustain or contest them. Vulnerability refers to the totality of relationships in a given social situation producing the formation of a condition that, in combination with environmental forces, produces a disaster. Disaster, risks and outcomes are socially produced at the intersection of a complex and dynamic range of hazard and vulnerability patterns, associated with underlying social, economic, territorial and political processes operating in specific locales. The concept of vulnerability links general political economic conditions to very particular environmental forces to understand how basic conditions such as poverty or racism produce susceptibilities to very specific environmental hazards. Vulnerability, thus, integrates not only political economic, but environmental forces, defined in terms of both biophysical and socially constructed risk. The working definition provided by Blaikie et al. is currently among the most utilized: By vulnerability we mean the characteristics of a person or group in terms of their capacity to anticipate, cope with, resist, and recover from the impact of a natural hazard. It involves a combination of factors that determine the degree to which someones life and livelihood is put at risk by a discrete and identifiable event in nature or in society(1994:9). The DIPECHO project was implemented in partnership with three local NGOs for the period of 15 months (from 15/02/2007 to 14/05/2008) in three operating provinces. The project activities centre of attention primarily is on the poorest and most excluded community members, identified as being particularly vulnerable to disaster, including women and children, poor farmers, fishery communities, landless people, ex-Khmer rouge soldiers, displaced people, wage labourers, people living with or at risk from HIV and AIDS, Vietnamese minority groups, and people with disability. The total number of direct beneficiaries identified through the project was recorded as 15153, (ActionAid International, 2006). The project aim is to build the capacity of community members and local authorities in 48 target villages in the project areas in the three provinces to better understand and prepare for recurring flood and drought by implementing the following strategies: Organise and build competence of the local community Create and strengthen institutional systems at the village and commune level Working in alliance with other actors and government on disaster risk reduction programmes Advocating on Disaster Risk Management (DRM) issues and influencing the concerned officials and institutions Capacity building of the existing institutions, communes and the various organs of the National committee on disaster management at commune, district, province level Conducting a detailed vulnerability analysis, developing village level disaster plans and formulating commune disaster risk management plans The following were the outcomes on the completion of the project: The capacity of Commune Committees for Disasters Management and Village Development Committees was enhanced to analyse their vulnerability and actively prepare their communities for the risks of flood and drought. Increased availability of Disaster Preparedness knowledge and skills across community members in target villages. Reduced vulnerability to disaster through small-scale disaster preparedness and mitigation initiatives carried out at the village community level. Formal structures and network of partnerships for community-based disaster risk management in Cambodia (CBDRM) comprise of an approach that builds upon existing capacities and coping systems of communities to jointly plan and apply appropriate and durable reduction and disaster preparedness plans. The strategy involves the participation of local actors, particularly vulnerable communities, who actively work to identify causes of vulnerability and actions to mitigate the impact of vulnerability from these natural disasters. Furthermore, the strategy aids communities towards long term capacity to adapt. With recurring drought and flooding and threats from other natural disasters in Cambodia, CBDRM is seen as a pacesetter in reducing massive loss of life, property and livelihood. The Cambodian government considers CBDRM as an essential part of its rural development program to alleviate poverty (ActionAid International, 2006). The major purpose of sustainable development is to generate and preserve flourishing ecological, social and economic systems. There exists an intimate link between these systems as humans can transform the ecological system and they also depend on it for food, wealth and security. Human actions can severely affect the ability of the ecosystem to perform its natural functions with adverse consequences for vulnerability, human life and security. Several case studies have helped shed more light on the connection between resilience, sustainability of social ecological systems and diversity (Berkes and Folke, 1998). Resilience basically refers to the degree of shock that concerned system can endure and stay within a given state. It can also be the degree to which the system concerned can organize itself or build capacity for learning and adaptation. It has been argued that two components of any given system affect its resilience, one being its adaptive capacity which is directly related to its heterogeneity and broadly equivalent t the diversity of its institutions and assets available in social systems. The second is its robustness and this refers to the properties of a given system that allow it accommodate disturbance without additional adaptation. Resilience and robustness refer to the capacity of the system to accommodate disturbance without losing functionality. Disaster management style or procedure can destroy or build resilience depending on how the community concerned organises itself in response to management actions. Building societal resilience requires understanding of ecosystems that incorporates knowledge of local users (Olsson and Folke, 2001). Structured Scenarios and active adaptive management have been recognized as fundamental to building resilience. Circumstances are used to envisage option future scenarios. Applying this action, resilience building strategies can be acknowledged and applied within the framework of sustainable development. The probability of sustainable development is improved by management for resilience in a dynamic world full of astonishments. Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use aimed at meeting human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present but also for future generations. It brings together the concern for carrying capacity of natural systems and social challenges faced by humanity. It is now clear that sustainable development that regard the impact of manà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s activities on the natural environment and attempts to reduce damage to the natural environment is the key to poverty reduction, environmental security and management and mitigation of weather and water related hazards. It basically targets resource poor and landless communities especially in the coastal regions because of population density, rapidly declining natural resources, work and income security and a high level of vulnerability to these hazards. With the understanding that environmental degradation can be tackled by knowledge and technological empowerment of the resource poor, illiterate rural man and women, the major aim of these programmes is to blend technological frontier with local knowledge in order to provide an integrated orientation to technological development and dissemination. As local communities confront the impacts of glacial melting, rainfall fluctuation, flooding and drought, they will need support to strengthen their capacity to withstand these changes and increase their resilience to the effects of a changing climate on international waters. Rivers, lakes and coastal ecosystems are increasingly being impacted by deforestation, land degradation, poor water management, and aquatic species loss as well as changes in fisheries habitats, water scarcity and floods or droughts precipitated or exacerbated by climate change, making communities more socially, economically and physically vulnerable. Local communities have shown, through ecosystem restoration, integrated water resources and coastal management and development that these activities can help communities associated with international waters increase their resilience to climatic variability and future effects of climate change. While in some cases it may be too early to gauge the adaptation success of local projects since it may entail preparing for future climate events and impacts, this publication provides some examples of how communities have successfully conserved their resources, restored their ecosystems, reduced their vulnerability and improved their livelihoods and increased their resilience to environmental threats and climate change in international waters. Resilient communities are far less vulnerable to hazards and disasters than less resilient places. For this assumption to be validated and useful, knowledge of how resilience is determined, measured, enhanced, maintained, and reduced is vital (Klein et al., 2003). It is not obvious what leads to resilience within coupled humanà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬environment systems or what variables should be utilized to measure it. Because of the multidimensional nature of resilience and its different component parts, a broad model of resilience has yet to be empirically tested at the community level (Cumming et al., 2005). CONCLUSION The existence of a growing incidence in the occurrence of natural hazards can be accredited to a multifaceted world where increase in population is present. Vulnerability are ever-increasing in communities due to human activities. However, climate change and sea level rise may be accountable for augmented occurrence of some of these hazards. Globalization also spreads the cost of natural hazards going beyond the borders of the country directly affected. Technological and science based progress in our pursuit to understand natural hazards, applications and technological responses have clearly been insufficient. Response to disaster happen mostly after the event and so much is required to be put in place to sustain research and draw up programmes for risk assessment, recommend countermeasures, build and strengthen resilience in communities at risk. Researchers and disaster managers need to work hard to ensure vigorous knowledge takes a essential role in policy development. In this, loc al communities will be more resilient to natural and environmental hazards

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Bladder Epithelium Essay -- Health, Diseases, Biopsy of the Bladder

Researchers believe that normal repair of the epithelial lining of the bladder does not occur in patients who develop IC (ARHP, 2008). One theory proposes that the bladder epithelium or lining of glycosaminoglycans (GAG) is damaged due to bladder injury and exposes the sensory nerves to irritants and triggers a noxious sensation. The damaged epithelium allows absorption of potassium and urea into the bladder wall (Klutke & Klutke, 2008). The damaged epithelium may lead to mast cell activation and the release of histamine. It is proposed that vasoactive, nociceptive, and proinflammatory molecules released from mast cells create neuronal sensitization and emit neurotransmitters that continue to stimulate the mast cells in the bladder and play an important role in the chronic and painful symptoms of IC (Sant, Kempuraj, Marchand, & Theoharides, 2006). There may be a possibility that heredity may play a part in some forms of IC. In a few cases, IC has affected a mother and a daugh ter or two sisters, but it is not usually familial (Clemens, Joyce, Wise, & Payne, 2007). Data has also shown that patients with IC have a higher incidence of certain immunological or allergic conditions. These conditions include allergies, irritable bowel syndrome, sensitive skin, vulvodynia, fibromyalgia, and migraine headaches (ARHP, 2008). Interstitial cystitis is divided into two categories: ulcerative or classic and nonulcerative or Messing-Stamey types. The classic or ulcerative type clinically presents with a diffusely reddened appearance to the bladder surface epithelium associated with one or more ulcerative patches surrounded by mucosal congestion. The ulcers are called Hunner ulcers. Hunner ulcer upon cystoscopic examination is the ... ...nage this condition the patient must maintain a relationship with her primary care provider, be diligent with tracking her symptoms and managing her diet and medications (ARHP, 2008). Differential Diagnosis The ARHP suggest that the differential diagnosis of IC include other causes of pelvic pain and urinary complaints. These include urinary tract infections, overactive bladder, gynecological chronic pelvic pain, endometriosis, and bladder carcinoma. The effects of certain drugs may also cause these symptoms. These drugs include cyclophosphamide, aspirin, NSAIDs, and allopurinol (ARHP, 2008). These need to be excluded as part of the diagnostic process. Review of Literature Several research articles have been reviewed in order to identify the most recent evidence based practice techniques for diagnosing and managing patients with interstitial cystitis.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

The beach :: essays research papers

Review from Los Angeles Times Book Review, 02/02/1997: "[A]rresting though no masterpiece....Garland's message is complex and acute. The self-indulgence of a generation of young Westerners--seeking isolated and well-funded paradises and ignoring the miseries and needs around them--can itself breed monsters. There is more than one kind of Vietnam....The reader's suspense in this intelligently conceived and often effective novel, may consist more in wondering what the author will do than in what his characters will do." -- Richard Eder Review from Times Literary Supplement, 10/18/96: "This exceptional first novel by...Alex Garland creates a picture of an ideal society gone awry through the heady conjunction of a secret beach on an island in southeast Asia and a cultural breadth of reference determined by pop songs, the Vietnam War, and Nintendo Gameboys." -- Giles Foden First Line: Vietnam, me love you long time. All day, all night, me love you long time. "Delta One-Niner, this is Alpha patrol. We are on the northeast face of hill Seven-Zero-Five and taking fire. Immediate air assistance required..." Publishers note The Khao San Road, Bangkok--first stop for the hordes of rootless young Westerners traveling in Southeast Asia. On Richard's first night there, in a low-budget guest house, a fellow traveler slashes his wrists, bequeath to Richard a meticulously drawn map to "the Beach." The Beach, as Richard has come to learn, is the subject of a legend among young travelers in Asia: a lagoon hidden from the sea, with white sand and coral gardens, freshwater falls surrounded by jungle, plants untouched for a thousand years. There, it is rumoured, a carefully selected international few have settled in a communal Eden. Haunted by the figure of Mr. Duck--the name by which the Thai police have identified the dead man--and his own obsession with Vietnam movies, Richard sets off with a young French couple to an island hidden away in an forbidden to tourists. The beach :: essays research papers Review from Los Angeles Times Book Review, 02/02/1997: "[A]rresting though no masterpiece....Garland's message is complex and acute. The self-indulgence of a generation of young Westerners--seeking isolated and well-funded paradises and ignoring the miseries and needs around them--can itself breed monsters. There is more than one kind of Vietnam....The reader's suspense in this intelligently conceived and often effective novel, may consist more in wondering what the author will do than in what his characters will do." -- Richard Eder Review from Times Literary Supplement, 10/18/96: "This exceptional first novel by...Alex Garland creates a picture of an ideal society gone awry through the heady conjunction of a secret beach on an island in southeast Asia and a cultural breadth of reference determined by pop songs, the Vietnam War, and Nintendo Gameboys." -- Giles Foden First Line: Vietnam, me love you long time. All day, all night, me love you long time. "Delta One-Niner, this is Alpha patrol. We are on the northeast face of hill Seven-Zero-Five and taking fire. Immediate air assistance required..." Publishers note The Khao San Road, Bangkok--first stop for the hordes of rootless young Westerners traveling in Southeast Asia. On Richard's first night there, in a low-budget guest house, a fellow traveler slashes his wrists, bequeath to Richard a meticulously drawn map to "the Beach." The Beach, as Richard has come to learn, is the subject of a legend among young travelers in Asia: a lagoon hidden from the sea, with white sand and coral gardens, freshwater falls surrounded by jungle, plants untouched for a thousand years. There, it is rumoured, a carefully selected international few have settled in a communal Eden. Haunted by the figure of Mr. Duck--the name by which the Thai police have identified the dead man--and his own obsession with Vietnam movies, Richard sets off with a young French couple to an island hidden away in an forbidden to tourists.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Mythology in the World :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How did the world begin? Have you ever wondered this most likely yes. Everyone has been asking this question for millions of years. The explanation of this is called Mythology. By looking at What Mythology is, the categories of Mythology, the regions of major myths, some of the key players of myths, and finally the similarities of the cultures. With that I will start my paper and by the end of it you will have a more in depth knowledge of Mythology.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mythology meaning the study of Myths. Myth comes form the Greek word Mythos meaning speech or discourse later meaning fable. Myth is defined as a story of forgotten origin, it is religious or supernatural. It seeks to explain the creation of the universe, everyday phenomena and everything in it. The different regions of the world all have a different story and set of characters they use to explain this. Now that you know what exactly what mythology is we will look at the different categories of mythology.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The different categories of mythology are explanatory myths and adventure myths. Explanatory myth will break down into smaller sub divisions called Cosmogony, nature myths, and eschatological myths. Explanatory myths these are myths that nature or certain events and customs of different cultures. Cosmogony is a big word for creation myths. Creation myths explain the origin of the universe. They use primal gods and animals to tell the story. There are different types of creation myths as well. The first is the single stage creation where a god existed ex nihilo. Which means a god existed in a vast space and created the universe out of nothing. The other is multi stage creation. In this the universe is created by one god. His children then continue to create the rest of the world. Nature myths have to do with animals and everyday phenomena like the rising and setting of the sun. The last explanatory myth is eschatological. This tells how death and other bad things c ame into the world and how the world is going to end. The next category of mythology is adventure myths. These are myths that involve humans. These are stories of major events in history that parts have been embellished or forgotten and made up. Now that you know the different categories of mythology we will look at the different regions where the stories came from.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The different regions of mythology are Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania.

Briefly discuss why it was written

The chapter titled â€Å"THIS UNEXPECTED EVENT † : ANNIHILATION AT THE COWPENS was written to stress the strategic and consequential importance of the immemorial battle fought between the British and American armies at Cowpens in South Carolina in 1781.The American victors led by their Commander Daniel Morgan, used the most advanced and pioneer tactical strategies to counter the might of the British who had so far made victorious inroads into other parts of the world by using their time tested and advanced military strategies.The inspiration for using such a  strategy could have been taken from the double envelopment techniques used by Hannibal during the classic Battle at Cannae in 216 BC, whereby he 2 conclusively defeated the massive Roman army that was almost twice the size of his own. It is understood by many that the victory at Cowpens was due to a rare opportunity available to the American Commander and the presence of mind along with the trust imposed in him by his g enerals led to the landmark victory that had noteworthy consequences in setting the course for future events in American history. The battle at Cowpens was comparatively small in view of the other battlesof the time when the British struggled to establish their supremacy in America, but it proved that the so far considered to be unbeaten British Commander Tarleton was also vulnerable in the face of the new tactical strategies of the American infantry and cavalry. The results of the battle set the course for a reduction in the morale of the British army who were taken aback by the unimagined tactical techniques used by Morgan and his officers. The result of the battle was a confirmation that the Americans demonstrated proper use of battle techniques using the cavalry and infantry.The victory was indeed a landmark one and the remains of the battle ground and the remnants of the memoirs remain intact and preserved to this day to match the accounts of the actual battle field so as to re mind Americans of 3 the victory that paved the way and set course towards establishing their supremacy against the British. b. Writer’s Conclusion. What does the writer conclude about the period or event? The basis of forming conclusions about the Battle at Cowpens can be exhaustively had from the various vantage points set up and maintained at the actual battle site.On the strength of their location and description that is conclusively associated with the written accounts of the battle by several writers and the participants in the battle who were also commanders and rank holders in the cavalry and infantry, a feel of the actual thought process of Commander Morgan and his Officers can be experienced. The writer feels that indeed Commander Morgan was a pioneer in such battle strategy and displayed exemplary courage and leadership qualities to boost the morale of his people and to synchronize the timely availability of logistical support asand when required. His main line of d efense was based on tactical use of formations with an element of surprise and operational security. He used the militia very effectively by planning ahead and placing them at the right locations to counter enemy infringement. He established a skirmish line by effectively using advanced technology and light infantry that had so far 4 never been used in the 18th century. Although the British deployed their formations in a linear battlefield, there were psychological effects of fatigue that halted the initial signs of victory.Initially the British under the leadership of Tarleton, made victorious strides pushing back the Americans causing for some time discouragement amongst their ranks, but the British suddenly started to loose ground in the face of tactical moves by Morgan and his ranks. There had to be a fast retreat under immense pressure from the Americans leading to large number of casualties amongst the British. However in this context the battle is remembered due to its learni ng lessons by way of the great sense of battle discipline displayed amongst the soldiers, close combat techniques and the collection andassessment of battlefield information on the part of the British. The Battle at Cowpen paved the way for the future use of creating psychological impact as was done effectively when the retreating Americans under the orders of their Commander Howard took an about turn and indiscriminately fired at the Britishers who were unaware of such a move and which turned the table against them. In this context, Howard acted under instructions from Morgan as part of the plan and the effect of such fire 5 power was decisively in favor of the Americans. Consequently, anothernoteworthy conclusion of this event is that the battle is a perfect laboratory example for analysis of psychological factor working in war and how it can be effectively used against the enemy. Evidence Supporting the Conclusion. Incorporate evidence offered by the writer to support the chapter . Why should I believe this person? The Battle at Cowpen was a battle that set new trends and patterns of tactical strategies to counter enemy supremacy, which is aptly proved by the course of events that followed 1781 to set new landmarks in American history. Thechapter gives a detailed account of the battle, the course of events and the intricacies that changed the initial victorious trend of the British on the battlefield. All that is written in the chapter about the battle is supported by a real existence of the actual battle site and the different stages of the battle being earmarked by Vantage Points 1 to 12, which aptly prove that the site is there and that the battle did take place in 1781. The vantage points give an account of the different stages of the battle where most of the action happened and the visitor is made to have a taste and gut feeling of the battleactually happening before him, as the entire site can be viewed and observed 6 from one spot. So there is full ev idence in support of the chapter by way of the actual existence of the battle site that is maintained to this day. References Scott Withrow, Park Ranger, The Battle of Cowpen, may 2005, http://www. nps. gov/archive/cowp/batlcowp. htm The Battle of Cowpens 1781, http://www. britishbattles. com/battle-cowpens. htm John Buchanan, The American Revolution in the Carolinas, http://www. theamericanrevolution. org/battles/bat_cowp. asp

Monday, September 16, 2019

Existentialism and Contractarianism Essay

1) Read chapters One through three of your textbook 2)Compare and contrast the Existentialism and Contractarianism framework Compare: Both existentialism and contractarianism frameworks are two of the three deontological frameworks outlined in chapter one. Deontological frameworks focus on the duty or obligation in determining whether the actions are right or wrong. Contrast: Existentialism focuses on individual behavior while contractarianism focuses on society as a whole. Existentialism highlights that the only person who can determine right and wrong is based on the free will of the person making the decisions. As a result, duty is connected with actions meaning each individual determines the value of his/her actions. Contractarianism, or social contract theory, highlights that individuals agree to social contracts to be members within society. As a member of society, each individual agrees to certain social norms. As a result, the values and norms developed by society must be fair to everyone who is a member of society. 3)Compare and contrast Teleological, Deontological, and Mixed Frameworks Compare: Teleological, Deontological, and Mixed frameworks are each foundational philosophies towards ethical conduct. Contrast: Teleological frameworks focus on the results of the conduct of the individual and the ramifications, positive and negative, resulting from the actions and conduct of individuals. Deontological frameworks focus on duty or obligation in determining whether the actions are right or wrong. Mixed frameworks combine theories from both teleological and deontological frameworks. Mixed framework theory supports that through the seven guiding principles listed below, individuals develop a level of intuition that becomes incorporated in their decision-making processes. The seven guiding principles pull from both the teleological and deontological frameworks. The seven guiding principles include: Fidelity- based on deontological theory and states that an individual needs to keep explicit and implicit promises. Reparation- based on deontological theory and states that an individual must act on repairing the consequences for previous wrongful acts. Gratitude- based on deontological theory and states that an individual must be able to show gratitude for the kindness that others have given to him/her. Justice- based on deontological theory and states that an individual should try to see that any goods are fairly distributed. Beneficence- Based on teleological theory and states that an individual should focus on trying to improve the lives of others. Self-improvement- pulls from both deontological and teleological theories and states that an individual should improve oneself by focusing on virtue and intelligence. Noninjury- based on teleological theory and states that an individual should not cause any harm to others. 4)Compare and contract the guiding principles of the Global Business Standards Codex and the Mixed Framework principles. Compare: Both the Mixed Framework and Global Business Standards Codex principles are standards that attempt to promote fairness and to interpret and evaluate ethical behavior.   Contrast: The Mixed framework principles focus on individuals, but the Global Business Standards Codex principles focus on companies around the world. The mixed framework principles were defined in the question above, but here are brief definitions for each of the Global Business Standards Codex: Fiduciary Principle- Each officer and director of a company has the legal obligation to act in the best interest of the stakeholders and other employees within the firm. Property Principle- based on the belief that every employee should respect property as well as the rights of the owners of property. Reliability Principle- based on the belief that it is the employee’s responsibility to honor the commitments he or she makes to the firm. Transparency Principle- based on the belief that every employee should conduct business in a truthful and open manner. It is expected that employees will not make decisions based on a personal matter. Dignity Principle- based on the belief that each employee needs to respect the dignity of all individuals Fairness Principle- based on the belief that stakeholders who have a vested interest in the firm should be treated fairly. Citizenship Principle- based on the belief that every employee should act as a responsible citizen in the community. Responsiveness Principle- based on the belief that employees have a responsibility to respond to requests for information about the operations from the various stakeholders. 5)What are the four types of unintentional unethical behavior? Implicit Prejudice- occurs based on unconscious beliefs. Common examples include biases based on ethnic and gender differences. In-Group Favoritism- occurs when a decision maker forms a bias toward individuals in the same â€Å"group† as the decision maker. An Example would be if a boss favors employees who share the same political party association. Actual or Potential Conflicts of Interest- occurs when there are personal benefits for making a decision that are not available to others. Claiming Credit for Others’ Actions- occurs when the decision makers believe that they are above average in their job duties, responsibilities, and general intellect, which results in above average performance. An example would be when an individual group member feels that he/she contributed more than he/she actually did to the group’s overall performance. 6)Briefly compare and contrast moral, immoral, and amoral managers. Immoral manager- one who not only does not care how his/her decisions impact the stakeholders, but the actions are actively counter to what is the right and ethical thing to do. They focus on only their own goals and the goals of the company and consider law requirements as constraints or barriers that are ignored when their corporate actions are implemented. Amoral manager- one who would be considered ethically neutral. An amoral manager does not focus proactively on ethical issues nor does he/she try to purposely go against the social and legal norms that are expected of the firm by society. The danger with an amoral manager is that because ethical considerations are not contemplated in the decision-making process, the manager may unintentionally commit unethical acts and not realize the impact the decision had on various stakeholders. Moral managers- one who understands the importance and relevance of considering ethical issues when they are making decisions. These managers not only meet the minimal legal standards, but also are proactive in presenting ethical leadership to the firm’s employees and other stakeholders. 7)Define Corporate Social Responsibility Corporate responsibility is the obligation that companies have to develop and implement courses of action that aid in social issues that impact society. This term is used by corporations to signify several topics including legal responsibility, fiduciary duty, legitimacy, and charitable donations. 8)Define the concept of stakeholder as it applies to business ethics Stakeholders are defined as any group that has a vested interest in the operations of the firm. Traditional stakeholders for a firm include employees, suppliers, stockholders, customers, the government, local communities, and society as a whole. Stakeholders have a vested interest in the firm; therefore, they are greatly impacted by the ethical behavior of the firm, including economical, legal, and environmental concerns. 9)Read case #7 on pages 265-283 of the textbook and answer questions 1, 2, and 3 on page 283 What are â€Å"cookie jar† reserves? Explain Enron’s use of this concept. Cookie jar reserves are funds set aside by a firm to be used to adjust the financial performance in any given point of time. The purpose of the reserve is that it allows the firm to increase its financial performance by transferring the reserves into the current period financial statements to help control the financial performance of the firm. Enron is the perfect example of using these reserves because of two very favorable factors. The first is that Enron dealt in long term energy contracts that are difficult to calculate a true market value. As a result, Enron had the opportunity to create all the years of the contract within a one-year window allowing them to manipulate the financial statements. This manipulation would only work if you have a co-operative external auditor. David Duncan of Arthur Anders en was very accommodating to Enron in this manner and accepted this type of aggressive accounting. Identify as many stakeholders as you can in this case. For each, explain how they were affected by the events surrounding the demise of Enron. Employees- the employees were devastated by the demise of Enron. Not only did they lose their jobs, but also for a vast majority of the employees all of their retirement funds were in Enron stock. They were not allowed to sell the stock during the quick fall so they ended up with virtually nothing in their retirement accounts at the end of Enron. Stockholders- The stockholders also were severely impacted by the demise of Enron. The free fall of the Enron stock until it was worthless than $1 ensured that the stockholder endured heavy losses in their Enron investment. Government- After a sluggish start, the SEC became very involved in the operations of Enron. A number of top-level executives were tried by the justice department as well as millions of dollars recovered in restitution to help pay for the losses endured by the employees and the stockholders. Suppliers- The suppliers also were left with little recourse once Enron went bankrupt. All the top priority secured creditors would get the first chance to recover their money from Enron. Unless the supplier was a secured creditor, they may have received very little from Enron once it declared bankruptcy. Local Community- The Houston community was severely impacted by the demise of Enron. Not only was Houston a home for a number of Enron employees, but also the image of the city was negatively impacted by the demise of Enron. It also did not help that the professional baseball park was called Enron Field (it is now named after fruit juice producer, Minute Maid). Summarize the main points of this case in one succinct paragraph. The case is about greed in the highest order. The company from its origin quickly focused on increasing market capitalization at any cost. Employees were selected based on how well they could play the game. The winners were rewarded handsomely and the losers were fired. The corporate culture was one in which it was Enron against the world and Enron kept on winning. However, like a Trojan horse, the true Enron was hollow inside. Once the house of cards collapsed, it was left to the stockholders and the employees to pick up the pieces. Update on Case (not part of the assignment)- In 2007, Credit Suisse paid $61.5 million, UBS agreed to pay $115 million and Deutsche Bank agreed to pay $25 million to settle litigation pertaining to their role in the Enron fraud. In January 2008, former lead auditor at Arthur Andersen, David Duncan, agreed to settled allegations filed by the SEC that he had violated securities law by signing audit reports that were false and misleading. No fine was issued but Duncan was barred from appearing before the SEC as an accountant. In March 2008, Citigroup settled litigation claims against it for it actions during the Enron scandal for $1.66 billion.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

On Humanism and Determinism Essay

Before my first year in college started, Mama and I went to the mall to buy school-related things, including notebooks, pens, and a bag. When we arrived at the shoes-section, I found myself stuck in deciding which pair I should choose. Well, it’s not because I don’t like any—actually, I’ve found what kind of pair I want, but my mother kept on insisting another pair. It ended up that I bought what she liked for me because the pair that I liked didn’t have a size appropriate for my feet. From this situation, I wondered if I had any sense of freedom at all. It is inevitably true that the topic about freedom has always shaken the world of human beings since time immemorial. I wonder, too, if I am really a free being. For me to be able to know if I am really free, I would need to answer some questions that might fulfill my inquiry: What is freedom? What does it mean to be free? Are we free beings? To help me with my questions, I read about an argument between determinism and freedom. Also, I read Baruch Spinoza’s (a determinist and one of the most important modern philosophers) claim on freedom. Determinism is the thesis of universal causation: in simple terms, it claims that everything in this world is caused. On the other hand, freedom is the state of being free from restraints. As a doctrine, it maintains that some of our actions are free. These are both paradoxical—something inconsistent and contradictory. This is because if everything is caused, then so are the actions that we claim to be free. But they (actions) are the result of some causes which made us perform actions, so we are not free. How is that?  Baruch Spinoza, as a determinist, also stated that we are â€Å"not free agents but parts of a divine machine which thinks and acts in accordance with the eternal laws of nature†, in short we are not free. Why? I will answer my own questions by defining what freedom is. Freedom is the exemption or liberty from slavery or imprisonment. It is the liberty of choice or action. It is also the state of the will as the first cause of human actions, or self-determination in human beings [1]. To be free is to enable one to do what s/he wanted to do. To start the argument, let us first take a look at the Holy Bible. Another blessing that God gave us when He made us in His image is the gift of freewill or the freedom to choose. Through this gift we are given the power to act and not to act, and so, to perform deliberate acts of our own. Man is rational and therefore, like God, he is created with free will and is master over his acts. In this statement, it is given that we are given the freedom to do what we wanted to do. But, according to the determinist Baruch Spinoza, it might go the other way: that we are not really as free as we think. Spinoza had an inquiry on the following things: (1) What sort of world do we live in? 2) Who put us here? (3) Why? I would like to focus on question number 3, but first there must be answers on numbers 1 and 2. What sort of world do we live in? Spinoza answers that the world is infinite and eternal—it has no beginning and end in the space and time. It was never created and destroyed, and is just simply, profoundly and eternally is. For the next question on â€Å"Who put us here†, Spinoza answered that it’s God. God, Spinoza asserts, is the world. Each of us is a definite and an important part of Him—a cell in His body, a segment of him. Every human body, therefore, is a part of God’s body. Everything that happens in the world—our faith, destiny and actions—are in accordance with God’s plan. In the third question, it was asked, â€Å"Why? †. The answer to this question, according to Spinoza, is that we have been born in order to be happy. But, what is â€Å"happiness†? [2]It is the presence of pleasure and the absence of pain. To be able to attain this, we must first try to find our limitations—for example, that we are only parts of God’s divine machine, and that we follow God’s will. As for human will, it also follows the laws of necessity. There is no such thing as â€Å"free will†. Why? This is because the actions that we do are determined by a cause, which is determined by another cause, and this by another, and so on to infinity. The actions that we do are dependent upon another action. This, then, follows the claim of Determinism, that every action is caused. As to the first sentence of my introduction, I had to buy things because college is starting. The cause of my action (to buy things) is because I need (necessity) those objects for school. Next is this: I had to choose the other pair of shoes because there’s no appropriate size for the one that I would like to choose. There was no choice to the situation. This is what we call a â€Å"determinist position†. It claims that no actions are free. Spinoza, as a determinist, states that â€Å"we think that we are free because we are ignorant of the causes of our actions†[3]. We choose only because we fail to realize that we are not free. Choosing when one has no choice—when one is not free—is founded on ignorance. But, if we are going to accept this thesis of determinism, then it would be paradoxical to itself. Why? If we accept this thesis, we are going to accept that no one is responsible to the action. For example, no one is responsible for me choosing the other pair of shoes, simply because it is not, nor my mother’s fault to have a feet size larger than the available sizes for the pair of shoes that I originally wanted. Who or what will be, then, the one responsible for the size of my feet or for the unavailability of the feet size? Nothing could have been done to prevent me from having such feet size—I did not have it out of my own free will. Whatever caused my feet size must be caused by some earlier conditions and factors, which might have extend indefinitely to the past. This is the Determinist view. Does this exactly mean that we are not free? No, this is insufficient. In an argument we must look at the other side to see if it is valid. If there is a Determinist view, there is also a Libertarian view. If the determinist claims that we are powerless on the actions that we do and not do, the libertarian claims that it is within our power to act otherwise than we do. It means that the act depends on us whether we perform it or not. Thus, to say that an action is free is to say that â€Å"we could have done otherwise†, â€Å"that we were free to do otherwise†, and that â€Å"we have the power to do otherwise†. As for my mall-case, I could have chosen to not buy my school stuff than going with my mother. I was free to buy the pair of shoes that I originally wanted, not caring much if ever the shoes are too tight on my feet. I have the power to tell my mother that I don’t want to buy the suggested shoes just because I don’t like it, that I want the former instead. The libertarian holds that people do have free will, that there is free action, and that the thesis of determinism is false. It denies that all human actions are caused. Personally, I don’t think that nothing was done before an action occurred. No, this does not mean that I am on the determinist side, but I am also not saying that I am on the libertarian side. Either to say that â€Å"we are not free† or to deny that â€Å"all human actions are caused† is insufficient. I do not agree when the determinist says that we have no freedom or power to do otherwise, because given my situation above, I was able to make choices. After choices come decisions. It is up to me if I will let myself be bound by the causes, or free myself from it. Probably, if I, or we are going to â€Å"bend† these causes to our own will, we will be able to prove that we are free and are not powerless, unlike the claim of the determinist that we are powerless in everything that we do. Thus, from supervision, I can take and have control over the decision of my actions. On the other hand, to act freely is not to act from an uncaused mental decision, but to act from the necessity of one’s own nature. Human freedom resides in the power of reason to control the emotions because reason is determined not by external causes but from within. Reason, unlike imagination, follows a logical order in ideas. Reason allows us to understand how things follow by necessity from the Divine Nature. As a person grasps the necessity of things an sees reality as a whole, s/he is free, liberated by clear understanding. In the grip of passions, we appear to be the under the power of external forces; but as soon as we form a clear and distinct idea of a passion, it ceases to be one and we are freed. In this way, a clear understanding that all things are necessary gives the mind power over the passions. This understanding, which liberates us from the bondage of the passions, at the same time instills in us an intellectual love of God’s Nature[4]. Am I free? Yes, I am free. But I am not completely a free being. Our freedom to act does not mean we are completely free to do whatever we want. There are certain laws, rules, and principles in this world that we need to follow. Of course, we can do whatever we want, as long as we do not affect negatively the others around us. Spinoza might have stated that we should realize our limitations because only through that we could obtain happiness. I think that being limited to a certain aspect would mean that one is not free.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Student Classification

THE TYPES OF TODAY’S STUDENTS According to my short observation in several universities, there are five unique types of today’s students that intersting to be discussed. The first is Bugscreen students. Today is a computerized era. So, there is no bookworm anymore. Students like to read literatures on internet through handphone, mini tab, or notebook better than to read a book in a library. It is more cool and can open two or more windows at once. It is booming as the booming of social media on internet and also as the great number of inexpensive unlimited internet service package in our country.The second is Democrazy students. This student never come late to join on demonstration. They do not care whatever the topic and like to scream aloud like a madman. Their power is also magic, can break auto glasses, pull out the road sign, etc. Nevertheless, they are running away when the police come.. ^_^. The third is Geesmart (geeky but smart) student. Usually wearing glasses , long sleeve shirt, cloth pants, but wear basketball shoes ^_^ . He/she is always in the front seat, even more fore from the lecturer desk ^_^. Even clever, he/she is geeky.. so easy if asked to do an assignment or giving cheat during exam ^_^.The fourth is Bohay students. They are favorite students of the man lecturers ^_^. Usually have plump body and wear a very tight clothes, consequently it looks â€Å"Pletat-pletot† in all parts of their body. Nevertheless, they are still desperated to wear it ^_^. The fifth is Quasi-activist students. Some of their characteristics are like carrying loudspeaker or whistles anywhere ^_^, like to provoke other students (such as invites demo, etc), rarely come to the class, even come, it only when an exams are held. Thanks.. ———————– Name: Nakrowi NIM: 110401090181 Class: F11R2 Subject: Writing II

Friday, September 13, 2019

Problems and Opportunities Facing Les Gourmands Specialty Chocolates Essay

Problems and Opportunities Facing Les Gourmands Specialty Chocolates - Essay Example One major reason for the reduced holiday and special occasion sales potential for top end chocolates is the major growth of internet and catalog sales. It is much more convenient for many buyers, particularly the wealthy who prefer to avoid shopping your firm might want to consider issuing a holiday catalog or similar sales promotional device, but it is good to proceed with â€Å"all deliberate speed,† as the saying goes; do not rush into too many new approaches at once. In developing an internet sales approach, you will need a catchy and distinctive slogan for your chocolates, as well as perhaps some distinctive products to sell. Given the new focus on the health value of chocolates as a source of anti-oxidants comparable to red wine, you might consider a slogan such as LES GOURMANDS CHOCOLATES – AS GREAT FOR YOUR HEALTH AS FOR YOUR PALATE. Perhaps that is a bit wordy, but It gives you an idea. Be careful, of course, not to infringe on any copyrighted slogans of any other chocolate companies. You may want to retain an advertising firm to assist with the entire new marketing approach you will want to additional suggestions which I will make below. Chocolate makers who developed their skills during the era when the product was primarily directed to those with children, or those wanting traditional gifts, may be ill-suited to the new approaches required for real growth today. at their first opportunity. You alone should, therefore, do the final interviewing, but using some questions provided by the personnel recruiters dealing with loyalty. You may also want to institute a personnel testing system to provide additional information on job candidates.

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Feminism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Feminism - Essay Example That function gives women such wisdom and power as no male ever can possess. When women can support themselves, have their entry to all the trades and professions, with a house of their own over their heads and a bank account, they will own their bodies and be dictators in the social realm. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, 1890 (Banner, 1980) The activists for women's rights in the nineteenth century may have read Godey's Lady's Book and the same domestic novels as their neighbors, but they believed that women's moral superiority justified their working for women's equality inside and outside the home. Why did they challenge the prevailing restrictions on women How did their own experiences in the family lead them to a feminist consciousness How did their domestic experiences shape their feminist thought and action Family issues--women's property rights, child custody, marriage, reproductive control, and divorce--were central to the early women's rights advocates' understanding of women's oppression. The Declaration of Sentiments passed in 1848 at Seneca Falls, New York, as well as the resolutions passed at other women's rights conventions, reflected the centrality of these concerns. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, along with many Quakers and Spiritualists, were the strongest advocates for marriage reform, both before and after the Civil War, when the women's rights movement as a whole narrowed its platform to concentrate on the vote. This emphasis on family issues stemmed from the supporters' own domestic experiences--empowering as well as restrictive--and from their outrage over the victimization of other women by abusive husbands. Aware of the precariousness of women's covert domestic power, many early activists for women's rights forged a feminist agenda designed to benefit women and their familie s. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Lucy Stone, Antoinette Brown Blackwell, and other notable feminists who were dismayed by the slow progress of achieving public power sought to apply feminist principles in their own lives. They pursued two major alternative strategies: combining marriage, motherhood, and careers; or choosing single celibate lives dedicated to reform (Banner, 1980). Many early advocates for women's rights came to a feminist consciousness as they perceived the disparities between their own experiences as wives and mothers and the cultural ideals of true womanhood. Some of them came to an awareness of their subordination when they were discriminated against in the abolitionist and temperance movements. In these movements they gained valuable political organizing experience through public speaking, lobbying, and petition campaigns. For others their feminist consciousness stemmed from their experiences as Quakers and Spiritualists. Women spoke in Quaker meetings, became ministers, held separate business meetings, and had equal educational opportunities. Feminists against the Traditional Family Certain topics were almost universally taboo in nineteenth-century America. Even husbands and their wives avoided discussing sex, homosexuality, prostitution, insanity, illegitimate children, birth control, and suicide. In a time when nudity was considered indecent, Hiram Powers's statue of a nude female titled Greek Slave caused uproar. Some museums had a "ladies hour" when women could view the statue