Monday, September 30, 2019

Sex’ vs ‘Sexuality

Assembling an Understanding of ‘Sex’ Verses ‘Sexuality’ â€Å"Biologists and psychologists who have accepted the doctrine that the only natural function of sex is reproduction have simply ignored the existence of sexual activity which is not reproductive† Alfred Kinsey (The Invention of Sexuality 40) The terms ‘sex’ and ‘sexuality’ have not always had a clear differentiation, but as the study of sexuality (sexology) has continued and become more commonly studied and recognized, these terms have adapted their own definitions.However, each does not have a perfect definition, because people will have their own opinions regarding the terms. The above quote by a historian of sex was interesting to me because it brings up the aspect of biology within the understanding of the terms ‘sex’ and ‘sexuality’. My personal idea, or understanding, is that ‘sex’ constitutes the more biological side†” ones physical features, gender, reproduction (‘sex’ is also the abbreviation for sexual intercourse); and the term ‘sexuality’ makes up everything else that surrounds an individual’s definition of their sexual identity, orientation, and feelings.When reading articles online, I came across this quote: â€Å"sexuality is about who or what you are attracted to, not where you put your dick† (bitheway), which I found to be a very blunt but interesting way to think about what constitutes ‘sexuality’. â€Å"Where you put your †¦Ã¢â‚¬  is your personal preference, but that preference is a compilation of the aspects of one’s personal world and how they have come to define and understand their individual inclination. All of the parts that are compiled in order to form ones individual definition are aspects of ‘sexuality’ within our culture.Another page online gives definitions for ‘sex’ and Ã¢â‚¬Ë œsexuality’ that I have found to be the most clear and complete: Sex refers to whether or not a person is male or female, whether a person has a penis or vagina. Sexuality refers to the total expression of who you are as a human being, your femaleness or your maleness†¦ Your sexuality is an interplay between body image, gender identity, gender role, sexual orientation, eroticism, genitals, intimacy, relationships, and love and affection†¦ includes his or her attitudes, values, knowledge and behaviors.How people express their sexuality is influenced by their families, culture, society, faith and beliefs. (Sex and Sexuality: Understanding the Differences) The influence from all aspects of our lives that guide us to define our sexuality is a major component in sexology. The italicized words in the definition above are some I think are very significant in understanding what constitutes ‘sexuality’.Since the study of sex started to dramatically change, there has been more understanding within so many topics of sexuality, such as gender (roles and variance), marriage and the family, homosexuality, heterosexuality, bisexuality, intersex, trans-gender/sex/vestite, evolution of sexual identities, legal and medical regulation, religious roles/codes, phallocentricism, women’s bodies and health, illegitimacy, â€Å"and the importance of social networks and oppositional sexualities† (The Invention of Sexuality 39).This is only the first week that I have studied sexuality and culture in an educational environment, and after enjoying many sources of new material I have begun to compile my own understanding of ‘sex’ and ‘sexuality’, which is just the beginning of my learning on the subject. One of the most important aspects to take away from these introductory lessons is how grand of a role society and culture have on sexuality.It is so important to be aware of and take into account culture’s influen ce on sexuality now and within the history of sex. In our US society (and this is a generalization) some vital influences are class, race/ethnicity, gender, age, family history and how one was raised, physical ability, religion and region. Now that I have collected a better understanding of ‘sex’ and ‘sexuality’ as educational terms, I can further my knowledge of everything that makes up sexuality within cultures around the world.Bitheway. Sex Verses Sexuality. Bi The Way: An exploration of Male Bisexuality. 6 May 2008. http://www. bitheway. co. uk/2008/05/06/sex-versus-sexuality/. Sex and Sexuality: Understanding the Differences (Learning Activity). RECAPP 2007-2009. http://www. etr. org/recapp/index. cfm? fuseaction=pages. LearningActivitiesDeta il&PageID=167 The Invention of Sexuality. Sexual Lives: A Reader on the Theories and Realities of Human Sexualities. McGraw-Hill, 2003.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

James Jarvis Essay

In Alan Paton’s Cry, the Beloved Country there is two protagonists, Reverend Stephen Kumalo, and James Jarvis. Both characters play significant roles to the story but James Jarvis’ situation is noteworthy and inspirational. James is an influential, dynamic character because his opinion dramatically changes upon reading his son’s manuscript. A series of events influences James to shift his mindset into the mindset of his son. An analysis on James Jarvis’ changing mindset reveals that his son’s manuscript, realizing his shortcomings, and Reverend Kumalo are all things that cause him to change drastically. When James’ son, Arthur, dies he visits Arthur’s home and finds his incomplete manuscript. When reading his writings, James finds that his son would have risked anything to help other people, and ended up doing just that. Although James is hurt by the fact that Arthur writes about his parents in a negative way â€Å"..But of South Africa I learned nothing at all.† (207), James takes the criticism and improves from it by continuing his son’s battle. James discovers that his son researches tremendously on the problems of their society, and was seeking help in the development of the social structure in South Africa. Arthur’s house contains hundreds of books and â€Å"†¦between the books there were four pictures, of Christ crucified, and Abraham Lincoln, and the white gabled house of Vergelegen, and a painting of leafless willows by a river in a wintry veld.† (176) From these pictures of Jesus, Lincoln, the gabled hose, and the leafless will ow discloses the symbolism that Arthur admires. Jesus and Lincoln were men of action; they showed love for their friends, and at the same time, their enemies. These two men suffered and died for their beliefs, the same way Arthur did. A water willow represents freedom, therefore, it can be concluded that the painting of the leafless willows represents a loss of freedom for the blacks in South Africa and how Arthur wants to gain their freedom back and help them get equal rights. When his son is shot and killed, James gets to finally know and understand him and his values. â€Å"Jarvis filled his pipe slowly, and listened to the tale of his, to this tale of a stranger† (172). James reads his sons speeches and understands his country’s segregation, relieving him of his ignorance. This comparison enables James to better understand his son and realize how concerned and devoted Arthur was for a change in humanity. After James discovers his son’s views, James starts to realize his shortcomings, and realizes that the problems of others and not only of his own. James begins to help the minority. Since his son’s death and the acquaintance of Stephen, James donates 1000 pounds to the African boy’s club. Jarvis is not just giving the money as a gift; instead he gives the money to the club because he knew the club would improve the country’s condition. Using his son’s views again, James decides to do something about Kumalo’s village, which is falling apart. He sends milk for the children, an agricultural expert, and builds a church for Ndotsheni. James builds the church because the current church in Ndotsheni is old. James and Stephen both live in the farming areas of South Africa, share the love for the same land, and what is in their lives. They each have a son of whom they consider a stranger but after they lose their sons, they begin to understand them. They both learn the problems in South Africa through their sons, and after realization, they both try to do something to improve the social, and racial differences which plague Johannesburg. Both men are strong but James Jarvis has to be the strongest for his ability to take his son’s death the way he does. Instead of being an irate, cruel, sorrowful man; he picks up where his son left off. It’s realistic that James can be forgiving to Stephen even though he is the father of Absalom, the boy who killed Arthur Jarvis. James Jarvis reacts this way because he doesn’t want anyone else to experience the same thing that happened to him; instead he wants to fix the problem before it occurs again. When his son is shot and killed, James finally gets to know and understand him and his values. â€Å"Jarvis filled his pipe slowly, and listened to the tale of his son, to this tale of a stranger† (172). He reads his sons speeches and understands his country’s segregation, relieving him of his ignorance. James Jarvis was a dynamic character that changes throughout the novel. The representation shows how South African problems educated James Jarvis, and turned him into an understanding, and influential man. If Arthur Jarvis had never been killed, James Jarvis would’ve not been educated by his son’s writings or by Stephen Kumalo.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Stem Cell Science Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Stem Cell Science - Case Study Example While many teams carry on to improve and develop the role played by bone marrow and cord blood stem cells in their frontline uses in blood and immune ailments, several others are considering to increase the uses of the different types of stem cells for instance, embryonic stem cell that can be used in the curing of diabetes. On the 16th April 2009, Dr. Carlos EB Couri and associates from the College of SÃ £o Paulo carried out an experiment to show how stem cell transplants can aid patients with diabetes. The study involved 23 patients with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes, a medical condition in which the human immune structure quickly destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. The stem cell transplants seemingly work by rearranging the immune scheme so that the body halts attacking the pancreas. The study used follow-up figures on 16 patients who were initially transplanted with stem cells in an experiment that was earlier conducted and published in 2007, and then joined it with eight more recruits who joined the study up to 2008. The scientists had follow-up data for at least seven and 58 months on all the 23 patients who received the transplant. In the findings, they established that 20 patients with no prior ketoacidosis and had no use of corticosteroids throughout the preparative routinebecame free of insulin injections. Twelve patients continued to be insulin-free for a mean period of about 30 months, despite eight patients reverted and restarted insulin use however at a lower dose. Wainwright, S., Williams, C., Michael, M., Farsides, B., & Cribb, A. (2006). From bench to bedside? Biomedical scientists’ expectations of stem cell science as a future of therapy for diabetes. Social Science & Medicine , 63,

Friday, September 27, 2019

Hat do you think is the most important economic issue facing the Assignment

Hat do you think is the most important economic issue facing the United States today - Assignment Example aced in procuring jobs this summer, a widespread job loss is still being anticipated even in sectors that are showing promising growth such as manufacturing and construction. This has resulted in many people saving more of what they earn and spending less thus resulting in lesser growth rate. A good stimulus package from the government would help the people to get over the recession period. In addition, employment either on a part-time basis or temporary basis would also help the economy. Surveys have noted that people are opting for a lesser pay-package to boost their family’s income and to reduce debt rather than remaining unemployed. During the recovery phase a better salary package could be provided. The number of part-time workers has increased considerably over the pat two years as more people are opting for the same. More people are also opting for starting a business such as recruitment agencies which has an increased demand at present as more people are approaching su ch firms to help them secure a job. Thus it is vital for people to remain employed to help them during this time of recession. Meanwhile it is up to the government to spend wisely and release the stimulus packages to slow down the recession and boost the

Thursday, September 26, 2019

WK5-Critque Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

WK5-Critque - Essay Example Most of these articrafts were collected and donated by the curator and founder, Dr. David Pilgrim. The Jim Crow museum also owns a website link that serves as a valuable educational resource for research scholars at national as well as international levels. The website is very simple in layout and design. With a bold title description at the top, the format of the articles presents a clear and readable font size with a number of pictorial illustrations. There is no link, advertisement or content pasted on both sides of the article to avoid reader’s distraction. However, one has to move back to the main menu page for navigating to another article or resource. The information is well structured with bullets, numbering and headings for clarity. One of the most notable merits of the presented information is the acknowledgement of the sources in-text as well as at the end of the articles. The sources used are mostly from the scholarly journals and accredited books supporting the au thenticity of the information. Apart from several merits, the update information is not mentioned anywhere for the website or individual resources. The sources for the incorporated images are also not mentioned that makes it difficult for research scholars to track unbiased opinion. However, undoubtedly, the website is serving as a good learning and teaching resource.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

The Time Value of Money Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Time Value of Money - Essay Example However, this is not the case with the $10000 received 3 years from now. Its value will be $10000 only since no interest will be earned as illustrated in the figure below: In short, we can say that "a dollar today is worth more than a dollar one year from now" because the time value of money decreases over time. Why it decreases is the actual question. Interest rate, as we saw above is one apparent reason why money is related to time. Investing the money today would enable you to earn interest, causing it to grow to a larger amount over time. Let us now examine some of the other reasons and their impact on the time value of money. Present value refers to a value that is equal to a value or values in future that have been discounted at relevant interest rate. For example, if you are expected to receive $10000 three years from now, the value of this 10000 today would be $9497 if the interest rate is 5% (PV= FV/ (1 + i )N) ) but if you were to receive $10000 five years from now, the present value would only be $7836.This $9497 at the beginning of the period is equal to $10000 at the end of the three years , showing that the value of money is related to time and therefore, causing the present value of an amount in the future to be less and less, the more you have to wait for it. When you had to wait for 3 years, the present value of $10000 was $9497 but when you had to wait for 5 years, the value of the same $10000 fell to $7836. This process of finding present values from future values is called discounting. The opposite is applicable for compounding. Compounding causes the future value to be larger and larger t han the value today, the longer you have to wait for it because the value of money is related to time as illustrated by the numerical above. 2. Opportunity Cost: The time value of money also includes the concept of opportunity cost or the cost of foregoing the next best alternative. For example, if you decide to get $10000 in three years rather than now, you are foregoing the enjoyment, interest and other benefits you could have acquired by taking it now. How much you will have to forego depends on the interest rate. The higher the interest rate, the greater the interest that you will have to forego and hence, higher your opportunity cost. 3. Annuities: Annuities are a series of payments at regular intervals for a specified number of periods. If for example, you expect to receive the amount $10000 in 4 equal installments of $2500 each for the next 4 years, the present value of this stream of cash flows would amount to $8865 if the interest rate is 5% (PV = PMT [(1 - (1 / (1 + i)n)) / i]) while the future value would amount to $10775 (FV = PMT [((1 + i)n - 1) / i]). However, if the same $10000 was to be paid in 5 equal installments of $2000 each in the next 5 years, the present value would be $8659 and the future value would be $11051.Clearly, the same rules are applicable here and affect the time value of money in the same way. The longer it takes for you to receive your sum of $10000, the lower will be the present value of the annuity and the higher will be the future value. When you had to wa

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

World View Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

World View - Essay Example Culture is quite a flexible and fragile phenomenon, a feature which gives it extensive dynamism. Therefore, it changes easily and can be easily lost because it only exists in the minds of people. Culture determines many aspects of the lives of people. It has a strong influence on government, formal language, architecture, and a host of other products of human creativity (O’Neil, 1 – 4). Human culture occurs in three levels. The first one is the collection of cultural traditions that are unique to a society. An example of this is Japanese culture. The second level of culture is a subculture. In societies composed of groups of people who have come from a number of different parts of the world, individuals usually retain their culture, which distinguishes them from the rest of society. The third level of culture is cultural universals, which consists of behavioral patterns that people learn and collectively share all over the world. Examples of cultural traits characterist ic of cultural universals are; the use of gender and age to classify individuals within the society, and the division of labor on a gender basis (O’Neil, 4 – 7). Mythology Mythology is a body of myths possessed by a particular society. A myth is a narrative of a sacred nature that provides an explanation as to why the humankind or the world transformed to become as it is now. Myths usually contain supernatural characters and religious leaders of the society usually endorse them. Myths are part of the culture of a society and, therefore, play a decisive role in shaping that society’s behavioral patterns. This is especially because they substantially influence a society’s religious beliefs.

Monday, September 23, 2019

Visual Identity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Visual Identity - Essay Example Honestly, when I have looked at the first Apple logo, it becomes clear why the company decided to replace it right away and turn it into more simple and meaningful visual symbol. Initially, over time the Apple logo in its form of apple has changed beginning with a ‘rainbow apple’, than continuing with an aqua color scheme, and ending with white and raw-aluminum color schemes that is well-known for all users now and still remains recognizable and associated in people’s minds with Apple Inc. Yet, the Apple logo has a very symbolical meaning and tells its customers that an apple, being the ‘fruit of the Tree of Knowledge’ gives people an opportunity to cognize science and leave piece of knowledge in own hearts and minds. Thinking about basic design elements and graphic techniques that were used in the creation of this visual identity we can mention that the last polished chrome logo is an ideal variant for a serious computer company, because it has not any extras, while a silvery chrome finish freshens up the icon in the best

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Conflicts Are Important Worksheet Essay Example for Free

Conflicts Are Important Worksheet Essay In this assignment, you must write 300 to 450 words on conflict and conflict management. Record your answers in this worksheet. Part 1: The Five Conflict Types Describe each of the five conflict types using paragraph form. 1. Pseudo conflicts: Pseudo conflicts are imaginary conflicts that are a result of faulty assumptions and false dilemmas (Cheesebro, OConner, Rios, 2010). Many times pseudo conflicts involve two parties with the same views on a subject arguing because they misunderstand or misperceive what the other person is trying to say. 2. Fact conflicts: Fact conflicts arise when two parties disagree about information that can be easily verified or the way it is verified (Cheesebro, OConner, Rios, 2010). 3. Ego conflicts: Ego conflicts usually center on status or power and occur when one party feels as though their opinion or way of doing things is far superior than anyone else (Cheesebro, OConner, Rios, 2010). 4. Value conflicts: Value conflicts usually occur in personal relationships, and arise when someone challenges another’s personal beliefs in which they hold near and dear (Cheesebro, OConner, Rios, 2010). These conflicts can be very intense and long lasting. 5. Need conflicts: Need conflicts arise when the needs of one individual are put before the needs of another or when the needs of each individual are not specifically stated and understood by both parties (Cheesebro, OConner, Rios, 2010). Part 2: The Five Conflict Management Styles Describe each of the five conflict management styles and explain the strengths and weaknesses of each. Use paragraph form. 1. Avoiders: Avoiders steer clear of conflict and simply avoid the issues because they view it as trivial, unimportant, or have no chance of winning the argument. Strengths of avoiding style is to prevent an immediate conflict and weakness is that the conflict will fester longer and remains superficial (Thomas Kilmann, 2014). 2. Accommodators: Accommodators believe conflict is destructive and allow others to determine the outcome (Cheesebro, OConner, Rios, 2010). The strength of using this style is when the issue is not as important to you as it is to the other party and the weakness is you can begin to feel taken advantage of (Thomas Kilmann, 2014). 3. Forcers: Forcers believe winning is everything and employ persuasion with emotional appeals (Cheesebro, OConner, Rios, 2010). This style is best used when your core values need to be defended and weakness is you receive less input and ideas from others (Thomas Kilmann, 2014). 4. Compromisers: Compromisers believe that those involved in the conflict must be ready to give in a little to reach a solution (Cheesebro, OConner, Rios, 2010). This style is best used to achieve temporary settlements to complex issues and weakness is no one really gets what they originally wanted (Thomas Kilmann, 2014). 5. Collaborators: Collaborators believe with hard work, both parties can and will get their needs met (Cheesebro, OConner, Rios, 2010). This style is best used to integrate both sets of concerns and weakness is can take longer to resolve the problem (Thomas Kilmann, 2014). Part 3: Collaborative Communication List two methods of collaborative communication and describe how using them can help you avoid conflicts. Two methods of collaborative communication are social media/software and boards. Social software such as blogs, instant messaging and social networks like Facebook and Twitter, are a great way to allow large groups to receive the same message when they are in many different places (Greene, Crystal, 2014). The use of chalkboards have been replaced by digital or electronic whiteboards and have been used for decades as way to visually demonstrate and communicate ideas that lead to brainstorming and other group collaborations. References Cheesebro, T., OConner, L., Rios, F. (2010). Chapter 7: Conflict Resolution. In Communicating in the Workplace. Pearson Education. Greene, Crystal. (2014). Collaborative Communication Tools. Retrieved from eHOW.com: http://www.ehow.com/list_6828701_collaborative-communication-tools.html Thomas, K., Kilmann, R. (2014). Five Conflict Management Styles. Retrieved from http://www.ntc.edu/studentlifeblog/wp-content/uploads/Handout-Conflict-Management-Styles.pdf

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Effect of Positive and Negitive Thinking Essay Example for Free

Effect of Positive and Negitive Thinking Essay When life gives you lemons, make grape juice, and leave the world wondering how you did it. The effects of both positive and negative thinking affects the world in the same sense, to have been given the different options to see the world and deciding which path to take. With each decision and action is the same as Newton’s law of gravity what goes up must come down, it’s a natural accordance that will continue on in the never ending circle of life. The processes of these thoughts pass from person to person, place to place, and with every situation it changes and grows with life. Throughout life someone somewhere has heard, be it through friends or family, things such as If you think bad thoughts, then youll jinx it or If you think the worst, the worst will happen. Sadly now the world is slowly becoming consumed by more negativity then ever before, making these more then just little wives’ tales and they all start in the mind. When people are negative, either to ones’ self or others, it expands and jumps out. Think of a school environment, on a day-to-day basis, all those people are moving together, all those different personalities are clicking or crashing with one another, and all range of emotions are swirling around, one individual in the group could be having a bad day for a number of reasons, they might unintentionally do or say something that could in turn ruin another individual’s day. In some cases permitting for so many of the negative thoughts that come and go over time can turn from exciting just mentally in the mind, outward to the physical being itself. People who worry or overstress about all the little things that can go wrong or might happen, these are the â€Å"what if† thinkers, have been known to unwillingly force the body to become sick, in order to slow down the thoughts; that is a form of negative thinking attacking the body. In Greek mythology Pandora’s Box was said to have contained all the horrible and negative things of man, Envy, Crime, Hate, and Disease. When Pandora opened the box all of it escaped but the last thing to leave was Hope, the one thing that was meant to go against the darkness, negativity, the hatred of the humans’ lives. There have been quite a number of cases over the years that have reporting’s of people fighting diseases, such as cancer or childhood leukemia, where there have been quotes saying that staying positive and not letting this dieses get them down has helped, along with treatment, to rid the body of the nasty infection causing the unwanted pain and trouble. It can be a challenging and often long battle that tests the person’s ability and desire to live in a way that others will never feel. Those with a positive outlook that have the strength to fight all that comes at them with a smile, strong will, telling them selves â€Å"I can beat this.† have a higher chance of beating the bad blood that runs through the veins and can stay in remission for many years to follow. There have been quite a few cases that the upkeep of positive thinking in one’s daily life as lead to less depression, more immunity toward the common cold, as shown in tests involving students rec eiving an injection that made skin bumps appear and become enlarged or smaller depending upon their level of germ immunity. Highly optimistic students experienced higher immunity levels, and less chance of a cardiovascular disease. Religions use this power of thinking to touch people and to bring, what some call, a light into their worlds. Each person perceives it in a way specific to the individual often calling it what may best befit with their life. The major religion that focuses on the mind set with positive negative comparison is considered the most taboo, Wiccan and Paganism. A law of Wiccans’ is send the positive energy step taken and breath inhaled, which means send the good engery, karma, whatever name chosen, to the children of the world, to other adults, to the families you know and strangers not yet met. It is believed that by doing this the positive energy that gets sent out can come right back ten fold, most call this way of thinking Karma. Christians call it the light of God, a warm sensation that engulfs the body and fills it with joy and most pass the feeling on with the word of God. For every positive there is a negative in the world, just like from the Disney movie Merlin â€Å"for every up there is a down, for every flat there is a round.† it is a never ending cycle that will repeat even once the human race evolves beyond life now. Some people have been known to refer to these as storm clouds, which does fit because of the fact that they bring darkness and destruction when they come, but what they leave behind is not always seen so quickly, like the new life the rain brings, a fire from lightning is natures way of removing the dry and dead plant life and provides space for the new life to come through with more room to grow and expand. It is all a circle and without the negative there is no positive. The human race all around the world is controlled, both knowingly and unknowingly to the individuals of earth, by their mental state of mind, because in the end that’s all it is. The power of the mind has been traced through centuries of cultures and religious views, from the Far East to the New West. Daisaku Ikeda president of the worlds largest Buddhist community, once said â€Å"As soon as you think you cant possibly succeed, every cell in your being will be deflated and give up the fight [and] everything really will move in the direction of failure. Cultures use the power of the mind to breathe life, to live life to the fullest humans can. The processes of these thoughts pass from person to person, place to place, and with every situation it changes and grows with life. Citations Positive Thinking Principles http://www.positive-thinking-principles.com/effects-of-positive-thinking.html Health Effects of Positive Thinking http://www.livestrong.com/article/137643-health-effects-positive-thinking/ Effects of Positive Thinking http://www.the-benefits-of-positive-thinking.com/effects-of-positive-thinking.html Phycology Today http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-source-healing/201202/the-long-lasting-effects-negative-information Welcome to WritePoint, the automated review system that recognizes errors most commonly made by university students in academic essays. The system embeds comments into your paper and suggests possible changes in grammar and style. Please evaluate each comment carefully to ensure that the suggested change is appropriate for your paper, but remember that your instructors preferences for style and format prevail. You will also need to review your own citations and references since WritePoint capability in this area is limited. Thank you for using WritePoint. When life gives you lemons Adora Pallisco February 2, 2013 Com/155 Compare Contrast Essay When life gives you lemons, make grape juice, and leave the world wondering how you did it. The effects of both positive and negative thinking affects the world in the same sense, to have been given the different options to see the world and deciding which path to take. With each decision and action is the same as Newton’s law of gravity what goes up must come down, it’s a natural accordance that will continue on in the never ending circle of life. The processes of these thoughts pass from person to person, place to place, and with every situation it changes and grows with life. Throughout life someone somewhere has heard, be it through friends or family, things such as If you think bad thoughts, then youll jinx it or If you think the worst, the worst will happen. Sadly now the world is slowly becoming consumed by more negativity then ever before, making these more then just little wives’ tales and they all start in the mind. When people are negative, either to ones’ self or others, it expands and jumps out. Think of a school environment, on a day-to-day basis, all those people are moving together, all those different personalities are clicking or crashing with one another, and all range of emotions are swirling around, one individual in the group could be having a bad day for a number of reasons, they might unintentionally do or say something that could in turn ruin another individual’s day. In some cases permitting for so many of the negative thoughts that come and go over time can turn from exciting just mentally in the mind, outward to the physical being [Doctoral rule (but good advice for any academic writer)If not a noun (as in human being), the word Being is hard to imagine; it means existing. Try to rewrite this without using beingwith action words like attending, working, living, experiencing, simply asor even removing being completely] itself. People who worry or overstress about all the little things that can go wrong or might happen, these are the â€Å"what if† thinkers, have been known to unwillingly force the body to become sick, in order to slow down the thoughts; that is a form of negative thinking attacking the body. In Greek mythology Pandora’s Box was said to have contained all the horrible and negative things of man, Envy, Crime, Hate, and Disease. When Pandora opened the box all of it escaped but the last thing to leave was Hope, the one thing that was meant to go against the darkness, negativity, the hatred of the humans’ lives. There have been quite a number of cases over the years that have reporting’s of people fighting diseases, such as cancer or childhood leukemia, where there have been quotes saying that staying positive and not letting this dieses get them down has helped, along with treatment, to rid the body of the nasty infection causing the unwanted pain and trouble. It can be a challenging and often long battle that tests the person’s ability and desire to live in a way that others will never feel. Those with a positive outlook that have the strength to fight all that comes at them with a smile, strong will, telling them selves â€Å"I can beat this.† have a higher chance of beating the bad blood that runs through the veins and can stay in remission for many years to follow. There have been quite a few cases that the upkeep of positive thinking in one’s daily life as lead to less depression, more immunity toward the common cold, as shown in tests involving students receiving an injection that made skin bumps appear and become enlarged or smaller depending upon their level of germ immunity. Highly optimistic students experienced higher immunity levels, and less chance of a cardiovascular disease. Religions use this power of thinking to touch people and to bring, what some call, a light into their worlds. Each person perceives it in a way specific to the individual often calling it what may best befit with their life. The major religion that focuses on the mind set with positive negative comparison is considered the most taboo, Wiccan and Paganism. A law of Wiccans’ is send the positive energy step taken and breath inhaled, which means send the good engery, karma, whatever name chosen, to the children of the world, to other adults, to the families you know and strangers not yet met. It is believed that by doing this the positive energy that gets sent out can come right back ten fold, most call this way of thinking Karma. Christians call it the light of God, a warm sensation that engulfs the body and fills it with joy and most pass the feeling on with the word of God. For every positive there is a negative in the world, just like from the Disney movie Merlin â€Å"for every up there is a down, for every flat there is a round.† it is a never ending cycle that will repeat even once the human race evolves beyond life now. Some people have been known to refer to these as storm clouds, which does fit because of the fact that they bring darkness and destruction when they come, but what they leave behind is not always seen so quickly, like the new life the rain brings, a fire from lightning is natures way of removing the dry and dead plant life and provides space for the new life to come through with more room to grow and expand. It is all a circle and without the negative there is no positive. The human race all around the world is controlled, both knowingly and unknowingly to the individuals of earth, by their mental state of mind, because in the end that’s all it is. The power of the mind has been traced through centuries of cultures and religious views, from the Far East to the New West. Daisaku Ikeda president of the worlds largest Buddhist community, once said â€Å"As soon as you think you cant possibly succeed, every cell in your being will be deflated and give up the fight [and] everything really will move in the direction of failure. Cultures use the power of the mind to breathe life, to live life to the fullest humans can. The processes of these thoughts pass from person to person, place to place, and with every situation it changes and grows with life.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Information System Market

Information System Market To be successful in todays competitive market place, organizations need access to a business information system that produce accurate and targeted information about customers, markets and competitors. Information system is a combination of people, hardware, software, communication devices, networks and data resources that processes data and information for a specific purpose. The system needs inputs from users to process it using technology devices such as computers to produces output that will be sent to another user or other system via a network and receives a feedback method that controls the operation. Information system helps organization processes and operates its daily works more accurately and easily. The vast majority of information system are developed for and used by people in functional areas To develop information system that addresses the needs of the organization, information system management professionals must process a solid mix of business and technical knowledge. System Theory: A system is an organized collection of subsystems that are highly integrated to accomplish an overall goal. The system has various inputs, which go through certain processes to produce certain outputs which together accomplish the overall desired goal for the system, Clark (1994). Systems range from simple to complex. Complex systems are comprised of numerous subsystems that are arranged in hierarchies and integrated to accomplish the overall goal of the system. Each subsystem has its own boundaries of sorts and includes various inputs, processes, outputs and outcomes geared to accomplish an overall goal for the subsystem. Complex systems usually interact with their environments and are thus open systems. A high functioning system continually exchange feedback among its various parts to ensure that they remain closely aligned and focused on achieving the goal of the system. If any of the parts or activities in the system seems weakened or misaligned, the system makes necessary adjust ments to more effectively achieve its goals. System theory helps managers view the organizations from a broader perspective that include structures, patterns and events rather than just the events themselves. This is what is known as system thinking which is used as a tool for system analysis. Trendy Garments Ltd (TGL) is a complex set of interdependent subsystems such as Accounting, Marketing, HRM, Design, Sales, Purchase and Warehousing, Manufacturing, logistics and Dispatch that work collaboratively to accomplish the organizations goal which is manufacturing and selling various types of male and female garments. TGL is an open system that takes in resources and information from its environment, processes them in different ways and returns a range of products to individuals and systems in its environment. It is highly dependent on its environment for survival. TGL system characteristics: Input: TGL take in financial resources mainly from selling its products. Another vital form of input for TGL system is information such as market research data, political, business and customers needs and expectations. Buying products from fabric supplier can be considered as an important input. Process or throughput: In this organization, the subsystems have very specialized functions and their works include several processes that are both distinct and interdependent. For example, the purchase department and warehouse receive input in the form of fabric, through individual effort and group works; they turn the fabric into beautiful garments. The marketing department uses research data to create effective advertisement with the intent to generate revenue. Another important type of organizational throughput is the work of coordinating individual and subsystems effort toward the goal of producing output. This work may be done through formal processes such as staff meetings, planning and decision- making, communication between the departments, discussing and working together. Output: The most obvious output of TGL organization is manufacturing and selling female and male garments. Another output is advertisement of TGLs products in the market. Introducing changes in the organization based on the market needs is another important output. Environment: According to open system theory, TGL interacts with its environment in a complex series of interrelated loops such as individuals, increased use of information system by all business organizations, change in customers needs and demands, change in business political rules and policies, competitors, suppliers , contact with local, national and international retailers and whole sellers and expansion of the business. Their success depends on how well their characteristics and behavior align with their environment. Feedback: Completing the cycle, TGL receives feedback from its environment about its product and services in the forms of sale figures, business reviews, expansion of business, increase in number of employees and marketing search. Individual subsystems may also receive feedback from their immediate environments inside the organization. This information serves as new input and becomes part of a new cycle and potentially shapes future actions. Goal: TGLs main goal is to produce the top quality garments for male and female that meets their needs and expectation and has a very well known reputation in the market. In each system, the information flow between the system and its subsystems should be clear and simple in order to perform its daily work. There is always interrelated communications and integration between all subsystems in the organization, Brynjolfssn Mendelson (1993). Managers cannot look at each department separately. They should recognize the various parts of the organization and in particular, the interrelations of the parts. For instance, the coordination of the central office with other departments, communication between purchasing department and warehousing department, integration between purchasing department and manufacturing department, coordination between accounting department and purchasing department and so on. This coordination occurs also between the sections of each department. Therefore, we can see that the inputs of one department can be an output for another department and vice versa. Computer Networking: It is the practice of linking two or more computing devices together for the purpose of sharing data. Networks are built with a mix of computer hardware and computer software. Networking enables people within your business to work with each other and with other people in other locations and other businesses. It enables contact in entirely new ways and entirely new levels across the offices and right around the world. Computer networks allow the users to access remote programs and remote database either of the same organization or from other enterprises. It provides communication possibilities faster than other facilities. Beside these reasons, computer networks reduce costs by sharing hard and software resources. It also has high reliability by having multiple source of supply and having greater flexibility because of possibility to connect devices from various venders. Because of the importance of this technology, decisions of purchase, structure and operation of computer networks c annot be left to technical staff. Management as well has a critical need for understanding the technology of computer network. Good computer network prevents defects in the system and system down all the time, is secure and prevents hackers. Computer networks fall into two main types: client/server networks and peer to peer networks. A client/server networks use one or more dedicated server to share the files, printers and applications. Peer to peer networks allow any user to share files with any other user and doesnt require a central dedicated server. The most common networks are Local Area Networks (LAN), Wide Area Networks (WAN) and Internet. Since TGL is a growing organization, it is in great need for these networks to achieve its goals. TGL needs both LANs and WANs. LAN connects departments in the same area together to share files, work on projects, send instant massages and e-mail massages simultaneously. WANs connect multiple LANs together, usually over large distance. To networks everyone together, servers, router, core switch, switches, fire wall and personal computers are needed. The most suitable design for TGL is client/server network. The system will be used by programming language connected data base. This is easier to implement data, more secure, efficient, time consuming and friendly use for end users. The program must be custom system so that it can be changed based on changes in environment of TGL and can be developed when necessary. The system and data base in the server will be shared between clients and admin. Microsoft windows 2003 will be used for the server and Vista or XP for the client. .net program ming language provided with SQL server 2005 is needed. After installing the system, create network accounts for the users (names, passwords). Passwords will be saved in data base. Users should be in data base to use the system. For security purpose, log in appears each time the user open the system. The menu contains each departments and it is friendly use. Create areas on shared disk drives for users to share data files and programs. Each department has its own data base and there is connection between each department data base using data base relation. Users can add, delete and make search according to the organizations policy while administrators have access to everything in the system and can perform all the related functions. Topology refers to the way in which the network of the computers is connected. Each topology is suited to specific task and has its own advantages and disadvantages. The choice of topology is dependent upon: type and number of equipment being used, planned application and rate of data transfer, required response time and cost. There are four major topologies, bus, tree, ring and star. Most networking software support all topologies. Topologies are an important part of network design theory. Therefore, any organization should select the one that best fit its purpose. The best topology for this network would be star topology. Star topology is designed with each node (file server, workstation and peripherals) connected directly to a central network hub. Data on a star network passes through the hub before continuing to its destination. The hub manages and controls all functions of the network. It also acts as a repeater for the data flow. This configuration is common with twisted pair c able. Star topology is easy to install and wire, no disruptions to the network then connecting or removing devices, easy to detect faults and to remove parts, easy to add new workstations, centralized control and centralized network/hub monitoring and prevent traffic collision in data. However, it requires more cable length, if the hub fails, nodes attached are disabled, and more expensive. The protocols used with star configuration are usually Ethernet or Local Talk. Accounting and HRM systems: Accounting information system uses modern information technology resources to provide users with the financial information necessary to manage their organizations. Accounting information systems cover all business functions from backbone accounting transaction processing systems to sophisticated financial management planning and processing systems. The module that you install will depend on factors such as the size and complexity of your organization, your existing financial systems and the expertise of your accounting staff. You have to ensure that your organizations financial system is handling all its functions. Your goal is to keep your system as simple as possible while meeting your current and potential needs, Elliott (2004). Be sure to take future growth into consideration and evaluate whether you can modify a software package by adding additional modules in the future if the organization expands or you need to revise the system. Modules include: System manager: control the computerized accounting system. General ledger: receives entries from other modules, creates key financial documents such as balance sheets, lets users amend information previously posted, records financial transactions not recorded in other modules, creates budgets which allows an organization to track differences between planned and actual business results and creates detailed audit trials. Accounts receivable: handles the reporting of income owed to an organization from sales, responsible for billing clients, recognizes deposits to bank accounts, usually maintains the master files about customers, has the capacity to print out a list of all money due, identifies the source and notes how long the debt has been outstanding. Accounts payable: handles the reporting of money due to others, may have the capacity to print computer-generated checks to vendors, maintains master records, permits posting of immediate payments, allows an organization to recognize expenditures and update budgets at the purchase order stage, recognizes costs when the invoice is posted. Inventory: updates inventory stocks and prices when goods are received, reduces inventories at the time of sale, links the purchase order system to show goods on order, alerts staff when goods need to be reordered. Fixed assets: tracks key information such as cost, date when put in service, title holder and useful life of fixed assets, may also track model and serial numbers, location, identification tag number, warranty, service information and vendor. To be able to manage a company efficiently, one should always have full information about each particular business process and the whole company. Accounting cannot always provide top manager with such information because it focuses mostly on the needs of external entities. The purpose of management accounting is to provide full and trustworthy information necessary for making correct management decisions and plans. The management accounting reflects all factual expenses and revenues of the organization so a top manager can get a clear picture of the organization operation and make reasonable decisions. Modules include: Staff/organizational structure management module reflects the organizational structure in the automated system. Departments, sub-departments, and positions are formed according to the company staff list. The staff manager gets the necessary tools for performing their tasks: inputting and accounting the company staff information. Production management module contains tools for working with the information about all production process components, projects, developers and financial documents. Customer relationship module is a set of programming interfaces for entering and managing information about organizations customers. Revenues/expenses analysis module is a data analysis tool that is necessary to the company managers of all levels. Especially important is the financial accounting because it is the financial analysis that helps determine the companys financial situation and success. Reporting module creates individual reports at the top managers request apart from the general usual, regulated reports. Accounting interfacing module exports the necessary data from management accounting system to the external accounting software. Human resource management allows enterprises to automate many aspects of human resource management with the dual benefits of reducing the workload of HR department as well as increasing the efficiency of the department by standardizing HR processes, Stalinski, (2004). The HR department plays a vital role in ensuring the smooth running of an enterprise. Modules include: Payroll module automates the payroll process allowing HR to ensure that payroll functions are completed on time and without errors. Time and labour management module is designed to collate and analyze employee timekeeping information in the processes of organizational cost accounting. By sourcing data directly from the timekeeping devices and methods used to calculate payroll, this module can provide management with valuable data regarding the use of labour resources within the enterprise. Benefit administration module provides the personnel with the capacity to monitor and manage employees participation in a range of benefits programs such as health insurance, pension schemes and profit sharing. HR management module provides a range of HR solutions ranging from analyses of application data through to the basic demographic data of employees. Electronic business: E-business means using the internet or related technologies for any of business operation. This includes managing internal processes such as human resources, financial and administration systems as well as external processes such as sales and marketing, supply of goods and services and customer relationships. The emerging e-business market affords companies of all sizes and types the opportunity to leverage their existing assets, employees, technology infrastructure and information to gain or maintain market share, Li (2007). TGL can run its business more efficiently, achieve more with fewer resources and for less cost using e-business. This can be accomplished by integrating business system and eliminating duplication of efforts. Using e-business can make TGL administrative and operational activities more efficient through accessing the internet to source information about the industry, suppliers and products and fro general search, streaming traditional physical transactions into electronic transactions, human resources management, customer relationship management and using appropriate project management software. By selling products and services online, an e-business is able to reach a much wider consumers base than any traditional store could ever hope for. An e-business may also use the internet to acquire wholesale products or supplies for in-house production. In addition to buying and selling products, e-business may also handle other traditional business aspects. The use of electronic chat as a fo rm of technical and customer support is an excellent example of this. Using e-mail and private websites as a method for dispensing internal memos is another use of the internet by e-business. Rather than producing time-intensive and costly physical copies for each employee, a central server or e-mail list can serve as an efficient method for distributing necessary information. To remain viable, e-business must adjust to evolving technologies, continually integrate new systems and satisfy a wide variety of consumers. If a business fails to do so, its customers do not have far to go to buy from competitors. According to Walsh, e-business tools include mobile phones, personal digital assistance (PDA), electronic data interchange, file transfer, facsimile and video conferencing, internets, intranets and extranets. Activities that can be performed using e-business tools include: trading of goods or services online, electronic retailing, use of the internet, intranets or extranets to conduct research and manage business activities, web site marketing, online communications such as e-mail and online training for staff. The way in which you manage your business relationships through e-business is known as: Business to business (B2B) where organizations trade with each other electronically. Business to consumer (B2C) where organizations communicate directly with customers electronically. Consumer to consumer (C2C) where consumers meet in a virtual environment to share information. TGL can use e-business to communicate with customers, members or suppliers via e-mail, send e-mails to other organizations to order products and services, sell or promote their products, or services via their Web site, use the web to find information such as prices, use the web for research, such as the latest trends, use their Web site as a means of managing the information in their business and use the internet for online banking and paying bills. To implement e-business strategies, a portal is needed. A portal represents a Web site that provides a single point of access to applications and information that can be hosted on one or many servers. Portals are becoming more and more important to companies such as TGL who have an ever-increasing need to provide employees, partners and customers with an integrated view of applications, information and business processes. Portals meets these needs by allowing companies to build Web sites that combine functionality and resources into a single interface while enforcing business policies, processes and security requirements and providing personalized views of information to end users. A portal is the best solution when a company has the need for several types of Web presence: an intranet for its employees, a secure site for interactions with partners and a public Web site, White (2001). Portal sites offer visitors the chance to find almost anything they are looking for in one place. They often provide news, sports, and weather information as well as the ability to search the web. Horizontal portals are that aggregate information on a broad range of topics. Vertical portals are more specific because they offer a great deal of information pertaining to a single area of interest and this is what is needed for TGL. Portals that link consumers to online merchants, online shopping malls and auction sites provide several advantages. These portals help users collect information on products and services thus facilitating comparison shopping. Conclusion: Information Systems Management is the application of information technology to support the major functions and activities of any business organization. ISM supports the process of collection, manipulation, storage, distribution and utilization of an organizations information resources, Mursu (2007). ISM managers and professionals must stay up-to-date with evolving information technologies and have a solid foundation of technical skills to select appropriate technologies and to implement computer-based information systems. Thus, ISM people must be well versed in topics such as systems development tools and techniques, information architecture, network configurations, databases, and systems integration. They must understand organizational structures, objectives, operations including processes and flow of data between processes and the financial implications related to these factors. Only by understanding these factors can an ism professional committee communicate effectively with users and then design systems that support their needs. References: Brynjolfsson. F, Mendelson. H. (1993) Information System and the Organization of Modern Enterprise. Journal of Organisational Computing. Clark, R. (1994) The Path of Development of Strategic Information System Theory. http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/SOS/StratISTh.html Elliott, G. (2004) Global Business Information Technology. Addison Wesley, Harlow, England. http://www.Network Organizations.htm Kurtyka, J. (2003) The limits of business intelligence: An Organizational Learning Approach. DM Review. pp. 36-41. Li, F. (2007) What is e-business and does it still matter? International Journal of Information Technology and Management. Vol. 6, no. 2. pp. 125-137. Mursu, A. etal (2007) Activity Theory in information system research and practice: theoretical underpinnings for an information systems development model. IR information research. Vol. 12, no. 3. Stalinski, S. (2004) Organizational Intelligence: A System Perspective. Organizational Development Journal. Vol. 22, No. 2. Walsh, B. Building e-business plan for an e-commerce project networking computing. http://www.networkcomputing.com/917/917f2.html White, C. (2001) The evolution of e-business portal. DM Review Magazine. http://www.the Evolution of the E-Business Portal.html

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Intel Knows Best? A Major Marketing Mistake :: essays research papers

INTEL Knows Best? A Major Marketing Mistake Problem Statement When Thomas Nicely, a mathematician at Lynchburg College in Virginia, first went public with the fact that Intel's new Pentium chip was defective Intel admitted to the fact that it had sold millions of defective chips, and had known about the defective chips for over four months. Intel said its reasoning for not going public was that most people would never encounter any problems with the chip. Intel said that a spreadsheet user doing random calculations would only have a problem every 27,000 years, therefore they saw no reason to replace all of the defective chips. However if a user possessed a defective chip and could convince Intel that his or her calculations were particularly vulnerable to the flaw in the defective chip then Intel it would supply those people with a new chip. This attitude of 'father knows best' fostered by Intel created an uproar among users and owners of the defective chips. Six weeks after Mr. Nicely went public, IBM, a major purchaser of Pentium chips, stopped all shipments of computers containing the defective Pentium chips. Intel's stock dropped 5% following this bold move by IBM. IBM's main contention was that it puts its customers first, and Intel was failing to do this. Intel's handling of this defective chip situation gives rise to many questions. During the course of this paper I will address several of them. The first of which is how did a company with such a stellar reputation for consumer satisfaction fall into the trap that the customer does not know best? Secondly, what made this chip defect more of a public issue than other defective products manufactured and sold to the public in the past? Finally, how did Intel recover from such a mistake? How much did it cost them and what lessons can other companies learn from Intel's marketing blunder so that they do not make the same mistake? Major Findings Intel is spearheaded by a chief executive named Andrew Grove. Grove is a "tightly wound engineering Ph.D. who has molded the company in his image. Both the secret of his success and the source of his current dilemma is an anxious management philosophy built around the motto 'Only the paranoid survive'." However, even with this type of philosophy the resulting dominance he has achieved in the computer arena cannot be overlooked. Intel practically dominates the computer market with $11.5 billion in sales. Intel has over 70% of the $11 billion microprocessor market, while it's Pentium and 486 chips basically control the IBM-compatible PC market. All of these factors have

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Symbolism in Hills Like White Elephants, by Ernest Hemingway Essay exam

In a well-written short story, different literary elements and terms are incorporated into the story by the author. Ernest Hemingway frequently uses various literary elements in his writing to entice the reader and enhance each piece that he writes. In Hills Like White Elephants, Hemingway uses symbols to teach the reader certain things that one may encounter during daily life. Symbolism may be defined as relating to, using, or proceeding by means of symbols (Princeton). The use of symbols in Hills Like White Elephants is utterly important to the plot line and to the fundamental meaning of the story. Through this use of symbolism, the reader can begin to reveal the hidden themes in this short story. Hemingway provides the reader with insight into this story, before it is even read, through the title. The girl in the story mentions the hills that can be seen from the train station and describes them as looking like white elephants. Jig is at a crossroads in her life, accompanied by her partner. She is pregnant and cannot decide whether to choose life for the baby, or to get an abortion. Throughout the story, she experiences persistent uncertainty over what she wants to do with her life. Whatever decision she makes will have a drastic impact in her later years as a woman. While seated at the bar inside the train station, the girl says, â€Å"The hills look like white elephants† (Hemingway). The hills that are spotted in the distance directly parallel the decision that Jig must make. Critic Kenneth Johnston was recorded stating, â€Å"A white elephant is a rare pale-gray variety of an Asian elephant held sacred by the Burmese and Siamese. The girl’s reverence for lif e is captured by this meaning of the phrase.† Johnston also says, â€Å"A white ... ...ephants.† Studies in American Fiction. Vol. 10. No. 2. Gale Group, 1999. 233-238. Web. 8 Jan. 2015. Link, Alex. Staking Everything on It: A stylistic Analysis f Linguistic Patterns in â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants.†. The Hemmingway Review. 23.2 (Spring 2004); 66-74. Rpt. In Twentieth-Century Literary Critisism. Vol. 203. Detroit; Gale, 66-74. Literature Resources from Gale. Gale. . 12 Jan. 2015 Rankin, Paul. Hemmingway’s â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants.† Explicator. 63.4 (Summer 2005): 234-237. Rpt. In Short Story Critisism. Ed. Jelena O. Krstovic. Vol. 117. Detroit: Gale, 234-237. Literature Resources from Gale. Gale. . 12 Jan. 2015. â€Å"Symbolism†. WordNet - About WordNet. Web. 25 Jan. 2015. . â€Å"Train†. University of Michigan. Web. 19 Jan 2015. .

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Psychology and the Bipolar Disorder Essay

Abstract Bipolar Disorder is a serious psychiatric condition that manifests usually in the late teens and affects about one in fifty people. Afflicted individuals experience heightened and extreme states of mania or elation to severe depression, with one in six sufferers inclined to commit suicide. Researchers have discovered biological and genetic links to this illness. Environmental factors such as stressful situations and even diet have been revealed to trigger its onset to those who are biologically inclined to have it, or aggravate its symptoms to those who are already diagnosed with BPD. Bipolar Disorder is a psychiatric condition previously known as manic depression. It is a mental illness that influences how a person acts, feels and thinks. Generally, people with bipolar disorder experience a cycle of mood swings that range from elation to depression. The degrees of these mood swings likewise vary from mild to extreme. The experience of extreme elation is also known as mania. Studies have shown an estimated one percent of the population develop bipolar disorder. Symptoms usually manifest itself in early adulthood. For many people with bipolar disorder, this condition usually lasts throughout their lives. The effects of bipolar disorder also extend to social and occupational aspects. Sufferers may withdraw from family and friends, and sometimes find themselves unable to work. There is a tendency for bipolar disorder to occur in sporadic episodes. Between episodes, the individual may experience no symptoms and function normally. About a third of them however may continue to experience mood difficulties or problems socially or with work between bipolar occurrences. People who have bipolar disorder often are not fully conscious of their condition. Those who fail to receive treatment may experience an average of four episodes in ten years. A minority of people with bipolar disorder (15%) may have many episodes in a year. Bipolar disorder is brought about by both biological (brain chemistry) and genetic (history of the disorder in the family) factors, as well as lifestyle (stressors and diet) and environmental (mania in spring, depression in winter) factors. In other words, both â€Å"nature† and â€Å"nurture† influence the occurrence of bipolar disorder in people. This paper will examine the inter-relationship between the various â€Å"nature† and â€Å"nurture† factors, in giving rise to the onset of bipolar disorder in people (The Australian Psychological Society, 2008). It is estimated that more than two million Americans have it. Men and women are equally affected. Onset of the condition is usually during late teens. It is also estimated that an additional one million children and pre-teens are suffering from the early stages of bipolar disorder. Detection and diagnosis are at most times delayed. Often people suffer for a decade before condition is diagnosed (Time Magazine – Young and Bipolar, 2002). In the United Kingdom, about half a million people are estimated to have bipolar disorder (University of Edinburgh, 2007). Bipolar disorder is a major psychiatric illness. According to a study in Australia, bipolar disorder affects around one in fifty people, and one in every six people with bipolar disorder will commit suicide (University of New South Wales, 2006). Biological Causes of Bipolar Disorder In the Seventh International Conference on Bipolar Disorder in June 2007, two studies have linked the brain as containing vital clues or markers for the diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Dr. Husseini Manji, chief of the laboratory of Molecular Pathophysiology at the National Institute of Mental Health suggested that bipolar disorder occurs as a result of abnormalities in neuronal plasticity cascades. This is the complex machinery inside new cells which regulates various processes in the human body. Disruptions in these pathways were discovered to lead to many of the primary symptoms of bipolar disorder. Dr. Mary Phillips, Director of Functional Neuroimaging in Emotional Disorders at the Western Psychiatric Institute and the Clinic of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, has discovered patterns of abnormalities in the neural systems that bring about emotional processing and cognitive control uniquely attributed to the bipolar brain (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 2007). In Time Magazine’s interview with Dr. Wayne Drevets of the National Institute of Mental Health, five parts of the human brain were described to have abnormal activities in the bipolar brain. The Ventral Striatum is that which helps the brain process rewards. In the bipolar brain, this Ventral Striatum is over-active, with about 30% less gray matter in this region. The resulting behavior is a loss in judgment for certain behaviors such as overspending or being indiscriminate. The Prefrontal Cortex, or parts of it, regulates emotion. It is also vital in processing motivation and rewards. In the bipolar brain, braches that supposedly connect neurons are lost, leading to a 20-40% reduction of gray matter. The Amygdala is one of the brain’s emotional centers. It helps in the identification of facial expressions and tones of voice. When a person is emotionally stimulated, neural transmissions increase. When a person is repeatedly exposed to the same stimulating images or experiences, habituation or reduced response occurs. In the bipolar brain, habituation the repeated stimuli occurs slowly, thus the brain remains reactive even beyond the usual response period. The Hippocampus is one of the brain’s centers of memory. The subiculum, a layer of the hippocampus, helps recognize circumstances that represent reward or danger. In the bipolar brain, the branches that connect neurons are lost. Thus leading to a constant state of anxiety since the person can no longer identify situations that are safe. The nucleus in the brain stem contains the serotonin cell bodies. These create and disperse the neurotransmitter to various sections of the brain. In a bipolar brain, there is 40% less serotonin receptor in the nucleus. The resulting atrophy of neurons usually lead to depression (Kluger & Song, 2002). People with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia have been discovered to have overactive protein kinase C (PKC) enzymes. This enzyme impairs higher brain functions, according to a study of Yale University in 2004. This study tested the effects of increased PKC activity in the prefrontal cortex of animals that performed working memory tasks. The regulation of thoughts, behaviors and feelings all takes places in the prefrontal cortex region of the brain. Bipolar disorder and schizophrenia renders the prefrontal cortex dysfunctional. Direct or indirect activation of PKC in animals dramatically impaired functions of the prefrontal cortex. PKC triggers the cognitive symptoms as a response to stress. When the chemical norepinephrine, the stress-sensitive messenger, binds to cell membrane receptors in the prefrontal cortex, the PKC is activated through a cascade of events. The PKC enzyme thus travels out to the cell membrance, opens the ion channels which heighten the cell’s excitability, and strokes the protein machinery which propels neurotransmitters into the synapse. Inhibition of PKC on the other hand, protected the prefrontal cortical function. For cognitive tasks that did not rely on the prefrontal cortex, no changes in performance were observed (NIH/NIHM, 2004; Yale University, 2004). This particular research results contributes to the mounting evidence of that excessive activity of the PKC may cause distractibility, impulsivity, disturbed thinking and impaired judgment seen in people with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (Yale University, 2004). In Australia in 2006 scientists at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and the University of New South Wales discovered the first risk gene specifically associated with bipolar disorder. People with this particular form of gene are twice as likely to develop the disease. Studies with families, unrelated patients and therapeutic drug mouse models led to the discovery of this gene called FAT – a gene related to the connection of brain cells. The research’s initial findings pointed that the popular lithium treatment for bipolar disorder exerts a therapeutic effect by altering FAT gene expression and also alters the expression of genes encoding FAT’s protein partners. This particular research on the FAT gene continues to discover further how it functions, to be able to develop better diagnostic tests and treatment (University of New South Wales, 2006). Genetic factors of Bipolar Disorder It is unlikely that scientists will expect genes to tell the whole story about major psychiatric diseases. However, the persistent frequency of mental illness in one percent of the international human population, across ethnic and cultural differences, and its tendency to manifest itself in families point to a strong genetic link (Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, 2003). Scientists have reason to believe in that bipolar disorder can be passed on to next generations of families genetically. In â€Å"gene penetrance,† families susceptible to certain illnesses develop it differently throughout generations. It is more common-place that later generations suffer worse than previous generations due to a genetic mechanism known as â€Å"trinucleotide repeat expansion.† Each time genes are inherited, defective sequences of these genes grow longer. This results in descendants coming down with the illness. Trinucleotide repeat expansion has been associated with Huntington’s disease, and evidence is currently mounting to this genetic condition increases the risk of having bipolar disorder as well. The National Institute of Mental Health has worked with eight research centers around the United States to study genomes of 500 families with a history of bipolar disorder to examine what genetic quirks are shared. Ten out of forty-six human chromosomes were discovered to show irregularities that may be linked with bipolar disorder. Chromosome 22 is the most interesting of which. This same chromosome has also been associated with schizophrenia, and velo-cardio-facial syndrome. All these disorders are related by patients’ experience of delusions (Kluger & Song, 2002). Environmental triggers of Bipolar Disorder Environmental factors in itself are not believed to singularly cause bipolar disorder in people. Dr. Michael Gitlin, Head of the Mood Disorders Clinic at the University of California in Los Angeles says that most doctors and scientists do not think environmental stress causes bipolar disorder. But these factors can trigger the condition in people who are already vulnerable (Kluger & Song, 2002). Like many latent emotional disorders such as alcoholism, anxiety conditions, depression, bipolar disorder can also be triggered by major life events such as death, divorce, losing one’s job, or rights of passage such as moving out to start college, marriage, birth of a child. These and other situations that cause stress and anxiety are believed to trigger bipolar disorder (Kluger & Song, 2002). The Yale University study has also revealed thatt mild stress can activate PKC, and thus contribute to the worsening of symptoms in patients already with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. The link between outside stress as stimulating the PKC can thus be used to explain deterioration of higher brain function, and why bipolar disorder and schizophrenia patients are most susceptible to dysfunctions that are stress-induced (Yale University, 2004). Dietary factors and ingested substances as triggers to Bipolar Disorder What a person eats and drinks are also believed to trigger bipolar disorder. Caffeine triggers mania for those with bipolar disorder. Teens are thus advised to stay away from coffee and tea. Children already diagnosed with bipolar disorder must avoid caffeinated foods such as chocolate and sodas. Teens and adolescents must avoid alcohol and drugs. The risks for addiction to these substances by bipolars is substantially higher, and treatment for bipolar disorder will be much more difficult since the patient’s mind is already clouded by these recreational chemicals (Kluger & Song, 2002). Lead poisoning was discovered to have links with distractibility and impulsivity that are evident in children with bipolar disorder. Even low levels of lead can activate the PKC enzyme, thus impairing the individual’s self regulation of his/her behavior. (Yale University, 2004). Lizzie Simon has bipolar disorder. She has written a book about her condition entitled â€Å"Detour,† which even inspired an MTV Special entitled â€Å"True Life: I’m Bipolar.† Time Magazine featured excerpts of her book, describing the first significant onset of bipolar disorder symptoms when she was seventeen years old, and her particular circumstances during this time. She was in Paris on her senior year abroad. She was having a wonderful time, and remembered thinking that she had never been this happy for this long in her entire life. She then received a letter of early admission to Columbia University. Early the next morning, after such a perfect day prior, she felt insane. She experienced an uncomfortable light fuzz building up in her head. She described the feeling as if her jeans were too tight and her shoes were too big, but in her head. She remembered her place ride home for Christmas, and getting intoxicated with a guy in the last row. At that point for Lizzie, things started to fade. Between Christmas and New Year, she felt drifting and drowning. Her walls swooned. She documented in her journals thoughts of suicide attempts, experiences of being broken- hearted, sadness and other dark experiences. After receiving an initial treatment of Paxil, an anti-depressant, Lizzie returned to Paris and brought her pills with her. In Paris, Lizzie was in a manic state. She remembers sitting in a cafà © on a sunny day, then standing up and announcing loudly that she was going to walk until she got laid. Lizzie experienced many more psychotic episodes from manic to depressive during this period – sitting in her bedroom and thinking that there were microphones everyone, expecting killers to enter her room, feeling that the Mona Lisa was smiling at her, thinking she was a cat infested with bugs. She even bit her hand until she broke her own skin. At one time, she was about to jump off a terrace, only to be disrupted by the ringing of her phone. She remembered the caller being a woman who sounded like her mother. But she then thought then it was the CIA. She sought treatment at the American Hospital in Paris. She was advised to stop taking Paxil, and was diagnosed to have bipolar disorder. She flew home and later on, started taking Lithium (Simon, 2002). It is interesting to note that Lizzie Simon’s grandfather had bipolar disorder. Since her family kept it a secret, Lizzy had no idea of this particular aspect of her family history until after she was diagnosed, and after the symptoms developed into more severe forms. He was diagnosed the year she was born. Lizzie was diagnosed the year her grandfather died (Simon, 2002). This is not an issue of nature versus nurture. What the evidence points out is more of a â€Å"nurture enhancing nature† inter-relationship. Although numerous studies have shown that there are people who are predisposed biologically and genetically to bipolar disorder, external factors such as events, stress and even diet can not only trigger bipolar disorder. These factors can also worsen the symptoms of already diagnosed bipolar patients. Lizzie Simon’s story is just one of thousands of incidents of people inheriting the genes that lay the foundation of bipolar disorder, the prominent symptoms of which are triggered by emotional and stressful external events and circumstances. In the same manner, people with bipolar disorder, or those who are most inclined to develop this condition (having parents or grandparents with bipolar disorder) can prevent its occurrences, or at least lessen the severity of its symptoms, depending on how they personally manage stressful situations in their lives. The principle of external and environmental factors as triggering the onset, or worsening the symptoms of bipolar disorder is already widely accepted internationally. But studies to better understand the details of these inter-relationships of â€Å"nature† and â€Å"nurture,† particularly to develop better diagnostic tests and treatments are on-going. References Australian Psychological Society (2008) What is Bipolar Disorder? Retrieved January 1, 2008 from http://www.psychology.org.au/community/bipolar/ Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions (2003, April 1). Families With Severe Form Of Bipolar Disorder Help Scientists Narrow The Search For Disease Genes. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 2, 2008, from file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/April%20Santos/Desktop/Essay/4%20Bipolar%20Disorder%20$40/Families%20With%20Severe%20Form%20Of%20Bipolar%20Disorder%20Help%20Scientists%20Narrow%20The%20Search%20For%20Disease%20Genes.htm Kluger, J. & Song, S. (2002) Young and Bipolar. Time Magazine. Retrieved January 1, 2008 from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101020819-336003,00.html NIH/National Institute Of Mental Health (2004, November 3). Stress Impairs Thinking Via Mania-Linked Enzyme. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 2, 2008, from file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/April%20Santos/Desktop/Essay/4%20Bipolar%20Disorder%20$40/Stress%20Impairs%20Thinking%20Via%20Mania-Linked%20Enzyme.htm Simon, L. (2002). Everything was perfect†¦and then I went insane. Time Magazine. Retrieved January 1, 2008 from http://www.time.com/time/cov ers/1101020819/detour.html University of Edinburgh (2007, July 21). Manic Depression Linked With Brain Tissue Loss. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 2, 2008, from file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/April%20Santos/Desktop/Essay/4%20Bipolar%20Disorder%20$40/Manic%20Depression%20Linked%20With%20Brain%20Tissue%20Loss.htm University of New South Wales (2006, January 13). FAT Chance Of Becoming Manic-depressive. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 2, 2008, from file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/April%20Santos/Desktop/Essay/4%20Bipolar%20Disorder%20$40/FAT%20Chance%20Of%20Becoming%20Manic-depressive.htm University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (2007, June 9). Brain Holds Clues To Bipolar Disorder. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 2, 2008, from file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/April%20Santos/Desktop/Essay/4%20Bipolar%20Disorder%20$40/Brain%20Holds%20Clues%20To%20Bipolar%20Disorder.htm Yale University (2004, November 5). Enzyme Linked To Mania And Schizophrenia Impairs Higher Brain Func tions. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 2, 2008, from file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/April%20Santos/Desktop/Essay/4%20Bipolar%20Disorder%20$40/Enzyme%20Linked%20To%20Mania%20And%20Schizophrenia%20Impairs%20Higher%20Brain%20Functions.htm

Monday, September 16, 2019

Information Technology Acts

Technology has advanced greatly in the recent years. The internet has made it is easy for people to get any information they want, which in return presents danger to minors. This advance in technology has opened new issues that need to be addressed. Children depend on adults to protect them from any harm and as a result government passed acts to prevent child abuse on the internet. The two acts being discussed in this paper are the Children’s Internet Protection Act of 2000 and the Children’s Online Protection Act (COPPA) of 1998. Children’s Internet Protection Act, 2000 The Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) is a federal law which was passed by Congress to prevent children from viewing the offensive or harmful content over the Internet (â€Å"FCC†, 2013). CIPA regulates the schools and all public libraries. It makes it mandatory to filter all its computers to stop children from accessing sites that are not appropriate. (â€Å"FCC†, 2013). The (CIPA) was passed in December 2000 and its main priority is to protect children’s innocent eyes from child pornography and other dangers of the internet. CIPA does not require a certain kind of filter system, but rather to make sure schools and libraries have some sort of filters to prevent such activities. There are online predators, inappropriate chat rooms, and sexual content that children are at risk for if this law was not passed. Ultimately, all households, schools, libraries, workplaces, and restaurant have access to the internet and this is a law that needed to be passed. Children’s Online Protection Act (COPPA), 1998 The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) was passed in 1998. It specifically addresses children under the age of 13 that navigate thru any sort of internet service. COPPA requires anyone driving a website to have verifiable knowledge and consent from parents of any child 13 and under. Also, the driver has to get the consent of those parents before using any information given to them by the children. Furthermore, whether studying, shopping, surfing or chatting, children are blind to the fact that there are bad people who get their information and use it for all the wrong reasons. Advances in Information Technology The internet is a worldwide tool that is used for many different reasons. The Children’s Internet Protection Act of 2000 and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 is a product of advances in information technologies. Regrettably, the internet can be used anywhere and anytime. The wireless fidelity, Bluetooth networks, and ultra wide-band network all give access to internet from any cell phone, computers, laptops, or tablets (Rainer Jr. & Cegielski, 2007). In addition, this creates a problem for minors because there are many online predators looking for ways to transition children into their world of viciousness. As a result, advance in information technology has created eye openers for every parent around the world. The advance in information technology opened issues that needed to be addressed because Children depend on adults to protect them. The government passed the Children’s Internet Protection Act of 2000 and the Children’s Online Protection Act (COPPA) of 1998 as a result of advancement in technology. As a matter of fact, parents should be more cautious as to what their children are using the internet for. Ultimately, the responsibility of a child falls on their parents References FCC.  (2013).  Retrieved from http://www.fcc.gov/guides/childrens-internet-protection-act Rainer Jr., K. R., & Cegielski, C. G. (2007). Information Systems (3rd Ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, INC.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Tulips by Sylvia Plath

Tulips by Sylvia Plath Tulips, by Sylvia Plath seems to be a poetic expression of depression. The speaker who I assume is Plath is describing the psychological effects after a surgical procedure,which I feel is the time when sadly Plath miscarried her baby. The poem was written through her own view in a hospital room, where the reader is given an insight to the inner thoughts of a woman who has gone through a terrible ordeal, and the objects around her which influence her mentality. The poem follows Plath's admission into hospital and the heart-rendering account of her attempt to recover.There are nine stanzas in the poem, each with five lines, there is no evident rhyme pattern and there is little structure to the poem, although the lack of organization in each stanza seems to be a reflection of the confusion and the loss of control that Plath feels, the only structure shared between the stanzas is the abundance of punctuation, creating a slow rhythm throughout the poem, although Pla th uses alliteration to increase fluency in parts of the poem, â€Å"plastic-pillowed†, â€Å"water went† and â€Å"light lies on white walls†.Plaths tone is serene throughout the poem, however there is a sarcastic tone when she says â€Å"The tulips are too excitable, it is winter here†. The tone of the poem starts out as depressed and bleak then changes into more dynamic and hopeful and the imagery more surreal: â€Å"the mouth of some great African cat†. In the first two stanzas, Plath talks about the situation and her surroundings, whereas the rest of the stanzas reveal her feelings.The most symbolic item in the poem is the tulips, their colour is the first contrast brought to light, they are red and they clash with the white room, they drink in her oxygen and fill the room with life, she describes how nice it had been before the tulips came in and robbed her peaceful isolation. Their redness reminded her of her wound and the tulips lightly bre athing through their white swaddling reminds her of the baby she has lost. In the end the flowers win and begin to overtake the dull whiteness that Plath once found so peaceful. the walls, also, seem to be warming themselves. Another contrast to the red tulips is Plath's use of white as a symbol. The imagery described in the first two stanzas is all white, meaning the absence of colour, which is figurative for the lack of life. â€Å"How white everything is†, â€Å"white walls†, â€Å"white lids†, â€Å"white caps†, she is propped between the white pillow and the white sheet, white is clean and pure and the contrast between the white, sterile surroundings and the red of the tulips is too distracting.Plath uses colour imagery to manifest the themes of life, the red of the tulips is symbolic for life, the colour of blood, and tulips are associated with spring which is a contrast to the winter outside. It is customary to send flowers to a funeral or when som ebody dies, they symbolise a tribute to the life of the one who has died, â€Å"I didn't want flowers† she did not want to be reminded that her baby would never have a life for her to pay tribute to, the tulips were an intrusion on her grief and since they were given as a loving gesture, she looks at them in contempt. â€Å"Nobody watched me before, now I am watched. †Plath includes several references to water, â€Å"my body is a pebble to them, they tend it as water tends to the pebbles it must run over. † â€Å"Water went. † â€Å"The way a river snags and eddies. † The water is symbolic of the tears she has shed over her loss. The interactions between Plath and the nurses are portrayed as cold and impersonal, they do not regard her as an individual, her body is compared to a â€Å"pebble†, an inanimate object with no identity. There is no communication between the nurses and Plath, they simply deliver her medication: â€Å"they bring me numbness in their bright needles, they bring me sleep†, they come to relieve her pain.She seems to relate most things back to her illness, using similes to compare her overnight case to a black pill box. â€Å"They have swabbed me clear of my loving associations†, this could be an indication of what depression does to a person, it robs them of joy In life that comes from loving associations. Even her own family are a cruel reminder of what she has lost: â€Å"My husband and child smiling out of the family photo; Their smilies catch onto my skin, little smiling hooks. † although Plath has no desire for life it is her family and the tulips that are keeping her from letting go, retaining her from sinking.She wants to be free to just be, but the tulips remind her that she has people who love and need her Electroshock treatment, recovery from a suicide attempt and miscarriage were only a few of the times Sylvia Plath was hospitalised. Plath was diagnosed with a combin ation of severe depression, acute insomnia and bipolar disorder (Griffin) the time she spent in hospital and her mental illness are reflected in her poetry. Plath's description of the hospital setting may be a reflection of her own experiences when hospitalised, this would explain why she is so detached from the medical staff.The entire point of the poem is simply how these flowers show her that she can never truly be free from her pain, There will always be something there to remind her of it, sadly we all know the outcome of Sylvia Plaths life and how sad it seems today that Sylvia Plath had to face her mental illness at a time when no one knew the truth about how to treat it. This poem reflects the same depth, grief and creativity that was expressed within the life of Sylvia Plath, and because of her beautiful mind we are left with the gifts she left behind, and Tulips is one of them.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Machiavelli vs. Erasmus Essay

Machiavelli vs. Erasmus I believe that both of these views, to a certain extent and in certain situations, are still relevant today. With some people, the parts of the population that seek only to gain in their lives, and not contribute to the betterment of society, I would say that the Machiavellian approach would be of better use. Because he is right, a lot of men are ungrateful, fickle, deceptive, avoiders of dangers and eager to gain. With these kinds of people, they will try to take what they can without regard for who they crush, so the only way to keep them in check is their fear of the punishments they might receive. We obviously don’t have to worry about them killing someone for political reasons like in the times when â€Å"The Prince† was written, but I would say that seizure of property is still a punishment used today. That is the first thing people go for when seeking punishment or reparations; money, possessions or property. I think love of country, not necessarily the person running it is the best way to get devotion from people. So I disagree that those people who follow out of love are less reliable. Especially right now, as a member of the armed forces, I can speak for myself a many of my comrades that we don’t agree with most, if anything, our current leader says or does. But we follow his orders anyway, because we love this country, and that is greater than any personal reason for not following our President. If anyone even tried to use the fear approach, they would never even get elected. That is why they have propaganda and the occasional commercial telling all the good deeds they do, not saying who they punished for not agreeing with them. So maybe in a country where democracy doesn’t decide the leader, Machiavelli’s approach might be used, but in ours, I would say o nly for small portions of the population would it be useful. I think Erasmus’s view would be more accepted in today’s world. We all know some politicians don’t follow a lot of the things he lists a good ruler should do. I don’t agree with him saying that taking an injury and losing a little of the â€Å"empire† might be a better choice. Not taking those injuries, and showing the world that we are a super power and won’t take things laying down is the best way to avoid hurt in the long run. But his views on what a leader should be, and how he should treat the citizens of his nation I  completely agree with. The leader should put the good of the people before his own welfare. But I don’t think that war brings all the misfortunes of state, sometimes it is necessary to go to war with those who would bring those misfortunes. I believe that liberals fall under Erasmus’s category with just a little of Machiavelli, with conservatives using some of both. Judging from the two views, I would say that the liberals follow more closely to Erasmus because of his approach to peace. Give a little pride and take a hit, avoid war at all costs. These are approaches that, in my opinion, the most recent liberal presidents we’ve had have used. While the conservatives hit right back and went to war. The war might have caused many misfortunes since then, but who knows what might have happened to us if we had done nothing? We used the fear of punishment approach, and I think it worked just fine. So in conclusion, I think Erasmus’s view is the better approach on how to view and treat the citizens of a nation. But there are some times when Machiavelli’s approach is necessary, if not to your citizens, then to those who would abuse them.