Monday, September 30, 2019
Identify three (3) risks of the bid strategy Essay
After identifying the customer key evaluation requirements I have identified three risks that may affect our bidding strategy. First, I want to identify why itââ¬â¢s important to know your risks when creating a bid strategy to help you understand why I choose these top three risks. Risk management is the process of identifying risk issues and the options for controlling them, commissioning a risk assessment, reviewing the results and selecting amongst the assessed options to best meet the goals. The purpose of risk analysis is to help managers better understand the risks (and opportunities) they face and to evaluate the options available for their control. (Vose software, 2007) The top risk of the bid strategy for this company would be price. Price was selected as the top risk because although the company would like to win the bid, the price has to be within a range where they could also make money. The second risk selected is Logistics. This risk was selected since the product has to travel overseas. Depending on the time frame and the cost to have the product shipped the product may not make it to the destination in time. It is very important to have the product delivered in a timely manner to satisfy the end user requirements. Thirdly, the last risk selected is Customer Commitment. Our company must follow all the requirements in order to make the end user happy. Since the product is going overseas it will be hard to follow up on maintenance. Without having our own personnel at the end user location or close to the location it will also be a challenge if there are any issues with the product. Based on the three risks of the bid strategies that were selected there are also three opportunities to mitigate each risk. First we have the price, now when negotiating on the rate we will really need to do our research. Itââ¬â¢s important to have knowledge of previous pricing and to also include overhead, packaging and transportation. Although, we have to take all these things into consideration we also have to remember we are not the only company bidding on this offer so we must rate acceptable amount. Next, we have logistics. Our company would have to negotiate with a freight forwarder for a reasonable rate to have the freight transported to the final destination. In order to negotiate a reasonable rate we would mention that if the rate offered is good this would be an opportunity for extreme growth. While we are negotiating we would have to make sure the transit times would be guaranteed in order to have freight delivered to the destination on time. Finally, we have customer commitment. This may be the most important opportunity of them all. If our company is able to provide a reliable solution to the end user needs we will gain past performance while making our customer happy. We will provide this service by checking with the customer on a monthly basis and sending an employee over to the end user location every two to three months to check that our products are working correctly. The flip side of risk is opportunity. Every bid carriers with it some opportunities beyond those represented by winning the contract. Potential opportunities include future additions or changes to contract value via market share, maintaining dominance in a particular area, protecting an area or contract from assault by competitors, or using the contract as a gateway to future procurements. Osborne, 2011) In conclusion, by looking into these risks and opportunities we will be able to determine whether we want to bid or no bid. If we cannot provide the end user with the requirements they need in a timely manner at a great cost it will not be beneficial for us to move forward with the bid procedures. As a company we must protect our brand and our products. So, we need to look closely at this conclusion to make our final bid or no bid decision.
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Happiness Found in Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde Essay
Most heroism deals with promotion of virtue and reproach of vice. Sloughing off from such a hackneyed, yet widely used frame of thought, the novel ââ¬ËThe Happy Princeââ¬â¢ (1888) by Oscar Wilde connects heroism with compassion. With a subconscious reminiscent between ââ¬Ëcourageââ¬â¢ and ââ¬Ëheroââ¬â¢, compassion is generally not a primary association with a strong image of a hero. Oscar Wilde however, through utilization of ââ¬Ëthe happy princeââ¬â¢ as a mechanism, conveys the idea of compassion and sacrifice which consists of happiness and beauty under a plot of heroism. The compassion felt by the Happy Prince can be distinguished in two levels of analysis: on himself and on the poor. The Happy Prince, once a real prince who lived within absolute extravagance, had a life far from poverty, hunger or servility. Upon encountering the inferior reality of civilian faces after becoming a statue, the Happy Prince expresses his compassion on himself by saying: ââ¬Å"My courtiers called me the Happy Prince, and happy indeed I was, if pleasure be happiness. (5)This distinction indicates the realization of the Happy Prince on the difference between aesthetic happiness and materialistic pleasure. It also foreshadows the displacement of the Happy Princeââ¬â¢s compassion from his own past self to the poor, which causes heroic action by the Happy Prince. The jewels sent by the Happy Prince to the poor in the novel are not just simple sapphires or gold. Rather, they are ââ¬Ëtrueââ¬â¢ jewels resulted from self compassion. Such open-mindedness of the Happy Prince allows him to be penitent for his past misdeeds and sacrifice himself to supplement such faults, which resulted in promotion of the common good. History tells us that those who are titled as ââ¬Ëleadersââ¬â¢ sacrifice themselves for others. Regardless of how much sacrifice they burden, all leaders have a certain extent of private loss to yield common welfare. Similarly, the story ââ¬ËThe Happy Princeââ¬â¢ also depicts heroism based on sacrifice. In the novel, the Happy Prince, having beauty as a single reason for its production, sacrifices himself to the non haves on the streets by distributing his jewels through the help of a sparrow. Since the purpose for its existence diminishes, the mayor of the city eventually destroys the statue of the Happy Prince. The point Oscar Wilde makes at this part is that action for others with sincerity and truthfulness overwhelms the loss one gets through such action. As Erich Fromm, a German philosopher wrote in his book, ââ¬ËTo Have or To Beââ¬â¢, property without purpose loses the value of it and absence with a purpose is more valued than its presence. Having firm belief on his action, the Happy Prince was able to practice his heroism. Mother Theresa said she lived a happy life. Her ââ¬Ëhappy lifeââ¬â¢, Mother Theresa said, seems to overlap with the life the Happy Prince lived as a statue. They both gave everything they had for others and earned happiness as exchange. Compassion and sacrifice may be a true key to opening a treasure box full of happiness and beauty.
Saturday, September 28, 2019
Breathe Tim Winton Essay
Let me begin with a caveat. My argument is based on the evidence of fiction, on a discussion Tim Wintonââ¬â¢s most recent novel, Breath. Social scientists may suspect this kind of evidence and see ââ¬Ëfactââ¬â¢ as more trustworthy than ââ¬Ëfictionââ¬â¢. But even though it is true that the evidence I will be presenting is not based on people and situations in ââ¬Ëreal lifeââ¬â¢ ââ¬â whatever that may be ââ¬â I would suggest that fiction may take us to the sources of social awareness and action, to the extent that, as Levinas1 suggests that awareness and action may originate in ââ¬Ëgropings to which one does not even know how to give a verbal formâ⬠¦initial shocks [which] become questions and problemsââ¬â¢ and thus takes us into the dimension of ââ¬Ëthe archaic, the oneiric, the nocturnalââ¬â¢2 which (as Levinas goes on to argue) has ââ¬Ëontological referenceââ¬â¢ because in it we are able to live ââ¬Ëthe true life which is absentâ â¬â¢, a life, moreover, which is not necessarily ââ¬Ëutopianââ¬â¢ though it refuses ââ¬Ëthe normative idealism of what ââ¬Å"must beââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬ . I want to argue that Tim Wintonââ¬â¢s recent novel, Breath,3 provides this kind of understanding and that it is one which may be particularly useful in our reflections on the relationship between family, society and the sacred ââ¬â at least if we take Levinasââ¬â¢ further point that ââ¬Ëthe social does not reduce to the sum of individual psychologiesââ¬â¢ but represents ââ¬Ëthe very order of the spiritual, a new plot in being above the human and the animalââ¬â¢.4 First of all, then, let us look at the society in which the novel is situated, a small mill town not far from the ocean in south Western Australia. For the two adolescents, ââ¬ËPikeletââ¬â¢ and ââ¬ËLoonieââ¬â¢, the central characters, it is a place of sheer boredom, what Levinas calls ââ¬Ëthe there isââ¬â¢, an impersonal emptiness which is ââ¬Ëneither nothingness nor beingââ¬â¢5 but may well be the state which Lyotard calls ââ¬Ëpost-modernââ¬â¢, a state of ââ¬Ëincredulit y towards meta-narrativesââ¬â¢6 in which there is nothing beyond the self which longs for immediate and intense experience. For Pikelet and Loonie, however, this longing leads to an encounter with the sacred, some mysterium tremendum et facinans at the heart of existence, as Rudolph Otto famously defined it. For the two boys this encounter begins not at the centre but at the edges of social experience, in ââ¬Ëa rebellion against the monotony of taking breathââ¬â¢(p. 41), a gamble with death in which, diving into the local swimming hole, they stay underwater holding as long as possible and then surfacing to delight in the alarm they have provoked, the watching them, the tourists from the city especially. As time goes on, the boysââ¬â¢ contempt not only for ordinary folk but also for the town they live in as they come realise ââ¬Ëhow small and static and insignificant [it] really wasââ¬â¢(p. 36), a prison from which escape is impossible, a form of fate, inhabited by the kind of people A D Hope described in his poem, ââ¬ËAustraliaââ¬â¢, Whose boast is not: ââ¬Ëwe liveââ¬â¢ but ââ¬Ëwe survive, A type who will inhabit the dying earth.7 Loonieââ¬â¢s family has fallen apart: his mother has walked out on his father, the local publican, who consoled himself with other women. So he is more or less free to do as he likes. But for Pikelet finds it is more difficult to break out. His parents, affectionate but ineffectual, English migrants and thus outsiders, are different from the rough and ready locals, fearful not only of the surrounding bush but also of the nearby ocean ââ¬â having seen a fisherman swept off the rocks by a huge wave and smashed against the cliffs, his father
Friday, September 27, 2019
We are what we choose Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
We are what we choose - Essay Example Logos from originates from logical, ethos represent reliability while pathos represent passion. Logos represents the logical argument. In Jeffââ¬â¢s speech, we can find the syllogism. Jeff is and will still be among the few who have presented a coordinated and logical speech. It is not worth listening to a speaker who jumps from one point to another without any apparent rhyme or reason. It is a deliberate move that most of the examples of lectures are fairly short and precise so that the speaker can actually focus on the main idea and not diverting his focus. Jeffââ¬â¢s speech is logical in the sense that he use two examples to support his point. Interestingly, syllogism is easy to evaluate in the statement, ââ¬Å"No flying things are penguins; all the penguins are birds; so some birds are not fliers.â⬠At the beginning of his presentation, he argues that ââ¬Å"cleverness is a gift, kindness is a choice.â⬠Gifts are easily attainable as they are given on various occasions. Choices can be hard to attain. You can seduce yourself with your gifts if youre not careful and if you do, itll probably be to the detriment of your choices. He first talks about an instance of a story when he was a kid he proud of his minorà arithmetic and he figure out if his grandma, ââ¬Å"at two minutes per puff, youââ¬â¢ve taken nine years off your life.â⬠and his grandma crying. In this example he uses the syllogism, kindness is a choice, choice can be hard, and so kindness is hard. Indeed he refer to his grandpa saying, ââ¬Å"Jeff, one day youââ¬â¢ll understand that itââ¬â¢s harder to be kind than clever.â⬠This ex ample proves his opinion that cleverness is a gift, kindness is a choice and sometimes cleverness might ad for us choice. ââ¬Å"This is a group with many gifts. Iââ¬â¢m sure one of your gift isà theà giftà ofà aà smartà andà capableà brain.à Imà confidentà that
Thursday, September 26, 2019
JUDAISM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
JUDAISM - Essay Example When I was there during the services, it lasted somewhere between three to four hours. During their normal services, I saw that people wear the usual daily attire, but during Shabbat, people wear suits and ties. The women wear long dresses or long skirts and sleeves. I was told that the person who leads the service is called a ââ¬Å"Rabbi.â⬠He is the one who does the sermon on the ââ¬Å"Parashaâ⬠(Torah reading) and also on some important events that happened during the week. It is noticeable that men and women are separated during services. I noticed this practice on both Orthodox and Modern Orthodox Judaism services. One of the very obvious things that I observed was that women do not glance at male worshippers during I did further research and observation, occasionally asking questions to worshippers. I was told that the vestments the Rabbis wear have ancient origins. I was cited a verse from the Torah by one of the worshippers to help me understand the historical association of the Rabbiââ¬â¢s garments. God had told Moses in Exodus 28:2-4 ââ¬Å"You shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. These are the garments which they shall make: a breast piece, an ephod, a robe, a coat of checker work, a turban, and a girdle. They shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons to serve Me as priests. They shall receive gold, blue and purple and scarlet stuff, and fine twined linen.â⬠It can also be found in Exodus 39:1 ââ¬Å"Of the blue and purple and scarlet stuff they made finely wrought garments, for ministering in the holy place; they made the holy garments for Aaron, as the Lord had commanded Moses.â⬠Therefore, the concept of the vestment s goes all the way back to Aaron. I noticed that in synagogues, there is a tabernacle that holds the Torah scrolls. It is very similar to the Christian tabernacle, with the candle at the side. Further research told me that this practice goes all the way
Individual Assignment 10 Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Individual Assignment 10 - Article Example In addition, the malware will insert unwanted advertisements in the non-affiliated websites like spawn pop-ups that require the internet user to click the advertisement message (Solomon and Tuten 18). Another unethical practice in generating and nurturing sales leads is semantic marketing and behavioral targeting. Semantic advertising on the social media involves semantic analytics that can interpret the meaning and the main topic in a subject thus populating such visited websites with targeted advertisements even though not requested by the users. Behavioral targeting involves monitoring the behavior of the internet users especially the websites visited and hours spend on different websites. These practices are unethical since they interfere with the autonomy of the user and lead to other unethical practices such as spamming and violation of privacy and confidentiality of the internet users (Solomon and Tuten 24). Behavioral tracking is a practice whereby the advertisers monitor the electronic shopping patterns of the internet users together with the sites visited. In 2011, the Federal Trade Commission announced plans to require the advertisers to permit ââ¬Ëdo not trackââ¬â¢ or ââ¬Ëturn off the tracking switchââ¬â¢ and even disclose their monitoring activities (Solomon and Tuten 33). From the ethical perspective, advertisers should disclose their intentions or permit the internet users to turn off tracking. According to the rights perspective of ethics, internet and social media users have the right to privacy thus advertisers must disclose their intentions or permit the switch off tracking option. It is the right of internet users to control their activities on the internet, their images and information that is shared over the internet. According to the egalitarianism or fairness approach to ethics, disclosing the tracking intentions or permitting the switch off button is fair to users of the
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Bruce Smith is a totally incompetent manager Essay
Bruce Smith is a totally incompetent manager - Essay Example The essay hereby proffers theories and concepts that aim to evaluate Bruce Smithââ¬â¢s performance as a manager of the Printery Section of Paper Partners, a small printing firm located in regional Queensland, owned and managed by Paul Southey Case Background Paul Southey is currently in a dilemma in terms of providing an appropriate evaluation for Bruce Smith, the Printery Manager of his firm, Paper Partners. As a manager, Smithââ¬â¢s subordinates rate him as exemplary and provided positive ratings. However, as a colleague and a co-manager, Smith was rated as a nightmare to work with, rude and with utter disregard of the other sections of the company. When confronted with his behavior, Smith admitted his primarily focus on his Printing section with minimal regard to the sales or packaging sections. In this regard, Southey needs to evaluate his behavior and determine the best course of action to solve the problem. Is Smith really an incompetent manager, as contended by other man agers of other departments? Or is Smith an effective manager but a poor colleague? Definition of Terms To support oneââ¬â¢s arguments that Bruce Smith is considered a totally incompetent manager, one needs to qualify the definition for incompetence. The online dictionary defines incompetence as ââ¬Å"the quality or state of being incompetent; want of physical, intellectual, or moral ability; insufficiency; inadequacy; as, the incompetency of a child hard labor, or of an idiot for intellectual effortsâ⬠(Webster, 1913). The term identifies insufficiency in qualifications. According to Alaspa (2008) in his article entitled Identifying incompetence,â⬠Margaret Heffernan has assembled this list of the ten habits of total incompetence, to wit: (1) an inability to act; (2) failure to divulge crucial concerns; (3) oversensitivity; (4) refusal to deviate from procedure; (5) preference for weak candidates; (6) focusing on minute tasks; (7) inability to comply with deadlines; (8 )lack of recruitment skills; (9) reliance on consultants; and (10) work the longestâ⬠(Alaspa, 2008, pars. 2 ââ¬â 11). The list however, identified habits or patterns of behavior that one has been accustomed to do. In analyzing the insufficiency of a manager to categorize him as totally incompetent, one needs to evaluate not only oneââ¬â¢s technical skills, but interpersonal skills, as well. Robbins, et.al. (2008) averred that managers, to be effective, need to perform functions of planning, organizing, leading and controlling (p.5) and assume ten roles grouped into interpersonal relationships, transfer of information, and decision-making (pp.5 ââ¬â 7). Using these concepts, Smithââ¬â¢s performance can be evaluated first as a manager, using the comments from his subordinates and identifying the functions or skills manifested in the theories provided in various literatures. After which, Smithââ¬â¢s performance will also be evaluated as a colleague. Evaluation of Bruce Smith as a Manager The comments of Smithââ¬â¢s subordinates are enumerated and summarized, and the following managerial functions and skills manifested are identified as follows: SUBORDINATES COMMENTS MANAGERââ¬â¢S FUNCTIONS/SKILLS Nella McDonald Great to work for; gives Interpersonal skills (leader) credit for ideas and motivates Stephen Dye Good leader and problem Interpersonal skills (leader) solver Decisional (disturbance handler) Alex Brown Gives
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Scholarship, Practice, and Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Scholarship, Practice, and Leadership - Essay Example Students need to be motivated to acquire knowledge through the use of scholarly material and develop appropriate skills of critical thinking to synthesize information to optimize learning experience. The role of education leaders therefore becomes hugely important for creating a facilitating environment of learning within and outside academia for students. Significance of Information literacy Turusheva (2009) has broadly defined information literacy as the ability of individual to locate information and critically evaluate it for using it efficiently to improve learning experience. Scholarly material is important for advancing knowledge and technology greatly helps to access myriad information at the shortest possible time. Google has become major platform for accessing information on internet, both by students and people at large. The teachers become key facilitators for imparting skills and promoting effective mechanisms of locating pertinent information in academia. Indeed, the le adership initiatives of educators have increasing become critical paradigm that shapes the mindset of young scholars and encourage them for information literacy that can exploit their ability to think critically. Indeed, it has been acknowledged as important educational goal that promotes critical thinking and effective decision making for solving problems based on informed choice (Li & Lester, 2009). Information literacy has therefore emerged as vital tool for developing skills and capabilities for mastering the academic content and applying the same in learning processes as well as in their lives. The purpose is to enhance scholarship through practice and inculcate skills for life long learning. Information literacy is intrinsic part of education that should be fostered from the early education so that later on, students are better equip to synthesize information from various sources for maximising their academic achievements (Badke, 2009). This is a very pertinent issue because u nless the habit of information literacy is inculcated within students from their early years, they would not be able to discern the importance of credible information and apply it successfully within their education or use it in their lives. Russell (2009) has also corroborated that many students lack information competencies when they go for higher education. The gap makes it difficult for them to maintain their grades. Thus, it needs to be part of curricula as it broadens perspective of education and offers students with more opportunities to differentiate the important issue from the irrelevant ones. Technology has considerably contributed to information literacy. The Google search engine is the most popular tool to locate academic and no-academic source of information. But internet needs to be used judiciously for optimizing learning. While it has made it easy for students to seek information, it has also reduced oneââ¬â¢s power of concentration and reshaped intellectual capa bilities. Carr (2002) says that internet surfers have increasingly developed the habit of skimming the text. This adversely impacts their learning processes as lack of focus and concentration also leads to lack of in-depth knowledge about important issues. Scholarsââ¬â¢ concern on the validity of the same is therefore genuine when they question the accuracy or credibility of the information and critical evaluation of the same (Badke, 2009;
Monday, September 23, 2019
HEALTH CARE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
HEALTH CARE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT - Essay Example The article helps us to understand the design and implementation of PPACA in Health sciences and medicine. As such, the article is relevant to our class since it derives more understanding on the topic of discussion. I can derive two key take away points from this article. Apparently, the absence of universal operating rules has been hindering the adoption of more efficient and electronic healthcare payments. Additionally, the enactment of the new operating rules defined in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act have enabled healthcare providers to enhance efficiency, reliability, and management of healthcare payments (Krah, 2013). However, many health providers are yet to adopt electronic funds transactions subject to the challenges involved in implementing the new operating rules (Krah, 2013). Notably, everything in this article makes sense since it seeks to derive more understanding on the new operating rules that govern healthcare payments. However, the article lacks a list of sources that supports its argument. Krah, S. (2013). Preparing for the New PPACA Electronic Payments Environment: What Healthcare Providers Need to Know. Retrieved from
Sunday, September 22, 2019
Mind and Morality Essay Example for Free
Mind and Morality Essay The external factors play a huge role in shaping oneââ¬â¢s decisions. One may think that his genetic and background history has the most influence on his actions, but in reality, the intensity of a given situation has greater impact in the choices of the individual. The surroundings one lives in ultimately influences his perception, decision, and morality. In his essay, ââ¬Å"The Power of Context,â⬠Malcolm Gladwell states how it is the little things in life that makes the bigger difference and in many aspects this is true. In Daniel Gilbertââ¬â¢s essay, ââ¬Å"Immune to Realityâ⬠he talks about how human perception about reality is not always accurate. In Oliver Sacksââ¬â¢s essay, ââ¬Å"The Mindââ¬â¢s Eyeâ⬠he shows how there are many different perceptions to view the world. So at the same time, is it possible to dictate what is right and wrong in oneââ¬â¢s life if all the decisions are a result of his given situation and surroundings? Also the morality for each person varies depending on their circumstances and perception of their world. Ultimately, an absolute form of right and wrong does not exist because the context of the situation always changes, but still it is possible to achieve an applicable standard of morality in society. Each individual has his own way of looking at the world that is completely unique when compared to the way another person does. This is perception of reality and this form is always open to discussion because the person generates this viewpoint. Each individual makes his decisions based on his perception of the world. ââ¬Å"The processes by which we generate positive views are many: we pay more attention to favorable information, we surround ourselves with those who provide it, and we accept it uncritically (Gilbert 134). In many instance one creates his own perception to suit his way of thinking, so the individual could be in the center of his world. ââ¬Å"He seemed to regard this loss of visual imagery as a prerequisite for the full development, the heightening, of his other sensesâ⬠(Sacks 304). Most people see becoming blind as unfortunate event, but according to this person it helped him to improve his other senses. ââ¬Å"The tabloids dubbed Goetz the subway vigilante and the death wish shooterâ⬠(Gladwell 153). Rather than seeing Goetz as a lunatic the newspapers depicted him as a hero. So this shows the difference in perception between people and how it varies from individuals. Importantly since each personââ¬â¢s perception varies it is hard to claim whose perception is right or wrong because ultimately is there a ââ¬Å"rightâ⬠perception of the world that everybody should be following? Even when viewing a painting everybody has their own interpretation of the art. No one claims there is only one ââ¬Å"rightâ⬠perception; rather the different perceptions are simply different approaches towards looking at the world. ââ¬Å"It was simply inconceivable that someone could pull a gun on someone else on the subway and be called a hero for it. â⬠(Gladwell 154) shows how different viewpoints affect the verdicts of a situation. A hero to some people might be a villain to others and it is hard to claim who is the ââ¬Å"rightâ⬠hero. The difference in subjectivity among people will always create a discrepancy of opinions among people. Since a variety of perception exists, then is it possible to have a perfect set and stone ââ¬Å"right and wrongâ⬠rules in life? The context of a given matter plays a huge role in deciding the morality of the event. Morality is very much depended on the background information of the event. It is very hard to dictate the morality of an issue without seeing the bigger picture. Most people might see stealing as a wrong act, but what if someone stole a piece of bread in order to make sure he does not die from starvation, is that still a wrong act? In a situation like that one might feel sympathetic to that poor fellow and probably will see stealing as reasonable in that given situation. ââ¬Å"We do not realize that our views will changeâ⬠(Gilbert 135), the idea of morality varies on the situation because the context of the event directly affects morality. ââ¬Å"Blindness now becomes for him a dark paradoxical gift. This is not just compensation, but a whole new order, a new mode of human beingâ⬠(Sacks 305), in many aspects blind people do not see their condition as a curse or burden rather a different approach towards living and for most sighted people it might be hard to understand and accept this approach. ââ¬Å"That there are instances where you can take normal people from good schools and happy families and good neighborhoods and powerfully affect their behavior merely by changing the immediate details of their situationâ⬠(Gladwell 162) this shows how the little details of an event plays huge role in the outcomes of an event. Essentially, context of a situation is what dictates morality and it is going to be almost impossible to label morality as set and stone as something like the Ten Commandments because the context always changes. Even though the standards of morality vary according to the situation there are some aspects of morality that one subconsciously accepts. Some ethics are universally considered wrong and oneââ¬â¢s mind without even one knowing already knows that some choices are not right. That is why the mind tends to usually question the choices one makes. ââ¬Å"When we cook facts, we are similarly unaware of why we are doing it, and this turns out to be a good thing, because deliberate attempts to generate positive viewsâ⬠(Gilbert 134), subconsciously to some extend individuals are aware of the morality behind an action and this will help individuals to make their decisions wisely. ââ¬Å"To what extent are we our experiences, our reactions shaped, predetermined, by our brains, and to what extend do we shape our own brainsâ⬠(Sacks 303), There are some emotions and judgments that are simply preinstalled in oneââ¬â¢s mind which aids an individual in making choices that are difficult. ââ¬Å"After a while the bad guys wised up and began to leave their weapons home and pay their faresâ⬠(Gladwell 157) this shows how there is a consciousness inside individuals that helps in guiding with decision making. When making a choice that might inflict pain to us or others oneââ¬â¢s mind will usually try to suggest against that decision. That is why the idea of taking an innocent personââ¬â¢s life is universally seen as a wrongful act in societies. Therefore, there is a sense of unconscious morality that lies within the hearts of most individuals. Achieving a complete form of morality is a very idealistic thought because practically itââ¬â¢s not possible. There are infinitely many ways of perceiving morality and it would be impossible to set a standard that would suit all the time. ââ¬Å"Too often people with sight donââ¬â¢t see anythingâ⬠(Sacks 310). There are parts that even oneââ¬â¢s eye sometimes cannot capture meaning that sometimes itââ¬â¢s simply not possible to account for all the possibilities. ââ¬Å"The benefit of all this unconscious cookery is that it works, but the cost is that it makes us strangers to ourselvesâ⬠(Gilbert 135). People sometime engage in activities without being aware of the magnitude of the situation. â⬠They are both based on the premise that an epidemic can be reversed, can be tipped, by tinkering with the smallest details of the immediate environmentâ⬠(Gladwell 157) the intensity of the situation has a huge influence on the decision of the individual. Due to all this, perceiving morality completely would be very difficult. Also having a perfect morality would require infinite knowledge which humans do not possess. As an individual one is limited at what he observes at a given time and there are limitations for each individual in this world. However, through the perceptions of many individuals, people will be able to come up with a better understanding of morality. Even with the limitations each individual has a small understanding of morality in the back of his head. Essentially, when all these understanding that are possessed by individuals are combined then a suitable set of standards will be formed that can accompany most situations. The collective effort of people will help to generate a better set of morality that will help in creating a peaceful environment for people to live in. That is why it is important to have many different perceptions of morality because they all eventually lead to creating appropriate rules that will be suitable for the well-being of a society. Despite not being able to have an absolute morality with infallible accuracy and with infinite knowledge, an applicable method of sensing morality is still practical. Individuals lack the ability to have a perfect morality because for one to acquire it in completion one needs to possess infinite amount of knowledge. Despite this back drop each individual innately has the ability to know morality in small parts and therefore combining the small parts of every individual will help to achieve a suitable set of codes. The differences in perception between people only aids to benefit humans in portraying a better understanding of morality. That is why it is important that there are different types of perceptions because if there was only one view then a very limited and narrow minded principle would be prevalent in the world. The different pathways of thinking done by people finally leads to achieving a suitable mode of morality. An absolute form of morality will never be possible in this imperfect world, however, that does not mean accomplishing a reasonable standard is impossible.
Saturday, September 21, 2019
Examining The Understanding Social Disorganization Theory Criminology Essay
Examining The Understanding Social Disorganization Theory Criminology Essay Social Disorganization means the disruption or breakdown of the structure of social relations and values resulting in the loss of social controls over individual and group behavior, the development of social isolation and conflict, and a sense of estrangement or alienation from the mainstream of ones culture; theà condition or state of anomie (dictionary). Social Disorganization Theory is a theory that is less than one hundred years old. The founders of this theory are Shaw and McKay. Social disorganization theory was developed in the early 1900s in Chicago, Illinois, based upon the fact that the founders of this theory had been researching juvenile court records for more than one decade (Pratt, Gau, and Franklin 43). The theory suggested that there were high rates of crime in certain neighborhoods; particularly rather poor neighborhoods. Once Shaw and Kay discovered these findings, they figured that crime was no longer based on the individual alone, but more so the structure of th e neighborhood and what the neighborhood consisted of socially; neighbors level of interaction with one another, along with their ability to regulate the youth of their community (Pratt, Gau, and Franklin 44). There are several factors that can help determine social disorganization within a community. A few of these factors include: low socioeconomic status, high rates of residential mobility, increased diversity within the community and single-parent households (Pratt et al. 44, Barton et al. 247, and Kingston et al. 54). However, one of the main factors frequently used to determine social disorganization is residential mobility. Residential mobility is the frequent Childress 2 change of residence, either in the same city or town, or between cities, states or communities (dictionary). Residential mobility has the ability to socially disorganize any community. Neighbors packing up and moving more frequently than not, puts a strain on the ability for people to bond with one another and form a friendship with other residents who also reside in their community. Another factor that is often used to determine social disorganization is the socioeconomic status of a particular neighborhood. Poor neighborhoods with low income usually contain single-parent residencies. Single-parent households with young children living in them, have a hard time controlling the youth of their households, let alone the youth of their communities. Lack of discipline to the youth and improper social skills with their peers causes them to get involved in certain activities that are not only harmful to the community but harmful to themselves as well. According to the authors of the articl e A Test of Social Disorganization Theory in High-Risk Urban Neighborhoods, Structurally disadvantaged neighborhoods that lack the resources to effectively monitor children (such as: summer camps, music lessons, sports training, home computers, and special tutoring) and provide few sanctions for inappropriate behavior are likely to have a higher number of delinquent peer groups available to youthà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦Poorly monitored youth are more likely to socialize with deviant peers and to engage in misconduct (Kingston et al. 58-59). As stated before, social disorganization occurs mainly in poor neighborhoods with high residential mobility lack of socializing between the neighbors throughout the community. These factors allow the crime in these communities to grow exponentially. Social exclusion and isolation from one another has a negative effect on the community because it creates a gateway for crime to occur. With no one from the community willing to step up and organize groups like The Neighborhood Watch or etc., it creates opportunities for crime to occur at any given time throughout the community. With no control over the youth living in the community, crime tends Childress 3 to rise. With lack of control over the youth, gangs have a high risk of developing. When gangs develop, there are a number of negative things that can occur. Some of the negative activities that can stem from gangs are burglaries, vandalism, drug-dealing, and violence, just to name a few (Mares, 41). The number of gangs began to rapidly increase in America during the 20th century. Without warning, gangs began showing up and developing in suburban, rural and urban communities (Mares, 41). This could have been prevented somehow if there had been more unity within the communities and if neighbors had been more willing to socialize with one another while agreeing to keep an eye out for any suspicious behavior with their community. However, it is safe to say that gang violence and homicides has the ability to destroy neighborhoods and put fear into people while causing isolation throughout the community (Mares, 42). So, if people within a community are afraid of the area that they are living in, it makes it harder for them to call the police and report a crime; and if they do report a crime, the chances of them cooperating with the police and stepping up as a public witness is not high, because they may feel threatened by the local gang members of the community, as well as scared for their lives. When this occurs, crime increases within the community because local gang members feel as if theyre invincible and as if they can get away with any crime they commit, no matter how large or small the crime may be (Mares 43). Social Disorganization started off as a theory fit for urban, rural and suburban neighborhoods. However, throughout the years, social disorganization has progressed from slum neighborhoods to college campuses. With the Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University shootings, campus crime seems pretty evident in these areas (Barton et al. 245). According to the authors of the article Social disorganization theory and the college campus, four-year college universities reported 44 murders, 2,491 forcible rapes, 1,386 robberies, 2,130 aggravated assaults, 25,978 burglaries, and 3,410 motor vehicle thefts back in 2007 in the United States Childress 4 (Barton et al. 245). Residential mobility is an obvious factor of social disorganization on college campuses because most colleges do not require their student to live on campus. Students living in nearby towns tend to commute back and forth to school everyday. Theres also the case where students get to pick a new room during the room reservation process towards the end of every academic school year. The percentage of students remaining in the same dorm room year after year is not very high. All of these factors regarding residential mobility on college campuses make it very hard for neighboring students in the dormitories to form a lasting bond with one another, since students usually get a new neighbor at the beginning of every academic school year once they move back onto campus. Then you have the college students who decide to pledge for a Greek organization on campus. These organizations take up the majority of a students time. Those students who live on campus but are dedicated to a Greek organization are hardly ever in their dorm rooms, thus, making it that much easier for crimes, such as burglaries, to occur on the college campus, particularly in the dormitories. Despite the positive things that Greek organizations do for the community, crime is very much capable of happening at their events, particularly their parties. Certain crimes such as under-age drinking, illegal drug use and vandalism are, very much so, capable of happening at a Greek organizations college party (Barton et al. 248). However, according to authors of the article Social disorganization theory and the college campus, Stronger community organizations provide more opportunities for positive social interaction, improve formal social control by increasing the chances that neighbors will observe neighborhood activity and intervene when they see potential problems, and thereby decrease the chance of crime occurring (Barton et al. 248). The dynamics of a community determine whether or not there will be social disorganization. Of course openness and communication within the community enhances the Childress 5 chances of gaining more control over the youth residing in nearby homes of their neighbors, including the homes of their own (if they have any). Coming together and unifying to form protection groups such as The Neighborhood Watch, will give people within the community a feeling of safety and protection. So, if someone from The Neighborhood Watch witnesses a crime taking place with their community, they may feel more confident and safe about calling the police to report it, since they will have the support of the The Neighborhood Watch within the community to fall back on. Aside from unity and proper communication amongst the residents of a community, the quality of the schools within the community have a strong ability to decrease social disorganization. Schools within a community that are not overcrowded or lacking basic needs such as teaching supplies and up-to-date text books, makes the students who are attending that particular institution more guaranteed to gain a quality education (Kingston et al. 58). This will give them more of an interest in pursuing a higher education, such as college, which will give them motivation to focus more on school by getting good grades and becoming more involved with extracurricular activities, instead of getting into trouble out in the streets of their community. According to the text book Key Ideas in Criminology and Criminal Justice, the authors conclude at the end of chapter four that levels of social disorganization may affect informal control and criminal opportunity mechanism, which, in turn, directly influence neighborhood crime rates (Pratt et al. 50). Childress 6
Friday, September 20, 2019
HPV Infection and Associated Cancers
HPV Infection and Associated Cancers 1.0 Introduction Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted virus that is spread through genital and skin-to-skin contact [1]. Its infection is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world [1] and accounts for 561200 representing 5.2% of all cancer cases worldwide [2, 3]. Over 290 million HPV infections are recorded worldwide annually [4] and the prevalence of HPV vary from 14% to over 90% [5]. Currently, over 170 HPV-types have been identified and designated with numbers [6-8] and at least forty are transmitted through genital contact [9]. The virus can also be transmitted through skin-to-skin sexual contact (regardless of penetration), mucous membranes or bodily fluids, oral sex and mutual masturbation (genital fondling) [10]. HPV affects only humans [11]. When the HPV virus comes in contact with human cells, it may bring about changes to the cell called lesions which may lead to the development of tumors [6]. High-risk HPV-types (hrHPV) (aka oncogenic HPV-types) are able t o incorporate themselves into the cell DNA and transform its behavior in a way that results in cancer whereas low-risk HPV-types (aka non-oncogenic HPV-types) do not cause cancer [10]. HPV infection is most common in young men and women in their teens and early 20s [11]. Authors of the HPV Infection and Transmission among Couples through Heterosexual activity (HITCH) cohort study reported an HPV infection of more than 56% in young adults in relatively new sexual relationships and more than half (44%) were infected with oncogenic HPV-types. In the early 2000s, about 6.2 million new cases of HPV infection were recorded in America of which 74% occurred in 15 to 24-year olds [12].Ã A systematic review of more than 40 studies by Dunne et al (2006) showed that HPV prevalence estimates vary from 1.3% to 72.9% amongst studies of multiple sites and 56% of them reported a prevalence of more than 20% [13]. Most HPV infections are asymptomatic and usually resolve on their own over the course of weeks [14]. For example, HPV-5 may cause infections that may linger for a very long time in an infected person without showing any clinical symptoms [9]. However, when an HPV infection does not resolve naturally, it may result in malignancies including genital warts (small or large, raised or flat or even shaped-like-a-cauliflower bumps or groups of bumps around the genital region) [9] and precancerous lesions [15]. While HPV-1/2 causes common warts (usually found on the hands, feet and sometimes knees and elbows), HPV-6/11 causes Recursive Respiratory Papillomatosis (RRP) (when warts are formed on the larynx [16] or other sites on the respiratory tract) [17, 18]. These warts recur very often and obstruct breathing [17]. Another major symptom of HPV infection is that it is strongly related to cancer, specifically cancer of the cervix, vagina, vulva, oropharynx, anus and penis [2, 3] (For details refer to Section 1.1). One common feature of these cancers involves the transmission of HPV infection to the stratified epithelial tissue (a multilayered cell with every cell in direct contact with a basement membrane that separates it from a connective underlying tissue) [2, 14 -15]. The first section of this chapter of this thesis, section 1.1, briefly introduces all cancers associated with and attributable to HPV infection as reported in [2, 3]. Definition of HPV-associated and HPV-attributable cancers are also given in the same section. This is particularly important as a clear inclusion or exclusion criteria is set for cancers of the cervix, vagina, vulva, anus and penis as defined by their causal methods which are HPV-inspired or otherwise. Subsections 1.11 to 1.16 are devoted to respectively discussing all six cancers. In these subsections, actual definitions of cancer of the cervix, vagina, vulva, anus and penis will be provided as well as their composition by specific anatomical region. The relationship between HPV and these cancers will also be provided in these subsections as well as a brief history. Section 1.2 will provide a detailed discussion regarding international trends in the incidence rates of these HPV-associated cancers. Section 1.3 will disc uss the behavior of the incidence rates in Canada as established in Canadian literature and will, therefore, show why this thesis seeks to explore the behavior of incidence rates of HPV-associated cancers in Canada using Canada-wide data. Finally, section 1.4 will itemize the research questions in this thesis. 1.1 HPV-associated Cancers When most people think of an HPV infection, they might think of cervical cancer. However, one must be careful because they is a growing subset of non-cervical cancers extensively established as strongly linked to HPV infection and the proportion of these cancers vary by anatomical site [3]. These cancers include cancer of the oropharynx as well as those in the genital region (i. e. vagina, anus, vulva and penis) [19]. Current data reveal that HPV-infection is associated with 12%-63% of oropharyngeal cancers, 40%-64% of vaginal cancers, 40%-51% of vulvar cancers, 36%-40% of penile cancers and 90%-93% of anal cancers [3, 20] and 100% of cervical cancer cases are attributable to HPV [21]. The difference in HPV-attributable proportions for these non-cervical cancers partly results from inherent differences in the methods of detecting cancer, differences in geographic locations in HPV-attributable populations [22]. Other potential reasons for differences in HPV proportions are because som e studies report on individuals currently having a detectable infection while others report on individuals who have ever had a detectable infection and also there are differences in the HPV strain tested for by different studies [23]. An HPV-associated cancer is a specific cellular type of cancer that is diagnosed in a particular part of the human body where HPV is found [9]. The virus is often found in the vulva, vagina, cervix, rectum, anus and oropharynx [23, 24]. Several studies including [24] have shown that the incidence rates of HPV-associated anal and rectal cancers are similar, so from-here-on-in, rectal cancer will be assumed to have an analogous incidence distribution as anal cancer. Cancer-based registries (CBRs) identify diagnosed cases by using the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology, 3rd revision (ICD-O-3) codes for HPV-associated groups: cancers of the anus (C20-C21), vulva (C51), vagina (C52), cervix (C53), penis (C60) and oropharynx (C019, C024, C028, C090-C099, C102, C108, C140, C142 and C148) [25, 26]. An HPV-attributable cancer is a cancer that is possibly caused by HPV [9]. HPV causes all cervical cancers and cancers of the vulva, penis, vagina, anus, rectum and oropharynx as shown above. The epidemiology and histology of HPV-associated cancers of the cervix, anal, penile, vaginal, vulvar and oropharynx are discussed next in subsections 1.11 to 1.16. 1.11 Cervical Cancer Cervical cancer is a major global public health threat: it is the fourth most prevalent cancer in women, with approximately 500000 new cases annually [27, 28]. Almost all cervical cancers occur at the junction of the endocervix and the ectocervix, at a junction called the transformation zone [28, 29]. According to the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), any vaginal lesion that relates to the ectocervix should also be treated as cervical cancer [29]. Before puberty, this junction is found on the visible vaginal portion of the cervix (i.e. the ectocervix) and is fairly stable [30]. Within young women as well as women on oral contraceptives, the visible transformation zone is called ectopy, which regresses into the endocervix with increasing age and the commencement of sexual intercourse [31]. The main morphological type of cervical cancer associated with HPV is squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) which accounts for about 60% of all cervical cancer cases [28]. Adenoc arcinoma (AC) and adenosquamous carcinoma (ASC) are the next common types while neuroendocrine or small cell carcinomas, primary cervical lymphoma, cervical sarcoma, and rhabdomyosarcoma are rare [28]. There are geographical differences in the cervical cancer incidence rates [28]. GLOBOCAN 2012 examined the burden of cervical cancer amongst countries by estimating age-standardized incidence rates (ASR) by country, and a global ASR of 14 per 100000 women of all ages was reported [32]. Over 85% of the global burden of cervical cancer occurs in developing countries, where it accounts for 13% of all female cancers [33, 34]. Most countries in South America and sub-Saharan Africa report an ASR associated with cervical cancer of more than 50 per 100000 women [28]. In contrasts, cervical cancer rates are generally less than 7 per 100000 women in western Europe, western Asia, New Zealand, the Middle East and Australia and these geographical differences in cervical cancer incidence rates closely reflect the availability of cervical precancer screening programs [28]. Comprehensive national screening programs for cervical cancer and dysplasia have a great impact in managing cervical cancer incidence [35]. The Papanicolaou (pap) smear screening test, which detects cytological abnormalities of the cervical transformation zone reduced cervical cancer incidence by more than 70% in developed countries [36]. Risk factors associated with cervical cancer include early sexual debut, multiple sexual partners [37], smoking [38], a history of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) [39] and chronic immunosuppression with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection [40]. Circumcision of male sexual partners is protective for women [41]. Cervical cancer is preventable by avoiding HPV, the causative agent or through the identification and treatment or pre-invasive lesions by histopathologists [30]. These precursor lesions to cervical cancer are called cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) or, specifically, squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL) a term used to identify where abnormal cells develop [30]. Lesions from Low-grade CIN mostly relapse while those of high grade require comprehensive treatment [42]. For high-grade CIN, the rate of progression to invasive cancer if left untreated is approximately 30%-50% with 30 years, however, proper treatment drastically reduces this risk to under 1% [42]. 1.12 Anal Cancer Anal cancer or squamous carcinoma of the anus and anal canal is a rare malignancy accounting for only 2% of all gastrointestinal cancers [43, 44] and about 4% of cancers associated with the lower gastrointestinal tract [45]. Anal cancers emerge from anal mucosa when glandular elements associated with the gastrointestinal tract develops into squamous mucosa [28]. Research has shown that a greater proportion of anal cancer cases are attributable to continuous infection with hr-HPV (HPV-16/18) [46]. The global ASR associated with anal cancer is shown to be 1.0 per 100000 [32]. Risk factors for HPV-associated cancer of the anus are generally associated with sexual activity [46, 47]. Reporting at least 10 sexual partners in ones lifetime increases the risk of developing anal cancer [48]. Elsewhere, receptive anal intercourse with two or more partners and HIV infection [49], a history of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) (e.g. gonorrhea, chlamydia trachomatis, herpes simplex virus 2) [48], genital warts [50] and smoking [51] have also been shown to increase the risk of developing HPV-associated anal cancer. 1.13 Penile Cancer Another rare malignancy associated with HPV infection is penile cancer. It accounts for less than 1% of all male cancers [3, 43 and 52]. It is an abnormal growth found in the tissues or on the skin of the penis and about 95% of all cases of penile cancer are SCC [53]. It mostly results from a series of epithelial modifications (precursor lesions) which often progress quickly from low-grade lesions to high-grade lesions and finally invasive carcinoma [53]. The frequency of SCC being preceded by premalignant lesions is still unknown [54-57]. Although SCC is the most prevalent penile neoplasia, several histological types of different growth patterns, clinical aggressiveness and HPV association have been reported [58]. An HPV infection is found in basaloid (warty penile SCCs (39%) and 76%, mixed warty-basaloid (82%) [55]. DNA of HPV has also been identified in about of 30%-40% and about 70%-100% of invasive penile cancer tissues [54]. Variations in histological subtypes of penile cancer vis-Ã -vis the rate of HPV-positivity is an indication that HPV may be a cofactor in the carcinogenesis of certain variants of penile SCC [59]. This therefore points to higher incidence associated with penile cancer in regions with higher prevalence of HPV and vice versa [60]. Geographical differences in study populations result in variations in incidence rates associated with penile cancer [32]. In North America and Europe, SCC of the penis accounts for less than 1% of cancers associated with men [43]. In developed countries, the ASR of penile cancer is between 0.1 and 0.5 per 100000 men [32].Ã However, for developing countries including Malawi, Uganda, Brazil, Vietnam, Paraguay, Columbia and India, the penile cancer accounts for more than 10% of reported cancers [32]. The associated ASR is at least 2.0 per 100000 men is reported in these countries [32, 43-44]. The incidence of penile cancer suggests the presence of risk factors [28]. Risk factors essentially are associated with chronic inflammation and HPV infection, compromised genital hygiene [61-63]. Circumcision is reported to have a 3-fold decrease in penile cancer risk [62]. Cancer of the penis is classically associated with old age and is generally reported in men with low socioeconomic status [52]. Smoking is also an independent risk factor associated with penile cancer [62, 63]. Though not an Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)-defining cancer, the risk of developing penile cancer in HIV-positive men is 8 times higher than in HIV-negative men. Men with penile cancer are most likely to report protracted penile rash, penile injury, prior history of genital warts and phimosis (the inability of an uncircumcised penis to fully retract the foreskin) [62]. 1.14 Vaginal Cancer HPV-associated vaginal cancer is a rare malignancy with an ASR between 0.2 and 0.7 per 100000 in most countries [64]. It is associated with older women, with incidence peaking around the sixth and seventh decades of life [65]. Several studies have shown that
Thursday, September 19, 2019
Eighties Cyberpunk :: Science Fiction Literature Essays Papers
Eighties Cyberpunk In the early 1980's, cyberpunk was used as a label to describe a new form of science fiction written by a group of five writers, which challenged the traditional genres associated with science fiction (Shiner, 7). SF used highly imaginative ideas to project scientific phenomenas, resulting in dreamy, stylized stories of space colonies and flying space crafts. This new science fiction was different, because it incorporated present global, social and technological situations to help induce the future of the world. It generated new outcomes for the future's high technological, society and global environment that would help categorize it into a specific form of writing known as cyberpunk. William Gibson, one of the five writers associated with the cyberpunk genre, is credited by critics and peers for typifying the cyberpunk writing form in his popular novel Neuromancer. Bruce Sterling, Rudy Rucker, John Shirley and Lewis Shiner, the other four writers who helped launch the movement, agree that Gibson's Neuromancer influenced the categorization of the new science fiction as cyberpunk. Therefore, Gibson's novel can be used as a reliable source for defining the cyberpunk genre. With this in mind, we can analyze the high-technology used in Neuromancer and its importance to the cyberpunk form of writing. Gibson creates an advanced technological machine called Flatline's construct, which is a "hardwired ROM cassette replicating a dead man's skills, obsessions, knee jerk responses" (Gibson, 20). This futuristic device that brings back human personalities from the dead, can be viewed as a result of the present fascination with bringing dead people back to life. This fascination is evident in hospital emergency rooms and in game boards like the Ouija board. Both examples are similar the use of he Flatline's construct, in the sense that all three bring life back to the dead. This incorporation of high-technology with society's present interests in mind, is a frequent form recognizable in Neuromancer and in the cyberpunk fiction of Sterling, Rucker, Shirley and Lewis. A common element of genuine cyberpunk writing found in Neuromancer, is Gibson's depiction of the futuristic society and the people who live in it. Once again, Gibson uses the present issues of government and nuclear tension to predict society's future. In Neuromancer, this results in a world ruined by nuclear war. However, the people living in the society continue to survive in the world for personal benefit, or just for the sake of living. Gibson shows an example of this with his characters in Neuromancer. Eighties Cyberpunk :: Science Fiction Literature Essays Papers Eighties Cyberpunk In the early 1980's, cyberpunk was used as a label to describe a new form of science fiction written by a group of five writers, which challenged the traditional genres associated with science fiction (Shiner, 7). SF used highly imaginative ideas to project scientific phenomenas, resulting in dreamy, stylized stories of space colonies and flying space crafts. This new science fiction was different, because it incorporated present global, social and technological situations to help induce the future of the world. It generated new outcomes for the future's high technological, society and global environment that would help categorize it into a specific form of writing known as cyberpunk. William Gibson, one of the five writers associated with the cyberpunk genre, is credited by critics and peers for typifying the cyberpunk writing form in his popular novel Neuromancer. Bruce Sterling, Rudy Rucker, John Shirley and Lewis Shiner, the other four writers who helped launch the movement, agree that Gibson's Neuromancer influenced the categorization of the new science fiction as cyberpunk. Therefore, Gibson's novel can be used as a reliable source for defining the cyberpunk genre. With this in mind, we can analyze the high-technology used in Neuromancer and its importance to the cyberpunk form of writing. Gibson creates an advanced technological machine called Flatline's construct, which is a "hardwired ROM cassette replicating a dead man's skills, obsessions, knee jerk responses" (Gibson, 20). This futuristic device that brings back human personalities from the dead, can be viewed as a result of the present fascination with bringing dead people back to life. This fascination is evident in hospital emergency rooms and in game boards like the Ouija board. Both examples are similar the use of he Flatline's construct, in the sense that all three bring life back to the dead. This incorporation of high-technology with society's present interests in mind, is a frequent form recognizable in Neuromancer and in the cyberpunk fiction of Sterling, Rucker, Shirley and Lewis. A common element of genuine cyberpunk writing found in Neuromancer, is Gibson's depiction of the futuristic society and the people who live in it. Once again, Gibson uses the present issues of government and nuclear tension to predict society's future. In Neuromancer, this results in a world ruined by nuclear war. However, the people living in the society continue to survive in the world for personal benefit, or just for the sake of living. Gibson shows an example of this with his characters in Neuromancer.
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Free Color Purple Essays: The Characters of The Color Purple :: Color Purple Essays
The Characters of The Color Purpleà à In The Color Purple, by Alice Walker, Celie, Nettie, and Mr.______ are developed gradually throughout the novel and their actions all seem to be intertwined and what happens to one of them effects one if not both of the other two. There is a strong relationship between Celie and Nettie not just because they are siblings but because Nettie is one out of two people Celie loves, and this doesn't exist between Celie and any other of her siblings. There are various things that bring these two even closer, one being the discovery that they both come from a different father which Celie discover from a letter from Nettie which reads "...and I pray with all my heart that you get this letter, if none of the others. Pa is not our Pa." (182) and the one they thought was there flesh and blood father was actually only their step father. This brings them closer for it is so important and they are each others direct relatives for both parents are dead and they do not have any other brothers or sisters. The second point is that they keep in contact when Nettie is traveling to and from Africa. This is more or less an escape for Celie for she does not really have anyone except for Shug that she loves so the letters are a way for Celie to keep not only with Nettie but also her two children that she has only seen for a for a couple of days in her entire life. So the main bond between Nettie and Celie is one of love, and they demonstrate this by constantly trying to stay in touch even though they don't know if the other is receiving the letters. The relationship between Mr. ______ and Nettie changes drastically from love to hate. Nettie first introduces Mr. ______ into the story as the man she is going to marry, Celie says to Nettie one day "I say marry him, Nettie." but when the marriage is disallowed because she is to young plus pa wants to keep her in school, but Mr. ______ is given Celie along with a cow so in the marriage to Celie Mr. ______ realises he'll never get Nettie but he still loves her but Nettie begins to go off him, for his marriage to her sister.
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Lymphatics Webquest
Lymphatics web quest Suggested site- www. cdc. gov, feel free to use other reliable sites as well. 1. What animal can transmit Cryptococcus? Wild birds like pigeons. 2. Can dogs and cats get Cryptococcus? Yes 3. What is the infectious agent for Bubonic Plague? Yersinia pestis 4. By how much was the world population reduced during the Plague pandemic? About 450 million to between 350 and 375 million. 5. What year (within the past 100 years) did the world experience a flu pandemic? 1918 6.What are 3 symptoms of chikungunya fever? Fever, vomiting, nausea, head ache, and joint pain. 7. What bacterium causes Lymeââ¬â¢s disease? Borrelia 8. What is ââ¬Ëerythema migrans? ââ¬â¢ A rash often seen in the early stage of Lyme disease 9. Find a disease transmitted by rabbits and list 2 symptoms. Tularemia it gives you sweats and fever. 10. What are symptoms of guinea worm disease? There are usually no symptoms until about a year after infection. Before the worm comes out the person may d evelop a fever, swelling, and pain in the area. 1. How long can a guinea worm grow? Adults are about 2-3 feet long. 12. Describe lymphocytic filariasis. A parasitic disease caused by the African eye worm. The adult worm can only live in the human lymph system. 13. On what day of the year does world TB day occur? March 24th 14. How do seasonal, avian, and pandemic flu outbreaks differ? Seasonal flu follows predictable patterns. Pandemic flu is very rare. Avian flu is a virus with the potential to become a pandemic. 5. What childhood diseases does the CDC recommend children to be vaccinated against? Chickenpox, Flu, and measles 16. Find one type of cancer caused by a virus. Cervical cancer 17. What is the cause of rheumatic fever? Rheumatic fever can occur after an infection of the throat with a bacterium called streptococcus phogenes. 18. List 1 disease caused by a fungus. Histoplasmosis 19. What is a telltale symptom of whooping cough? Coughing making a whooping sound. Lymphatics Webquest Lymphatics web quest Suggested site- www. cdc. gov, feel free to use other reliable sites as well. 1. What animal can transmit Cryptococcus? Wild birds like pigeons. 2. Can dogs and cats get Cryptococcus? Yes 3. What is the infectious agent for Bubonic Plague? Yersinia pestis 4. By how much was the world population reduced during the Plague pandemic? About 450 million to between 350 and 375 million. 5. What year (within the past 100 years) did the world experience a flu pandemic? 1918 6.What are 3 symptoms of chikungunya fever? Fever, vomiting, nausea, head ache, and joint pain. 7. What bacterium causes Lymeââ¬â¢s disease? Borrelia 8. What is ââ¬Ëerythema migrans? ââ¬â¢ A rash often seen in the early stage of Lyme disease 9. Find a disease transmitted by rabbits and list 2 symptoms. Tularemia it gives you sweats and fever. 10. What are symptoms of guinea worm disease? There are usually no symptoms until about a year after infection. Before the worm comes out the person may d evelop a fever, swelling, and pain in the area. 1. How long can a guinea worm grow? Adults are about 2-3 feet long. 12. Describe lymphocytic filariasis. A parasitic disease caused by the African eye worm. The adult worm can only live in the human lymph system. 13. On what day of the year does world TB day occur? March 24th 14. How do seasonal, avian, and pandemic flu outbreaks differ? Seasonal flu follows predictable patterns. Pandemic flu is very rare. Avian flu is a virus with the potential to become a pandemic. 5. What childhood diseases does the CDC recommend children to be vaccinated against? Chickenpox, Flu, and measles 16. Find one type of cancer caused by a virus. Cervical cancer 17. What is the cause of rheumatic fever? Rheumatic fever can occur after an infection of the throat with a bacterium called streptococcus phogenes. 18. List 1 disease caused by a fungus. Histoplasmosis 19. What is a telltale symptom of whooping cough? Coughing making a whooping sound.
Monday, September 16, 2019
Children with Incarcerated Parents
Juvenile Justice And The effects on Children of Incarcerated Parents Loretta R. Lynch Capstone 480 Ms. Mel Jones Abstract Today prisons are overcrowded and over two million Americans, male, and female are sitting in jail or prison, and two thirds of those people incarcerated are parents (U. S. Department of Justice). Approximately two million of these children are separated from their mom or dad because of incarceration of which these are the custodial parent.These children suffer from poverty, inconsistency in caregivers, separation from siblings, reduced education, increased risk for substance abuse, alcoholism and incarceration themselves. Studies have shown that children who lack parental relationships that combine loving support with structured discipline will show increased signs of antisocial behavior (Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, 21(4). This behavior is exhibited in children with incarcerated parents because bonds are likely to have never formed or are broken upo n imprisonment.The attachment a child has to their parent, as well as the indirect controls a parent has over the child, forms protective factors that reduce the incidence of delinquency (Abidin, R. 1983). Children of incarcerated parents are not always afforded protective factors, and are exposed to higher levels of risk factors that can contribute to delinquent behavior. Parental incarceration increases a childââ¬â¢s chance of experiencing disruptions, ineffective parenting, and loss of parental contact and academic difficulties, which can lead to juvenile delinquency.In the last three decades, family life in the United States has changed dramatically. Currently over eight point five million families with children under eighteen years of age are maintained by single parents, eighty percent of which are single as a result of separation or divorce (Hamner & Turner, 1990). A significant contributing factor to single parent households is the estimated eight percent of the children in the United States who have one parent who is incarcerated (Butterworth, 1987).In my interview with one family court judge at the Chesterfield County Juvenile Justice Court (Brice, 2012), it was apparent to me that these children are more likely than their peers to become incarcerated as adults (. The parent-child relationship, which is extremely important in a childââ¬â¢s development when broken, can have strong implications on the behavior that has exhibited from the child. It was also apparent that according to statistics nationwide, more than 2 million children have a parent who is incarcerated in state or federal prison (U. S. Department of Justice Report 2009).Loosing a parent to incarceration can have a wide range of devastating effects on prisonerââ¬â¢s children. In an interview with a female inmate (Inmate X, 2012), a mother of three children, it was apparent that the lack of parental bonding had affected not only the relationship with her mother who was seventy-one and in bad health, but also with her children. On top of her worry of being incarcerated, the inmate had just learned that her oldest was beginning to show signs of acting out and smoking marijuana. She spoke to me about her children ranging from ages two, seven and twelve.This female inmate discusses how much she missed and loved them her children, but due to circumstances, she would not be able to be in their lives for five years. She stated that it was her decision for her mother not to bring the children to the facility for any visits for fear of the impact it might cause on them seeing her in a place behind bars. When I asked her what made her in up in prison, she stated drugs. As a child, she was raped by her step-grandfather and she had turned to drugs to cope. In another interview with a female inmate (Inmate Y, 2012), she shared how he was raised in a single parent household. Her father was in and out jail for various crimes until 1996 when charged with Involuntary Manslau ghter during the commission of a robbery when she was approximately twelve. It was toward the end of the interview that I learned she is one of five children in a family of two girls and three boys. The saddening fact was that in this family of five, three of her siblings were incarcerated for various crimes. Forty-two percent of men and woman today had a parent who was also incarcerated (U. S. Department of Statistics 2009).We know much more about incarcerated mothers than we know about incarcerated fathers. For example, over 70% of female inmates are mothers of dependent children under the age of eighteen. Almost 90% of incarcerated females are single parents and heads of households. According to some estimates, a quarter of a million children are separated from their parents each year by jail and prison (Glick & Neto, 1977; McGowan & Blumenthal, 1978; McPeek & Tse, 1988; U. S. Department of Justice, 1992). We do not have this kind of information about incarcerated fathers.The lac k of statistics concerning fathers in prison may suggest that they are a forgotten group. Research has revealed that a fatherââ¬â¢s involvement in his childââ¬â¢s life greatly improves the childââ¬â¢s chances for success. Helping incarcerated fathers foster stronger connections with their children (where appropriate) can have a positive effect for children. What is needed is stronger training of social workers and prison personnel to help males with bonding and effective parenting skills. Prisons also need to work on reorganizing visiting spaces in prisons because they are not always child friendly.This also makes it extremely hard for families. According to a report written by Sarah Schirmer, Ashley Nellis, and Marc Mauer of The Sentencing Project, ââ¬Å"The increasing incarceration of women means that more mothers are being incarcerated than ever before. There is some evidence that maternal incarceration can be more damaging to a child than paternal incarceration, which results in more children now suffering negative consequencesâ⬠. First, fewer correctional institutions for women means that mothers are often located far away from the homes of their children.Second, children of female offenders are more than twice more likely to be placed in foster care than are children of male offenders because children of incarcerated fathers typically remain with the mother. Incarceration can add a tremendous burden to the already stressful situation of not having contact with the family. Many inmates are placed not in the same vicinity as their families, and many families cannot afford to relocate close to a prison, in order for the incarcerated parent to stay involved with the family. Thus, there is limited interaction between parent and child.This is especially hard for female inmates whose prisons are usually not in the same state in which they live. The average frequency of visits, according to some accounts, is at the most once a month, maybe less. T he only time inmates get to interact with their children is when someone chooses to bring the children to the institution. Even when children visit, it is common for the incarcerated parent to lose a sense of closeness with them since most of the children who visit their parents are unable to touch them. Nearly half of them grew up in families that received welfare, and had a substance-abusing parent.Family poverty, alcoholism and crime set up a subsequent cycle of generational recidivism. In my interview and time working in a boys group home seems as though the effects of their separation from an incarcerated parents was significant and played a major role in why they were now themselves locked up. They spoke of feelings of abandoned, while at the same time feeling a sense of freedom to do whatever they choose to do. This is extremely sad working with them because they are not bad kids they have just been thrown into bad situations and most of them are just looking for someone to s how them affection and attention.In my interview with a fourteen year old (boy A, 2012) raise by his paternal grandmother said that she was an older woman of eighty and could not discipline him; instead, she spoiled him and gave him everything he wanted. Another juvenile, age eleven (boy B) was raised by his motherââ¬â¢s sister who gave him little or no attention because she had 4 children of her own; and before he knew it he was stealing cars and getting into trouble for attention My last interview with a juvenile aged sixteen (boy C, 2013) was the saddest because he was raised by his brother and sister in law.The twist of the story was that his sister-in-law was molesting him and so in turn, he started molesting younger girls in his family. Statistics have shown that these boys were four times more likely to become involved in criminal activities than children from the same social economic background were with parents at home. The pattern continues as they enter their adult lif e, where research clearly indicates that children who had an incarcerated parent are at high risk for incarceration as a juvenile or adult (Burchinal, L. , Hawkes, G. , & Gardner, B. 957). The statistics that I have learned while doing my research is horrifying. These young children are critical to our society and they are our future generation of potential lawyers and doctors. The question has always been how do we address this problem? I do not think there is any easy answer to this dilemma, but we must try to find a solution because our children are suffering. Some are suffering in silence and some are suffering aloud. Whatever way they are suffering, they are crying for attention and we must listen and hear their cries.The crimes that these people commit not only effect society, but on their children as well. My thoughts are, the sooner they realize the effects they are having on their children, the sooner we might be able to find a solution to juvenile crime, and delinquency an d save our children. Figure 1. A transactional model of the predictors of children's adjustment following parental incarceration and reunion after (Conger & Elder, 1994; Hetherington et al. , 1998). References Adalist-Estrin, A. (1986). Parenting from behind bars. Family Resource Coalition ââ¬â FRC Report, 1, 12-13.Abidin, R. (1983). Parenting stress index. Charlottesville, VA: Pediatric Psychology Press. Burchinal, L. , Hawkes, G. , & Gardner, B. (1957). The relationship between parental acceptance and adjustment of children. Child Development, 28, 67-77. Inmate X. (2012, December). Interview by L Lynch [Personal Interview] housed at the Virginia Correctional Center for Women Inmate Y, (2013, December). Interview by L Lynch [Personal Interview] housed at the Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women Boy A. (2012, December). Interview by L Lynch [Personal Interview]. Boy B. 2012, December). Interview by L Lynch [Personal Interview]. Boy C. (2013, December). Interview by L Lynch [Pe rsonal Interview]. Brice, L. (2012, December 14). Interview by L Lynch [Personal Interview]. Juvenile justice system. http://www. fcnetwork. org/AECFChildren%20of%20Incarcerated%20Parents%20Factsheet. pdf La Vigne, N. G. , Naser, R. L. Brooks, L. E. & Castro, J. L. (2005). Examining the effect of incarceration and in-prison family contact on prisonersââ¬â¢ family relationships. Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, 21(4). ââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬â [pic]
Sunday, September 15, 2019
Macbeth Critical Approach Essay
The tragic story of Macbeth is a tale of a man, who spirals into a deep, dark, depressing life attempting to escape his unhappy, mundane, unsatisfied existence. All of this would not be possible without the assistance of three wicked witches. These witches serve as a catalyst for the evil brought out of Macbeth, which becomes amplified by his own heinous actions. While Macbeth is cold hearted and dark minded his intentions were not awakened till he encountered the witches who changed his coarse of history. â⬠Stay, you imperfect speakers. Tell me more. By Sinelââ¬â¢s death I know I am Thane of Glamis but how of Cawdor?â⬠After the witches tell him he is destined to be king, Macbeth becomes interested. He fell for evils trap and now hopelessly tumbles down the rabbit hole. Macbeth knows what he is destined to be but Duncan stands in his way. This leads Macbeth to the first step of his corruption, through his sinister thoughts he realizes he is descending into darkness. ââ¬Å"Stars, hide your fires! Let not light see my black and deep desiresâ⬠Fearing he will be discovered for his true self, he pleas to the stars so that they may dim their lights. This fear is what drives him further into madness and deeper into his own despair. Macbeth has destroyed everything that has mattered to him, his best friend, his king, his wife, and his relationship with his people. He has ruined so much that it becomes clear to him that he was much happier in his previous status. ââ¬Å"For mine own good, all causes shall give way. I am in blood steppââ¬â¢d in so far that, should I wade no more, returning were as the tedious as go oââ¬â¢erâ⬠By comparing his own actions to a river of blood he hints to the fact that once a man kills for his own single benefit, there is no going back. He has gone too far and would be nearly impossible to undo what has been done and seems too tough to live with.
Saturday, September 14, 2019
Lord of the Flies: William Golding
William Golding once said that, ââ¬Å"the shape of a society must depend on the ethical nature of the individual and not on any political system however apparently logical or respectableâ⬠(186). He believes that problems with society can be traced ââ¬Å"back to the defects of human natureâ⬠(186). In Lord of the Flies, Golding uses two boys from the traditionally socially rigid country of England to illustrate the idea that, if left unchecked, the animalistic nature that resides deep within the hearts of human beings will overcome societyââ¬â¢s rules and mores.The characters in the novel are left to their own devices on an uninhabited island and must form their own political system. The true ethical nature of the boys, representative of humans in general, becomes more noticeable as time passes. Ralph is the example of civilization and democracy while Jack is the epitome of savagery and animal behavior. The novel opens with a scene of two young boys on an island after a plane crash in the sea. These boys, Ralph and Piggy, make their way across the isolated island and find a small pool of warm water near a large, pink granite rock.After they find a conch, Ralph blows into it; the noise draws boys from all over the island who are also victims of the plane crash. The major characters include Jack, the leader of the choir, as well as Sam, Eric, Simon and Roger. After an initial meeting, the boys decide that their group should have a leader, although this is more of a game than a means of organization: ââ¬Å"This toy of voting was almost as pleasing as the conchâ⬠(22). The conch and the system of voting are both remnants of the English society the boys inhabited.Ralph defeats Jack after a vote, but Ralph places the choir, under the supervision of Jack, in charge of hunting. It is obvious throughout the novel, however, that this token position does not satisfy Jack and that he wants to become chief. Initially, however, Jack says that ââ¬Å"[he] agree[s] with Ralph. Almost immediately, the leadership is beset by a small boy who claims to have seen a nightmarish Beast. Ralph begins by assuring him that such a Beast does not exist, but the young boy insists that the Beast is real and demands o know when it will return. Jack interrupts Ralph to tell the boy, ââ¬Å"There isnââ¬â¢t a snake thing . . . but if there was a snake weââ¬â¢d hunt and kill it. Weââ¬â¢re going to hunt . . . and weââ¬â¢ll look for the snake too ââ¬â ââ¬Å"(36). Ralph is ââ¬Å"annoyed and . . . defeatedâ⬠(37) by Jackââ¬â¢s usurpation of his authority and is at a loss as to how to deal with it. For the moment, the group of boys waits for the pendulum of authority to swing one way or another. It happens to swing in Ralphââ¬â¢s favor as he assures the boys that they will be rescued.They believe his claim, ââ¬Å"unbacked by any proof but the weight of Ralphââ¬â¢s new authorityâ⬠(37), and he finds that the assembly â⠬Å"liked and now respected himâ⬠(37). Jack, however, merely smirks and claps half-heartedly. One of the most poignant examples of the remnants of civilization occurs when a boy named Roger begins to throw rocks at a small child named Henry building sand castles. He throws stones, but purposely misses, because, ââ¬Å"there was a space round Henry, perhaps 6 yards in diameter, in which he dare not throw. Here, invisible yet strong, was the taboo of the old lifeâ⬠(56).Even after his long time away from adults, he is still socially conditioned to avoid harming others. However, this civilization was declining rapidly: ââ¬Å"Rogerââ¬â¢s arm was conditioned by a civilization thatâ⬠¦ was in ruinsâ⬠(56). The decline of civilization's hold is unnoticed by Ralph; he becomes fixated on the fire that is built to attract the attention of any nearby ships or planes. Encouraged by Piggy, Ralph feels that ââ¬Å"the fire is the main thingâ⬠(102) and insists that a si gnal fire be kept up at all times. Ralph focuses on a return to civilization and normality.Jack, however, focuses on living by instinct ââ¬â hunting pigs becomes his obsession. He has a bloodlust: ââ¬Å"He tried to convey the compulsion to track down and kill that was swallowing him upâ⬠(51). He is more than content to live on the island, without civilization; he is happy to do so. The two boys differ on the issue of government, as well. Ralph insists on a democracy and allows the group to vote on certain issues. All boys are allowed to speak at meetings if they have a mind to do so; a conch found at the beginning of the novel is held by a boy when he wishes to address the group.This is perhaps one of the strongest remnants of his time in civilized England: the belief that all people deserve representation, regardless of their abilities. Jack, however, adopts more of a dictator like attitude, as illustrated when he says to Ralph, ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s time some people knew t heyââ¬â¢ve got to keep quiet and leave deciding things to the rest of usâ⬠(102). He symbolizes the idea that the strong survive, so the strongest must govern. Ralph and Jack have a sort of mutual respect for each other, but they are very different and do not know exactly what to do with one another. They walked along, two continents of experience and feeling, unable to communicateâ⬠¦ They looked at each other, baffled, in love and hateâ⬠(55). Jack is jealous of Ralphââ¬â¢s position as chief, however, and after a long meeting during which Ralph set forth new rules for the group, Jack leaves and starts his own tribe. Because Jack and his elite circle of friends have the ability to hunt and get meat, many of the boys join his tribe. Only Sam, Eric, Simon, Piggy and Ralph remain in the civilized group on the beach. After most of the boys join Jackââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"tribe,â⬠hunting becomes the primary focus for that group.They spend much of their time hunting an d this provides excitement and entertainment for the boys: ââ¬Å"[T]he sow staggered her way ahead of the, bleeding and mad, and the hunters followed, wedded to her in lust, excited by the long chase and the dropped bloodâ⬠(135). After this killing, Jack orders Roger to ââ¬Å"[s]harpen a stick on both endsâ⬠(136), then proceeds to thrust one end of the stick into the ground. On the other end, he shoves the head of the pig and says, ââ¬Å"This head is for the beast. Itââ¬â¢s a giftâ⬠(137). This grotesque act provides the explanation for the Beast when a boy named Simon finds a pigââ¬â¢s head on a stick in the forest.Simon has a sort of psychotic episode where the pigââ¬â¢s head ââ¬â who is referred to as ââ¬Å"the Lord of the Fliesâ⬠(138) ââ¬â speaks to him. The Lord of the Flies says, Iââ¬â¢m the Beast. Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill! You knew, didnââ¬â¢t you? Iââ¬â¢m part of you? Close, close, clo se! Iââ¬â¢m the reason why itââ¬â¢s no go? Why things are the way they are? We are going to have fun on this island! (143-144) The Beast is not some animal that disappeared in the morning, turning ââ¬Å"into them things like ropes in the treesâ⬠(36). Rather, the Beast is the animal nature within all humans, simply waiting for a chance to escape.This animalistic behavior is not limited to the gratuitously bloody and almost ritualistic killings of the pigs. After Simon ââ¬Å"listensâ⬠to the Lord of the Flies, he places the head of the slaughtered sow onto his head. The demented child knows that he is doing something abnormal: ââ¬Å"He knew that one of his times was coming onâ⬠(143). Simon continues to hear the voice of the Lord of the Flies as he covers his head with that of the dead pig. The voice gives a foreshadowing to the events that will soon follow when he tries to frighten the boy by saying, ââ¬Å"We are going to have fun on this island. Understand? We are going to have fun on this island!So donââ¬â¢t try [the head] on, my poor misguided boy, or elseâ⬠¦ Or else we shall do you? Do you. See? â⬠(144) The boy collapses and wakes up after he gets a nosebleed: ââ¬Å"With the running of the blood Simonââ¬â¢s fit passed into the weariness of sleepâ⬠(145). His fit, however, does not leave him without advice, because now he knows that the ââ¬Å"beast was harmless and horrible; and the news must reach the others as soon as possible. â⬠This last shred of hope for the humanity of the island, brought about by the psychotic episode of a young boy, never reaches the boys. By this time, Ralph and Piggy venture to Jackââ¬â¢s tribe to enjoy some meat.A small argument between Ralph and Jack ensues and Jack decides to have the tribe do their ââ¬Å"danceâ⬠as a way to show his power and the fun that the boys in the tribe have. Roger plays a pig and other boys pretend to attack him. A chant rises: ââ¬Å"Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood! â⬠(152) Suddenly a voice cries out, ââ¬Å"Him! Him! â⬠(152) and Simon stumbles out of the forest, covered in pigââ¬â¢s blood as well as his own. He desperately tries to convey the meaning of the Beast to the boys assembled, ââ¬Å"crying out something about a dead man on a hill,â⬠but the boys descend upon him in murderous rapture.To those children, Simon is the beast: ââ¬Å"The beast was on its knees in the center, its arms folded over its face. It was crying out against the abominable noise something about a body on the hill. â⬠Delighted by the prospect of destroying the Beast, ââ¬Å"the crowd surged after it, poured down the rock, leapt on to the beast, screamed, struck, bit, tore. There were no words and no movement but the tearing of teeth and clawsâ⬠(153). The boys on the island believe that they are killing the beast, when in reality, they are setting it free as they descend from the civilized heig hts of humans to the frightening, murderous behaviour of animals.Even this episode of violence is merely a glance into the darkness in the hearts of the boys. Simon's death could be looked upon as a momentary lapse in judgment, brought about by the fear of the boys. When Ralph suggests murder, Piggy insists that, ââ¬Å"It was dark. There was that ââ¬â that bloody dance. There was lightning and thunder and rain. We was scared! â⬠(157) He later puts the blame on Simon by saying, ââ¬Å"It was an accidentâ⬠¦ Coming in the dark ââ¬â he hadnââ¬â¢t no business crawling like that out of the dark. He was batty. He asked for it. It was an accidentâ⬠(157).Later, however, the frightening truth about the complete loss of societyââ¬â¢s restraints becomes apparent. Jackââ¬â¢s tribe decides that in order to cook their meat, they must have Piggyââ¬â¢s glasses so that they can start fires. A group raids Ralphââ¬â¢s tribe and the glasses are stolen. Piggy is hu rt and confused. He insists on going to Jack and telling him, [Y]ouââ¬â¢re stronger than I am and you havenââ¬â¢t got asthmaâ⬠¦ You can see, Iââ¬â¢m goinââ¬â¢ to say, and with both eyes. But I donââ¬â¢t ask for my glasses back, not as a favorâ⬠¦ Give me my glasses, Iââ¬â¢m going to say ââ¬â you got to! (171) Ralph replies with, ââ¬Å"All right. I mean ââ¬â you can try if you like. Weââ¬â¢ll go with you. Ralph, Sam, Eric and Piggy, the remaining members of that particular tribe, then go to see Jack. When they get to Jackââ¬â¢s fort, they demand Piggyââ¬â¢s glasses back and insist that the much larger group of boys keep up a signal fire: ââ¬Å"Your only hope is keeping a signal fire going as long as thereââ¬â¢s light to seeâ⬠(178).This comment is met with derision and laughter from the tribe and Jack commands his group of boys to grab Sam and Eric and tie them up. They do so, nervously at first, then with excitement and a sense of power. Ralph can no longer remain a diplomat; he yells at Jack, ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢re a beast and a swine and a bloody, bloody thief! (179) They begin to fight, but are interrupted by Piggy, who tries to sway the crowd towards civility. Roger, ââ¬Å"with a sense of delirious abandonmentâ⬠(180), pushes on a lever, releasing a large rock that the tribe had set up as a weapon. What follows is horrific: The rock struck Piggy a glancing blow from chin to knee; the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist. Piggy, saying nothing, with no time for even a grunt, traveled through the air sideways from the rock, turning as he wentâ⬠¦ Piggy fell forty feet and landed on his back across the square red rock in the sea.His head opened and stuff came out and turned red. Piggyââ¬â¢s arms and legs twitched a bitâ⬠¦ [t]hen the sea breathed again in a long, slow sighâ⬠¦ andâ⬠¦ the body of Piggy was gone (181). Ralph is in shock and his ââ¬Å"lips form ed a word but no sound cameâ⬠(181). Jack takes this opportunity to cry ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m chief! â⬠and attack Ralph while he is off guard. He does this ââ¬Å"[v]iciously, with full intentâ⬠(181) and Ralph flees for his life. Jack then allows to Roger to use force to convince Sam and Eric to join his tribe. Ralph hides for a while, but later that night, he goes back to the fort when he knows that Sam and Eric are on duty.Those boys are terrified of Jack and Roger and they insist that Ralph leave. First, however, they warn him that the tribe is ââ¬Å"going to huntâ⬠him tomorrow and that they would ââ¬Å"throw [their] spears like at a pigâ⬠(188-189). As a last warning, he is told that ââ¬Å"Roger sharpened a stick at both endsâ⬠(190). This indicates that Jackââ¬â¢s plans are no idle threat; he and Roger plan to kill Ralph, then put his head onto a stick and drive the stick into the ground as a sacrifice to the Beast. Horrific as this may seem, perhaps this is the best sacrifice possible, because the Beast is the inhumanity in all people and the loss of civilization.The murder of Ralph would serve as the ultimate concession to murderous desires and blood lust, for such an event would indicate a total abandonment of societyââ¬â¢s mores. The hunt begins and soon Ralphââ¬â¢s hiding place in a nearly impenetrable thicket. Even Ralph is shown to have descended into animalism as he considers what he would do in the event that a boy finds him: ââ¬Å"He felt the point of his spear with his thumb and grinned without amusement. Whoever tried that would be stuck, squealing like a pigâ⬠(193). His safe area is destroyed, however, when the tribe sets fire to the thicket and Ralph is forced to flee.A chase ensues and Ralph runs onto the beach, falls, and staggers to his feet. Standing before him is a British naval officer, who seems to think that the boys have been playing a game. In an amused fashion, he asks Ralph how many boys have died and the child responds with, ââ¬Å"Only two. And theyââ¬â¢ve gone. â⬠The naval officer is astonished and turns away for a moment. The group of boys begins to sob and Ralph is the loudest of these: And in the middle of them, with filthy body, matted hair, and unwiped nose, Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of a manââ¬â¢s heart, and the fall through the air of a true, wise friend called Piggy. 202) In the end, a rescue by an English adult is all the saves that boys from the ultimate fall from societyââ¬â¢s grace: the planned murder of an innocent. The idea is clear throughout the novel, however, that the social conditioning impressed upon the boys decreases in influence as time passes with no reminder from a true figure of authority. William Golding proves through his novel that the animalistic nature in all humans is reigned in only by the rigid constraint of civilization.
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