The eNotes Blog 7 Texts That Will Make You the Family Intellectual This HolidaySeason

7 Texts That Will Make You the Family Intellectual This HolidaySeason Ah, the holidays: that season of cheer, giving, and proving to your relatives that you do, in fact, have your life together. One of the joys of the season is proving yourself smarter than the rest of your family, but how can you cement your position as the family intellectual? Simple: read some of the classics. Here’s a mixture of short stories, essays, plays, poetry, and literature that span from satire to tragedy. Best of all, you can find all of these and more on Owl Eyes. With these under your belt, you’re set to claim your place as the smartest of your siblings and cousins. Drop a quote into conversation at your leisure and wait for a flare of recognition in the eye of the nearest English major (or, possibly, a spark of alarm on the face of someone more plebeian). Whether you come away from the holidays with a reputation for a superior knowledge of literature or as the eccentric cousin, you’ve won. The Prince, Machiavelli This is the classic work on ways to acquire and maintain power. A fascinating treatise on cunning unchecked by moral scruples- Machiavelli’s means of manipulation are perhaps not ideal for, say, getting out of washing the dishes after dinner, but now you can sit patiently during Aunt Judy’s well-meaning monologue about how you should live your life while silently pondering your plans for world domination. â€Å"Since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved.† Use it when: Great Aunt Lynn asks, for the fifth time that weekend, why you’re single. Watch the look of alarm on your cousin’s face as he overhears. Smile innocently, offer him a cookie, and watch him wonder if it’s safe to eat. â€Å"A Modest Proposal,† Jonathan Swift In this classic example of satire, which was published during Ireland’s food shortage in 1729, Swift argued that eating babies was the perfect solution. It might not be a good idea to bring this one up to your cousins with children. â€Å"A most delicious nourishing and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricassee, or a ragoust.† Use it when: Someone discusses meal prep. Slice one of Swift’s most famous lines in half and serve with a dark note of irony, disquieting your relatives for a reason they can’t quite place. â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,† T.S. Eliot A melancholy monologue, Eliot’s poem explores the inner life of a deeply self-conscious man. Notable for its immersive sensory details and striking metaphors, the poem also contains lines guaranteed both to inspire and confuse relatives. â€Å"There will be time, there will be time To prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet; There will be time to murder and create, And time for all the works and days of hands That lift and drop a question on your plate.† Use it when: Anyone mentions the future or how quickly time flies. A brief mention of murder ought to redirect the conversation nicely. Bonus: â€Å"I grow old I grow old I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled.† Use it: In response to overenthusiastic third cousins twice-removed who haven’t seen you since you were a baby and are now exclaiming at how much you’ve grown. Oedipus Rex, Sophocles A disquieting story of irony and tragedy, essential to any lover of the classics. Name-drop Sophocles during any conversation to make yourself look impressive. â€Å"Fear? What has a man to do with fear? Chance rules our lives, and the future is all unknown. Best live as we may, from day to day.† Use it when: Giving a toast at dinner. Watch as tears are discreetly patted away with napkins. The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde A masterpiece of satire, Oscar Wilde’s best-known play is a gold mine of sarcasm and absurdity. Pull a random quote out of this book, toss it at your relatives, and watch their faces contort as they try to decide if you’re kidding. â€Å"If I am occasionally a little over-dressed, I make up for it by being always immensely over-educated.† Use it when: You suddenly realize that no one dresses up for family dinners and that, therefore, your formal clothing is a bit overkill. Bonus: â€Å"I hope you have not been leading a double life, pretending to be wicked and being good all the time.† â€Å"Self-Reliance,† Ralph Waldo Emerson A transcendentalist manifesto, â€Å"Self-Reliance† argues in favor of independence and self-sufficiency. Quote it to disprove those tired Millennial stereotypes. â€Å"Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string.† Use it when: Arguing philosophy and politics at the dinner table. If those in the know scoff because of the quote’s fame, throw the following suitably-obscure quote at them. Bonus for hipsters: â€Å"Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood.† Use it when: You fall on the losing side of an argument. Keep your head held high- they only need to get away from society’s convictions. Additional quote: â€Å"The great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.† Use it when: Grandpa nags you about being on your phone during appetizers and not socializing. Social media is the sweetest form of solitude, after all. The Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka Absurd and surreal, The Metamorphosis begins with Gregor Samsa awakening to discover that he has become a giant insect. Mention it and witness the accompanying shudder of revulsion: whether at the ambiguity of the text or the notion of transforming into an insect, you’ll soon find out. â€Å"Could I be less sensitive now?† Use it when: Someone inevitably turns on an episode of Friends while dinner is cooking. Stress the words just like Chander does (â€Å"Could I be less sensitive now?†) and laugh along with everybody as they congratulate you on your impression of him. Catch the eye of someone who knows better and weep internally.

ART OF DOMINATION essays

ART OF DOMINATION essays Human beings are creatures which are equipped with the feeling of god. And because of this feeling, during the long history of humanity people thought of the god or gods and tried to find a logical answer whether god or gods exist and if there is a god what the god look like. Besides this, most of the civilizations have the faith of multiple gods. The Hittites are one of the examples of these civilizations. But they had had problems with imagining the gods, because its difficult to imagine something that you dont see. So Hittites thought of gods, as they have human like sights and also they imagined gods as they have relationships with human beings especially with the kings. In most of the ancient civilizations people believe that there are lots of gods and each god has a constant duty. And they believe that the gods have attendants which serve the gods, so on earth. We can see the figures that reveal this belief on the carvings which are displayed in the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations. There are some mythical creatures called ugallu, kusarikku and griffon daemons. Ugallu is a composition of human and lion, and kusarikku is created by combining the bull and human. And the griffons are created by the combination of eagle and lion which are imagined to be very strong, and they are also believed that they are carrying the sky. Also ancient people believed that there are human attendants of gods on earth and that gods can rule the vassals by this way. In those ages people trust kings because the kings are believed to be the servants of gods. We can examine this in other ancient civilizations like Egypt and also in some Turkish empires which was found in Middle Asia. Although this was the general belief of the citizens, the kings and the queens in those civilizations are inclined to use this to strengthen their position in the society. Because this religion power with the military power doubles the power of the king upon ...

Charles Darwin theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Charles Darwin theory - Essay Example I don’t think there is any evidence to support this idea. The truth is that the theory of evolution dictates which species continue to exist and which fail. It moulds and shapes the functions and appearance of each species. However, it does not guide them towards any one particular end. Evolution says that nature changes in a random way and that nothing is being progressed towards. Each step of evolution happens because of various circumstances none of which are planned. However, there is the problem of love. Some think that evolution cannot explain why people love each other. However, love is an important function of evolution. Â   In this, the 201st anniversary of the birth of the great British biologist and scientist, Charles Darwin, it is fascinating to look at how his powerful theory of evolution is still a subject of debate and how exactly it operates in nature. More particularly, it is fascinating to see how love fits into his scheme. Love is what bring together people to raise children. People fall in love for many reasons, but the main one—attraction--is a direct product of evolution. What do people find attractive? Strength, symmetry, health. These are all things that indicate good genes. People want to reproduce with people who have these attractive qualities because they want to pass on good genes to their offspring. They fall in love and stay together in order to raise their children. The reason the pattern of families have existed for so long is that the system works. We have nuclear families because they are the most effective way, according to evolution, to raise children to become h ealthy and successful adults. There is no system in competition. And this is the product of love. The truth is that heredity and genetic variations are only spokes in the wheel of natural selection (Margulis 65). Heredity is what is passed down from one generation to the next

Retirement Gamble Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Retirement Gamble - Movie Review Example There is an important concept that is brought about in the video concerning the availability of actively managed funds that are worthy the value of investors’ money. The authors argue that there are no actively managed funds that can add value to the investors’ investments. I disagree with the argument because there are several beneficial actively managed funds in the market. Moreover, Christine Marcks, the head of Prudential Retirement, argues that she is not aware of any research findings showing the advantages of low cost index investments over the high cost active management. The general public needs to be made aware that the task of finding and determining whether the actively managed funds are worthy the investors’ money should lie under the responsibility of investment accountants. Research shows that one third of Americans do not have any retirement saving plans. Nevertheless, half of the American population think that they cannot save enough funds for th eir retirement. These findings show how uninformed many employees are. There is the need to have investment consultants who will enable the investors to choose the best retirement saving plans to suit their needs. However, it has not addressed the following question; is there any single 401 (k) plan that investors can rely on? This question is important because it will help in solving the current problems facing employees rather than blaming the financial industries for taking too much money from investors while offering little value in return.

Inferential Statistics Essay Example for Free

Inferential Statistics Essay With inferential statistics, you are trying to reach conclusions that extend beyond the immediate data alone. For instance, we use inferential statistics to try to infer from the sample data what the population might think. Or, we use inferential statistics to make judgments of the probability that an observed difference between groups is a dependable one or one that might have happened by chance in this study. Thus, we use inferential statistics to make inferences from our data to more general conditions; we use descriptive statistics simply to describe whats going on in our data. Here, I concentrate on inferential statistics that are useful in experimental and quasi-experimental research design or in program outcome evaluation. Perhaps one of the simplest inferential test is used when you want to compare the average performance of two groups on a single measure to see if there is a difference. You might want to know whether eighth-grade boys and girls differ in math test scores or whether a program group differs on the outcome measure from a control group. Whenever you wish to compare the average performance between two groups you should consider the t-test for differences between groups. Most of the major inferential statistics come from a general family of statistical models known as the General Linear Model. This includes the t-test, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA), regression analysis, and many of the multivariate methods like factor analysis, multidimensional scaling, cluster analysis, discriminant function analysis, and so on. Given the importance of the General Linear Model, its a good idea for any serious social researcher to become familiar with its workings. The discussion of the General Linear Model here is very elementary and only considers the simplest straight-line model. However, it will get you familiar with the idea of the linear model and help prepare you for the more complex analyses described below. One of the keys to understanding how groups are compared is embodied in the notion of the dummy variable. The name doesnt suggest that we are using variables that arent very smart or, even worse, that the analyst who uses t hem is a dummy! Perhaps these variables would be better described as proxy variables. Essentially a dummy variable is one that uses discrete numbers, usually 0 and 1, to represent different groups in your study. Dummy variables are a simple idea that enable some pretty complicated things to  happen. For instance, by including a simple dummy variable in an model, I can model two separate lines (one for each treatment group) with a single equation. To see how this works, check out the discussion on dummy variables. One of the most important analyses in program outcome evaluations involves comparing the program and non-program group on the outcome variable or variables. How we do this depends on the research design we use. research designs are divided into two major types of designs: experimental and quasi-experimental. Because the analyses differ for each, they are presented separately. Experimental Analysis. The simple two-group posttest-only randomized experiment is usually analyzed with the simple t-test or one-way ANOVA. The factorial experimental designs are usually analyzed with the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) Model. Randomized Block Designs use a special form of ANOVA blocking model that uses dummy-coded variables to represent the blocks. The Analysis of Covariance Experimental Design uses, not surprisingly, the Analysis of Covariance statistical model. Quasi-Experimental Analysis. The quasi-experimental designs differ from the experimental ones in that they dont use random assignment to assign units (e.g., people) to program groups. The lack of random assignment in these designs tends to complicate their analysis considerably. For example, to analyze the Nonequivalent Groups Design (NEGD) we have to adjust the pretest scores for measurement error in what is often called a Reliability-Corrected Analysis of Covariance model. In the Regression-Discontinuity Design, we need to be especially concerned about curvilinearity and model misspecification. Consequently, we tend to use a conservative analysis approach that is based on polynomial regression that starts by overfitting the likely true function and then reducing the model based on the results. The Regression Point Displacement Design has only a single treated unit. Nevertheless, the analysis of the RPD design is based directly on the traditional ANCOVA model. When youve investigated these various analytic models, youll see that they all come from the same family the General Linear Model. An understanding of that model will go a long way to introducing you to the intricacies of data analysis in applied and social research contexts. The T-Test The t-test assesses whether the means of two groups are statistically  different from each other. This analysis is appropriate whenever you want to compare the means of two groups, and especially appropriate as the analysis for the posttest-only two-group randomized experimental design. Figure 1. Idealized distributions for treated and comparison group posttest values. | Figure 1 shows the distributions for the treated (blue) and control (green) groups in a study. Actually, the figure shows the idealized distribution the actual distribution would usually be depicted with a histogram or bar graph. The figure indicates where the control and treatment group means are located. The question the t-test addresses is whether the means are statistically different. What does it mean to say that the averages for two groups are statistically different? Consider the three situations shown in Figure 2. The first thing to notice about the three situations is that the difference between the means is the same in all three. But, you should also notice that the three situations dont look the same they tell very different stories. The top example shows a case with moderate variability of scores within each group. The second situation shows the high variability case. the third shows the case with low variability. Clearly, we would conclude that the two groups appear most different or distinct in the bottom or low-variability case. Why? Because there is relatively little overlap between the two bell-shaped curves. In the high variability case, the group difference appears least striking because the two bell-shaped distributions overlap so much. Figure 2. Three scenarios for differences between means. | This leads us to a very important conclusion: when we are looking at the differences between scores for two groups, we have to judge the difference between their means relative to the spread or variability of their scores. The t-test does just this. Statistical Analysis of the t-test The formula for the t-test is a ratio. The top part of the ratio is just the difference between the two means or averages. The bottom part is a measure of the variability or dispersion of the scores. This formula is essentially another example of the signal-to-noise metaphor in research: the difference between the means is the signal that, in this case, we think our program or  treatment introduced into the data; the bottom part of the formula is a measure of variability that is essentially noise that may make it harder to see the group difference. Figure 3 shows the formula for the t-test and how the numerator and denominator are related to the distributions.

What is Civil Engineering? :: essays research papers

Historically, Civil Engineering is the oldest branch of engineering and dates back at least 5,000 years to the profession of "master builder" involving pyramids, temples and irrigation projects. Engineering has changed greatly since those days but the fundamental principles have stayed the same. Engineers solve peoples problems with applied science and innovation. Today's problems are more complex and the needs of current and future societies have created challenges for engineering unparalleled in our history. The use of electronic data collection methods and the application of computers has revolutionized the practice of Civil Engineering. To interpret and satisfy these needs, Civil Engineers currently direct the spending of more than one tenth of Canada's gross national product, more than any other professional group. The Civil Engineer must deal with the human impact of engineering. Social, moral and legal issues concern us to a far greater degree than ever before. Civil Engineering has become an extremely diverse field with many areas of application. A summary of the major fields follow: Structural Engineering Structural Engineering deals with the design and construction of all types of structures including buildings and bridges. Emphasis is placed on mechanics and the behaviour of materials. Infrastructure Management and Construction Infrastructure Management and Construction deals with project management, construction materials, construction engineering and building engineering. Water and Waste Management Engineering Water and Waste Management Engineering addresses water and waste water treatment, surface and ground water pollution and control, solid and hazardous waste management, contaminant transport and behaviour in the environment. Support areas involving aquatic chemistry, computer modeling, simulation and laboratory experimentation as examples are also stressed. Transportation Engineering Transportation Engineering deals with the planning, design, construction, traffic operation and evaluation of streets, highways, airports, and transit systems. Geotechnical Engineering Geotechnical Engineering covers the engineering properties of soils, the fundamentals of soil mechanics, and the application of geotechnical data and fundamentals to the design of foundation elements, earth-retaining structures, excavations, earth embankments and highway pavements. Engineering Mechanics Engineering Mechanics deals with the rigorous study of mechanics, applied mathematics and related fields. This leads to an understanding of advanced analysis and leads to study in structural engineering, hydraulics, mechanics of solids and fluids, or properties of materials. Experimental Mechanics Experimental Mechanics involves the experimental investigations of the static and dynamic response of structures and machines, and in the development of improved techniques to obtain and analyze experimental data. Water Resources Engineering Water Resources Engineering covers the planning,

Hooded Americanism: The First Century of the Ku Klux Klan Essay

In â€Å"Hooded Americanism,† David M. Chalmers narrates the olden times of the Ku Klux Klan in every single one of its personifications from right away following the Civil War to the belatedly 1970s. Mr. Chalmers moreover talks about the Klan’s expansion and accomplishments in all of the states throughout its strongest era in the 1920s to 1930s. Mr. Chalmers furthermore discusses in great detail the tumultuous 1960s and how the Klan lends a hand unintentionally to produce the Civil Rights legislation for which it struggled so toughly against the opposition. Comprehensively investigated and finely written, â€Å"Hooded Americanism† is based on facts and peeps into the life of a contentious association and into the survival of the men and women who made it achievable. Summary of the Book: In the book â€Å"Hooded Americanism†, according to the author, David M. Chalmers, â€Å"it is not possible under American law to forbid the existence of an organization such as the Klan. Only the overt deeds of individuals, not organizations and opinions, are punishable† (David Mark Chalmers, 391). In other expressions it is practically not possible to pin the activities of a company on one human being. In result, the group gets away with monstrous and dreadful actions of violent behavior and no one is penalized for it. They have extended an effectual and successful approach and it is one of terrorization. All the way through the past, the Ku Klux Klan has instilled terror in others compelling them to give the impression to be substandard and defenseless. Not including the capability to threaten civilization, the Klan may perhaps still subsist, but it would obtain no authority above others. David Chalmers’ Hooded Americanism is in spite of everything, a standard history of the Ku Klux Klan. His 1981 modified version traced the indistinguishable territory all the way through its fourth period, peaking with the late-1970s resurrection directed by new leaders like David Duke and manifested by the assassinators of five anti-Klan protesters at a 1979 war of words in Greensboro, North Carolina â€Å"Greensboro† readdresses here. Greensboro, North Carolina is a municipality in the U. S. state of North Carolina. Subsequently Klan relationships previously again forced, even though hard-core Klansmen soldiered into the new millennium by setting of connections crossways the chauvinistic Right, counterfeiting associations with Christian distinctiveness supporters, armed force combatants Nordic paganists, and neo-Nazi demagogues. Thesis of the book:  In spite of the civil rights modifications being approved greater than 40 years ago, racial discrimination persists to continue living to a great extent in America. A good example of this is the book â€Å"Hooded Americanism†. This book is based on the southern-based group known as the Ku Klux Klan. Instantaneously subsequent to the Civil War, this group moved towards the Modernization Period. The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) is one of America’s oldest and mainly one of the most apprehended groups. Determined by the vision of a world with simply one master ethnic group, the KKK frequently makes use of violent behavior, aggression and tactics exceeding the law to encourage their cause: white domination. Believe it or not, the innovative components intended for the KKK, were supposed to be an entertaining communal association that would be occupied of meaningless excitement and enjoyment despite the fact that in later years the KKK grew to be identified for their violent behavior and brutality in opposition to inhabitants outside the white nation and public who connected with them. With the times gone by that image Americans have of the KKK is hard to accept as true that it was on track for the reason that a small number of inhabitants wanting to have some childlike enjoyment, not because they were determined to establish a procession of hostility on anybody outside the white ethnic group. The Klan was extremely mysterious; all of the components were protected from individuals meaningful in their real characteristics (if that was their desire). Because of this confidentiality they obtained the alternate substitute name of â€Å"The Invisible Empire†. Even though slavery was brought to a conclusion, racial discrimination was not. The KKK was decived by the U. S. Government when it established and started being familiar with African-Americans as more than simply slaves. The KKK started their remonstration by execution, tar and feathering, thrashing, pounding and assassinating African-Americans in the South. The Klan doesn’t make use of the similar strategies as they did years and years ago. At that instant the KKK grasps nonviolent complaints in front of civil rights organization structures, the White House, and so on. For the reason that of their further diplomatic and more knowledgeable sounding loom, the Klan gets further encouraging awareness from brainless southerners. Subsequent to the removal of the U. S. Government hordes from the South in the late 1800’s, the Klan accomplished its objective. Numerous of the groups separated. Following the turn of the century, it started happening another time. This instant the objective was a lot superior, emancipation of America from all non-white, Christian Americans. This is the Ku Klux Klan we are familiar with at the moment. The Klan hasn’t been as authoritative from the time when they began, but for the past 50 years it has had a lot of reincarnation and plunges. All the way through the history, the KKK has tried to put a stop to the correspondence of America. They will maintain to do well by pleading with further inexperienced and unqualified Americans to stick together with them. It is correct that racial discrimination still continues to exist in the United States, but there will at all times be men and women of every color and shade struggling in opposition to group similar to the KKK. Provided that there are dissimilarities linking people on this earth, there will forever be revulsion. And the KKK will be there to nourish on this abhorrence and take advantage of it in each and every way probable. They might be noiseless for numerous years, but you can calculate on the reality that they are there. They are â€Å"The Invisible Empire† and will for eternity be the dark and mysterious side to American History. The book goes in length into the Klan’s spreading out into numerous nations and documents their accomplishments/collapses and the universal communal response of the group of people the Klan was entering. The novelist despite the fact that appeared to have a pro-Klan prejudice, and this is sensed just by the title and the understanding of the within jacket. He infrequently spots out the tribulations of the Klan’s philosophy (throughout his utilization of expressions, particularly exclusion of such words as â€Å"racist† and â€Å"bigot†, which a lot of Klan associates gave the impression to symbolize), and glamorizes the Klan’s analyses on white preeminence as a standard, contemporary inspection of white Christians (a little exceptionally distant from the reality). It glamorizes Klan violent behavior and intimidation of aggression, and in more than a small number of places it blames those adjacent to the Klan as unpatriotic Americans, or unappreciative colonizers or minorities. Mr. Chalmers furthermore highlights community brutality not in favor of Klan action as the actual erroneous and wickedness, something I believe is a usual response to these ‘pseudo-Christian revolutionary law enforcers’ who wish for time (and America) to stand still and static for them. A number of areas furthermore intimate towards the writer’s support for the Klan’s principles. The foremost Klan was established in 1865 by veterans of the co-conspirator defense force. Its rationale was to reinstate white incomparability in the consequences of the American Civil War. The Klan opposed Reconstruction by threatening â€Å"carpetbaggers†, â€Å"troublemakers† and freedmen. The KKK promptly accepted aggressive techniques. The increase in assassinations finally resulted in a counterattack between Southern leaders who observed the Klan’s immoderation as an explanation for centralized troops to prolong occupation. The association refused from 1868 to 1870 and was shattered by President Ulysses S. Grant’s route and enforcement of the Civil Rights Act of 1871. In 1915, the following Klan was established. It developed quickly in a different period of postwar social apprehensions. After World War I, a lot of Americans managed with successful development rates in main metropolis, where plentiful influence of refugees from southern and Eastern Europe and the Great Migration of Southern blacks and whites were being captivated. Subsequent to World War I, labor anxiety increased as veterans attempted to reenter the work energy. In response to these new groups of migrants and refugees, the second KKK urged racial discrimination, anti-Catholicism, anti-Communism, nativism, and anti-Semitism. Conclusion: Mr. Chalmers creates exceptional use of modern newspaper descriptions and perspectives to cover the Klan and its reputation in a specified group of people. What I found particularly fascinating was the Klan’s demographics. Mr. Chalmers acquaints with investigation that disproves long-held confidences that the Klan was for all time strongest in the South; in actual fact the Klan, at times, lined the authorized administrations of the Midwest. Mr. Chalmers furthermore talks about how different state governments and councils struggled with the Klan or sided with them. Yet again, I was astonished at how numerous administrations in reality attempted to restrain the enlargement of the Klan in their states throughout anti-mask commandments and other legislation. Mr. Chalmers has printed an outstanding history that includes in huge detail the 100 years subsequent to the Civil War. I look forward to that he is at an effort on modernizing this essential work.

Innovators in the development of this technology Essay

Biochips are soon expected to revolutionize clinical diagnostics, massively parallel DNA analysis, and other laboratory procedures involving molecular biology. In recent years, high-density DNA micro arrays or biochips have revolutionized biomedical research and greatly accelerated target validation and drugs discovery efforts. The utility of micro array technology is that it permits highly parallel gene expression profiling; provide snapshots of the transcriptome in both healthy and diseased states. Biochips can be used to identify and prioritize drug targets, based on their ability to confirm a massive number of gene expression measurements in parallel. Biochips have been utilized to address in vitro pharmacology and toxicology issues, and are being widely applied to improve the processes of disease diagnosis, pharmacogenomics and toxicogenomics. The biochips widely in use today, however, owe their existence to innovation in miniaturization in both the private and academic sectors. Innovators in the development of this technology include Hyseq, Oxford Gene Technologies and Stanford University. The biological nature of biochips also raises the possibility of some exciting medical applications – they could be implanted in the body of interface with the living system. Some possibilities include: Brain implants to circumvent damage that has caused blindess and deafness. Cardiac implants to regulate heart beat, Blood implants to regulate drug discovery (e. g. insulin for diabetics) and implants to control artificial limbs The fabrication of complex three dimensional biochips with the fabrication technology now used in the electronics industry is probably impossible. An essential feature of the use of a protein matrix is that the proteins directly their own assembly and the appropriate positioning of the semiconductor molecules. These are numerous examples of self assembling protein structures, including virus particles and these are being studied intensely for potential applications to biochip technology. Biochips will not be possible without computer designed proteins and rDNA technology. Yet it will probably be several years before rDNA technology will be able to contribute substantially to biochips research, because it is first necessary to understand more about the relationship between protein structure and function, the biological self-assembly processes, and the mechanisms by which molecules could do logic functions and store memory. Future The boundaries of technology will be continually challenged as this technology progresses, and novel applications are devised. In addition to the evolving technical approaches of DNA micro array systems, new applications for microarrays are being developed. Recent progress in combining the use of chromatin (ChIP) arrays with DNA microarrays has allowed genomewide analysis of transcription factor localization to specific regulatory sequences in living cells. Biotechnology is usually among most technologies in that it spans an array of scientific disciplines. Individuals seeking to be well versed in applications of biotechnology must have inter-disciplines training. Bioprocess engineers, for example need some knowledge of biochemistry and microbiology as well as knowledge of engineering design so that the most efficient combination of micro-organism and bioreactor can be determined. Many industrial sectors are applying biochip technology. The sectors include are pharmaceuticals, agriculture, specialty chemical and food additives, environmental applications, commodity chemicals and energy and bioelectronics. References Commercial biotechnology: An International Analysis, 1985, Office of Technology Assessment, United States Congress. Office of Technology Assessment, United States, Congress Biochips: Technology and Applications, 2003, Wan-Li Xing, Jing Cheng

America is a violent society essays

America is a violent society essays Undoubtedly, America is a violent society. Each year in America there are 11 127 firearm homicides. Compared to other countries this is an extremely large amount of guns. Why is it that there are so many deaths due to firearms in America than in any other country? We will explore possible reasons why America is such a violent society to answer this question. Somehow people in America have brainwashed themselves into believing that owning a gun enhances safety. America has the highest rate of firearm ownership than any other country. With about 200 million guns its a gun crazy country . But why is it that if guns enhance safety there are more and more deaths due to firearms than any other country? If guns ensure safety then there should be fewer deaths. Owning a gun doesnt guarantee safety. Its an illusion. Almost half of American households own firearms. They have these firearms because they believe these potentially fatal weapons provide safety for their families and themselves. A very large proportion of the gun related deaths in America are due to people mistaking family members for burglars. This is not safety. Firearms in America are very easily accessed. In the documentary, bowling for columbine, Michael Moore has shown simply and effectively how easily guns and ammunition can be accessed in America. In America you can open a bank account and as a bonus you get a free gun. They offer you a wide choice of guns when you open up an account. The bank is also an authorized federal arms dealer. Michael Moore discovered this gun offer in the local newspaper that showed a gun across the top with the heading More bang for your buck . After receiving his gun Michael then went to the local barber-shop for a haircut, where he purchased hassle-free bullets. The two boys from the columbine shooting, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris bought their guns from a gun show and their bullets ...

Heinrich Himmler, Nazi SS Head Oversaw the Holocaust

Heinrich Himmler, Nazi SS Head Oversaw the Holocaust Heinrich Himmler was a key figure in the Nazi party and leader of the feared SS. He was also responsible for turning the racist and anti-Semitic ideology of the Nazi movement into a shockingly efficient killing machine. Himmlers fanatical devotion to Hitler, as well as his fascination with the pseudoscience that fortified Nazi beliefs, made him one of the main architects of the Holocaust. The unlikely rise of Himmler from an unimpressive clerk-like figure running a small farm to one of the most powerful men on earth was attributed to his penchant for organization. Upon his suicide, soon after hed been captured and the Nazi regime had crumbled, the New York Times noted that Himmler had â€Å"raised wholesale slaughter to a science.† Fast Facts: Heinrich Himmler Known For: As head of the Nazi SS elite troops, he terrorized much of Europe and masterminded the HolocaustBorn: October 7, 1900 in Munich, BavariaDied: May 23, 1945 in Luneberg, Germany (committed suicide after being captured)Spouse: Margarete Concerzowo, known as MargaChildren: Gundrun Himmler, born 1929 Early Life Heinrich Himmler was born in Munich, Bavaria, on October 7, 1900. His father, Gebhard Himmler, was a schoolmaster. Early in his career, Himmler’s father had been appointed the tutor of Prince Heinrich of Bavaria, and Himmler was named in honor of the prince. Growing up in a middle-class family with an older and younger brother, Himmler developed a great sense of pride in German traditions. When his older brother joined the military in World War I, he wrote in his diary that he wished he was old enough to enlist. He did eventually join the German army and received training, but the war ended before he saw action. Following the war, Himmler studied agriculture and seemed destined to be a farmer. Like other young and angry Germans, he responded to his country’s defeat and perceived humiliation by the Allied powers by becoming interested in nationalist political movements. He officially joined the small Nazi Party in August 1923. He was involved in a minor role, manning a barricade and holding a Nazi banner in the Munich beer hall putsch that November. After the failed takeover attempt, he escaped prosecution and avoided prison, unlike Hitler and other participants. Rise to Power As the Nazi Party grew, Himmler became a key figure. In 1925, Himmler joined the SS (Schutzstaffel, the Nazi paramilitary organization), which had originally been a thuggish group of bodyguards tasked with protecting Hitler at public gatherings. As the second-in-command at the SS, Himmler dealt with fairly mundane tasks such as increasing party membership, collecting dues, and canvassing for advertisements for the party’s newspaper. In 1927 Himmler met his future wife, Margarete Concerzowo, known as Marga. They married in July 1928, and with Marga’s money they bought a small farm about ten miles outside Munich. They kept hens and grew some produce, and proceeds from the farm augmented Himmler’s salary from the Nazi Party. At some point, Hitler recognized Himmler’s fanatical loyalty and talent for organization, and in January 1929 he appointed him Reichsfuhrer SS, essentially making him the head of the organization. Himmler had a grand vision for the SS. He saw the black-uniformed troops as elite soldiers for Hitler, modern-day knights in service to the Nazi movement. As Hitler moved to seize power in Germany in the early 1930s, Himmler made plans to increase the size and power of the SS as well as its racial composition. In 1932 he issued a marriage code for the SS. Based on the concept of Blut und Boden (blood and soil in English) expounded by Nazi theorist Richard Walter Darre, the code stressed the racial purity of SS members. By Himmler’s orders, prospective members of the elite group had to prove they were of pure Nordic stock. Potential wives of SS members had to submit to physical examinations and prove they were free of Jewish or Slavic ancestry. Himmler became fixated on the idea of selective breeding. Heinrich Himmler, left, and Adolf Hitler review SS troops. Getty Images   Building the SS Himmler accelerated SS recruiting, and by 1932 the organization had grown to more than 50,000 men. Within a few years, the SS grew to more than 200,000 and became a formidable presence in German life. A major boost to Himmler’s plans came when he happened to meet a young German who had been forced out of the German navy. Reinhard Heydrich had family connections which led him to Himmler, and Himmler, believing Heydrich had intelligence experience, hired him to perform a particular mission: build a spy network within Germany. Heydrich had not actually worked in military intelligence, but he was a fast learner and before long he had an efficient network of spies and informers. An early sign of what was coming occurred in 1933 when Himmler and Heydrich opened the first concentration camp. The Dachau camp was created to hold political dissidents and it served as a warning to anyone who opposed the Nazi regime. Throughout the 1930s Himmler acquired more power. In 1934 he participated in the notorious Night of the Long Knives, the purge of the leadership of the SA, the Nazi stormtroopers, an organization which rivaled the SS. Having won the power struggle with the SA, Himmler became known as a major figure in the Nazi leadership. In 1936, the New York Times published a front-page article noting that Himmler had become the head of all â€Å"Reich Police.† By the end of the 1930s the SS had become the dominant force within the Nazi Party. And Himmler as head of not only the SS but the Gestapo, the secret police, was established as the most powerful figure in Germany after Hitler. Heinrich Himmler inspecting a camp holding Russian prisoners of war. Getty Images Directing the Holocaust Himmler’s main historical significance was for the role he played in the Holocaust, the Nazi’s systematic slaughter of millions of European Jews. From his early youth Himmler had been an ardent anti-Semite, and he eagerly used his great power to persecute the Jews in Germany. When Germany invaded Poland in 1939, militarized units of the SS were part of the invasion force. Under Himmler’s direction, SS troops were tasked with removing undesirable populations, which generally meant Jews, from areas conquered by German troops. SS units called Einsatzgruppen rounded up Jews and killed them in massacres across Poland. When the German forces attacked the Soviet Union in June 1941, SS units followed to conduct racial cleansing at a vast level. Himmler’s work at eliminating Jews in Europe moved quickly. By late 1941 large-scale massacres by SS troops had occurred. At the Wannsee Conference in January 1942, Heydrich laid out SS plans to come up with a Final Solution for Jews in Europe. This plan for mass murder was followed by Himmler after Heydrich was assassinated by partisans months later. Himmler directed the mass murder of millions and paid close attention to what was happening in the concentration camps. It is known that he visited the death camp at Auschwitz on two occasions. At times he issued detailed orders about how the camps should be run, even explaining in detail how much food prisoners should be given. He also authorized the gruesome medical experiments conducted by Nazi doctors who used concentration camp prisoners as subjects. As part of the Nazi campaigns in Eastern Europe, many Jews were forced to live in ghettos, where they were isolated in overcrowded and brutal conditions. Himmler took a great interest in the Warsaw Ghetto, and when the Jews rose up in a rebellion in the spring of 1943, he gave orders to conduct a brutal campaign that amounted to extermination of the residents. As World War II expanded and the Germans began to suffer defeats, Himmler made plans to create SS guerrilla units which would conduct warfare against the Allies in the event Germany was forced to surrender. In 1944 he was put in the field at one point to command troops, but as he had no real military experience, he was ineffective. Hitler called him back to Berlin to command troops positioned there. Downfall In early 1945, when it became evident that Germany would lose the war, Himmler tried to reach out to the Americans to make a peace deal. He hoped to evade prosecution as a war criminal. The American commander in Europe, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, refused to consider Himmler’s peace offer and declared him a war criminal. Hitler was enraged by the betrayal and stripped Himmler of his power. As Germany was collapsing, Himmler sought to escape. He shaved his distinctive mustache, dressed in civilian clothes, and tried to blend in with the refugees traveling on the roads. Himmler was stopped at a checkpoint manned by British soldiers and he was able to produce fake identity papers. However, he aroused the suspicion of the British, who took him into custody and turned him over to intelligence officers. When questioned, Himmler admitted his real identity. While being searched on the night of May 23, 1945, Himmler managed to put a vial of poison in his mouth and bite down on it. He died minutes later. A dispatch by the Reuters News Service published in the New York Times on May 25, 1945 was headlined Himmler Outsmarted Himself. The story noted that Himmler, who had created a system of Germans often having to show identity papers to members of the Gestapo, would have had a set of fake identity papers created for himself. But in the chaos of the war’s end, few refugees on the roads still had their papers. Himmler’s pristine set of papers was what drew attention at the checkpoint. Had he simply claimed he was a refugee trying to walk home and had lost his papers, the British soldiers at the bridge might have waved him along. Sources: Heinrich Himmler. Encyclopedia of World Biography, 2nd ed., vol. 7, Gale, 2004, pp. 398-399. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Reshef, Yehudacxv, and Peter Longreich. Himmler, Heinrich °. Encyclopaedia Judaica, edited by Michael Berenbaum and Fred Skolnik, 2nd ed., vol. 9, Macmillan Reference USA, 2007, pp. 121-122. Gale Virtual Reference Library.Himmler, Heinrich. Learning About the Holocaust: A Students Guide, edited by Ronald M. Smelser, vol. 2, Macmillan Reference USA, 2001, pp. 89-91. Gale Virtual Reference Library.SS (Schutzstaffel). Europe Since 1914: Encyclopedia of the Age of War and Reconstruction, edited by John Merriman and Jay Winter, vol. 4, Charles Scribners Sons, 2006, pp. 2434-2438. Gale Virtual Reference Library.

Transition to Walsh College Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Transition to Walsh College - Essay Example However, it must be admitted that many of my peers have experienced a tough transition period. As far as I can see, the major difficulty encountered by students is the rigor of the academic curriculum. Many students struggle to cope with the coursework on entry because of the varying standards of their previous accounting backgrounds. Of course, any dilution of academic standards will only be counterproductive to the college’s aim of producing graduates of the highest caliber in accounting practice, and no student would wish for that. I recommend that all transitional students take a brief test to ascertain their level of proficiency as measured against the standards of Walsh College’s program. Any students falling short in this could be given the opportunity to attend a short bridge course tailored to bring them on par with the prevailing standards in college. In this context, optional courses in English communication may also find some takers. This would iron out any differences in academic foundations and make the transition smooth and stress-free to all students, giving everyone a level playing field.

What are the arguments in favour of electoral reform in britain Essay

What are the arguments in favour of electoral reform in britain - Essay Example While people have greater disregard for politicians, many are looking at them with mistrust, as they feel that politicians have no solutions fro the ills that face the country. As, the country needs more aggressive approach towards politics and the requirement to bring the required changes in political culture and conduct of politics, the methods to do so should include expansion of citizenship and voter education programs. However, the greatest need is to change the voting system, without which the above-mentioned goals may not be achieved. Hence, this paper shall discuss on the merits of the desired changes, which are called as electoral reform for Great Britain. In this direction, the effective application of advantages of â€Å"Single Transferable Vote† (STV), would require massive interaction with the politicians and citizens, encouraging younger blood to participate in elections, analyzing electoral results and reporting of election news by media in a mature and responsible manner.....(Electoral Reform Society, 2009) While the liberal parties have always favored a change in the voting system, conservative parties like the labor party and its allies are happy with the present system of voting. However, the adoption of Proportional Representative method of voting would necessarily change the present system of FPTP. As this system is prevalent in UK and USA, we find number of countries in the continent that follow a liberal proportional representative (PR) system of voting. The present system of FPTP allows for demarcation of constituencies, according to their geographical location and demographic characteristics, while the electorate is divided into such constituencies allowing a candidate to contest polls from a particular territory. Under this system, there is no difference in the winning methodology as any candidate is winner, whether he or she