American Alligator Primary Habitats

Alligator mississippiensis is in the family Crocodylidae. This family has existed since the upper Triassic period, but the modern family members appear in the fossil record as little as 80 million years ago. There are three subfamilies, Alligatorinae, Crocodylinae, and Gavaialinae. Some people also include a fourth subfamily, Tomistominae, which contains a single species, the False Gharial. Alligatorinae includes the American and Chinese alligators and the caimans. Crocodylinae includes the crocodiles. Gavaialinae contains the gharials (or gavials). The alligators are unusually tolerant of cold and have been found frozen in ice at the most northern parts of their ranges (Beck). All of the family Crocodylidae is endangered. However, the American alligator has undergone a dramatic population resurgence because of human protection. Restrictions are still in place on capturing alligators from the wild (Beck). Studies have shown that using hormones such as norethindrone can be used to feminize alligator embryos at the male producing temperature (Lance, 79). This could lead to a way to help alligators increase in numbers of both sexes as well as help other members of the family Crocodylidae. Alligators are important ecologically and are dependent on the spatial and temporal patterns of water fluctuations. Patterns of courtship, mating, nesting, and habitat use are all dependent on marsh water levels. Alligators are a great study organism to study the adaptations and responses to the seasonal changes to the hydrological conditions in the everglades. Alligators seem to be able to adjust the height of the nest egg cavity based on the spring water levels, which historically indicated the water levels later in the nesting season. Water levels also determine the availability of food therefore affecting the patterns of growth and survival. Alligators are most abundant in central sloughs, which is probably due to recommendations regarding managing hydrological conditions for alligators focused on maintaining alligators in central slough habitats (Mazzotti, 485). The American alligator is one of the keystone species in the Florida everglades and other marsh systems. It is the only large, abundant, widespread nonmarine carnivore left in the southeastern United States (Mazzotti, 485). They are spread as far west as reserves in Texas, and their northern boundary is in South Carolina. The interesting thing about alligators is the temperature determination of sex. At 29? C all females will be produced. At 32? C all males are produced. Temperatures in-between will produce mixed sets of young. The lower the temperature the less yolk there is for the young, there fore the young turns out smaller and female (Allsteadt, 76). It would be the opposite for warmer temperatures. The female alligator chooses the nest site, which in turn determines the sex of the young. The sex of the young is determined in the first two-thirds of incubation. During the final third of incubation the quality of the young is determined. Snout length, carcass lean dry and lipid mass, and yolk sac lean dry and lipid mass are determined by the final third of the incubation period (Congdon, 497). These characteristics could affect the vitality of the young in competition after they hatch. In South Carolina growth rates of alligators were thought to be slower, but it seems that alligators reach sexual maturity at a later age and larger body size than alligators elsewhere. It is assumed that the delayed breeding of alligators in South Carolina may be related more to social dominance than to growth rates. It is essential that age and size relations need to be understood better if alligators are to be managed effectively (Wilkinson, 397). All alligators, caimans, gavials, and crocodiles are carnivorous. In the wild, each depends upon a somewhat different selection of prey from its local fauna. For captive specimens, diet should vary with the size of the animal and the availability of prey. Small captives will do well on small animals (e. g.. goldfish, insects, or mice. ) As the reptile grows, its diet should change from mice to rats to rabbits, chickens, and other suitable larger prey. It's prudent to supplement meals with added calcium. Reptiles are susceptible to a variety of cutaneous and deep mycotic infections, however relatively few cases are reported in the American alligator. A juvenile alligator in Texas was captured that was covered with a fungus-like material, which was a dermetophillic fungus (Foreyt, 530). This could indicate that alligators are becoming more susceptible to cutaneous infections. Since alligator's sex is determined by temperature there is a problem with primarily one sex being born. This causes a major problem since you have to have both male and female to produce young in alligators. Many surveys of juveniles and adults show a male-biased ratio, although a female-biased ratio exists in Louisiana. From a study of 25 nests with 778 hatchlings a ratio of 1 male to every 3. 8 females was determined (Rhodes, 640). However since sex ratios vary temporally and spatially, long tern studies in representative habitats would be required for adequate ratios. Hypoxic incubated alligator eggs temp to hatch later and produce smaller young. Their hematocrit was significantly higher after hatching. Alligators exposed to 20% Oxygen maintained oxygen consumption relative to their normoxic siblings despite their lower mass (Warburton, 44). Obviously being in hypoxic conditions wouldn't be life threatening to a certain point, but in future competition being smaller than the rest of the alligators is not a good quality. Humans as usual are a threat to any type of wildlife including alligators. Thirty farms in Florida's swampland are currently raising an estimated 100,000 alligators. They sold nearly 26,000 adult skins in 1995. The price for skins has increased 67% since 1993, and 30 % from 1995 to 1996 (Good). With skins being worth more each year, $150. 00 in 1996, more people may decide to take a risk in capturing alligators from the wild to sell skins. This could be detrimental to the wild population of alligators. However in 1998 trappers reported a decline in the demand for alligator skins resulting in a decrease in the price for skins. This helps slow programs where alligators that frighten people are killed (Falling, 6). If skins become popular again programs like these would hurt the population. This program has flaws because most alligators are relatively calm. The psychological orientation of alligators is interesting. It appears that alligators tend to regard humans as animals larger than themselves and thus will not generally attack a human without provocation. However, they will certainly look after their interests, and a small number of accidents have occurred when their predatory or protective instincts were inadvertently triggered. Crocodilians will attack in self-defense, to obtain food, and to protect their young up to two years after birth. Indeed, the outstanding parental care they afford is unique among herps and (along with certain anatomical features) illustrates the close alliance of this family to birds and, ultimately, dinosaurs (Beck).

Combination Therapy in Heart Failure

The ability of the heart to pump blood Is impaired and It can no longer meet the bodys metabolic requirements Table 1 . New York Heart Association Classiflcation of Heart Failure. Remme W], Swedberg K. Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic heart failure. European Heart Journal. [Online] 2001; 22(17): 1527-1 560. during the rest or exercisel. By treating HF we try to relieve patients symptoms, Improve their quality of life, prevent hospitalization and most importantly prolong their life. The treatment Includes Improved diet (reduced salt intake), physical activity and pharmacological treatment.There are numerous angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs), vasodilators, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors Ramipril) and beta-blockers (Carvedilol). We will have a look at the last two classes. They have been PATHOPHYSIOLOGY The previous hemodynamic model was not adequate and was therefore replaced by neurohormonal model, which involves Reninangiotensin-aldosterone-sys tem sympathetic nervous system 1 , (RAAS) 3 is summarized in Figure 1. The activation of RAAS leads to vasoconstriction, oedema and myocardial fibrosis, which are induced by Angiotensin Ill . roven to be very efficient in HF by numerous clinical studies2-4. SYMPTOMS AND SIGNS HF involves many symptoms such as dyspnoea fatigue, and ankle oedema. l The signs of HF are achycardia (>100 beats per minute), tachyarrhythmia, tachypnoea, distended Jugular murmur and S3 and S4 heart sounds. The Figure 1 . pathophysiology of heart failure and different levels of therapeutic intervention. Taken from: Perrenoud J]. Heart failure (Part 1). European Geriatric Medicine. [Online] 2011; 2(3): 159-171. ccurrence of these symptoms and signs depends on One of the earliest neurohormonal changes in HF is the severity of heart failure and whether it is caused sympathetic activation and it has a primary role in vein, peripheral oedema, hepatomegaly, heart by systolic dysfunction or diastolic dysfunction . isease progression. Left ventricular remodeling, cell death and changes in gene expression are believed to be the main mechanisms that induce ejection fraction8-11. Because it is very potent, small myocardial doses of the tablet should be taken at the start of damage nervous stimulation 10. treatment (3. 125mg) twice daily.The dose is Heart failure can be categorized in predominantly gradually increased up to maximum of 50mg twice systolic dysfunction where the emptying of the left daily8. ventricle is not optimal and predominantly diastolic dysfunction where the filling of the left ventricle is Molecular targets ot optimall -6. As mentioned above, its major molecular targets are membrane receptors (?l, ?2 and 01). It acts on ion TREATMENT channels (Ca2+ and K+) as well. Carvedilol inhibits As mentioned above, the disease can be treated cardiac voltage-dependent potassium IKr channels using several different drug classes4.Multidrug with high potency, voltage-dependent calcium therap y is widely used in patients with heart failure. channels as well as Ca2+-permeable transient receptor potential (TRP) family channels in Failure Zealand cardiomyocytes and in vascular smooth muscle Carvedilol Trial) have been conducted to test the ells. Furthermore, a study conducted by (Kikuta et benefits of different combinations of drugs. It was al. , 2006) suggests that the drug blocks ATP- proven that these therapies significantly reduce the sensitive (KATP) and G-protein-activated (KG) risk of mortality and improve the symptoms. otassium However, hyperinsulinemia and hypoglycemia. It is believed implementing multi drug therapy. ACE inhibitors that the KG channel is opened by G protein in can cause hypotension, cough, and worsen the renal response to stimulation of G-protein-coupled function. Cough can cause patient noncompliance, uscarinic acetylcholine receptors in atria and sino- which in turn may result in the need of different drug therapy. Beta-blockers can cause bradyca rdia, channel would result in anti-cholinergic effects in hypotension, fatigue and fluid retention.Also, in the heartl 2. Study patients there with Australian-New are risks diabetes, associated beta-blockers channels. This results in could Pharmacodynamics Carvedilol is a racemic mixture of R and S Carvedilol enantiomers. Both enantiomers show al receptor Carvedilol is a non-selective beta-blocker (?l and inhibition. However, only S enantiomer inhibits ? ?2) has drenoreceptors. It competitively blocks both ?l and vasodilatation and antioxidant effects. Previously it ?2 receptors. The drug reduces high blood pressure be mainly due to the al and ? blockage.The inhibition contraindicated in HF as it has negative ionotropic of al receptor lowers total peripheral vascular effect. However, studies have shown that carvedilol resistance. Hence, it reduces afterload and balances in combination with ACE inhibitors improves the negative ionotropic effect the ? inhibition. As a function of the heart, especially left ventricular result, the stroke volume and cardiac output are al-blocker. elieved that Furthermore, carvedilol it should maintained or even increased. The systemic arterial The effects of carvedilol are summarized in figure pressure is lowered without reducing the renal 3. lood flow13-14. The antioxidant effects carvedilol and some of its metabolites are due to the presence of carbazole moiety (shown in Figure 2). In myocardial cell membrane carvedilol inhibits lipid peroxidation. Moreover, endothelial, vascular and neuronal smooth muscle cells from reactive oxygen species. Metabolite SB209995 is much more potent antioxidant than carvedilol itself. Animal studies have shown (Feuerstein et l. , 1998) heart failure imbalances the production of reactive oxygen species and the oxidant defense mechanism. The consequence is an excess of free radicals.This may result in cytotoxic effects as well as cardiovascular remodelingl 3. Figure 3. Molecular targets, pharmacodyn amics and clinical implications of carvedilol. Cheng J, Kamiya K, Kodama l. Carvedilol: Molecular and Cellular Basis for its Multifaceted Therapeutic Potential. cardiovascular Drug Revvtevs. coniine] 2006; 19(2): 152-71. Therapeutic efficacy Many different controlled clinical studies were made in order to determine the efficacy of carvedilol. The most known are COPERNICUS, CAPRICORN and USCHFS. They have all shown significant reduction in morbidity and mortality in comparison placebol 5-16.COMET investigating the difference between carvedilol and metoprolol efficacy. The study showed that the allcause mortality was lower with carvedilol (34%) Figure 2. Chemical structure of carvedilol (with postulated active sites) and its active metabolites. * denotes the point of assymetry. Taken from: Cheng J, Kamiya K, Kodama l. Carvedilol: Molecular and Cellular Basis for its Multifaceted Therapeutic Potential. cardiovascular Drug Rewtevs. coniine] 2006; 19(2): 152-71. Carvedilol aids lipid met abolism as it prevents the oxidation of low-density lipoproteins (LDL).It is known that LDL has destructive effects endothelial cells. Carvedilol also inhibits the Renin-angiotensin system (RAS). Hence, the production of Angiotensin II is lowered. Furthermore, studies on cardiac rat myocytes showed that carvedilol enhances the production of nitrite. It is therefore believed that it can increase the NO synthesis through some adrenoreceptor independent mechanism. However, the role of excessive amounts of NO in the diseased heart remains unclear 13-14. than with metoprolol (40%) as shown in figure 417. Figure 4.All-cause Mortality between Carvedilol and Metoprolol. Poole-Wilson PA, Swedberg K, Cleland JGF et al. Comparison of carvedilol and metoprolol on clinical outcomes in patients with chronic heart failure in the Carvedilol or Metoprolol European Trial (COMET): randomized controlled tnal.

Ib Psychology Sociocultural Notes

Explain the formation of stereotypes and their effect on behavior. †¢Definition: Stereotypes assign similar characteristics to all members of a group, despite the fact that the group members may vary widely from one another. †¢Characteristics: †¢social-cognitive theories: †¢our social world is very complex and presents us with too much information †¢since our capacity to process information is limited, there is a need to simplify our social way †¢one of the way to avoid information overload is social categorization †¢these are stereotypes Stereotypes simplify information processing in social perception †¢stereotypes are schemas as they: are energy-saving devices, automatically activated, stable and resistant to change, affect behavior. †¢Not stable across cluture Studies COHEN Cohen presented participants with a videotape showing a woman having dinner with her husband. Half the participants were told that the woman was a waitress and the r est that she was a librarian. At a later memory test, participants showed better recall for stereotype- consistent information. Those who thought she was a waitress remembered her beer drinking.Participants who thought she was a librarian were more likely to remember that she was wearing glasses and was listening to classical music. Like the studies on the effects of schemas, Cohen’s study shows that we are likely to notice and subsequently remember information which is consistent with our stereotypes. FISKE AND DYER Like all schemas, stereotypes are formed over time on the basis of relevant experiences. For Fiske and Dyer (1985), stereotype formation begins with the learning of independent schema elements. For example, the formation of a ender schema for ‘female’ begins with isolated elements such as ‘girls dress in pink’ and ‘girls play with dolls’ whereas, ‘boys dress in blue and play with cars’. With advancing age additi onal elements are added, such as information about gender-appropriate behaviours and work-related preferences. Eventually, strong associations form between all the various elements and a single schema emerges. Once formed, repeated practice in the use of the schema may lead to such levels of integration that it can be activated automatically and unconsciously seen then. Bargh Participants in this experiment were asked to complete a test involving 30 items.This task was presented to the participants as a language proficiency task. Each of the 30 items consisted of five unrelated words. For each item participants had to use four of the five words to form, as fast as possible, a grammatically correct sentence. There were two conditions in this experiment. In one, the task contained words related to and intending to activate the elderly stereotype (e. g. grey, retired, wise). In the other condition, the words used were unrelated to the elderly stereotype (e. g. thirsty, clean, private). After completing the experimental tasks, participants were directed towards the elevator.A confederate, sitting in the corridor, timed how long the participants took to walk from the experimental room to the elevator. †¢Bargh et al. found that participants who had their elderly stereotype activated walked significantly more slowly towards the elevator than the rest of the participants. Priming of this stereotype must have taken place unconsciously. As Bargh et al. note, the task words did not directly relate to time or speed and no conscious awareness of the elderly stereotype was ever in evidence for the duration of the study. Illusory correlationThese researchers asked participants to read descriptions about two made-up groups (Group A and Group B). The descriptions were based on a number of positive and negative behaviours. Group A (the majority group) had twice as many members than Group B (the minority group). In the descriptions, Group A members performed 18 positive and 8 negative behaviours. Group B members performed 9 positive and 4 negative behaviours. So, for both groups, twice as much of the information involved positive, rather than negative, behaviours. Clearly, there was no correlation between group membership and the types of behaviours exhibited by the groups.However, when asked later, participants did seem to have perceived an illusory correlation. More of the undesirable behaviours were attributed to the minority Group B, than the majority Group A. Hamilton and Gifford’s explanation of their findings is based on the idea that distinctive information draws attention. Group B members and negative behaviours are both numerically fewer and therefore more distinct than Group A members and negative behaviours. The combination of Group B members performing negative behaviours, therefore, stands out more than the combination of Group A members performing such behaviours.This causes the illusory correlation. †¢Explain social learnin g theory, making reference to two relevant studies. Social Learning theory: In particular social learning theorists emphasise the role of observation and imitation of role models. In general, social development is seen as a continuous learning process, rather than as happening in stages. -If children were passive witnesses to an aggressive display by an adult they would imitate this aggressive behavior when given the opportunity. -The researchers attempted to reduce this problem by pre-testing the children for how aggressive they were.They did this by observing the children in the nursery and judged their aggressive behaviour on four 5-point rating scales. It was then possible to match the children in each group so that they had similar levels of aggression in their everyday behaviour. The experiment is therefore an example of a matched pairs design. Controlled 24 in a group The findings support Bandura's Social Learning Theory. That is, children learn social behaviour such as aggre ssion through the process of observation learning – through watching the behaviour of another person.The findings from this and similar studies have been used in the argument that media violence might be contributing in some degree to violence in society. The obvious criticism of this argument is that there are many other factors influencing whether or not we are likely to imitate screen violence. One of the major factors is perhaps the level of aggression we already have, which might have been learned, in our family relationships or elsewhere. The major criticism of the Social Learning Approach to child development is its oversimplified description of human behaviour.Although it can explain some quite complex behaviour it cannot adequately account for how we develop a whole range of behaviour including thoughts and feelings. We have a lot of cognitive control over our behaviour and simply because we have had experiences of violence does not mean we have to reproduce such beh aviour. It is also worth noting that the Social Learning Approach has little room for the role of inherited factors or for the role of maturation in development. This theory assumes that humans learn behavior through observational learning – in other words, people can learn by watching models and imitating their behavior.Explain Attention: The person must first pay attention to the model. Retention: The observer must be able to remember that behavior has been observed. Motor reproduction: The observer has to be able to replicate the action. Coding/remember the act. Motivation: Learners must want to demonstrate what they have learned. Whether or not they like the model. Liking. Rewards/punishment. Identification. Consistency. Internalized outcome expectancies. Increases the likelihood of carrying out. If we identify with the model (we want to be like them) Bandura: Reinforcement is not necessary for learningVicarious- Unintentionally picking up something. Indirect learning. Un conscious. This theory assumes that humans learn behavior through observational learning – in other words, people can learn by watching models and imitating their behavior. Attention: The person must first pay attention to the model. Retention: The observer must be able to remember that behavior has been observed. Motor reproduction: The observer has to be able to replicate the action. Coding/remember the act. Motivation: Learners must want to demonstrate what they have learned. Whether or not they like the model. Liking. Rewards/punishment.Identification. Consistency. If we identify with the model (we want to be like them) Internalized outcome expectancies. Increases the likelihood of carrying out. Bandura: Reinforcement is not necessary for learning Vicarious- Unintentionally picking up something. Indirect learning. Unconscious. Conscious Control condition – The children were shown the film with the adult behaving aggressively towards the Bobo doll. Model-rewarded co ndition – Children saw the same film used in the control condition but after the aggression was over, a second adult appeared in the film to reward the aggressor with sweets and a soft drink.Bobo dolls are clown-like dolls with a weight in the bottom. They are designed in such a way as to always bounce back when knocked down. Model-punished condition – As the model-rewarded condition, but the second adult scolded and spanked the model for behaving aggressively. After viewing the film, all the children were taken individually into a playroom with several toys which included a Bobo doll and a mallet. While in the playroom, the children’s behaviour was observed for a period of 10 minutes and any acts of aggression similar to those performed by the model were recorded.The control and the model-rewarded groups showed an equal level of aggressiveness towards the Bobo doll (2. 5 acts). The model-punished condition was associated with significantly fewer aggressive acts (1. 5 acts). However, when at a later stage the children were asked to reproduce the behaviour of the model and were rewarded for each act of aggression they displayed, they all (regardless of which original condition they were in) produced the same number of aggressive acts (3. 5 acts). Bandura’s study exemplified and supported the following features of SLT.Vicarious (observational) learning – The children clearly learned specific aggressive behaviours by observing the adult model. The learning manifested during the second part of the study was based on vicarious reinforcement or punishment as the children were never rewarded or punished themselves. Reinforcement or punishment was necessary for performance not learning: All children behaved in an equally aggressive manner towards the Bobo doll when rewarded to do so. Selective imitation in 14-month-old infants (Gergely et al. , 2002) This experiment used 14-month-old infants as participants and involved two condition s.Hands-free condition – In this condition, the infants observed an adult place her hands on a table. Following this, she used a strange action to illuminate a light box: she bent over and pressed the box with her forehead. One week later, the same infants were given the opportunity to play with the box; 69% of them used their head to illuminate the light. Hands-occupied condition – Infants in this condition observed the adult perform the same strange action to illuminate the box. In this condition, however, the model was using her hands to hold a blanket around her shoulders.This rendered the hands unavailable for other actions. When given the opportunity one week later to play with the box, only 21% of the infants illuminated the light by using their head. The rest used their hands to press the light. Discussing their findings, Gergely et al. note that in the hands-occupied condition infants seem to have assumed that the adult used her head because she had to. But th is constraint did not apply to the infants. In the hands-free condition, the adult could have chosen to use her hands. She did not.The children seem to have assumed there must have been a reason for this choice, so they copied it. †¢Discuss the use of compliance techniques (for example, lowballing, foot? in? the? door, reciprocity). Aronson et al. (2007) define compliance as ‘a form of social influence involving direct requests from one person to another’. A demonstration of the FITD technique (Freeman and Fraser, 1966) These researchers arranged for a researcher, posing as a volunteer worker, to ask a number of householders in California to allow a big ugly public-service sign reading ‘Drive Carefully’ to be placed in their front gardens.Only 17% of the householders complied with this request. A different set of homeowners was asked whether they would display a small ‘Be a Safe Driver’ sign. Nearly all of those asked agreed with this requ est. Two weeks later these same homeowners were asked, by a ‘volunteer worker’, whether they would display the much bigger and ugly ‘Drive Carefully’ sign in their front gardens. 76% of them complied with this second request, a far higher percentage than the 17% who had complied in the first condition.In a second study, Freedman and Frazer (1966) first asked a number of householders to sign a petition in favour of keeping California beautiful, something nearly everybody agreed to do. After two weeks, they send a new ‘volunteer worker’ who asked these homeowners whether they would allow the big and ugly ‘Drive Carefully’ sign of the previous study to be displayed in their front gardens. Note that the two requests relate to completely different topics, but nearly half of the homeowners agreed with the second request.Again, this is significantly higher than the 17% of homeowners who agreed to display the sign in the absence of any pri or contact. But, how could the findings of the second experiment be explained? According to Freeman and Frazer (1966), signing the petition changed the view the homeowners had about themselves. As a result, they saw themselves as unselfish citizens with well-developed civic principles. Agreeing, two weeks later, to display the ‘Drive Carefully’ sign reflected their need to comply with their newly-formed self-image.Not only do commitments change us but also, to use Gialdini’s own expression, they ‘grow their own legs’. Sherman (1980) called residents in Indiana (USA) and asked them if, hypothetically, they would volunteer to spend 3 hours collecting for the American Cancer Society. Three days later, a second experimenter called the same people and actually requested help for this organization. Of those responding to the earlier request, 31% agreed to help. This is much higher than the 4% of a similar group of people who volunteered to help when approa ched directly. Low-ballingIt involves changing an offer to make it less attractive to the target person after this person has agreed to it. A demonstration of lowballing (Burger and Cornelius, 2003) In this study, students were contacted by phone by a female caller and asked whether they would be prepared to donate five dollars to a scholarship fund for underprivileged students. There were three experimental conditions. The lowball condition – Students were told that those who contributed would receive a coupon for a free smoothie at a local juice bar. Students who agreed were then informed that the investigator realized she had run out of coupons.The students were asked if they would still be willing to contribute. 77. 6% agreed to make a donation in this condition. The interrupt condition – The caller made the same initial request as in the lowball condition. However, before the participants had a chance to give their answer, the caller interrupted them to let them know that there were no more coupons left. Only 16% of the participants made a donation in this condition. The control condition – Participants were simply asked to donate the five dollars without any mention of coupons. 42% made a donation in the control condition.The results support the view that the lowball technique is based on the principle of commitment. The technique is effective only when individuals make an initial public commitment. Once they have made this commitment, individuals feel obliged to act in accordance with it even when the conditions that led to them making the commitment have changed, (Cialdini, 2009). †¢Discuss factors influencing conformity (for example, culture, groupthink, risky shift, minority influence). Examine the role of two cultural dimensions on behaviour (for example, individualism/collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, Confucian dynamism).We have already defined the terms individualism and collectivism as used by Hofstede. Cultures di ffer with respect to how they socialize their members to develop identities that are either individually or collectively based. In individualistic cultures: -the personal is emphasized more than the social -persons are viewed as unique -individual autonomy and self-expression are valued -competitiveness and self-sufficiency are highly regarded. Societies high on collectivism are characterized by giving priority to the goals of important groups (e. g. xtended family, work group) and define one’s identity on the basis of one’s membership of such groups. So, in collectivist cultures: -the social is emphasized more than the personal -the self is defined by long-standing relationships and obligations -individual autonomy and self-expression are not encouraged -there is more of an emphasis on achieving group harmony rather than on individual achievement. It is not that members of individualistic societies do not have the need to belong or that their identities are exclusivel y personal identities.SIT was after all developed in individualistic counties (e. g. UK, Australia) to explain primarily the behaviour of members of those societies. However, they are less focused on group harmony or doing their duty for the types of mostly traditional group that collectivist societies are based on (Brewer and Chen, 2007). This hypothesis was tested in a field experiment–experimental study by Petrova et al. (2007). Their study involved over 3000 students of a US university. Nearly half were native US students and the rest were Asian students at the same university.All were sent an e-mail asking them to participate in a survey. A month later, the students received a second e-mail asking them whether they would agree to take part in an online survey. Petrova et al. obtained the standard FITD effect. The proportion of students who had agreed to the first survey and then agreed to the second was higher than the proportion who had initially agreed to the first sur vey. More importantly, the researchers also found that compliance was twice as strong with the native US students as it was with the Asian students for the second equest. This finding is even more remarkable if one takes into account that the first request led to a higher level of compliance among the Asian students. Bond and Smith (1996) carried out a meta-analysis of 133 conformity studies all using the Asch paradigm. The studies were carried out in 17 countries. The meta-analysis showed that more conformity was obtained in collectivistic countries like the Fiji Islands, Hong Kong and Brazil than in individualistic countries like the USA, the UK or France (Table 4. 2).Bond and Smith’s findings are consistent with the way that the individualism/collectivism dimension was portrayed earlier (pages 135–136). Members of collectivistic countries value conformity because it promotes supportive group relationships and reduces conflicts. This, agreeing with others in collecti vist societies is more likely to be viewed as a sign of sensitivity than one of submission to somebody else’s will, which is the way it is often perceived in individualistic cultures (Hodges and Geyer, 2006). Many have argued that time is not defined and perceived in the same way everywhere.To a significant extent, the way humans experience time is influenced by their culture (Hall, 1959). In 2001, Hofstede proposed a classification of cultures based on their time orientation. In the mid-80s, Bond asked a number of Chinese social scientists to create a list of what Chinese people viewed as their basic values (Hofstede and Bond, 1988). A questionnaire, based on this list, was then administered to people in 23 countries. The outcome of this project was the emergence of a fifth cultural dimension, not related to the other four originally identified by Hofstede (page 000).The additional dimension was called Confucian dynamism because it reflected Confucius’s ideas about th e importance of perseverance, patience, social hierarchy, thrift and having a sense of shame. The new dimension was later renamed long-term vs short-time orientation. Cultures scoring high on this dimension show a dynamic, future-oriented mentality. These are cultures that value long-standing, as opposed to short-term, traditions and values. Individuals in such cultures strive to fulfil their own long-term social obligations and avoid loss of face. Cultures with a short-term view are not as concerned with past traditions.They are rather impatient, are present-oriented and strive for immediate results. In practical terms, the long-term versus short-term orientation refers to the degree to which cultures encourage delayed gratification of material, social, and emotional needs among their members (Matsumoto and Juang, 2008). †¢Seven of the ten highest ranking countries on Hofstede’s time orientation dimension were in Asia. Western countries tended to be more short-term orie nted. In eastern countries, characterized by a long-time orientation, patience is valued more than in Western countries.Based on this, Chen et al. predicted that part of the Western mentality is to place a higher value on immediate consumption than an eastern mentality. They investigated this idea in an experimental study using 147 Singaporean ‘bicultural participants’. This technique uses participants who have been exposed extensively to two different cultures (in this case, Singaporean and American) and assumes that both can affect behaviour depending on which is more actively represented in the mind at any particular moment. Chen et al. electively activated one or the other of the two cultures by presenting half the participants with a collage of easily recognizable photos which were relevant to Singaporean culture and the other half with a collage of photos relevant to US culture. Impatience was tested by having the participants perform an online shopping scenario i n order to purchase a novel. The book could be delivered either within four working days for a standard fee or next day for an additional charge. The extra money participants were willing to pay for faster delivery of the book was used as a measure of impatience.Chen et al. found that US-primed participants valued immediate consumption more than the Singaporean-primed participants. Strong support of cultural differences in time orientation comes from an impressive study by Wang et al. (2009). They surveyed over 5000 university students in 45 countries and compared them on time orientation. They found, for instance, that students coming from what they call long-term orientation cultures were also more likely to postpone immediate satisfaction and wait for bigger rewards later.Ayoun and Moreo (2009) used a survey method to investigate the influence of time orientation on the strategic behaviour of hotel managers. A questionnaire was posted to top-level hotel managers in the USA and Th ailand. Compared to US managers, Thai managers were found to place a stronger emphasis on longer-term strategic plans and a stronger reliance on long-term evaluation of strategy. Cultural differences in time orientation also seem to relate to everyday behaviours.Levine and Norenzayan (1999) measured how fast people walked a 60-foot distance in downtown areas in major cities, the speed of a visit to a post office, and the accuracy of clocks in 31 countries. They found that life pace, as indicated by the activities they measured, was fastest in countries like Switzerland, Ireland and Germany and slowest in Mexico, Indonesia, Brazil, and Syria. The last three studies are natural experiments and, in effect, observational studies. Their findings should, therefore, be interpreted with caution as no confident causal statements can be made in the absence of adequate extraneous variables.

Ancient Greek Religion Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ancient Greek Religion - Research Paper Example Thesis statement: The ancient Greek religion is entirely different from other religions because the same does not represent monotheism, but is symbolic of the unique characteristics of the different branches of Greek culture (say, Greek mythology, Greek gods and theology). Ancient Greek religion and mythology One can see that ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology are interconnected. Besides, this connection is based upon a number of mythical tales on the relationship between the gods and human beings. Walter Burkert opined that â€Å"The most important evidence for Greek religion remains the literary evidence, especially as the Greeks founded such an eminently literary culture† (4). When one goes through Greek mythology, one can see that most of the Greek heroes (say, Hercules, Odysseus etc), sought help from the Greek gods. Unlike other religions, ancient Greek religion provides less importance to cosmogony. On the other side, ancient Greek religion is not a single relig ion based upon a single god or the designer of all the things that can be seen in the universe. Instead, the ancient Greek religion consists of a number religious beliefs generally know as a single religion. This unique characteristic of ancient Greek religion led to different viewpoints on the creation of the universe. On the other side, most of the stories related to Greek mythology provide ample importance to warfare and the involvement of the gods in the same. For instance, the Trojan War is an important theme in Greek mythology, in which the Greek gods did extend their help to the needy. Besides, Greek mythology can be considered as the backbone of Roman literature and the origin of epic poetry. So, one cannot ignore the importance of Greek mythology and its pivotal role in the evolution of ancient Greek religion. This proves that the existence of Greek mythology is deeply indebted to the Greek gods and ancient Greek religion. Ancient Greek religion and gods As a group of relig ious beliefs based upon polytheism, ancient Greek religion possessed a number of gods/goddesses. Bernard Evslin stated that â€Å"The Greeks accepted the idea that there were many gods and that they were very near† (113). Besides, Mount Olympus is symbolic of the dwelling place of most of the Greek gods/goddesses. Among the Greek gods/goddesses, Zeus was most important. Still, the ultimate power and influence over the other gods/goddesses can be considered as a hereditary status inherited by Zeus from his forefathers. So, one can easily identify that ancient Greek religion provided ample importance to their gods/goddesses. Besides, the ancient Greeks provided certain human characteristics to their gods. For instance, the ultimate power was not vested upon any god/goddess. Instead, Greek gods/goddesses possessed families and their individual power represents the hierarchy of power. The ancient Greeks were interested in religious ceremonies and ritualistic practices/festivals. Within this context, they made use of altars to prove their loyalty and respect towards their gods/goddesses. In addition, the devotees were allowed to believe in any god. The devotees used to worship their gods/goddesses by presenting valuable objects. Daniel Ogden stated that â€Å"Sacrifice was the central act of Greek religion, but unlike a vase or a statue dedicated to a deity, a sacrifice

Mong Schoolchildrn Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mong Schoolchildrn - Essay Example This book rvls th story of young tchr's lif nd work in th Klly School, prt of th Holyok, Msschusts school systm. Th book provids insight into wht it is lik tching in multiculturl clssroom nvironmnt nd how importnt it is to b bl to monitor nd djust to troubld studnts, how vitl it is to chng your mthods of working, whr tching 24/7 profssion, not 8:00-5:00 job. During th whol yr Chris tckls not only issus of difficult studnts but prsonl issus s wll. This book provids futur tchrs with much rquird glnc t th rlitis of tching whr strss of bing tchr is vidnt. From Sptmbr to Jun, Chris Zjc, compssiont, dvotd tchr struggls with th nrly suprhumn tsk of tching innr-city childrn, mny from impovrishd nd brokn homs. .It fls lik you r in th clssroom with Mrs. Zjc. Trcy Kiddr dscribs rl tchr nd hr studnts nd tks th rdr with thm through th school yr. Zjc mngd to rlt th problms s wll s th succsss in th clssroom. Zjc is th kind of tchr tht prnt would wnt thir child to b round, bcus sh dos not only tchs bsic skills nd knowldg, but lso nturs nd dls with childrn who com to th clssroom with lot of bggg. Mrs. Zjc posssss ll trits tht vry tchr should hv: tough in loving wy, disciplind, slf-wr, nd willing to confss to hr own fults. Onc in whil whn sh rlizd tht sh is probbly boring, sh tris to shk up th lsson to void wtching bord studnts. Mrs. Mrs. Zjc is wondr tchr tht vry child should hv t lst onc in thir grd school crr, bcus sh posss ll ncssry qulitis of n xcllnt tchr. Sh is sympthtic, lmost to fult, bcus somtims sh givs too mny scond chncs to pupils who try to disordr hr clss, but sh lso mngs to gt through ll of thm, vn th ons who hd to b rmovd. Sh is hrd-working tchr nd lwys brings hom both th ppr grding nd th worris in which sh constntly rumints on ch studnt's lif nd how sh cn improv it. Sh dos not lv tchr flings t th school door nd s rsult lmost ll of innovtiv ids build up whil sh broods t hom ovr som kid's dilmm. Sh hs big hrt, nough to mbrc nd provid thm with unconditionl lov, spcilly to thos who xprincs hrdships t hom or vn to thos who dos not vn hv hom.In ordr to b n ffctiv tchr on hs to nturlly possss ll thos trits nd b bl to us thm in ordr to gt through to thir studnts. It is chllnging to b bl to s th diffrnc btwn "problm studnts" nd "good studnts" nd th chllngs thy prsnt in vry dy situtions. Th mjority of studnts in Mrs. Zjc's clss r Hispnic-- growing truth throughout th Unitd Stts--so long with th vrydy frustrtions of vry tchr, w s tht Mrs. Zjc hs n dditionl worklod imposd mrly by th prsnc of lngug brrir. Looking t fiv min rs of Mrs. Zjc's clssroom cn giv n insight into wht mks hr good tchr nd thos trits includ: tchr's intrction with th studnts, studnts' intrction with th tchr, studnts' intrction with othr studnts, contnt, nd nvironmnt.Sh intrcts in such wy tht studnts hv prcption tht sh wnts th bst out of thm, so thy try hrd in ordr to mt thos xpcttions. Whn Hnritt wntd to quit working on hr mth, Mrs. Zjc just tris to rpt hr xpcttions by sying, " No, Hnritt. You cn't quit. You hv to kp trying. You cn't just quit in lif, Hnritt." By following nd mting thos xpcttions, studnts t som point will try to outprform vn. nothr lsson tht cn b drivd from Mrs. Zjc's styl of tching is hr ttitud towrds trting studnts , whr sh sys "Trting studnts qully oftn mns trting thm vry diffrntly." Sh undrstnds tht vry studnt's bst is diffrnt, but just th fct tht h of sh trid to rch thir bst is lrdy nd indictor of succss. For xmpl, sh rlizd tht th ssy tht Jimmy wrot ws hug

The Separation of the Church and the State In the United States of Research Paper

The Separation of the Church and the State In the United States of America - Research Paper Example However, it could be noticed that the impending procedure of the law and how the church usually meddles with the procedures of the state in implementing the law in several occasions make this particular aim of separating both factors of the society somewhat unreal at several points of consideration (Boston, 2005, 18). This is the primary reason why this particular study is being commenced. The examination of the situation is indeed an important discussion as it directly affects the entire society and how religion and the law could be balanced as they are exercised in society. The issue being discussed in this paper is primarily based on the basic idea of the need of separating the responsibilities as well as the power of church and the state. This is primarily because of the separate aims of both sectors that make them particularly different from each other. Mixing both sectors of social function certainly brings about different conflicts within the systems of both sectors of the soc iety. (Mc Whirter, 1994, 16) The demarcation line between the state and the church begins with the educational amendments of the American practice in assisting the students gain knowledge about the Divinity of Religion towards the political involvement of the church within the different occasions that the government intend to decide on several issues that concern the society (Owen, 2000, 32). Because of the believed guidance that the church receives from the Grand Creator of all Things, some people tend to derive decisions from the church rather than simply relying on the law. (Hamburger, 2002, 47) Certain Protestant clergymen of the United States give much lip service to the principle of the separation of church and state. They loudly denounce any breaching of that wall by others, such as former President Truman's proposal to send an ambassador to the Vatican. But do they respect that wall of separation between church and state when it conflicts with their own interests to do so They do not (Owen, 2000, 43). Th e "Released Time" program by which school children are released from public schools so that they can take religious instructions elsewhere is a case in point. This program breaches the wall of separation in that it uses the state's compulsory school machinery to supply classes for religious organizations (Awake! 1989, 24).     

Gender & Migration from a Rural Caribbean Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Gender & Migration from a Rural Caribbean - Essay Example In this process of migration of human beings caused the increase of infections and nutritional diseases. The measures taken to improve the public health system by supply-improved nutrition's food items and medicine, some people in the developed nations had undergone a second epidemiological transition. In this transition period, there was an element of deceivers in infections diseases whereas degenerating conditions prevailed in the increase of non-infections diseases and chronic diseases. Â  At present, with more use of antibiotics, the people are facing a third epidemiological transition which is nothing best a new birth of infectious diseases, pathogens which have antibiotic-resistance. These pathogens potential of being transmitted globally on a large scale. Â  In a Paleolithic period, human beings dwelt in small, and sparsely settled groups. The size of the population and density was low during the Paleolithic period. The population size had been balanced as the births and deaths rates in small. Â  A dramatic change of increase in the size of the population and density occurred after Neolithic revolution. ... Â  There were associations of gender kinship with reproduction in rural Dominica. Â  As groups of kinship become larger and competition from locals increase leads to lessening the benefits to kinship. In Bwa Mawego, the reproductive success increased to an optimal mix of the group where it starts to decline. Men's migration was influenced by access to matrilineal inherited properties for commercial and agriculture. For this reason, the young adults delayed their reproduction till they have acquired adequate resources for their children in Bwa Mawego. Â  The youth complain that they would go for migration as a few jobs and educational facilities were available in Dominica. Further, to add, people in Bwa Mawego were willing for migration, as the young women had not prepared to become life partners with jobless youth. The men were ready to get married only after sound financial position. Migration is one of the means for improvement of reproduction chances. Â  Bwa Mawego is one of the least developed rural villages in Dominica. She is an island situated at the dead end of narrow, mountainous road. There are about 700 residents. The source of income for many families is cash crops. The economic activities are very limited to commercial agriculture and fishing.

When I came to the USA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

When I came to the USA - Essay Example When I first came to America, I was very nervous and depressed that I left part of my family and my home. I had also left my comfort zone. Obviously, it was a big blow in my life because I was leaving everyone behind. Everything I have ever known including my culture, my friends, and my country and my life were something I was stepping beyond when I crossed into the United States. However, I understood that this sacrifice was what I needed as I began my new life. Without a doubt, it was a challenge for me as I had to assimilate. As a child growing up in my home country, I was an average kid who loved to play sports and tried very hard in school. However, when my parents decided to come to America, the transition was without a doubt one that was difficult. I had to adapt to a new language, new customs, and a whole new culture. Yet, I never gave up even though I came from an environment where things were more conservative than how they are in United States. The questions that were always longing in my head, ‘Would I make new friends?’ Or ‘Will I ever fit in?’ Also, ‘Will I ever feel like I am comfortable and at home?’ These questions taunted me and sometimes still do. However, coming to America was an adventure and a new way of life and I was and am ready to push aside these questions in order to progress and make a better life for myself here in the United States. When my brother and I travelled to the U.S.A., we had a very weary time. Our journey was so long and in midst of coming to the States, we did not even have a last proper meal. You can imagine the anxiety, sadness and even the excitement in our hearts. It was a chaotic moment where I had mixed emotions. I can remember that when we landed in the airport, all I could think was that the flight was really long. I had not been able to sleep in the airplane because of the loud humming noise of the engine. Additionally, I was too anxious to land to

Pediatric Palliative Care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Pediatric Palliative Care - Essay Example From that point of view, implementation of pediatric palliative care would need to involve palliative care networks and all children's services (Carroll et al., 2007). The key feature of pediatric palliative care is involvement of the adults, in many cases who are parents. The right for families to have their views heard is of prime importance. This right extends to research, and the research should incorporate an adequate representation of the reality of lived experiences of both the children and their caregivers. Small-scale research findings on their own are unlikely to play a crucial role in policy-making or provision. It has been expected that the impact of the evidence may gradually enter into the thinking of policymakers and practitioners (Rallison and Moules, 2004). Palliative care nursing that support the life-limited children and their families must draw on the findings from the relevant recent research. In this assignment, the palliative care nursing and its role will be d escribed followed by an examination of best practices as evidenced in recent literature. Palliative care services have rich opportunities to support children and their families through living out their stated ethos in practice. Pediatric palliative care with its broad approach to symptom management, psychosocial, spiritual, and practical care has the potential to help enormously in the care and relief of suffering of these children and their families, particularly as it is relatively inexpensive. In other words, pediatric palliative care embraces a philosophy that attends to the psychological, physical, spiritual and social needs of the child and their family (Maunder, 2006). This care has been described as a concept where there is a shift of emphasis from conventional care that focuses on quantity of life towards a commitment to care which enhances quality of life. It has been recommended that palliative care should be an integral part of clinical practice, available to all child patients. Such a philosophy presents a major challenge both clinically and culturally, dem anding that all providers including nurses work together to ensure seamless care that will meet the needs of medically vulnerable young people and their families (Powaski, 2006). Increasing numbers of very sick children are surviving as a result of advances in medicine and nursing. Many children die in a year as a result of progressive conditions needing palliative care. Some have a life-limiting condition with some palliative care needs, for half of whom the needs will be substantial. Evidence suggests that while some undergraduate medical and nursing educational programs provide a general overview of palliative care, they often include only a brief review of the pediatric specialty. A model for structured reflection on palliative care nursing has been described that focused on exploration of the challenges of palliative care nursing. The model was based on 6 types of knowledge or ways of knowing, scientific, personal, socio-political, spiritual, ethical, and aesthetic. The model required nurses to reflect on the aims of the professional interactions, and the sources of the knowledge used for specific types of practice in palliation. It also included questio ns focused on whether actions were consistent with beliefs of patient autonomy, promotion of quality of life, compassionate care, family involvement, and symptom control (Souter,

Ted Turner Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ted Turner - Research Paper Example The research paper "Ted Turner" analyses the leadership qualities of Ted Turner, who is the owner of the Cable Network Channel, CNN. This includes exploring the ways in which he has established the vision in the organization and led people towards realizing that vision. The project explores the unique qualities and attributes of Turner as a leader. Particular reference is drawn in ways in which has realized an unconventional and innovative vision in the organization, his social and ethical concerns towards society, the type of structure and culture he established in the organization and his motivational techniques at the workplace. Ted Turner is a legendary example of an entrepreneurial visionary leader. This is demonstrated by the fact that he could assess and pick up a trend which people would want in the long run. This was the vision behind starting an all-news cable channel which could be accessed by people at any time of the day. CNN, besides being an immense commercial success is also a complete transformation and revolution in the way people avail news from across the globe. After the establishment of the vision, Ted worked towards implementing the vision with tenacity and will. The entrepreneurial visionary leadership of Turner gets reflected through his first purchase of channel 17, a television station in Atlanta which had a weak UHF signal. Industry experts had expected that the plan would fail even before it started. He has been particularly successful in implementing his vision in the organization and influencing his employees in believing. ... This was the vision behind starting an all news cable channel which could be accessed by people at any time of the day. CNN, besides being an immense commercial success is also a complete transformation and revolution in the way people avail news from across the globe. After establishment of the vision, Ted worked towards implementing the vision with tenacity and will. The entrepreneurial visionary leadership of Turner gets reflected through his first purchase of channel 17, a television station in Atlanta which had a weak UHF signal. Industry experts had expected that the plan would fail even before it started. However, the station emerged as a success on Turner’s application of a certain new technology which eventually revolutionised the television industry. Turner has been particularly successful in implementing his vision in the organization and influencing his employees in believing and realising that vision. Even while the Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) was spreading a cross the country, cable programs were generally regarded as producing old and low rated shows and programs. The industry was expecting for quality content and demanded high from HBO and Turner Broadcasting System. For an individual who hardly watched television programs, Ted Turner had a passion for savvy programming in his television stations. This is partly because he could perceive that which others could not, i.e. the values which lay hidden the old and worn out television movies and shows. He influenced his men and followers to believe that instead of running the shows on rental basis, he should rather own them so that he could run them frequently and as often as he wished to. Establishing this vision in the organization

The Byzantine Empire Essay Example for Free

The Byzantine Empire Essay The Byzantine Empire, sometimes known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the predominantly Greek-speaking continuation of the eastern half of the Roman Empire during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Its capital city was Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), originally founded as Byzantium. It survived the 5th century fragmentation and fall of the Western Roman Empire and continued to exist for an additional thousand years until it fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1453. During most of its existence, the empire was the most powerful economic, cultural, and military force in Europe. Both Byzantine Empire and Eastern Roman Empire are historiographical terms created after the end of the realm; its citizens continued to refer to their empire as the Roman Empire. Several events from the 4th to 6th centuries mark the transitional period during which the Roman Empires east and west divided. In 285, the emperor Diocletian (r. 284–305) partitioned the Roman Empires administration into eastern and western halves. The borders of the Empire evolved significantly over its existence, as it went through several cycles of decline and recovery. During the reign of Justinian I (r. 527–565), the Empire reached its greatest extent after reconquering much of the historically Roman western Mediterranean coast, including north Africa, Italy, and Rome itself, which it held for two more centuries. During the reign of Maurice (r. 582–602), the Empires eastern frontier was expanded and the north stabilized. However, his assassination caused a two-decade-long war with Sassanid Persia which exhausted the Empires resources and contributed to major territorial losses during the Muslim conquests of the 7th century. In a matter of years the Empire l ost its richest provinces, Egypt and Syria, to the Arabs. The final centuries of the Empire exhibited a general trend of decline. It struggled to recover during the 12th century, but was delivered a mortal blow during the Fourth Crusade, when Constantinople was sacked and the Empire dissolved and divided into competing Byzantine Greek and Latin realms. Despite the eventual recovery of Constantinople and re-establishment of the Empire in 1261, Byzantium remained only one of several small rival states in the area for the final two centuries of its existence. Its  remaining territories were progressively annexed by the Ottomans over the 15th century. The Fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire in 1453 finally ended the Empire. The Major Causes for the Fall of the Roman Empire Antagonism between the Senate and the Emperor Decline in Morals Political Corruption and the Praetorian Guard Fast expansion of the Empire Constant Wars and Heavy Military Spending Barbarian Knowledge of Roman Military Tactics Failing Economy Unemployment of the Working Classes (The Plebs) The Mob and the cost of the Games Decline in Ethics and Values Slave Labor Natural Disasters Christianity Barbarian Invasion The Antagonism between the Senate and the Emperor. The Roman Emperor had the legal power to rule Rome’s religious, civil and military affairs with the Senate acting as an advisory body. The emperor had power over life and death. The powerful, spoilt, wealthy Roman Emperors inevitably became corrupt and many lived a debauched, deluded and immoral lifestyle. The Roman Empire saw many examples of antagonism between the Senators and the Emperors. Either the Senators didnt like the Emperor or the Emperors was at odds with the Senators. One of the main causes for the Fall of the Roman Empire was the Decline in Morals. The decline in morals, especially in the rich upper classes, nobility and the emperors, had a devastating impact on the Romans. Immoral and promiscuous sexual behavior including adultery and orgies. Emperors such as Tiberius kept groups of young boys for his pleasure, incest by Nero who  also had a male slave castrated so he could take him as his wife; Elagabalus who forced a Vestal Virgin into marriage, Commodus with his harems of concubines enraged Romans by sitting in the theatre or at the games dressed in a womans garments. The decline in morals also affected the lower classes and slaves. Religious festivals such as Saturnalia and Bacchanalia where sacrifices, ribald songs, lewd acts and sexual promiscuity were practiced. Bestiality and other lewd and sexually explicit acts were exhibited in the Colosseum arena to amuse the mob. Brothels and forced prostitution flourished. Widespread gambling on the chariot races and gladiatorial combats. Massive consumption of alcohol. The sadistic cruelty towards both man and beasts in the arena. One of the main causes for the Fall of the Roman Empire was the Political Corruption and the Praetorian Guard. The power of the Praetorian Guard, the elite soldiers who made up the bodyguard of the emperor, led to political corruption and grew to such an extent that this massive group of soldiers decided on whether an emperor should be disposed of and who should become the new emperor! The story of Sejanus, who was the commander of the Praetorian Guard during the reign of Tiberius, illustrates the extent of the power of the Praetorians. At one point the Praetorian Guard sold at auction the throne of the world to the highest bidder. Another cause, was the Fast expansion of the Empire. The rapid growth in the lands conquered by the Empire led to the need to defend the borders and territories of Rome. The people of the conquered lands, most of whom were referred to as Barbarians, hated the Romans. Taxes on the non-Romans were high and constantly increased. Frequent rebellions arose. One of the main causes for the fall of the Roman Empire was the Constant Wars and Heavy Military Spending. Constant warfare required heavy military spending. The Roman army became over-stretched and needed more and more soldiers. The barbarians, who had been conquered, and other foreign mercenaries were allowed to join the Roman army. One of the main causes for the fall of the Roman Empire was the Barbarian  Knowledge of Roman Military Tactics. The knowledge that the Barbarians gained of Roman style of warfare and military tactics by serving in the Roman army were eventually turned against the Empire and led to the sack of Rome by the Visigoths led by an ex-army soldier, Alaric. One of the main causes for the fall of the Roman Empire was the Failing Economy and high inflation. The Government was constantly threatened by bankruptcy due to the cost of defending the Empire, the failing economics, heavy taxation and high inflation was another cause for the fall of the Roman Empire. The majority of the inhabitants of the Roman Empire failed to share in the incredible prosperity of Rome. The amount of gold sent to the orient to pay for luxury goods led to a shortage of gold to make Roman coins. Roman currency was devalued to such an extent that a system of bartering returned to one of the greatest civilizations the world had ever known. One of the main causes for the fall of the Roman Empire was the Unemployment of the Working Classes. Cheap slave labor resulted in the unemployment of the Plebs in Rome who became dependent on hand-outs from the state. The Romans attempted a policy of unrestricted trade but this led to the Plebs being unable to compete with foreign trade. The government was therefore forced to subsidize the working class Romans to make up the differences in prices. This resulted in thousands of Romans choosing just to live on the subsides sacrificing their standard of living with an idle life of ease. The massive divide between the rich Romans and the poor Romans increased still further. One of the main causes for the fall of the Roman Empire was the Mob and the cost of the Gladiatorial Games. If the thousands of unemployed Romans became bored this led to civil unrest and rioting in the streets. The Mob needed to be amused spectacular gladiatorial games had to be provided. The cost of the gladiatorial games was born by the Emperors, and therefore the state, and corrupt politicians who sponsored the games to curry favor and support with the Mob. The cost of the gladiatorial games eventually came to one third of the total income of the Roman Empire. One of the main causes for the fall of the Roman Empire was the Decline in Ethics and Values. Life became cheap bloodshed led to more bloodshed and extreme cruelty. The values, the ideals, customs, traditions and institutions, of the Romans declined. The basic principles, standards and judgments about what was valuable or important in life declined. The total disregard for human and animal life resulted in a lack of ethics a perverted view of what was right and wrong, good and bad, desirable and undesirable. Any conformity to acceptable rules or standards of human behavior was being lost. One of the main causes for the fall of the Roman Empire was the Slave Labor. The number of slaves increased dramatically during the first 2 centuries of the Roman Empire. The Romans dependency on slave labor led not only to the decline in morals, values and ethics but also to the stagnation of any new technology to produce goods more efficiently. Romans could rely on the slave manpower for all their needs but this reliance inhibited technological change and growth. The treatment of slaves led to rebellion and several Servile (Slave) Wars, the most famous being the revolt led by the gladiator slave, Spartacus. In the later centuries of the Empire and the advent of Christianity the attitudes towards slaves changed. With manumission (the act of freeing a slave) the number of slaves declined together with the manpower that Rome was dependent upon. One of the main causes for the fall of the Roman Empire were the Natural Disasters. During the time of the Roman Empire there were not only foreign wars, civil wars, street fights, fires and revolts there were also natural disasters such as plagues, famines and earthquakes. As in all periods and societies the people looked for someone to blame and different religions to turn to. One of the main causes for the fall of the Roman Empire was Christianity. Life and the future seemed hopeless for the millions of people who were ruled by Rome where an early death was almost inevitable. Christianity taught the belief in an afterlife which gave hope and courage to the  desperate. Eventually the Roman Emperor, Constantine the Great, proclaimed himself a Christian and issued an edict promising the Christians his favor and protection. Attitudes in the Roman Empire changed from being antagonistic to becoming calm. In conclusion the last of the causes for the Fall of the Roman Empire was the Barbarian Invasion. Rome had fierce foreign enemies. There were great Barbarian armies consisting of warriors such as the Visigoths, Huns and the Vandals. The final death blow to the Roman Empire was inflicted by these Barbarians. The city of Rome was sacked by the Visigoths in 410 and by the Vandals in 455 signaling the disintegration of Roman authority and the fall of the Roman Empire.

Manipal University Letter Of Recommend Essay Example for Free

Manipal University Letter Of Recommend Essay I am serving as Associate Professor in Department of Computer Science at Manipal University, Jaipur and before that I served for 9 years as a Professor in Department of Information Technology at Poornima College of Engineering. I am glad to hear of his decision to invest in a global academic tenure and am pleased to write this recommendation in support of Nitin’s application for admission to the Graduate Program at your institute. I am well aware of the responsibilities of serving as a recommender and can assure the committee of the authenticity of my statements herein. I have known him for over 4 years and have come to know him quite closely in my capacity as his professor and project guide. I taught him his related courses: Open Source Technology, Design and Analysis of Algorithms, Datamining and Warehousing, Computer Networks and Information Protection and Security. I have also supervised him in laboratory and seminar work. Nitin has shown a great interest in my class from day one and has convinced me of a deep interest in the field of Networking and Security. I have had the opportunity to guide him over the period of one year in his main research interests. He has been uniquely inquisitive about the Linux Systems deployed in practice and of late has shown great interest in Network and Security Administration. He has given a seminar on Ethical Hacking to his peers and is now a Certified Ethical Hacker. He and his team developed a Software Application named â€Å" Spithra â€Å" through which you can run some windows program like Notepad++, VLC, Counter Strike game, Web Browser in Linux. As the project relies heavily on the use of Linux Essentials, Nitin painstakingly got conversant in its use. He is very regular and punctual in submitting his assignments. He is systematic and assiduous in his approach. He does not hesitate to seek clarification, which helps him in a clear understanding of the logic and the concepts. In fact some of his questions set me thinking and this helped me to learn in the process. He is an unobtrusive, silent performer and wears his attributes well. He enjoys an excellent reputation and has earned the respect of his teachers and peers alike. He is very articulate and this enables him to interact well and to participate in various activities, including teaching and research. Nitin proved himself at every point of the program he was pursuing and was definitely an asset to our institution. His pleasant disposition enables him to work productively in teams and convinces me of his ability to groom as a researcher. I think that his zeal for learning and his perseverance as well as his industriousness amply qualify him for graduate studies. In summation I would say Nitin is an appropriate candidate for this program and will contribute energetically to both the cultural and academic environment there. An opportunity to undertake Master’s Program will definitely enhance the candidate’s profile and open up for him the kind of research platforms that he is ideally suited for. I therefore request a favorable review of his candidature and also financial assistance for him so that he is facilitated in his efforts. I recommend Nitin without any reservations and request the Admission Committee to review his application favorably. Dr. Sumit Srivastava Associate Professor, Deptt. of Computer Science Manipal University, Jaipur sumit. [emailprotected] com.

Understanding Sustainability in Architecture

Understanding Sustainability in Architecture Chapter 1: Understanding Sustainability in Architecture Project Objectives The essay primarily intends to investigate inclusion of the sustainable environmental design by architectural professional and school of architecture in their practice and academics. Sustainability has been buzz word from late 60s and continuously becoming and will be important in field of built environment. Lets see some of the definitions of sustainability in built environment. Sustainable design is described as a philosophical approach to design that seeks to maximize the quality of the built environment while minimizing or eliminating the negative impact to the environment (McLennan, 2004, P.P.10). Sustainability in architecture has many facets such as Natural Resource planning, Environmental, Social, Technological and Adaptability/flexibility to the changing world. In practice, design is better able to respond quickly to the here and now and to envisage the future, than is policy development (Williamson, Radford Bennetts 2003). However the implementation of the aspects of the sustainability is quiet debatable in the professional practice at mass level. For the mass level implementation policy level intervention is necessary as the policy is indirectly affecting the project. There are certain aspects of sustainability such as the economic and impact on the environment might be considered to a certain extent. Probably impact on the environment is considered due to statutory requirement for obtaining the development permissions for typically larger development projects. There are no set formula to achieve sustainability in architecture, but a proper balance of appropriate technologies, energy efficient, eco-friendly architecture would show the way us direction. Along with this, the social and cultural aspects should not be overlooked. The answer is probably that we shall never find single satisfactory definition but the searching is more important than finding (Bryan Lawson (2002) Sustainability in the built environment is unremitting process. Therefore we (Architect) need to update our self about all aspect in order response the situation .The conscious evaluation of the buildings should be done with respect the energy efficiency, economy, user response, and impact on the environment. There is need to promote sustainability in all the possible ways, one then would be by designing the sustainable building and transferring, maintaining ethic by educating our future vice versa . Background In 2007, the UK government declared that all new housing and schools should be zero carbon by 2016 and all buildings are expected to be zero carbon by 2019. So students admitting in this year (2009) should equip with sustainable design tools at the time they graduate. The architectural practice as well as academics should be ready for the situation. Students entering architecture programmes in 2009 need to have all the skills necessary to meet these requirements by the time they graduate. The two questions facing the design community are: how can we enable architectural educators and students to respond appropriately to the challenge of climate change and what are the new pedagogic paradigms that are required to facilitate this? The last UK review of architectural education in relation to sustainable design teaching revealed a major split between studio teaching and academic lecturing in technology. At the same time, Guy and Moore have identified that there are many plural approaches to sustainable design in architecture, making it difficult to formulate any changes unless these are directly responsive to the modes and cultures of teaching involved. They have called for symposia and other dialogical spaces that can address matters pragmatically. This paper identifies key barriers and opportunities within the UK architectural edu cation system in relation Problem identification Problem at academic level Problem at practice level Problems at social level The essay intends to find out whether the professional architects and academics believe in sustainable environmental design in their thought process in practice or academics. This would gives clue why this not happening in practice and academics, further this build foundation for what should be done to cultivate values sustainable environmental design in the practice as well as academics. This essay also intends the find out the what is actually helping or retarding the implementation of the sustainable environmental design. This findings of attitudes at practise level is very important in a way, as at professional level architects tends to obtain specific knowledge about sustainability without caring the ethical issues aside There are different views regarding inclusion and exclusion of the sustainable environmental design in practices as well as also in academics. Following relevant arguments from the advisory board meeting which postulates views of architect regarding sustainability in architecture and process of academics as well the accreditation. I am surprised when other practices do not take environmental design and sustainability in to account (Bill Gething RIBA and Feilden and Bradely Studios) Further he argued that sustainable environmental design is personalized approach for design, professionals often learn this from case studies,courses,books,articles. Mr.John Pringle people do not value energy efficiency and carbon reduction it has to come from the legislative framework.I kind of partially disagree on this argument.In my view we cannot change peoples thinking by the legislative framework although its one way of doing it. I partially I feel its partially architects responsibility educate the client. As per Mr. Mario most important aspect is to understands relation of building with environment and teaching the creativity,sensitivity in Architecture.We may have Broad range of interpretations for the word creativity and sensitively. In my view creativity is really something that cannot be taught what the best we can do is we can environment which provoke creativity .Further urges to look at the vernacular architecture and understand the unseen environmental design reasons. The accreditation process in European countries differs in terms of durations and process of accreditation.The environmental design is optional but still possibility of the students to opt.According to him the building regulations are compromising the implementation of the environmental design. In Germany the syllabus is similar to European rules i.e. 4 years degree followed by 2 years of practice. Environmental design is not measurable concept (Mr. Oliver Heiss ). This quiet valid argument in way environmental is truly non quantifiable it is developed thru experience and practice In Belgium the structure of architecture quiet different in way they have two diplomas i.e. architect engineer and engineer architect, years of study is 5 years academic and 2 years of professional practice. The evaluation of accreditation takes place after every 6 years. According to him there is not enough understanding and knowledge about the subject. In United Kingdom the course duration is 7 years i.e. 3 years under graduate studies 2 years diploma and 2 years of the professional practice. RIBA has introduced minimum requirement environmental design in Architecture but it has been interpreted by each school differently. You need registration to practice but you dont need registration for designing building. In Spain its architectural course duration is 6 years. The major hurdle is student lack of interest and lecturers lack of knowledge, further the new regulation approved in Spain is drafted by engineers so doesnt include architectural components. Mr Mario states suggested continuous professional development is a key. While Mr. Simos stressed on sensitivity of the subject. Mr .Geathing spoke about the gap between the code prediction and actual energy used. Mr Simos postulate need of evaluation of the building critically. According to Mr.Sabestian simplification of basics for architecture and can have specialist for environmental design. Mr Jolan urges to consider the heritage conservation in the environmental design. Mr. Brian stressed need built up knowledge at undergraduate level and in his opinion students must get the basics right at undergraduate level. These views expressed are diverse, important and practical. I feel its a collective responsibility of universities; accreditation councils and most importantly need from our society.Although boundary is quiet between these stakeholders. Research question Do Professional Architects and Academics consider sustainable environmental design in their Practice and academic curriculum? Since the sustainable environmental design is broad subjects with many facets to it, for ease of understanding lets grouped this aspects as shown below Ecology and Energy aspects Passive environmental design Energy efficiency and carbon neutrality Renewable energy system Ecological management of resources User aspects Occupant comfort and well being Social sustainability The question investigates the attitudes of the Academics and architectural professionals. Subsequently question would require evidences from the both the worlds that is from the academics and professionals. By answering the question would lead to unveil the changing outlook of the potential architects regarding the sustainable environmental design. The section we would detail out the evidences and draw some hypotheses from the research methods. These hypotheses later tested on the secondary information. In order to answer the question research, the research method cannot be as simple or really straight forward due to the complexity of the problem to address. For the ease of understanding lets divide the question in to two parts. The first part deals with the understanding the thought process and design process of the design professionals. This would give the clue regarding what is going wrong at what level. This can be primarily be done through Semi- structured interviews of Building professionals to know their views and aspirations about the Sustainable environmental design and would also investigates whether they practice the Sustainable environmental design in their practice . Testing their view by analyzing the case studies Second part would be of academics these involves knowing the attitudes of the tutors via semi structured interview and also analyzing the course curriculum for inclusion of the sustainable environmental design in curriculum. Later the I intended look at the list of the thesis of the architecture thesis and dissertation in order understand whether budding architects attitudes towards sustainable environmental design. The further this study intends to reveal if there is differences between the academics and professional world. This would be necessary because professionals relay on their theoretical knowledge in the initial years and their analytical skill. This process of investigation would also revel if architects feel that inclusion of SED may marginalize their creative ability. Lastly the answering of the research question would exposed the changing attitudes of the new generations towards sustainable environmental design. Chapter 2: Literature review In order to solidify the argument of this essay, I have done some literature study of the similar topics. One of which is Learning from practice: a model for integrating sustainable design in architectural education by Maureen Trebilcock Where author has prepared the theoretical model for the integrating the sustainable environmental design in the architecture education. As part of methodology author had selected five case studies from Architects who are well known in the field of sustainable design. Here all the selected buildings were non Residential nature. Reason selecting non residential building is not clarified. Further my opinion there should be at least one residential building to get flavour of the Domestic as well as non domestic building. Reason for this is quantitatively housing forms major portion of any development. The case studies suggest that architectural education requires the development of attitudes, knowledge and skills crossing over intuitive, analytical and social dimensions in order to face the uniqueness and complexity of sustainable design.( Maureen Trebilcock 2008). There has been series of work shop held on the architectural education on climate change . The design of human settlements is a key factor for addressing carbon emissions, finite resource availability, ecological deterioration and climate change. The role of architectural education in promoting the principles and practices which address these issues is significant. New pedagogic paradigms are required to produce graduates endowed with holistic competences including environmental knowledge related to sustainable design.( FIONN STEVENSON1, ANDREW ROBERTS2, SERGIO ALTOMONTE)3 pertaining to this paper would form input to the essay in terms of understanding the barriers to the successful implementation of the Sustainable design in to the curriculum. Primary aim was to contribute to the development of environmental responsibility as a creative factor in the practice and pedagogy of architecture. As concept of the implementing sustainability (envisaging it would be transform in to practise) this paper reviews inferences learning form the workshops and ,and discussing the new methodologies and curriculum and also conflict between the sustainability between the other building sciences and in higher education and professional practise . As concept I like the idea of the representative built environments schools of different universities come together discuss the strength and weakness of the curriculum and form strategies for new teaching methodologies and syllabus which would probably reduce the conflict bet sustainability and other building disciplines in way if feel this concept as the as partially isolated in terms involvement of practise,which are the producer of the building stock. Involving the professions in to the workshop only can get ideal views so in way as concept I feel it kind of stitching and what is required much more intensified to achieve the deadline.

Gillette :: essays research papers

Gillette is leading worldwide home applicants, such as razor, battery, electronic and manual toothbrush, manufacturing company. On April 14, 1998, the company introduced the world’s first triple blades razor and begun to sell July 1, 1998 in the United States and September in the Western Europe. Since Gillette launched new razor in 1998, the company expected high returns in short-term; however, the result of the new product has been defined yet. SWOT ANALYSIS - Key Learning The areas of the internal factors are Finance, Management, Manufacturing, Market position, Personnel, and Research & Development. All these factors can be defined as either strengths or weakness or both. First of all, the company as a whole gained net sales amount of 10.1 billion dollars and net income of 1.4 billion dollars for the 1997 due to acquire leading battery company â€Å"Duracel† in 1996 and grow of â€Å"Sensor Excel† razor. As a result, company could spend 1 billion dollars to invent â€Å"Mach 3† which is triple blades razor. Even though Gillette had sufficient fund to invent the new product, the company took high risk of financial side that if the new product’s sale does not reach to company’s expectation, the company will face shortage of capital resources and can be lead to bankruptcy. But if Mach3 turn out to be a New Coke or McDonald’s Arch Deluxe – much-hyped new products that were mostly duds and fizzle- the gloom will be heavy from Gillette’s corporate headquarters in Boston’s Back Bay to the South Boston factory that Gillette has overhauled to produce 600 million Mach3 blade cartridges per year, or about half of Gillette’s annual target of 1.2 billion Mach3 blades. (Boston Globe, 4/15/98) Since Gillette introduced "Mach3" in April, the company changed its manufacturing tools to produce Mach3 South Boston's factory. Gillette already spent 300 million dollars for advertising and promotion worldwide for the year that company introduced new product. The amount is twice as much as the company put for advertising "Sensor Excel" in 1989. Gillette released the new product to retail stores on July 1, 1998, and starts to advertise on TV and the other media six weeks later; however, many people went to the company's web site to look at the new product. Even though company spent tremendous amount of fund for the advertising, some people from Asia did not recognize the product according to our group's survey. For customers, there are satisfaction and complaints for Mach3. People, who satisfied with Mach3 according to our survey, said there are less irritation and faster shaving time. Customers who complaint about Mach3 argue that they do not want to spend more money on better outlook. According to our survey, one hundred percent of

How The Adams-Onís Treaty Affected The Growth Of Our Nation :: American America History

How The Adams-Onà ­s Treaty Affected The Growth Of Our Nation Americans were interested in further expansion and looked to the weak Spanish provinces of East and West Florida. The Spanish were reluctant to give up what is now Florida, but in the end they worked out an agreement called the Adams Onis Treaty. In this essay I will describe how the Americans eventually got these provinces, the set backs of the signing of the treaty, and how it effected the economic growth of our nation. Americans living in West Florida between the Iberville and Perdido Rivers declared their independence, and President Madison ordered the Governor of New Orleans Territory to take control of the independent land. The Americans now had control over half the territory they wanted but this did not satisfy them, this only made them more eager to gain control of East Florida. Almost two years after this event peace concluded, but Spain still had possession of East Florida. This time Spain only had two solutions to avoid a shameful political break down over this region. One was to gain support of a European ally, and the second was to get some form of honor in this event by winning some of the United States best land else where in North America. The first plan fell through, Britain and other European nations refused to help Spain. They eventually fell to having discussions with the United States. The American government was entirely willing to have discussion of the East Florida issue become the end result of all Spanish-American boundary questions. John Quincy Adams was the Secretary of State and was the person taking care of all discussions between the U.S. and Spain. He saw that this was a perfect time to try to extend the boundary to the Pacific Ocean. Luis de Onà ­s was the minister of Spain at the time and he was the Spanish representative to the U.S. His instructions from the Spanish government was to transfer the Florida's to the United States in return for the American settlement west of the Mississippi. Onis was also to get a promise that the United States would not give material aid to, or recognize the independence of Spain's colonies in South America because of their lack of cooperation. Difficulties came up over negotiating a satisfactory boundary in the West and also over the command to put American military in East Florida in 1818.

managerial accounting :: essays research papers

Management accounting is concerned with the provision and use of accounting information to managers within organizations, to facilitate the managers in their decision making and management control functions. Unlike financial accounting information (which, for the most part, is made publicly available), management accounting information is used within an organization and is usually confidential. (Jiambalvo) The distinction between traditional and innovative management accounting practices can be illustrated by reference to cost control techniques. Traditionally, management accountants’ principal cost control technique was variance analysis, which is a systematic approach to the comparison of the actual and budgeted costs of the raw materials and labor used during a production period. While some form of variance analysis is still used by most manufacturing firms, it nowadays tends to be used in conjunction with innovative techniques such as lifecycle costing and activity-based costing, which are designed with specific aspects of the modern business environment in mind. Lifecycle costing recognizes that managers’ ability to influence the cost of manufacturing a product is at its greatest when the product is still at the design stage of its product lifecycle (i.e., before the design has been finalised and production commenced), since small changes to the product design may le ad to significant savings in the cost of manufacturing the product. Activity-based costing recognizes that, in modern factories, most manufacturing costs are determined by the amount of ‘activities’ (e.g., the number of production runs per month, and the amount of production equipment idle time) and that the key to effective cost control is therefore optimizing the efficiency of these activities. Both lifecycle costing and activity-based costing recognize that, in the typical modern factory, the avoidance of disruptive events (such as machine breakdowns and quality control failures) is of far greater importance than (for example) reducing the costs of raw materials.

China Essay

Given that the situation is in the context of the Han and T’ang periods in China, I expect for the musician to be in jeweled crowns with little jingling bells dangling from the edges. The musician might wear something like a court dress, which was the clothing worn during performance in sacrificial ceremonies. This clothing would have characteristics such as square sleeves, sloping necklines, red clothes, red shoes and a cicada-like hat. She would wear make-up as women in these periods wear make-up and even use little-make up boxes that carried their mirror, rouge, and lipstick. The musician is aesthetically pleasing, her eyebrows well plucked and designed, complimenting her face together with her make-up. Also, in the T’ang period, the female empress Wu Zhao was very much influential so I expect for the musician to be highly confident as women were empowered in that period. From the text, I think that Chou Yu is a strong man of authority. He is strict. He stands up straight and makes minimal movement but is very keen on the music the musician plays. According to research, Zhou Yu, or Chou Yu, was an important general during the Later Han period of the warlords Sun Ce and Sun Quan. He occupied the post of Leader of the court and later became governor of Jiangxa. He was aimed for development in China. He wanted an independent empire in southern China. As a woman, I think that Chou Yu’s strong personality and authoritative stature makes him a very desirable person. Being with someone who has so much power somehow makes you feel that you too, have that much power. The musician touching every wrong note now and then to get Chou Yu’s attention describes not only the characters themselves, but also, it describes well the dramatic situation between the two characters. The musician, although human and prone to error, committed errors by playing wrong notes every now and then. She was trying to gain Chao Yu’s attention. Maybe she was curious about Chao Yu or Chao Yu’s reaction to an error. Or more so, she wanted Chao Yu’s attention because she found her desirable. Knowing that Chao Yu is a man of authority, therefore being strict and keen on details, she thought of something that would very much gain Chao Yu’s attention, an error. During the T’ang period, concepts of women’s social rights and social status were perceived with a liberal-mind, although this was reserved only for urban women of elite status. In this period, also, men enjoyed the presence of assertive and active women. This only shows that her actions intending to get Chao Yu’s attention would most probably be appreciated by Chao Yu, if interpreted the way she wanted it to be interpreted. In this period, the government tried to pass a law forcing women to wear hats and veils to promote decency but failed. Women were much empowered in this time, wearing caps and sometimes, even no hats at all. They wore men’s riding clothes and boots and tight-sleeved bodices.