Feminism in Poetry Essay

All women have a place. That is barefoot, pregnant, and chained to the stove. Ideas like this are what started the feminist movement. Women desired to be judged by their worth as a person rather than their physical appearance or biological factors. Women sought out social, economic, and political equality. Many women wanted to do their part to support the cause. Some of the most notable influences of the feminist movement were poets such as Sylvia Plath, Lucille Clifton and Anne Sexton. Through their poems, the truth was exposed. This encouraged women everywhere to demand justice and equality. Although there are many feminist themes poets can write about, Sylvia Plath writes of male domination. In her poetry, all men appear to be the opposing force that keeps women from living a happy life. For example, in her poem â€Å"Daddy†, Plath exploits her father as being a fascist Nazi. Much like the Nazi, a fascist is known for being controlling with the power to oppress societies. Plath felt like a â€Å"Jew† amongst her Nazi father (40). However, towards the end of the poem, the representation of Plath’s father and husband (or all men) go from Nazis to â€Å"Vampires† (72). It is clear that in this change of metaphor that Plath went from living the terrors of a male dominant society to living with the undead terrors of her memories. In the same way, Plath’s poem â€Å"Lady Lazarus† conveys the message of male dominance. For example, the speaker states that â€Å"I am your opus, I am your valuable† it seems the woman in the poem feels as if she is a possession to men. However, in the final stanza she informs â€Å"Herr God, Herr Lucifer† to â€Å"beware† because â€Å"Out of the ash I will rise and I eat men like air† (79-84). The woman rises from the ashes like a phoenix, stronger and with a new sense of empowerment. It is as if men mean nothing and hold no more significance in her life. Plath uses these powerful poems to make a clear position in the feminist movement against the social inequalities that women faced in their everyday lives. Next, the feminist movement was partially about being proud of being a woman. Lucille Clifton, a strong, blunt woman presents such feminist themes. Clifton asserts her feminist ideas in the form of a woman’s body. In her poem â€Å"Homage to My Hips†, a person’s first impression might be of a woman proud of her full figure. However, â€Å"hips† in this poem are a symbol of the strength and life that women possess. Therefore, when she says â€Å"hips†, she is speaking for all the women. For instance, Clifton points out that: â€Å"These hips are big hips; they need space to move around in. They don’t fit into petty places. These are free hips. † (1-6). Undoubtedly, Clifton believes that women should have the same opportunities as men. If they are limited by their actions, there is no room for them to thrive. In the same way, Clifton illustrates her feminist views through the woman’s body in her poem â€Å"Wishes for Sons†. The poem directed toward men, talks specifically about the biological factors of a woman. Clifton wishes men to experience menstruation, the cramps, hot flashes, and the blood clots. Clifton wishes â€Å"them one week early and wearing a white skirt† (5-6). Indeed, she wants men to experience the embarrassments and fears a woman faces. Equally important, she wishes for men to experience the arrogance of gynecologists, â€Å"not unlike themselves† (18). Truly, Clifton’s brusqueness brings a sense of truth. In this poem, Clifton asks the age old question, why are males considered the stronger ones? Women are strong and can endure great pain that a man would collapse under. Lucille Clifton is one of the most powerful feminist poets, because she is direct and not afraid to speak her mind. Through her poetry, she empowers women to stand up and be strong. Finally, Anne Sexton is known more for her confessional poetry. However, her support of the feminist movement is evident throughout her poems. In her poem â€Å"Little Girl, My String Bean, My Lovely Woman†, Sexton praises and gives her advice to her daughter. Before the feminist movement, having a daughter was not celebrated. This poem is evidence that Sexton stepped out of the social norm and took one step closer to liberation of all women. Sexton writes of â€Å"†¦old wives speaking of womanhood. I remember that I heard nothing myself. I was alone. I waited like a target. † (35-38) Again, this is referring to how no one ever talked about the challenges of womanhood. By making aware of these challenges, Sexton stood alone and took the criticisms of society. Furthermore, Sexton tells her daughter that her â€Å"bones are lovely† (52). Like many girls that are coming of age, they view themselves through the eyes of society or men. Sexton wanted to tell her â€Å"before they enter† (50). In the final stanza, Sexton tells her daughter that if she is â€Å"sure of yourself† she â€Å"will strike fire, that new thing† (95-98). To summarize, if her daughter stays true to herself as a woman, she will succeed in her new life. Because Sexton ties her intimate life in with her poetry, it makes the message of feminism even more meaningful. In conclusion, there are the many sides to feminism. Plath exposed a more daring approach. She wrote of the role of women in a male dominated society and the constant struggle of woman versus man. On the other hand, Clifton has a more passive but straightforward approach. She spoke of matters that women then were too embarrassed to speak of. This is why she might have felt she had to be the voice for all women. Her bold poetry made her one of the most popular poets of the feminist movement. Lastly, because she was a confessional poet, Sexton’s intertwined her feminist views with her personal life. This method made her feminist message more meaningful and passionate. Many women, along with these popular poets set out to change the course of history. They strived for equality and fought hard to obtain it. It would be in vain if women today did not take advantage of the rights that they struggled to achieve.

Techniques Used in the Great Gatsby

Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Britain: Penguin, 1926. 1. Point of view – the view or perspective of how the story is narrated (i. e first person) â€Å"Only Gatsby, the man who gives his name to this book, was exempt from my reaction – Gatsby, who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn. † (pg. 8) †¢ This novel is narrated from a first person point of view. Nick Carraway is both a narrator and a character participant in the story.Seen that this novel is mostly about Jay Gatsby and how what happens to his life is narrated to represent general themes, there could be no other narrator than the character who is Gatsby’s neighbor, and someone who declares to be free of any preconceptions or judgments due to an important lesson his father taught him. Nick Carraway seems to be a narrator exempt from bias due to this aspect of his profile, and he leaves clear what are his specific opinions or observations. 2. Tone – throug hout the connotation and denotation of words, it is what gives a mood or attitude to the story No – Gatsby turned out all right at the end; it is what preyed on Gatsby, what foul dust floated in the wake of his dreams that temporarily closed out my interest in the abortive sorrows and short-winded elations of men. † (pg. 8) †¢ The narrator keeps his tone always dry and realistic. This helps the readers understand that even though this seems like a romantic story due to Gatsby’s unconditional love for Daisy and his pursuit for his dream, it is completely sucked in by reality from beginning to end. When the narrator talks about love or dream he does not idealize them by using words with positive connotation.He is clear and concise about the relationship between those who love and how they love. In the example above for example, the narrator clings on to disillusionment and even pessimism as he foreshadows Gatsby’s fate. 3. Imagery – the creation of a mental picture through detailed description â€Å"It eluded us then, but that’s no matter – tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther†¦ And one fine morning – So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past. † (pg. 188) †¢ In this passage the author is able to create two clear mental pictures to convey his message.One is of men stretching further and running faster – though we can picture that his true intention is to suggest that mankind is trying to grasp what seems far from their reach, like Gatsby trying to grasp his American Dream throughout five years of his life. The second imagery is of the boat tiredly pushing against the strong current, and with that any reader can understand that individuals have to strive against the repressive society in order to adhere what they truly want. 4. Symbol – using one smaller idea to represent a larger one â€Å"Gatsby believed in the gre en light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. (pg. 188) †¢ The colors in this novel are used to represent greater ideas or they give specific significances to characters’ profiles or the environment in each scene. In this last moment, the green light Gatsby believes in is his dream. The color green itself is a representation of hope or faith. Also, in a specific part of the novel, the light emitting from Daisy’s house has a greenish hue, corroborating the fact that this is what he has longed so much for. 5. Irony – when there is an outcome of events that is opposite to what was expected initially The minister glanced several times at his watch, so I took him aside and asked him to wait for half an hour. But it wasn’t any use. Nobody came. † (pg. 181) †¢ This quote is in relation to Gatsby’s funeral. This can be considered an irony since at the beginning the impression that Nick had about Gatsby was that he had m any friends and was extremely popular due to all the parties he threw at his house. Yet, when he dies and has no longer anything to offer to society, he is alone and none of the plenty of people who came to his parties even cares or remembers him then. 6.Mispronunciation – when words or full sentences are written exactly as they sound to emphasize the tone and profile of the character â€Å"Oh, my Ga-od! Oh, my Ga-od! Oh, my Ga-od! Oh, my Ga-od! † (†¦) â€Å"What you want, fella? † â€Å"What happened? – that’s what I want to know. † â€Å"Auto hit her. Ins’antly killed. † â€Å"Instantly killed,† repeated Tom, staring. â€Å"She ran out ina road. Son-of-a-bitch didn’t even stopus car. † (pg. 145-146) †¢ Being a realistic novel, Fitzgerald compromises to every small detail of reality. In this example, readers can easily see the difference in accent and pronunciation of the three people having a di alogue.The officer, being from a lower social class, and therefore imaginably less educated, skips sounds when he says certain words such as â€Å"ins’antly† instead of instantly, â€Å"fella† instead of fellow and â€Å"stopus† instead of stopped. With these mispronunciations Fitzgerald enables a brief and careless speech. Wilson’s quote (â€Å"Oh, my Ga-od! †) also tells a lot about the character and justifies the murder by the end of the book. He is also part of the rough, low class, uneducated, and in this case angry and desperate.The officer and Wilson stand as contrast to Tom who presents a complete and fluent speech that proves that his wealth bought him education. 7. Repetition – to use the same word, phrase or sentence repeatedly for emphasis or another purpose â€Å"In his blue gardens (†¦) I watched his guests (†¦) or taking the sun on the hot sand of his beach while his two motor-boats slit the waters (†¦) On weekends his Rolls-Royce (†¦) while his station wagon scampered like a brisk yellow bug to meet all trains. † (pg. 45) †¢ In this passage readers are able to clearly notice the repetition of the possessive pronoun â€Å"his†.Fitzgerald chooses to do this in this specific part because the narrator is describing one of the parties at Gatsby’s house. By repeating that everything is â€Å"his†, or belongs to him, the narrator emphasizes Gatsby’s abundant wealth. Fitzgerald is creating the image of a rich and ostentatious man. 8. Flashback – the narrative of an event outside the present timeline in order to provide background information to the events â€Å"James Gatz – that was really, or at least legally, his name. He had changed it at the age of seventeen (†¦)† (pg. 104) Throughout the novel there are many stories being told about what Jay Gatsby’s past was like, and what made him become who he is now. Gat sby himself tells Nick in the present timeline of the story, a specific version of how he was educated and how he became wealthy. It is finally due to this flashback that the readers learn the accurate story about Gatsby’s life, including how he earned his money. 9. Charactonym – when a character’s name has some significance to his profile in the novel â€Å"I’ve heard it said that Daisy’s murmur was only to make people lean toward her; an irrelevant criticism that made it no less charming. (pg. 15) †¢ The character Daisy Buchanan can be compared to the actual flower â€Å"daisy†. Just like the most common daisy, the one that is yellow on the inside and white on the outside, the character appears to be something that she is not. She uses excessive amount of white powder to prove her purity and innocence, but inside she is sardonic and superficial. Like a flower, she is delicate, charming and beautiful, but throughout the novel she prov es to be interested in wealth and luxury, and underestimates Gatsby’s true love. 10.Dramatic irony – when the readers know something about the plot that one or more characters might not know â€Å"Was Daisy driving? † â€Å"Yes,† he said after a moment, â€Å"but of course I’ll say I was. † (pg. 150) †¢ In this passage the readers find out that even though it was Gatsby’s car being driven, it was actually Daisy who was driving it and who was guilty of killing Myrtle Wilson. If Mr. Wilson had known about this the ending would be different since he would not have killed Gatsby. Daisy’s shallow personality kept her from assuming the blame, and instead she just moved away with Tom to escape from the guilt.

Intercultural communication with the peterson family Essay

After a year of living with my brother, I moved in to live with the Peterson family in Montclair, California. Jason Peterson was a physics professor at the University of California at Berkeley while Mary Peterson was a schoolteacher. Living with the Peterson family made me grapple with the difference between American and Afghan culture. The American way of expressing affection in public and open intimate relationships at first shocked me. Afghans are very personal and private when it comes to displays of affection. Kissing your wife or girlfriend in front of others would be a serious breach of manners. The expression of affection between Jason and Mary when one of them arrived from work used to make me uncomfortable but I eventually got used to it. I still find it truly paradoxical that while Americans openly display affections, the value they accord to privacy and personal space is very high. I could not comprehend why they value privacy when in fact they could not keep intimate shows of affection in private. At first, I would often innocently intrude into the room of Jason to ask something. Or, when he was deep in thought in the living room wrestling with what looked like a work-related task, I would tactlessly start a conversation with him. In situations like those, his reaction would be one of initial shock. Sensing that my act was prompted by my desire to express belonging with the Peterson family, Jason would break into a knowing smile. I knew he could feel my embarrassment, as I did with his own embarrassment for his initial show of displeasure. Becoming aware of the discomfort I caused in those situations, I eventually resolved to keep my distance in those situations and to respect privacy according to American standards. Like most Americans, Mr. Peterson was direct and to the point when discussing matters with his wife. With me, however, he chose to make me learn American social norms through his reaction to what I did or what I was doing. I took cues from his reaction and I was certain that he simply did not want me to feel ashamed of my actuations. After a month, we got to sit down together from time to time. He started asking me about Afghanistan. Being given the chance to share with him the life and cultural practices in Afghanistan seemed to unburden me. Through our conversations, he began to understand me in a different light and I am grateful that those conversations did happen. I also began to understand and accept American culture for what it is. At first, whenever I encountered a seemingly weird American custom from the Afghan viewpoint, I would automatically and mentally scrounge for a similar custom of Afghanistan and attempt to compare them. I eventually realized that this automatic evaluation of American culture that I usually do as some sort of a reflex action is a contributory factor to my resistance to some aspects of American culture and may perhaps even be a hindrance to my assimilation of the host culture. Even if I was close to Mr. Peterson on account of our â€Å"cultural conversations,† I maintained physical and emotional distance from Mrs. Peterson. In hindsight, I also realize that such aloofness on my part did not spring from the fact I did not like her. In fact she was such a very gracious and accommodating lady that sometimes her concern embarrassed me. I still unconsciously carried with me the Afghan notion that another man’s wife or female children are off limits to others. Afghan strictures relating to the marriage bond are much more demanding than those of Americans. Perhaps I was apprehensive that Mr. Peterson would look at my attempts to communicate with his wife from an Afghan standpoint. In this case, I was on the losing end. I could have had a more profound communication level with Mrs. Peterson as I had with her husband if only I did not have such an apprehension at the back of my mind. The American concept of personal space was something that I could not comprehend at all. For Afghans, one’s family extended to almost all relatives unlike the very exclusive nuclear family of Americans. This extends to the use of gadgets and other household items. When my Afghan friends came to visit me in the residence of the Peterson family, some of my Afghan friends unconsciously behaved as though the family that I was with was Afghan. They engaged in horseplay and laughed boisterously which did not sit well with the Petersons, using their reaction as basis. I cautioned my friends who, to my relief, took my admonition seriously. When they all became very quiet on account of my warning, the atmosphere became unbearably silent. The Peterson couple sensed the sudden change of mood and in their embarrassment took pains to make me and my friends feel welcome. Such an event would not have happened if my friends and I had been conscious of the fact that the American concept of family and belonging did not extend to friends and relatives, the way the Afghan concept does.

Miller and Modigliani Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Miller and Modigliani - Essay Example The higher the company is able to retain earnings, the lesser the dividends and the lower the retention, the larger the dividends. Finance managers then need to make a wise decision on dividends payments and investment fuelling funds from the net profit of the firm. Since the overall goal of doing business is profit maximization, organizations must know which of the two practices is better in terms of wealth creation. If it will not lead to wealth creation for the shareholders, the funds should be retained to support investment programmes. A conflict therefore arises on whether dividends payment impacts the value of the organization or not. Some critics argue that dividends are irrelevant in that the percentage paid to the shareholders does not impact the value of the business while others maintain that dividends are relevant as far as the value of the organization is concerned (Baker,2009). Modigliani and Miller Hypothesis (MM Hypothesis) Both are on the idea that dividends are irre levant in that they have no effect on the organization’s value and do not have serious repercussions on the firm. According to them, choosing an investment programme that will contribute to the firm’s profit is what is important in adding value to the business. The process of dividends sharing is less important. In the event of good markets, realistic investments, and proper tax allocation between dividend revenue and business capital, provided the organization’s investment programme, dividend sharing has no effect on the market price of shares. Their theory on irrelevance of dividends is grounded on the following assumptions; First is that the business is conducted in an environment of perfect capital markets characterized by availability of sufficient and free information at all times, no or less exchange expenses and realistic investments. The investors are not a threat to the market price of goods and services. Also the investors are assumed to be realistic, implying that the main and only goal of shareholders is wealth maximization without discriminations on dividends sharing. They need to be satisfied with the amount that they get from the shares. Modigliani and Miller assumed that tax is ‘non-existent’. Therefore there should be no tax disparities such that the tax levied on dividend is not the same with that of the earnings. If there is tax, it should be equal. The idea is to provide a differentiation between revenue from dividends and from capital earnings. Again, the investment programmes of the organization are assumed to be consistent, i.e. they do not change constantly. The investors most also be in a position to make an intelligent guess about future investment programmes and how much profit they will generate (Frankfurter, wood & wansley, 2003). The argument’s bone of contention is that provided the firm’s investment decision, it can keep its revenue for financing investment programmes or distribut e the profit to the shareholders. The market share increases from the payment of dividends while other added shares pose a drop in the value of shares. This means that the market price does not change with dividends payment. The external business support is said to affect the dividend payment on the wealth of shareholders which makes them indifferent in deciding between dividends and keeping the firm’s revenue to channel investment programmes. In this view, the business external support that is said to affect dividends payment fails to capture mm’s hypothesis of dividends irrelevance. If dividends were irrelevant, the organization’s capital expenses would rely on their rate of dividend distribution (Banarjee, 1990). The assumption on perfect capital m

Reasons for Transferring and Objectives Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reasons for Transferring and Objectives - Essay Example My major is business and I think that for me learning about business from a reputed institution is essential so that I do not prove to be a nuisance for the boss. The first and foremost reason for transferring is acquisition of quality knowledge. Knowledge has no limit. Business in today’s age offers a lot for learning. The more you study, the more you learn. In depth study of business makes you eager of acquiring more knowledge; this also helps you to develop more interest and makes you more conscious of seeing the practical impact of theoretical knowledge. The more you study, the more you can explore, so studying hard about facts and figures boosts the confidence and also makes you feel that whatever you have done , is not enough, so do more. I hope to have a wider network of friends as because of transfer, I would have better chances to make new friends. For better education, a network of friends is essential as friends help each other in their studies. A communicative envi ronment is created that is necessary for an educational set up. In today’s life, students cannot operate without having a network of friends. Therefore, it is very important to have a network connection of friends for all kinds of studies. What I am going to do with my degree in the future is that I am interested in opening my own business and by obtaining a degree in business, I will be able to understand business and its requirements. I want to be an independent person in my future. I want to support my parents by opening my  business.

Managing Financial Principles and Techniques Assignment Essay

Managing Financial Principles and Techniques Assignment - Essay Example From the tudy it is clear that the very basic two approaches to pricing are ‘cost-plus’ pricing and ‘market-demand’ pricing. There are various pricing strategies such as low or high pricing, permanent or changing prices, penetration or skimming pricing, fixed or variable pricing. No matter whether it is cost-plus or market-demand based pricing, firms are required to constantly estimate the true costs incurred for developing their product. An underestimation of fixed or variable costs can lead to loss. Firms, in order to stay competitive, are to generate a reasonable amounts of profits. Profit is the difference between selling price and total costs. If a firm simply fixes a price without due care of total costs incurred for making or marketing of that product, it is more likely not to generate a reasonable amounts of profit.This research finds that  most organizations need to make strategic decisions about setting or accepting the selling prices for the pro ducts or services they market. If firms are in marketing condition where the price is automatically set by the market demand and supply forces, the firm will have little or no influence over the selling prices of its products or services. Coffee, sugar, rice markets are of this example. The firm in such condition is required to evaluate the total costs incurred and attempt their maximum to keep per unit costs below the per-unit selling price. In contrast, firms that make highly differentiated or customized products or are market leaders have relatively greater influence in pricing decisions. In such a marketing condition, the pricing decision will be influenced by the cost of the product (Drury, 2007, p. 248) An appropriate costing system Most organizations are depending on marginal costing system since it has long been found to be very effective for management in taking appropriate decisions and understanding accurate cost structures. Marginal

An Active and a Passive Student Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

An Active and a Passive Student - Essay Example The present research has identified that there are a lot of people who think that active students are better learners as compared to the passive students. Active students pay more attention in the class. They are not only physically present in the class but are also mentally present there. Active students take interest in the lecture and ask the teachers questions if they have any doubts. Active students tend to apply the concepts learned in the class on their personal experiences and share any useful insights with the rest of the class to promote the culture of learning and sharing. Active students tend to grab the concepts rather than cramming things up and are always up to date with the latest lecture because they have paid attention throughout the previous lectures. There are certain people who think that passive students learn no less than active students. Although they do not pay much attention in the class, yet they make sure that they do cover up the contents of the lecture w hen they get back home. Besides, in the present age, when the sources of learning are omnipresent, it is not a big deal for a passive student to acquire the knowledge if he/she did not listen to the teacher carefully in the class. Today, most students have full-time access to the Internet and can access any kind of knowledge they want to. If the passive students deliver their assignments on time, there may be no difference between the academic and professional achievement of an active and a passive student at all.The researcher states that active students are better learners as compared to the passive students. A student who does not pay attention in the class shows lack of interest in studies. Such passive students are unlikely to go that extra mile to cover up the contents of the lecture on their own when they get back home. In fact, most of the passive learners approach their friends when little time is left in the exams. Their friends cannot teach them as nicely and sincerely as their teachers can. Accordingly, the quality of learning declines. In addition to that, since passive students tend to learn things when just a little time is left in the exams, the knowledge stays with them for only a short while and they tend to forget everything in the long run.

Death Penalty in the US Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Death Penalty in the US - Essay Example er hand proponents believe that criminals who is a liability to the society or those who do not live based on the rules of the society needs to be punished and in extreme cases they must be executed if no other options succeeded in correcting the criminal. â€Å"Around 137 countries have abolished the death penalty in law or practice. Despite international human rights standards, some nations still execute people.† (Death Penalty) â€Å"In US, as of April 1, 2008, the Death Penalty was authorized by 37 states, the Federal Government, and the U.S. Military†. (The death penalty in the US) In fact United States is one of the toughest countries in the world as far as death penalty is concerned even though they speak out loudly against all kind of human right violations around the world. They never accept that the first and most important human right is live and let others live. This paper analyses the different aspects of death penalty system in United States. In 2004 four (China, Iran, Vietnam and the US) accounted for 97 percent of all global executions. On average, every 9-10 days a government in the United States executes a prisoner. Since the 1976 Supreme Court decision that re-instated the death penalty in the United States, the governments of the United States had executed 1,136, as of December 2008(Pros and Cons of the Death Penalty (Capital  Punishment)) The statistics clearly reveals that the US attitude towards human life is not so great compared to other countries. In fact it is a failure from the part of the governments that they were not able to control the crimes without capital punishment even in the twenty first century. For a civilized nation like United Sates the above statistics is not a satisfying one. The interesting thing is that even though capital punishment is implemented, the crime rates have not been come down and moreover it is on its upward journey. Most of the American people are actually against capital p unishment. But the governments

Zara Technoligy can Change Everything Term Paper

Zara Technoligy can Change Everything - Term Paper Example So he integrated forward, opening the first Zara store in La Coruna in 1975(Mcafee et al., 2007, p.3). The growth of Zara was phenomenal since its establishment in 1975. The success of first Zara store encouraged Ortega to open more clothing stores across Spain. It is often said that the innovation and ability to produce new products and services are decisive factors in boosting the growth of an organization. Zara did succeed in introducing new clothing products and trends in the market quite rapidly. Moreover, Ortega gave more emphasize to the production of new designs based on the rapidly changing industry trends, which helped him to compete effectively in the market. 1985 was a year which has huge importance in the history of Zara. Two major events occurred in this year that changed the entire face of the company. â€Å"First, Inditex (Industria de Diseno Textil) was formed as a holding company atop Zara, other retail chains and a network of internally owned suppliers. Second, Jo se Maria Castellano Rios joined the company† (Mcafee et al., 2007, p.3). Being an expert in IT, Castellano did everything possible to incorporate computer related technologies at every corners of the company. He had realized that without computers and internet, no industry can look forward and he changed the face of the company from a low end clothing company to a high end technology based clothing company. It should be noted that the net margin of Inditex increased from 7.21% to 11.2% during the period of 1996 to 2002 (Mcafee et al., 2007, p.16). The above statistics clearly suggest that the company is growing in the right direction since the introduction as a result of the innovative business strategies and the judicious use of technology in all the functional departments. â€Å"At the beginning of 2003, Inditex operated 1,558 stores in 45 countries, of which nearly 550 were part of the Zara chain. For its fiscal-year 2002, Inditex had posted a net income of A438 millionâ⠂¬  (Mcafee et al., 2007, p.5). The growth of Zara can be better understood with the help of Michael Porter’s five forces model. Zara and Porter’s five forces model Michael Porter’s famous five forces model is used extensively at present in business sectors to analyze the competitive power of an organization in the market. It helps business people to realize their strengths and weaknesses. Since market is changing rapidly because of the rapid technological growth, no organization can secure their top spot in the market, if they are reluctant in making periodical changes in their business strategies. For example, the rivalry between Apple and Microsoft is famous. Even though Microsoft concentrated only in the operating system market, Apple diversified its portfolios to many other fields and they became the most valuable technology company in the world at present, pushing Microsoft far behind. In other words, organizations should make changes in their business st rategies based on the changes in the market in order to keep their competitive power intact all the time. Porter’s five force model helps organizations to measure their competitive power at a given time period. Porter model can be used to foresee the future threats and opportunities and the organizations can plan well accordingly. According to Michael Porter, five competitive forces that may affect an organization are; Threat of substitute products, Threat of new entrants, Intense rivalry among existing players, Bargaining power of suppliers and Bargaining power of Buyers (Porter’s Five Forces Model, 2009). The following illustration makes these points clearer. (Porter’

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho Essay Example for Free

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho Essay The book The Alchemist was originally written in Portuguese by Paulo Coelho in 1987. To date, it sold 35 million copies and is reigned as the most translated book in the world by a living author. The Alchemist was the second book of the now 67-year old Coelho following his first novel attempt entitled The Pilgrimage. It was Coelho’s second book that made him known worldwide, but amazingly, it just took him a course of one two-week spurt of creativity to complete the novel The Alchemist. The novel was about one Andalusian shepherd boy’s mystical trek towards realizing his recurring dream of finding his treasure located at the Egyptian Pyramids. Eventually, as he go on through his journey, he learns to speak the Language of the World and discovering the essence of alchemy. He meets different people along his way, starting with the fortune-teller whom he asks to interpret his recurring dream that night while sleeping near a sycamore tree in the sacristy of an abandoned church. The lady says he should pursue finding his treasure and when he does find it, he must give her a part of it as payment for her service. The second person he meets is a mysterious old man who seems to be able to read his mind. This man introduces himself as Melchizedek, or the King of Salem. He tells the boy about good and bad omens and says that it is the shepherds duty to pursue his Personal Legend. Melchizedek then gives him two stones, Urim and Thummim, for him to use when he needs help to interpret omens. The boy decides to follow what the man has said to him and sells his herd to purchase a ticket to Tangier, in northern Africa. But shortly after he arrives there, a thief steals all of his money, so he decides to look for a way to make enough money to return home. He finds work in the shop of a crystal merchant, where after a year he makes improvements that is gratified by financial rewards. He then leaves to proceed in the pursuit of his treasure. He joins a caravan traveling to Egypt. There, he meets an Englishman who wants to learn the secret of alchemy, or turning any metal into gold, from a famous alchemist who lives at an oasis on the way to the pyramids. While traveling, the boy begins listening to the desert and discovering the Soul of the World. The caravan reaches the oasis after some  time, and there he falls in love to an Arab girl named Fatima. The caravan leader tells them that tribal warfare prevents them from continuing their journey so they are staying at the oasis a little longer. One day, the boy wanders from the oasis into the desert and sees two hawks fighting in the sky with a vision of an army entering the oasis. Because attacking an oasis is a violation of the rules of the desert, he shares his vision with the oasiss tribal chieftain. Soon afterward, he is confronted by a black-garbed, veiled stranger with a sword, who sits atop a white horse. It is the alchemist. The tribal chieftain arms his men, and they are well-prepared when the oasis is indeed invaded. The alchemist offers to cross the desert with the boy. Soon the two men enter into an area of intense tribal warfare. Warriors hold the two men captive, but eventually allow them to continue their journey after the boy manages to demonstrate to them that he can be one with the wind. The alchemist tells the boy that he needs to return to the oasis, and that the rest of the trip is his to make alone so that he can claim his Personal Legend. The alchemist shows him how the Elixir of Life and the Philosophers’ Stone are made and he gave him the quarter of the gold before leaving the boy on his own. The boy arrives at the Egyptian pyramids and begins to dig. He finds nothing buried in the ground. Thieves come and see him, they beat him and rob him of his gold. After he tells them of his dream, though, one of the thieves recounts his own dream about a buried treasure in the sacristy of an abandoned church. He then realizes where his treasure can be found. Returning to Andalusia, he goes back to the church where he dreamed of the treasure near the pyramids. He digs where he slept, beneath a sycamore tree, and there it is, his treasure. He plans to return with it to Al-Fayoum, where he will reunite with Fatima, who awaits him. This story, for me, is really one of a kind. It’s not every time that I get to read novels like this which is simply a work of a truly passionate and creative mind. According to The Alchemist, Personal Legends serve as the only means by which an individual can live a satisfying life. In fact, the universe can only achieve perfection if all natural things continuously undergo a cycle of achieving their Personal Legend, evolving into a higher being with a new Personal Legend, and then pursuing that new goal. This  concept, that the individualistic pursuit of a Personal Legend exists as life’s dominant—perhaps only—spiritual demand, lies at the center of the unique theology of The Alchemist. I love how the alchemy was introduced and explored in the story. I know little about the science of turning metals into gold – though I have been hearing it – but this book is just so well-written that after I finished reading it, I have a certain feeling of understanding what it really is and what it is really meant for. The story also emphasizes that it is not the destination but the journey that shapes us. In the book, the boy’s destiny wanted him to learn many things beyond being a simple shepherd, so he was sent to a journey that he never thought he would ever experience in pursuit of a treasure in his dream, only to find out in the end that it was just located in the place where his dream occurred. Even with this, he did not regret that he went through that far because he knew that what he found along the way was the most precious treasure a man could ever have. Moreover, in The Alchemist, the spiritual unity represented by the Soul of the World binds together all of nature, from human beings to desert sand. This idea underlies the parallel we see in the novel between the alchemist purifying metal into gold and the shepherd boy purifying himself into someone capable of achieving his Personal Legend. According to the novel, the Soul of the World has created an ultimate desire, or Personal Legend, for everything, whether a man or a piece of iron. To accomplish its Personal Legend, each thing must learn to tap into the Soul of the World, which purifies it. That continual purification ultimately leads to perfection. This notion of humans, metals, and all other things sharing the same goal demonstrates that all elements in nature are essentially different forms of a single spirit. Recalling from the book, there also is the mentioning about the Language of the World, and that every heart knows and understands it if we will just learn how to listen to what it has to say, like how the boy learned to communicate to the nature through his heart. Another relevant thing in this novel is the presence of omens everywhere and at any given time. It was said there that we just have to learn how to read them, and that they are there to guide us towards achieving our destined Personal Legends. But just like what is implied in the story, fear prevents people from realizing their destinies, so we tend to ignore the omens, and their call to be recognized are eventually becoming  more and more silent. I also noticed the involvement of religions (Islam and Catholic). I have always thought that talking about religious beliefs and practices is as complicated as discussing the theories of origin of the universe. But in this case, I am relieved that none of the sectors is being favored nor left behind. Not that there is a competition of which is right and which is wrong, but if I would be asked, I’d rather not to answer. Lastly, and probably what really stole a good bit of me is the foreign phrase maktub that was mentioned how many times in the book. It means â€Å"it is written†, which pertains to the destiny we each has that’s written by a Superior Hand for us to fulfil. I always thought that everything that happens serves a purpose, maktub.

Influence of Christianity on Literature

Influence of Christianity on Literature Introduction Christianity and Islam are daughter religions of Judaism. They were established as splinter groups from Judaism at different times in the history of the Jews. On its part, Judaism is a very old religion which traces its origin from the Old Testament times of Abraham and Moses. In fact, all of its doctrines revolve around the Mosaic Law. These are sets of rules/commandments which were given to Moses by God (Yahweh) in Mount Sinai. It happened at a time when he was called by God to go back to Egypt and deliver His people (the Israelites) from the yoke of oppression from the ruthless Pharaoh. This followed the enslavement of the Israelites that lasted for over 400 years until they were eventually delivered by Moses. Later, Judaism became the official religion amongst the Jews[1]. On the other hand, Christianity is a religion which is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. As recorded in the Synoptic Gospels in the Holy Bible, Jesus was born of Virgin Mary and Joseph[2]. Despite growing in strict Jewish traditions, He later directly criticized the actions of the Pharisees, Scribes and Sadducees who had been imposing stringent laws on the people. Thus, He advocated for transition into a new order which later turned to be Christianity especially after His death. This came as a result of the efforts of the early apostles under the leadership of St. Peter. All these were done because of the teachings of Jesus Christ who had been appealing to His followers to accept to repent their sins and accept the good news[3]. The good news was about the promise of eternal life which would accrue to anyone who would accept Him as their personal savior. In other words, Christianity is a new religion which split from Judaism and is based on the teachings of Jesus Himself. This clearly demonstrates that it is a daughter religion of Judaism. After all, it also reveres the Old Testament as a holy book. To the Judaists, Old Testament is the most important holy book used in advancing their teachings and doctrines. Meanwhile, Islam is also another religion which is also believed to have split from Judaism. It was the last religion which traces its origin to Judaism. It was founded by Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be upon Him) who lived a lot of years after the death of Jesus Christ. Unlike the rest of the religions, Islam came into existence after the interactions of Prophet Mohamed (PBUH). Meaning, it borrowed a lot of doctrines from Judaism and Christianity which were already established at the time it was founded. According to Islamic historians, Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) was the last and most important prophet amongst the Muslims. To the Muslims, Quran is the only Holy Book which should be used in the worship of Allah (the only God to be worshipped). However, the Quran is often used along side the hadith which contains the speeches about Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). Why Christianity Dominates Literature As a matter of fact, Christianity, Islam and Judaism are some of the most prominent classical religions in the contemporary society[4]. According to the latest statistics, there are a total of 2.9 billion Christians in the world today. This is nearly a third of the world’s population. Meaning, it is the only religion with the highest number of followers globally. For Christianity to reach where it is today, it has actually had a very long history. This began at the time of Jesus who initially faced too much opposition from conservative Jewish sects such as the Pharisees. Because of their different world views, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law made it so hard to for Jesus to spread the gospel to His followers. Even after triumphantly defeating death, it was not easier for the early Church apostles to advance Jesus’ teachings and spread the good news to all the corners of the world as He had commanded them[5]. Thus, it means that Christianity has managed to dominate literary texts depicting its mother and sister religions due to the fact that it has had a lot of committed people who dedicated their life to serve humanity and make remarkable contributions to people’s lives. If it were not for their efforts, it might not be much easier for the authors, early church fathers, philosophers and theologians to write about. This might be attributed to the numerous extra-ordinary activities which they performed[6]. As already highlighted, amongst these people is Jesus Christ. It is a common knowledge to all Christians that Jesus is the most important figure in this religion. Had it not been for Him, Christianity would not have existed. This is because He managed to gather large multitudes and performed numerous miracles which many people, especially His critics could not believe. Therefore, because He had lots of stories to be written, several books have been published provide people with all these information. They are very important since they act as evidence for the great works that He did as He was battling the dominance of the Pharisees who had taken control of the Jewish community for a very long time. Unlike Jesus, these Pharisees were so conservative and had made life to be too challenging to the ordinary Jews who needed to be saved from such oppression. Right from His birth, Jesus Christ had a very complicated history. First, His birth had been prophesied by several prophets such as Jeremiah and Isaiah. God had planned that He would be born of a Virgin Mary (who still remained virgin even after His birth). Besides, His birth took place in the historical town of Bethlehem in a very unusual place[7]. Later, He made lots of contributions towards the development of Christianity. These include a series of sermons that He delivered in different laces which He traversed during His entire period of the ministry[8]. As a universal figure, He did not only concentrate in Israel, but even preached to the gentiles. This demonstrates that He had not only come for the Jews, but also for other people especially the sinners who needed to repent and accept to live according to the word of God. Therefore, these teachings are some of the most popular works which have been published by several scholars. In fact, the manner in which He exhaustively used the parables during His sermons made Him to be classified as the greatest and best teacher in the world. Everyone wanted to publish a book to record His works. A part from recoding the preaching of Jesus, many scholars have been interested in writing books about the miracles that He had performed. As already highlighted, Jesus Christ performed some of the greatest miracles in the history of man. Here, He cured the sick, fed the hungry and raised the dead. Each of these is of a great importance to His followers. They proved that He was actually concerned about the welfare of His followers especially the poor, malnourished and the less fortunate in the society. For instance, by curing the lepers and those possessed by demons, Jesus demonstrated that He could liberate individuals from their agonies. This was particularly seen when He cured those who had been sick and abandoned for several decades. Therefore, inmost of the writings, all these information is captured. This has been evidenced even in the literary works which discuss about Judaism, Christianity and Islam. A part from Jesus Christ, the other important figure amongst the Christians is Virgin Mary. Of course, Mother Mary is a revered figure amongst the Christians, Judaists and the Muslims. The stories of Mary have been extensively covered in several books[9]. This is because she is believed to be holding a very important position both in Christianity, Judaism and Islam. For the Judaists, Mary is the mother of Jesus. It is through her that the Jews got a messiah who had been promised to them since the time of Isaiah and Jeremiah. For a very long time, the Jewish society had been waiting for a messiah who was to come and save them from their oppressors. Thus, Mary plays a very integral role in Judaism. If it were not her, Jesus would not have been born. The same applies to the Muslims who also believe in Jesus. However, unlike Christians, they hold that Jesus was not God, but a prophet just like others like Mohamed, Isaiah and Obadiah. Therefore, Mary is also revered by them as she is accredited with the bearing of Jesus. On the other hand, Mary holds a central position in the church. To the Christians, it is Virgin Mary who gave birth to Jesus Christ, a messiah who had been promised to them by God. Therefore, by being the mother of Jesus, Mary is undoubtedly the mother of God. Thus, she is the mother of the church. For this reason, the information about Mother Mary has been disseminated by several writers. This is what has been evidenced in the stories such as The Tales of Count Lucanor and Miracles of Our Lady which are amongst the earliest books written to give accounts of some of the most memorable miracles performed by the Virgin Mary in the history of the Christian Church. In the Miracles of Our Lady, Gonzalo de Berceo gives a clear presentation about the miracles of Virgin Mary which she had performed to her followers. However, this is given from the perspective of Christianity. As it is recorded in the collections, Virgin Mary had used her powers as the mother of God to perform different types of miracles that she used to reward her faithful and obedient followers. At the same time, she performed some miracles in order to punish those who did not follow her ways, but opted to be subversive in their actions. Therefore, they had to be punished by Mary so as to act as examples and make them conduct themselves in line with Christian teachings. However, most of these teachings are highly held by the Christians. In Miracle Three: Cleric and the Flower, Virgin Mary performed a very extra-ordinary action which amazed everyone. It was an example of how she, as a Mother of the Church, could use her divine powers to perform miracles to demonstrate that it is a worthy thing for a person to live as per the word of God. In this miracle, there was a cleric who was a very righteous man of God. He always lived according to the teachings of the Bible. As a clergy, he was doing all the good things which are accepted by God. During that time, it was a tradition to accord Christians a decent burial. A person in his stature would be buried in a Christian cemetery which was specially designed to burry staunch followers like him. However, when he died, no one bothered to burry him as per the traditions. Instead, he was jealously buried in isolation. Based on his relationships with Mother Mary, she ordered that the man be buried in the designated Christian cemetery. Therefore, when he was to be exhumed, everyo ne was amazed to find out that the dead man was not rotten, but producing attractive and pleasant flowery smell. Hence, Mother Mary performed this miracle to reward the clergy for his dedicated services during his lifetime[10]. In miracle 16: The Little Jewish Boy, Mother Mary also performed a miracle which was classified as a reward for righteousness. In Bourges, there was a great division between the Jews and Christians. The members of the two religions were hostile to one another. In fact, this is similar to the situation that existed during the time of the early church in which the early church apostles were surprised by the Jews and Roman authorities. However, in this case, the little Jewish boy whose parents were strict Judaists got an opportunity to play with Christian and join them in a church service in which he saw, admired, liked and fell in love with the Mother Mary. Later, when he went back to his family and informed his father about it, he was infuriated. Therefore, he threw the boy into a raging fire. Surprisingly, the little boy was not harmed at all. When he came out, he attributed his escape to Mother Mary whom he had seen her image on the church wall. This miracle can also be used to just ify why Mother Mary is too popular amongst the Christians. Judaism, Christianity and Islam are related in many ways. A part from sharing similar history, they have a lot of common beliefs and doctrines. These include the belief in God and prominent historical figures such as Jesus and Mary[11]. Today, they still remain as the most popular classical religions in the society. However, Christianity still stands out very strongly. This is evidenced in the manner it dominates literary work in which all of these religions are included. This might be attributed to the fact that it has lots of significant people who constitute its long, turbulent and expansive history. For instance, in The Tales of Count Lucanor and Miracles of Our Lady, a lot of stories are presented about Virgin Mary who used her powers to perform lots of miracles to the Christian believers[12]. Even if Mary is accepted by all these religions, she holds a very important position in the Christian Church. In a publication like Miracles of Our Lady, it has to prominently feature about Christianity. It has to appeal most to the Christians because they are the ones who have placed Mother Mary in the highest status as compared to the Muslims and Judaists. To the Muslims, Jesus was not a central figure in the foundation of their religion. He was just a prophet like any other. Hence, it implies that Virgin Mary could be like an ordinary human being who gave birth to a prophet of Allah. Hence, she can not be more important than other mothers who gave birth to other prophets. Although slightly different, in Judaism, Virgin Mary was the mother of Jesus who came to liberate the Jews from their (political) oppression. He did not found their religion. However, this is much different from Christians who believe in Jesus as a messiah whose teachings should strictly complied with. Hence, Mother Mary becomes the mother of messiah who readily offered His life as a ransom to save humanity from their si ns. And because Jesus was God, Mother Mary obviously becomes the mother of God. Further more, since Jesus is embodied in the Church, Mother Mary too becomes the mother of the church[13]. This explains why she is still adored as the central focus of the church through whom the believers can receive blessings and salvation. She is more important to Christians than to any other religion. Bibliography Ackerman, Jane E., ‘The Theme of Mary’s Power in the Milagros de Nuestra Seà ±ora’, Journal of Hispanic Philology, 8 (1983-84), 17-31. Braudy, Leo, From Chivalry to Terrorism: War and the Changing Nature of Masculinity (New York: Vintage Books, 2005). Daas, Martha Mary, The Politics of Salvation: Gonzalo de Berceo’s Reinvention of the Marian Myth, Papers of the Medieval Hispanic Research Seminar 66 (London: Department of Iberian and Latin American Studies, Queen Mary, University of London, 2011). Duby, Georges, The Three Orders: Feudal Society Imagined (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1980). Flory, Jean, ‘Chivalry’, in Encyclopaedia of the Middle Ages (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001). Kelley, Mary Jane, ‘Spinning Virgin Yarns: Narrative, Miracles, and Salvation in Gonzalo de Berceo’s Milagros de Nuestra Seà ±ora’, Hispania (USA), 74 (1991), 814-23. Keen, Maurice, Chivalry, Yale Nota Bene (New Haven: Yale Unive rsity Press, 2005). Rubin, Miri, Mother of God: A History of the Virgin Mary (London: Allen Lane, 2009). Seidenspinner-Nà ºÃƒ ±ez, Dayle, ‘On ‘â€Å"Dios y el mundo†: Author and Reader Response in Juan Ruiz and Juan Manuel’, Romance Philology, 42 (1988-89),  251-66. Warner, Marina, Alone of All Her Sex: The Myth and Cult of the Virgin Mary (London: Weidenfeld Nicholson, 1976). [1] Kelley, Mary Jane, ‘Spinning Virgin Yarns: Narrative, Miracles, and Salvation in Gonzalo de Berceo’s Milagros de Nuestra Seà ±ora’, Hispania (USA), 74 (1991), 814-23. [2] Ackerman, Jane E., ‘The Theme of Mary’s Power in the Milagros de Nuestra Seà ±ora’, Journal of Hispanic Philology, 8 (1983-84), 17-31. [3] Braudy, Leo, From Chivalry to Terrorism: War and the Changing Nature of Masculinity (New York: Vintage Books, 2005). [4] Keen, Maurice, Chivalry, Yale Nota Bene (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2005). [5] Duby, Georges, The Three Orders: Feudal Society Imagined (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1980). [6] Warner, Marina, Alone of All Her Sex: The Myth and Cult of the Virgin Mary (London: Weidenfeld Nicholson, 1976). [7] Keen, Maurice, Chivalry, Yale Nota Bene (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2005). [8] Rubin, Miri, Mother of God: A History of the Virgin Mary (London: Allen Lane, 2009). [9] Seidenspinner-Nà ºÃƒ ±ez, Dayle, ‘On ‘â€Å"Dios y el mundo†: Author and Reader Response in Juan Ruiz and Juan Manuel’, Romance Philology, 42 (1988-89), 251-66. [10] Seidenspinner-Nà ºÃƒ ±ez, Dayle, ‘On ‘â€Å"Dios y el mundo†: Author and Reader Response in Juan Ruiz and Juan Manuel’, Romance Philology, 42 (1988-89), 251-66. [11] Seidenspinner-Nà ºÃƒ ±ez, Dayle, ‘On ‘â€Å"Dios y el mundo†: Author and Reader Response in Juan Ruiz and Juan Manuel’, Romance Philology, 42 (1988-89), 251-66. [12] Daas, Martha Mary, The Politics of Salvation: Gonzalo de Berceo’s Reinvention of the Marian Myth, Papers of the Medieval Hispanic Research Seminar 66 (London: Department of Iberian and Latin American Studies, Queen Mary, University of London, 2011). [13] Flory, Jean, and ‘Chivalry’, in Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001).

Binding of QNB and Atropine to Muscarinic Acetylcholine

Binding of QNB and Atropine to Muscarinic Acetylcholine Cholinergic relates to the responses in various systems to the neuro-transmitter molecule Acetycholine (ACh). They are the protein that are permanently attached to the biological membrane or the integral membrane protein (IMP). If the set of response is seen where Ach is a normal transmitter it is seen that they are grouped based on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) that respond to nicotine, and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChR) that bind muscarine. These Nicotine and muscarine are extrinsic molecules that get the same response but with different sensitivity. Drugs that bind to muscarinic receptors are classified based on Agonists (which activate the neuronal receptor and produce a response) Antagonists (which do not activate the receptor and block the agonist binding site) Antagonists are now used to study the drug-receptor binding as they bind with a higher affinity (i.e lower dissociation constant kd) when compared with agonists Pharmacology studies have shown that antagonists have higher affinity but no efficacy to their cognate receptors. They intervene their effect by going and binding to the active site or to allosteric sites on the receptor. They can also go and bind to unique binding sites that do not participate in biological regulation of any receptor activity. The activity that antagonist causes may be reversible or irreversible, depending on the long life of the antagonist-receptor complex. Studies have shown that 3-Quinuclinidyl benzilate (QNB) is a potent muscarinic antagonist in CNS (central nervous system) and peripheral tissues. QNB shows specific binding to the receptor of interest it binds. It can also bind to other sites of the membrane and these can cause changes. We can measure specific binding by filtering radioactive 3H-QNB and then measuring the amount of QNB. To measure non-specific binding, Atropine is used to displace QNB from the specific sites, while the non-specifically bound QNB remains and can be quantified by measuring radioactivity. (Source: Yamamura et al. May 1974) Overview of the experiment QNB is carried out in a radioactive binding assay where the concentration of QNB that is specific bound without atropine and QNB that is non-specifically bound with atropine is measured over successive interval of time. It is allowed to incubate so as for binding site to reach saturation is allowed where the equilibrium is reached. After this any further increase incubation time does not cause the amount of QNB bound to change. This QNB bound to the membrane is measured. By calculating the incubation time, IC50 of atropine is measured by measuring the atropine at which 50% of bound QNB is displaced. Amount of free QNB when 50% of bound QNB is displaced is used to measure the dissociation constant (Kd). Materials and Methods Determination of QNB specific and non-specific binding Two bulk assays was carried out To measure QNB binding (in the presence of water) To measure non specific binding (with the presence of atropine) There were two conical flask taken A and B. Tube A was added with 30 ml of 1.3 nM 3H-QNB and 6ml water. And to the flask B flask B, 30 ml 3H-QNB and 6ml atropine was added. S filter tower is then set with 6 GF/C filters and 4.0 ml of rat membrane was added to each flask and the flask were swirled to mix well. 2ml aliquots from A flask (A1, A2, A3) and (B1, B2, B3) from the B flask were produced and were run through fresh GF/C filters. Each of the filters was then washed to remove mini-vials, and then 5 ml scintillant was added and was left for at least an hour. After a hour the radioactivity was counted in the scintilliant counter. This protocol was repeated for a couple of more time to produce triplicates at the time interval of 10, 20, 30, 45 and 60 min. Determination of IC50 for atropine Five glass test tubes having 1200 ÃŽÂ ¼l of distilled water in each was taken. To the test tube 1, 300 ÃŽÂ ¼l of 10 10 ÃŽÂ ¼M atropine was added and was mixed well. 300 ÃŽÂ ¼l of the solution was added to tube 2 and mixed well. The same method is carried out for a series of dilutions to be done in tube 3 to 5. Atropine concentration in each tube is calculated. Seven triplicate tubes (A1, A2, A3à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦G1, G2, G3) are made each containing 1500 ÃŽÂ ¼l of 1.3nM QNB assay and the tubes are mixed well. 300 ÃŽÂ ¼l of 10 ÃŽÂ ¼M atropine was added to the three tubes of A and three B tubes were added with 300 ÃŽÂ ¼l of solution from tube 1. The dilution process was carried out for tubes C, D, E, F from tube 2, tube 3, tube 4 and tube 5 respectively. To tubes G, 300 ÃŽÂ ¼l of distilled water was added instead. 200 ÃŽÂ ¼l membrane was then added quickly to all the tubes. The 21 tubes were then left for incubation for 45 min and the radioactivity was then measured. Determination of concentration of protein using Lowry Assay Test tubes were prepared that contained 0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 ÃŽÂ ¼g BSA (Bovine serum albumin) made up to 1 ml with water. A 6th tube was taken that had 50 ÃŽÂ ¼l of membrane that was made up to 1ml with water. 1.5ml of reagent 1 that contains 0.5 ml copper tartrate + 50ml alkaline carbonate was added and mixed well and let to stand for 10 min at room temperature. Then 0.3 ml of reagent 2 that contains Commercial Folin-Ciocalteau reagent was added to the tubes and mixed well. The tubes were then left for incubation for 30 min. Absorbance or optical density was read at 660nm. Determination of kd for QNB Eight test tube was taken, four containing low QNB concentration (1.3nM QNB mix) and four tubes containing high QNB concentration (6.5nM QNB mix). Tubes 1 to 4 were added with 7.50 ml, 2.50 ml, 5 ml and 3.2 ml of 6.5 nM QNB mix respectively. Lower concentration of QNB is made by diluting the standard QNB assay mix with NaKP solution. These tubes are labelled 1-8. The solution of tube 1-8, of about 1500 ÃŽÂ ¼l each was added to the triplicate tubes (A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, H3) respectively. Solution of tube 1 is added to tubes A, Tube 2 to B tubes till tube 8 to tubes H. 300 ÃŽÂ ¼l water + 200 ÃŽÂ ¼l membrane was then added to all tubes. For tubes A4-H4, 300 ÃŽÂ ¼l Atropine plus (Tube 1-8) respectively plus 200 ÃŽÂ ¼l membranes was added. Radioactivity was measured in all tube. A lowry assay was also carried out. RESULT AND DISCUSSION Here in the graph the values are plotted for QNB bound with atropine (with as show in the graph), QNB bound without atropine (Without as shown in the graph) and Corrected vales are obtained by subtracting QNB bound with atropine from the QNB bound without atropine (corrected as shown in the graph ) against time. Here QNB bound without atropine is total amount of QNB bound to the receptor; QNB bound with atropine is the Non-specific binding of QNB to the receptor and corrected is the specific binding of QNB to the receptor. After a particular time of incubation receptors reach equilibrium, where no more binding of QNB takes place to the binding sites. At this point when no more binding of QNB takes place the plateau is formed in the graph showing saturation. This incubation time is approximately 45 min as shown by the graph reaching the plateau. The graph shows us that with and corrected points of the graph forms a plateau after reaching incubation time of approximately 45 min. If an addition incubation time was taken after 60 min we would have got a plateau for without graph also showing us a plateau. The graph shows that the cmp value increase over time after which when reaching a particular time no more binding occurs thus forming a plateau showing the saturation or equilibrium has reached. Small decline in the graph can be seen at time 30 to 45 min, this could have been due to experimental errors. The errors could have been caused during pipetting, in proper vacuum, formation of bubbles, adding samples properly between time intervals etc. This can be avoided by more careful handling of the instrument and doing a initial check up for errors so as to not cause changes in the experiments result. Taking the above data into consideration we have chosen 45 min as incubation time for determining IC50 of atropine. This is because, saturation of binding sites is achieved and no further unbinding of QNB also occurs, as the off-rate or reaction constant of QNB unbinding is very low. So there is no further change in the amount of bound QNB and hence this incubation time is considered appropriate. By serial dilution different concentration of atropine was prepared. The graph shows us that the amount to QNB bound to the receptor of the membrane reduces with increase in concentration. This happens because atropine is a competitive binder and binds competitively with specific sites to the receptor. The amount of QNB specifically bound will be inversely proportional with atropine concentration. Half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50)  is a measure of how effective a compound is in inhibiting biological or biochemical function. This is a quantitative measure that let us know how much concentration of the drug or biological substance (inhibitor) is required to inhibit a given biological process by half. So we are calculating the IC50 of atropine to determine its potency. It is calculated by taking atropine concentration at which 50% QNB is displaced. The IC 50 value was found to be 0.0008912 ÃŽÂ ¼M. This shows that atropine is a drug with good potency. Ic 50 does not directly discuss the binding constant so we cannot compare the binding affinity of QNB and receptor. Lowarys assay Lowrys assay was carried out for determining the concentration of membrane protein. First different concentration of BSA was used and we generated a graph for it, taking concentration and OD. The membrane protein was then checked for absorbance and was found to be 0.322. Using the linear regression equation and the absorbance, concentration of the membrane protein was found to be 0.803 mg/ml. This test was done for another membrane protein sample. The absorbance of the membrane was 0.27. Again using the regression equation and the absorbance, concentration of the membrane protein was found to be 0.293529412 mg/ml. Determination of Kd: Kd is -1/m and was the equation was used is y = -8499.6x 1.3669. the kd is used to define the affinity between the drug and the protein . the value of Bmax was 0.001161 nm.

Mistakes That Should Not Last A Lifetime :: essays research papers

Teenage pregnancy seems to be a growing problem in today’s society. The stereotypes that come along with being a pregnant teen have also grown. Most teenage mothers today are labeled as irresponsible, and at time are considered bed parents without being given a chance. It is true that careless decisions had to be made in order for the mother to have ever become pregnant, but it is completely unfair for all teenage mothers to have to carry these normal stereotypes. I believe that all teenage mothers should be given a chance to prove that they too can be responsible parents.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I have met society’s stereotypical teenage parent. Heather Goode was a very close friend of mine in high school. At the beginning of our senior year, I found out that Heather was pregnant. She continues coming to school up until two weeks before Blake was born. After Blake was born, I never heard Heather talk of him, and I definitely never saw her taking care of him. He was always with her parents. Blake is about six months old now, and Heather still hardly spends any time with him. I see Blake every now and then, but he is always being taken care of by Heather’s parents. She has certainly fit right in to society’s typical teenage mother role, but two of my other friends have not.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I would like to introduce you to Aubrey Shelton. Aubrey is nineteen years old, and she has an eight-month-old daughter named Bailee. I often spend time with the two of them, and it amazes me how mature Aubrey has become since Bailee was born. Before Bailee Aubrey was a cheerleader in high school, and has big plans of moving away to go to college. When she found out she was pregnant. She decided to complete her first semester of college before Bailee was born, and then to take the next two semesters off in order to spend time with her daughter. Aubrey has not put the responsibility of taking care of her child on her parents. Instead, she spends most of her time loving and caring for her daughter. It is a very rare occasion that I see Aubrey that she does not have Bailee right there with her. Even though she admits she never wanted a child at her age; she does everything she can to be just as good of a mother as someone who has planned their children.

Love Your Enemies :: English Literature Essays

Love Your Enemies Jesus said, â€Å"You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth.’ But now I tell you: do not take revenge on someone who wrongs you. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, let them slap your left cheek too†¦ love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.† Is it possible to follow this teaching of Jesus today? The answer is yes, conveying this teaching is possible. There are still some people who do live in this way. One person who lived this way was Mohandas Gandhi. Gandhi was a man of peace from India. By no means did Gandhi resort to violence. Gandhi showed that the powerless had power. He never fought back instead he would sit and pray. Gandhi always wanted equality and peace among everyone. If someone were harm in any way, he would have never turned and hurt them. Instead he would have prayed or just ambled away. Although with his courageous words and actions he was a very powerful person he still could not control the decisions and actions of others. Gandhi once said,†I have no strength, save what God gives me. I have no authority over my country men, save the purely moral." Like many of our brave and peaceful leaders Gandhi was also assassinated. He died on January 30, 1948. Everyone should be more like Gandhi. Everyone should be kind and peaceful and then the world may be an easier place to live in. It’s not an easy way to live because you often act or even speak before you act. Several people often do things without thinking. It’s human nature. For example if person ‘A’ were to clout person ‘B’, person ‘B’ would automatically strike back. This is unquestionably not what Jesus would do. There is only very few people who would actually just turn the other cheek or walk away. Instead everyone else would probably do the same or even worse than what the other person did. Another way we can follow this philosophy is by, as Jesus said, â€Å"Do unto others as you would have done unto you.† Think about this, no one would want someone to harm them, emotionally or physically, and the other person probably feels the same way. Verbal abuse, talking about others, judging others also part of this. This damages others, and it’s hard not to do this because everybody does it but just because everybody does doesn’t make it right.

Character Analysis of Connie Essay

Then one day her family leaves her alone and she notices the boy in the car comes to her house and she finds out that he seems to know everything about her. He demands that Connie come to him and in then th story ends as Connie walks out the house toward the mysterious boy. Connie is sexually active, scared, and deceitful. Connie is sexually active. Oates states how Connie knows she is beautiful and she gets a great deal of attention from boys. Connie knows she is gorgeous, so when she goes out, she shows off her body more. When Connie meets the older boy in the resturant, she spends hours with him, and they went in an abandoned alley. Connie often states that she believes sex is a beautiful and fun feeling. Going with this stranger Connie has just met for hours implies she is sexually active in some way. What Oates is trying to say about young girls in general is that by showing off their bodies and meeting with older boys, sex will be pressured onto them. More young females will want to become more sexually active by assuming sex is all good and fun. Connie is scared. Connie does not seem to be afraid of anything. However, once this stranger appears at her house, she becomes a bit more frightened. Connie was always used to doing what she wanted with whomever she wanted. Along came Arnold, who commanded her to come to him and do things with him. Suddenly, Connie does not have the choice anymore. He threatens to harm her family so she is scared and cannot bring herself to even call for help. What Oates is trying to say about being scared is that one will not be scared until the option of deciding for one’s self gets taken away. Connie is deceitful. Connie’s mother often degrades Connie for being vain. Her mother does this because she is worried about Connie and knows Connie gets a great deal of attention from males. Connie’s mother knows what can happen to her if she does not start being careful. Connie still goes out grabbing the attention of boys even though her mother says otherwise. What Oates is trying to say is that children should always listen to their parents, or they may end up in danger. Oates tries to get the reader to understand that parents have been through it all, and children should learn to listen more. In the short story â€Å"Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? † Oates shows that Connie is sexually active. She is sexually active because she shows off her body and is curious about sex. Connie is scared because she had no choice in what she wanted to do. Connie is deceitful because she did not care or listen to her mother.

Travel Broadens the Mind

Travel broadens the mind Traveling broadens our minds in different ways. I had visited a different country for the first time when I was 8. My father lives in Norway with his American wife. I had already tasted the other side of life. I am only 15 and I know life is in front of me, but from my experience I know that traveling does change your point of view. How do you know? You might find yourself by traveling. Traveling does broaden our mind. We meet new people with new ideas .We find different architecture and religions. Other differences are the languages . The unknown languages are being a wall between us and the world. A wall that we break little by little every day being here in English class. Like we already said that travel broadens our mind. When we see how the other people survive we start thinking about our lives . We associate everything with our way of living . We started judging them for some things and being jealous for others.Every time when I travel I find something new, something different. But one thing will always be the same: when you travel you realize what are the most important things in your life. You start appreciating the little things in the big world. You discover that being rich is not to have money, cars or houses but to have friends and family to appreciate you. Whenever I get back from Norway, I am thinking differently. I see the bad and the good side of my country.I begin associating everything around me with the way they live in Norway. Travel broadens the mind, it shows us what are we missing and the important things in life. It does not really matter were you live or what launguage you are speaking, we are all people. We all have brains and bodys. We all have good and bad moments in our lives. Until you see something and get to know it better you can not judge it. Traveling broadens my mind. What about you? †¦

The Nature and Status of Folk Psychology

The nature and status of Folk Psychology (UP) In philosophy circles is controversial. In this essay I shall begin by briefly defining what folk psychology Is. Followed by an outline on eliminative where some of the controversy lies. My main focus will be on Paul Churchyard's views and his arguments against UP, as this will enable me to facilitate an assessment of his criticisms.Subsequent to that I will search for my own view in the defense of UP in the light of its proponents such as Horror and Woodward or Denned. By doing this I will then be able to gauge the plausibility of Churchyard's criticisms of UP. Folk psychology (UP) is the name given by lamentableness to the common sense understanding of the mind (Mind and Bodies pep). A common sense view which accepts that we all have desires and emotions such as fear, lust, beliefs, desire, pain, pleasure ,love, hate, joy attraction and so forth.These deferent states of being are utilized in what are called propositional attitudes which show intent. An example of a propositional attitude is Brenda ‘believes' she can win the lottery, Hereford ‘believes' is the Intentionality in this propositional attitude. The view of UP encapsulated by Paul Churchyard Is that It â€Å"embodies our baseline understanding of the cognitive, affective, and purposive nature of person. Considered as a whole, it constitutes our conception of what a person is†. (Churchyard in Guatemalan, 1994, p. 08) Before we go on to examine Churchyards criticism of UP, I think it would be useful to give a brief overview of the eliminations viewpoint regarding UP. Eliminative materialism (also called eliminative) Is a materialist position in the hilltop's of mind. Its primary claim is that people's common-sense understanding of the mind (or folk psychology) Is false and that certain classes of mental states that most people believe in do not exist (Wilkinson, Mind and Bodies pep) Paul M. Churchyard (b. 942) a Canadian-born philosopher is a leading proponent of eliminative; he is a long time critic of UP and the foremost advocate of neuroscience. Churchyards criticism dovetails with the eliminations claim that UP is a false theory â€Å"Eliminative materialism is the thesis that our common-sense inception of psychological phenomena constitutes† (eliminative Materialism and the Propositional Attitudes' Paul M Churchyard Reading 6, Wilkinson, Mind and Bodies p 194). He claims that UP is not only a radically false theory but also an empirical theory by pointing out Its similarities with other theories.He does this by stating how our â€Å"familiar mentalist vocabulary' is to be understood like other semantic terms. In that the terms used need or in fact do operate by a network of formulate laws like any other theory. An example of how Churchyard employs UP as theory Is found In his hypothesis argument on understanding the minds of others. He says that we can use UP as a hypothetical framework which Works in the main and is reasonable' to employ (Wilkinson, Mind and Bodies pep).Although Churchyard accepts our everyday use of UP as a reasonable thing to do he still argues forcefully his claim, that UP is a false theory and does this with a three pronged attack: – (a) its ontology is an illusion, (b) It is a stagnant theory and incapable of advance (c) It Is not reducible to neuroscience. (a) Churchyard begins his attack on UP by declaring that It ouch as mental illness; imagination; intelligence differences; sleep issues; motor co- ordination; perceptual illusions and memory, that he claims UP has nothing to say.He includes learning in this critique and with a further assault on UP propositional attitudes, questions where they are stored and how they are learnt to be employed, both vital to UP views on the conception of the mental. However Churchyard does not go as far as to say UP is not true but rather illusionary and that â€Å"UP is at best a highly superficial theory' (Ibid IPPP up 16) (b) Churchyard argues on historical grounds that The UP story is one of retreat infertility and decadence† (Ibid IPPP IPPP).He gives the example of how early man used UP to relate to their environment in a naive fashion believing that the wind was capable of anger, the moon Jealousy as examples of early intentional attitudes. Therefore backing up his argument that UP along with these historical intentional attitudes has become stagnant and sterile and had to give ground in the face of better theories from the area of empirical science (Wilkinson Mind and Bodies pep). To add further weight to this criticism Churchyard uses MireLegatos' terms that â€Å"UP is a stagnant or degenerating research program, and has been for millennia† (Churchyard, Reading 6, Wilkinson, Mind and Bodies, IPPP, up 18). (c) Theoretical reductionism, the process by which one theory is absorbed into another is what Churchyard uses as the main thrust of his argument that UP is probably f alse as it is not reducible to neuroscience. How UP promises theoretical integration by Churchyard's opinion is very poor he bashes FPS lack of progress and coherence in relation to natural history and physical sciences.Where he believes there growth in rinsing understanding of man is out performing UP in many respects, pointing to neuroscience breakthroughs in human sensory input and neural activity. Furthermore according to Churchyard, UP is akin to a misfit standing alone looking incapable of synthesis as FPS â€Å"stagnation and explanatory impotence promise little faith† (Ibid IPPP IPPP). Moreover UP will not likely be reflected by neuroscience as it will seem to be antiquated and here he draws a parallel between UP and ‘Aristotelian cosmology.His final and most damming attack to back up his arguments on FPS laziness is that it â€Å"suffers explanatory failures on an epic scale† (Ibid, IPPP, IPPP). I will now go over the main points of Churchyards arguments and challenge their validity and soundness in the light of his main critics and defenders of UP. Churchyards first criticism that there are areas of the mind such as motor co- ordination, sleep and memory which he says are not dealt sufficiently by UP. And implying that its ontology may be false is objected to by a riposte from two American philosophers Horror and Woodward in defense of UP.Firstly on the grounds that to impose demands on any psychological theory accounting for considerable know how when theoretical knowledge is relatively primitive (A fair point given that psychology as a medical discipline has only been practiced about the last one hundred years). Secondly, as Churchyard argues if UP is to be a successful theory the fact it must offer explanations for all the phenomena it lists in Horror and Woodward opinion this argument needs to be treated with skepticism and caution (Horror and Woodward, 1985, up. 00). Finally as Churchyard's narrowing of FPS definition does no t cover retain areas of the mind it is also dismissed, with good argument I think, because cognitive psychology has developed detailed theories on intentional psychologies (UP) Churchyards empirical argument fails to provide a convincing critique on the grounds that the theories outlined are explainable in terms of UP. Churchyards second assault on UP that it is a stagnant theory employing the same mentalist framework as the ancient Greeks.Horror and Woodward have a counter argument they rebut his view by citing the progression in 18th and 20th century literature such as Jane Austin and John Birth. Furthermore bringing their point to bear with great assurance when they point to the modern day skill in appealing to our â€Å"unconscious beliefs and motivations†, in my view borne out when viewing our modern day advertising. Therefore a rebuttal to Churchyards assertion that UP is a stagnant theory, incapable of advance is found to be false (Wilkinson, Mind and Bodies pep).In re ply to Churchyards controversial damning conclusion on FPS falseness due to its inability to reduction and that it â€Å"suffers explanatory failures on an epic scale† (Reading 6 IPPP,IPPP), American philosopher Daniel Detente (1942) points out hat eliminations fails to recognize UP as a ‘normative' theory (not Just a descriptive one). In that it also encapsulates an ‘ideal' or recommendation on how to proceed as a rational being with a value structure which incorporates social practices, such as greeting, reassuring, that is relevant to everyday existence.A pertinent point made by Denned in that it is not Just crucial not only to our own reason as human beings but that it enables us to act and think rationally and facilitates good social relations. This as can be deduced makes a mockery of Churchyards FPS falseness claims. These thoughts are mirrored by Horror and Woodward that UP although probably not reducible to neuroscience â€Å"Churchyard is Just mistaken to assume that UP must be reducible to neuroscience in order to be compatible with it† (Horror and Woodward, 1985, PEP).The assessment and examination of eliminations views on Folk Psychology with particular regard to Churchyards criticisms and UP defenders crystallites for me the essence of the UP debate, theory or practice? , reality or illusion? , past or future? UP for me is a skill nurtured by the past and in my opinion elegantly defended by Horror and Woodward arguments not only for its continual relevance but its reliance upon contemporary culture implying a growth in its lexicon.Finally Dent's utter dismissal of the eliminations views that UP left a great deal unexplained. And it is by Dent's assertion that we need UP to give us a language of reason for both our personal and social behaviors, a real boon to Folk psychology. After defining and outlining both UP and eliminative, we can see some plausible solutions to the controversy with regards to the claims that UP is a false theory, Rutherford that it is illusory, stagnant and non reducible. In my opinion Churchyard's assertion that UP is a false theory is invalid.As having seen the arguments for criticizing UP I have come to the view that Churchyard's criticisms of UP can easily be argued against, not because of his limitations of his understanding but because of his not taking into account ‘normative' values pointed out by Denned. But also invalid on the grounds that at least two to three thousand years in the life of mankind would be in my view absurdly dismissed. And finally if we were all given a behaving like robots making poetry and art nonsense!

Mat Rempit

Illegal street racers, or in the well known names, Mat Rempit, is a serious issue that knock our country right now. Known for their kamikaze skills on the road, causing chaos in society, their unmannered attitude and the current is murdering people. Statistics shows that this group causes too many crime and problems. With their enormous amount, they felt like the road is belongs to them and nobody have any rights to punish them. This is why almost everyday we heard and see their actions and news on the media. Their popularity is equal to Mawi and Datuk Siti Nurhaliza until then, the film maker had decided to make film about them.So, as a Malaysian, what is our role in solving this issue? Do we need to blame themselves for all this or it is us who let this things happen? Let us see why this Mat Rempit issues happens and how we should solve it together. As we can see, almost all of Mat Rempit is in the youth group. We should realize that in this stage, their thinking, attitude and acti on were influenced by their peers. They used to follow their friends rather than their own parents and teachers advice. This peer influence is very strong and sometimes dangerous if they follow the wrong path for example the illegal racing. Related article: Causes of Snatch TheftThis is why the amount of Mat Rempit is increasing from time to time. Furthermore, the desire to try something new and challenging is one of the factors that lured them into the illegal racing. They felt that it is very admirable and outstanding if they can win the race or do suicide skills such as riding in the high speed or get away from the police road blocks. They love to break the laws since they think that it is just an amusement for them. So, how we want to solve this problem? How we want to settle down this issue that has been caused many problems to us?The government, politicians and police have done many things to settle this, but it seems like there are no stopping point for the Mat Rempit. We should give a compliment to Pemuda UMNO for their effort to convert this Mat Rempit to â€Å"Mat Cemerlang† by giving them an opportunity to change and UMNO membership. Although this step is like a politics campaign, we should bear in min d that maybe one day they will realize that there are people who concern about them and hoping they will change. Next, schools play an important role in order to solve this problem.I’m not saying parents since I know that some parents didn’t know their son’s attitude very much compared to the teachers and their friends. This is because in school, they used to be with their friends and we can determine their attitude very well by observing with whom they are making friends. Schools should collaborate with the police to identify which students involved in illegal racing and punish them by sending them to the counselor or in the serious case, dismiss them from school. This is very important in order to prevent this student to influence the other students to join him.Although this approach is too drastic and cruel, we should consider that the youth is tending to be influenced by their friends. Furthermore, in my opinion, the National Service Training Program or PLKN should include a module that thought the trainee to avoid and aware the illegal racing. They should be exposed to the danger of illegal race, the punishment that will wait them if involved and how to enjoy their life in the best ways. By implementing this approach, at least, the trainee can think wisely and preventing them to become one of the Mat Rempit candidates.As a conclusion, what I can say is, action speaks louder than words. It is useless if we just babbling around and blaming them for all this problems although some of them caused some serious case. We should cooperate with government, politicians and NGOs to track back how this thing happen and find a solution to solve it. The Mat Rempit should be thankful for the government and society for not treating them like the snatch thief and the homosexual group although they have cause many problems. The government and society still can accept them as long as they want to change.We can see many campaign and approach for them rig ht now. After all, this group is our country’s apprentice that will lead us in the future. If they are still like now and we are just blaming them, the one who are needed to blame is just our self. One of Mat Rempit's favourite ‘Aerodynamic Pose' a. k. a. ‘Superman' seen on the streets of Malaysia. A Mat Rempit is a Malaysian term for ‘an individual who participates in illegal street racing', usually involving underbone motorcycles (colloquially known as Kapcai) orscooters.Not all Mat Rempits are involved in street racing; some of them perform crazy stunts for fun, such as the wheelie, superman (lying flat on the seat), wikang, and scorpion (standing on the seat with one leg during a wheelie). Mat Rempits usually travel in groups and race in bustling city centres on weekend nights. In recent times, Mat Rempits have been linked to gangsterism, gang robbery[1][2], street fighting, assault[3], vandalism, theft and bullying. Most motorcycles used by the Mat Remp its do not meet standard specifications, or have been modified extensively for greater speed, or just to make the exhaust noisier.Additionally, some Mat Rempits do not have valid motorcycle licenses, do not pay road taxes, and ride stolen motorcycles[4][5]. A growing number of housing estates have also been turned into racing tracks[6]. It is estimated that there are about 200,000 Mat Rempits in Malaysia[7]. In some other countries, the term Mat Rempit is also u Etymology The word ‘Rempit' came from the combination of ramp it (ramp the throttle). The definition of ‘Rempit' in Kamus Dewan[2] is menyebat dengan rotan in malay or whipping with cane.An alternative source of the word, ‘Rempit', is derived from the noise made by a 2-stroke motorcycle. ‘Mat' is a malay slang term to call or to refer to a person who usually is of Malay descent but usually used derogatorily. sed, but more to refer to one as a motorcycle lover or rider (Mat Motor), as opposed to an ill egal motorcycle racer. Sometime the terms of Mat Rempit misused to refer any individual who rides an underbone motorcycle. Related to this is the Mat Konvoi, which claim to be the non-racing version of Mat Rempit.

Education and teaching philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Education and teaching philosophy - Essay Example The lines in particular are: At a reunion thirty years after high school graduation, an old teacher of Literature was moved to tears when asked by his classmate what he remembered about her teaching, he quoted a few lines from Omar Khayyam. He even explained how the latter’s words helped him survive while he was pursuing further studies in a university far from home. All this after a decade and a half, as though the class went through the lesson only yesterday. The boy who had turned into a man claimed that Omar Khayyan’s philosophy enabled him to survive while pursuing further studies in a university far from home. Reading, which is an integral part of language allows the reader to take in the human experience. Reading is a way to explore worlds and travel through time. A good teacher can introduce to her classes, great men of the past. These great personalities, perhaps no longer in our midst can still serve as role models for the young and inspire them to great deeds in the future. Students shouldn’t read books because they are forced to. Rather they should find deep personal meaning in a book and find themselves reflecting on it even after they’ve put it down. There should be books that change every student’s life. Here are some steps the students should take to gain background knowledge and become motivated to read. Then they actually read the text in which the readers develop a basic understanding. Then they re-read the text to extend their understanding, interpret, analyze and critique the selection (This second reading could be done orally during the lesson itself. The teacher allows the students to read orally certain paragraphs to justify their opinions with evidence from sources on the text itself.). Preview activities include brainstorming and anticipation guides. Teachers also show the students how to