A Book Report on Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

1. Major Characters of the Novel a. Billy Pilgrim is the person that the book is written around. We follow him, perhaps not in a straight order, from his youth joining the military to his abduction on the alien planet of Tralmalfadore, to his older age at his 1960s home in Illum. It is his experiences and journeys that we follow, and his actions we read about. However, Billy had a specific lack of character for a main one. He is not heroic, he has very little personality traits, let alone an immersive and complex character. Most of the story is written around his experiences that seem more like symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder from his World War Two days, combined with hallucinations after a brain injury in a near-fatal plane†¦show more content†¦2. The central conflict of this book is Billy coming to terms with the unfortunate events happening around him, and facing this character versus world scenario of everything and everyone always being against him in some way or another. Billy sees so much suffering and so much death. He is blamed for the death of Ronald Weary, which is not his fault. He witnesses the Dresden Firebombing, and has an overall uneventful blain life to begin with. Billy needs to find a way to cope with this unbearable pressure, and whether or not the Tralmalfadorians are real, their message is real to Billy. The philosophy they present is the excuse Billy needs to justify all the wrong he sees around him. The Tralmalfadorian belief being that there is no free will, and that you timeline is fact, and that you simply experience death, but continue â€Å"existing† afterwards. Essentially, you always exist and what happens to you is predetermined fate. This allows Billy to pass on all of the death and misery around him as meant to be. He can rest assured knowing that there is nothing he could about anything in the past, present, or future. There was nothing he could have done or can do to stop the death and torture, weather it is the death of his wife , the firebombing in Dresden, or even his own death. This motivation-less philosophy is his resolution to his devastating conflict, and is directly responsible for his lack of action throughout the story. 3.Show MoreRelatedKurt Vonnegut s Slaughterhouse Five Essay1905 Words   |  8 PagesKurt Vonnegut reflects his life during World War II as a German prisoner through his character Billy Pilgrim in the novel Slaughterhouse-Five. While enlisted in the US Army, Vonnegut had life threatening experiences that were inspiration for his writing. Vonnegut was a young boy during the Great Depression and was raised through the hardships of the time. As a child, Vonnegut’s father worked as an architect, but during the Great Depression, the building industry was brought to a halt and Vonnegut’sRead MoreSlaughterhouse Five By Kurt Vonnegut1050 Words   |  5 PagesLauren Farrell Mrs. Worthington AP ELA 4 30 November 2014 Free Will Through his novel, Slaughterhouse Five, Kurt Vonnegut poses an ancient question: Are we masters of our destiny, or are we simply pawns of fate? The medium through which Mr. Vonnegut presents this riddle is death. Death is the central point to which all action in the book connects. The story is primarily about the death of 135,000 German civilians in the bombing of Dresden narrated by Billy Pilgrim, a man who experiences death fromRead MoreKurt Vonneguts Tragic Path to Success1128 Words   |  5 PagesKurt Vonnegut, was born on November 11, 1922 in Indianapolis, Indiana, to American-German parents Kurt Vonnegut (Sr.), and Edith Vonnegut. Vonnegut had an older brother, Bernard and an older sister, Alice. Vonnegut graduated from Shortridge High School in Indianapolis in 1940 and went to Cornell University later that fall. Though he majored in chemistry, he was Assistant Managing Editor and Associate Editor of the Cornell newspaper. While at Cornell, Vonnegut enlisted in the United Sta tes Army. TheRead MoreKurt Vonnegut s Slaughterhouse Five, Billy Pilgrim Question913 Words   |  4 Pageswant to forget about it. Kurt Vonnegut abjects this illusion of free will in his novel by his use in ‘characters’ and having free will. In Slaughterhouse-five, Billy Pilgrim question the Tralfamadorians, â€Å"Why me?† Their response is simply, â€Å"†¦There is no why.† The Tralfamodorians exemplify the role of â€Å"the other† that marks free will as a distinctly a human characteristic. Billy use’s this as a means to cope with the reality that pain and suffering is a guarantee. Vonnegut repetition of the phraseRead MoreThe Life and Writings of Kurt Vonnegut Essay2248 Words   |  9 PagesKurt Vonnegut is celebrated as one of the most successful novelist in the Post-Second World War period in the America. His literary works have had varied impacts on American culture, including the use of the word â€Å"karass† amongst coll ege students, the naming of the pop groups â€Å"Ice Nine Kills† and â€Å"The Billy Pilgrims†, and the frequent use of the term â€Å"So it goes† as written in Vonnegut’s obituary on the New York Times (Farrell, p.ix). This article examines the impacts of Vonnegut’s on his literaryRead MoreThe Slaughterhouse Five Novel By Kurt Vonnegut1366 Words   |  6 Pages The Slaughterhouse Five novel, is a fictional and nonfictional delight all clashed into one. The author, Kurt Vonnegut, amazingly combines a fictional character’s life with the nonfictional influence of what Kurt himself had experienced. As well as major topics being debated on and dealt with today. Billy Pilgrim takes hold of the story’s main protagonist as a prisoner of war during the Dresden raids in eastern Germany. While reading, I found many relationships in the novel to common concerns, suchRead MoreSlaughterhouse Five: A Warning Against War Essay1716 Words   |  7 PagesKurt Vonneguts novel Slaughterhouse-Five; or The Childrens Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death is, as suggested by the title, a novel describing a crusade that stretches beyond the faint boundaries of fiction and crosses over into the depths of defogged reality. This satirical, anti-war piece of literature aims to expose, broadcast and even taunt human ideals that support war and challenge them in light of their folly. However, the reality of war, the destruction, affliction and trauma it encompassesRead MoreEssay on Kurt Vonneguts Slaughterhouse-Five2118 Words   |  9 PagesSlaughterhousefive Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., was written as a general statement against all wars. Vonnegut focuses on the shock and outrage over the havoc and destruction man is capable of wreaking in the name of what he labels a worthy cause, while learning to understand and accept these horrors and ones feelings about them. Through his character, Billy Pilgrim, he conveys not only these feelings and emotions, but also the message that we must exercise our free will to alterRead MoreFeatures of Metafiction and Well Known Writers of the Genre Essay3025 Words   |  13 Pagesto try and (re) present this world using narrative techniques (or artistic techniques)† (Thaninayagam 12). Historiographic metafiction is an offshoot of postmodern art form. The term historiographic metafiction was coined by Linda Hutcheon in her book A Poetics of Postmodernism : History, Theory, Fiction. According to Linda, historiographic metafictions are â€Å"those well-known and popular novels which are both intensely self-reflective and yet paradoxically also lay claim to historical events andRead MorePostmodernism: The Movement in Life Essay1263 Words   |  6 Pagesinformation, the organization of knowledge, and the establishment of cultural practices† (Taylor 1). Putting both things together gives a short and brief summary of what postmodernism means. The publication of Catch-22, Lost in the Funhouse, Slaughterhouse Five and Gravity’s Rainbow in the 60s and 70s, points to the peak of postmodernism (statemaster.com). Playfulness combined with irony and black humor may be the most identifiable aspects of the postmodern movement. Using playfulness and irony may

Security Council Free Essays

Security Council The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is the organ of the United Nations charged with maintaining peace and security among nations. While other organs of the United Nations only make recommendations to member governments, the Security Council has the power to make decisions which member governments must carry out under the United Nations Charter. The decisions of the Council are known as United Nations Security Council Resolutions. We will write a custom essay sample on Security Council or any similar topic only for you Order Now The Security Council is made up of 15 member states, consisting of five permanent seats and ten temporary seats. The permanent five are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. These members hold veto power over substantive but not procedural resolutions allowing a permanent member to block adoption but not debate of a resolution unacceptable to it. The ten temporary seats are held for two-year terms with member states voted in by the UN General Assembly on a regional basis. The Presidency of the Security Council is rotated alphabetically each month. Members. Security Council members must always be present at UN headquarters in New York so that the Security Council can meet at any time. This requirement of the United Nations Charter was adopted to address a weakness of the League of Nations since that organization was often unable to respond quickly to crises. The role of president of the Security Council involves setting the agenda, presiding at its meetings and overseeing any crisis. It rotates in alphabetical order of the members’ names in English. There are two categories of membership in the UN Security Council: Permanent Members and Elected Members. Permanent members The Council seated five permanent members who were originally drawn from the victorious powers after World War II: 1. The Republic of China 2. The French Republic 3. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics 4. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland   5. The United States of America The five permanent members of the Security Council are the only nations recognized as possessing nuclear weapons under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, although it lacks universal validity, as some nuclear nations have not signed the treaty. This nuclear status is not the result of their Security Council membership, though it is sometimes used as a modern-day justification for their continued presence on the body. India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Israel possess nuclear weapons outside of the anti-proliferation framework established by the Treaty. In 2004, four of the five permanent members were also the world’s top four weapons exporters when measured by arms value; China was seventh. Each permanent member state has veto powers, which can be used to void any substantive resolution. A single veto from a permanent member outweighs any majority. This is not technically a veto, rather just a â€Å"nay† vote; however a â€Å"nay† vote from a permanent member blocks the passage of the resolution in question. Elected members Ten other members are elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms starting on 1 January, with five replaced each year. The members are chosen by regional groups and confirmed by the United Nations General Assembly. The African bloc chooses three members; the Latin America and the Caribbean, Asian, and Western European and Others blocs choose two members each; and the Eastern European bloc chooses one member. Also, one of these members is an Arab country, alternately from the Asian or African bloc. The current (2007) elected members, with the regions they were elected to represent and their Permanent Representatives are: 1. Belgium (Western Europe): Amb. Johan C. Verbeke 2. Republic of the Congo (Africa): Amb. Basile Ikouebe 3. Ghana (Africa): Amb. Nana Effah-Apenteng 4. Indonesia (Asia): Amb. Rezlan Ishar Jenie 5. Italy (Western Europe); Amb. Marcello Spatafora 6. Panama (Latin America and Caribbean): Amb. Ricardo Alberto Arias   7. Peru (Latin America and Caribbean) – Amb. Oswaldo de Rivero   8. Qatar (Asia, Arab): Amb. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser 9. Slovakia (Eastern Europe): Amb. Peter Burian 10. South Africa (Africa): Amb. Dumisani Kumalo Veto power Under article 27 of the UN Charter decisions in the 15-member Security Council on all substantive matters—for example, a decision calling for direct measures related to the settlement of a dispute— require the affirmative votes of nine members. A negative vote—a veto—by a permanent member prevents adoption of a proposal, even if it has received the required number of affirmative votes. Abstention is not regarded as a veto despite the wording of the Charter. Since the Security Council’s inception, China (ROC/PRC) has used five vetoes; France, 18; Russia/USSR, 122; the United Kingdom, 32; and the United States, 81. The majority of Russian/Soviet vetoes were in the first ten years of the Council’s existence. Since 1984, the numbers have been: China, two; France, three; Russia/USSR, four; the United Kingdom, 10; and the United States, 43. Procedural matters are not subject to a Security Council veto. This provision is important because it prevents the veto from being used to avoid discussion of an issue. Status of non-members A state that is a member of the UN, but not of the Security Council, may participate in Security Council discussions in matters that the Council agrees that the country’s interests are particularly affected. In recent years, the Council has interpreted this loosely, enabling many countries to take part in its discussions or not depending on how they interpret the validity of the country’s interest. Non-members are routinely invited to take part when they are parties to disputes being considered by the Council. Role of the Security Council Under Chapter Six of the Charter, â€Å"Pacific Settlement of Disputes†, the Security Council â€Å"may investigate any dispute, or any situation which might lead to international friction or give rise to a dispute†. The Council may â€Å"recommend appropriate procedures or methods of adjustment† if it determines that the situation might endanger international peace and security. These recommendations are not binding on UN members. Under Chapter Seven, the Council has broader power to decide what measures are to be taken in situations involving â€Å"threats to the peace, breaches of the peace, or acts of aggression†. In such situations, the Council is not limited to recommendations but may take action, including the use of armed force â€Å"to maintain or restore international peace and security†. This was the basis for UN armed action in Korea in 1950 during the Korean War and the use of coalition forces in Iraq and Kuwait in 1991. Decisions taken under Chapter Seven, such as economic sanctions, are binding on UN members. The UN’s role in international collective security is defined by the UN Charter, which gives the Security Council the power to: * Investigate any situation threatening international peace; * Recommend procedures for peaceful resolution of a dispute; * Call upon other member nations to completely or partially interrupt economic relations as well as sea, air, postal, and radio communications, or to sever diplomatic relations; and * Enforce its decisions militarily, if necessary. The United Nations has helped prevent many outbreaks of international violence from growing into wider conflicts. It has opened the way to negotiated settlements through its service as a center of debate and negotiation, as well as through UN-sponsored fact-finding missions, mediators, and truce observers. UN Peacekeeping forces, comprised of troops and equipment supplied by member nations, have usually been able to limit or prevent conflict, although sometimes not. Some conflicts, however, have proven to be beyond the capacity of the UN to influence. Key to the success of UN peacekeeping efforts is the willingness of the parties to a conflict to come to terms peacefully through a viable political process. How to cite Security Council, Papers

Tourism Entrepreneurship in New Zealand

Question: Describe about the Tourism Entrepreneurship in New Zealand? Answer: Introduction Nature-based tourism is progressively critical in view of its capability to add to nearby and local financial improvement. Business tourism opportunities are frequently referred to as routes by which provincial groups which are regularly denied of previous extractive business opportunities through the assignment of ensured range status to adjacent grounds can create and develop in new headings. The opportunities can possibly give two fundamental arrangements of advantages: the monetary and social advantages of the extra business movement created through concessions, and open backing for the preservation, upkeep and upgrade of the secured zones as an aftereffect of the previous set. Effective preservation depends on the association of the neighborhood group, and open backing is more prone to happen if the fascination of guests from outside the zone gives extra wage that generally would not be produced. Components that influenced the degree of the effect of the concessional thing on th e visitor plan fused the formation of the entry gathering, highlights of the region's tourism zone, park organization, characteristics of the concession visitor and highlights of the concessional thing. It is proposed that DOC, close-by forces, regional tourism affiliations and the tourism business collaborate to gather data about the piece of national stops in the headway of section gatherings and the nearby tourism division, and that future investigation joins data assembling on both compromise and non-concession visitor use of parks (Page, Stephen, and Jovo Ateljevic). Particularly examination regarding the piece of agents in this progression is small, and there has been an underestimation of the obviously crucial part that individuals can play in choosing the current position of a destination. Hypothetically, the paper draws on the written work on models of destination change. While this written work has seen the convincing piece of agents in the destination change process, it is fought that with everything taken into account, these models have underplayed the effect that adjacent business visionaries play in tourism progression. Finance To set up a new business, attempt land or building improvement, or change the reason for a property, your first step is to seek an arranging grant from your nearby committee. The arranging grant gives prove that the chamber has issued you authorization to add to your property. Make a meeting with a chamber arranging officer who will take you through the application process. You will be instructed on the zoning concerning your property and some other neighborhood arranging conditions that apply to your improvement (Rimmington, Mike, and Chris Cooper). And also protecting your premises and resources, the accompanying extra protections can be basic for tourism organizations. Open obligation of at any rate $10 million to cover paying clients, Product risk to cover arranged nourishment or different items offered to visitors, Motor vehicle protection if your vehicle is utilized for business purposes, Your strategy for success is the most critical archive you will ever plan for your busines s. It portrays all parts of your business wander; from what administrations or items you expect to convey, to financing and promoting systems. It will control you and your group towards accomplishing your targets. It can likewise be utilized to put your case to investors or potential financial specialists. There are a scope of ways you can go about business arranging and numerous wellsprings of refrain. This aide gives a prologue to the issues that are especially imperative to tourism organizations, and guides you to more point by point guidance and data where proper. The Tourism Industry Association gives CD Tourism in real life assets for effective tourism organizations. Problem and Risk Tourism New Zealand will influence both New Zealand based and seaward occasions, gaining by their profile and believability to drive prevalence and convey a destination message. The Hobbit films will keep on giving a critical stage to influence off for crusade and PR movement. The dispatches of the second and third motion pictures in the USA and UK will be utilized as extensive scale occasions as a part of key markets to convey the 100% Pure New Zealand message. The International Media Programmers will assume a crucial part in supporting inclination building action and will convey brand messages through outsiders and an extensive variety of media channels, including social networking. Tourism is a development industry globally, with development originating from the rising economies specifically. This is a huge open door for New Zealand (Saayman, M, and J). Exceptional hobbies can be a solid motivation to pull in guests to New Zealand for a mixture of intrigues, for example, business occasions, golf, ski, strolling, cycling, exploring and so on. In like manner the more youthful 18-29 year old explorer presents huge open door. Utilizing this enhanced focusing inside businesses, endeavors will be centered on changing over the pool of individuals 'effectively considering' a trek to New Zealand into real guests. At times, engagement is more straightforward by sending Active Considerers straightforwardly to battle pages or accomplice locales where they may have the capacity to make a buy. Expanding on experience and knowledge picked up into Active Considerers inside key markets, promoting will be centered on plainly characterized higher quality guests who will drive exp anding worth from guests by promising them to stay longer and accomplish more while in New Zealand. Tourism New Zealand's risk profile is audited all the time by the Audit Committee and is submitted to the Board for regard on a yearly basis. I think possibly the most serious issue we've got is absence of acknowledgment of who is really in the business. On the off chance that you are a dairy rancher and you've got a bundle of cows in your enclosure and a truck turns up several times each day to take away the milk, you know you are in the dairy business. At the same time in the event that you are a burger bar on the West Coast or a service station, I'm not certain you know you are in the business (Weiermair, Klaus et al). There's an entire cluster of organizations that presumably get an exceptionally critical piece of their turnover out of tourism yet they are not mindful of its. Some person visiting down the West Coast in a campervan is going to burn through cash here and there, yet individuals who own those organizations don't understand they are in the business. Its a horrendously divided industry. Significant subsidizing change Strategic and business arranging ineffectual Corporate notoriety decays Significant IT breakdown Unplanned loss of key staff References Botha, Melodi, Felicite Fairer-Wessels, and Berendien Lubbe. Tourism Entrepreneurs. Cape Town: Juta, 2006. Print. Bras, Karin. Entrepreneurship And Education In Tourism. [Bandung?]: ATLAS Asia, 1999. Print. Hall, Colin Michael, and Allan M Williams. Tourism And Innovation. London: Routledge, 2008. Print. Morrison, Alison J, Mike Rimmington, and Claire Williams. Entrepreneurship In The Hospitality, Tourism And Leisure Industries. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann, 1999. Print. Page, Stephen, and Jovo Ateljevic. Tourism And Entrepreneurship. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann, 2009. Print. Rimmington, Mike, and Chris Cooper. Tourism And Entrepreneurship. Woodeaton: Goodfellow Publishers, 2011. Print. Saayman, M, and J. A Snyman. Entrepreneurship. Potchefstroom: Leisure C Publications, 2005. Print. Weiermair, Klaus et al. Innovation And Entrepreneurship. Berlin: Erich Schmidt Verlag, 2010. Print.

Letter to Freud an Example of the Topic History Essays by

Letter to Freud by Expert Sweet-Cathy | 08 Dec 2016 Letter to Freud, Dated November 1912, Right After the Lunch Meeting Attended by Freud, Jung and other Psychologists Need essay sample on "Letter to Freud" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed Dear Mr. Sigmund Freud, It concerned me a lot to know that you fainted during the lunch meeting with other psychologists. If any consolation, I am happy that Mr. Jung was there to assist despite the growing faction between the two of you. I am fully aware that Mr. Jung has recently developed his own concepts in psychology, different from your own. I am not writing to you to elaborate on them, rather to tell you that despite the growing criticisms around, I stand firm in support of your theories of the mind, and defense mechanisms. People Usually Tell EssayLab specialists: I'm not in the mood to write my paper. Because I don't have the time Essay writers suggest: Don't Waste Your Time I will try to relate my knowledge of your theories with the life of the famous humorist and novelist of our time, Mr. Samuel Langhorne Clemens, also known as Mark Twain. Mr. Clemens was a good friend of mine, thus his death greatly affected me. During his lifetime he confided with me some thoughts, which I would share with you right now, in the hope of gaining from you a better analysis of his personal conflicts. First of all, let me focus on your theory of the unconscious. On the one hand, you said in one lecture that this presents all thoughts, experiences and emotions that we are unaware of. They are either difficult or too painful to bear, that is why people have a tendency to deny or repress them. On the other hand, the conscious mind presents ones thoughts that the person is fully aware of. Relating this with Clemenss life, I remember him telling me about his popularity as a democrat as evident in his writings against racism and his position as the Vice-President of the American Anti-Imperialist League, which he held for nine years. He did his part as a good citizen, and displayed a conscious mind that strongly opposed racial discrimination and bureaucracy. However, in his mind resided a racist upbringing, as his father had a slave, while one of his uncles had several slaves. In addition, in 1860, Clemens voted for a presidential candidate who was pro-slavery, and served in the Confeder ate Army. These only show that while Clemens befriended other cultures, he could be doing this out of a guilty past, which haunted him. To hide this guilt, Clemens established the friendship no one would forget, between a black boy and a white one, in his novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. While his conscious mind directed him to write humor in his novels, his unconscious mind still called out to state the inner recesses of his being. For instance, in the novel, The Prince and the Pauper, we see the great humor in the confusion the two boys bring others. However, the humor is replaced with melancholy as the prince was abused physically by the villain. The contradictory attitude in Clemens also makes up the opposition between his conscious and unconscious mind. This could be explained by the hardships he suffered during his childhood, from his stern father, and the deaths of his siblings. Although Clemens tried to repress these realities, always showing the brighter side of him, he could not conceal the unconscious mind that had to deal with the losses he hadboth from his original family and his three children who died before they reached twenties. Such great bereavements could have led Clemens towards repression. As you explained, repression is ones involuntary removal of a threatening or painful past from ones consciousness. By trying to forget his past, however, those painful experiences were made evident in Clemens writings. Even so, the experiences he had helped in making him a well-loved and famous writer. Aside from repression of his childhood memories, I also figure out from Clemenss own confession that he turned to denial. Again, taking from you, Clemens tried to distort reality by denying the sufferings he dealt with in the past. Facing realities like death of a loved one could lead a person to a mournful period, which could come to an end. In Clemens, we unbelievably see an inpidual dealing with too many losses but still maintaining poise and humor. Furthermore, Clemens also seemingly submitted to regression. The use of young characters in his novels tells us this truth. Due to the way he viewed his father (which will be explained later), Clemens regressed by looking at the brighter side of life in the eyes of young boys like Huckleberry Finn. Although Clemens was close to his mother, I do not see this as a way to explain Oedipal complex. With all due respect, Mr. Freud, allow me to elucidate my point in relation to my friends personality. Sifted of confidence, I believe that your concept of Oedipal complex is too assuming and needs further proofs. For instance, I believe that more than competing with his father for his mothers love, Clemens simply hated his father for what the old man did. Clemens told me that his father worked as a shopkeeper and land speculator. During his childhood, he stumbled upon a bloody corpse of a murdered man whose body was dragged into his father's office. This experience disturbed Clemens as a young boy, and affected the way he looked at his father. He could have resented him for it, and resorted to leaning more towards the affection of his mother who was more considerate. As such, his fathers own wrongdoings, and not the Oedipal complex, which you proposed to be innate, caused Clemens to develop resentment towards his father. In summary, I would like to congratulate you for the great contribution you have made in the field of psychology, my own field of work. Your theories certainly help us define personality traits and disorders. Similarly, they assist us in making sense of our clients past to explain present tendencies. In particular, your theories of the conscious and the unconscious, and defense mechanisms are very well acclaimed. I am concluding this letter with the hope that you could send me a reply regarding how you see my friends life, with particular attention to proofs regarding Oedipal complex. Once again, thank you, Mr, Freud! Yours truly, John Reynolds Psychologist References Hergenhahn, B. R., & Olson., M. H. (2007). An introduction to theories of personality. 7 th Ed. NJ: Upper Saddle River. Pearson/Prentice Hall. Merriman, C. D. (2006). Mark Twain. Retrieved January 16, 2008, from http://www.online-literature.com/twain/ Reynolds, David. (1997). Never the Twain shall meet. Retrieved January 16, 2008, from http://www.nytimes.com/books/97/04/27/reviews/970427.27reynolt.html?_r=2&oref=slogin

Keirla essays

Keirla essays Keirlas tail swooshed back and forth angrily as she stared at the small, cluttered room before her. Boxes were piled around her so that there was barely any room to stand. Keirlas claws flashed as she swiped at an empty box beside her. The shredded cardboard rained to the ground in a manner much like confetti. A tear sprang to her eye as she thought of her mother who, in seeing this, wouldve rushed to her side to find out what was wrong and comfort her. But that would never happen again, her mother was gone now, and there wasnt anything she could do about it. Keirla lay in her bed remembering when she first moved here to Dufur, Oregon and when she had found out about her mother. Keirlas Irish accent still lingered and Keirla imagined that it would for many years to come, but that was the only thing that she had left of her past, her heritage. Keirla could now, at the age of 16 only barely remember her mother, she had been only 5 when her mother had died. Now, eleven years had passed and Keirla was now moving to a new high school, full of new people. Keirla hoped to have better luck at her new school, at her previous one, Keirla had been expelled for fighting with another student. Keirla had had no friends in or out of school, but hopefully, that would all be over in the morning. Tomorrow, she started at her new high school. It was 3 in the morning and Keirla couldnt sleep, it was not the new school jitters or fantasizing about the male population of the school or anything like that. Keirla was not a normal teen, or a normal Kitania (cat people) at that. Keirla had the ears, tail and attitude of a tiger. She stood about 52, rather short for her age and breed, she had long, straight, jet black hair that fell to her knees, her eyes were a fierce yellow and her skin was as pale as death itself. ...

Chaotic Curiosity or Curios Chaos

Chaotic Curiosity or Curios Chaos Abhishek Tiwari The word science comes from â€Å" scientia †, Latin word for knowledge. Webster’s dictionary defines science as â€Å"the knowledge covering the general truths of the operations of general laws, especially as obtained and tested through the scientific method and concerned with the physical world†. In a layman’s interpretation science is a systematic way to obtain the knowledge about the mystifying secrets of Mother Nature by few known facts, observations, and few approximate estimations. New theories and laws in science are proposed by using two points- 1) repetition or reproducibility of the data, and 2) computational simulation. But what happens if these fundamental rules are not followed in a system? As they say, exceptions to rules form new rules, these infringing systems fall into the category of â€Å"Chaotic systems†. Chaotic systems are those in which the distant results are practically unknowable. The Theory of Chaos r ules this domain of science. Today chaos theory is a field of study in mathematics with several applications in the fields of biology, cosmology, economics, engineering, meteorology, and physics. It talks about deterministic dynamic systems which are not just highly but infinitely sensitive to the initial conditions. Under such circumstances even with a fraction of difference in the initial stages would yield into complete different outcomes every time the process is started hence defying the first basic rule in experimentation. Every technology is built with its own error, limitations and approximation, and therefore computer simulation of such a dynamic system to know about its fate at certain point in space-time would either require a huge amount of initially defined components or a long time calculations which would still differ with the actual outcome. In other words the deterministic nature of such dynamic systems may not help in determining their future. Meteorologist Edward Lorenz was the first person to talk about chaotic systems. He summarized this theory as, â€Å"when the present determines the future, but the approximate present does not approximately determines the future†. In 1972 Edward Lorenz wrote a paper titled as â€Å"Predictability: Does the flap of a butterfly’s wings in Brazil set off a tornado in Texas?† on the theory of Chaos. Edward Lorenz accidentally came across this topic while doing his work on weather forecast. Using a simple computer of his time, he was running a weather simulation. However due to time constraints he started his work mid way and to his astonishment he got a completely diverted results from the previous output. He concluded that the difference was generated due to the rounding-off of the numbers in the input. The consensus of the difference should practically have no effect on the immediate prediction but in a long run produced a significant difference. The word chaos is generally taken as c omplete disarray is a misnomer for this theory. The chaotic systems are not cluttered but are disciplined to an extent. Like we know for sure that the moon would not collide with earth in few weeks but the prediction remains uncertain for a longer time period. Similarly weather forecasts are known most accurately about a week before. Therefore chaotic systems are predictable for a while but later on with time it becomes random. The effectiveness of our prediction can be determined by following factors:-

Nursing Management Leadership in Health Care Institutions Research Paper

Nursing Management Leadership in Health Care Institutions - Research Paper Example It is all about striving to balance between doing the right thing at the expected time in the correct manner and doing such things right. The rapid and dramatic transformations in healthcare systems make these skills even more vital than ever. Both managers and leaders should envision the future to provide a leading role towards an efficient and productive unit with satisfying personnel. As leaders, it is never possible to stop seeking professional growth and opportunities that can help guarantee a difference in our own profession. Certainly, there exist many ways that can help in accomplishing this, including reading professional journals, being politically active and aware, as well as attending continuing education relevant to the nursing practice (Sehested, 2002). As good leaders, nurses are expected to take advantage of such opportunities for their advantage (Sehested, 2002). As a means of seeking professional growth, an article that entails balancing leadership roles and practis ing nursing roles has been chosen to guide the process. This paper, therefore, intends to critically evaluate a research article titled, ‘leading nurses in dire straits: head nurses' navigation between nursing and leadership roles.’ by Sorensen e., Delmar c. & Pedersen b.d. (2011). This article was published in the Nursing Management Journal. This paper intends to critique a study reports and the findings from a study focusing on the nursing and leadership roles of head nurses’ in the hospitals. The reason as to why this article is chosen is because of the conflict head nurses face as they perform their nursing and leadership roles in the healthcare settings. The debate is centred on how management reforms challenge professional leadership roles in public organizations (Sehested, 2002). This study is vital in the sense that it helps in improving nursing practices to patient care and exploring how successful nursing leaders tend to navigate between the two roles. In this case, the two roles are; nursing and leadership roles. The findings of the study are properly done to comprehensively validate the nursing practice. Therefore, there is a need to critically put forth the worth of this study and the evidence in it, thus appraising the study. The title of study define clearly what the study is all about, that is, to investigate the negotiation between nursing and their leadership roles in hospital practice. The study population, a brief description of the methodology and the key outcomes being investigated are all included in the title of the study. The study populations in the study are the nurses in leadership positions working at a first line level and at a departmental level whose age range is 39-57 years with an experience of 3-4 years in either of the leadership roles.?The key outcome of the study was Closeness distance and the recognition game. The methodology applied in this study was participant observation and ethnographic interviewi ng techniques where nurses in leadership positions acted as informants. They were selected in a stratified fashion to ensure diverse, rich and nuanced data the informants were gathered. Here, the inclusion-exclusion criteria were not satisfactory, for instance, the leadership experience number of years was limited to a maximum of only 4 years. This should have been extended to about 8 years to get the views of the most experienced nurses in leadership roles hence a more valid, representative and reliable study results.

Online E-Petition System Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Online E-Petition System - Literature review Example As such, in the midst of various possibilities of providing formal online participations platforms for citizens, e-petition systems have been considered as being official and fully operational online democracy activity for parliaments and governments, as well as for non-governmental institutions across the globe. The first of its kind was done in 2000 by the Scottish government; it was apparently the first online petition or e-petition system to be established anywhere in the world by an elected parliament (Susha and Gronlund, 2012; Medaglia, 2012). This was followed in 2002 by the Parliament of Queensland, which also designed and developed its own e-petition system. The Bundestag, German’s Federal Parliament also followed suit and has been, since 2005, operating an e-petition system that is more similar to the one established by the Scottish parliament. Not only parliaments followed this path, governments and other non-governmental institutions also followed this path; for in stance, the office of the British Prime Minister in 2006 launched an e-petition system dubbed the British Prime Minister’s e-petition system (Ralf Lindner and Ulrich Riehm, 2009; Beddie et al., 2001). In comparison to other forms of formal, codified, and institutionalized online political participation, which are albeit less advanced, e-petitions which have a quite impressive uptake by a number of public institutions still remains more an experimental concept; limited to very specific purposes (Taylor-Smith and Buckner, 2009). For instance, online voting, a form of online participation in referenda and general elections has been introduced in various jurisdictions across the globe; however, most governments eventually have refrained from these online political participation systems because of unresolved legal, technical, and political challenges (Kriplean et al., 2009; BÃ ¶hle and Ulrich Riehm, 2013). In the US, as well as in many jurisdictions throughout

User Behavior at Pinnacle Peak Essay Example for Free

User Behavior at Pinnacle Peak Essay Pinnacle Peak Hiking Area is a multipurpose, exercise trail used for both hiking and equestrians. It is a 1. 75 mile one-way trail in Rio Verde, Arizona with breathtaking views of the Sonoran Desert from every direction. Because the trail is not a loop, there is a lot of traffic on the trail, especially during the fall and winter seasons and on weekends. Families specifically enjoy this trail because there is no way for their children to get lost; there is one way in and one way out, no confusing side trails for anyone to take. There are a few areas where people are tempted to cut corners when there is a lot of traffic on the trail. This is quite dangerous as the entire trail is up a mountain and someone could very easily slip and fall. To help prevent people from cutting corners, the management has strategically laid rocks and logs along certain corners so it is a lot harder for people to step outside these boundaries. Parking for Pinnacle Peak is a disaster. There is very little parking in the designated parking lot, and so people have to park on the street and walk a fairly far distance before they even reach the trailhead. Like the trail, there is only one way in and one way out; there is no going around the busy street full of cars. On weekends when the trail is extremely busy, the parking situation is chaotic. People are out of breath walking uphill before they even reach the trailhead. At the trail head there is a large shaded area, decorated to match its desert surroundings, for people to stretch, rest, drink water, and have snacks both before and after their hikes. I found this extremely inviting and welcoming to users of all ages and hiking abilities. However, the trail itself is quite uninviting. The trail is unsuitable for both hikers and equestrians to be using at the same time. It is very rare that you will see horses on the trail; even without the horses, the trail is not nearly wide enough for the amount of hikers it sees each day. Several people would rather run than walk Pinnacle Peak, and some like to enjoy their time in nature while slowly strolling the trail. As mentioned before, families love this hike, and enjoy brining their children out to enjoy it with them. Unfortunately, with the amount of people Pinnacle Peak attracts, there are often times when people will have to either step aside, or stop and wait for other hikers/runners to pass by. The waiting is annoying and inconvenient, especially for those fully dedicated to their workout, and needing to complete their hike without a single stop. Pam Carothers (2001) states in the article â€Å"Social Values Versus Interpersonal Conflict among Hikers and Mountain Bikers† that recreation conflict is a major issue, whether it is on a hiking trail or on a lake. Interpersonal conflict between hikers and mountain bikers may be related to speed, lack of courtesy, crowding, or safety concerns. Safety issues, for example, have been linked to trail design (blind corners) and the behaviors of some mountain bikers who ride too fast for existing conditions† (page 48). The same idea may apply to runners versus hikers, and those who are on the trail to exercise, versus those on the trail to en joy the scenery. The only possibility to helping with the â€Å"waiting† situation would be a wider trail, however that process would be very long and tedious, as well as expensive. Management has provided two rest areas throughout the trail in which people can step aside, let people pass, grab a drink of water, and enjoy the scenery, all while staying out of other hikers ways. A few more rest stops/pull out areas could help out with the congestion and waiting, as well as people cutting corners and possibly injuring them selves. Before you reach the trailhead, there is an information center with brochures, safety packets, and attentive volunteers wanting to answer any questions you may have about the trail, scenery or surrounding wildlife. John Loleit, Recreation Coordinator at Pinnacle Peak says, â€Å"Year round, you have a good chance of spotting wildlife, especially in the early morning and at dusk†. The information center also has bright, detailed pictures of harmful insects, animals, and plants to keep an eye out for on the trail. Next to the information center are bathrooms, very well kept all year long with accessible stalls and water fountains. Because the trail is technically used for equestrians, too, some sort of horse facilities would be appropriate. Water troughs, large areas to park trailers, and hitching posts would all be extremely helpful for those with horses. Maybe with these extra facilities, the trail would attract more equestrians. As mentioned earlier, this site is very popular to families. Children are always playing on the rocks and benches at the beginning of the trail and rest area. In most cases this would be dangerous and unacceptable, however Pinnacle Peak is very â€Å"kid friendly†, and everything is set up for the safety of the hikers. Several runners cut across the trail on busy days when there are packs of people crowding certain areas. Even with the logs and rocks blocking off the corners, it is difficult to avoid this situation. Large groups of hikers love to stop and take pictures together with the beautiful desert scenery in the background. And who could blame them? Pinnacle Peak does an amazing job in taking advantage of its many views. No matter where you are on the trail, you will have a breath taking view of either Four Peaks or Tom’s Thumb, and at the right time of day, the mixture of pinks and reds of the setting sun. I noticed right away that Pinnacle Peak’s trail is not â€Å"horse friendly†, even though it is supposed to cater to equestrian needs as well as pedestrians. The trail has several stairways made of logs and rocks, both very difficult for horses to climb. The trail, along with the lack of horse facilities, probably discourages many equestrians from attending Pinnacle Peak. Many horse owners live in the area around Pinnacle Peak; if they built a few facilities and fixed the trail to work with horses, they would be seeing a large increase of attendees. I also noticed that the trail was built in such a way that it works perfectly with the contours of the mountain. There are stretches of both smooth surfaces and uphill climbs, tight curves and long straightaways. They definitely used the area to the best of their ability when planning out how the trail would run. By completing this project I learnt the importance of planning ahead and taking into consideration how people interact with their environment. I think that when it comes time to plan an event, facility, or specific environment, researching other competitors is crucial, to see what works, what doesn’t work, and what you are going to do to be proactive against certain issues. I expect to use this information professionally to help plan ahead for any event or facility in my future. The more knowledge and little tips I build now, the more prepared I will be for my professional career.

Traumas Apologize and Healing of the Colonized and Radicalized Essay

Throughout the twentieth century, the trauma inflicted upon people of color as a by-product of colonization, racialization, and assimilation has left a lasting imprint not on only the lives of the oppressed, but on the lives of the generations that follow them as well. Years after these subjective events have passed and been recognized as unjust and immoral and formal apologies from the U.S. government have been made, the trauma remains ever present in the minds of individual victims as well as the affected community as a whole, and traumatic healing does not actualize. Racial oppression has been an overtly prevalent issue; from the unjust treatment in WWII Japanese relocation camps and Cambodian refugee camps, to the colonization of land, compromised reservation sovereignty, and physical abuse of Native Americans. Although not as pronounced, racial injustice still continues today in a more discretely structuralized manner that is purposely designed to allow forms of oppression to co ntinue yet have them over looked or passed off as lawful under U.S. regulation. The most prevalent forms of trauma that were experienced during these occasions include but are not limited to, post traumatic stress, intergenerational trauma, and soul wounds. The end of these oppressive events does not mean that repression is over, nor does it erase the scars it as left on the victims; the traumatic wounds still linger within individuals, the affected community, and through future generations. Attempts to remedy the harm done through apologizes, and in some instances compensation, address the error, and attempt to restore financial balance; however, they neglect to change the underlying inequality issues that were set in place that for the injustices to ... ...Loss in First Person Plural, Bontoc Eulogy, and History and Memory." Proceedings of the Second International Symposium on Korean Adoption Studies. By Nelson Kim. Park, Tobias Hu%u0308binette, Eleana Kim, and Petersen Lene. Myong. S.l.: S.n., 2010. 129-45. Print. Duran, Bonnie, and Eduardo Duran. "Native Americans and the Trauma of History." Studying Native America: Problems and Prospects. By Russell Thornton. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin, 1998. 60-72. Print. Smith, Andrea. "Sexual Violence as a Tool of Genocide." Conquest: Sexual Violence and American Indian Genocide. Cambridge, MA: South End, 2005. 7-31. Print. Um, Khatharya. "Refractions of Home Exile, Memory, and Diasporic Longing." Expressions of Cambodia: The Politics of Tradition, Identity, and Change. By Leakthina Chan-Pech Ollier and Tim Winter. London: Routledge, 2006. 86-100. Print.

Gender Differences in Religious Belief Essay

Critically examine the relationship between gender, religious participation and religious organisation Studies of religious belief verify consistently that the female gender shows greater participation to religion than that of males. This greater commitment to religion described by sociologists such as Bensen applies throughout the course of the woman’s life, and as noted by Glock and Stark, their greater pledge to religion is consistent regardless of the religious organization, whether it be New Religious movements, New Age spirituality, or traditional faiths. Beit-hallahmy and Argyle state that whether it is a matter of private churchgoing or private prayer and regardless of religious belief women appear more religious than men. Religions universally have been found to be deeply oppressive to women, born from ancient teachings indicating their inferiority to men. Writers like de Beauvoir and Sadwai see religion and religious ideology as playing a part in maintaining male domination that is found in many aspects of contemporary social life. In religious scriptures women take the lesser position; De Beauvoir highlights how scriptures in most religions suggest that â€Å"man is master by divine right† and Aldridge explains how in the Qu’ran women are legally inferior to men. Why, then, do women pursue a faith which encourages their oppression, more so than the gender with the power to dominate it? Biological factors begin with Miller and Hoffman’s explanation that women take fewer risks than men and as a result seek to conform to a group’s religious identity rather than undertake the challenge of authority and autonomy. Men more often reject the religious beliefs of the mainstream and engage in risk-taking behaviors. According to Stark this risk taking inclination in a man to not â€Å"think ahead† means that men are less religious because they are willing to take a gamble on there not being an afterlife. However sociologists like Freese and Montgomery debate this argument works on an assumption that everyone makes the same risk assessment when in fact men are just more prepared to take that risk. Roth produced a study which showed there to be a smaller gap between genders in the percentage who believe in an afterlife but a large gap in those who give attendance and prayer to religion, suggesting women just participate actively more than men. Armstrong states that biological differences between men and women gave way to male domination; patriarchal montheism has replaced polysthetic beliefs which promoted the role of the female in society, for which evidence was found by archeologists in the form of old statues of goddesses. He argues that natural male aggression was the tool used to manipulate religion into a patriarchal institution. The socializations built upon this biology, are of men to be strong and domineering, and of women to be passive, obedient, and nurturing, which according to Mol, are the qualities associated with religiosity. Miller and Hoffman establish that gender socialisation makes women more cooperative and caring, and this can leads to many explanations for their greater participation in religion. One is their role of guardians in family life. Bruce states that women’s child bearing and rearing experiences for instance develop their traits as nurturers as opposed to confrontational and goal seeking. Luckmann further explains that women have a greater responsibility for rearing children and participate to a lesser degree in the labor force, leaving them with more time for church-related activities and a greater need for a source of personal identity and commitment. Women are more likely to take on the task of the moral development of their child along with the rest of their duties in socializing a child. There is an expectation for women to be defenders of tradition and Halman and Draulans note that these roles give women a greater focus on the family. Luckmann also highlights how women’s role as a housewife gives them lesser participation in the labor force, leaving them with more time for church-related activities and a greater need for a source of personal identity and commitment. They are more likely to experience status frustration, born from the constraints of housework and childcare or the unsatisfying lower middle class jobs which are mainly done by women. Religious participation can reinstate identity and give women focus, because where men gain individuality through work, women revive their low sense of worth through religion. Religious faith and practice can enhance psychological well-being by being a source of comfort to women in times of distress and by enhancing their social interaction with others in places of worship. More responsive and sensitive personality traits in a woman mean they are more likely to contemplate emotional wellbeing and not only seek solace in religion bit find meaning and purpose in life. Personality was be attested as a key factor by Thompson, who found that men who possess those qualities more commonly found in women, such as sensitivity , were similarly more likely to be religious. Reasons other than oppression that lead a higher percentage of women to respond to their environment and pursue happiness through religion are the increased levels of poverty they experience. Official figures show women are 14% more likely than men to live in households with incomes that are 60% below the national average. More frequently diagnosed mental illness and depression in women can explain their higher contribution to religion, as cults, sects as a social network and comfort for women outside the isolation of the home or of their minds. Women’s tend to be more open about sharing personal problems and are more relational than men which is encouraged in the close knit community of a sect. The intimacy of the private sphere can also replicate women’s â€Å"sphere of the home† whilst theodicies explaining their feelings and offering solutions justify their role as a woman. New Religious Movements such as cults are also generally more popular with women because of cult focus on self-discovery and fulfilment, which correlates with the female inclination towards self-criticism and self-improvement, due to their suffering higher levels of marginalisation and lack of self-confidence. Some evidence contradicts the male role as non-spiritual however, as Davie found there is an equal spiritual confidence in the existence of ghosts between genders. A key to understanding modern women’s higher participation in religion is the shifts in demographic trends. Brierly’s study found that in 1979 the proportion of male church goers were 45% but in 1989 it had dropped to 42%. The ratio of live females to live males rises steadily and correspondingly a disproportionate number of elderly women seek refuge in the church in response to loneliness or consoling philosophy nearing the end of their lives. Davie explains how women are more actively responsive to religion because males and females have differing visions of God; males associate him with power and status whereas women associate with his traits of love, comfort and forgiveness which explains their greater involvement in community religions. They are more concerned with people orientation than control. Female differences in nature also explains the particular appeal of New Age ideas revolved around well-being and stress relief. Concepts such as herbalism, yoga and meditation, homeopathy, aromatherapy and massage, horoscopes, astrology, fortune-telling are strongly associated with females, according to Glendinning and Bruce. This recent marketization of religion often promotes earthly concepts which are more linked to femininity and female empowerment than the tradition of male domination. Mother Gaia, the theory of Mother Earth as a living entity, is more appealable to women for instance. Women’s heightened spirituality can be attributed to their greater role in biological life processes. Walter and Davie see women as more emotionally exposed to the â€Å"ups and downs† of life because of childbirth, and their nurturing role as teachers, care assistants, social workers, and so on, and also the expectation that they be unpaid carers for vulnerable family members. This heightens their sensitivity and attunes the spiritual dimension of human existence, because as Davie argues, these factors give women a closer association with birth and death which are generally central concepts of religion. As females live longer than men some studies have shown that many widowed women may turn to religion for the comfort of reassuring philosophies and social networks. It is possible that some women take refuge from some of the theoretical oppressions bore by religion. Swatos talks of the fulfilment that can be had from being a second class citizenship. Feminist writers like Walby and be Beauvoir suggest that the doctrine of many of the world’s religions contain an ideology of the family which emphasises women’s traditional roles as wives and mothers in the family. Some women, however, are happy to take on this role. Barrett and Pryce, for instance, highlight how Rastafarianism assumes the woman’s position as a housewife and mother as a protection from sexual and racial abuse in the outside world. On one hand this gives ultimate power to men by denying female participation to society in the name of protection, but some more introverted Rastafarian women may enjoy this safety within the sphere of the home. A similar contradiction of female subjugation is the veil; whilst Aldridge notes the hijab in Islamic cultures as a symbol of patriarchy, degrading women to a state of invisibility and keeping them devoid of identity, some women find anonymity to be protective from the judgement and sexual degradation of men. A growing number of Western Muslims have taken to wearing the veil to in fact reinstate a female identity separate from their face; writers like Ahmed and Watson argue that the veiling of one’s face can be a way to resist the patriarchy and sexual objectification of Western culture which views women as visual objects. Faiths as a majority oppose the admission of women to leadership in religious organisations. A pun of the â€Å"stained glass ceiling† is used as a pun by sociologists to explain how women are maintained at the bottom of the career ladder to authority within the church, and barred completely from the priesthood in Roman Catholicism and Orthodox Judaism, which is seemingly discriminatory, but perhaps female role models within religious doctrines presented as meek and nurturing figures have had such an influence on the identity of a religious women that they feel more comfortable in a non-domineering role. Examples can be taken from any religion proving the sub-ordinance of women taught by most faith systems. The socialisation of women to be obedient and take on the follower role means they are further likely to be a willing follower of religion. Overall social, psychological, and biological factors interlink to form explanations for greater female participation in religion and religious organisation. The gravity of female relation to religion as an explanation, compensator, duty, and social outlet mean that their commitment is likely to persist regardless of the injustices and subjugations it bears upon the gender.

Donor card

â€Å"Sleep after toil, port after stormy seas, / Peace after war, death after life, / does greatly please. † This is a phrase by Edmund Spenser, a 16th-century poet. He asserted death to be a â€Å"pleasant† thing. But it is not the case for many of us. Death is not so easy. In fact, we are afraid of its pain. In fact, we are afraid of its loneliness. In fact, we are afraid of its irrevocability. And it is much more scary if we feel all those agonies even â€Å"after† our death. I am not going to write about horror movies however, but a true story of brain death. And through the arguments, I want you to realize the significance of the decision: whether to own a donor card. Donor card†¦ I guess most of you already know about it. Thanks to that card, you can save other people without any special skills by providing your organs. That is wonderful. When you watch a moving story of transplantation on a TV program, you may have a feeling that you, too, want to be like that â€Å"warm-hearted† donor. Especially, in case of heart transplantation, the donor must be a â€Å"brain-dead† person, who can no longer maintain life but still has a beating heart. If you are wanted and cannot live anyway, you may think you have a clear resolution. However, remember that you always have to pay something if you try to save others. So let me remind you that the â€Å"warm-hearted† donor is a â€Å"warm-blood-running† dead body. Into a soft and warm body, a knife cuts in, and organs are taken out. If that is all, it may not be a problem. But, the body moves, sheds tears, and even has a possibility of feeling pain. That is the reality. It may be only a spinal reflex, but may not be, too. And it may be only a possibility, but may not be, too. The diagnosis by doctors may be done in a right way, but any human-made criteria and human-performed examinations must not always be perfect. There is a fact that the donor is often anesthetized during the extraction, so that the body will not disturb doctors by moving around. Once we are misjudged in the court of death, we can never be allowed to appeal again. And even if the judgment is done in justice, the prosecution itself is fatal in this court. Once doctors start to examine if you are brain-dead or not, they will try it again and again literally till your death. Needless to say, during that testing, you cannot receive appropriate treatments for your recovery, which means, you are locked in the death court until your tombstone gets upon you. In old days, death was something absolute. We got it suddenly by divine will and we could easily tell if someone was dead or alive. However, today human beings refuse the will with their well-developed technologies. As a result, now they have got an extremely significant role of defining â€Å"death. If someone's brain is dead but heart is alive, is he or she totally dead or not? At what point do we regard the brain to be â€Å"dead? † More fundamentally, what is death indeed? Actually, we can never be sure of the answers. They are beyond our capacity. But we have decided to make the answers. So, today our death is human-made. Contrary to such an obscure definition of death, I have an obvious vision for death. I do not want my last moment to be in an agony of organ extraction. I do not want to admit my family's death when they are still moving. I do not want to leave my death to anyone's discretion. I want nobody to face any unexpected misery. And I am sure that I am not the only one. I know that I am a human being who should equally be saved as the recipients. To make my death like peace after war, I do deny writing my will to be a donor. But still, that is my opinion. The important thing is that you get interested in the issue. Today, you can easily get a donor card. But the action must not be easy. To be a guarantor of life, you must take the risk it deserves. And after distress and uneasiness, torment and bewilderment, if you still reach a conclusion of saving others, you should be proud of your devotion. If you reach a conclusion of saving yourself, you should be proud of your cautiousness. If you do not reach a conclusion, you should be proud of your sincerity to life. If you have never thought about this issue, you can start thinking from this moment. Do you really want to help others? Can you be responsible enough for your decision? How can you make your death after life most pleasant?

Natural Disaster of Hurricane Katrina

Natural Disaster of Hurricane Katrina Ethical Dilemma: Natural Disaster of Hurricane Katrina-Insurance Companies Deny ClaimsHurricane Katrina was a hurricane like no other in our countryÂÆ'‚‚s history. Its furystruck the gulf coast on August 29, 2005 and as with 9/11, we were inundated withimages from television and newspapers twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. We were first hand witnesses to the human suffering of people escaping to their roof tops, clinging to tree branches and bodies floating in the flood waters. There was great destruction not just to property but also to the lives of those who inhabited the Gulf Coast region. As with 9/11, there has also been a great impact on the insurance industry. Theessentialness of insurance is to allow the rebuilding of destroyed homes, businesses, and communities and to allow people to get back to living their lives once again. In order to cope with the effects of catastrophes the industry had to ÂÆ'‚‚“come up with mechanisms that would preserve the nationÂÆ'‚‚s insurance industry in the aftermath of natural or man-madecatastrophes.ÂÆ'‚‚”(Tuckey, 2006)There are many issues that the insurance industry faces since this natural disaster occurred. The impact of Katrina has been substantial and widespread and has affected the customer in a negative fashion due to the frustration of filing claims and fighting with insurance companies. Will the total impact prove detrimental to the industry as a whole? These and many other issues need to be explored in order to gain complete insight into what exactly happened that fateful day and what will the future bring to the industry.A succession of catastrophes can raise the specter that insolvency may become a possibility. ÂÆ'‚‚“The regulatory goal of ensuring solvency, however, conflicts with the goal of ensuring affordable and available coverage.ÂÆ'‚‚” (Berliet, 2006) With such large amounts of money being paid out...

Controversy analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Controversy analysis - Essay Example This essay reviews five articles on water scarcity and what they say or not say about wastewater management. Since water scarcity is growing day by day, being an important cause of the issue, can improvement in wastewater management help in solving the problem? As early as 1955, Packman argued that water scarcity is a national issue and must be resolved through policymaking, before it seriously derails the development of America, in the article, â€Å"Water for the Future.† He is an important source of information because he has presented an issue that not many reporters analyze and discuss during his time. Packman blames human mismanagement and the uneven distribution of fresh ground and surface water for water issues. He claims that the government and private sector should look into supporting diverse options to properly manage water scarcity, and these are: 1) efficient management of existing water resources; 2) reusing water, including wastewater; 3) increasing water suppl y through artificial rain production; and 4) improving research on water desalination. The strengths of the article are the use of authoritative sources and the emphasis on the issue and how to resolve it. Packer employs diverse credible articles to support his statements. For instance, he says: â€Å"Measures to combat water shortages must be based on consideration of the fact that water, unlike other resources, cannot be saved by non-use.† He supports this claim by providing evidence: â€Å"The conservation of water is not so much the saving of a decreasing' supply for some greater need in the future, as, for example, the storing of natural gas, but the control and use of water to the optimum advantage of all.† Packer gives proper in-text citation for his claims. Moreover, Packer effectively uses logos that can bring attention to urgency of water shortage. He underscores that water shortage is a reality, and to not manage water through different ways will result to d evelopmental and health catastrophes in the future. The weakness of the article is its lack of conclusion. Packer abruptly ends the article after discussing policy issues. He should have summarized his findings and discussed the implications of the policies and resolutions he proposed to increase the effectiveness of his argument. In â€Å"Global Water Shortages,† Mary H. Cooper expands the political implications of water shortages that Packard mentioned, and where she argues that the next wars and conflicts will not revolve around oil, but water, because of its scarcity and increasing demand from people of different nations and communities. She is an important source because she specializes in environmental, energy and defense issues (CQ Researcher). Before she joined The CQ Researcher as a staff writer in 1983, she worked as a reporter and Washington correspondent for the Rome daily newspaper l'Unita (CQ Researcher). Cooper claims that one of the most pressing underlying ca uses of territorial disputes is the shortage of water. Since countries are sharing water sources, they are doing everything they can to defend this basic need. She includes

Gender And Family Health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Gender And Family Health - Essay Example This study "Gender And Family Health" involves two main things: 1/ the reaction of the public towards the health issues and 2/ the effect of the public health programs and policies in the society that is covered by a particular community or gender who come under the health issue. To understand the ethical and social perspectives of the health problems it is also necessary to study the sexual behavior, diet practices and quality of the hygienic conditions in which they live etc. Ethics are set of moral standards that affect our conduct in the social atmosphere. Ethics helps in shaping different parts of the society. It also involves the combined decisions of a group or community of people to determine the future of the society. Ethics also decides the discussion of worldwide issues in the cultural background by a certain group of people. The argument that how ethical perspectives affect the health outcomes depends on health care, clinical and research care and public health issues. Th e reaction of the members of the society demonstrates the ethics of health in the society. Our present society now faces common problems and health issues in every part of the world, such as old age, HIV aids, obesity, diabetes, etc. Of course, the intensity of these issues differs according to the type of ethical and cultural background in which the people live. The ethics might also influence the matters related to health if a group or community of people in a society combines to make decisions for its future.

The Virtues of Ambition by Joseph Epstein Research Paper

The Virtues of Ambition by Joseph Epstein - Research Paper Example He bases this  argument  towards viewing ambition as a  delightful  and supremely crucial aspect of both  society  and humanity. He argues in such a manner as to shun those that view  ambition  from a wrong point. Consequently he also argues out the need for control and  constraint  when it comes to ambitions such that they do not  turn  for the worst. According to Epstein, ambitions make a person what they are in  form  and character, in daily life. It is the  thing  that describes what a person is or will  become  that is different from the common humanity features. That through these ambitions one gets dreams and desires. These dreams and desires may not always be favored by courses of life, but this should not stop people from being ambitious (Mei & Dasgupta, 2007). The unpredictability and uncertainty in the outcomes of the future should not stop one from being  ambitious  in life. This is because through the possible  achievement  of such ambitions a person discovers themselves and gains their desires. He continues to  argue  that being  ambitious  is suitable for a  person  as it enables for the fulfillment of one’s dreams or the dreams of others. One can be  ambitious, to gain glory, love, distinction, wealth, and fight for the welfare of others, among other aspects (Mei & Dasgupta, 2007). ... Moreover, there is a strong link between  ambition  and  individualism  (Mei & Dasgupta, 2007). These are people that work for their own  achievement  disregarding those of others. This trend bears Jesuitical behavior where people think their personal achievements are beneficial to others. This aspect tends to downplay morals of the ambitious, as a result, brings questions to their achievements. These are such questions that  rise  crimes against humanity such as  greed  and corruption. Though this is sometimes true, it harms those that are  true  successful  of  ambition. Epstein argues that the negative view of  ambition  has raised a  trend  of hypocrisy amongst people towards the subject. This is through shunning away from  ambition  and the aspects that come with it such as  success. It is evident in the media the educated saying that they have given up on the idea of  ambition  while they are the products of  benefit  from  ambition  itself.  People do not own up to their dreams of success while others  form  a  state  in which such fruits of success seem to be  normally  available attributes to them.  Other people have developed a natural state of  distrust  of ambition, as a result, view ambition as an uncontrollable part of humanity. Some even go to the extent of blaming ambition for the misdeeds that  happen  in their life. He  further  argues that to shun  ambition  to guard against its adversities is to  restrain  its successes. Through ambition, people  desire  and such de sires  amplify  their hard work and  discipline  towards the  achievement  of such goals.

Geography assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Geography - Assignment Example In reality, Western Europe probably has the resources to handle the aging population. What many experts are noting, however, is the reality that many traditional values are slowly being forgotten due a decrease in the native population of the region. The number of immigrants flooding into the region, bringing with them their own culture, values, and ways of life, is slowly blending in with other Western Europe traditions. This is slowly creating a new culture that many fear will mean the loss of many long-standing traditions that have been in place across the continent for centuries. Russia is facing yet a different crisis in terms of their recent decline in the native population. In previous decades, war and cultural conflicts have nearly decimated various sectors of the native population. This is quite troubling to the Russian people and they are fervently seeking out ways to reverse this trend and protect the less dominant groups residing within their borders. This brief paper wil l examine the issues surrounding this population decline within both Western Europe and Russia in an effort to better understand the importance of reversing this trend moving forward. Western Europe Western Europe has been undergoing a period of decline in terms of native population for quite some time now. Take Germany as an example. In Germany, if you take away immigration numbers, the net population would actually be declining. If these trends continue, Edmonston (2006) points out that, â€Å"The German population will eventually decline because of below replacement fertility, if net immigration does not counteract that decrease† (p. 513). Even if immigration does make up for the initial decline, the fear is that German culture will slowly be eroded and rewritten. The argument here is not centered on whether or not immigrants can assimilate into German culture. The reality is that immigrants are fulfilling a labor need and they are adjusting to the German way of life in re cord numbers. If this trend continues, however, certain traditions and values that Germans have held dear for centuries could easily become forgotten. The reality of population decline and the potential erosion of cultural values is not limited to Germany. All over Western Europe countries are grappling with the reality that native population growth is simply not keeping up with an aging and dying society. From the United Kingdom to France to Scandinavian countries, governments are faced with difficult decisions about how to deal with the problem. Part of the problem in Western Europe appears to be sociological in nature. Europeans, under systems of democracy, have seen less of an emphasis on class divisions in recent years. In addition, the general population is more materialistic than before and young adults have big dreams and ambitions for their life. Because of this, and the sheer expense of raising children, the birth rate has plummeted to levels never before seen. All of thes e reasons, and others, combine to form a reality where population growth simply becomes difficult to achieve (Ross, 2003, pp. 710-711) Russia The entire region of Russia has been experiencing a decline in their native population as well. In

The Coral Reef Bleaching Environmental Sciences Essay

The Coral Reef Bleaching Environmental Sciences Essay Coral are very old animals that have evolved over millions of years to become reef-building organisms. On Earth, coral reefs are among the most biologically diverse places to be found. They may only cover a small percent of the ocean, about .2 percent, but more than 25 percent of the marine life resides there. The two main types of coral are hard coral and soft coral. Hard coral is the major species that build reefs. Similar to tropical rainforests, coral reefs are usually located within 30 degrees latitude of the equator. Water temperatures for the reefs are between 16 and 30 degrees Celsius, though there are coral outside these regions with somewhat colder temperatures. The ideal development waters for reefs are tropical waters which are low in nitrogen, phosphorous and other nutrients, stable temperatures, as well as stable salt content. The coral reefs we see today are a result of thousands of years of production and cycling through life and death. Coral only contribute a smaller portion of life found in the reefs, though they create a habitat for various amounts of other species. There are three main types of coral reefs: barrier reefs, fringing reefs, and atolls. Respectively, these reefs are offshore, separated by water from land, continuous with land, and islands made of coral that flank lagoons. Though there are different types, the general coral makeup is the same. After years of mystery, we now know that coral is very complex in its design. Coral is a symbiotic relationship with the small animals that make up coral called polyps, and the microscopic algae called zooxanthellae that live inside the coral. [1][2] Coral reefs lives in colonies consisting of many polyps using living tissues to connect to each other. Each polyp resembles a cupcake shape with a circle of tentacles near the opening. To capture zooplankton for food, the tentacles are equipped with stinging cells for trapping. The small polyps secrete limestone, also known as calcium carbonate. The exoskeleton of the coral is made of these secretions, just like the shell of a snail. Reefs are able to grow from the stone. [4] The algae that live in the corals use the process of photosynthesis, taking sunlight to converts water and carbon dioxide into sustenance. The polyps receive most of their energy this way, although they are carnivorous. For providing the corals with energy, the algae are provided shelter to live, taking the coral waste for their own growth. A situation where two organisms live together gaining benefit is called mutualistic symbiosis.[15] In every ecosystem, there are three groups of organisms: producers, consumers, and decomposers. Producers are usually organisms that take in sunlight to produce energy. The consumers are above the producers, and range from herbivore, omnivore, and carnivore. Next are decomposers that break down dead plants and animals that help provide food back to the producers. [12] At a first glance, the initial food source may not be very apparent in coral reefs, as there are usually low levels of actual plants to the visible eye. However, the microscopic algae as stated before take in sunlight, use photosynthesis, and create energy for the other animals and the coral. At the base of all food chains, the primary producers, also known as autotrophs are found. The producers have the ability to synthesize intricate, organic compounds like glucose using inorganic molecules and sunlight. This process is called photosynthesis. Less common producers are some bacteria. These get energy by oxidizing other inorganic compounds like hydrogen sulfide. These are better suited to live in more hostile areas such as deep sea vents. The greater proportion of production happens in the euphotic zone. This zone is within the first 70 meters of water. The way productivity is measured, is in grams of carbon produced per meter of ocean surface per year, better written as g C/m2/yr. Total productivity of the ocean is estimated to be between 75 and 150 g C/m2/yr. Common producers in the coral reefs are phytoplankton, the symbiotic zooxanthellae that live with the corals, different types of algae like coralline and turf algae, along with some seaweed. One of the more important primary producers is phytoplankton. Phytoplankton is a group of organisms like diatoms, dinoflagellates, some bacteria, and smaller species known as nanoplankton which grow about 2.0-20mm long, and picoplankton. These grow to about 0.2-2.0mm.[21] Next come consumers. Consumers rely on the producers and other consumers as their main source of energy. The first set of consumers is organisms like zooplankton, some species of corals, sea urchins, green sea turtles, herbivorous fish, and herbivorous larvae. Secondary consumers are generally carnivores, going for primary consumers. After the carnivores, come tertiary consumers, and prey on secondary consumers. These consumers tend to be carnivores as well, but can also be omnivores as well. Common types of zooplankton are copepods, amphipods and ciliates. These zooplankton, along with many more types, are the most plentiful consumers. Phytoplankton evels in the waters of coral reefs can be around 15 to 65 percent lower than neighboring open waters in the ocean because of the large amount of primary consumers that live there. Some species of coral and benthic grazers feed by filtering water to trap phytoplankton. Other creatures eat seaweed, and even the coral itself.[21] Secondary consumers are the animals that prey on primary consumers, therefore making them carnivorous. They are split up into four main groups: plankton feeders, corallivores (feeding on coral tissues), feeders that prey on other invertibrates, and fish eaters also known as piscivores. Barnacles, smaller damselfish, whales sharks, and some invertebrates make up the group of plankton feeders. The corallivores go a step further, being divided into four more groups: Coral tissue generalists, coral scrapers, polyp eaters, and mucus feeders. The most destructive sub group are the coral tissue generalists. Flatworms, parasitic snails and nudibranchs, and the Crown of Thorns sea star devour coral, leaving skeletons behind. The mucus feeders dine on slimy mucus that comes from the coral. Some examples animals of this group are shrimps and coral guard crabs. Parrot fish, butterfly fish, and certain species of trigger fish are some commonly known coral scrapers. The fish that are well adapted to eat coral polyps are able to stretch out or elongate parts of their bodies to cherry pick polyps singly out of a coral animal. Damsel fish, and many species of butterfly fish are some examples. Benthic invertebrates such as crustaceans and mollusks are eaten by many species of fish. Cephalopods focus on eating arthropods like lobsters and mantis shrimp, along with shelled invertebrates. Cone shells have been specialized on certain, specific invertebrates. Crown of Thorns sea stars are eaten by Tritons, or Charonia tritonis. Many species of fish, as well as some mollusks and arthropods are piscivores, feasting upon other fish for food. At the top of the food chain, where the animals prey on smaller fish, are the tertiary consumers. These animals are marine animals like dolphins, seals, and if they are around, even sea birds are considered. [21] In all ecosystems, decomposers are one of the most important parts of the food chain. Decomposers break down deceaced biological matter and waste from other organisms. They then transfer these things into energy, meanwhile they return the important materials back to the environment. In coral reefs, the main decomposers are bacteria. Bacteria play a very important part in the nitrogen cycle in which ammonia, or NH4 is turned into nitrite, NO2 using the bacteria in the genus Nitrosomonas. Nitrite is then turned into nitrate, NO3 by bacteria in the Nitrobacter genus. Ultimately, the end result is levels in wastes that are toxic tend to be very low, and are processed into bits that the main producers can easily use. Detrivores, or animals that scavenge, have a somewhat similar job in turning out dead and waste material. Other organisms that contribute to this are sea cucumbers, bristle worms, and some species of snails.[21]Coral reef trophic structureThis is a diagram of the food chain i n the coral reef. It better describes how the energy is transferred between the tiers. Solar energy is taken in by the primary producers, the primary consumers eat the primary producers, the secondary consumers eat the primary consumers, and the tertiary consumers eat the secondary and primary consumers. Each of these tiers can be decomposed and have their energy given back to the primary producers. Also between each stage of the ecosystem pyramid is the loss of heat energy. [20] Though they may seem like a stable ecosystem, many threats are present to coral reefs. Their delicate structure can be very easy to disrupt, pollute, damage, and overall harm. Things like the acidification of the ocean, global warming, coral bleaching, levels in carbon dioxide, water pollution, sedimentation from construction, fishing practices that are destructive like blast fishing, and coral mining are good, yet terrible examples of threats.[9] Carbon dioxide, along with other gasses that trap heat is being constantly thrown up into the atmosphere, helping the process of global warming. Acting as a sort of shield, these gasses do not allow the heat we get from our sun to leave the Earths atmosphere. One of the main reasons this happens is deforestation, and the burning of fossil fuels. When heat isnt allowed to exit the Earth, water temperatures rise. This is very dangerous to coral reefs, which are super sensitive to changes in temperature, as the reefs require a certain temperature range to function. When the coral polyps become stressed from rising temperatures, they discharge the algae living within them, which give the coral most of its energy. When this happens, the colour also goes with the algae, leaving the coral looking bleached. As bad as this seems, there are chances for coral to recuperate if the environment returns back to normal in a fair amount of time. Most bleached coral die, however. [14] Coral Reef Bleaching This diagram shows how the process of bleaching occurs. Healthy corals have zooxanthellae all around the body. As conditions worsen, the zooxanthellae leave the coral. The coral starves and dies. After a while, another kind of algae covers the coral, making it harder for the corals to gain back their zooxanthellae. [9] Carbon dioxide content in the air has increased by about one third over the past few decades. The carbon dioxide also mixes into the water, which also is thought to be dissolving the coral, letting other threats like wave damage, fishers using destructive means, and possibly even tourists who do not care too much about being careful become much more of a threat than usual[9] Pairing with global warming, the depletion of the ozone layer is caused by chemicals in the atmosphere, one of which is commonly known as CFCs, or chlorofluorocarbons. These chemicals further the depletion of the ozone layer, pumping up the amount of the suns radiation. In more shallow areas, it is believed that the damage done to corals increase.[9] One of the leading causes for the destruction of coral reefs scientists have found is pollution. Pollution of all sorts damage the reefs, be it oil, gas, or pesticides. These reefs and the organisms that live within the system are poisoned whenever animal and/or human wastes, fertilizers, and chemicals are dumped into the ocean, or get carried by rivers into the ocean into the waters that reefs exist. When these bad things are introduced, levels of nitrogen in the coral reefs grow, resulting in an abundance of algae. The extra algae then start cutting off sunlight from the coral, starving it of important nutrients. Floating trash and other similar wastes can cover and block the reefs from getting sunlight as well. Mistaking plastic bags for sea jellies, turtles will often go after them and eat the bags. If they do, the plastic inside will starve them to death because of blockage in the digestive tract. Ghost nets or nets that have been lost, discarded, or forgot about may catch hold of reefs, strangling many fish, turtles, and other marine mammals. [9] Careless tourists and things affiliated with tourism can pollute damage and kill corals reefs as well. Resorts near sites with reefs might have septic tanks that leak, seeping sewage into the waters nearby. These establishments might also simply dump waste they want to get rid of into the waters. The people themselves can damage the reefs as well by either accidentally or purposefully step on, kick or grab corals or the sediment around them, stirring up sand and sediments that can block sunlight as well as damage the corals directly. Setting down boat anchors nearby can destroy corals too. This usually happens when people attempt to mine the reefs of coral colonies. Broken pieces of coral can be used for bricks, road filling and when ground up into limestone, will be mixed into cement for construction. This is not the only reason corals are taken. They can be sold as tourist souvenirs, jewelry, and decorative pieces.[9] Certain ways of fishing are pretty destructive to the environment as well. Practices like over-fishing, using blasts or charges to kill fish, and even fishing with cyanide are all threats to reefs, and any other ecosystem. Most fish caught using cyanide are sold in primarily in Asian countries, and given to customers in restaurants. Catching fish with cyanide involves fishers actually diving down into reefs and squirting cyanide into the crevices of corals and onto fast moving fish, stunning them for catching. Other fish nearby along with coral polyps are poisoned by this.[9] Over fishing is another big cause of coral damage. A lot of times, a population near a reef will catch too many fish from a single reef to feed themselves. Things like banging sticks against the reef destroy formations of coral that provide homes for fish. Blast fishing, or fishing with explosives, is very bad for coral. When a charge is set off, the surrounding area is blown to bits, leaving little intact.[9] Numbers of people that live along coasts have risen, leading to higher uses of the resources from the coastlines. This is causing many problems for waters near land developments, especially for coral reefs. Some cities like Hong Kong, Singapore and Honolulu had beautiful coral reefs. Due to the rising populations, however, things went sour for the reefs. Pollution, construction, docks and piers to name a few have been made. Some establishments have even been made directly on top of the reefs, both destroying them and leaving the little coral that survived barely any sunlight. Reefs are still experiencing this fate as more human communities grow along the shores. image This is a diagram showing some -but not all- threats to coral reefs. By following the arrows, it is evident that just one these threats can lead to a multitude of consequences. This diagram does not even list all the potential threats. It is safe to assume that if all the threats were listed and shown this way, the result would be extremely overwhelming. The more word spreads about how much can harm a coral reef, the better.

Essay --

Aditya A R Flat no 102, E.S. Apartments, F-73, Madhura Nagar, Hyderabad, India, 500038 Tel: +91-8333820576 E-mail : adityaalur@gmail.com Department of Computer Sciences, University of Pennsylvania Statement Of Purpose â€Å"What imagination makes possible, computer science makes real.† While there may be no limit to what technology can accomplish—from space travel to robots that can build cars—none of it is possible without key breakthroughs in computing theory, artificial intelligence, data analysis, and application design. For this reason, I want to develop a deep understanding of computing theory and applications that will serve as a springboard to future discoveries. Absorbing new technologies has always been a pleasure to me. I like to be ahead of others in knowing new technologies, and that’s why I want to study further. It is this desire that made me apply for the master’s degree in computer and information science at the University of Pennsylvania. During my Undergraduate degree program at SASTRA University, the area which was of special interest to me was the design and analysis of algorithms. My first encounter with algorithms was when I wrote code for the popular video game Pac-Man (in C++). Thereafter, I developed a liking for the subject and challenged myself with tougher algorithmic problems by participating in programming contests hosted on sites like Codechef , Sphere Online Judge and TopCoder. I stood 10th in India in the Codechef February challenge-2009 and was consistently ranked in top 200 in TopCoder. Later that year, our team of 3 members qualified for the Asian regionals of the prestigious ACM(Association For Computing Machinery) Inter-Collegiate Programming Contest . I also went on to top my department i... ...and innovative work, especially when it leads to practical applications. My ideal vision of a career has always been a job that involves creativity, innovation and flexibility. I am confident that higher education would give me the desired push towards a career in research and an opportunity to do well in my chosen field of interest. I am eager to work under the guidance of the distinguished faculty members of the University of Pennsylvania. I am convinced that the facilities in the department of computer and information science in your university will be very useful for dedicated involvement in research projects. I believe that the CIS program at UPenn is compelling enough to whet my appetite for solving difficult problems in the field of computing and the best impetus I can get to my career. It would be an honor to be accepted as a student in this institution.