SAT Score Comparison for the NCAA Pac-12 Conference

Informative Essay Punk rock - 718 Words

Punk music is usually defined by power chords, raw vocals and high energy performance. Punk rock is the best music ever created. It is, in short, a thinking man’s rock music. And to some, it’s like God himself ordained punk rock as His preferred music of choice. Why? Because it’s just that good. Hundreds of faithful teens and twenty-something adults pack themselves into basements shows like sardines in a tin, just to have their holy gospel delivered to them by guys with names like â€Å"Johnny Rotten,† â€Å"Justin Sane† or â€Å"Davey Havok.† Punk rock is the best musical style for numerous reasons. The reasons might seem simple, but the difference between punk and mainstream music is that punk is just better. It’s clever, thoughtful and passionate. On†¦show more content†¦With a hopeless future at the horizon, the restless youth in Britain had plenty of things to get angry about. 03 The Sex Pistols embodied the anger and restless ambition. The Ramones, The Clash, The Dead Kennedys and the other punk bands of the late 1960s were all making their political claims. As time went on, there have always been punk bands to carry the torch. In recent years, bands like Angelic Upstarts, Drop Kick Murphy, Flogging Molly and Anti-flag have all had political messages. There is no shrinking to the sidelines to croon love songs and high school graduation themes. That certainly does not mean that all punk rock is political. It just means that punk rock has always been thoughtful and fully aware of what goes on in society, and that awareness has been reflected in the music. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Anti-conformity has always been a prominent thread running through punk. The unofficial creed has always been that to truly define yourself you can’t be like your parents or your friends. You have to be yourself and to cut yourself out of stone. Each punk band you ever encounter will be slightly different from all the others. Some bands are lyrically different for their song lyrics, some for their guitar chords, and some for the theme of their music. But whatever the music is about, you can always be assured that it will be high energy, raw, and honest. TheShow MoreRelatedArticles from English 102 Reader1662 Words   |  7 Pagesstating how he feels and his point of view. With this being said he doesn’t acknowledge the other side. It’s his opinion and point of view basically makes the entirety of the essay. It’s a great essay overall. I will be using this article for my essay because it flows very well with my topic. I’ve used it before and in a previous essay and it strengthened my argument so I’m confident it will help my ethos. Tannen, D. â€Å"There Is No Unmarked Woman† English 102 Reader. Bedford/St. Martin’s. Boston: 2013Read MoreEssay about The Negative Impact of Media Censorship1905 Words   |  8 Pagesthose intentions. Upon further investigation with the victim, it was revealed that the child participated in many very unusual activities, such as watching MTV music videos until 6 in the morning, and holding sà ©ances to contact the spirits of dead rock stars (â€Å"Suicide Solution [Ozzy Osbourne]). These should’ve been clear and obvious warning signs that something negative was going on in his life, and the entire suicide could’ve been avoided. Thus, it seems that the parents are merely using the song

Deception Point Page 10 Free Essays

The President dropped a sugar cube into his mug. â€Å"As surprising as this may sound, the NASA discovery I’m referring to was made by EOS.† Now Rachel felt lost. We will write a custom essay sample on Deception Point Page 10 or any similar topic only for you Order Now If EOS had enjoyed a recent success, NASA certainly would have announced it, wouldn’t they? Her father had been crucifying EOS in the media, and the space agency could use any good news they could find. â€Å"I’ve heard nothing,† Rachel said, â€Å"about any EOS discovery.† â€Å"I know. NASA prefers to keep the good news to themselves for a while.† Rachel doubted it. â€Å"In my experience, sir, when it comes to NASA, no news is generally bad news.† Restraint was not a forte of the NASA public relations department. The standing joke at the NRO was that NASA held a press conference every time one of their scientists so much as farted. The President frowned. â€Å"Ah, yes. I forget I’m talking to one of Pickering’s NRO security disciples. Is he still moaning and groaning about NASA’s loose lips?† â€Å"Security is his business, sir. He takes it very seriously.† â€Å"He damn well better. I just find it hard to believe that two agencies with so much in common constantly find something to fight about.† Rachel had learned early in her tenure under William Pickering that although both NASA and the NRO were space-related agencies, they had philosophies that were polar opposites. The NRO was a defense agency and kept all of its space activities classified, while NASA was academic and excitedly publicized all of its breakthroughs around the globe – often, William Pickering argued, at the risk of national security. Some of NASA’s finest technologies-high-resolution lenses for satellite telescopes, long-range communications systems, and radio imaging devices – had a nasty habit of appearing in the intelligence arsenal of hostile countries and being used to spy against us. Bill Pickering often grumbled that NASA scientists had big brains†¦ and even bigger mouths. A more pointed issue between the agencies, however, was the fact that because NASA handled the NRO’s satellite launches, many of NASA’s recent failures directly affected the NRO. No failure had been more dramatic than that of August 12, 1998, when a NASA/Air Force Titan 4 rocket blew up forty seconds into launch and obliterated its payload – a $1.2 billion NRO satellite code-named Vortex 2. Pickering seemed particularly unwilling to forget that one. â€Å"So why hasn’t NASA gone public about this recent success?† Rachel challenged. â€Å"They certainly could use some good news right now.† â€Å"NASA is being silent,† the President declared, â€Å"because I ordered them to be.† Rachel wondered if she had heard him correctly. If so, the President was committing some kind of political hara-kiri that she did not understand. â€Å"This discovery,† the President said, â€Å"is†¦ shall we say†¦ nothing short of astounding in its ramifications.† Rachel felt an uneasy chill. In the world of intelligence, â€Å"astounding ramifications† seldom meant good news. She now wondered if all the EOS secrecy was on account of the satellite system having spotted some impending environmental disaster. â€Å"Is there a problem?† â€Å"No problem at all. What EOS discovered is quite wonderful.† Rachel fell silent. â€Å"Suppose, Rachel, that I told you NASA has just made a discovery of such scientific importance†¦ such earth-shattering significance†¦ that it validated every dollar Americans have ever spent in space?† Rachel could not imagine. The President stood up. â€Å"Let’s take a walk, shall we?† 11 Rachel followed President Herney out onto the glistening gangway of Air Force One. As they descended the stairs, Rachel felt the bleak March air clearing her mind. Unfortunately, clarity only made the President’s claims seem more outlandish than before. NASA made a discovery of such scientific importance that it validates every dollar Americans have ever spent in space? Rachel could only imagine that a discovery of that magnitude would only center on one thing – the holy grail of NASA – contact with extraterrestrial life. Unfortunately, Rachel knew enough about that particular holy grail to know it was utterly implausible. As an intelligence analyst, Rachel constantly fielded questions from friends who wanted to know about the alleged government cover-ups of alien contact. She was consistently appalled by the theories her â€Å"educated† friends bought into – crashed alien saucers hidden in secret government bunkers, extraterrestrial corpses kept on ice, even unsuspecting civilians being abducted and surgically probed. It was all absurd, of course. There were no aliens. No cover-ups. Everyone in the intelligence community understood that the vast majority of sightings and alien abductions were simply the product of active imaginations or moneymaking hoaxes. When authentic photographic UFO evidence did exist, it had a strange habit of occurring near U.S. military airbases that were testing advanced classified aircraft. When Lockheed began air-testing aradical new jet called the Stealth Bomber, UFO sightings around Edwards Air Force Base increased fifteen-fold. â€Å"You have a skeptical look on your face,† the President said, eyeing her askance. The sound of his voice startled Rachel. She glanced over, unsure how to respond. â€Å"Well†¦ † She hesitated. â€Å"May I assume, sir, that we are not talking about alien spacecrafts or little green men?† The President looked quietly amused. â€Å"Rachel, I think you’ll find this discovery far more intriguing than science fiction.† Rachel was relieved to hear NASA had not been so desperate as to try selling the President on an alien story. Nonetheless, his comment served only to deepen the mystery. â€Å"Well,† she said, â€Å"whatever NASA found, I must say the timing is exceptionally convenient.† Herney paused on the gangway. â€Å"Convenient? How so?† How so? Rachel stopped and stared. â€Å"Mr. President, NASA is currently in a life or death battle to justify its very existence, and you are under attack for continuing to fund it. A major NASA breakthrough right now would be a panacea for both NASA and your campaign. Your critics will obviously find the timing highly suspect.† â€Å"So†¦ are you calling me a liar or a fool?† Rachel felt a knot rise in her throat. â€Å"I meant no disrespect, sir. I simply-â€Å" â€Å"Relax.† A faint grin grew on Herney’s lips, and he started to descend again. â€Å"When the NASA administrator first told me about this discovery, I flat out rejected it as absurd. I accused him of masterminding the most transparent political sham in history.† Rachel felt the knot in her throat dissolve somewhat. At the bottom of the ramp, Herney stopped and looked at her. â€Å"One reason I’ve asked NASA to keep their discovery under wraps is to protect them. The magnitude of this find is well beyond anything NASA has ever announced. It will make landing men on the moon seem insignificant. Because everyone, myself included, has so much to gain – and lose – I thought it prudent for someone to double-check the NASA data before we step into the world spotlight with a formal announcement.† Rachel was startled. â€Å"Certainly you can’t mean me, sir?† The President laughed. â€Å"No, this is not your area of expertise. Besides, I’ve already achieved verification through extragovernmental channels.† Rachel’s relief gave way to a new mystification. â€Å"Extragovernmental, sir? You mean you used the private sector? On something this classified?† The President nodded with conviction. â€Å"I put together an external confirmation team – four civilian scientists-non-NASA personnel with big names and serious reputations to protect. They used their own equipment to make observations and come to their own conclusions. Over the past forty-eight hours, these civilian scientists have confirmed the NASA discovery beyond the shadow of a doubt.† How to cite Deception Point Page 10, Essay examples

Poetic analysis of Ben Jonson Essay Example For Students

Poetic analysis of Ben Jonson Essay He lived a violent life at times and had a few run-ins with the law. By all appearances it may have seem he was a brutish rogue but underneath It all he had the heart of a romantic. Ben Johnson wrote many lyrical poems and he was keenly adept at illustrating and portraying contemporary people. The poems, Song: To Celia and Song: Still to Be Neat are both written about a particular women. The theme or central Idea of the first poem Is about all consuming love that he had for the person Celia. Throughout this memo his praise of her is so extreme that she takes on an unearthly quality. The line which clearly expresses the authors attitude are lines 7-8:out might I of Coves nectar sup, I would not change for telnet. He declares the only thing that his soul needs Is her love, which Is divine and all-encompassing. In contrast, his theme In the second poem, is one of chastisement on vain women. He declares that he prefers a natural and simple woman in lines 7-8:Give me a look, give me a face, that makes simplicity a grace. His central Idea suggests that women who hide their natural tatty behind powder and perfume are superficial and unable to move a mans heart. In many of his poems he critically addresses the facades that people put up for others. This author wanted to be a professional writer and earn a Miming with his writing. He depended on the nobility for his livelihood and although he himself was not a gentleness, he was supported by them. He had a down to earth way of reaching the soul of a man and exposing hypocrisies of life. The author uses imagery in both poems to make a connection between fragrances and the women. In the Song: To Celia, her fragrance is natural and appealing. With the lines 15-16: Since when it grows and smells, I swear, not of itself but thee, he states that her fragrance is stronger and sweeter than even the roses. On the other hand, in Song: Still to Be Neat, he condemns a woman who wears a perfume that covers up her natural scent as In line 6: All Is not sound, all Is not sweet. Additionally, he uses personification In the first poem in line 1: Drink to me only with thing eyes, which gives the eyes the capability to drink. Comparatively, in the second poem the author feels like the womans makeup covers her real beauty or art and that doesnt attract him. In the lines 11-12: Than all the adulteries of art, They strike mine eyes, but not my heart. he gives the qualities of striking, to the adultery of art. He wrote many short poems and odes that were easily set to music, about all walks of life and most were During the time when Ben Johnson lived in England the classes of people were clearly divided. He used the standards and morals of the time to poke fun at man and his insecurities with short lyrical poetry. The poem, Song: To Celia, is lyrical poetry because Ben Johnson expresses a deep emotional love and like many of his poems, its rhyme can be put to song. It has sixteen lines, with a rhyme scheme of ABACA, (first stanza), DEFENDED, (second stanza). The other poem, Song: Still to Be Neat, is an allegory because it contains abstract concepts concerning beauty and art. The underlying moral of this poem is that the beauty of a woman is more than skin deep. It has a total of twelve lines and the pattern different from the other poem. .uf3ae49cfe29b81bec6bdb627a9839f4e , .uf3ae49cfe29b81bec6bdb627a9839f4e .postImageUrl , .uf3ae49cfe29b81bec6bdb627a9839f4e .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uf3ae49cfe29b81bec6bdb627a9839f4e , .uf3ae49cfe29b81bec6bdb627a9839f4e:hover , .uf3ae49cfe29b81bec6bdb627a9839f4e:visited , .uf3ae49cfe29b81bec6bdb627a9839f4e:active { border:0!important; } .uf3ae49cfe29b81bec6bdb627a9839f4e .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uf3ae49cfe29b81bec6bdb627a9839f4e { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uf3ae49cfe29b81bec6bdb627a9839f4e:active , .uf3ae49cfe29b81bec6bdb627a9839f4e:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uf3ae49cfe29b81bec6bdb627a9839f4e .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uf3ae49cfe29b81bec6bdb627a9839f4e .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uf3ae49cfe29b81bec6bdb627a9839f4e .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uf3ae49cfe29b81bec6bdb627a9839f4e .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uf3ae49cfe29b81bec6bdb627a9839f4e:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uf3ae49cfe29b81bec6bdb627a9839f4e .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uf3ae49cfe29b81bec6bdb627a9839f4e .uf3ae49cfe29b81bec6bdb627a9839f4e-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uf3ae49cfe29b81bec6bdb627a9839f4e:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Compare Presents From My Aunts in Pakistan with one other poem EssayIts rhyme chem. is BACK, (first stanza), DEFER, (second stanza)l; the pairs of letters representing rhyming lines with identical meter. Ben Johnson was a simple man who lived at a time when everyone, even men, wore frills and put on artificial acts to impress others. He had the knack of breaking through the veneer to get to the core of the person he wrote about. No one was spared his astute observations because he even wrote satirical pieces about his friends and himself. He could poke fun at his good friend, Shakespeare, and get away with it. He had a rough life physically and emotionally as well. Although much is not known about his wife, it is a fact that both of his children lived for only a short time. The emotional lose of the people he loved may have given him the gift to get past all deceit in life and understand what really mattered. At the time of his writings the popular writers leaned more toward intellectual subjects, like theology and history. Their works were considered serious while his light, but he soon changed the minds of the critics. With short and direct verses he made the literary world understand that poems can be serious works of art.

An Analysis Of The Impact Of Changed Economic Circumstances And An Evolving Regulatory Environment On Downer Group

Brave New World And Farenhiet 451 comparisson essay essays

Brave New World And Farenhiet 451 comparisson essay essays For a long time science fiction writers have thrilled and have been challenged readers with visions of the future and future worlds. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury are books that both offered an insight into what they expected man, society, and what civilization will become in the future time. Both authors show that society, civilizations and expectations from men can be completely different in future time. Of the many similarities among the two books, similarities that stand out the most would have to be, the outlawed reading of books; the superficial preservation of beauty and happiness; and lastly the idea of the protagonist as being a loner or an outcast from society because of his differences in beliefs. Outlawed reading. To us this sounds very strange. In the societies of both of these books, however, it is a common and almost completely unquestioned law. In Brave New World reading is something that all classes are conditioned against from birth. In the very beginning of the novel we see a group of infants who are given bright, attractive books but are exposed to an explosion and a shrieking siren when they reach out for them. Through out the his or her life, the infant learns to keep a distance between himself and the books, Because of the conditioning experiences that infants went through, The mere sight of books made people scream and shout in terror. We come to learn that the basic reasoning behind this conditioning against reading in Brave New World was because You couldn't have lower-caste people wasting the Community's time over books, and there was always the risk of their reading something, which might undesirably decondition one of their reflexes (Huxley 22). In Fahrenheit 451 the outlawing of book reading is taken to an even greater extent. In this novel the whole purpose of a fireman&qu...

A critical investigation of the effects of using different learning Essay

A critical investigation of the effects of using different learning styles in swimming in KS1 - Essay Example The activity of swimming is a preventative learning experience that not only teaches a sport to children, but prepares them for the dangers of water Even though it may seem that water is a benign space, the truth is that it accounts for a significant number of deaths per year. Cultural disparities in infrastructure has caused some groups to have less access to swimming, thus putting them at higher risk for incidents. Swimming is also a social space, a place in which a natural hierarchy is developed and in which an unspoken set of rules govern behavior. Therefore, in creating curriculum that includes swimming, a social, safety, and culturally relevant system of skills is given to those participating in the educational venue. The ASA School Swimming Strategy Because of the many reasons for the advantages of having a swimming educational curriculum, it is crucial to critically evaluate the nature of swimming instruction as supported by the state. The ASA has identified four key elements that should be addressed where swimming is concerned: To ensure that everyone has the opportunity to learn to swim To ensure that everyone has the opportunity to enjoy swimming or water based fitness activities for health and fun throughout their lives To ensure everyone achieves their different personal goals throughout their lifetime To ensure we achieve gold medal success on the world stage (ASA) The problem with these objectives is that they skip the most crucial objective, which is to provide instruction that asserts the safety issues that must be addressed where water is concerned. ... This is an odd construction of focal points for a strategy that intends to cover the needs of all the participants in the program. While the strategy lists this a secondary focus, that it is listed without the focus of safety included is a quandary. The WHO (World Health Organization) has determined that 400,000 to 700,000 people drown each year at a worldwide level. There are a great deal of issues that affect the nature of drowning potential, including race, age, sex and the participation in instructions on water safety and swimming. Because many areas do not have sufficient infrastructure to support swimming as an activity, drowning becomes a real threat (Hastings, Zaharon, and Cable 915). The strategy outlines ways in which it helps schools systems to meet the criteria that are listed in different programmes. One of the programmes is the â€Å"Every Child Matters† programme that supports the idea that schools should be a place in which life long skill sets and protections are created so that the child has the best possible chance at a good outcome as an adult. Swimming, according to the ASA helps to provide this programme with some of its goals through achieving systems that create activities for extended school programmes so that there are places for children to go outside of the regular school time period (ASA). Again, this does not address the nature of the contribution of water safety that will provide further protections and skill sets that can save lives. Other programmes such as â€Å"Aiming High for Young People† and â€Å"Physical Activity and Sports Strategy for Young People† are also addressed to emphasize the importance of swimming as an activity, rather than providing a skill set for safety (ASA). The problem with simply

Compare and contrast the flood story Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Compare and contrast the flood story - Essay Example Despite the chronological and spatial disparity between the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Hebrew Bible, striking similarities abound between them, as shall be seen in the ensuing discussion. The Hebrew Bible and the Epic of Gilgamesh agree that the global flooding took place in ancient times. For instance, the Chaldean Flood Tablets have been established to date back to at least 2000 BC, while the Genesis account, 1450-1410 BC. It is also interesting to note that in both accounts, the universal flood is presented as divine intervention. For instance, in the Chaldean Flood Tablets, there is a description on how Ea, the Babylonian deity reaching a decision to extirpate all life, with the ark dwellers being the only exception. It is for this reason that Ea, the creator of heaven and earth chose Utnapishtim and instructed him to make a six-storey ark. In Genesis, the flood is also a divine intervention by the Judeo-Christian God, Jehovah. He decides to end life forms on earth, chooses (to save) Noah and his family and instructs Noah on how on make the ark. Heidel divulges that in both cases, the flood is universal and brings an end to life forms, particularly, mankind, terrestrial life and all flying species. The flood covered all physical features such as land and mountain. Because of this, an ark is given to the main character. In the Hebrew Bible, the main character is Noah, while in the Epic of Gilgamesh, it is Utnapishtim. In both accounts, Noah and Utnapishtim are chosen because they are righteous men. It is also important to note that in both accounts, the arks are very huge, so that they can contain different animal species. Both arks in Genesis and the Epic of Gilgamesh have at least a door and a window (Heidel, 44). In both accounts, samples of animal species were to be taken aboard the ark. The animals are taken in male-and-female, for the purpose of

Business Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 6

Business Law - Essay Example Most tribunals deal with cases that involve the rights of private citizens against the State. Many of these tribunals deal with issues that are central to the fight against social exclusion like for example, social security, child support and mental health. Tribunals are a large and important part of the justice system, that have, hitherto fore, not received the attention and recognition that they deserve. The progress of equal pay cases can be normally slow and complicated. Cases pertaining to jobs of equal value involve enormous number of claimants with a wide range of implications. Tribunals face a lot of difficulty in dealing with complex cases which involve expertise, because they will be forced to appoint an independent expert to prepare a detailed case study and evaluation report and this causes inordinate delays. Further these independent experts are not supplied with sufficient information and further, they do not possess the required authority to demand such information from the claimants. The tribunal cannot enforce any sanction on the experts in the case of delays and the availability and appointment of such independent experts also involves time. In addition, tribunals conceal the identity of the independent experts and this has the effect of discouraging claimants, to some extent, in providing complete information. In order to mitigate these problems, section 8(5) of the... d in order to streamline case management by making the rules easier and by engendering the early exchange of information, engagement of independent experts and by ensuring that information is given to them at the early stage of the proceedings1. Another problem consists of the fact that there are no plans to extend legal aid to people whose incomes are low and who are involved in the complex tribunal procedures. The situation obtaining at present is such that many people have to meet their own costs, and have to represent themselves, whilst many employers are represented by experienced barristers. This practice enables employers or their legal representatives to use the threat of costs to intimidate and deter those making an application to an employment tribunal. Tribunals cover a very wide range of important issues like health, employment, benefits, housing and immigration and people depend on them to protect their important basic rights. If tribunals are to provide effective justice then people bringing and defending cases before it must have access to low cost and informed legal aid. The government had initiated steps to ensure that tribunals meet the standards of independence and impartiality as required by the Human Rights Act. In Starrs and Chalmers v Procurator Fiscal2 the court decisions have confirmed that Employment Tribunals3 and School Admission and Exclusion Appeal Panels4 meet the required standards. Therefore, the government is of the firm belief that tribunals fully meet all the requirements of the populace and that no further changes should be required on that account. However, the government will take all necessary steps wherever the arrangements in any particular tribunal are found to be insufficient. Apart from the considerations of human rights,

The Roles And Responsibilities Of Managers

The Roles And Responsibilities Of Managers It is very important if a manager wants cooperation from his team or employees, or to pay attention. A good manager practices empathy and respects the personal values, opinions and ideas of the people he interacts with. He should listen and respond and offer praises and encouragements when they make progress. By doing that he will enhance their self esteem and will build trust. As the boss, his ability to develop trust and confidence, resolve problems and issues will result in a productive, goal oriented work group. He should encourage his team to ask for help, get involved and participate. A capable manager is often described as having a vision of where to go and the ability to articulate it. Communication skill A manager is the middle person in between the top management level and the team that reports to him. He is also the teams link to the larger organisation. He must have the ability to effectively negotiate and use persuasion when necessary to ensure the success of the team and project. Through effective communication, manager supports individual and team achievements by creating guidelines for the career advancement of team members and for accomplishing tasks. He has to ensure that communication between the two layers is smooth and is conveyed clearly to avoid misinterpretations and dissatisfaction. Good communication skills are useful to develop his negotiation and customer service skills, especially if he deals with clients. A good planner In order for a manager to achieve long term goals and commit to strategies for substantial earnings, he has to communicate the vision of the company to his subordinates. He should break down and clarify the goals that each team or individual have to perform and assign work schedules and strategies to them. It also involves thinking and planning out strategies on how to improve quality and also being cost conscious and effective. Having goals and planning out the directions allow for effective time management and saves cost and resources. Setting deadlines and goals helps keep employees focused, busy and motivates them to do their work. A good manager should talk to each of his employees about the companys goals, and work with them to set individual goals directly linked to organizations target mission. He should make sure that the employees understand their professional growth path in the company. Decision Maker The daily routine of making decisions for a manger includes determining how to approach an employee who is not performing or lacking progress and how to bring about change to the organization and its team. His day to day decision is based on whats important, whats right and not whos right. Leadership skill This is one of the most important skill. His position entails him to guide and give direction so that the team can perform effectively. A good manager offers job coaching, training and support. In order for individuals to meet the needs and objectives, they may need extra input, information or skills. The performance of his team depends on his abilities to empower them. How well a person performs depends on his motivation. His task as the boss is to encourage and coach others to improve themselves and the quality of their work. He needs to implement in them the desire to excel and accept responsibility and self management. Appraiser A good manager need to have the capacity to evaluate and examine a process or procedure and decide on the best choice to produce an outcome. He looks at the importance, quality and values and then taking the best approach. He is also expected to track the progress of each individuals activities and effectiveness, review them and offer feedback and counselling. Recognize problems It is impossible for a manager to know about personality conflicts, lagging productivity or other problems in the office if he has his head in the sand. If he notices a change in an employees work habits or attitude, he should try to get to the root of the problem before that problem starts to affect rest of the staff. Provide Satisfaction The subordinates of a manager are happy when they are provided with the necessary tools and resource. They feel secure if the management puts priority to health, safety and cleanliness issues. And this in turn helps in satisfying customers by giving good quality of service or product and taking care of their needs. New methods and technologies A manager should keep himself updated on methods and technologies that can make him and his team more efficient. Proper use of power In order to achieve the goal expected from a manger, he must have power and authority to act in a way that will stimulate a positive response from the workers. A manager depending on the situation, exercises different types of power, viz reward power and expert power. Besides the formal basis, the informal basis of power also has a more powerful impact on organizational effectiveness. A manager is only effective when his subordinates obey his orders. So, the manager uses appropriate power so that his subordinates willingly obey the orders and come forward with commitment. Proper time management Time is the most precious and vital thing in management. There are three dimensions of time boss imposed time system imposed time self imposed time As the manager has a thorough knowledge of the principle of time management such as preparing time charts, scheduling techniques, etc., he should utilize the time productively in the organization. Relationship Managerial behavior implies the existence of a manager managed relationship. This relationship arises in an organization. A manager should have a very good relationship with all his subordinates. It is very important for both his personal and official life. Sources of influence In case of a manager, authority is attached to his managerial position. In other words, managers obtain authority from his followers or subordinates. Sanctions A Manager has command over all allocation and distributions of sanctions between employees. For Example, Manager has control over the positive sanctions such as promotion and awards for his task performance and the contribution to organizational objectives. Manager is also in a position to exercises the negative sanctions such as with- holding promotions, or mistakes, etc. A leader has different type of sanctions to exercise and grant. He can generate or with hold access to satisfying the very purpose of joining the groups social satisfactions and related task rewards. These informal sanctions are relevant to the individual with belongingness or ego needs: where as the organizational sanctions granted or exercised by the managers are geared to the physiological and security needs of individual. Competence Selection of managers in an organization is done on their ability to successfully lead others rather than on past technical expertise. A manager who has a winning track record is considered competent. Competence also requires expertise in management skills. A capable and competent manager has the ability to challenge, inspire, model, enable and encourage his employees. Cool under pressure In a perfect world, projects would be delivered on time, under budget and with no major problems or obstacles to overcome. This happens due to a manager who takes all these problems in stride. When efficient managers encounter a stressful event, they consider it interesting, they feel they can influence the outcome and they see it as an opportunity. They take these events as a challenge rather than a stress. To be an exemplary role model Managers who set high standards or goals and achieve them are great leaders by examples. The ability to tolerate stress and remain poise under job pressures and still maintain a high activity and energy level is the main quality of a manager. In order to be a respected and efficient manager, a manager needs to work hard in his personal growth. EFFECTIVE DEALING OF PROBLEMS BY A MANAGER In a workplace a manager suffers from a lot of problems from his employees. These problems may be personal or official. Some of the most common problems are briefed below : Poor performance People think that poor performance occurs due to lack of skill but it is not always like that, it may also occur as employees are disorganised. Proper guidance can correct this problem. If performance difficulties relate to a lack of skills, additional training or coaching can solve these problems. Job incompatibility Sometimes skills of an employee arent compatible with their assigned tasks or regular duties. In this type of cases, offering the employee additional training or assigning them a different set of tasks is usually the most appropriate course of action. Sloppy work Whenever a manager notices that, an employee has made some errors, he should point out the mistakes to the employee and monitor their work more closely. If the problem persists, he should speak with the employee and detail the most serious examples of problems with their work. A good manager always remains positive and remembers the employees contribution to the company. Create an effective message A managers message should fit executives, middle managers, supervisors and employees. An effective message by a manager should also explain the employees ´ day-to-day duties directly affect the companys performance and he should touch on the values and pride of the employees. A direct face to face interaction by a manager can help to inspire employees and to reinforce positive attitude in them. This interaction helps the employees to adapt any change in the organization. Listening to employees Employees feedback is very important in an organization in case of managing change. Holding focus groups with employees is a great way to gauge reaction and monitor the progress of change. A manager can also ask his employees to provide feedback through email or company intranet. Even a blog can be used for this purpose which is quite popular now. For a successful change management proper communication is very important. Talking to your employees is not an one-time event, a good manager should reinforce his message by communicating quite often and on a regular basis. EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT MANAGERS An efficient leader can be summarised as a person who has a lot of capability where as an effective leader is one whose works produce good results for an organization. Effectiveness and efficiency are mutually exclusive things. They are both fundamental preconditions for a manager. Being effective means that one has the ability to properly analyse the evolving environment and selecting the right things as the areas of strategic focus for the enterprise. On the other hand, being efficient requires a carefully carved cultural and operational framework which helps the manager to achieve a particular degree of success, given the level of resources applied to a particular objective. Both the terms efficient and effective refer to the ability of a person, enterprise, or process to perform a function well. High efficiency refers to an efficient person while an effective person has high effectiveness. However there is a small but very significant difference between these two measure of performance. Efficiency refers to the economy in use of resources for performing a task, and effectiveness refers to the total output generated. Efficiency is measured in terms of ratio of output generated divided by inputs used in the process for example, widgets produced per kilogram of raw material used. Effectiveness measures the total output produced for example, total widgets produced in a day. An example is given to understand the concept. Two different lathe operators, say X and Y, are assigned the task of making bushes on a lathe. Let us say A produces 200 bushes in a shift, and in the process uses up 8 kilogram of steel rod in the process. In comparison, B produces 120 bushes using 10.5 kilogram of steel rod. The effectiveness and efficiency of these two lathe operators based on their performance is compared in table below: Operator Effectiveness Efficiency X 200 Bushes per shift 25 Bush per Kg of Steel Y 320 Bushes per shift 18 Bush per Kg of Steel So, we see that operator A has higher efficiency but lower effectiveness. In management, both efficiency and effectiveness are very important. The relative emphasis to be given to efficiency and effectiveness depends from situation to situation. One more example will completely justify the concept. For example, we must be careful to control the quantity and cost of water used in a factory during routine operations. However, if the same factory is on fire, we will not think twice about using whatever water can be made available for putting out the fire. Effective Versus Efficient The difference between effective and efficient are loaded with some of the most important concepts : Efficient doing things right Effective doing the right things Both concepts are very important and both concepts are utilised in the management of work. These concept begins with organization and does not depend on the position of an employee whether he is a manager or a staff employee. The great business writer Peter Drucker defined five functions in his writings : Objective setting Organising the team or group Communicating and motivating Performance measurement Developing people Effectiveness means that the job was done correctly and was accomplished but does not regard whether the job was done inexpensively or on time. Whereas, efficiency means that the job was accomplished cheaply and on time yet may not be a very thorough and impressive accomplishment. Efficient is defined as working without waste or using a minimum of time, effort and expense. But, the definition does not define the goals of the operation. A person can be very efficient but still he cannot get a positive result because he is not doing the right things at the right time. Thats where effective comes in. Effective means having the desired result. Once the desired result is obtained, the tasks leading to the result can be isolated and these tasks can then be completed efficiently. Some characteristics of an efficient manager are : He is organized. He can find things quickly He know how to use the tools on his computer to the nth degree He writes readable and actionable emails His meetings are well run He processes all the financial reports properly and on a regular schedule He knows how to work well with his employees Some characteristics of an effective manager are : Meeting deadline for reports and contributions Making a quota Earning the amount targeted Leading the time to define and execute a project We will consider an example to clear out the difference between the two qualities, i.e. how a manager solves a problem efficiently : STEP 1: He defines the problem in detail. Once he satisfied that the problem is well defined, then he starts looking for a solution. STEP 2: The second stage is the alternative courses of action that solve the problem. In this stage multiple potential solutions are generated. This step involves some research and asking others about their ideas. Here, the manager comes up with 2-3 alternative solutions. STEP 3: The third stage is related with studying each option and the advantages and disadvantages related to it. One alternative may appear quicker but might be costlier whereas the other alternative might be less costly but requires a lot of effort and time. Proper understanding of each alternative helps to get the right solution. STEP 4: This step is related to the selection and implementation of the best solution. STEP 5: The final step is related to the monitoring of the implemented solution i.e. whether it worked or not. If the solution is not good enough then again need to follow step 1. CONCLUSION Efficiency and effectiveness are different but when combined leads to an unstoppable result orientation which feeds success. So, we can conclude that both efficiency and effectiveness are important for a successful manager. As a result of the managers hard work the employees work properly and in an efficient manner which as a result gives fruitful results to the company.

Philosophy of Teaching Essay -- Teachers Education Learning Essays

Philosophy of Teaching My goals as a teacher are to help students communicate effectively and foster a desire to learn. I believe these two characteristics are important for students to have because despite what problems they encounter or what situation they are in, the ability to communicate effectively will help them in working with others and the desire to learn will motivate them to make positive changes in their life. As a teacher, I want my students to become interested in learning, both in school and in their personal lives. With these two goals in mind, my role as a teacher is to help them acquire these skills and values. However, effective communication is one of the hardest tasks for teachers because we all communicate in different ways and through different means. This is why teachers also need the desire to learn because it will motivate them to learn more useful ways of communicating and connecting with the students. To help students attain these goals, a teacher who leads by example can demonstrate to students how to communicate to others. In addition, if teachers are excited about what they teach, they will create a better learning environment that will motivate the students to learn. My philosophy of teaching consists of these two traits because after they leave my class, I want them to continue their education with the desire to learn more and to communicate this desire and the skills they have obtained with others. As a future social studies ... Philosophy of Teaching Essay -- Teachers Education Learning Essays Philosophy of Teaching My goals as a teacher are to help students communicate effectively and foster a desire to learn. I believe these two characteristics are important for students to have because despite what problems they encounter or what situation they are in, the ability to communicate effectively will help them in working with others and the desire to learn will motivate them to make positive changes in their life. As a teacher, I want my students to become interested in learning, both in school and in their personal lives. With these two goals in mind, my role as a teacher is to help them acquire these skills and values. However, effective communication is one of the hardest tasks for teachers because we all communicate in different ways and through different means. This is why teachers also need the desire to learn because it will motivate them to learn more useful ways of communicating and connecting with the students. To help students attain these goals, a teacher who leads by example can demonstrate to students how to communicate to others. In addition, if teachers are excited about what they teach, they will create a better learning environment that will motivate the students to learn. My philosophy of teaching consists of these two traits because after they leave my class, I want them to continue their education with the desire to learn more and to communicate this desire and the skills they have obtained with others. As a future social studies ...

The Useless Morris Of Bram Stoker’s Dracula

Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’ is more a story of romance than it is of horror. What makes it very unique is that it is an allegory of the love affair of the soul, the body and the heart. In the novel, the most important love affairs are that of Mina and Jonathan and Dracula and Mina. Jonathan is the fist person in the novel to encounter Dracula and is also the lover of Mina at the same time. When Jonathan leaves for Transylvania to help Dracula purchase an estate, Dracula becomes aware of Mina, and soon becomes obsessed with the purity and devotion of this woman to her ‘would-be’ husband.Later, the vampire, Dracula, because of his obsession with Mina, pollutes her by tempting her to drink his blood. Dracula want Mina for himself, not as a victim, but as his wife; but because of the devotion of Mina and Jonathan to each other, Jonathan pursues Dracula and frees his fiance from the curse of one day becoming the queen of the undead. In effect, the novel illust rates the duality of purity; the purity of Jonathan and Mina’s love and the purity of Dracula’s love for Mina.While it is unfair to say that it is only Jonathan who has a pure kind of love for Mina, Dracula’s love for her is actually pure as well, but on a darker level, hence, at this point the novel shifts from a bizarre love triangle to a battle between good and evil. In the novel, there is mention of a particular character named Quincy Morris who is the third person to court Lucy, the best friend of Mina who also becomes a victim of Dracula. Morris is the ideal picture of the American gentleman. He is an adventurer and later gives up his own life in the battle against Dracula.Morris is in the original version of the novel by Bram Stoker, however, in later versions of the story, as well as in film remakes, his character is not included. Upon reading the original version of the novel, it is clear that the role of Morris remains anchored on three basic and very minor concepts – minor paradox, accessory, and auxiliary, hence his inclusion from later versions of the novel. Very simply, Morris is like the sugar flowers on the cake, and without him the cake would still have its icing, hence, his role in the story is one that can be easily dispensed with without affecting the direction and the plot of the story.Initially, let us tackle his role in being the ‘minor paradox’; this means that Morris is not part of the major paradox of the story, and so in later remakes, especially those from Hollywood, based on the principles of a classic Hollywood narrative, Morris no longer appears for the basic reason that in a classic Hollywood narrative, only the major paradox or source of conflict is actually considered. This particular thesis could be validated in the context of the original version of the novel itself. It will be noted that Morris is first mentioned in the novel in the letter of Lucy to Mina on the 24th of May.(Stoker, page 87) Morris here is introduced as one of Lucy suitors, and she writes Mina to tell her about the suitors who came to her that day, of which Morris was one. (Stoker, page 90) Lucy, in her letter, describes the attributes of Mr. Morris, and more importantly, very discreetly refers to a tender infatuation for the man, in the lines, â€Å"Well, he did look so good humoured and so jolly that it didn’t seem half so hard to refuse him as it did poor Dr. Seward. † (Stoker, page 91) Of course, because Lucy was in love with someone else, she refuses the courtship of Morris.(Stoker, page 92) So, it is clear, even from this initial introduction given to the Morris character, that although he is part and parcel of an accessory conflict, he does not really figure in the major paradox. The refusal of Lucy is even a foreshadowing of the gravity of the role of this particular character. The subtle dismissal of Lucy of his courtship is an indication that although Morris goes on to d o some pretty significant things in the story, he does is not actually of any significant connection to any of the major characters, more so, to a second level character like Lucy.In this same chapter, Morris also writes a letter to a certain Arthur Holmwood, (Stoker, page 95) who is the suitor favored by Lucy. In his letter, he simply invites Holmwood to a drinking session with Dr. Seward. (Stoker, page 96) To this invitation, Holmwood obliges. Consider here that Seward is the doctor who runs the asylum right beside the estate purchased by Dracula, so Morris now begins to worm his way into the story. What is to note in the invitation of Morris, however, is the fact that the topic of their conversations was going to be his being rejected by Lucy.There is a certain level of pain in his letter which was supposedly from Lucy’s rejection, hence the lines, â€Å"There are more yarns to be told, and more wounds to be healed. † (Stoker, 96) This particular invitation propels the role of Morris to being worse, not just that he is a part of a minor conflict, but with this letter, he also becomes a nuisance or a distraction in the story, as he now manages to enter the main stream flow of the novel through Dr. Seward and Holmwood. His role as an accessory is validate more when he is sent by Holmwood to visit the ill Lucy who was then under the care of Dr.Seward. (Stoker, page 237) In effect, his role is not relevant to the general conflict because what he does, is he simply stands in for main character or is an auxiliary to the main characters. As an auxiliary character, the text offers more validations in this direction. In the chapter where Van Helsing reveals his intention of cutting off the head of the corpse of Lucy (Stoker, page 329) the only comment that Morris offers is, â€Å"That is fair enough† (Stoker, page 329) in agreement of the verbal proposition of Dr. Morris.It will be noted, that although this is the only line offered by Morris in this section, it would seem that he is the only one in agreement of the plans of Van Helsing, therefore, making him an auxiliary to the thoughts of the professor. Later, when they all go to do what Helsing had in mind, as revealed in the journal of Seward, Morris begins by simply ‘seconding’ the doubts of the two other men that they were with, that Helsing must have removed the body of Lucy prior to the operation that they were going through, so, here again, Morris is an adversarial auxiliary to Van Helsing, but with his statement, then becomes an ally of Helsing.(Stoker, 333) Of course, later, when the actual act of re-killing Lucy is completed, Seward, Holmwood, and Morris, all become allies of Van Helsing in his advocacy against the undead, thus, confirming the auxiliary role of Morris in this particular novel. What is ironic though, is that these three men all had intimate encounters with Lucy, what set’s Morris apart from the three of them is the fact that d uring the time when Helsing was proposing to ‘re-kill’ Lucy, he was the one who offered the least resistance.(Stoker, page 329) He was also in the group not because he loved Lucy like the other two chaps in the group, but because of his sense of adventure; quite a superficial reason, if perused properly. Finally, to further strengthen the argument that later versions of the novel would not have been any different even in the absence of Morris, it would help to consider his accessory role – one which, according to the definitions of literature, is simply a role that makes it easier for the major characters to move towards the plot and the climax of the story.A role which also, all the more becomes very unnecessary in the classic Hollywood narrative because the struggles of the main characters towards the resolution of the plot are actually given more value than the act of making these struggles easier, defeating the steady escalation of conflict in the story. Morr is does just this in the story, he hitches the escalation of the conflict, and offers periods of respite for the major characters – a role that should not exist if reader or viewer excitement was to be the main issue of consideration.Morris remains faithful to this accessorial role again when he offers to go along with the ‘vampire hunting’ group to visit the madman, Renfield, who is a henchman of Dracula, in Seward’s asylum. (Stoker, page 387) Here, he poses no threat or favor, but rather is a mere observer; however, this particular scene moves Morris closer to meeting Dracula and, consequently, his demise. In this particular section of the story, Morris also witnesses the madman along with Jonathan Harker, the fiancee of Mina, hence, bringing him into the inner boundaries of the story.Later, in Harker’s journal, he reveals another pivotal comment of Morris, when he narrates how Morris makes a comment about Renfield, â€Å"†Say, Jack, if tha t man wasn't attempting a bluff, he is about the sanest lunatic I ever saw. I'm not sure, but I believe that he had some serious purpose, and if he had, it was pretty rough on him not to get a chance. † (Stoker, page 394) Here, Morris becomes accessory to Helsing and Harker’s plot to pursue Dracula by actually fanning the flame of the supposed connection between Dracula and the madman.However, this could have easily been done by Seward which all the more makes Morris assertion quite useless, and besides, even in the absence of this assertion, Harker and Helsing would have pursued their stance anyway. Later, with the accident of Renfield, Van Helsing is called upon to visit the asylum to help – then, by some turn of circumstance, Morris follows suit along with Holmwood. (Stoker, page 439) This sets the stage for other events that further validates the accessorial role of Morris.In the later parts of the novel, Morris correctly offers to use horses instead of the m ore elaborate carriages that might attract attention (Stoker, page 467); he also, along with Holmwood, performed accessory operations like burning vampire nests; accessory to the operations of the major vampire hunter, Van Helsing (Stoker, page 478); Morris also ordered to talk to nobility to ensure the smoothness of their missions (Stoker, page 538), he also helped to defeat the gypsies with his bowie knife, (Stoker, page 597) and finally, he also validated the minority of his role by being the one to herd the horses during their mission to save Mina.(Stoker, page 562) In the end, after all these laborious participations in the story, Morris is killed, and the only apparent payment for his death is the fact that the birthday of Mina’s and Jonathan’s first child falls on the date of the death of Morris. This is such a pathetic way to go for a character in the story who had done so much to assist the major characters, however, because his role was merely to complicate p aradox, to auxiliarize, and to accessorize the major characters in the story, his role was very dispensable.In the classic Hollywood narrative, the role of Morris would translate into added expense, added complication, and added actors for the producers. In later versions of the novel, his role served to take away focus from the main characters of the story. In effect, Morris was not only a useless character in the story, because although he assisted in the fulfillment of many pivotal circumstances, his participation could have been easily taken on by one of the major characters.Another significant effect of the presence of Morris in the story is his diminutization of the role of Van Helsing; instead of fortifying the capacities of Helsing, he served to show that Helsing was bossy and was unable to do things on his own, therefore, staining the reputation of this particular major character.In conclusion, the exclusion of Morris from other more recent versions of the novel, whether in written or movie form, could only have worked for the better. His absence has made the story clearer and aimed at a more distinct direction. After all, his role in the story is simply to contribute minor paradox, be an accessory, and be an auxiliary to the major characters, not directly affecting or influencing the outcome of the plot or the turn of major events.His affiliation with Lucy does not even count, and neither does his accidental affinity to Jonathan and Mina; Morris was there as a part of a team that already existed, that may have well done just as good even in his absence. Works Cited Stoker, Bram. Dracula. New York: Plain Label Books, 2001. 90-595. 26 Apr. 2009 .

Spanish Armada essays

Spanish Armada essays In the Elizabethan age the Spanish Armada controlled the seas with an iron fist. The Armada was extremely rich and incredibly powerful. Throughout all of the years Spains Armada won countless battles, most of the battles were with the country of France (Easton 221). But France wasnt the Armadas biggest threat; their primary threat was with England, ruled by Queen Elizabeth (Villiers 216). Englands Navy was led by the mighty Sir Francis Drake, Elizabeths most favorite sea dog (Villiers 235). Even with Drake in the way of the Armada would still be the most dominant Navy in the whole world. The Armada was under the control and leadership of two of the most admirable leaders of the Elizabethan age. The leaders were Duke of Medina Sidonia and Philip II. The Naval Commander after the death of previous senior officer Don Alvaro de Bazan. The selection of Medina Sidonia was made by King Philip II (www.newadvent.org/cathen/01727c.html). The only person above the Duke was Philip II who reigned as King from 1556-1598 (History of the World 187). Philip IIs father was Emperor Charles V (Easton 221). According to passages written about him, Philip II was an extremely religious man, whose top priority was the well being of Spain (History of the World 195). The second most significant man in Spain was Duke of Medina Sidonia; he led the Armada with dignity and discipline. Country was always first in the mind of Medina Sidonia. Two characteristics of the Duke was a man of excellent nobility and a gentleman (Stenuit 757). The Duke of Medina Sidonia was also extremely stubbo rn, so stubborn in fact that while planning the attack on England he refused help from anyone. In his mind, the Duke had all the answers and ideas that were needed to overtake England as the most dominant country and abolish Protestantism (Cutler 132). With both the Duke and Philip leading and preparing the attack Spai...

Free Essays on Stress Fractures

Diagnosing Stress Fractures Stress fractures are one of the most common sports related injuries that are usually managed by family practitioners. It is a result of repetitive use of a muscle group that exceeds the natural ability of the bone to repair itself. The lower extremities are frequently affected by sports involving running and jumping. Activities such as baseball and tennis involve repetitive usage of the arms and can cause stress fractures of the upper extremities. Lower extremity stress fractures present as localized, dull pain with no evidence of trauma that worsens during exercise or weight bearing. The tibia is the most common site of injury and accounts for 50% of stress fractures. Localized edema and thickening of the periosteum can occur and is prevalent to the middle and distal third of the tibia. Point tenderness to palpation to the injury site is hallmark for stress fractures. Metatarsal fractures make up 25% of stress fractures and are usually located to the distal second and third metatarsal. These injuries are common among military recruits and those who are not physically conditioned for the workout routine they are participating in. Many presumed diagnosis are made by clinical exam. Radiological studies will help the clinician to make a definitive diagnosis. Plain radiographs should be obtained, but evidence of a fracture may never appear or may not appear for two to ten weeks after symptom onset. Repeat radiographs will reveal a fracture during the recovery phase 50% of the time. Bone scans and magnetic resonance imaging scans are more expensive than plain radiographs but are much more accurate in identifying stress fractures. Although stress fractures are very common among young athletes, clinicians are imprecise at making the correct diagnosis. Proper diagnosis are important to prevent further injury and possible nonunion of the affected bone. My patient care populations are ... Free Essays on Stress Fractures Free Essays on Stress Fractures Diagnosing Stress Fractures Stress fractures are one of the most common sports related injuries that are usually managed by family practitioners. It is a result of repetitive use of a muscle group that exceeds the natural ability of the bone to repair itself. The lower extremities are frequently affected by sports involving running and jumping. Activities such as baseball and tennis involve repetitive usage of the arms and can cause stress fractures of the upper extremities. Lower extremity stress fractures present as localized, dull pain with no evidence of trauma that worsens during exercise or weight bearing. The tibia is the most common site of injury and accounts for 50% of stress fractures. Localized edema and thickening of the periosteum can occur and is prevalent to the middle and distal third of the tibia. Point tenderness to palpation to the injury site is hallmark for stress fractures. Metatarsal fractures make up 25% of stress fractures and are usually located to the distal second and third metatarsal. These injuries are common among military recruits and those who are not physically conditioned for the workout routine they are participating in. Many presumed diagnosis are made by clinical exam. Radiological studies will help the clinician to make a definitive diagnosis. Plain radiographs should be obtained, but evidence of a fracture may never appear or may not appear for two to ten weeks after symptom onset. Repeat radiographs will reveal a fracture during the recovery phase 50% of the time. Bone scans and magnetic resonance imaging scans are more expensive than plain radiographs but are much more accurate in identifying stress fractures. Although stress fractures are very common among young athletes, clinicians are imprecise at making the correct diagnosis. Proper diagnosis are important to prevent further injury and possible nonunion of the affected bone. My patient care populations are ...

Summary and evaluation writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Summary and evaluation writing - Essay Example Although, he admits that one may unintentionally omit some drawing aspects, he emphasizes on the essence of the incorporation of standard symbols and features when representing a source or a specific target. Goldschmidt ecucidates on how creative sketching can moderate the problem space by showing the representation behavior depicted in the sketches. While drawing has undergone evolution over the years with improvement of paper, Goldschmidt argues that it is recemmended for skilled sketchers to integrate orthogonal projections in their skecthes for complete representaion. Though a number of researcher suggest the benefits of imagery over sketches, Goldschmidt strongly disapproves this allegation. Concerning the beneficial aspect of skething on sharpening one’s creative imagination and reflective skills, I wholly support Goldschmidt. Though not every person or child may possess good skething skills or simply the passion as every individual has their innate capabilities. His ack nowlededgement of the fact that skething in a child improves over time to a detailed level is largely accurate as regular practice in sketching advances over time. However, I do not subscibe to the idea that emphasizes on the necessity of incorporating orthogonal projection as I strongly believe that each artist has their own way of enhancing their sketches. This takes me to the point that sketching is a liberated field and so every sketcher should do their own style. Lastly, I concur with Goldschmidt in emphasizing that sketches speak volumes as compared to imagery and they are easier to interpret. Although th use of imagery is crucial in creative writing, it is best suited for longer works besides involving some element of reading skills. Schon, D. 1983, ‘Design as a reflective conversation with the situation’, The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action, Basic Books, New York, pp. 76-104. Schon complains about the little attention that architecture has received over the years especially considering the fact that most design professions derive their foundation from architecture as field. He goes ahead to affirm how design can manifest as a reflective conversation more so in difficult and complex circumstances and situations. Schon categorically mentions in his article the close relationship between verbal and non-verbal communication, clearly depicting the essence of design as an architectural tool in eliminating language barrier. In reflecting the design aspects, Schon agrees that the shape plays an important role in architectural design as it forms silent reflective conversations with the subjects. Besides, he states the role of different shapes in as far as enhancing space is concerned. Schon claims that there are three dimensions attached to architectural design namely the consequences of the design sphere, the implications of the discovery, and the ability to respond to the situation. Schon argues that architectural desig n is crucial in solving problems of geometrical nature through critical and analytical reflection of the elements of design domain. I agree with Schon’s claim that architecture as the mother of all designs does not get the deserved acknowledgement in as far as

King Corn assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

King Corn - Assignment Example Overproduction implies that additional characteristics have been introduced thus triggering huge productions. It is feasible to produce excess especially with the prologue of GMOs that bear exceptional attributes such as disease resistant and high yields. Having cheap food enables the populace to acquire the right foods to ensure a healthy nation. Cheap foods allow for the direction of the monetary resources to other areas within the economy thus triggering economic growth. Although cheap foods have their own benefits, they bear their own drawbacks. Cheap foods are often considered being inferior quality due to the techniques of their production. Cheap foods often encourage unhealthy eating since foods are readily available. Consequently, it causes the emergence of obesity within the populace. These foods present inferior quality since they may contain numerous chemical addition and other harmful chemicals (Alter 1). Yes, because they have been grown using the most natural ways without chemicals that contribute to health problems. Paying more for a commodity that saves one from future problems cannot be much to

Frederick Douglass Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Frederick Douglass - Essay Example According to the essay "Frederick Douglass" findings, examining the method that Douglass used in order to know how to read and write one will get a clear indication that abundant life was awaiting him. Douglas went through hardships in the house of his new master, Mr. Auld, whose wife offered to introduce him to the world of education. The wife, Mrs. Sophia Auld, was singularly motherly and kind to Douglas. At first, she treats Douglas like one of the family members to the extent of teaching him how to read and write. She had never been with slaves, so she knew nothing about how they were supposed to be treated (Douglas 76). However, when Mr. Auld knew what was taking place, he became an obstacle to Douglas’ education. He prevented the wife from her offers to the slave claiming that â€Å"slaves are unmanageable when they are educated†. This implied that if Douglass knew how to read and write, he would become a radical giving master’s hard time to manage. This st atement from a master gives us some light about the knowledge of reading and writing. Education will give one power to manage himself and not to depend on anybody or even allow another party to guide him on what to do. This illustrates the point that it is after knowing how to read and write that Douglas became successful after slavery. He knew how to manage himself and not depend on the decisions of other people. While he was being taught by Mrs. Auld, Douglass proved to be so intelligent and bright. This enabled him to secure a place in the shipyards as a worker.

Data Protection Act 1998 and Broad Based Hr Essay Example for Free

Data Protection Act 1998 and Broad Based Hr Essay Assignment The main purpose of my current job role is the responsibility for processing all aspects of the Company’s payroll from start to finish and providing HR support to the other members of the team to ensure the effective day to day running of the HR function. This includes assisting with the recruitment of new staff and maintaining personnel records relating to employees in compliance with relevant legislation and regulation. To successfully undertake my role a wide range of skills, knowledge and behaviours are required.   The two professional areas Insight Strategy and Solutions and Leading HR are the heart of the profession and are the most important to all HR professionals. Very important is to understand the Company’s HR Strategy. The core of the Company’s HR strategy identifies two broad based HR objectives: Ensure that the talent and abilities of staff are recognised and developed to their full potential Ensure that the individual and collective skills and abilities of staff support the on-going delivery of Company objectives Develop understanding of the Company and use the insights to tailor strategy and solutions to meet organisational needs now and in the future Helping employees understand their role in change, the reason for it and the results that are expected In the design of the annual HR plans all members of the department work collaboratively to ensure the plans are challenging and deliver positive results for the company. As a leading HR it is important to support development plans and programmes. Provide advice confidently based on sound understanding of organisation’s policy and practice. Act as a role model leader, support, develop and measure others across the organisation. Work collaboratively with colleagues to deliver good policy, practice and advice. Employee engagement is important so that all employees have connection with their work, colleagues and to the organisation so that employees are more fulfilled by work and make a greater contribution towards organisational  objectives, therefore particular attention is needed to good leadership and management. To be effective in my role I need to refer to eight behaviours: 1. Curious- to be open to trying ideas reflect, analyse and test them and insight with others, take on board change, implement changes to payroll system and procedures try new ides 2. Decisive Thinker – analyse payroll data to ensure details and facts are correct, complete and consistent; use experience, standard procedure and common sense and knowledge to solve payroll problems while recognising limits of experience and authority within the organisation 3. Skilled influencer – understand how to influence within the culture, governance of performance framework and politics, identifying the key points to communicate on any interaction, selecting the right message and audience 4. Personally credible – improving own experience, knowledge, skills shearing it with colleagues, considering how to add value and ensure expertise is developed, accept and act on feedback on own performance to both criticism and praise 5. Collaborative – passing information promptly, keeping colleagues up to date, support them in their day-to-day work, handle disagreement as they occur, seeking a constructive solution, showing respect for diversity 6. Driven to deliver – identify the steps to achieve agreed tasks, goals and objectives in the immediate or short term, keep track of own progress, keeping deadlines or inform others when targets can’t be met, deliver to expectations and commitment, meeting or exceeding agreed standards 7. Courage to challenge – stand by own proposal in the face of difficult questions, providing supporting evidence, explore the full range of viewpoints, consult others when facing problems, undercover pertinent facts to move a debate forward 8. Role model – consistently act according to organisational and legal principles and agreed processes, deal with personal date and information in a highly professional manner and relevant legislation such as Data Pr otection Act, deliver expectations and promises Experience of processing all aspects of Payroll A good understanding of tax codes, tax and NI rates, thresholds, allowances  and deductions from pay Ability to calculate payroll manually A good understanding of SSP, SMP, SAP and Employment Law Experience of recruitment campaigns A good understanding of HR policies and procedures Ability to maintain confidentiality and ensure data protection principles are adhered to at all times Ability to work on own initiative and deal with difficult and sensitive situations Ability to organise and prioritise workload and to meet agreed deadlines and targets Excellent interpersonal skills

Women in Edgar Allen Poes Literature

Women in Edgar Allen Poes Literature Poe Can Do It People dont know the mysteries behind Edgar Allen Poes writings. Many believe that Poe was a Gothic writer, but I believe he was more than that. Edgar Allen Poe was a realist, a person who was trying to deal with the trauma in his life by writing. Edgar Allan Poe is not a straight forward author, he is a read between the lines type of author. His writing is the mystery and his readers are the detectives, it is up to us to figure out the meaning for the stories. Poe wants the readers to break down his story and question everything. By using one form of Critical Approaches, I will solve the mystery behind one of Poes best stories, The Tell- Tale Heart. Many believe that the unknown narrator was a man, but I beg to differ. There are so many different elements in this story that shows that the narrator could indeed be a woman. By using feministic criticism, I will question the gender of the narrator in The Tell-Tale Heart. Edgar Allan Poe was born in Boston, Massachusetts on January 19, 1809. His father, David Poe Jr., had left long before he was born, and his mother, Elizabeth Arnold Poe died of tuberculosis when Poe was only three years old. Poe was an orphan until he was adopted by the Allan Family, which separated him from his biological siblings. John and Francis Allan took Poe into the family and expected him to take on the family business, selling tobacco. Edgar did not have intentions on being a part of the family business, because his dream was to become a writer. Edgar went to the University of Virginia in 1826, and soon after school moved back to his hometown of Boston, Massachusetts. Edgar was a writer and his greatest inspiration was the women in his life. His mother died of tuberculosis when he was young, his fiancà © got married to another man while he was at the University of Virginia, and his adopted mother died of tuberculosis in 1829. The women in his life always seemed to leave him and all he wanted was love, but there was one woman who truly grabbed at his heart, Virginia Eliza Clemm. He got married to his cousin, Virginia Eliza Clemm Poe, when she was thirteen years old and he was twenty seven. Many said that the happily married couple had more of a brother- sister type of relationship. In fact, it is said that before Edgar even decided that he wanted to marry his beautiful young cousin she was arranged to have a fixed marriage, there was no evidence found to identify the man only sources that say that the man was much older than Poe at the time. Virginia Poe was diagnosed with an illness in 1842, and she died five years later after her illness became more severe. The Tell-Tale Heart was made in 1843, many see it is a story about a madman who is insane and fulfills his desires to kill by murdering the elderly man that he is caring for, but I see it as a dedication to his wife. Women were supposed to be seen and not heard, not to question the authority of the man in their families, and their goals is to live up to the standards that society has brainwashed you into believing. That was the way that women were supposed to behave during that period, at least until the Womens Revolution in the 1900s. Men did not see their women as individuals, but more like trophies or property. The men of that era would probably have a heart attack if he met a modern-day woman, many men with the exception of one, Edgar Allan Poe. Poe loved his wife and did anything, and everything to please his wife, he let her have complete control because in his eyes she was his queen until tragedy struck. In 1842 of January, Virginia Poe was diagnosed with tuberculosis and soon after went into a deep depression, Edgar did not know what to do so he created a story, The Tell-Tale Heart. The Tell-Tale Heart is a story about the insanity of a person who grows an obsession with an old mans eye, and the sound of his beating heart, but I believe that it is more than that. The Tell-Tale Heart was a story for Poes young love, Virginia. It is a story that puts her in a perspective where she is given control at a time where she is at her weakest. The gender of the narrator was never classified but people just predicted that the narrator was a male, because no one thought a female could commit such a crime because it was so vulgar. The use of the words conceived and passion are affiliated with a woman for they are very passionate, and are the only human beings in the whole entire world who can give birth. At the end of the story the narrator admits that they committed the crime, in a way it is saying that the reason why the narrator confessed at the end of the story is because she could not contain the guilt that she felt inside, because she is weak. If you truly think about the wife could have indeed been the narrator, and the elderly man, but the policemen were societies views of women. Society at the time would have laughed, and shamed a woman for even thinking that she could possess that type of power to be violent, especially towards a man. The elderly man is slowly dying; Virginia is also slowly dying. The narrator is insane; Virginia is upset that she it dying, The narrator is irritated with the eye of the elderly man; Virginia would rather avoid the truth of her health, and when the narrator becomes obsessed with the beating heart of the elderly man, it is really just Virginia who was depressed realizing that she is not dead yet, even though she is acting as if she is. Edgar Allan Poe was a man of mystery, but he was also a man full of love for his wife. He changed the way of literature by writing famous pieces without people even knowing the true meaning behind the story. The narrator could have easily been a woman forced into a loveless marriage who finally decided she was tired of him, or a nurse/maid who had to care for this creepy old man, who was sick of getting sexually harassed every day to the point of insanity. Either way it goes it could have been a man as much as it could have been a woman. But knowing the history behind Poe and the love that he had for his sweet Virginia, there is no way this narrator could have possibly been about anyone else, especially when the evidence is so obvious. He wrote this piece to try to give his ill wife happiness, it is not a random story about a crazy madman who is obsessed with the eye of an elderly man, it is so much more. Edgar Allan Poe is a man of mystery, but one secret that wasnt a mystery was th e love that he had for his darling wife. Work Cited Bloom, Harold, ed. The Tell-Tale Heart. Edgar Allan Poe, Blooms Major Short Story Writers. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishing, 1998. Blooms Literature, Facts On File, Inc. www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54WID=99152SID=5iPin=BMSSEP17SingleRecord=True. Rajan, Gita. A Feminist Rereading of Poes The Tell-Tale Heart. The Tell-Tale Heart and Other Stories, New Edition. 24.3(1998): 283-300. Print. Werlock, Abby H. P. Poe, Edgar Allan. The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Blooms Literature, Facts On File, Inc. www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54WID=99152SID=5iPin=CASS678SingleRecord=True.

Turing: Concept of Computation :: Computers Computational Systems Papers

Turing: Concept of Computation Turing's analysis of the concept of computation is indisputably the foundation of computationalism, which is, in turn, the foundation of cognitive science. What is disputed is whether computationalism is explanatorily bankrupt. For Turing, all computers are digital computers and something becomes a (digital) computer just in case its 'behavior' is interpreted as implementing, executing, or satisfying some (mathematical) function 'f'. As 'computer' names a nonnatural kind, almost everyone agrees that a computational interpretation of this sort is necessary for something to be a computer. But because everything in the universe satisfies at least one (mathematical) function, it is the sufficiency of such interpretations that is the problem. If, as anticomputationalists are fond of pointing out, computationalists are wedded to the view that a computational interpretation is sufficient for something to be a computer, then everything becomes a digital computer. This not only renders comput er-talk vacuous, it strips computationalism of any empirical or explanatory import. My aim is to defend computationalism against charges that it is explanatorily bankrupt. I reexamine several fundamental questions about computers. One effect of this computation-related soul-searching will be a framework within which 'Is the brain a computer?' will be meaningful. Another effect will be a fracture in the supposed link between computationalism and symbolic-digital processing. If the standard by which to measure the explanatory value of a view were its revolutionary character, then Turing's (1936) analysis of the concept of computation would be highly valued indeed. Whereas the science of mind was once dominated by behaviorists, today it is dominated by computationalists. For computationalists, the mind/brain is a computer. As computationalists came to shoulder the burden for explaining how the mind/brain works, Turing's analysis of what counts as a computer became the standard by which to justify empirical claims about whether something is a computer. According to Turing, all computers are digital computers and something becomes a (digital) computer just in case its "behavior" is interpreted as implementing, executing, or satisfying some (mathematical) function 'f'. Because Turing's analysis is considered the foundation of computationalism, which, in turn, is the foundation of cognitive science, there can be no doubt that Turing's analysis has revolutioni zed the scientific study of the mind/brain. That much is not in dispute. What is, rather, is whether computationalism is explanatorily bankrupt. Although attacks against computationalism come in a variety of flavors, what bridles Searle (1990) and other anticomputationalists the most is the sufficiency of Turing's analysis of what counts as a computer.

Aztec Human Sacrifice – a Detached View

In searching for a thesis for this paper, I was faced with a singular problem. With the ghastly subject of human sacrifice, what could possibly be argued and defended? During my reading and research, the stark and horrible reality of a butchered, battered, or burned human being slain in some grisly, weird ceremony for some equally weird gargoyle-like idol nearly caused me to choose another subject. Yet, years ago, when I read Gary Jennings' novel Aztec, I was fascinated with his description of the Aztec's sacrifice of prisoners during the dedication of the great pyramid in Tenochitlan: â€Å"The hearts of †¦ perhaps the first two hundred of them, were ceremoniously ladled into the mouths of Tlaloc and Huitzilopochtli until the statues' hollow insides could hold no more, and the stone lips of the two gods drooled and dribbled blood†¦ Those who have read Jennings' novel know that the foregoing is but a mild example of some of the graphic barbarism he describes. During my first reading of that novel, I would have never believed that I could come to the conclusion of my thesis. My thesis is this: There appears to be an intolerable paradox between the barbarous religious practices and the rather high state of civilization in the Central Valley of Mexico. This paradox undoubtedly led the early Spanish missionaries to regard the conquered Indians as devil worshipers. However, I believe that it is possible to regard the Aztecs as civilized people who also happened to perform human sacrifice. They performed human sacrifice in reaction to their view of the world and how they cope within it. Maintaining those two opposing viewpoints requires an understanding and a detached view which may have more to do with the study of history than the study of human sacrifice. The Aztecs, of course, had no monopoly on the practice of human sacrifice. Earlier cultures (the Maya, the Toltecs and others) provided the cultural base for human sacrifice upon which the Aztecs took to new heights. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, excavations in Egypt and elsewhere in the ancient Middle East have revealed that â€Å"numerous servants were at times interred with the rest of the funerary equipment of a member of the royal family in order to provide that person with a retinue in the next life. The burning of children seems to have occurred in Assyrian and Canaanite religions and at various times among the Israelites. Rites among the ancient Greeks and Romans that involved the killing of animals may have originally involved human victims. † The Aztecs, as previously stated, took the practice to new heights. In 1487 (five years before Columbus arrived to the East and two years after Henry VII began the Tudor dynasty in England) the greatest orgy of bloodletting of human sacrifice occurred during the fierce rule of Ahuizotl. I have already quoted Gary Jennings' description of the carnage, and I will quote one more passage to illustrate how the Aztecs in a ceremony lasting four days sacrificed at least 20,000 prisoners to their insatiable god Huitzilopochtli: â€Å"The prisoners endlessly ascended the right side of the pyramid's staircase, while the gashed bodies of their predecessors tumbled and rolled down the left side, kicked along by junior priests stationed at intervals, and while the gutter between the stairs carried a continuous stream of blood which puddled out among the feet of the crowd in the plaza†¦ Although Jennings' Aztec is, admittedly, a work of fiction, I have seen his descriptions corroborated elsewhere; for example, G. C. Vaillant's The Aztecs of Mexico describes the scene: â€Å"†¦ At the start of the dedication, the captives stood in two rows, and (they) began the grisly work of tearing out the victim's hearts†¦ † Returning to my thesis, how could the practice of human sacrifice be looked upon as anything less than barbaric, even to the point where Aztecs could be regarded as uncivilized? The answer, in my opinion, arises from their view of their creation, their position in the world, their relative importance therein, and how they were only holding on by a thread. If the Judeo-Christian God took only six days to create the heavens and earth (and rested on the seventh day), the Meso-American deity took awhile longer to get it right. The Aztecs believed that the sun and earth had been destroyed in a cataclysm and were regenerated four times. They believed that they were living in the fifth, and final, stage of creation, and (according to Meyer and Sherman's The Course of Mexican History) â€Å"that in their age of their fifth sun, final destruction was imminent. † Meyer and Sherman also point out another interesting (and revealing) aspect of how the Aztecs regarded themselves in the cycle of their cosmology. The accepted view of â€Å"a natural cycle† was that humans occupied a rather lowly position in the food chain of the gods. The cycle held that since the sun and rain nourished plant life and sustained man, man should give sustenance to the sun and rain gods. One might infer from the foregoing view that the Aztecs placed a low value on human life. To add to the paradox of sacrifice versus civilization, the evidence is that the Aztecs regarded the individual human as â€Å"a most significant locus of the meditation of the human and divine. † In Aztecs – An Interpretation by Inga Clendenin, the author focuses in on the actual meaning of the word â€Å"sacrifice. In her analysis of the Nahuatl linguistic iterations covering the separate meanings of death and sacrifice, she (gradually) comes to the conclusion that Aztecs regarded sacrifice as a payment of the debt incurred and only fully extinguished by death, â€Å"†¦ when the earth lords would feed upon the bodies of men, as men had perforce fed upon them. † What I liked most about Inga Clenninden's writings on the Aztec was her m ixture of sometimes excruciating detailed scholarship (I had to have a dictionary handy at all times) along with her eventual arrival at the exquisite truth of the matter. Concerning debt of humans to the gods she states the truth of the matter in two exquisitely perspicacious sentences: â€Å".. (T)he Mexica knew that all humans, unequal as they might be in human arrangements, participated in the same desperate plight: an involuntary debt to the earthly deities, contracted through the ingestion of the fruits of the earth†¦ It is that divine hunger which appears to underlay the gross feedings of undifferentiated mass killings. While everyone in Aztec society had the same debt, Aztec religion and its black-robed, blood-caked priests served to pay everyone's daily dues for continuation in humanity's last Tonatiuh yet a while longer. Through obeisance and observance of the needs of the pantheon of gods and with the complicity of the Aztec society at large (and often even with the active cooperation of the victims), the priests performed their killings, according to Clendinnen, openly and everywhere: â€Å"†¦ not only in the main temple precinc t, but in the neighborhood temples and on the streets. The Aztecs believed that without human sacrifice and the offering of the most precious and sacred thing the human possessed (blood), the sun might not rise to make its way across the sky. This rather strange and naive belief was supported by a mythology in which Huitzilopochitli, their fierce bloodthirsty god played a central part. But first, an explanation of the Aztecs' beliefs regarding the creation of their current age does shed some light on the role of sacrifice and Huitzilopochitli's cult, which later ran rampant and reached its zenith in the sacrifice of 20,000 at the dedication of the temple in 1487. A succinct description of Meso-American mythology appears in The Daily Life of the Aztecs by Jacques Soustelle. The ancient Mexicans believed that the two parent gods lived at the summit of the world. Their â€Å"unending fruitfulness† produced all the gods, and from it all mankind was born. The sun was born when â€Å"the gods gathered in the twilight at Teotihuacan and a little leprous god â€Å"covered with boils,† threw himself into a huge brazier as a sacrifice and â€Å"rose from the blazing coals changed into a sun†¦ † This sun was motionless and it needed blood to move. So the gods â€Å"immolated themselves, and the sun, drawing life from their death began its course across the sky. † To keep the sun moving on its course, â€Å"so that the darkness should not overwhelm the world forever, it was necessary to feed it every day with its food, ‘the precious water'†¦ human blood. † Every time a priest fed the gods at the top of a pyramid, or in the local temple, the disaster that always threatened to fall upon the world was postponed once more. About the time of the Crusades in Europe, the Aztecs migrated from the west into the Valley of Mexico. They brought with them their strange hummingbird god Huitzilopochitli, who, according to Victor W. Vonhagen in his The Aztec Man and Tribe gave the Aztecs some rather sound advice: â€Å"†¦ wander, look for lands, avoid any large-scale fighting, send pioneers ahead, have them plant maize, when the harvest is ready, move up to it; keep me,†¦ always with you, carrying me like a banner, feed me on human hearts torn from the recently sacrificed. † †¦ all of which the Aztecs did. The mythology surrounding Huitzilopochitli's origins was also revealing. The Aztecs believed themselves to be the â€Å"people of the sun. † This god's fierce preeminence is surpassed only by the Aztec view of his mother Coatlicue. Victor Von Hagen describes the Aztec sculpture of this powerful and awesome goddess: â€Å"†¦ her head of twin serpents, her necklace of human hands and hearts, her arms claw-handed, and her skirt a mass of writhing serpents†¦ † The Aztecs believed that Huitzilopochitli sprang alive and fierce from his mother to vanquish his brothers, the stars, and his sister, the moon who had conspired to kill his mother. Coatlique, an earth goddess, conceived him after having kept in her bosom a ball of hummingbird feathers (i. e. , the soul of a warrior) that fell from the sky. His brothers, the stars of the southern sky, and his sister, a moon goddess, decided to kill him, but he exterminated them with his weapon, the turquoise snake. The Aztecs followed the hummingbird's twittering and became the dominant culture of a civilization that by the time Cortes and his group of scruffy adventurers landed in 1517 numbered in the millions. It is difficult to imagine an ancient, complex civilization like the Aztecs with a daily life that centered around the grisly practice of human sacrifice. The average Aztec only had to look at the stone idol of household god to be reminded of what nourished that particular deity. Deities other than Huitzilopochitli had their own feast days in the Aztec calendar and, accordingly, demanded their own sustenance. Slave children were drowned as an offering to the rain god Tlaloc. The fire god's victims were given hashish and thrown into the blaze. Those who represented the god Xipe Totec were fastened to a frame, shot with arrows, and then had their corpse flayed (the priests dressed themselves in the skin representing the â€Å"new skin† of spring). Here we have the phenomenon of how the person being sacrificed was symbolically transfigured into the image of the god and his own temple. In most cases the victim was dressed up so as to represent the god who was being worshiped. Just as the gods of old had accepted death, the person reenacted and became that sacrifice. Moreover, according to Jaques Soustelle in The Daily Life of the Aztecs, â€Å"when ritual cannibalism was practiced on certain occasions, it was the god's own flesh that the faithful ate in their bloody communion. † As the Aztec cycle continued and a shortage of â€Å"god food† occurred, the Aztec â€Å"Flowery Wars† replenished that supply. Militarism, elevated to a virtue, became ever intertwined with Aztec society. In fact, a warrior's status was determined by the number of captives he delivered to the sacrificial altar. Whether as a battlefield casualty or ending up as a captive on the altar of an enemy tribe, this â€Å"flowery death† was desirable and noble, and a place in the clouds was reserved for that warrior. Returning one last time to Gary Jennings' graphic description of the prisoner sacrifice on that day in 1487, when long lines of captives shuffled along the avenues toward Tenochitlan up the pyramid staircase towards the twin temples of Tlaloc and Huitzilopochitli: â€Å"†¦ any prisoners, however complacently they came to their fate, involuntarily emptied their bladders or bowels at the moment lying down under the knife. The priests – who†¦ had been clad in their usual vulturine black of robes, lank hair, and unwashed skin – had become moving clots of red and brown, or coagulated blood, dried mucus, and a plaster of excrement†¦ † It is indeed difficult to read of such gore and barbarism without relegating the Aztecs to the level normally reserved for far less developed and organized societies. Although the Aztec period is considered by historians as not having reached the heights of civilizations of the classic period, it is clear that the Aztecs and the cultures of the Central Valley were sophisticated and well organized. There may have been as many as 30 million inhabitants of that area (although some scholars believe that count is somewhat exaggerated), and the breathtaking sight of Tenochtitlan must have impressed Cortes beyond words. The question remains: Does existence and abhorrent (to us) practice of human sacrifice disqualify the Aztecs from full membership in the â€Å"club† of civilizations? Apparently, the Spanish felt that the answer to the question was an unequivocal yes. The horror and disgust that newcomers must have felt may have helped the Spanish convince themselves that the native religion was another form of devil worship and provided subsequent justification for destroying their culture. Jaques Soustelle gets to the heart of the matter in The Daily Life of the Aztecs. He says that the Aztec practice of human sacrifice was a great factor in making the two religions which confronted one another totally irreconcilable. In the early battles, some conquistadores ended up as captives and sacrificial victims of the Aztecs themselves, and this practice lent a particularly remorseless attitude on each side of the struggle between the Aztecs and the Spanish invaders. If we can understand the motives and the religious and cultural perspective of the Spanish, who massacred, burnt, mutilated and tortured their conquered natives, it is likely that the definition of cruelty differs from culture to culture. It follows, therefore, that it is possible to use the same perspective towards human sacrifice on the part of the Aztecs. Works cited: Jennings, Gary, 1980, Aztec Von Hagen, Victor W. , 1958, The Aztec, Man and Tribe Vaillant, G. C. , 1944, The Aztecs of Mexico Clendinnen, Inga, 1991, Aztecs An Interpretation Meyer, Michael C. , and Sherman, William L. , 1995, The Course of Mexican History Pre-Columbian Civilizations: MESO-AMERICAN CIVILIZATION: Postclassic Period (900-1519): AZTEC CULTURE TO THE TIME OF THE SPANISH CONQUEST: Aztec religion. Britannica Online HUMAN SACRIFICE: Britannica Online XIPE TOTEC – Britannica Online â€Å"Tlaloc† Britannica Online.