Rock essays

Rock essays During the Doors concert in Miami, in 1969, lead singer Jim Morrison, "did lewdly and lasciviously expose his penis and shake it. . ." (Rosen et al. 90). Today, Billy Joe Armstrong, lead singer of Green Day, bares all at his concert in Philadelphia (Bernstein 95). The eccentric Courtney Love will rip off her bra for the audience to marvel and glorify at her action (Bernstein 95). She acts in such a fashion because she is insane and wants to prove it to the world, where as Billy Joe just performs naked for the shock value and the love of hearing tabloids and gossip. Both performers of past and present conducted strange acts on stage for the shock value and attention, but with performers of old, it reflected their life and what they were really like. Today's performers, however, do not act like that in real life, for the most part. Today, performers take on challenges, like the dare of a child. . . "Betcha won't do it!" These rock performers cannot turn down a dare or back away from even the slightest bit of public notoriety. By listening to one of their "questionable" albums, it is easily noticeable how they thrive off of it. All of these performers do have one thing in common, at one time or another, censorship made them victims because of their social unacceptable actions or the content of their music and lyrics. While censorship is slightly more realistic and open-minded (no more censoring performers from the waist down, like Elvis Presley on the Ed Sullivan show), it still affects listeners and their choice of music quite significantly. Although the government, music associations, and other various groups try censorship, the music a person chooses is still, and always should be, his choice. Some children are too young for the exposure to certain types of music. Albums containing sexually explicit lyrics depicting sexualacts in great detail are not good for young children to ...

Sweden 1600-1700 essays

Sweden 1600-1700 essays In the period between 1600 and 1700, Sweden saw its fortunes rise and fall. It went from a sparsely populated medieval country to a great European power and finally ended up as a country with great influence within its own region . Some historians even call the 17th century the Swedish Great Power Period. There were both internal and external reasons for Swedens rise to power and eventual fall. Before 1612 Sweden was a country where most of the population were farmers, the country was threatened by Denmark, Swedens army and navy were very small, the country had no universities and very little trade with other countries. Gustavus Adolphus became king when he was only 17 and by the time he died in the battlefield in 1632, he had turned Sweden into a great power. In the middle of the 16th century, when the German Order State fell apart, Sweden, Denmark, Russia, and Poland fought for control over territories in the Baltic area. Sweden took control of the northern part of Estonia. This was the beginning of a very expansive foreign policy that even included settlements in America. During this time Sweden took advantage of the chaos in Russia, because of their Civil War. When a peace treaty was signed, new territories were added to the Finnish part of Sweden. Many countries were anxious to take control of the Baltic States because they wanted to have control of the important customs revenues from trading between Russia and Western Europe. King Gustav II Adolf realized that it would be very difficult to control the northern route so he concentrated on the Baltic Sea. When he was able to get control of the important harbor cities in Polish Prussia the new customs revenues were over 25% of the Swedish state income. There were also internal factors that helped Sweden become a great power: Sweden had a well managed economy, growing domestic iron and weapons industry, and a well governed state. The exter...

Chicago Gun Laws and its effect on the Criminal Justice System Research Paper

Chicago Gun Laws and its effect on the Criminal Justice System - Research Paper Example In fact, perhaps Chicago is a case study in which we see quite clearly that strict gun controls harm the public rather than protect it, by removing legitimate access to firearms and leaving the illegal arms trade to those who have less legitimate purposes for those guns. The legal climate of Chicago’s gun control policies is complex and confusing to most who try to follow it, especially with the constitutional challenges even new laws are facing. A detailed study of these laws, and their respective effects on the criminal justice system, should provide a useful perspective on whether their existence is warranted given Chicago’s crime rates. Chicago’s reputation for strict gun control laws started in the 1980s when the city passed, along with Washington D.C., tighter restrictions on who can legally acquire and use firearms within the city limits. However, despite these laws being in place in both Washington D.C. and Chicago, neither city enjoyed a reduced crime ra te (Levitt 174). Although Chicago never received a careful analysis at this time, it was known that Chicago lagged behind the nationwide homicide decline during the 1990s. This had led those familiar with the Chicago legal situation to suggest that policies raising the cost of using guns as opposed to targeting ownership is the most effective strategy for reducing gun-related crime. Although Chicago’s policies against guns were well known even in the 1970s, some authors have remarked that enforcement of those laws is the weak link connecting gun control laws to reduced crime (Bendis and Balkin). Because gun laws vary by state to state and, in some cases, from city to city, the best strategy for understanding the impact of Chicago’s gun control laws is to examine those laws in the context of state laws related to guns. In Illinois, firearms are not required to be registered nor are carry permits issued. However, individuals need a state permit to purchase a firearm and an owner license is issued to every firearm owner. Part of this process is the Firearm Owner’s Identification (or FOID) card, which owners acquire from the Illinois state police (Illinois General Assembly). An individual must present a valid FOID card whenever he or she attempts to purchase firearms or ammunition. This allows the state to monitor the purchasing of firearms (1) to keep dangerous weapons out of the hands of dangerous people and (2) to assist in investigations in gun-related crime. Additionally, the use of FOID cards screens out and prevents individuals who have been convicted of a felony from acquiring firearms from a licensed vendor. The FOID card is difficult to acquire for individuals under 21 years (Illinois General Assembly). As the most populated and crime-ridden city in Illinois, Chicago has in place its own level of restrictions on gun ownership. For instance, the municipality has an ordinance in place that requires all firearm owners not only to have p ossession of a FOID card, but also that firearms are registered with the Chicago Police Department, in addition to the Illinois State Police. This policy did not include handguns up until June 2010, when new registrations of pistols were unfrozen by law after thirty years (AP). The effect of not allowing handguns was negative in the view of many city officials, who began to recognize the need for conceal-and-carry

The Not-So-Wonderful World of Euro Disney Case Study

The Not-So-Wonderful World of Euro Disney - Case Study Example The company said these efforts led to "a substantial increase" in attendance and hotel occupancy, and to a 17% rise in operating revenue" (Cateora, P. and Graham, J., p. 614.) Another factor that contributed to the park's unsuccessful year was that transatlantic airfare wars and currency movements led to visits to Orlando's Disneyworld being less expensive than going to Paris. The weather in Florida was sunny and the beaches are nearby. The saw EuroDisney as another form of American imperialism, or an extension of the American Empire. "American Empire is a term relating to the political, economic, military and cultural influence of the United States," explains Wikipedia (2008). The factors that played into the unsuccessful first year could have been foreseen somewhat easily by EuroDisney and/or the parent company. The same goes for their being able to control them. Hostility among the French had risen even as the plans were being set as it was stated earlier, that they did not want American imperialism invading their country and culture. Cateora, P. and Graham, J., p. ... The French were upset during the early advertising because of the advertisement's focus on the size and glitz instead of the different rides and attractions. (Cateora, P. and Graham, J., p.614.) As most of us know, advertising plays a very strong role in our world today. Nowadays it seems that the only way to avoid any form of advertising is to isolate oneself and live in a cave but not all advertising is negative and bad. It is found almost everywhere Student's Last Name 3 such as just by walking on the street, driving a car, or watching TV. Ference (2004) reports, "Every surface that could possibly have an ad slapped on it -- clothing, buses, taxis, myriad walls and billboards, even the snow you ski on -- now hawks something." According to Wikipedia encyclopedia, "Advertising is the promotion of goods, services, companies and ideas, usually performed by an identified sponsor. Marketers see advertising as part of an overall promotional strategy. ("Advertising", 2006). Companies are bombarding us with thousands of different ads with only one intention: to persuade us to buy their products. Every advertiser or company must do more than just make a product, give it an attractive price, and offer it to the consumer. They have to also communicate and promote it to their current and future customers; they have to advertise it. Advertisers appeal to the lusts, desires, and wants of the target market or potential customer. Therefore, the ability to foresee tha t the advertising was getting a negative response was obvious and this could have been somewhat controlled by EuroDisney and/or the parent company Disney. Yes, advertising bombards us everywhere but it is not without control and regulation by thegovernment,

Minerals and How We Use Them Essay Example for Free

Minerals and How We Use Them Essay Elements combine together to form different minerals and minerals combine to form rocks. There are 92 naturally occurring elements and with exception of a few inert elements like Gold, Platinum etc. , they combine together to form as many as 4000 minerals. Out of this large number of minerals only about two dozens are common (constitutes ~ 99% of Earth crust) and these are composed of about a dozen elements. These rock forming elements can be classified in five groups – silicates, carbonates, oxides and sulfates. In following sections we will briefly describe these minerals, their formation and usage. Silicates: Silicon is the 2nd most abundant element next to oxygen on the Earth crust. It combines with oxygen to form a tetragonal compound, SiO2, which combines together to form a large tetragonal structure. Besides, SiO2 combines with other metal oxides, to form their silicates. Some examples of common silicates are Olivine, Pyroxene, Amphibole, Micas, Feldspar etc. Carbonates: Carbonates CO32- are linear molecules consisting of carbon and oxygen. These ions are arranged in the form of sheet in minerals like Calcite and Dolomite. Oxides: Metals react with oxygen to form their oxides. Some important oxide minerals are Hematite (Fe2O3), Magnetite (Fe3O4), Chromite (Cr2O3), Cassiterite (SnO2) etc. Sulfides: These are metal-sulfur compounds. Some important sulfide compounds are known as Pyrites like Chalcopyrite, Fools Gold etc. These minerals have metallic luster. Sulfates: These are composed of metal ions and sulfate ions (SO42-). These minerals have practically no ore value to the date. However, these are used as compounds. One important sulfate mineral is Gypsum (CaSO4. 2H2O). Mineral Formation: Minerals form by crystallization and growth in a liquid. The liquid can be either a molten rock or an aqueous solution. When temperature of a molten rock or magma falls below freezing point of a mineral, the mineral crystallizes. Minerals do not have a sharp freezing point; instead they solidify over a range, depending on their composition. The first to solidify is the one having highest solidification point and this is Quartz, subsequently other metal silicates solidify. Minerals solidifying towards the end have lowest solidification point. Besides, minerals crystallize in aqueous solution as well. This happens when an aqueous solution having minerals at some temperature, becomes supersaturated due to change in temperature (generally cooling, but sometimes heating as well). In case of mineral precipitation from an aqueous solution, what is important is solubility and not the melting point of the mineral Properties of Mineral: Minerals are characterized by some of their unique properties like Crystal form, Hardness, Cleavage and Fracture, Color, Specific Gravity etc. crystal form of a mineral depends on the internal arrangement of the constituent atoms / ions. This leads to well developed faces of the crystal and is a very important clue of crystal identification. Hardness of a mineral depends on the bond strength of the constituent atoms / ions. It is measured on Mohs scale (1 to 10). Higher Mohs value implies higher hardness; 10 is for diamond and 1 for talc. Color: Color of a mineral depends on its chemical composition, structure and also on impurity content. This is also an important clue for mineral identification. Specific Gravity: This is a very important property of minerals and difference in specific gravity is utilized for mineral separation. Usages of Mineral: We use minerals in many different ways. These are used as such for example, sand as construction material, Limestone for making cement, Gypsum for making Plaster of Paris etc. Besides, metals, the backbone of today’s civilization, are extracted from their respective minerals. Some examples are Iron from hematite / magnetite, Copper from chalcopyrite, Uranium from uranite etc. Thus we can conclude that minerals are invaluable to us. Chapter 26: Rocks Rocks are the building block of the Earth crust. Therefore, we encounter rocks everywhere. The study of rocks is important as they give us clue of the geological past of the Earth, besides they contain in them minerals, which have great value for us. The Earth can be viewed as the churning ground for rocks, where rocks keep forming and changing their forms. Based on origin, rocks are classified in three categories – Igneous, Sedimentary and Metamorphic. In subsequent paragraphs we will discuss briefly about these rocks. Igneous Rock: These are formed by solidification of magma. Magma is molten rock, which comes out from within the Earth crust during volcanic eruptions. It is useful to know formation of magma. As we go down the Earth Crust, its temperature rises at a rate of ~ 30 oC per kilometer. Thus at a sufficient depth, temperature of the rock is well above their melting point, but the rock is still solid due to the overhead pressure by the rocks above it. But due to tectonic movements, sometimes a hot solid rock moves up where pressure is less that needed to keep it solid, and then it melts and the molten magma rises above through cracks. The rising magma further reduces the pressure on it and causes formation of more magma. Also, sometimes, water comes in contact with hot rock through some cracks and water being foreign body or impurity, reduces melting point of the rock, which melts and thus magma is produced. The magma rises up through cracks and heats and melts the rocks in the way and thus creates more magma. The rising magma cools and solidifies and thus igneous rocks are formed. If the magma comes out of Earth’s surface (it is known as Lava) and solidifies then what is formed is Extrusive Rock, an important example is Basalt, which is low silica fast moving magma. If the magma solidifies within the ground itself, then what forms is Intrusive Rock or Plutons, an example is a Dike. Sedimentary Rocks: Weathering of rocks leads to formation of smaller fragments of rocks. This process can be either mechanical or chemical. The weathered rocks erode i. e. they are transported away to a new location by carrier agents like flowing water and wind. During transportation also, these fragments collide with each other and gets smoothened. When the carrying ability of these agents weakens, these fragments settle at those locations. The process continues and new lays keep depositing. The underlying layer is compressed by the top layers and densifies and thus is formed a layered Rock structure, known as sedimentary rock. If the sediments are composed of small rock fragments, this is called Clastic, while those formed by chemical precipitation are called chemical sediments. Clastic sedimentary rocks are classified according to their constituent particle sizes. Fine seiments are clay, silt and sand and they form rocks like Mudstone Shale, Siltstone and Sandstone respectively. Coarse sediments are pebble, cobble and boulder and they form Conglomerates. Chemical sedimentary rocks are formed by precipitation from supersaturated aqueous solutions. Some examples of chemical sedimentary rocks are Limestone, Dolomite, and halites; halites are formed by evaporation of lakes or seawater. Many fossils are preserved in the sedimentary rocks and they give clues to the life in past. Metamorphic rocks When a rock mass – igneous as well as sedimentary, is brought in a region (by natural process) where temperature and or pressure is too high for existence of the rock, then is changes its form and the process is termed metamorphism (change in shape) and the resulting rock is metamorphic rock. The metamorphism can be brought about by recrystallization or mechanical deformation. Some examples of metamorphic rocks are Granite (from lime stone), Diamond (from coal or graphite), etc. Rock cycle refers to a cycle through which these rocks – igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic, keep changing into each other by the different forces of Nature. Chapter 28: Occurrence and Movement of Water Life evolved on the Earth in water (oceans) and water is essential for life. More than 70% of Earth’s surface is covered with water. Therefore, it is important to understand about this precious material and its cycle. Hydrological cycle refers to the chain of processes through which water moves from different forms (ice, water and water vapor) and different reservoirs (oceans, rivers, glaciers) etc. , while its amount remains more or less constant between different forms and reservoirs. About 97% of Earth’s water is in Oceans which covers more than 70% of Earths surface. About 2% is locked in polar icecaps and glaciers and remaining less than 1% is distributed between water vapors, ground water, rivers and lakes. The process of evaporation moves water from oceans into the atmosphere as water vapor, approximately 75% of which rains back into the oceans and thus hydrological water cycle is complete for the 75% of the water vapors. Remaining 25% rains on the ground and thus the water cycle gets is prolonged. Because, the water falling on ground is distributed among ground water, river water, glaciers, lakes etc. In subsequent paragraphs we will discuss briefly about these reservoirs. Ground Water About 98. 5% of fresh waters stay beneath the ground in the pores, in the form of Ground water and soil moisture. Beneath the ground, there is a region where all the pores are filled completely with water. This region is called saturated zone. Above this zone and up to the Earth’s surface there exists unsaturated zone or a zone where the pores are partially filled with water and air. The amount of rainwater that can be absorbed as ground water depends on the nature of the soil i. e. how porous or dense it is. While porous soil absorbs more of rainwater, the dense rocks and soil absorb less of it and let remaining flow as rivers. The water table refers to the level which demarcates the saturated and unsaturated zones. The water table is not having a flat profile rather it is having a profile of its own. Therefore, water is not stationery in saturated zone; rather it flows under pressure head. The water bearing underground regions where water can flow is known as Aquifers. The flow rate of water through an Aquifer depends on hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer and the hydraulic head. The aquifers are of two types – unconstrained and constrained. In unconstrained aquifer, the sediment over the water table is permeable and allows recharge of aquifer. In confined aquifer, the aquifer is confined between impermeable rocks. In such aquifers recharge is not from directly above rather the recharge zone is in the unconfined region at a higher elevation. In such aquifers, we have Artesian wells and Artesian springs. Streams are flowing surface water like rivers. They receive water from rains as well as from melting of glacier and transport the same into oceans or sometimes into large lakes. The stream speed depends on stream gradient, stream discharge and channel geometry. The stream gradient is largest near the head and here the channel shape is generally V-shaped and stream speed is very high. As the stream proceeds towards moth, the stream gradient decreases and therefore, stream speed also decreases and the channel geometry becomes wide and shallow. Drainage basin refers to a network of streams which receives all the rain water in that geographical region and carries it to the oceans. Glaciers are large masses of ice, which move under their own weight due to plastic deformation as well as melting of ice under pressure. A glacier accumulates during winter and it ablates into water by moving down to warmer elevations, where it melts. Glaciers are the origin of the famous river basins which have water through out the year. The oceans are the largest water mass having more than 97% of water on the Earth. The average depth of oceans is 3800 meters much larger than the average height of the mainland (~800) above the mean sea level. The boundary between the continents and the oceans is called Continental margin. This consists of continental shelf (the submerged portion of the margin) and continental slope and a continental rise. Waves are produced in oceans due to the wind and these waves superimpose with each other and create different patterns.

Influence of William Shakespeare on Melville’s Moby-Dick Essay

In 1820 in the Edinburgh Review Sidney Smith said: â€Å"In the four quarters of the globe, who reads an American book?† (par. 4). That was the conventional idea concerning American Literature to the conservative British writers. But Melville proved this assumption of the British writers wrong not by arguing with them but by producing a huge work which in its quality is comparable to Shakespearean great tragedies. Melville’s masterpiece Moby-Dick consists of thousands of references, but specially references of Shakespeare are in abundance in this book. When Melville wrote this novel, next to the Bible Shakespeare was in his mind because he wanted to prove the superiority of American Nation as well as American Literature. The protagonist of the novel, Captain Ahab, is comparable with Macbeth and Lear in many ways. Also the setting of the novel and language of the novel are like those of Shakespeare’s plays. The construction of Ahab as the tragic hero-villain, his madness and blasphemous behaviour, the Shakespearean dramatic technique, the Shakespearean language and parallel scenes are the things which Melville borrows from Shakespeare. Though the portrayal of character and the construction of the novel are Shakespearean, the novel’s greatness lies in its originality. Melville creates Ahab in the model of a Shakespearean tragic hero. Melville’s conception of Ahab as a tragic character was made possible by this immersion in Shakespearean tragedy. Shakespearean tragic heroes, for example Macbeth and Lear are blinded by hubris or pride. They are tragic because of their error in judgment. Captain Ahab also becomes tragic because of the error in judgment. Ahab’s misfortune is brought 1 upon him not by vice and depravity but... ...ck. Hertfordshire: Wordsworth Editions Limited, 2002. Melville, Herman. â€Å"Hawthrone and His Mosses.† Moby-Dick. Ed. Harrison Hayford and Hershel Parker. New York and London: Norton and Company, 1967. 535-551. â€Å"Melville’s Moby-Dick.† Wow Essays.15 September 2008 Olson, Charles. â€Å"Ahab and His Fool.† Moby-Dick. Ed.Harrison Hayford and Hershel Parker. New York and London: Norton and Company, 1967.648-651. Shakespeare, William. King Lear. Surrey: Thomas Nelson and Son Ltd, 1997. Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001. 13 Shakespeare, William. Othello. London: Penguin Books Limited, 1968. Smith, Sidney. â€Å"Who Reads an American Book?† Great Epochs in American History. 15 (1820): pars. 4. 26 June 2008 14

Ibus Essay

The multiple choice questions will be conceptual, not factual. In other words, I will not be asking country specific questions and details; but will ask you to identify concepts, pick the correct characteristics/dimensions of concepts from alternatives and apply concepts to real life situations. All chapters are almost equally represented in this section. 3 descriptive/conceptual essay questions (8 to 12 points, 30 points total): This section is again conceptual. I might ask you to describe a theory or concept, identify and classify certain dimensions of cultures, or fill a table (that I provided) with missing information. If you cannot remember the terminology, you can define things in your own words (and get partial credit to the least). All chapters are fair game for this section. 1 integrative/comprehensive essay question (15 points): For this question, I will ask you to take a position on a course related issue. Obviously, there is no single right answer. You will be evaluated based on the quality and depth of your argument rather than the position you take. While you are not required to know country/marketplace specific information, don’t hesitate to use examples to support your position. To answer this question, you might need to information from more than one chapter. The exam is closed book, but you can bring a paper dictionary (non electronic). I will not be using an IBM sheet for the multiple-choice section; this means that you can use either a pen or pencil to answer the questions. You won’t be graded for grammar, spelling or your essay skills, so don’t panic about it. There is no optional question at this exam.

Marriage vs Civil Unions Essay

Gay marriage is a controversial and often heated topic in American society and often so elsewhere throughout the world. Homosexual behavior is not new. Homosexual behavior and the homosexual lifestyle have been around throughout recorded history, certainly for thousands of years, in fact, was socially condoned in some societies. In Ancient armies, it was often accepted because a man was more apt to fight for a lover than for a casual acquaintance. For example, unlike today’s military, in Ancient Greece, homosexual relationships between soldiers were viewed as a means to intensify the fighting spirit of the soldiers and strengthen the bond between them. (Burg et al. , 2002) Only recently did interest in issues of sexual orientation move from the realm of the social sciences into other areas of science. Freud believed that there was some degree of bisexuality in all humans (Bell and Weinberg, 1978). He and other psychologists of his time believed that homosexuality could be explained by the experiences a person had while growing up, thus focusing on environmental explanations for homosexual behavior. Psychologists once pursued the study of homosexuality in an effort to prove that it was an abnormal behavior, but such studies have now led researchers to conclude that homosexuality is somehow linked to the individual experiences and environment a person has while growing up. While this may be the general view of homosexuality in psychology, my experiences with homosexuals are not consistent with this view. The few individuals I’ve known who were homosexual coexisted in the same environment as everyone around them, but their homosexual tendencies were obvious throughout their lives. Today we realize that if environment plays a role in homosexual tendencies, environment is not the entire explanation. Now we know that genetics and biology also play a role. No matter what biological and genetic studies show, there can be little doubt that opponents of gay marriage and the gay lifestyle will only accept that the gay marriage is some kind of sickness or perverted behavior. While homosexual behavior is obviously out of the norm, there is no scientific research or evidence to suggest that is it either perverted or abnormal. Despite what opponents might claim, our view of homosexuals and our denying them the right to marry is no more than a form of discrimination—irrational, illegal, biased and illogical. Regardless as to how a person views same sex marriage, there is no rational or logical reason to ban it or to discriminate against it except for personal preference/choice. Genetic Studies, Biology and Environment It is important to consider the biology and genetics behind homosexual behavior. If people insist that homosexual behavior is a matter of personal choice when evidence exists to demonstrate genetic and biological factors are involved, their insistence shows and irrational bias against homosexuals based on prejudice and discrimination. Today, most researchers view that a person’s sexual orientation is dictated by a combination of environmental, biological and psychological factors. Recent studies suggest that both biology and genetics play a role in homosexual behavior. Studies suggest that a genetic factor passed from mother to son might contribute to homosexuality in men and that male homosexuality might have a very different genetic influence from female homosexuality. (Pattatucci et al, 1995, Bailey et al. , 2000) Studies of homosexuality in families and between twins suggest that male and female sexual orientation may not have the same genetic influences. (Bailey et al. , 2000) Animal studies reveal that sexual orientation can be influenced by altering the hypothalamus. (Cherry & Baum, 1990), Much of the available genetic data on homosexual behavior suggests that biological and genetic factors are involved. Some studies have focused on X chromosome since males have an XY chromosome and females have an XX chromosome. One study concluded that the gene that influences homosexual behavior is carried by the mother. Heterosexual females appear to pass the Xq28 gene sequence on the X chromosome to their sons. (see below, Hamer et al, 1993) This study focused on homosexual males, and thus, their findings may not be a reflection on homosexual females. When the results of genetics studies are taken together, the most reasonable conclusion is that genetics can account for at least 50 percent of a person’s sexual orientation. In general, genetic studies of homosexuality demonstrate that homosexual behavior and the homosexual condition is a result of genes. When male homosexuals were studied, the data of one study demonstrated that most of the homosexual men arose from a genetic factor that was passed down from mother to son. (Hamer et al, 1993) Dean Hamer of the National Cancer Institute in Washington, D. C. discovered that homosexual brothers are more than heterosexual brothers to inherit the same genetic sequence, referred to as Xq28, on a region of the X chromosome. This suggests that genetics are involved in homosexual behavior although only a region on a gene, not a specific gene, has been identified. The degree of gene influence is unclear. Studies of twins and also of the adoptive brothers of homosexual men reveal a relationship between genetics and homosexual behavior. (Bailey and Pillard, 1991) Thus, the evidence suggests that genetics and biology rather than environment or personal choice gives rise to homosexual behavior and the homosexual condition. Other studies have demonstrated anatomical differences between components of the brain structures of heterosexual and homosexual males. (LeVay, 1991) These are important considerations when we begin to look at the legal questions surrounding homosexual behavior. Thus, discriminating against gay individuals is just as irrational, irresponsible and illegal (or should be just as illegal) as discriminating against an individual on the basis of the color of his or her skin. Furthermore, it should be easier to decide the legality of mistreating people on the basis of the sexual preference than on the basis of their religious preference since religious preference is a matter of personal choice rather than genes. Why, then, is it illegal to discriminate against an individual on the basis of their religion while the legal issues surrounding homosexual behavior are often viewed as unclear? While there may be compelling reasons to favor heterosexual unions over gay marriages, there is actually no unbiased reason to forbid gay marriages. In fact, even favoring heterosexual marriages is a form of discrimination similar to favoring whites over other races. Certainly, the heterosexual situation constitutes the â€Å"normal† or â€Å"typical† interaction between sexes, but considering that biological and genetic studies demonstrate that homosexual situations are dictated by actual biological and genetic factors, there is no rational reason to view such unions as â€Å"unnatural† or â€Å"abnormal†. We cannot even say with certainty that they are an abnormality as much as a biologically dictated variation, not necessarily even rare, just different. While we can â€Å"prefer† heterosexual marriage over gay marriage as a society, there is no rational reason to deny gay marriage or to restrict homosexual individuals to civil unions while denying them a typical marriage (as will be discussed) other than bias. Although theories exist to suggest that environment contributes to and influences the gay lifestyle, it is not clear how this could be true. For example, if biology and genetics contribute to â€Å"at least 50 percent† of gay behavior, why is it that a homosexual male or female raised in the same environment with a heterosexual male or female gives rise to one homosexual individual and one or more (generally a host) of heterosexual individuals? If the environment helped to cause the homosexual behavior, why aren’t there more homosexuals in that environment? To my knowledge, this question has never been addressed or even asked. Likewise with Freud’s idea that childhood experiences contribute to homosexual behavior. While no two individuals have the same childhood experiences, in part because everyone responds differently to the same experiences and environment, two individuals treated the same and raised in the same environment does not lead one to conclude that the differences in their behavior is caused by their childhood experiences or their environment. Biological factors, genetics and internal psychological factors must play a significantly more crucial role in their behavior than do environment and/or childhood experiences. Marriage vs. Civil Union Now that we have briefly reviewed the biological and genetic data to suggest that homosexuality is a genetic and biological condition, at least in part, rather than a matter of personal choice, we are more prepared to consider the legal factors involved with this issue. In states where marriage is allowed between same sex couples, the individuals involved are generally placed on an uneven playing field. Even though they may be allowed to join in a legal union, they are restricted to a civil union rather than a legally recognized marriage. What is the difference and why is this distinction yet another example of social discrimination? Today, gay couples may unite in civil unions but such unions differ from the marriage granted to heterosexuals in a number of crucial ways. Although a civil union grants many rights that would be denied without it, it fails to grant hundreds of others. Furthermore, marriage is universally recognized everywhere while civil unions are not. Civil unions fail to resolve many financial matters, tax issues, insurance concerns, pension protection, Medicaid and even matters such as filing and filling our forms. Another concern arises if those joined in a civil union desire to dissolve their union. They have no means to legally terminate their union unless they live in a state that recognizes it. In fact, at present, only Vermont qualifies for this termination. A Vermont law states that â€Å"Parties to a civil union shall have all the same benefits, protections and responsibilities under law, whether they derive from statute, administrative or court rule, policy, common law or any other source of civil law, as are granted to spouses in a marriage. † One must wonder why there is a need to make such a statement. If there is no discrimination based on sexual orientation, there certainly is no need for this added point of clarification in the law, so obviously, something is amiss. Much of the controversy about and distinction between â€Å"marriage† and â€Å"civil union† boils down to religious issues. In general, Christians are against gay marriage. Therefore, at some level, the issue also involves religious issues and the separation between church and state, religion and politics. While gay marriage is an issue that Christians feel goes against the principles of the Bible, other religions use other holy books and, as a result, do not base their opinions on or form their ideas from the Bible. Although the legal view is that there are no substantial differences in the treatment of a marriage and a civil union, each represents a separate legal category with significant, sometimes glaring differences that only become of concern when they matter the most. While the U. S. Constitution requires legal equality for all regardless of sexual orientation, among other factors, that legal equality exists largely on paper rather than in fact. Clearly, those individuals forced into civil unions rather than typical marriages are not on even playing ground. Civil Unions are a step forward, but they fall short of being satisfactory. Our present approach to force gay couples into civil unions rather than true marriage, perhaps, is as unjust as the former laws that denied interracial marriage. In order to give gay couples true rights, laws must eliminate the idea of civil unions and allow gay couples to form true marriage so as to give them all of the rights and privileges recognized in marriage. We cannot continue to tolerate â€Å"civil unions† as the satisfactory answer to granting unions between individuals who desire to live as a couple. Just as we moved away from banning interracial marriage, we need to move away from banning gay marriage. We have only emotional and no rational reasons to do otherwise. We have pointed out above that if the biological factors, genetics and internal psychological factors play any role at all in homosexual behavior, that role must be relatively trivial. Therefore, discriminating against gay individuals in any manner such as by relegating them to civil unions rather than allowing them to unite in true marriage, for example, is nothing more than unjustified discrimination and bias just as unjust as denying interracial marriage. We must move away from this and other unfair treatments and practices. Continuing to insist that homosexual behavior arises from environment, childhood experiences or personal choice with that belief but no supporting evidence even though there is clear evidence to the contrary is nothing more than further bias and discrimination against homosexuals. While homosexual behavior is clearly different from the norm, there is no real evidence that it is abnormal any more than being black in a society that is 12 percent black and 88 percent white and other means that blacks are abnormal. Faulty logic in the absence of supporting evidence does not justify, prove or support an incorrect conclusion.

The main features of the New Deal Essays

The main features of the New Deal Essays The main features of the New Deal Essay The main features of the New Deal Essay A method was needed to repair the damage of the Wall Street Crash. This was called the New Deal. The problem was that Hoover believed in rugged individualism which was that the government stayed out of business, but people needed help. Millions of people went bankrupt and jobless, in fact even if you had a job your salary would been cut severely to about a half of what it should have been. This was simply because of Hoovers way of believing into rugged individualism. So Roosevelt starts to realise this so he introduced the New Deal. The New Deal is to help the people in need in either family problems or problems in helping people get a job. On 4th March 1933 for the next three months, the first hundred days of Roosevelt presidency. People saw no actions taken and nothing was different since Hoover. On the 9th March Roosevelt called congress together for a special meeting called emergency banking act. This meeting was to say that banks with enough organisation, good management and had a large amount of money should reopen, while the other small banks with little to no money should stay closed, in about half an hour this meeting had been voted unanimously for it. The New Deal consisted of three main aims, the first of which was relief. Relief was introduced to help the unemployed. The second aim was recovery. Recovery was aimed to help steady and rebuild the economy again. The last aim was reform. Reform was introduced to create a fair and just society. In order to achieve his goals and aims, Roosevelt created the Alphabet Agencies. Roosevelt was the key man behind the new deal and he set about trying to accomplish these aims and to boost America and its economy. An example of relief was the CCC (Civilians Conservation Corps), who aimed to provide work for the unemployed men under the age of 25 they got paid to work on projects in the countryside. An example of recovery was when Roosevelt introduced the Emergency Banking Act, which aimed at making people trust the banks again, so that they prospered. An example of reform was when Roosevelt introduced the Collective Bargaining, which aimed to bring about trade unions, whose task was to bring about fair wages and fair labour conditions. To help deal with the relief part of his New Deal, Roosevelt set up the Alphabet Agencies. This provided much needed assistance to the unemployed. The first of these agencies was the CCC (civilians conservation corps). They undertook the aim to provide work for unemployed men under the age of 25, who got paid to work on projects in the countryside such as fishing, farming, planting trees, etc. Due to this project, 3million people went back into work. The Federal Relief Act (FERA) made it their objective to stop starvation by providing grants to local governments to give much needed relief to the unemployed. This was only an emergency measure, however, and it was designed to stop starvation, not to pay dole money. The Public Works Administration was established (PWA) and their aims were to use unskilled workers to work on large-scale projects, such as building bridges. The main parts of this act set up large scale building work such as building schools, hospitals and city halls. The Homeowners Loan Corporation (HOLC) soon was established, which aimed to lower interest rates and to allow homeowners to continue paying off their mortgages even if they were unemployed. Also, a similar form of assistance was made payable to farmers, which also helped them. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was introduced which aimed to find emergency short-term work for unskilled workers in construction projects. This provided relief to the unemployed and unskilled people. It can be stated that Roosevelt set out to provide relief to the people of his country in the most appropriate way. The Alphabet Agencies that he set up aimed to solve the grim unemployment situation. These agencies managed to find success because they allowed people to earn money even though they were unemployed, and many, unskilled. These alphabet agencies provided relief, as they assisted unemployed people to gain work, for example, in the WPA. There were alphabet agencies that were established to revive the American economy. These were linked to the recovery aim of the New Deal. The first of these was the Emergency Banking Act, which aimed to help banks to prosper. Roosevelt went onto American radio to get people to send their money back into the banks. The aims of this was to restore the confidence of investments into people and to do this, they made all the weak banks remain closed for at least four days and that allowed the stronger banks to regroup and begin to prosper again. Banks that did could be saved received government grants so that the people would regain confidence in them. The Securities Act was soon introduced and this aimed to bring Wall Street under control and to restore peoples confidence in investing in shares by making the businesses issue full information about themselves to the public when they buy their shares. This was also closely linked a little bit to the reform act because they wanted a just society and by making businesses show what they really are when the members of the public buy their shares is the first step towards it. This act was followed up in 1934 by another Securities act, which established Securities and Exchange Commission, which gave further powers to control the stock market. Its aim was to regain further confidence in USA business. The Agriculture Adjustment Administration Act (AAA) aimed to stop farmers overproducing food. This would force prices up and make farmers earn more money. Farmers were given money for not producing food because at the time the farmers were producing too much food (therefore driving the prices down) and nobody bought it and it all went to waste. The government instructed the farmers what a sensible level of food production would be. The government told cotton farmers to plough their crops into the ground, and also, the government bought surplus piglets for a fair price off the farmers and slaughtered them. This act aimed to help the farmers recover from the crisis that they were suffering. The National Insurance Recovery Act (NRA) aimed to create a partnership between government and industry. This partnership, or code, aimed to abolish child labour and also, to guarantee workers fair pay and decent working conditions. This aimed to help workers. Companies that followed these orders by the government were given favours by the government to gain contacts in industry. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) was set up to encourage industry to flourish and to help it and also, to try to regenerate agriculture, as this was one of the hardest hit areas of the US. It was also established to build a dam in Tennessee so that they could use that for hydroelectric power. All these aims were used in order to improve Americas very grim economic state. These all intended for the USA to revive themselves and their economy from the turmoil that it was in. Along with Roosevelts other New Deal aims, he also set out to bring reform into society. He wanted a just and fair society. He decided to accomplish his task by first introducing the collective bargaining of wages and the aim of this was to create trade unions, and boost their power in order to create fair labour conditions and wages. This provided reform for workers in industry. This also aimed to set up Trade Unions in previously unorganised industries The Wagner act allowed workers to enter a trade union to get rights for workers, and it was set up to replace the PWA (Public Works Administration). Finally the Social Security aimed to create a National Insurance system and it aimed to help the unemployed, the handicapped and the old. The National Insurance Scheme set up benefit systems, such as pensions and unemployment benefit, which helped subsidise people who had no jobs throughout their lives. On the whole, Roosevelt helped create a just society in the following ways: he helped stop child labour, he made sure there were fair wages and working hours, and also, made sure that people were treated equally and received money if they were handicapped. In this way, he restored peoples confidence in the society. In conclusion, Roosevelt aimed to restore peoples confidence in the country by helping them through the rough times they faced in the period after the Wall Street crash. His aims were to get America successful again. He passed all the acts mentioned above in order to achieve the aims and the goals he set out to achieve in the first place. All the acts that he passed were in order to achieve the objectives. Roosevelts New Deal was constructed to offer relief to the unemployed, for example through the PWA, who helped unemployed unskilled workers get jobs. Roosevelt also aimed to offer recovery towards the economy after the Wall Street Crash, by creating such agencies as the Securities Act and the Agriculture Adjustment Administration, the latter of which aimed to make farmers produce less so that they earned more. His last aim was to create an alliance between government and industry, which would help the worker, and the Wagner Act helped Roosevelt do this. The New Deal came in two parts and concentrated on the areas of finance, business and agriculture.

Biography of Leonardo Pisano Fibonacci, Mathematician

Biography of Leonardo Pisano Fibonacci, Mathematician Leonardo Pisano Fibonacci (1170–1240 or 1250) was an Italian number theorist. He introduced the world to such wide-ranging mathematical concepts as what is now known as the Arabic numbering system, the concept of square roots, number sequencing, and even math word problems. Fast Facts: Leonardo Pisano Fibonacci Known For: Noted Italian mathematician and number theorist; developed Fibonacci Numbers and the Fibonacci SequenceAlso Known As: Leonard of PisaBorn: 1170 in Pisa, ItalyFather: GuglielmoDied: Between 1240 and 1250, most likely in  PisaEducation: Educated in North Africa; studied mathematics in Bugia, AlgeriaPublished Works: Liber Abaci (The Book of Calculation), 1202 and 1228; Practica Geometriae (The Practice of Geometry), 1220; Liber Quadratorum (The Book of Square Numbers), 1225Awards and Honors: The  Republic of Pisa  honored Fibonacci in 1240 for advising the city and its citizens on accounting issues.Notable Quote: â€Å"If by chance I have omitted anything more or less proper or necessary, I beg forgiveness, since there is no one who is without fault and circumspect in all matters.† Early Years and Education Fibonacci was born in Italy but obtained his education in North Africa. Very little is known about him or his family and there are no photographs or drawings of him. Much of the information about Fibonacci has been gathered by his autobiographical notes, which he included in his books. Mathematical Contributions Fibonacci is considered to be one of the most talented mathematicians of the Middle Ages. Few people realize that it was Fibonacci that gave the world the decimal number system (Hindu-Arabic numbering system), which replaced the Roman numeral system. When he was studying mathematics, he used the Hindu-Arabic (0-9) symbols instead of Roman symbols, which didnt have zeros and lacked place value. In fact, when using the Roman numeral system, an abacus was usually required. There is no doubt that Fibonacci saw the superiority of using Hindu-Arabic system over the Roman Numerals. Liber Abaci Fibonacci showed the world how to use what is now our current numbering system in his book Liber Abaci, which he published in 1202. The title translates as The Book of Calculation. The following problem was written in his book: A certain man put a pair of rabbits in a place surrounded on all sides by a wall. How many pairs of rabbits can be produced from that pair in a year if it is supposed that every month each pair begets a new pair, which from the second month on becomes productive? It was this problem that led Fibonacci to the introduction of the Fibonacci Numbers and the Fibonacci Sequence, which is what he remains famous for to this day. The sequence is 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55... This sequence  shows that each number is the sum of the two preceding numbers. It is a sequence that is seen and used in many different areas of mathematics and science today. The sequence is an example of a recursive sequence. The Fibonacci Sequence defines the curvature of naturally occurring spirals, such as snail shells and even the pattern of seeds in flowering plants. The Fibonacci Sequence was actually given the name by a French mathematician Edouard Lucas in the 1870s. Death and Legacy In addition to Liber Abaci, Fibonacci authored several other books on mathematical topics ranging from geometry to squaring numbers (multiplying numbers by themselves). The city of Pisa (technically a republic at that time) honored Fibonacci and granted him a salary in 1240 for his help in advising Pisa and its citizens on accounting issues. Fibonacci died between 1240 and 1250 in Pisa. Fibonacci is famous for his contributions to number theory. In his book, Liber Abaci, he introduced the Hindu-Arabic place-valued decimal system and the use of Arabic numerals into Europe.He introduced the bar that is used for fractions today; previous to this, the numerator had quotations around it.The square root notation is also a Fibonacci method. It has been said that the Fibonacci Numbers are natures numbering system and that they apply to the growth of living things, including cells, petals on a flower, wheat, honeycomb, pine cones, and much more. Sources â€Å"Leonardo Pisano Fibonacci.†Ã‚  Fibonacci (1170-1250), History.mcs.st-andrews.ac.uk..Leonardo Pisano (Fibonacci) Stetson.edu.Knott, R. â€Å"Who was Fibonacci?† Maths.surrey.ac.uk.

Monique and the Mango Rains. Gendered Inequality from an Essay

Monique and the Mango Rains. Gendered Inequality from an Anthropological Perspective - Essay Example Women, however, are not allowed by law of the land to own any property and in case they do, then it is assumed to belong to the immediate male over them. They are not to be listened to since their views are underrated. Traditionally and historically, some chores are considered ‘masculine’ and no woman is allowed into these fields no matter their qualifications. This is male dominance and sexism, which fiercely promotes gender inequality in the society. These are some of the truths that have shaped unspeakable gender inequality. In the book ‘Monique and the mango rains’, Kris highlights on the different areas where women have been discriminated against in the Mali community, bringing about gender inequality. This essay highlights these concepts of inequality and how they have hampered women rise to higher positions in the community. Kris presents a personal encounter of the life situations in the western country; Mali, painting a pathetic picture of what wome n undergo. Women, here, are given less significance by the community as a whole. They are not given adequate maternal care in the case of reproductive health. In the building of the economy, the feminine gender is neglected. Even the little that they earn out of their hard work is planned for inappropriately by the men who control them. They are given no option to choose or decline marriage, whereby, they are mostly forced into it. It is very worrying, how they are multitasked with most of the chores in their homes and community (Holloway & Bidwell, 2007). There are various components that are seen as promoting gender inequality among the Malian women portrayed by Holloway. Some of these components include issues on reproductive health. It is, for instance, mentioned that, among the community of over 1,400 occupants, there is only one midwife; Monique. She is overwhelmed with activities ranging from helping expectant mothers to deliver, advising of health since they are mostly malno urished and even on matters of birth control, which is almost unheard of in this society. This is too much for only one woman; therefore, most of the reproductive health issues are left unattended to. Mortality rate among pregnant mothers is given as very high; every one women out of 12 die out of reproductive related issues (Holloway & Bidwell, 2007). There is the component of gender inequality on the part of economy streamlining. The only salaried working woman mentioned here in the Mali community, is Monique. She is seen working the whole day in a makeshift birth centre under a torn roof. Her salary, however, goes to the extravagant father-in-law and unfaithful husband. She cannot be able to plan for her salary independently. This shows that a woman in Mali is voiceless even in managing her own resources. Outside this clinic picture, the woman is also overworked. There are, however, no accounts of productive use of these funds, which mostly goes to their male relatives. They are left with little, if any, to manage and help in economic growth matters. The Malian women have the most disadvantageous part in forced marriages. It all starts with Female Genital Mutilation (F.G.M.), which to them is universal. This argument is developed from the instance where we are told that Monique thought that this rite was universal, that even Kris must have undergone it. This rite is the first step in developing

Supply Chain Management and Logistics Assignment

Supply Chain Management and Logistics - Assignment Example The researcher states that developing an interest in logistics benefits should be the sole interest of Toyota logistics sector, which is portrayed by an absence of professionalism. The criteria for selecting a logistics administration supplier are evolving. Clients have exchanged their center at least conceivable costs for administrations to unwavering quality. Because of the business shift from the expense, determined to quality-determined within a brief period of time, the systems for logistics administration suppliers need to incorporate more adaptability, better value security, higher transparency and expanded professionalism, keeping in mind the end goal to meet the tests. The move methodology created supply fastens to end up more dynamic, reflecting the flimsy additionally very guaranteeing business. Partnerships with outside accomplices, co-operation, and joint stock organizations are currently the way to go through. The new supply chains are a mixture of novel components join ed with old various leveled plans of existing connections and associations. Toyota should adopt Omni-channel systems by focusing to change organization which is the execution of developments relating to heightening delivery. The way to go is Omni-channel configuration, which is propelling impact of having attributes and information open over all channels. The organization incorporates leveraging customer experience chances, process upgrades, and a new arrangement for adoption. One explanation behind changing supply chains are new circulation methodologies, which are controlled by expanding client administration desires, developed business sector scope, immediate channel structures, long-haul channel connections, and developing gainfulness, stabilization, and vindication. Directors should unequivocally characterize the aspects and necessities of any key organization. Exact methods and guidelines must be created with the goal, control, and consistency of yield increment across all the departments.