Anxiety Among Alcoholics and Non-Alcoholics Essay

Abstract Alcohol is one of the most widely used drug substances in the world. For many people, drinking alcohol is nothing more than a pleasant way to relax. People with alcohol use disorders, however, drink to excess, endangering both themselves and others. In the mental health area alcoholism is caused mostly by depression, anxiety and stress, on the other hand it also leads to depression and stress. The present study aims to compare depression and anxiety among alcoholics and non- alcoholics. It was assumed that depression and anxiety may be the risk factors for alcoholism. A sample of 100 people (50 alcoholics and 50 non-alcoholics) was randomly selected from Delhi. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) were used to collect data on depression and anxiety. t-test was administered to compare two groups. The result of the study showed that alcoholic group was higher on depression as well as anxiety than the non alcoholic group, and it was also found that there is n o clear cut casual relationship between alcoholism and depression and anxiety. Alcoholism is perhaps most strongly associated with antisocial personality disorder and drug abuse, but its relationship to other forms of psychopathology has become increasingly evident. In particular, investigations of alcoholic samples indicate a strong co-occurrence of alcoholism with diverse form of anxiety and depressive disorder (Barbor et al, 1992; Chambless et al, 1987; Hasegawa 1991; keller 1994; Nunes, Quitkin & Berman, 1988; Penick, 1994; Schuckit, Irwin & Brown, 1990). ______________________________________________________________________ *Associate professor, Deptt. Of Psychology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh **Research scholar, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh. According to Nijhawan (1972) Anxiety, one of the most pervasive psychological phenomenons of the modern era refers to a â€Å"persistent distressing psychological state arising from an inner conflict†. Depression can be defined as â€Å"a state of mind, or more specifically, a mental disorder, characterized by lowering of the individual’s vitality, his mood, his desires, hopes, aspirations and of his self-esteem. It may range from no more than a mild feeling of tiredness and sadness to the most profound state of apathy with complete, psychotic disregard for reality.† (Mendelssohn, 1963). Alcoholism can lead people into serious trouble, and can be physically and mentally destructive. Currently alcohol use is involved in half of all crimes, murders, accidental deaths, and suicides. There are also many health problems associated with alcohol use such as brain damage, cancer, heart disease, diseases of the liver, depression anxiety and other mental disorders. Results from community surveys and epidemiologic samples indicate that substantial comorbidity also exists for depression, anxiety and alcoholism in the general population (Regier et al, 1990; Helzer & Pryzbeck, 1988; Kendler et al, 1995). The high co-occurrence of these syndromes, therefore, represents a significant clinical and public health issue that is likely to affect a substantial proportion of the general population. Although the comorbidity of alcoholism with anxiety and depressive disorders has been extensively documented in both clinical and epidemiologic investigations, the specific mechanisms underlying these associations remain a source of debate. One widely accepted hypothesis is that these forms of comorbidity reflect a causal relationship of alcoholism with anxiety and depression. Support for a causal association is based partly on observations that alcohol is commonly used to self- medicate symptoms of negative affect, and so, alcoholism often develops as a secondary diagnosis to anxiety and depression (Meyer & Kranzler,1990; Hesselbrock, Meyer & Keener,1985; Lader,1972; Merikangas et al,1985). The 18-month follow-up of participants of the Psychiatric Morbidity among Adults Living in Private Households, 2000 survey (Singleton & Lewis, 2003) provides an opportunity to determine whether excessive alcohol consumption and abnormal patterns of use are risk factors for incident anxiety and depression in the general population. The study also examined the reverse relationship, considering whether anxiety and depression are risk factors for the development of abnormal patterns of alcohol consumption. However, evidence for a causal relationship is not unidirectional as alcoholism is often observed as a primary disorder, and the presence of problem drinking itself may generate severe anxiety or depressive syndromes (Mendelson & Mello, 1979, Nathan, O’Brien & Lowenstein, 1971; Schuckit, Irwin & Smith, 1994; Stockwell, Hodgson & Rankin, 1982). Heavy alcohol consumption has been implicated in the development of anxiety and depression (Schuckit, 1983). Many cross-sectional studies have identified considerable comorbidity between anxiety and depression, and alcohol abuse. For example, data from four large community based epidemiological studies (n>422 000) in Europe and the USA consistently demonstrated a two- to threefold increase in the lifetime prevalence of anxiety and depression in those with DSM–III or DSM–III–R alcohol abuse or dependence (Swendsen et al, 1998). If anxiety disorders and alcoholism are casually related, there should be a high rate of alcoholism among patients being treated for anxiety disorders. Two studies (Torgersen, 1986; Cloninger et al, 1981) of the prevalence of alcoholism in patients being treated for anxiety neurosis were identified. These investigations suggest a lifetime population prevalence of alcohol abuse/dependence of approximately 14%. The survey of the relevant literature made it quite obvious that much of the studies show a prevalence of depression and anxiety among alcoholics. However, previous studies have also pointed out the possibility of alcoholism as risk factors for depression and anxiety. At the same time, literature does not provide any clear cut direction towards the casual relationship between alcoholism and depression and anxiety. Thus, despite the strong association of alcoholism with anxiety and depressive disorders, no universal consensus has been reached regarding the specific mechanisms underlying these associations. The present study aims to identify depression and anxiety among alcoholic and non-alcoholic peoples. Method: Sample: sample of the present study consisted of 100 subjects (50 alcoholics and 50 non alcoholics). The alcoholics were identified through survey from different living areas (including rural, urban and semi-urban) of Delhi and 50 alcoholics were randomly selected for the study. In the same way the non-alcoholic subjects were also selected randomly from different parts of Delhi. The age range of the subjects was between 25 to 50 years. Tools: â€Å"Beck Depression Inventory† BDI -2nd was designed by Beck, Steer & Brown (1996). This self report scale has shown to document levels of depression. BDI -2nd edition contains 21 items, each answer being scored on a scale value of 0 to 3. The cut offs used are 0-13 Minimal depression; 14-19 Mild depression; 20-28 Moderate depression; and 29-63 Severe Depression. Higher total scorer indicates more severe depression symptoms. â€Å"Beck Anxiety Inventory† was designed Beck, Epstein, Brown, Steer (1988). This self report scale has shown to document levels of Anxiety symptoms in a valid and consistent manner. BAI contains 21 items each answer being scored on a scale value of 0 to 3. Each symptom item has four possible answer choices: not at all (assigned value =o); Mildly (it did not bother me much) (assigned value=1); Moderately (it was unpleasant but I could stand it) (assigned value =2); and Severely (I could barely stand it) (assigned value =3). The values for each item are summed together to yield an overall or score for all 21 symptoms that can range between 0 and 63 points. A total score of 0-7 is interpreted as a minimal level of Anxiety, 8-15 as ‘mild’, 16-25 as ‘moderate’ and 26-63 as ‘severe’. The BAI is psychometrically sound. Interval consistency ÃŽ ± =.92 to.94, for adults and test-retest (one week interval) reliability is .75. Procedure: The test for depression and anxiety were administered on the subjects individually after establishing the rapport with them. Each and every item was explained to the subject, and then he was asked to respond truly for the item. Thus data was collected for depression and anxiety from alcoholic and non-alcoholic people. t-test was applied to find out the significance of difference between the Mean scores of different groups. Results: TABLE-1 Showing comparison of Mean for depression and anxiety scores between the alcoholics and non-alcoholics Variables| Groups| N| Mean| Std.deviation| t | df| P| depression| Alcoholic Nonalcoholic| 50 50| 35.7600 17.1000| 10.17913 6.15530| 11.092| 98| .01*| Anxiety| Alcoholicnonalcoholic| 50 50| 38.0800 18.3200| 11.55261 6.18570| 10.662| 98| .01*| *Significant at .01 level of confidence TABLE-1 further shows the results obtained by the comparison of alcoholics and non alcoholic group for depression and anxiety. The obtained results show that the mean depression score (M=35.7600) for alcoholic people is higher than the mean depression score (M=17.1000) for non alcoholic people, and the difference between the two means (t=11.092) is statistically significant at .01 level of confidence. Consequently it reveals the findings that alcoholic people have higher depression than the non-alcoholics. The TABLE-1 also shows the results of the comparison of alcoholic and non-alcoholic people on anxiety. The mean anxiety scores (M=38.0800) of alcoholics is found very much higher than the mean anxiety scores (M=18.3200) of the non-alcoholics and the two means difference (t=10.662) is statistically significant at .01 level of confidence. It indicates that alcoholic people have higher anxiety than the non-alcoholic people. Discussion: The basis of the above results may safely be concluded that the alcoholics are highly depressed and extremely anxious than the non-alcoholic people. However, the high prevalence of these anxiety and depressives’ symptoms does not necessarily mean that these alcoholic individuals will demonstrate the long term course or require the long term treatments associated with DSM-III-R major depressive and anxiety disorders. The temporal nature of the association between Depression & Anxiety and alcohol is difficult to determine from studies, which uncertainty arising as to whether alcohol is a risk factor or a form of self –medication. The finding of the present study support the findings of Hartka et al, (1991) that reported a significant correlation between baseline consumption of alcohol and depression at follow-up based on data from eight longitudinal studies. However, in this analysis control of confounders was limited to age, gender and interval between measurements. Overall, our findings are contradictory with those of Wang & Patten (2001) who observed no excess morbidity among those who drank daily, those who drank in binges (more than five drinks), those who had more than one drink daily, and among drinkers in general. Alcohol dependence was not considered. Similarly, in a randomly selected community cohort with follow-up at 3 and 7 years, Moscato et al (1997) found no excess incidence of depressive symptoms among those with ‘alcohol problems’ (defined as a DSM–IV diagnosis of alcohol dependence or abuse or drinking more than five drinks a day on one or more occasions per week). It may safely be concluded on the bases of previous literature and result of the present study that there is no clear cut casual relationship between depressive and anxiety disorder and alcoholism. In the similar way our findings of the study show that the alcoholics are more depressive and anxious than the non alcoholics. Though it does not show any clear cut picture either alcohol is risk factor for depression and anxiety or depression and anxiety is a risk factor for alcoholism. References Babor, T., Wolfson, A., Boivin, D., Radouco-Thomas, S., Clark, W. (1992). Alcoholism, culture, and psychopathology: A comparative study of French, French Canadian, and American alcoholics. In: Helzer, J., Canino, G. (eds): Alcoholism in North America, Europe, and Asia. New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 182-195. Beck, A.T., Epstein, N., Brown, G., Steer, R.A. (1988). â€Å"An inventory for measuring clinical anxiety: Psychometric Properties, Journal of Consulting and clinical Psychology; 56:893-897 Beck, A.T., Steer, R.A., & Brown, B.K. (1996). Beck Depression Inventory 2nd Ed.). San Antonio. Tx; Psychological Corporation. Chambless, D., Cherney, J., Caputo, G., Rheinstein, B. (1987). Anxiety disorders and alcoholism: A study with inpatient alcoholics. J Anxiety Disord; 1:29-40. Cloninger, C.R., Martin, R.L., Clayton, P., Guze, S.B. (1981). A blind follow-up and family study of anxiety neurosis: preliminary analysis of the St Louis 500, in Anxiety: New Research and changing Concepts, Edited by Klein, D.F., Rabkin, J. New York, Raven Press, Hartka, E., Johnstone, B., Leino,V. (1991). A meta-analysis of depressive symptomatology and alcohol consumption over time. British Journal of Addiction; 86: 1283-1298. Hasegawa, K., Mukasa, H., Nakazawa, Y., HK., Nakamura, K. (1991). Primary and secondary depression in alcoholism-clinical features and family history. Drug Alcohol Depend; 27:275-281. Helzer, J., Pryzbeck, T. (1988). The co-occurrence of alcoholism with other psychiatric disorders in the general population and its impact on treatment. J Stud Alcohol; 49:219-224. Hesselbrock, M., Meyer, R., Keener, J. (1985). Psychopathology in hospitalized alcoholics. Arch Gen Psychiatry; 42:1050- 1055. Keller, M. (1994). Dysthymia in clinical practice: Course, outcome and impact on the community. Acta Psychiatr Scand; 383(Suppl):24-34. Kendler, K., Waiters, E., Neale, M., Kessler, R., Heath, A., Eaves, L. The structure of the genetic and environmental risk factors for six major psychiatric disorders in women. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1995; 52:374-383. Lader, M. (1972). The nature of anxiety. Br J Psychiatry; 121: 481-491. Mendelson, J., Mello, N. (1979). Medical progress: Biologic concomitants of alcoholism. N Engl J Med; 301:912-921. Mendelssohn, V.P. (1963). Depression in incyclopedia of mental health. Vol.II, Franklin Walts, Inc. Merikangas, K., Leckman, J., Prusoff, B., Pauls, D., Weissman, M. (1985). Familial transmission of depression and alcoholism. Arch Gen Psychiatry ; 42:367-372. Meyer, R., Kranzler, H. (1990). Alcohol abuse/dependence and co-morbid anxiety and depression. In: Maser J, Cloninger C (eds): Comorbidity of Mood and Anxiety Disorders. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press: 283-292. Moscato, B., Russell, M., Zielezny, M. (1997). Gender differences in the relation between depressive symptoms and alcohol problems: a longitudinal perspective. American Journal of Epidemiology; 146: 966-974. Nathan, P., O’Brien, J., Lowenstein, L. (1971). Operant studies of chronic alcoholism: Interaction of alcohol and alcoholics. In: Roach, P., Mclssac, W., Creaven, P. (eds): Biological Aspects of Alcohol. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press;. Nijhawan, H. K. (1972). Anxiety in school children. New Delhi : Wiley Eastern Private Limited. Nunes, E., Quitkin, F., Berman, C. (1988). Panic disorder and depression in female alcoholics. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry; 49:441- 443. Penick, E., Powell, B., Nickel, E., Bingham, S., Riesenmy, K., Read, M. (1994). Comorbidity of lifetime psychiatric disorder among male alcoholic patients. Alcohol Clin Exp Res; 18:1289-1293. Regier, D., Farmer, M., Rae, D., Locke, B., Keith, S., Judd, L. (1990). Comorbidity of mental disorders with alcohol and other drug abuse: Results from the Epidemiologic Catchment Area (ECA) study. JAMA; 264:2511-2518. Schuckit, M. (1983). Alcoholic patients with secondary depression. American Journal of Psychiatry, 140: 711-714. Schuckit, M., Hesselbrock, V. (1994). Alcohol dependence and anxiety disorders: What is the relationship? Am J Psychiatry, 151:1723-1734. Schuckit, M., Irwin, M., Brown, S. (1990) .The history of anxiety symptoms among 171 primary alcoholics. J Stud Alcohol; 51:34-41. Schuckit, M., Irwin, M., Smith, T. (1994). One-year incidence rate of major depression and other psychiatric disorders in 239 alcoholic men. Addiction ; 89:441-445. Schuckit, M., Tipp, J., Bergman, M., Reich, W., Hesselbrock, V., Smith, T. (1997). Comparison of induced and independent major depressive disorder in 2,945 alcoholics. Am J Psychiatry; 154:948-957. Singleton, N. Lewis, G. (2003). Better or Worse: A Longitudinal Study of the Mental Health of Adults Living in Private Households in Great Britain. London: Stationery Office. . Stockwell, T., Hodgson, R., Rankin, H. (1982). Tension reduction and the effects of prolonged alcohol consumption. Br J Addict; 77:65-73. Stockwell, T., Smail, P., Hodgson, R., Canter, S. (1984). Alcohol dependence and phobic anxiety states. II. A retrospective study. Br J Psychiatry; 144:58-63. Swendsen, J., Merikangas, K., Canino,G. (1998). The comorbidity of alcoholism with anxiety and depressive disorders in four geographic communities. Comprehensive Psychiatry; 39:176-184. Torgersen, S. (1986). Childhood and family characteristics in panic and generalized anxiety disorders. Am J Psychiatry; 143:630-632 Wang, J. & Patten, S. B. (2001). Alcohol consumption and major depression: findings from a follow-up study. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry; 46: 632-638.

Nagel, Chisholm, and Locke †Metaphysics of the Mind Essay

It is very difficult to attribute characteristics to a mind when we know it does not actually exist in the physical realm. Though, personal identity has been connected to the mind. However, it is tricky to determine what exactly comprises one’s personal identity. Although it is a difficult concept to grasp, philosophers such as Nagel and Chisholm attempt to construct their own position on the characteristics of the mind. By comparing Nagel and Chisholm’s positions on personal identity, it is evident that identity is a development of both body and mind. Nagel shows that we cannot properly identify a mind, and if this is the case then it is impossible to attribute personal identity to a mind. In turn, he attacks the idea that personal identity can be defined in terms of physical attributes. Chisholm shows that although things are constantly changing, they still remain the same. He argues that it is the mind that holds our identity, regardless of physical alteration. In my view, the physicalist perspective of identity is the most logical when contrasted to the mentalist argument simply due to the fact that we do have a self-identity, and Nagel does not attempt to define what it is. Locke’s argument finds a middle ground between Nagel and Chisholm as he argues for a conscious and bodily continuity of the mind. In order to identify the mind-body problem and argue that identity is a development of the mind, Nagel’s position must be analyzed. Firstly, when addressing the mind-body problem, Nagel states that one cannot explain the mind body relationship through logic, functions, or intentions. He argues that these states can be ascribed to robots that may indeed behave like people, however robots do not experience anything, and it is experience that influences the mind (436). Nagel’s bat analogy helps solidify his position on experience which is that no one can experience the same thing as another. He claims that; â€Å"even to form a conception of what it is Kristen Biduk 6949215 like to be a bat†¦one must take up the bat’s point of view† (442). Meaning, one must have the same thinking patterns as the other which Nagel argues is impossible. He argues that it is our consciousness which provides the mind-body problem. Although one can relate to what it is like to be a bat, it is impossible to fully comprehend it because in order to become a bat, conscious-ness must be forgotten. For that reason, one cannot know that others have a mind, but one can perceive that they do. Chisholm opens his argument with providing an analysis of the Ship of Theseus and explains that identity is transitive, meaning that it is always changing. Similarly, he uses the example of the river and how although it is the same exact river, it is given different identities based on geographical location. The identity of the river is changing. Based on his view of alteration, Chisholm suggests three possibilities for alteration and identity. Firstly, we can deny the transitivity of identity, but he proves this to be a problem. His second suggestion is that nothing alters, but this too proves to be problematic. For example, if one was to cross the border of the United States of America and the border patrol officer asked if he was the same as the person in the photo, he would say no. Because, when that photo was taken he had certain characteristics, and now, x amount of years later he has different characteristics, and is therefore a different person. Clearly this is an issue. Thirdly, he analyzes Butler’s position on the misuse of the word ‘is’ in that, for example; there exists something at a certain place (P) at a certain time (t) that is identical with same thing at a different place (Q) at a different time (t1). By saying identical, he means they exist in together, however it is mathematically impossible. He concludes that such things are entia per alio (made of). Entia per alio is something that exists because a Kristen Biduk 6949215 mind makes it up. For example, a pencil is entia per alio because without a mind, it is simply an object. The mind makes the pencil an object for writing. Without a mind giving meaning to something, that something has no identity. In regards to self-identity, I find it difficult to agree with the mentalist perspective. Nagel’s writing, â€Å"What is it like to be a Bat? † does not provide sufficient insight to the development of self and self-identity. He bases his writing solely based on defining the mind. It is true to say that we cannot properly identify a mind. How can we as a whole, understand something we do not actually know exists? We can assume it exists but it provides no understanding. Based on this belief, Nagel concludes that because we cannot properly identify a mind, we cannot connect personal identity to a mind. But where can we find our personal identity? He claims that our identity does not lie within our physical attributes which leaves identity suspending in the air. The mentalist perspective is limiting in the sense that it does not take in to account outside variables that can impact one’s identity. We are not born with an identity and I feel as though Nagel’s position is implying that we are. Additionally, our identity is developed from our consciousness, and we do not become conscious of ourselves at infancy. We develop our self-identity through time and it is consistently changing. Chisholm is much more realistic when it comes to defining personal identity. We cannot assume that our identity is purely based on our minds, for our minds are influenced by our physicality. In turn, our physicality is influenced by society. We identify with ourselves based on what others think of us. For example, if someone weighs three hundred pounds, they may identify themselves as unhealthy because that is what society has told them. Similarly, if that three hundred pound person lost weight and now weighed one hundred and thirty pounds, that Kristen Biduk 6949215 person may identify themselves as healthy. If they used diet and exercise as a method to lose the weight, they may identify as athletic. This proves that personal identity is indeed transitive. It will always be in a constant state of change depending on the influences around them. We have identity because others around us have provided us with our identity. One could argue then that if one was to lose only ten pounds then identity will not change because the change is only slight. If we analyze the Ship of Theseus once more, Chisholm argues that slight changes still have an impact on our identity because our identity is always changing. By using the problem of Theseus’s ship however, it gives us ideas of identity for inanimate objects. One could argue that it is not relatable to beings with consciousness however I would have to disagree. Our consciousness, or our memories are what hold our self-identity. If we lose an arm or leg, we are still the same person because our minds still hold our memory. While the mentalist perspective does not take into account physical impressions, and the physicalist perspective lacks some insight on our own consciousness, Locke provides an explanation that touches on both sides. Locke argues for a conscious continuity and not a bodily one. He begins with clarifying that all minds have a common structure wherein there are two qualities within our identity: primary and secondary. The primary quality consists of consciousness. I can identify with myself because I am conscious of my own existence. The secondary qualities consist of qualities that are changing, such as hair length or weight. He insists that our primary qualities are what provide us with identity however he agrees that secondary qualities must be analyzed. Our secondary qualities are always changing while our primary qualities are static. Without the secondary qualities, our identity would not change, Kristen Biduk 6949215 which Chisholm proved. In comparison to both Nagel and Chisholm, Locke’s argument holds the truest because he takes into account both perspectives and develops the most logical understanding of identity. Additionally, Locke states that there is a first and third person perspective on identity. The first person identity is what one makes of himself. The third person helps confirm one’s identity. Both of these together help form one’s true personal identity. For one without outside influences has nothing to base their identity on. For example, if one was to look at cases of people raised in isolation, it will be seen that they have no sense of reality or identity. They were left to their own thoughts with no outside stimulation. When they leave their isolated prisons, they rediscover their identity by identifying with their outside influences. In conclusion, it is almost impossible to justify the mind/body problem. Both Nagel and Chisholm’s perspectives on identity are fairly vague and both lack a deeper understanding of the mind. I truly believe that it is the mind that holds our identity. However an identity is highly structured by its outside influences. Without a body or without society, one would have no identity. Some can argue that there can be a mind without a body, but it just doesn’t make rational sense. If hypothetically, one was to have their mind switched into a different body, he would still identify as himself. For it is our mind that holds our identity, however our mind is within a body.

Bead Bar Systems Development Project Essay

The primary objective is to organize information and operate in a planned and controlled manner to capitalize on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the organization. The proposed information system would departmentalize the operations of the various departments and make the organization accessible to its stakeholders in a pre-approved and designed manner. Not everyone would be allowed to access all kinds of information and all activities can be tracked so as to ascertain the state of the organization at every point of time. The involvement of EIS, MIS, DSS, TPS and knowledge work systems would ensure that different variants of stakeholders manage the system with their given privileges to drive the enterprise. Proposed system: We propose to create a company website which can be accessed through the internet enabling the franchisee locations to access it and perform the business functions of recording and updating the system for all the business changes. All the franchisee locations are connected with the help of public data carriers so that it is able to access the company website to perform their functions. Each such franchisee would have their access privileges to enter the transaction section and operate their business process. The president and the owner, vice president’s of all the departments would have an Executive Information System (EIS) Management Information System (MIS) to manage their operations. The accounts department may use Transaction Processing System (TPS) and the ground level workers can use Knowledge Work System to measure worker output, productivity and others. Lists of Input and Output information and sources: Prior to outlining the input and output information, the system development life cycle must be in place so that the analysis is done accordingly. The correct nature of the inputs and the outputs would make the system design vary accordingly as it requires to capture the information and put it into a frame to interpret in a decisive manner to take further decisions. The systems development life cycle for Bead Bar is as follows: 1. Feasibility analysis: The new proposed system and the present working system are analyzed so that the ROI (Return on Investment) is obtained. The proposed system is further analyzed for economical, technical, schedule and other feasibilities so that it stands in front of all difficulties in the development of the project. The Bead bar enterprise’s key management people are involved in the process of feasibility analysis. All the inputs, outputs and external environment are studied in detail so that the underlying intricacies would be researched well for their impact and development. Inputs: Bead Bar’s inputs are in the form of company’s short and long term objectives, its financial base and credibility for years to come, its general strategic plans, consent of the advisors and directors, risk handling strategies and many others. Outputs: The feasibility has outputs in the form of higher management approval for the sustenance of the systems development, its full length use to cover all business functions, risk mitigation strategies and many others. 2. Systems planning and requirements gathering: After the system is thoroughly checked for all its inputs and outputs, the requirements phase takes the lead. All the key stakeholders of the departments and the users of the system must be taken into account for gathering the crucial departmental functions, requirements and its interaction with other departments to achieve the central goal of the enterprise. Input: It must be in the form of the users of the system who are better-off to understand and figure out the exact ground level happenings in the business. Their view of the workings of the enterprise must be captured so that appropriate implementation can be done. Output: The valuable information fetched from the users of the system must be given a representation and frame it accordingly to fix it into a system. 3. Systems Analysis and Design: Bead Bar’s system requirements are studied and the system is analyzed and designed accordingly. The flow of data is analyzed so that the system captures the entire business cycle and their functions. Inputs: It would come from the requirements gathering phase and the order of business flow. Outputs: It would result in helping the analysts and designers in the process of database handling and further development of the system. 4. Database Model: The database model for Bead Bar is as follows, which shows the interaction of the different entities of the business. Figure 1 : Database Model 5. Coding: The above design is given a representation of the business and the various functions are finally implemented at this stage. Inputs: It is in the form of requirements gathered from the previous stages and the design documents. Outputs: It results in actual implementation of the system so that it can be viewed physically. 6. Implementation and Training: This stage correlates with actual planting of the system at the Bead Bar so that the present system is replaced and the proposed system takes its place. The users must be trained to operate the business functions with the system, store and retrieve data whenever it is demanded. 7. System feedback and maintenance: The general working of the system must be responded back so that any form of negative points would be highlighted and discussed to take advantage of the system and technologies involved. 8. Systems Review and Maintenance schedule: The review and maintenance schedule must include the following: Preventative maintenance – Maintenance schedules are a necessity for keeping the resources of a system in good health. The hardware, network equipments, communication programs and software must be periodically checked whether it is up and running (Mawer, 2000).

Literary Analysis on Everyday Use by Alice Walker Essay

Literary Analysis on Everyday Use by Alice Walker - Essay Example vealed by the use she intends to put the quilts to, and by the fact that her sudden interest in her heritage has been sparked by her exposure to an American reinterpretation of it. Dee is one of the people W.E.B. Du Bois refers to in The Souls of Our Striving, who struggle with the apparent incompatibility of their family heritage, and the Black heritage that is filtered through the context of American life. In contrast, Maggie, who still lives in the family home, lives her culture every day, shown simply by the fact that she will use those quilts every day, and by the fact that she realizes the quilts themselves are less important than the family memories that they represent. In Everyday Use Walker uses characterization and symbolism to show the reader that culture is something that people live, and that culture as a learned institution does not provide one with full understanding. Complex and well-developed characterization forms a significant part of understanding the way culture is portrayed in the story. We are first introduced to Mama, whose first name we never learn – she simply identifies herself as â€Å"a Johnson†. (Walker 518)Mama lacks education and quick wits, but she â€Å"can work outside all day† (Walker 518) and â€Å"kill and clean a hog as mercilessly as a man†. (Walker 518) Despite seeming proud of her physical prowess, Mama shows dissatisfaction with herself when she begins to think of Dee, remembering that while Dee â€Å"would always look anyone in the eye†, (Walker 518) Mama herself is unable to. When we first see Maggie, she is â€Å"almost hidden by the door†. (Walker 518) Maggie’s character remains hidden to the reader for most of the story – it is only towards the end, and in contrast with Dee, that we are shown her depth of character. As the story unfolds, we see that Maggie an d Mama are similar in how they identify with family and memories, and in showing these similarities we see that Maggie herself is part of the family and

Information Sensitivity and Protection of Data (CASE) module 5 Essay

Information Sensitivity and Protection of Data (CASE) module 5 - Essay Example For instance, employers and organizations are putting more limitation on the accessibility of their information. In the long run, these organizations are suffering time management issues. In this cases, organizations have limited the access of information to physicians and nurses likewise. This limitation requires organizations to only authorize a few entities to information databases. For the physicians and nurses, flow of information changes from prompt and detailed to delayed and censored. The article defines the cost of unintended consequences from policies and other strategies (Jarrell et al. 2012). An interdisciplinary health care delivery can be defined through the consideration of the term interdisciplinary meaning integration of multiple disciplines or fields of expertise. Within the health care sector interdisciplinary health care delivery means the delivery of services by collaboration of multiple health care professionals. Normally health care professionals use interdisciplinary health care delivery when they are faced by multi-step medical intervention. This medical intervention plan may involve diagnosis by a doctor, tests by a lab technician, prescriptions by a physician, and administration of care by nurses. In this case, the flow of information starts from the first professional to see the patient down to the one offering care. The advantages of using interdisciplinary health care delivery include professional intervention by experts on specific areas of the intervention. This ensures accuracy and best practice ensuring that all parties provide timely and relevant i ntervention input coinciding with their qualifications (Hinegardner, 2003). The law of unintended consequences is an idiomatic warming that informs administrative bodies that their strategies and policies have the potential of leading to undesired or unintended results. With application to the health care sector, the law of unintended

Critical Context in law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Critical Context in law - Essay Example By proving that either they or any of their ancestors were born in the EU b. By going through a Naturalization Process and obtaining a Residence Permit for living in a EU country under legal conditions However, Karl and Gabriel Kasparov hailed from Kazakhstan and thus could not have secured EU citizenship through their origin or family descent. Kazakhstan was not a member country of the EU, they would not have been entitled to the fundamental rights of the EU citizens. The only option available to them was the second method. Karl and sister Gabriel could acquire the rights of British citizenship following the process of naturalization, marital ties, the extension of awards or the expansion of business ties. They could have applied for a Residence Permit allowing them to live and work in the EU. For this, they would have been required to go through the process of Naturalization. This procedure would have required Karl and Gabriel to live and work in England legally (or any other EU co untry) for a considerable period of time. In this situation, Karl Kasparov chose to hide his actual identity in London and lived there assuming several fake identities. This would have created a hindrance in his application for the EU citizenship. Karl and Gabriel would have had to prove their legal identity during their stay in London from 2000-2008. Only then, they would have been eligible for applying for EU citizenship through the Naturalization process. After acquiring the EU citizenship, they would have been eligible to apply for a passport and a national identity proof of the EU. Thus, citizenship of the EU can be secured with the help of ‘birth, marriage, long-residency and family relations’.1 If Karl and Gabriel Kasparov had been successful in securing the citizenship of the EU, they would be granted certain basic rights. These privileges have been enumerated in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. Karl and Gabriel would be accepted as citizens of the EU, with out interfering with their nationality of Kazakhstan. They would have been permitted to reside, travel and earn their living in any of the 27 member countries of the Union. They would have been accorded the right to vote in the European municipality and parliamentary elections. As citizens of the EU, they would be protected by the diplomatic and consulate authorities of England as well as any other EU country. In case of any dispute, Karl and Gabriel could have approached the European Ombudsman seeking justice. These citizenship rights have been described in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. In addition to this, Karl and Gabriel Kasparov would have been allowed to communicate with any EU institution in any of the official languages of the Union. They would have gained equal access to employment opportunities in the various Civil Services of the EU. Organizations in the EU would not be able to discriminate against them on the basis of their Kazakhstan nationality. In the event of any such unfair treatment, they would always have the provision of appealing to the European Justice Commission. In addition to these fundamental rights, the Lisbon Treaty empowered one million EU citizens to select any area of their interest and propose a related initiative to the European Commission. Following this treaty, Karl and Gabriel would be entitled to an innovative form of public participation along with the other European citizens. They would have

American Foriegn Relations 1964-1968 with China Research Paper

American Foriegn Relations 1964-1968 with China - Research Paper Example restrictions on travel to and trade with the China mainland; 6) the U.S. response to French recognition of the People's Republic of China; and 7) U.S. policy concerning Tibet.1 Lyndon B. Johnson was the president of the United States during the above-stated period and the official policy towards the Peoples Republic of China was a continuation of the policies of the previous governments. BIBLIOGRAPHY \l 1033 The US had not yet recognized the Communist government in China and it was instead supporting the Nationalist government run by Chiang Kai-shek which was stationed in Taiwan. BIBLIOGRAPHY \l 1033 A ban was imposed by the US on its citizen from travelling to and trading with the Peoples Republic of China. BIBLIOGRAPHY \l 1033 America was also giving support to the Chiang kai-shek government to retain its seat in the United Nations. BIBLIOGRAPHY \l 1033 But at this juncture, it was becoming evident that the US will have to recognize the new communist government in China in the near future as the communists had been consolidating their influence over the country. BIBLIOGRAPHY \l 1033 On October 16, 1964, when China carried out its first nuclear explosion, it was a great matter of concern for the US. BIBLIOGRAPHY \l 1033 The US did not see China yet militarily as a nuclear threat but the very fact that China had entered the nuclear group of nations was quite alarming for the US. BIBLIOGRAPHY \l 1033 The US went on a busy mission to convince its public as well as its allies that Chinese nuclear tests were not a potential threat. BIBLIOGRAPHY \l 1033 The then US Secretary of State, Dean Rusk had even recommended prior to Chinese nuclear test that â€Å"should China test, the United States should consider providing India and Japan with nuclear weapons.† BIBLIOGRAPHY \l 1033 Meanwhile, in the US diplomatic circles, a demand for change was felt regarding the US opposition to the UN recognition of Peoples Republic of China. BIBLIOGRAPHY \l 1033 In 1964, the US General Assembly concluded with a tie vote regarding the issue and a resolution stating that China’s inclusion into the UN needs to be a decision with two-thirds majority was passed only with a very nominal margin of votes. BIBLIOGRAPHY \l 1033 Giving recognition to both the Peoples Republic

How Quantum Technology Will Improve Our Future Essay

How Quantum Technology Will Improve Our Future - Essay Example Hitherto, it has taken more than 250 years since the initial mega application of the concept. But presently, it has a far greater meaning as scientist have worked on numerous quantum theories and calculations to come up with many Quantum applications. Quantum technology has shaped human lives and will continue to modify or transform our lives in various ways that even some we may not be conscious of. Thesis: Quantum technology has impacted positively to our lives and will continue to improve or have greater positive impacts on our future lives. Quantum future in health According to Kaila, & Kaila (2010) with regard to the field of health, quantum technology provides humanity with health care via MRI. Quantum Technology and health have always had a noble correlation. Archeologists and historians point that surgeries initially took place around 3300BCE as the Indus Valley Civilization presently forming part of Pakistan and India. Although many theories linking quantum concept and healt h came and went, the advancement of health and its dependent on this technology never grow weaker. presently and even in future times, high level machines applies and will continue to apply photons and other quantum concepts to carry out medical tasks. For instance, equipment such as Stethoscope is highly applied in listening to one’s heart, while X-ray machines are used for determining any broken parts of our body in conjunction to many applications meant to make future human life better (Anwar, 2007). Quantum future in lighting bulbs Future application of the quantum technology in our lives is also seen in the lighting bulbs. With the era of the incandescent light bulb disappearing speedily, the holy grail of the lighting industry is to come up with a highly effective form of solid-form lighting that forms high superiority white light. Chemists have found out that white-light quantum dots are one of the few options of quantum technologies that produce pure white light. In f act, they predict that these ultra-small bright beads of cadmium selenide can change the blue-light formed by a Light Emitting Diode into a warm white light with a spectrum comparable to that of incandescent light. However, they have continue to warn that dense fluorescent tubes and majority of white light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) release a mixture of monochromatic colors, which fake white-light. Nearly a decade ago, when white-light quantum dots were invented accidentally in a Vanderbilt chemistry lab, chemists projected that it would be difficult to raise it to practical levels as its efficiency was extremely low for any commercial applications (Gerber, 2007). Presently however, Vanderbilt researchers have confirmed that they have successfully improved the fluorescent efficacy of these nanocrystals from an original level of 3 per cent to as high as forty five per cent. This implies that given the ever dynamic quantum applications, the future advancement of this application is guaran teed as the there is a possibility and room for boosting the efficiency of nanocrystals to above 45 percent. Hence, this efficiency of phosphors suggests that white light quantum dots would be practical in future for some superior lighting applications necessary for commercial purposes. The overall measure for efficiency of lighting devices is known as luminous efficiency and it determines the amount of visible light that a device can produce per unit of watt.

Personal History and Home Background Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Personal History and Home Background - Essay Example I have a number of friends that I have made in the course of time. Most of them are back in UAE while I have some that I have been able to meet in my short course of study and living in America. I enjoy playing and watching football. My enthusiasm in business has emanated from my early days as a child where I made a great fortune from selling simple products in the neighbourhood. My aspiration is to build business empires that will provide employment and help me reach out my goals. I love engaging in charity; therefore, I will use the resources from my businesses to touch lives of other people. I am (Name), the name I acquired from my parents who thought that was the best name for me. I was born on 11th April 1996 in our rural home in Al Arrad. I grew up as an energetic person and very playful. My parents tell me that I was the comedian of the family. I come from a polygamous family and I am the sixth born in the entire family. My mother is the first wife and together with me, she has six children, two boys, and four girls. On the other hand, my father’s second wife has four children. I am the third born among from my mother. We have all lived in the same homestead since my father married his two wives. I have made several friends from different places, some of whom I have remained distant with while others remain very close despite geographical differences. My first genuine friend that I made was Noor, my stepmother’s child who is slightly younger than me. Before I joined a school, we could go out and play with Noor the whole day. Sometimes we went out even when we were told not to, this made us receive some punishment. However, we never relented in our engagements. In school, I meet several other pupils that I made friends with. In primary school, I had friends such as Shariff, Mustafa, and Khalif. I managed to make more friends from my neighbourhood, high school and now in a distant land of America.   I profess Muslim religion that emanates from the teachings that I received while still a very young person.     

Probing and Using Website Resources Essay Example for Free

Probing and Using Website Resources Essay One vital consideration in writing any factual paper is the quality of evidence provided to prove a particular point in the paper. Whether it be an essay, a research, a thesis or a term paper or a dissertation, or any other form of scholarly writing, one should consider the veracity of information provided. To do this, one should probe not just the quality of the information but also the source from which the data came from. More often than not, one’s primary source of information is the internet. How then could one determine which information should be considered authentic and credible and which should be considered as junk? A number of reference materials are available online: e-books, books converted to e-texts, periodicals (newspapers, magazines, trade and industry journals, scholarly journals), essays, articles. In deciding from what particular internet page should a bit of information be lifted, one should determine the credibility of source, evaluate the accuracy or objectivity of the material, trace history of the source to ascertain the information’s relevance to current situations, and establish the reliability of the materials to be cited. To have a clearer understanding of the process, we shall examine two web sites linking to specific pages that expound on gender difference and related article. Following are the sites that will be the foci of the evaluation: 1. Wang, Jiongjiong, et al. (2007) â€Å"Gender difference in neural response to psychological stress. † Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience 2007 2(3):227-239. Retrieved March 26, 2009 from Oxford Journals Website: http://scan. oxfordjournals. org/cgi/content/full/2/3/227. 2. Brescoll Victoria. (2008, April 4). â€Å"People Accept Anger In Men, But Women Who Lose Their Temper Are Seen As Less Competent, Study Shows. † ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 26, 2009, from http://www. sciencedaily. com ¬ /releases/2008/04/080402152707. htm Probing and Using Website Resources 2 Since the first website is an online facility for the Oxford University Press, hence materials that are available in the site are likewise available in print. Scholarly journals usually reports results of original research, contains an in-depth analysis of the subject matter (hence present lengthy articles), are intended for academic audience and usually presents materials that have been reviewed by other people who have authority over the subject. Scholarly journals likewise contain academic level book reviews. Like any printed scholarly journals oxfordjournals. com presents the article with all the vital elements: complete research headings (abstract, body of the research, supplementary data and the reference section). Researchers, academicians, professors and scholars are the usual authors of articles in a scholarly journal. In this website, reference to the credibility of the authors are indicated by their other writings available either in print or on-line in the reference section at the end of the article. Graphics are likewise provided to better explain certain points in the research (i. e. charts, table, formulas, and diagrams). What makes the article more trustworthy is the fact that other materials where the article has been cited were also mentioned at the latter part of the page. What makes the material user friendly is the use of hyperlinks that make it easier for users to navigate throughout the site with ease. The second website is that of ScienceDaily. com, which features a Yale University psychologist’s article on the relating other’s perception of a person’s competency and general favorable acceptance to gender-related display of emotional response. In contrast to the other website, the writing style used in presenting the ideas of the writer is less formal, concise and more direct forward. Furthermore, general information about the Probing and Using Website Resources 3 subject and the results of a particular study that serves as the author’s supporting material. No proper reference to the source had been mentioned however, thus limiting a researcher’s grasp of the complete idea or result of the study presented in the article. In addition to this, there were no graphs or other representations to further explain the subject are seen on the page, except for graphical illustrations of other sites and that have linked to the site for marketing purposes and hyperlinks used basically to promote an institution, a program or other articles. These advertisements makes reading less centered on the article and more directed to other sites promoting other products. All these made the previously explored site more credible than this site. Considering the evaluation, I prefer the first website over the second for the following reasons: 1) the first website presents overall credibility on the subject matter being presented; 2) although the 2nd website is easier to read and can be read in less than five minutes, the first website presented the result of the research in part (sub-headings, hyperlinks and color coded divisions [gray-colored boxes to separate graphics and sub-headings from the main content]), which made it easier to understand although would take more time to finish; 3) lesser advertisements are seen on the second website making the reading process more directed to the material; and 4) site-related inquiries (i. e. feedback and subscription forms) are placed strategically within the page. After evaluating these cites, I realized that not all data that may be seen on the net should immediately be considered credible. One should be responsible in determining the credibility of the source of the material as well as the reliability of the data presented in the material. Probing and Using Website Resources References: Wang, Jiongjiong, et al. (2007) â€Å"Gender difference in neural response to psychological stress. † Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience. Retrieved March 26, 2009 from Oxford Journals Website: http://scan. oxfordjournals. org/cgi/content/full/2/3/227. Yale University (2008, April 4). People Accept Anger In Men, But Women Who Lose Their Temper Are Seen As Less Competent, Study Shows. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 26, 2009, from http://www. sciencedaily. com ¬ /releases/2008/04/080402152707. htm

House Of Flying Daggers Analysis

House Of Flying Daggers Analysis Chinese film-director Zhang Yimou is member of the Fifth Generation. The Fifth Generation itself is famous for its cinematography, specifically for the use of visual images, unusual camera movement, vivid contrasts, unusual framing and montages. The films of Fifth Generation have their ways of telling stories and narration, which is mostly done through allegory. Zhang Yimou himself emphasizes visual imagery and metaphors to convey the messages of his films to the audience. In his films one can observe the emphasis on the shot composition and color symbolism e.g. in Raise the Red Lantern bright red colored lantern is used to represent the wife which husband chooses to spend the night with , and the new wife which is wearing red wedding dress. (Lent, J.A. , Yin, X. n.d.) Zhangs films often deal with the stories of peasant or common people (To live, 1994), (Ju Dou, 1990) He often touches the themes of love, betrayal and unhappiness (Raise the Red Lantern, 1991). In his late 50s Zhang Yimou turned to action movies, Wuxia genre, and directed (Hero, 2002) and (House of Flying Daggers, 2004). House of Flying Daggers has won awards for Best Cinematography, Best Director, Best Foreign Language Film, Outstanding Production Design and many more, reaching total worldwide box office gross of 92 million Dollars. Although Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000, by Ang Lee), also an international success, still remains the highest-grossing foreign language film. (Wikipedia) Hero (2002), House of Flying Daggers (2004) directed by Zhang Yimou and Crouching Tiger, Hidden dragon (2000) directed by Ang Lee are the most famous and internationally renowned Wuxia films. Wuxia genre directly implies that film incorporates martial arts but if analyzed further word wuxia is composed of two characters. First Wu which describes the abovementioned martial arts action, and Xia which describes the protagonist of the film. Xia characters can be both from aristocratic or humble background. Generally these are martial arts masters who seek adventure and who fight for justice. Xia characters, just like knights, have their code of conduct which is guiding their beliefs, behavior and lifestyle. (An Introduction to Wuxia. n.d.) House of Flying Daggers, if literally translated from Mandarin to English means ambushed from ten directions which perfectly describes the tension building up in the film when watching incredible fighting techniques, daggers flying through air and complicated combat scenes. (Brenner, J. n.d.) The film tells a story of three main characters whose lives get entangled with one another. The element that unifies all three of them is the torment for love, their sorrow and devotion. The film shows that love cannot be based on time- span. One can find the love of his life during three days. The aim of the film is to show how the journey of love unfolds, what kind of sacrifices characters make for it and how tremendously the experience of love changes their inner self and their worldview. The story takes place in china 859 AD during the reign of the Tang dynasty. The film portrays a corrupted and weak political situation in response to which an alliance called house of the flying daggers forms to overthrow the corrupted government. The Flying Daggers are a secret alliance composed of excellent martial-art warriors. Members of Flying Daggers are present everywhere in entertainment houses, even in the government system. Police Captain Leo (Andy Lau) also a member of Flying Daggers and Captain Jin (Takeshi Kaneshiro) receive an order to find and destroy the new leader of the Flying Daggers in ten days. They start their quest by visiting Peyony Pavillion to take a closer look at the blind dancer Mei (Zhang Ziyi) who is suspected to be the member of the Flying Daggers. The dramatic structure starts to evolve right after Captain Leo suggests Captain Jin rescues imprisoned Mei , gains her trust and by escorting her leads them to the bigger reward- the trail of the Flying Daggers. The undercover plan only lasts three days but these three days are what leads to the culmination of the film. During these days Captain Leo suffers immensely and endures sleepless nights as he witnesses the love of his life flirting and bonding with another man. Captain Jin faces dilemma of choosing sides. As due to Generals order he is forced to kill his own soldiers. The idea of killing his own people tortures him while love for Mei grows. He reaches the point of no return when he returns for her in the bamboo forest, knowing he will have to combat his own side again, but he does so for her. Mei, on the other hand, is struggling between love and gratitude toward Captain Leo who has saved her life multiple times and new growing affection toward Jin. For intensifying the dramatic structure symbolism is used as a tool. One of the first symbols viewer witnesses is the song sung by Mei in the Peyony Pavillion. A rare beauty in the North, Shes the finest lady on earth, A glance from her,  the whole city goes down. A second glance leaves the whole nation in ruins This is a metaphorical foreshadowing of the entire tragic love triangle. The Beauty in the North is Mei, whose beauty and love is destructive, ironically even for her. The song is sung in the beginning of the film as in the end, during the combat in the snow between three main characters, when Mei is dying. One of the most impressive moments is the last scene in the snow. According to the director Zhing Yimou it was just a coincidence that it started snowing in October but it truly did make a wonderful addition to the visual aesthetics of the film. The last scene of snow can be perceived as a symbol. As the viewer sees how the forest of yellow, purple, green and red trees suddenly gets covered under a thick layer of pure white snow, it unfolds the culminating events to come. The pure white snow symbolizes the end and the new beginning. It is the end, as the snow gets covered with blood of three main characters. But it also symbolizes a new page, as that is the day of the great battle between the Flying Daggers and the government. Its a fresh start for all the others but its the end for Leo, Jin and Mei. In order to underline Zhang Yimous techniques of symbolism and metaphorical portrayal of messages one must also discuss the form of dialogue in the film. From the dialogue in the Peyony Pavillion about Meis name audience learns that the showgirls have taken the names of the flowers while Mei didnt. The reason for this according to Mei is that the showgirls are fake flowers, as real flowers grow in the wilderness. This is very interesting if one takes into consideration that Jin calls himself the Wind. So the two main characters are metaphorically referred to as a flower and the wind. The flower and wind metaphor follows the progress of Meis and Jins relationship and is recurring several times. First instance is when Jin takes Mei to the flower field where the real flowers grow, makes her a flower bouquet and calls her the most beautiful flower among the field. The metaphor of the wind is recurring in the conversation which Mei initiates in order to understand the intentions and feelings of Jin toward her. Jin tries to explain his feelings to her by referring to winds attributes, that wind is playful and carefree, moves around and leaves no traces and doesnt stay in one place. Reference to the wind once more emerges in the most dramatic moment of the film, when Leo stabs Mei lethally. Mei answers Leos question and says that she wanted to be free as a wind, metaphorically referring to Jin and freedom of being with him. The symbolism for Mei and Jin, as a flower and a wind, helps to communicate the traits of the characters to the audience. Mei, a flower that grows in the wilderness portrays that her beauty, as her excellent martial arts skills are a deadly weapon for seduction and destruction. The fact that she is portrayed as sightless person elevates her importance and uniqueness. The best example of this is the scene of the echo game. When Captain Leo tosses single beans she flawlessly repeats the echoes of the drums by banging the sleeves of her dress onto the drums. After Captain Leo tosses entire bowl of beans onto the drums she demonstrates her exceptional skills in martial arts, and therefore is revealed to be a lot more than just a talented blind dancer. Jin is the playful or carefree wind. He moves around and leaves no trace. His character is portrayed as a ladies men , who likes drinking, is playful, enjoys going to entertainment houses and is thus unable or not willing to commit. His character progresses as he settles, the wind will stop at his will and transforms into a devoted lover. Leo is an undercover character who has endured much of the suffering. In his speech to Mei he reveals his feelings and sufferings saying he has been surviving day by day by the thought of Mei. He is a reliable and cautious character, who looks after Mei and saves her during the combat in the flower field. When his character progresses he turns mad with jealousy, partially blaming himself but the feeling of betrayal is so strong and pain so deep he just loses his mind, leading him to aggressively force Mei into making love to him, and later taking her life. These three characters are unified by one more trait. All three of them are full of deceit. None of them appear to be what they have led the audience or each other to be. When analyzing the characters themselves there is a certain context that these characters should be put into to fully understand the reasoning behind their behavior. All the three main characters are Xia warriors. Eight common attributes of Xia warriors are altruism, justice, individualism, loyalty, courage, truthfulness, disregard for wealth and desire for glory. These elements are very important to take into consideration as the characters of the Wuxia movies often display these traits. (An Introduction to Wuxia. n.d.) The example of loyalty and betrayal in the warrior world is portrayed by the relationship of Mei and Leo. Mei could not allow herself to love Jin as she felt she would betray Leo, and due to high respect and gratitude for what he has done for her she rejects Jin in the forest. But as it becomes obvious that she fell in love with Jin , Leo becomes coldhearted and Mei has to pay the cost of her betrayal, her life. Also what seems to be very interesting is according to what values and attributes do warriors establish trust among each other. When did Mei actually feels trust toward Jin and starts truly falling in love with him? Was it after he saved her life in the forest, or rescued her from the prison? The trust and love come to may after the fighting scene on the flower field, when Generals soldiers attack Mei and Jin. This being a true, unforeseen and tense combat of dozen soldiers against two, Jin gets stabbed and this seems to be the point of him gaining Meis trust and love. A perfect explanation of this situation is given by Shu-lien in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The experiences and the hard times partners face together brings them closer. Shu-lien fell in love with Li-Mu Bai as they have gone through many different hard times and fought together, apparently this is what warriors value and what brings them closer being there for each other through hard times and surviving them toget her as one. In addition to that Shu-liens and Li-Mu bais love story can also serve as a perfect example of warriors code of conduct . Shu-lien and Li-Mu Bai are in love but they didnt have a chance to be together and be happy. The reason for this is revealed by Shu-lien who states that the men she loved , who was also Li-Mu bais brother, died and not to disrespect him and betray him they cannot allow themselves to be together. This is one of the examples of deep loyalty, friendship and self-control that warriors display as they deeply believe and let their principles guide them. When mentioning these two films together, one should discuss two particular scenes which are of great importance and interest. The first scene is the fighting scene in the bamboo forest. First of all when seeing a bamboo forest in the martial art movie, it is like a foreshadowing of the upcoming battle. Bamboo forest has been used in House of the Flying Daggers where Mei and Jin are attacked by the Generals troops, and also in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon where Li-Mu bai and Jen are fighting. There is an obvious similarity in these two scenes. Characters fight with their armor but also use the bamboo forest as tool to jump, walk on the thin branches, escape each other by bending the tree tops, flying from one tree to another or standing on / between two bamboo trees preserving composure and balance. In spite of the fact that audience anticipates the fighting style and techniques to be used, these scenes are still breathtaking due to the mastery of the actors, also due to the amazin g colors and the lighting of the forest. Another scene which will also be discussed is the bathing scene of Mei. Jin, while in the forest, constructs a little pond of fresh water, gathers leaves and suggests Mei take a bath. Mei decides to take a bath, and to make her let her guard down Jin proposes that he will let Mei keep track of where he is by making sounds by his sword. And in the end he offers her fresh men clothing. In Crouching Tiger there is also a bathing scene where Lo bandit from the desert suggests Jen to take a bath and to assure her of his good intentions he tells her he will sing so that she knows where he is. He too in the end offers her his fresh clothing. Of course the two scenes unfold in different directions but still there are several elements worth mentioning which unite the two except for the basic similarities mentioned above. In these two movies both bathing scenes suggest and lead to a new kind of intimacy level and lead to a romantic affection between two characters Jin and Mei, and Jen and Lo. The beginning of new emotions and affection is seen right away in the Crouching Tiger as the characters make love and reveal their feelings soon after. In the House of Flying Daggers there is an attempt of intimacy though in this case Mei is faced with the burden of loyalty that she has toward Leo and therefore rejects Jin by being cold as water. But beginning of the upcoming love between the two characters is starting from the bathing scene in both of the films. Except for the beautiful landscapes and nature, setting in House of Flying Daggers is also one of the elements contributing to the visual aesthetics of the film. As the time frame of the film is during ancient times, Tang dynasty, every detail in the film is meticulously chosen to match the replica of the old times. The swords, the lather hand bracelets male characters wore, the pottery, the instruments played in the entertainment house and even the torture devices gave the impression of being made exactly during the ancient Tang dynasty by a handy craftsman. The scene at the Payony Pavillion perfectly illustrated and set the mood of ancient China. There are interiors of elaborate richness, beautiful costumes, landscapes of mountain ranges, meadows and fields of snow. Spectacular  Costumes designed by Emi Wada depicted women of Tang dynasty very well. Entertainment House is filled with high-class courtesans who are great singers, performers, know the rules of entertaining games and have respectable table manners. The costumes are fashionable, colorful, with beautiful ornaments. Courtesans have their hair brushed up with an edifice above the forehead, hair decorated with extravagant head combs and jewelry. In addition to visual aesthetics of the film there are different sounds used in the movie to achieve the effect of tension, excitement and make the viewer listen and watch the film in absolute silence. The example of this is the sounds of water droplets and crystalline curtains in the Peyony Pavillion. Also sounds of flying bamboos, falling leaves, sound of sword cutting the air all these elements are mostly used when Mei is in the epicenter of the fight. As during the half of the film she is perceived and portrayed as a sightless warrior every above mentioned sound is perceived as a clue of what she listens to and notices in order to coordinate, and how she perceives the environment in order to defend herself against the enemy. Zhang Yimou has his way of storytelling through visual imagery, which can be also observed in his early works. He uses de-centered compositions, sometimes also obscure angles, utilizes little details such as lighting, sound, strong and beautiful scenery to portray minimal plot and strengthen the dramatic effect. His stories can be perceived as fables which are in a sense enigmatic and have ambiguous endings. He uses color and composition to bring out the oriental mood of ancient china. His intention with House of Flying Daggers was to show the fate of three main characters who sacrificed everything beginning with their loyalty to their duties, their roles in society, their beliefs, and in the end their lives for love. He showed how the inner world of these characters changed and crashed in misery. As he says : People in misery have deep meanings, People in misery is what is most important in art (Zhang Yimou Interview, 2002). Their misery is depicted in very powerful way which brings out empathy in audience. After the analysis of various elements I can say that Zhang Yimou successfully conveyed his films message and anguish of the characters very skillfully and in a very touching manner. The actors excellent performance made it very authentic to feel empathy and sorrow. And the overall aesthetical part of the film made a striking and long lasting and impression.

Essay --

Abraham Lincoln’s outlooks on slavery were constructed by the times and places in which he was raised and during his time serving his country. Slavery was an accepted foundation in the United States across Lincoln’s developmental years. Lincoln’s own feelings about African Americans and slavery were constant over the years; however when it came to his political positions and actions regarding slavery, they changed as the national situation changed. Lincoln had always acknowledged that slavery was wrong, but that it was accepted and mandatory for the South’s economy. â€Å"In Bloomington, Illinois, he stated ‘that southern slaveholders were neither better, nor worse than we of the north, and that we of the north were no better than they. And we never ought to lose sight of this fact in discussing the subject.†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Dillon, Amber. "Lincoln's Changing Views on Slavery†) Lincoln first supported the idea that African Americans did not earn the same rights and treatment of the white men. His perspective of this came from his background and family. With Lincoln’s election to congress in 1854 and the start of the Mexican War, it brought the issue of the expansion of slave territory to the nation’s attention. With this, Lincoln created a coherent position on slavery. â€Å"He was opposed to black equality and had no intention of disturbing slavery in slave states. However, he recognized that slavery was wrong and should not be allowed to spread to new states.† (Dillon, Amber. "Lincoln's Changing Views on Slavery†) This obvious alter in Lincoln’s position developed as he gained political maturity. Lincoln’s next big outlook change on slavery came from when he ran for Senate in 1858 against Stephen A. Douglas. With this lively campaign, Lincoln an... ...widow, and his orphan- to do all which may achieve and cherish a just, and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ ("Second Inaugural Address." Documents America's History) Lincoln expresses how he wants the nation to change the way they have been rationalizing throughout the previous years with the issue of slavery. He doesn’t want anyone to think he holds spite towards them for their previous ways of thinking. Lincoln wanted the Nation to come together as one, instead of two as they have always been. In the previous quote he said just that. Abraham Lincoln wasn’t born â€Å"The Great Emancipator,† though he became â€Å"The Great Emancipator.† Even though Lincoln didn’t particularly have an opinion on slavery in his beginning years, his opinion changed drastically over time. Lincoln always had the Nation’s best interest in heart, and that was made clear.

Love in To His Coy Mistress, Shall I Compare Thee, Let Me Not, and The

Love in "To His Coy Mistress", "Shall I Compare Thee," "Let Me Not," and "The Flea" The four poems I am going to be comparing are, â€Å"To His Coy Mistress,† â€Å"Shall I Compare Thee,† â€Å"Let Me Not,† and â€Å"The Flea.† All four of these poems are based on the subject matter of love. The four poems have a lot in common but each poem touches a different aspect of love. Two of the poems, â€Å"Shall I Compare Thee†, and â€Å"Let Me Not†, are sonnets and both were written by Shakespeare. â€Å"To His Coy Mistress† is written by Andrew Marvell and â€Å"The Flea† was written by John Donne. All four of the poems have three parts to them each posing a different argument. I will be analysing and comparing the four poems in the purpose of the poem, the nature of love, the effect of outside influences on their love, the form of the poem and the techniques the poets use convincingly. The main purpose of ‘To His Coy Mistress’ is to persuade Marvell’s mistress to consummate their relationship together, this is also the same purpose of ‘The Flea’. The other purposes are to brag about how good he is at writing; this is shown in his arrogant style of writing. It is for seduction, a satire of legal persuasive speech and the final purpose is a reminder of mortality, and they should seize the day. It also says that the woman is very shy and that if they had all the world but enough time so being shy is not a crime, this is shown in the opening lines, â€Å"Had we but world enough, and time, This coyness, Lady, were no crime.† Phrases such as, â€Å"amorous birds of prey,† and â€Å"tear our pleasures† show that they consummate their relationship. â€Å"Time’s wingà ¨d chariot hurrying near†, is a reminder that death will soon dawn upon then and so there is more reason ... ...hat he is a fantastic writer. All four of the poems are very persuasive and are written effectively by the poets’ techniques. ‘Shall I Compare Thee’ and ‘Let Me Not’ are both romantic and flatter the lady Shakespeare is writing for. Both the sonnets make Shakespeare’s loved one seem extremely special and Shakespeare does it convincingly. ‘To His Coy Mistress’ is humorous in places and maintains the politeness throughout the poem. ‘To His Coy Mistress’ is also very persuasive and Marvell convinces his beloved to consummate their relationship. ‘The Flea’ is effective because a flea is so insignificant but the way the poet describes it makes it seem so important. All of the poems are very similar and definitely have many similarities between them, the main one is obviously love but they all talk about death being the main outside influence on their love.

Influence of George Berkeley :: This Lime-Tree Bower My Prison Philosopher Essays

The Influence of George Berkeley George Berkeley (1685-1753) was an Irish clergyman and philosopher who studied and taught at Trinity College in Ireland, where he completed some of his best known works on the immateriality of matter (believing that all matter was composed of ideas of perception and therefore did not exist if it was not being perceived). Coleridge himself acknowledge the influence of Berkeley on his work, in particular his poem â€Å"This Lime-Tree Bower My Prison† when he wrote a letter to Robert Southey in July 1797, in which the poem was included, with the following note, â€Å"You remember, I am a Berkleian.† We can see the influence of Berkeleyin â€Å"This Lime-Tree Bower My Prison† in three main ways: perceptions of light, the idea of a divine spirit in everything yet still separate and itself, and the idea that there are as many â€Å"minima visibilia† in an enclosed space as out in the wide-open spaces. According to Stephen Prickett, one of the main ideas that Berkeley had hoped to prove was that all reality is mental, but the idea that truly came through in his works is that each person does not perceive object, but instead qualities (like color, form, sent, and sound), and each person perceives these qualities differently. Prickett goes further to claim that the effect of this idea on Coleridge â€Å"was to make him intensely conscious of light† (12). We can see this obsession with light and they way it plays on different object throughout â€Å"This Lime-Tree Bower My Prison†: Pale beneath the blaze Hung the transparent foliage; and I watch’d Some broad and sunny leaf, and lov’d to see The shadow of the leaf and stem above Dappling its sunshine! And that walnut-tree Was richly ting’d, and a deep radiance lay Full on the ancient ivy, which usurps Those fronting elms, and now, with blackest mass Makes their dark branches gleam a lighter hue Through the late twilight†¦ Coleridge’s preoccupation with light and the way in which it changes the perception of the object is what links this passage with the ideas of Berkeley. Even though Coleridge and many other Romantics (such as Wordsworth) used the came to different conclusions about perception than Berkeley, his theories about light â€Å"pointed to the why in which such phenomena of light as the rainbow could be used as a scientific model for the imagination as a perceptual relationship between man and nature† (Prickett 13).

Language education Essay

It is not a secret that teaching has a great role in our life. In our constantly changing world we have to get knowledge from everything: from people and things surrounding us, from different technologies, from our experience. But nothing of these can take the place of a teacher, who plays a great role in life of every person. During rather long period of time a teacher was an integral part of children’s life. He does not only impart the knowledge of the world, prepares children for everyday life but also influences their souls, teaches them to be honest, to be patient, to help each other, to  respect each other. But who is a teacher? We usually think that a teacher especially if we speak of a female is a nervous persistent creature. And if we speak of a male, we are sure he is odd, absent- minded and very often not strongly built and healthy. But in the broadest sense, a teacher can be defined as someone who not only teaches or imparts knowledge, but also someone responsible for shaping the minds and hearts of all those whom they teach. Foreign language teachers have a lot of common qualities with the teachers of other subjects. Moreover such â€Å"ideal† teacher would posses personal qualities, technical abilities and professional understanding. One must admit that the future of any student depends on the qualities and dedication of a teacher of foreign language or any other subject. That is why it is necessary to be a good teacher who will create an interest in students to achieve the aims they set for themselves. But what qualities, features do make a teacher a good teacher? Speaking about it first of all we should touch teacher’s personal and professional qualities. The most important feature for both foreign language teacher and teacher of other subjects is to enjoy his profession and love children. If a teacher loves his profession and his students he is ready to devote themselves to such a hard work as being a teacher. A teacher who is full of love for his work is motivated, energized, and creative; he comes to place of work in high spirits, he is open and can share his positive emotions with the students. The next most important concern is teacher’s eternal patience. A foreign language teacher must be patient. He must never be annoyed with students because they don’t understand something. Not all children learn at the same pace and inevitably some will require special attention. However, giving up on these children is a mistake as they can usually succeed with encouragement and hard work. It is a well-known fact that a good teacher must possess leadership qualities. He must have great confidence and strong will power to obtain the best results from his students. A good sense of humour is another great tool that helps a teacher to simplify his task. I  think that a good sense of humor can create a pleasant atmosphere where everyone knows they can ask questions, make mistakes or try out new ideas. One more qualities of a good teacher which is necessary to mention is respect. It is very important to respect the students, their opinions, ideas, style of living, and attitude towards something. Having that respect for others gets you the respect back from others. Endurance, tolerance, optimism, enthusiasm, objectiveness, amiable disposition are also in the first ranks of qualities of a good teacher. I think that all these characteristics are some kind of challenge for a person because it is not so easy to combine all of them. But as the future teachers we must make every effort in order to develop them because we are the future examples for younger generation. Besides, a good foreign language teacher should possess certain professional knowledge. First of all he must know psychology of his children. It will help a teacher to have a certain way with the students, to involve them, to make the lessons more interesting and effective. Without any doubt a good foreign language teacher must be knowledgeable in his subject, because he is an example for the pupils. He must know all the peculiarities of the language, its grammar, lexical structure perfectly well. The pronunciation of a good foreign language teacher must also be on a high level. In other words he must be a professional, a master of his skills. Besides, a good teacher also must have the ability to analyze his work in order to see his mistakes, to find more effective and productive way of teaching. But on the other hand, their social position of officially respected but badly paid specialists doesn’t allow them to occupy the desirable step on the social ladder. Unfortunately very often teachers don’t have an easy access to necessary scientific literature to improve their professional skills. One more negative aspect of this profession is that they almost have no weekends, as their Monday is more likely to begin on Sunday, because some important preparations should be done. And young teachers are often not ready for the emotional impact and the amount of work  coming down on the teacher. To draw the conclusion, one can say that future teachers must remember that being a teacher is a great responsibility, because teachers are charged with children’s young souls. They must improve themselves in order to become good teachers, to acquire the qualities which will help to open children’s hearts, to become friends for them, to become examples for them to follow, to stay in their minds and hearts forever. One cannot deny that the experience the teachers get at school make a great influence on their attitudes to life and people.

The History of Computer Technology

Only once in a lifetime will a new invention come about to touch every aspect of our lives. Such devices changed the way we manage, work, and live. A machine that has done all this and more now exists in nearly every business in the United States. This incredible invention is the computer. The electronic computer has been around for over a half-century, but its ancestors have been around for 2000 years. However, only in the last 40 years has the computer changed American management to it†s greatest extent. From the first wooden abacus to the latest high-speed microprocessor, the computer has changed nearly every spect of management, and our lives for the better. The very earliest existence of the modern day computer's ancestor is the abacus. These date back to almost 2000 years ago (Dolotta, 1985). It is simply a wooden rack holding parallel wires on which beads are strung. When these beads are moved along the wire according to programming rules that the user must memorize. All ordinary arithmetic operations can be performed on the abacus. This was one of the first management tools used. The next innovation in computers took place in 1694 when Blaise Pascal invented the first digital calculating machine. It could only add numbers and they had to be entered by turning dials. It was designed to help Pascal's father, who was a tax collector, manage the town†s taxes (Beer, 1966). In the early 1800s, a mathematics professor named Charles Babbage designed an automatic calculation machine (Dolotta, 1985). It was steam powered and could store up to 1000 50-digit numbers. Built in to his machine were operations that included everything a modern general-purpose computer would need. It was programmed by and stored data on cards with holes punched in them, appropriately called punch cards. This machine was xtremely useful to managers that delt with large volumes of good. With Babbage†s machine, managers could more easily calculate the large numbers accumulated by inventories. The only problem was that there was only one of these machines built, thus making it difficult for all managers to use (Beer, After Babbage, people began to lose interest in computers. However, between 1850 and 1900 there were great advances in mathematics and physics that began to rekindle the interest. Many of these new advances involved complex calculations and formulas that were very time consuming for human calculation. The first major use for a computer in the U. S. was during the 1890 census. Two men, Herman Hollerith and James Powers, developed a new punched-card system that could automatically read information on cards without human (Dolotta, 1985). Since the population of the U. S. as increasing so fast, the computer was an essential tool for managers in tabulating the These advantages were noted by commercial industries and soon led to the development of improved punch-card business-machine systems by International Business Machines, Remington-Rand, Burroughs, and other corporations (Chposky, 1988). By modern standards the unched-card machines were slow, typically processing from 50 to 250 cards per minute, with each card holding up to 80 digits. At the time, however, punched cards were an enormous step forward; they provided a means of input, output, and memory storage on a massive scale. For more than 50 years following their first use, punched-card machines did the bulk of the world's business computing By the late 1930s punched-card machine techniques had become so well established and reliable that Howard Hathaway Aiken, in collaboration with engineers at IBM, undertook construction of a large automatic digital computer ased on standard IBM electromechanical parts (Chposky, 1988). Aiken's machine, called the Harvard Mark I, handled 23-digit numbers and could perform all four arithmetic operations (Dolotta, 1985). Also, it had special built-in programs to handled logarithms and trigonometric functions. The Mark I was controlled from prepunched paper tape. Output was by card punch and electric typewriter. It was slow, requiring 3 to 5 seconds for a multiplication, but it was fully automatic and could complete long computations The outbreak of World War II produced a desperate need for computing capability, especially for the military (Dolotta, 985). New weapons systems were produced which needed trajectory tables and other essential data. In 1942, John P. Eckert, John W. Mauchley, and their associates at the University of Pennsylvania decided to build a high-speed electronic computer to do the job. This machine became known as ENIAC, for Electrical Numerical Integrator And Calculator (Chposky, 1988). It could multiply two numbers at the rate of 300 products per second, by finding the value of each product from a multiplication table stored in its memory. ENIAC was thus about 1,000 times faster than the previous generation of computers. ENIAC used 18,000 standard vacuum tubes, occupied 1800 square feet of floor space, and used about 180,000 watts of electricity. It used punched-card input and output. The ENIAC was very difficult to program because one had to essentially re-wire it to perform whatever task he wanted the computer to do. It was efficient in handling the particular programs for which it had been designed. ENIAC is generally accepted as the first successful high-speed electronic digital computer and was used in many applications from 1946 to 1955. However, the ENIAC was not accessible to managers of businesses Mathematician John Von Neumann was very interested in the ENIAC. In 1945 he undertook a theoretical study of computation that demonstrated that a computer could have a very simple and yet be able to execute any kind of computation effectively by means of proper programmed control without the need for any changes in hardware. Von Neumann came up with incredible ideas for methods of building and organizing practical, fast computers. These ideas, which came to be referred to as the stored-program technique, became fundamental for future generations of high-speed digital computers and were universally adopted The first wave of modern programmed electronic computers to take advantage of these improvements appeared in 1947. This group included computers using random access memory, RAM, which is a memory designed to give almost constant access to any particular piece of information (Dolotta, 1985). These machines had punched-card or punched-tape input and output devices and RAMs of 1000-word capacity. Physically, they were much more compact than ENIAC: some were about the size of a grand piano and required 2500 small electron tubes. This was quite an improvement over the earlier machines. The first-generation stored-program computers required considerable maintenance, usually attained 70% to 80% reliable operation, and were used for 8 to 12 years (Hazewindus,1988). Typically, they were programmed directly in machine language, although by the mid-1950s progress had been made in several aspects of advanced programming. This group of machines included EDVAC and UNIVAC, the first commercially available computers. With this invention, managers had even more power to perform calculations for such things as statistical demographic data (Beer, 1966). Before this time, it was very rare for a anager of a larger business to have the means to process The UNIVAC was developed by John W. Mauchley and John Eckert, Jr. in the 1950s. Together they had formed the Mauchley-Eckert Computer Corporation, America's first computer company in the 1940s. During the development of the UNIVAC, they began to run short on funds and sold their company to the larger Remington-Rand Corporation. Eventually they built a working UNIVAC computer. It was delivered to the U. S. Census Bureau in 1951 where it was used to help tabulate the U. S. population Early in the 1950s two important engineering discoveries hanged the electronic computer field. The first computers were made with vacuum tubes, but by the late 1950s computers were being made out of transistors, which were smaller, less expensive, more reliable, and more efficient (Dolotta, 1985). In 1959, Robert Noyce, a physicist at the Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation, invented the integrated circuit, a tiny chip of silicon that contained an entire electronic circuit. Gone was the bulky, unreliable, but fast machine; now computers began to become more compact, more reliable and have more capacity. These new technical discoveries rapidly found their way into new odels of digital computers. Memory storage capacities increased 800% in commercially available machines by the early 1960s and speeds increased by an equally large margin (Jacobs, 1975). These machines were very expensive to purchase or to rent and were especially expensive to operate because of the cost of hiring programmers to perform the complex operations the computers ran. Such computers were typically found in large computer centers operated by industry, government, and private laboratories staffed with many programmers and support personnel. By 1956, 76 of IBM's large computer mainframes were in se, compared with only 46 UNIVAC's (Chposky, 1988). In the 1960s efforts to design and develop the fastest possible computers with the greatest capacity reached a turning point with the completion of the LARC machine for Livermore Radiation Laboratories by the Sperry-Rand Corporation, and the Stretch computer by IBM. The LARC had a core memory of 98,000 words and multiplied in 10 microseconds. Stretch was provided with several ranks of memory having slower access for the ranks of greater capacity, the fastest access time being less than 1 microseconds and the total capacity in the vicinity of 100 During this time the major computer manufacturers began to offer a range of computer capabilities, as well as various computer-related equipment (Jacobs, 1975). These included input means such as consoles and card feeders; output means such as page printers, cathode-ray-tube displays, and graphing devices; and optional magnetic-tape and magnetic-disk file storage. These found wide use in management for such applications as accounting, payroll, inventory control, ordering supplies, and billing. Central processing units for such purposes did not need to be very fast arithmetically and were primarily used to access arge amounts of records on file. The greatest number of computer systems were delivered for the larger applications, such as in hospitals for keeping track of patient records, medications, and treatments given. They were also used in automated library systems and in database systems such as the Chemical Abstracts system, where computer records now on file cover nearly all known chemical compounds The trend during the 1970s was, to some extent, away from extremely powerful, centralized computational centers and toward a broader range of applications for less-costly computer systems (Jacobs, 1975). Most continuous-process manufacturing, such as petroleum refining and electrical-power distribution systems, began using computers of relatively modest capability for controlling and regulating their activities. In the 1960s the programming of applications problems was an obstacle to the self-sufficiency of moderate-sized on-site computer installations, but great advances in applications programming languages removed Applications languages became available for controlling a great range of manufacturing processes, for computer operation of machine tools, and for many other tasks. In 1971 Marcian E. Hoff, Jr. , an engineer at the Intel Corporation, invented the microprocessor and another stage in the development of the computer began (Chposky, 1988). A new revolution in computer hardware was now well under way, involving miniaturization of computer-logic circuitry and of component manufacture by what are called large-scale In the 1950s it was realized that scaling down the size of electronic digital computer circuits and parts would increase speed and efficiency and improve performance (Jacobs, 1975). However, at that time the manufacturing methods were not good enough to accomplish such a task. About 1960, photoprinting of conductive circuit boards to eliminate wiring became highly developed. Then it became possible to build resistors and capacitors into the circuitry by photographic means. In the 1970s entire assemblies, such as adders, shifting registers, and counters, became available on tiny chips of silicon. In the 1980s very large scale integration, VLSI, in which hundreds of thousands of transistors are placed on a single chip, became increasingly common Many companies, some new to the computer field, introduced in the 1970s programmable minicomputers upplied with software packages (Jacobs, 1975). The size-reduction trend continued with the introduction of personal computers, which are programmable machines small enough and inexpensive enough to be purchased and used by individuals (Beer, 1966). One of the first of such machines was introduced in January 1975. Popular Electronics magazine provided plans that would allow any electronics wizard to build his own small, programmable computer for about $380. The computer was called the Altair 8800. Its programming involved pushing buttons and flipping switches on the front of the box. It didn't include a onitor or keyboard, and its applications were very limited. Even though, many orders came in for it and several famous owners of computer and software manufacturing companies got their start in computing through the Altair (Jacobs, 1975). For example, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, founders of Apple Computer, built a much cheaper, yet more productive version of the Altair and turned their hobby into a business. After the introduction of the Altair 8800, the personal computer industry became a fierce battleground of competition. IBM had been the computer industry standard for well over a half-century. They held their position as the standard when they introduced their first personal computer, the IBM Model 60 in 1975 (Chposky, 1988). However, the newly formed Apple Computer company was releasing its own personal computer, the Apple II. The Apple I was the first computer designed by Jobs and Wozniak in Wozniak's garage, which was not produced on a wide scale. Software was needed to run the computers as well. Microsoft developed a Disk Operating System, MS-DOS, for the IBM computer while Apple developed its own software (Chposky, 1988). Because Microsoft had now set the software standard for IBMs, every software anufacturer had to make their software compatible with Microsoft's. This would lead to huge profits for Microsoft. The main goal of the computer manufacturers was to make the computer as affordable as possible while increasing speed, reliability, and capacity. Nearly every computer manufacturer accomplished this and computers popped up everywhere. Computers were in businesses keeping track of even more inventories for managers. Computers were in colleges aiding students in research. Computers were in laboratories making complex calculations at high speeds for scientists and physicists. The computer had made its mark everywhere in management and built up a huge industry The future is promising for the computer industry and its technology. The speed of processors is expected to double every year and a half in the coming years (Jacobs, 1975). As manufacturing techniques are further perfected the prices of computer systems are expected to steadily fall. However, since the microprocessor technology will be increasing, it's higher costs will offset the drop in price of older processors. In other words, the price of a new computer will stay about the same from year to year, but technology will steadily Since the end of World War II, the computer industry has grown from a standing start into one of the biggest and most profitable industries in the United States (Hazewindus,1988). It now comprises thousands of companies, making everything from multi-million dollar high-speed supercomputers to printout paper and floppy disks. It employs millions of people and generates tens of billions of dollars in sales each year. Surely, the computer has impacted every aspect of people's lives (Jacobs, 1975). It has affected the way people work and play. It has made everyone's life easier by doing difficult work for people. The History of Computer Technology This report briefly explains the history of modern computers, starting from the year 1936 to present day time. There are many models of computers documented throughout the years, but they only computer models mentioned are ones that I deemed too have had the greatest effect on computer technology back then and now. This report will show how in just forty years, computers have transformed from slow, room-sized machines, to the small and fast computers of today. Computers are a part of important everyday life, but there was a time when computers did not exist. Computers are one of the few inventions that do not have one specific inventor. Many inventors have contributed to the production and technology of computers. Some of the inventions have been different types of computers, while the others were parts needed for the computer to function effectively. Many people have added their creations to the list required to make computers work, adding to the overall technology of computers today. The term â€Å"computer† originally referred to people. It was a job title for those who did repetitive work with math problems. A computer is define as a programmable machine that receives input, stores and automatically manipulates data, and provides output in a useful format. The most significant date in the history of computers is in the year of 1936. This is the year the first â€Å"computer† was developed by a German engineer named Konrad Zuse. He called it the Z1 Computer and it was the first system to be fully programmable. The Z1 Computer had computing power, setting it apart from other electronic devices. Programming early computers became somewhat of a hassle for inventors and in 1953 Grace Hooper invented the first high level computer language. Her invention helped simplify the binary code used by the computer so that its users could dictate the computer’s actions. Hooper’s invention was called Flowmatic and has evolved into modern day technology. In the same year, the International Business Machines (IBM) was introduced into the computing industry, forever altering the age of computers. Throughout computer history, this company has played a major role in the development of new systems and servers for public and private use. Inventors saw IBM as competition within the computing history, which helped to spur faster and better development of computers. Their first computer technology contribution was the IBM 701 EDPM Computer. During the three years of production, IBM sold 19 machines to research laboratories, aircraft companies, and the federal government. The first computer physically built in America was the IAS computer. It was developed for Advanced Study at Princeton under the direction of John Von Neumann between1946-1950. (History of Computer Technology, 2011). John von Neumann wrote â€Å"First Draft of a Report on the EDVAC; in which he outlined the architecture of a stored-program computer (Computer History Museum – Timeline of Computer History, 2006). Electronic storage of programming information and data eliminated the need for the more clumsy methods of programming. An example of stored-program data computer is the IAS computer. Many modern computers trace their ancestry to the IAS machine and they are referred to as von Neumann (or Princeton) architecture machines. The IAS computer embodied the concept of a stored-program computer. The main memory contained two main categories of information, instructions and data. The computer had an ability to place different sequences of instructions in the memory which made the computer very useful. This allowed inventions to build computers to complete different tasks at different times. Such a computer can be reconfigured (reprogrammed) at any time to perform a new or different task. The Hungarian-born von Neumann demonstrated prodigious expertise in hydrodynamics, ballistics, meteorology, game theory, statistics, and the use of mechanical devices for computation contributed to the production of the modern day computer (Computer History Museum – Timeline of Computer History, 2006). In 1955, Bank of America coupled with Stanford Research Institute and General Electric; saw the creation of the first computers for use in banks. Researchers at the Stanford Research Institute invented â€Å"ERMA†, the Electronic Recording Method of Accounting computer processing system. ERMA updated and posted checking accounts and manually processed checks and account management. The MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition) was a part of ERMA and allowed computers to read special numbers at the bottom of the checks. This technology helped with the tracking and accounting of checks transactions. ERMA was officially demonstrated to the public in September 1955 and first tested on real banking accounts in the fall of 1956. (Blain, 2005). Today, computer technology has transformed the banking industry. One of the most important breakthroughs in computer history occurred in 1958. This was the creation of the integrated circuit, known as the chip. The integrated circuit device is one of the base requirements for the modern computer systems. On every motherboard and card inside the computer system, are many chips that contain vital information on what the boards and cards do. Without the integrated circuit, the computers known today would not be able to function. The first commercially integrated circuits became available from the Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation in 1961. All computers then started to be made using chips instead of the individual transistors and their accompanying parts. Texas Instruments first used the chips in Air Force computers and the Minuteman Missile in 1962. They later used the chips to produce the first electronic portable calculators. The original integrated chip had only one transistor, three resistors and one capacitor and was the size of an adult's pinkie finger. Today, an integrated chip is smaller than a penny and can hold 125 million transistors (Bellis). The late 1970s saw the popularization of personal computers and the progress continues from then until now. An explosion of personal computers occurred in the 1970s. The Tandy Corporation was one of the leading companies in computer technology. Their most popular invention was the TRS-80 arriving on the market in the late 1970s. It was immediately popular, selling out at Radio Shack where it was exclusively sold. The TRS-80 was sold for only $600, making it affordable for many individuals to own their own personal computer. Within its first year, over 55,000 consumers bought Tandy TRO-80 to use in their home or office and over 250,000 of them sold in the next few years. Tandy Corporation’s TRS-80 had a keyboard and motherboard all in one. This is a common trend that other companies today use for their personal computer products. TRS-80 also included office applications, including a word processor, calculator, and early spreadsheet capabilities (The People History – Computers From the 1970s). People during the late 70s embraced personal computers and used them for a variety of reasons, such as, games, office applications, home finances, storing date, and many other necessary usages. In 1975, Apple Computers was founded by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniac. The Apple II was launched in 1977 and was an immediate success as well. Apple created the â€Å"home/personal computer† that could be used by anybody. The success of the Apple II established Apple Computers as a main competitor in the field of personal computers. Then Dan Bricklin created a spreadsheet program called VisiCalc for the Apple II. It went on sale in 1979 and within four years it sold 700,000 copies at $250 a time (Trueman, 2000). By 1980, there were one million personal computers in the world. Computers have come an enormous way since their initial establishment, as the earliest electronic computers were so large that they would take up the entire area of a room, while today some are so small that they can fit in your hands. While computers are now an important part of the everyday lives of human beings, there was a time where computers did not exist. Knowing the history of computers and how much progression has been made can help individuals understand just how complicated and innovative the creation of computers really is. The first programmable digital computers invented in the 1940s have dramatically changed in appearance and technology from today. They were as big as living rooms and were about as powerful as modern day calculators. Modern computers are billions of times more capable than early machines and occupy less space. Simple computers, such as smart phones, are small enough to fit into mobile devices, and can be powered on by a small battery. In today's world, computers play an incredibly large role in the way the world exists in general, and the majority of tasks could actually not be completed if not for the use of computers. Although there are certainly some areas and jobs that cannot yet be completed solely by computers and which thus still require actual manpower, for the most part, computers have helped to make life significantly easier, productive, and more convenient for us all. Future computer technology will help solve many medical problems by reinterpreting sensory data and modulating brain activity. Technology will be so advanced that it may allow people who have lost the use of their limbs to use robotics to regain their disabled movements. The future of computer technology is very bright and welcomed indeed. Current trends, research, and development happening at a lightning speed supports this statement. Our children today will see a whole new world of technology with computers within the next decade. Works Cited http://inventors.about.com/od/istartinventions/a/intergrated_circuit.htm http://www.computerhistory.org/timeline/?category=cmptr http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/70scomputers.html http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/personal_computer.htm