How Intermittent Fasting Can Help You Lose Weight Essay

Food is a nutritious substance that humans and animals take in and benefit from because it causes growth and maintains life. Everyone thinks that diet is only associated with weight loss but the real definition of diet is looking after what you eat to either gain or lose weight or just to maintain your current weight. Some people go on diets for medical reasons or just for personal preference, for example to gain weight a meal need consists of fiber foods and a person that wats to gain weight needs to consider the nutritional and energy balance, this means to gain weight you need to put on more calories than you lose during physical activities and body function and the opposite for people who want to gain weight they need to make sure to lose more intake less and calories and lose more during physical activities e.g. gym. The most calories are usually from bigger food intakes, this is called meals. Meals are a time in the day where a reasonable amount of food is consumed. People trad itionally have about 3-4 meals per day and Snacks are food that is taken in between food, this is not encouraged if you are in a weight loss program or diet. Nutrients is providing the food needed for life and growth. There are six parts of nutrients that everyone should include in their diet. Carbohydrates, fats, proteins this is essential for growth and repair, vitamins, minerals and water. It’s very important for everyone to include these 6 nutrients in their meals every day. Deficiencies can later in life cause difficulties such as disorders or diseases. Malnutrition and undernutrition are two different things, malnutrition could mean excessive nutrients in a diet caused by a very unhealthy diet. Undernutrition just means that the person is in need of specific nutrients. Deficiency is lacking specific types of nutrients for example one vitamin like vitamin D can be supplemented or people with anemia can be prescribed with iron tablets or people can avoid anemia by increasing their intake of red meat and nuts. Red blood cells carry oxygen around the body. A lack of this leads to needing to get iron transfusion or even a blood tr ansfusion. To avoid deficiencies and complication everyone should refer to the eat well plate and 5 a day which gives everyone a rough guideline to how much of each food groups should be included in your meals. Checking the nutrients per portion could also help giving you an insight on how good specific types of foods are, these are found on the back of any type of food you find. Overweight is having more body fat than the average person now 1 in 4 adults are overweight, being overweight increases the chances of getting diabetes type 2 or even heart diseases, the fatter the person the more likely there are health complications. Obesity is more extreme than being overweight and can get more severe to the point where you can get an operation that reduces the size of your stomach so you can get full quicker without having to eat as much. BMI is used to measure if your body mass is average according to your height and weight. A person with a body mass bigger than 30 is considered obese .to avoid this people usually follow the daily intake guidelines (2,500 Cal for men and 2,000 for women). Another way to find out if you are the average height and weight for your age is to check growth charts, the same as BMI you enter your age, height and weight.

Andy Warhol and Jackson Pollock Essay

Perhaps the two greatest rebels in the history of modern art were Andy Warhol and Jackson Pollock. To a great extent, they knocked what was considered traditional art for a veritable loop with their new and unique approach to what was considered â€Å"good arts.† Granted, neither artist was the first to rock the traditional method of presenting â€Å"Gods and Kings† as the centerpiece of the artist’s canvas. Dadaism, Impressionism and a host of other styles of art had been slowly, but surely chipping away at the traditional mores of art for many decades. But, it was Pollock with abstract expressionism and, to a greater degree, Warhol with pop art that truly blew away many of the common conventional themes of the art world and attracting widespread public attention as mega star artists.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Now, some of the more trite critics will look at Pollock’s abstractions and Warhol’s elevation of the mundane as something â€Å"Anyone can do† or, worse, â€Å"I can do that†, but as previously stated such criticism is ridiculously trite and based on a surface value (or non-existent) understanding of the work and legacy of these masters. For Pollock and Jackson, art was far more than simply putting paint to canvas. Yes, their work was visually appealing (again, Warhol’s work was more appealing, however, on a national level), but this appeal was not limited to merely how good the painting looked. No, there was a unique psychology that captured the pulse of public sentiment that drove the popularity of these paintings. In other words, the paintings touched a raw nerve in their audience because the artist’s had a unique ability to firmly place their finger on the cultural pulse of a society and it was this that made them so popular.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Of course, in order to understand how they were able to place their finger on the pulse of a nation it is also critical to understand what was motivating them, how they achieved their psychological response in their audience, why the audience was so open to receiving such a psychological response, and what was the dominant cultural themes in society at the time that made their work so wildly popular. Much of this will be examined in this essay and from this a clearer understanding of the work and influence of Pollock and Warhol will b derived.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Regarding the ways the careers of Pollock and Warhol went against the standard perceptions of Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art, it would be safe to say that neither Pollock nor Warhol was looking to impress an audience of art critics or maintain their popularity in certain social circles as much as they were looking to take their work directly to an audience and knock the art world for a loop. In other words, they did not seek to be members of an established club of conventional wisdom or taste as much as they were looking to completely re-establish the means and methods of how art was perceived and what goals art functioned. In Pollock’s case, abstract expressionism was designed more as an understanding of the chaotic nature of the human psyche. For Warhol, pop art was an understanding of the consumer and entertainment driven culture and both rejected the elitism that was so very common in art critic and fan circles.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Regarding consumer culture, the work of Warhol is much easier to decipher on the surface than Pollock’s work. As the legend goes, when Warhol was asked to paint the things that mattered most to him he painted Campbell Soup cans because he ate Campbell’s soup every day. Later, this would expand into the painting of a variety of celebrities and pop cultural icons that were at the heart of commercial entertainment consumerism. To a great degree, Warhol was savagely mocking the former notion that the subject of the artist’s brush need to be gods and kings from antiquity. Instead, Warhol pointed out that modern gods and kings come from the world of entertainment and that they are rooted in commercialism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For Pollock, the connection is more subtle although his bizarre painting style would assume to be anything but. On Pollock’s canvas, there is present the images of chaos and a decided lack of clarity. (Hence, the painting were abstract) As such, there is not so much a direct attack or presentation of consumerism in a positive or negative light as much as it is an â€Å"attack† on the psyche of the individual who has become a walking ball of confusion thanks to media inspired messages of consumerism. In other words, you can not separate the parts from the whole and in the case of Pollock you can not separate the confused mind from the random images that perpetually bombard it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Regarding the relationship between disaster and mass culture, it would seem that Warhol did not really have such an alarmist view of pop culture. In fact, he was more celebratory and embracing of it. Yes, there can be a cynical notion put forth that Warhol may have felt that people were belittling themselves and not living up to their full potential by being overly reliant on a love of consumerism and popular entertainment and this, of course, can lead to a weakening of the mid; but, overall, Warhol did not seem to paint his images as a cautionary tale although it is understandable that some may feel it this way. After all, if a person felt that popular culture and entertainment were the central focus of a declining culture then Warhol’s painting would be representative of alarm bells going off.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Regarding how contemporary politics affected the careers of both artists this is somewhat of a difficult question to answer because neither Warhol nor Pollock were known for being expository in terms of the means and methods in which they developed their art. Of course, Warhol had produced paintings of John F. Kennedy, but such painting was far more focused on lauding the celebrity nature of Kennedy’s depiction as opposed to an endorsement of his politics. Pollock was seemingly a humanist in his psychological approach to invoking emotion and did not seem to endorse any politic motivations. Whether or not this made them popular with the public is a somewhat moot point because the public was more interested in the â€Å"hipness† of their work as opposed to any sincere attempt to decipher meaning.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In terms of criticizing pop culture the answer would be Pollock by default as Warhol celebrated consumerism. Pollock’s material was far more cerebral and this would seemingly go hand in hand with a rejection of trite consumerism although such an ideology was probably not Pollock’s governing motivation. Again, it is hard to prescribe motives to visionaries mainly because it is difficult to understand where there are coming from since they are the origination point of and ideology and not a tool of it. As such, understanding them takes on a unique level of difficulty.

The modernization theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The modernization theory - Essay Example This multi-dimensional orientation of the concept give it a much wider and bigger scope to cover and discuss many important and critical issues of the modern world and specially those faced by the developing countries. In effect, Modernization theories study the impact of modernization process on the human communication and in doing so explore many critical and important issues which may serve as the reconciliation points between the developed and developing world. However these modernization and development theories are controversial also as the most underdeveloped societies due to their strong cultural, religious and economic values find it hard to embarrass a change which has not emerged indigenously. This study will explore the modernization and development process besides providing a critical analysis of the theoretical framework and the impact of cultural invariance on the modernization and development process and the societies. The historical orientation of the modernization and development process suggest that it is a macro-theory with historical and sociological inspirations. (Universiteit Twente). It is believed that the theories of modernization and development were developed in order to assess its impact on the human communication. Gidden defined modernization as â€Å"the appearance of the modes of social life of organization which emerged in Europe from about the seventeenth century onwards and which subsequently became more or less worldwide in their influence† (Giddens). Therefore in effect, modernization defines the changing ways of the communication taking place in modern and traditional society. In its essence the modernization and development theories suggest that the western values and practices are best and that if replicated by the developing countries can prove beneficial to the long term

Book review of Chris Grey's book A Very Short, Fairly Interesting and Essay

Book review of Chris Grey's book A Very Short, Fairly Interesting and Reasonably Cheap Book About Studying Organizations (200 - Essay Example Also, these contemporary theories ignore the opportunities of further evolution in management sciences and consider the application of management theories a simple task with predictable outcomes, whereas the truth is that organizations are more than just management with high degree of uncertainty and ability to digress from the standards suggested by scientific management. Christopher Grey has managed to provide a book which compiles both classic and contemporary theories related to organizational management. While writing this book, Grey has attempted to combine the management and organization theories by amalgamating their outcomes. The book stands on a rationale that organizational theories and management are no different since management is an integral part of practices taking place in an organization. The work of Grey is important on the basis that where other books and literary works have limited the application of organizational theory only to the corporations and institutions , Grey argues that organizations by means of a structure, is more comprehensive than that. He views the application of organization as a concept in overall social spectrum; even in a family structure as well (Callahan, 2009). The book itself is meant for readers who have prior knowledge of other management concepts and organizational studies. Since management of the organizations act as the gist of the book, therefore all the chapters which discuss parts of organizations also deal with the management theories (Donaldson, 2006). Through this book, Grey has asserted that where other books on organization possess a lot of knowledge covered in hundreds of pages, the contents discussed are either too generic or faulty to understand. Therefore, he presents arguments on different areas of organizational management based on the arguments presented by previous theories. Grey has mentioned time and again that organizational theory has been misunderstood or explained in a manner which illustra tes the importance of job to be done however questions like who is expected to define the methods and who will perform the job, remain unanswered. Therefore, in order to illustrate this communication gap between the actual and perceived forms of organizational theory, this book discusses leadership, people management, importance of bureaucracy, fast capitalism and change management (Callahan, 2009). In order to deliver his point of view, Grey has used an assertive approach towards combining the classic and contemporary theories. The approach does seem like a mannerism to draw lacking in other’s work which appears rather unethical. However, the basic purpose in the book is to illustrate how organizations behave, evolve and relate to resources associated to them. The crux of this discussion is human resources itself (Donaldson, 2006). Through his arguments, Grey illustrates how bureaucracy is related to scientific management of the organization (Aulich, 2012). He discussed seve ral management styles and also the implications of applying generalized theories in the problematic areas. By doing so, Grey argues that organizations have flexible nature like people and applying fixed solutions provided by management consultants only consumes time, resources and energy. He further argues that while solving a problem, managers need to show susceptibility to presence of different solutions and selection of the

Coral Reefs , bleaching Coral reefs, tolearance , affected , different Essay

Coral Reefs , bleaching Coral reefs, tolearance , affected , different kinds which one most affected due to climate changes .. e - Essay Example A coral reef may be made up of a large number of species and several of the universe’s most diverse and dense populations of vertebrate animals. It is unfortunate that extremely minimal residual coral reefs highlight this immaculate situation (Hoegh-Guldberg, 1999). Moreover, on most, fishes and corals are much less plentiful than they were a few years ago. This paper will look at coral reefs and how they are or will be impacted by climate change. Wholesome coral reefs are eclipsed by a number of forms of reef-building corals, which stuff the position of trees in a forest, by developing the actual structure of the reef, supporting numerous animals and plants. Ecologists term trees, corals, and additional organisms, for example, oysters, which develop habitats as base species and understand that their extinction can be disastrous for the ecosystem and the community that surrounds them. In addition, the configuration established by corals over the years gives complicated harbors in which creatures can seek cover from hunters. When corals become extinct, the number of reef fish rapidly diminishes, largely because of the lack of sections for fingerlings to exist as they move away from their habitat and inhabit on the reef where they will live for the rest of their lives (Andrefouet, Mumby, McField, Hu, & Muller-Karger, 2002). For instance, the fish species were largely affected by coral loss because of sedimentation run-off and ocean warming from the switch of forest to oil palm farms, in Papua New Guinea. The ocean surface temperatures and the warmer air caused by climate change has an effect on corals and change coral reef populations by changing ocean chemistry and triggering coral bleaching. These effects have an impact on corals and the large numbers of creatures that utilize coral reefs as their habitation. Coral reefs coat a region of approximately 280,000 square kilometers and offer support for a number of species in what can be termed as the seasâ⠂¬â„¢ rainforests. Coral reefs have a number of benefits to the people and environment in several ways. For instance, coral reefs offer protection for shores from the effect of storms and waves; they give benefits to human beings in the form of medicine and food; they offer financial benefits to native societies from tourism (Jones, 2004). Climate change causes bleaching in coral reefs. Bleaching illustrates the deficiency of symbiotic algae by a host or the coral. A large component of the pigment in the regularly bright corals is dependent on the existence of these plant cells. The living tissue of coral reefs is usually translucent without several components. Moreover, bleaching is a common reaction that may be caused either by low or high temperatures, in the laboratory, changes in salinity, intense light, or by additional chemical or physical stresses. Bleaching is the severe condition of natural variation that is present in a large number of coral reefs (Baker, 2001). Extra hum id temperatures caused by climate change strain corals because they are extremely responsive to temperature changes. In situations where water temperatures remain higher than standard for a long period, the elements they are dependent on for several of their nutrition escape their tissue. Without these elements, corals coral reefs lose their color. This is because the elements provide color for the coral reefs. Bleac

CVS Pharmacy Essay Project Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

CVS Pharmacy Essay Project - Research Paper Example As an organization, CVS is well aware of the fact that a company’s culture has got great impact on its customers and performance. They are very much successful of building up their identity as one of the biggest pharmacy innovation company. To be precise, the organizational culture of CVS could be highlighted in three ways. The CVS has a tradition to honor their best employees with appreciation by means of awards and incentives. This creates a motivational boom within the employees and they tend to work harder. At the end of each calendar year two Award functions are held at CVS. Paragon Awards to honor the best employees in different departments. Chairman’s Awards are held to appreciate the members of the corporate management. This not only motivates the employees but by following this tradition CVS is able to produce remarkable results as an organization. One of the best parts of CVS’s culture is their diverse management. This enables CVS to satisfy the needs of the customer and provide them with best of their services (Berlinski, 2006). Diversity helps them to attract and maintain the talented people to work for them. The management always welcomes new innovations and ideas for improvement from their colleagues and everyone has equal right to contribute to the success. It was completely an honor and pleasure to use the CVS Care Mark a couple of weeks before. One of the best customer services that I have ever witnessed till date. As I entered into the store I was greeted with immense respect as if I was a celebrity. The name of the lady who guided me through was Lorna. It was so nice to see such a helpful clerk working in the store who makes its customers feel so comfortable. The most unique part of the CVS Caremark is its instant response to the customers need. I can say this because the moment I placed my order,

The Real Experience of Kidney Donors Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 40

The Real Experience of Kidney Donors - Assignment Example 2. The statement of the problem in the article highlights the essence of exploring the experiences of the live kidney donors and understanding them in order to offer strategies that utilize the experiences optimally. 3. The significance of the study is that it highlights the real experience that kidney donors face and seeks ways through which kidney donors and potential kidney donors can develop a positive attitude towards kidney donation. 4. Although the article does not have a distinct literature review section, the literature in the introduction and the methods section offer a comprehensive review about kidney donation and its effects on the donors and the possible ways in which more people can be encouraged to donate their kidneys. Even if some of the literatures are old, they give a comprehensive analysis of the problem, data analysis and provide a conclusion that is up to date with the current trends of surgery. For instance, Glaser and Straus(1967) offer one of the best interview analysis by utilizing the constant method of analysis. The literature also includes the latest publications that offer the current research trends and analysis. For instance, Recart et al(2005) talk about modern strategies that can be used to fast-track recovery after surgery. It can be concluded that the literature used is comprehensive and conclusive as it covers all aspects of kidney donation such as the physical and psychological ef fects and tries to seek for ways of encouraging more people to donate kidneys. 5. The methodology employed is qualitative in nature. This is because the respondents were interviewed in order to establish their views about kidney donations. By using the survey research design to explore people’s perception of the subject matter (kidney donation), it is easier to understand the major constraints and establish modalities that are essential in overcoming these constraints. For instance, this research established that the major constraints are psychological and physical effects of kidney donation and so the constraints can be overcome by educating the potential donors.  

Multicultrual Teaching Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Multicultrual Teaching - Essay Example This is because those who are recognized as the minorities within the nation have far exceeded the once perceived majority of the whites. For example: during the period of 2006, around four states of United States were experience a majority of the minority population including the 75% of the minority that that were residing in the area of Hawai’I (Landis, 2012, p.22). Due to this change in the structure of the population, organizations from different industries need to accept diversity in order to operate successfully and benefit from elements that come with such a diverse population size. Multicultural societies experience immense challenges and these challenges are even experienced by teachers in the educational institutes of United States. Teachers in these educational institutes need to be culturally competent in order to cater to the needs of a diverse population of student. Cultural competency refers to an individual’s ability to deal with people from different cultures. In order to become culturally competent, teachers in the United States need to undergo training and develop knowledge, skills and abilities that are necessary to teach a multicultural class room. Culturally competent teachers are those who realize the differences in cultures of students and then design their teaching patterns accordingly to help students from different backgrounds in gaining better understanding of what is being taught. They need to accept and respect the differences among these students in order to provide them with facilities which help them learn. In order to teach a multicultural classroom, teachers need to implement various strategies in order to remove the barriers created by multiculturalism and to promote learning and development of all at the same time. In order to teach a multicultural classroom, teachers need to provide team based assignments comprising of team members

Global Financial Crisis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Global Financial Crisis - Research Paper Example (Avgouleas, 2008). In addition other major investment banks such as Merrill Lynch, Citigroup, UBS, and JPMorgan have all announced negative earnings in their last financial reports as well as plans to lay off a significant number of workers. This paper carries out a comparative review of how the credit crunch affected Northern Rock in the UK and other major United Kingdom based bank. These other banks include, the Royal Bank of Scotland, Halifax Bank of Scotland and Bradford and Bingley. The first part of the paper provides an overview of the current financial crisis stressing on what caused the crisis. The second part looks at the different business models of these institutions, their risk management strategies, control procedures put in place following the crisis. Section 3 looks at the regulatory environment of both banks; the liquidity position, debt to equity ratio and the financial positions of the company. The last section provides conclusion and recommendation. Sub-prime loans are loans offered to borrowers with no prior track record of good credit history. (Shaffer and Hoover, 2007). Due to the risk inherent in the loans, they are often issued at very high interest rates so as to compensate for the extra risk that they carry. (Shaffer and Hoover, 2007). A sub-prime crises or credit crunch is said to exist when a significant number of sub-prime loans have been issued to unscrupulous borrowers. (Shaffer and Hoover, 2007). These crises pose difficulties to both financial institutions and the borrowers. The outbreak of the recent sub-prime crises came after warning signals of write-downs in the value of mortgages late last year. (Schumer and Maloney, 2008). House prices in the U.S witnessed an unusual growth between 1997 and 2005. For example, prices increased by approximately 85% during this period. The period 2001 and 2005 witnessed the highest rates of appreciation. (Schumer and Maloney, 2007). Sub-prime delinquencies and foreclosures were therefore mitigated by house price appreciations during these years. This is so because borrowers facing difficulties to make regular mortgage payments could depend on the appreciation of the value of their property to solve their financial problems by refinancing the mortgage and withdrawing cash from the increased equity in the house thereby sustaining the new mortgage for a while. However, house prices began to decline in 2006, and as at October 2007, prices were down by approximately

Direct marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Direct marketing - Essay Example Technology like the internet with its email facilities, websites and mobiles enable marketers to advertise directly to customers and potential buyers (Johnson 2005). Firms find it easier to market in such a manner because this sort of marketing helps them to target only those customers who would be interested in their products. Only those customers approach the outlets that have some sort of a keen interest in the products and this helps avoid window shoppers who waste time and therefore add to costs (Hyde 2008). This also helps in directly marketing efforts in a specific direction to specified people instead of mass marketing and going haywire with advertisements splashed all over the media like the TV, radio, billboards across cities and countries requiring exorbitant budgets(Kotler 2003). Direct marketing can be carried out in several ways which include directly mailing the customer, emailing , telemarketing etc. the benefits of direct marketing are several besides those mentioned above. The data of the customers of your product can be collected and it can even be purchased. This data is traceable, track able and can really help in further researching and improving the product and marketing methods. The preferences of the customers can be known and can be helpful especially when new products are to be launched (Thornton 1995). According to Kotler (2003) the downside is that since this data can be purchased, just anyone can purchase it and thus the consumers may get mails that they don’t want and may be irritated by telemarketing phone calls. The emails that the consumers get may not even reach the consumers who may disregard such mails as junk or block them out completely. The firms marketing in such a way may not know if the prospective consumers are reading the mails or discarding them but then again it’s a risk that every form of advertising incurs (Kotler 2003). Research shows that shifting to direct

Religion Is Seen as Not Promoting Social Change for Marx and Durkheim. Essay Example for Free

Religion Is Seen as Not Promoting Social Change for Marx and Durkheim. Essay Religion is a powerful role in influencing a society and the lives of it’s members. The sociological traditions of Marx and Durkheim view religion totally differently, yet they both agree that religion is a very important aspect of a society. Durkheim and Marx each had their own definitions of religion. However, we will learn that they both see an important role that religion plays in a society, as well as the ways in which society creates and shapes their religions. Unlike Durkheim and Weber, Marx was not much concerned with the studying religion although his ideas on religion are very influential. For marx religion He further feels that a world that requires illusion (religion) has something wrong with it. Marx talks about two primary functions of religion in what he calls the â€Å"real world†. First he says that religion is the opium of the people. Marx feels religion provides anesthesia to the masses. To him, religion is a way for people to escape from some of the suffering in their lives or to somehow feel better despite all of their suffering. Religion deters suffering of the present situations of people. It allows people to put off their suffering because they believe it will be taken care of in heaven, or where ever, after they die. And as it would follow, religion helps people put more hope into â€Å"the year after†. People who are religious really do believe â€Å"life† will be better for them after they die. Also religion helps to maintain the oppression of the lower classed people by the people who make up the upper classes. The second primary function of religion in a society, according to Karl Marx, is that it is the sigh of the oppressed creature. Religion brings with it a safety value. People end up being lulled into the protection religion seems to offer them, and people do feel the need to feel and be safe. Religion also gives people an opportunity to complain about the ways of the world. The world is not the way religion says it should be and therefore people complain about the way it actually is, as a way of feeling like a good member of their chosen religion. Religion allows people to acknowledge the dehumanized state of their lives. It helps people to see the horrible way in which we are in and it helps keep us in this horrible way. We realize through religion that we are not finding fulfillment in our lives. Marx would view a relationship between religious belief and progressive social activism as a display of a dehumanized society yearning for self actualization. The people of a progressive social activist society are not getting self actualization because there political system allows for scarcity of necessities, goods and jobs, and they also oppress the people of their society. According to Marx, if people are without self actualization they will create a place where they can find self actualization. Religion helps people do that. Durkheim dedicated a considerable part of his academic life to the study of religion especially religion in small scale traditional societies. Allotting a single sentence to Durkheim in a kind of appendix to The Sacred The Profane, Eliade comments that the French founder of sociology believed that he had found the sociological explanation for religion in totemism. Durkheim bases his work on the totemism practiced by Australian aborigines and argues that totemism is the most elementary or simple form of religion. Durkheim starts Forms by looking at how religion may be defined and here the sacred profane dichotomy comes immediately into play: the primary characteristic of religion is that it divides the world into the two domains of sacred and profane. In fact, the two are opposed so fundamentally that they are seen as separate worlds. In Durkheims view the sacred is far from being synonymous with the divine. Not only may gods and spirits be sacred, but also things like rocks, trees, pieces of wood, in fact anything. For what makes something sacred is not that it is somehow connected to the divine but that it is the subject of a prohibition that sets it radically apart from something else, which is itself thereby made profane. Durkheim describes religion in terms of beliefs and rites. For him, the details of these in particular religions are particular ways of dealing in thought and action with the fundamental dichotomy of sacred and profane.

The colonisation of Southern Africa Essay Example for Free

The colonisation of Southern Africa Essay To what extent did the colonisation of Southern Africa benefit the indigenous people of these territories? It is arguable as to whether the imperialism was of benefit to the indigenous people. However it would be false to say they gained nothing. The Africans had a culture totally different to the Europeans and less technologically advanced. The Europeans brought with them their culture, values and ideas, yet at the same time oppressed and demolished the original culture of the natives. They considered themselves to be superior and therefore correct. The indigenous people didnt consider themselves to be inadequate. David Livingstone was a more sympathetic missionary and once said The English are the most philanthropic people in the world.-David and Charles Livingstone, Narrative of an Expedition to the Zambesi. They thought themselves better than the Africans so that made it their duty to god to impose their own religious and cultural beliefs. Desire to bring civilisation to the African peoples, by furnishing the native with the means of instruction. The indigenous people benefited from new ideas and technology brought over from Europe such as medicine. Some were even educated in Western ways, learning administration and English, new laws were introduced. Voting and administration were also initiated. The Africans could learn from the Europeans and become more advanced. the most remarkable contribution of colonialism in Africa was in ideas and techniques- the ideas of justice, freedom of speech, worship, travel, the rule of law, and the techniques of voting and administration.-Kofi Busia, a native person. Some indigenous people did benefit from the colonialisation of Africa. Of course it was not all admirable, there were also detriments. The Africans were not treated as equals, they were exploited and were even enslaved to help the foreigners execute their desires. Infrastructure resulted in forced labour. Taxes were introduced, and so the Africans had to work. Railways were built and cities developed, all by the sweat and blood of the Africans. Land was stolen in order for the Europeans to build and mine, like Cecil Rhodes. Borders were rearranged, and so families were split and authority lost. Many died and some were forced to migrate. Only the males were educated and communicated with, the women who once played an important role in society were not equal to males. The white man killed my father; the white man, his hands red with black blood, with lordly voice, turned to me: hey boy, a drink, a napkin, water-David DIOP, A Sengalese poet. The attitude that the natives had was of hate and fear. They were treated terribly worse than animals, as animals dont have beliefs and are allowed to spend the day grazing. Weve become their inferiors from an Arabic poem. This also conveys feelings of animosity. They may have gained but they also lost. In the opinions of most Africans they benefited nothing. Africa did benefit slightly, though when juxtaposed to the impairment, one can conclude that there was more harm than gain. For what they benefited, they lost much more and had no choice in it. The indigenous people pf South Africa had little or no say in what went on. They didnt send for Europeans to come and design railways or tax them.

Contemporary Issues In Administration And Management Management Essay

Contemporary Issues In Administration And Management Management Essay As according to the case study about the Accent hotel Group (AHG), which is a family owned business. It has got 7 hotels running four in two major capital cities(4star) and three at an international airport (two 3 star and one 4 star) . The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AHG is Daniel Rycart which is also followed by the eight boards of directors. The hotel is operated as a semi-autonomous profit centre and supported by in-house and outsourced services. There are 800 rooms in each hotel and they employ 800 staffs. The hotel offers a number of high class facilities like indoor swimming pool, gym, sauna, bar, restaurants etc. For the quality standards of the hotels, Daniel (CEO) has set a vision of commitment to excellence for the group. Administration: Administration as design and implementation of systems and procedures instigated by management to help meet stated objectives (Mullins, 2007.p.414). So in other words Mullins states that administration is very important in the organization as it performs day to day operational activities to achieve the organizational goals and targets with the different types of departments operating in the organization. Like in the Accent hotel group there are CEO, IT Department, Finance department, Hospitality Hotel services, Human Resource Department, Legal Service Department, Operational Department, Risk Management Department, and Sales Marketing Department who has major roles in administration process. So administration helps them in strategic planning process in order to formulate or implement the strategy through proper guidance and coordination. According to (Richman Farmer, 1977) administration connects all the departments from top level to lower level so there is a flow of information with the necessary suggestions and feedback that helps the top level management to plan for the future. Without the administration it is very difficult to operate because there are number of routine decision-making, operational activities, internal controlling and observation and formulation of strategies and goals takes place (Richman Farmer, 1977). Generally effective administration means the process and systems of administration being run smoothly through proper coordination and controlling of activities, staffs and information in an efficient and effective manner (Richman Farmer, 1977). Through the effective administration, the organisation is benefited in number of ways as it stores the necessary documents of the organization like record keeping, utilizes the resources efficiently and effectively, there is a satisfaction of customer and employees and makes the brand image of the organisation (CfA, 2001). According to the research conducted by the CfA (2003), an organization (Accent Hotel Group) can provide effective administration through: 1. Effective Communication: Communication is the act of exchanging views, news, ideas, process, information, etc. between the sender and receiver (Hartley and bruckmann, 2002). In the organization communication plays a vital role because without the communication, the organization cannot operate its activities. As we know communication helps to send information throughout each and every department. While communicating, ones should use proper language to be effective. Daniel Rycaart could communicate properly with different department (Human Resource, Finance, Operational, etc) so that the information or instructions or rules laid down by him are correct, understandable and to the point so that it will bring effective administration otherwise miscommunication leads to disputes, employee turnover, etc. 2. Resource Allocation: Resources are assets that are required by an organization. For the Accent Hotel Group (AHG) to run smoothly it requires raw materials, human resources, financial resources, etc. These resources need to be managed properly taking in consideration the efficient use of time as a resource. For example if there is lack of resources (i.e. computers, heating, chairs, etc.) then the works will be delayed because of bad working environment and no interest of employees at work might be witnessed. So, allocating the resources and time management helps to make administration effective. 3. Training and Development: According to Torrington et al. (2007) in order to provide effective administration for an organization (like AHG), their staff should be well trained which can be done by providing different types of on-the-job or off-the-job training to increase their capability, knowledge and make them flexible in handling or dealing with different types of problems that are met by the AHG. This brings the commitment to the organization from the employees (Rae. L, 2000). 4. Performance Management: It is very much necessary for the AHG to measure the performance of their staff as low performance could decrease the quality standard of the AHG. It is a forward looking and developmental as it provides the platform for the managers to help or support their staff (Armstrong. M, 2000) 5. Culture As of the case study culture plays a vital role in planning, process and systems of the AHG. Culture helps in understanding the behaviour and working background of the organisation because it teaches us through the experience and develops ourselves (Handy. C, 1993). Like if the organization has a culture of helping each other while tackling or facing the problems , good communication between the staffs or co-workers instead of being rude or showing attitude openness then the future staff will also follows the same culture and in the end they will be committed towards the excellence (Schien. E. H, 2004) Conclusion In conclusion, we can conclude above points that administration helps the organization to perform its day to day activities and in strategic planning process in order to achieve the organizational goals and objectives (Mullins, 2007). In order to attain the organizational goals and objectives the administration needs to be effective. Effective administration provides coordination and control of staffs and activities, records documents and information, satisfies the customer and employee, etc (CfA, 2001). So in the Accent Hotel Group, effective administration can be achieved through effective communication, resource allocation, training and development, performance management and culture (CfA, 2003). Hence commitment to excellence can be achieve through effective administration. PART B Commitment to Excellence In commitment to excellence there are two words commitment and excellence in which commitment refers to the act of devoting oneself towards the accomplishment of something and excellence refers to a valuable quality by which one excels (brainyquote.com). So, commitment to excellence in business terms it means being committed towards the achievement of quality standard in terms of price, products, services, materials, etc that highlights the company images and development (Hannagan. T, 2007). According to Hannagan (2007), commitment to excellence is a very useful strategy that is used by many organizations like AHG has also used commitment to excellence in order to make the professional image and develop the organization internally. Because once all the employees are committed then their full interest, positive attitude and behaviour towards the accomplishment and development of organizational goals and objectives can be drawn which is the good advantage for the AHG. Overall it is abo ut diverting towards committing with less freedom in order to achieve quality. So commitment to excellence can be achieved in following ways through: 1. Motivation: Motivation is the desire within a person causing that person to act (Mathis. R.L and Jackson. J.H, 2008.p.72). In other words motivation is the act of influencing the employees behaviour towards the achievement or fulfilment of goals and objectives. It increases the performance, goodwill and overall image. Motivation helps the employees to motivate towards their work which can be done by providing salaries, rewards, promotion, recognition, etc and also through job design, job rotation and job enrichment (Torrington et al, 2007). So when employees would be motivated then they would be fully committed to work towards achieving the excellence. 2. Learning and Development: In regarding to Argyris and Schon (1978), they have defined learning as a process in which the mistakes and errors are ascertained by the organisation and correct their mistakes by improving or increasing their knowledge through learning from experience database. Organization can do so by providing training that develop skills, efficiency, better opportunities, job satisfaction, better inter-personal relationship, etc in order to avoid mistakes and errors in the output result so that quality can be achieved (Torrington et al, 2007). In the office if a person knows what to do, what not to do, what are their targets and goals, etc then it is more likely that they will be committed towards the excellence 3. Leadership: Leadership is defined as the ability to influence people towards the achievement of a common goal (Amandi et al, 2003.p.1077). Leadership is very much important in the organization as it guides, leads or motivates all the organizations staffs towards the goals and targets. So a leader should be visionary, creative, flexible, imaginative, decisional, etc so if an organisation has a leader with that quality then the people working under it will be organized, cooperative, and together and satisfied to be committed to the organization. Continuous Improvement Continuous improvement can be defined as a concept of being or remaining excellent in the field with whatever the circumstance to be in (hutchins.co.uk). It is about continuously finding out even if there are small mistakes or errors and resolving them by eliminating completely from the system or process for the improvement. It helps in growth and development of the organization because it improves products, services and processes. Continuous improvement can be achieved by using: 1. Kaizen (Japanese Management): According to Torrington et al (2008), Kaizen it is a Japanese strategy used as a continuous improvement of the organization. The techniques like Just in Time (JIT) technology which is used for continuous improvement. This teaches the business to start from the very ground level and taking small steps towards improving even small things to big things with the involvement of everyone i.e. managers and workers also. It tells everyday there needs to improvement of something. 2. Total Quality Management (TQM): TQM is defined as comprehensive approach to improving competitiveness, effectiveness and flexibility through planning, organising and understanding each activity and involving each individual at each level (Oakland, 1994.p.40). TQM mainly focuses on the quality control, quality assurance and quality management through which it satisfies the customers, less faulty products, motivates employees and competes with rivals with the chance of expansion and diversification. Since TQM is a continuous process that facilitates employee empowerment, involvement and participation, is customer focused and all that helps in continuous improvement of an organization (Torrington et al, 2007). 3. Benchmarking: In contrast with the Oakland (1994), benchmarking can be defined as improving the performance of the organisation by marking its progress to other leader competing in the market place. It is basically setting targets or goals of another successor that he/she/organization will achieve to set targets in a certain time in order to increase their performance or growth and development. It is also a continuous process as it compares the other companies process and systems and how they are operating in order to design plan to improve their performance and be continuously innovative at all the times (Torrington et al, 2007). It also facilitates the creation of organizational culture that is outward-looking and learning oriented which means comparing the other companies systems, process, etc (Hannagan, 2008). Conclusion From the above information what it says is commitment to excellence helps the organization to be committed towards excellence that is quality, develops the performance of the staff and makes the professional image of the company (Hannagan, 2007). So Accent Hotel Group can achieve commitment to excellence by motivating the staff, leading the staff and providing learning and development to the staff. Continuous improvement helps the organisation to develop consistently and to be or remain best in the field (hutchins.co.uk). Continuous improvement can be seen in the Accent Hotel Group through total quality management, benchmarking the success and using Japanese strategy-Kaizen. REFRENCES Mullins, L. J. (2007) Management and Organisational Behaviour. London: Financial Times-Prentice Hall. Richman, B. M. and Farmer, N. (1977) Leadership; Goals and Power in Higher Education. Jossey-Bass. Council for Administration (2001, 2003) Business and Administration Skills Survey. London Hartley, P. and Bruckmann, C. G. (2002) Business Communication. London: Routlegde. Rae, L. (2000). Effective Planning in Training and Development. London: Kogan Page Limited. Armstrong, M. (2000) Performance Management: Key Strategies and Practical Guidelines. 2nd Edition. London: Kogan Page Limited. Handy, C. (1993) Understanding Organisation, 4th Edition. USA: Oxford University Press Schien, E. H. (2004) Organizational Culture and Leadership, 3rd Edition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Hannagan, T. (2007) Management: Concepts and Practices, 5th Edition. Financial Times/Prentice Hall. Mathis, R.L and Jackson, J.H. (2008) Human Resource Management, 12th Edition. USA: Thompson South Western Inc. Argyris, C. and Schà ¶n, D. (1978) Organizational Learning: A Theory of Action Perspective. Addison-Wesley Amandi, B., Oppedisano, J. and Sherman, H. (2003) Leadership Theory and Practice: A Case in Point, Management Decision, 41(10): 1076-1088 Torrington, D., Hall, L. and Taylor, S. (2007) Human Resource Management, 7th Edition. Europe: Financial Times/Prentice Hall. Oakland, J. (1994:40) cited in MDP (2010) BSc (Hons) Management and Business Administration: Contemporary Issues in Administration and Management, Part 2. Bangor: MDP Hannagan, T. (2008) cited in MDP (2010) BSc (Hons) Management and Business Administration: Contemporary Issues in Administration and Management, Part 2. Bangor: MDP http://www.brainyquote.com/words/ex/excellence162353.html Accessed on: 08/03/11 http://www.brainyquote.com/words/co/commitment146024.html Accessed on: 08/03/11 http://www.hutchins.co.uk/tr_contimp.aspx Accessed on: 08/03/11

The Oppressed Female in Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre Essay -- Jane Eyr

The Oppressed Female in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontà « clearly demonstrates the relationship between sexuality and morality in Victorian society through the character of Bertha Mason, the daughter of a West Indian planter and Rochester's first wife. Rochester recklessly married Bertha in his youth, and when it was discovered shortly after the marriage that Bertha was sexually promiscuous, Rochester locked her away. Bertha is called a "maniac" and is characterized as insane. Confining Bertha for her display of excess passion reinforces a prevalent theme in Jane Eyre, that of oppressive sexual Victorian values. Bertha's captivity metaphorically speaks on the male-dominated Victorian society in which women are inferior and scorned for acts of nonconformism.    For the first half of Jane Eyre, Bertha is only known to the reader through her nearly phantasmal presence&emdash;the peculiar laugh, and the mysterious incident in which Rochester's bed was lit on fire. Only after the foiled wedding of Rochester and Jane, in which Mr. Briggs and Mr. Mason appear unexpectedly declaring that the wedding should not proceed, does Rochester explain to Jane that he has a living wife detained on the third floor of Thornfield Hall. "He lifted the hangings from the wall, uncovering the second door: this, too, he opened" (327). "In a room without a window" Bertha is found living as a wild animal sequestered from everyone but her caretaker Grace Poole. Like a ferocious beast, she is even tied down and bound.    Throughout the novel there are similar images of the restrained female, an example being Jane's detention in the "red-room" at Gateshead Hall. Both Jane and Bertha were ... ...otypical woman of the Victorian era who courteously and obediently allowed herself to be dominated by males. Through the depictions of the incarcerated female, Brontà « speaks on the ills of an unjust society. Brontà «'s representation of Bertha as a wild, chained, and trapped animal and the symbolic use of fire reflect the difficulties women had in expressing their sexuality in an era in which men dominated and in which women played the role of the obedient, confined, and inferior being.    Works Cited and Consulted: Brontà «, Charlotte.   Jane Eyre.   New York, Penguin Books, 1997. Gates, Barbara Timm, ed. Critical Essays on Charlotte Bronte. Boston: G. K. Hall, 1990. Okin, Susan Moller.   Justice, Gender and the Family.   United States of America: Basic Books, 1989. Wollstonecraft, Mary.   The Rights of Women.   Everyman's Library Edition.   

Homeland Security :: Terrorist Attacks Terrorism

Homeland Security   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When we pause to think about all that has happened in years past, we truly are lucky. The purpose of this paper is to define and give detailed information about Homeland Security in the United States. I hope to inform people as to why we constantly live in fear. I will give detailed information about what the government is doing to solve this problem. Also I will give possible solutions to our current predicament, based on extensive research and knowledge.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Homeland Security is a relatively new agency that was created by the president, because of the terrorist attacks on America. President George W. Bush vows to never let an attack happen to America again. Therefore he created the office or agency, of Homeland Security. This group is backed by director of this group is ex-senator Tom Ridge. George W. Bush specifically appointed him. This group watches Americans and the world extremely closely (Security, a top priority in new budget). The mission statement of this group is to prevent terrorist attacks within the United States, reduce America's vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do occur (Homeland Security Actions). The Department of Homeland Security is responsible for securing our nation's borders and transportation systems, they manage who and what enters our homeland and work to prevent the entry of terrorists and the instruments of terrorism while ensuring the speedy flow of legitimate traffic (White House Online). Many dubious terrorist groups and organizations are under a microscopic viewpoint from the group of Homeland Security. Terrorist attacks on America have sparked a national fear that many people face daily. People live in fear for a variety of reasons. Scores of Americans fear traveling abroad, flying, and people of Middle Eastern decent (The Attack on America: September 11, 2001). There is unfairness towards people of the Islam religion, and people who are of Middle Eastern decent. This is wrong. Just because a strong-minded group of people attacked innocent civilians to prove a political point and spark fear in millions does not mean we should discriminate on those people. But because of these attacks on America there have been many different security changes made, in the hopes to improve our safety. Such as at airports, the military was placed as security in the airports. This was the first time that the military could be placed in airports.

Ambiguity in Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown Essay example -- Young Go

Ambiguity in â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚         There is no end to the ambiguity in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†; this essay hopes to explore this problem.    Peter Conn in â€Å"Finding a Voice in an New Nation† makes a statement regarding Hawthorne’s ambiguity:      Almost all of Hawthorne’s finest stories are remote in time or place. The glare of contemporary reality immobillized his imagination. He required shadows and half-light, and he sought a nervous equilibrium in ambiguity. . . . Where traditional allegory was secured in certitude, however, Hawthorne’s allegorical proceedings yield only restlessness and doubt. The stable system of correspondences that tied allegory’s images and ideas together was lodged squarely upon the religious orthodoxy that Hawthorne rejected. In his belated version of the sacramental world, the links binding visible to spirit have become vexed and problematic. . . . The flickering, uncertain revelations offered by the physical world in Hawthorne’s fiction allow simultaneously for confession and concealment, for discovery and disguise. This doubleness generates tensions that can be felt throughout Hawthorne’s work. . . .   (82-84).    R. W. B. Lewis in â€Å"The Return into Rime: Hawthorne† mentions the ambiguity associated with the key imagery in â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†:   â€Å"For Hawthorne, the forest was neither the proper home of the admirable Adam, as with Cooper; nor was it the hideout of the malevolent adversary. . . . It was the ambiguous setting of moral choice. . . .† (74-75). Henry James in Hawthorne, when discussing â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† mentions how allegorical Hawthorne is, and how it is not clearly expressed with this author:    The only cases in which ... ... Lang, H.J.. â€Å"How Ambiguous Is Hawthorne.† In Hawthorne – A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by A.N. Kaul. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966.    Lewis, R. W. B. â€Å"The Return into Time: Hawthorne.† In Hawthorne – A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by A.N. Kaul. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966.    Martin, Terence. Nathaniel Hawthorne. New York: Twayne Publishers Inc., 1965.    Melville, Hermann. â€Å"Hawthorne and His Mosses.† In The Norton Anthology: American Literature, edited by Baym et al.   New York: W.W. Norton and Co., 1995.      Ã¢â‚¬Å"Nathaniel Hawthorne.† The Norton Anthology: American Literature, edited by Baym et al.   New York: W.W. Norton and Co., 1995.    Wagenknecht, Edward. Nathaniel Hawthorne – The Man, His Tales and Romances. New York: Continuum Publishing Co., 1989.            

Spatial Filtering Fundamentals

4/28/2008 Spatial filtering fundamentals by  Gleb  V. Tcheslavski:  [email  protected] lamar. edu http://ee. lamar. edu/gleb/dip/index. htm Spring 2008 ELEN 4304/5365 DIP 1 Mechanics of spatial filtering Considering frequency domain filtering, the effect of LPF applied to an image is to blur (smooth) it. Similar smoothing effect can be achieved by using spatial filters (spatial masks, kernels, templates, or windows). We discussed that a spatial filter consists of a neighborhood and a pre-defined operation performed on the image pixels defining the neighborhood.The result of filtering – a new pixel with coordinated of the neighborhood’s center and the value defined by the operation. g y p If the operation is linear, the filter is said to be a linear spatial filter. Spring 2008 ELEN 4304/5365 DIP 2 1 4/28/2008 Mechanics of spatial filtering Assuming a 3 x 3 neighborhood, at any point (x,y) in the image, the response of the spatial filter is g ( x, y ) = w(? 1, ? 1 ) f ( x ? 1, y ? 1) + w(? 1, 0) f ( x ? 1, y ) + †¦ + w(0, 0) f ( x, y ) + †¦ + w(1,1) f ( x + 1, y + 1) Filter coefficient Pixel intensity In general: g ( x, y ) = s =? a t =? b ? ? w(s, t ) f ( x + s, y + t ) a bSpring 2008 ELEN 4304/5365 DIP 3 Mechanics of spatial filtering Here a mask size is m x n. m = 2a + 1 n = 2b + 1 Where a and b are some integers. For a 3 x 3 mask Spring 2008 ELEN 4304/5365 DIP 4 2 4/28/2008 Spatial correlation and convolution Correlation is a process of moving the filter mask over the image and computing the sum of products at each location as previously described. Convolution is the same except that the filter is first rotated by 1800. For a 1D case, we first zeropad f by m-1 zeros on each size. We compute a sum of products in both cases†¦ Spring 2008 ELEN 4304/5365 DIP 5 Spatial correlation and convolutionCorrelation is a function of displacement of the filter. A function containing a single 1 with the rest being zeros is g g g called a d iscrete unit impulse. Correlation of a function with a discrete unit impulse yields a rotated version of a function at the location of the impulse. To perform a convolution, we need to pre-rotate the filter by 1800 and perform the same operation as in correlation. Spring 2008 ELEN 4304/5365 DIP 6 3 4/28/2008 Spatial correlation and convolution In a 2D case, for a filter of size m x n, we pad the image with m-1 rows of zeros at the top and bottom and n-1 columns of zeros on the left and right.For convolution, we pre-rotate the mask and perform the sliding sum of products. Spring 2008 ELEN 4304/5365 DIP 7 Spatial correlation and convolution Correlation of a filter w(x,y) of size m x n with an image f(x,y) is w( x, y ) f ( x, y ) = s =? a t =? b ? ? w(s, t ) f ( x + s, y + t ) ? ? w(s, t ) f ( x ? s, y ? t ) a b a b Convolution of a filter w(x,y) of size m x n with an image f(x,y) is w( x, y ) ? f ( x, y) = s =? a t =? b Spring 2008 ELEN 4304/5365 DIP 8 4 4/28/2008 Vector representatio n of linear filtering It is convenient sometimes to represent a sum of products asR = ? wk zk = w T z k =1 Filter coeffs Image intensities mn For example, for a 3 x 3 filter: p , R = ? wk zk = w T z k =1 Spring 2008 ELEN 4304/5365 DIP 9 9 Generating spatial filter masks Generating an m x n linear spatial filter requires specification of mn mask coefficients. These coefficients are selected based on what the filter is supposed to do keeping in mind that all we can do with linear filtering is to implement a sum of products. Assuming that we need to replace the pixels in an image with the average pixel intensities of a 3Ãâ€"3 neighborhood centered on those pixels.If zi are the intensities, the average is R= 9 1 9 ? zi 9 i =1 Which is: R = ? wi zi = w T z; i =1 ELEN 4304/5365 DIP wi = 1 9 10 Spring 2008 5 4/28/2008 Smoothing spatial filters Smoothing filters are used for blurring and noise reduction. Blurring may be implemented in preprocessing tasks to remove small details from an ima ge prior to large object extraction. The output of a smoothing (averaging or lowpass) linear spatial filter is the average of the pixels contained in the neighborhood of the filter mask.By replacing the value of every pixel in an image by the average of the intensity levels in the neighborhood defined by a filter mask, the resulting image will have reduced â€Å"sharp† transitions in intensities. Since random noise typically corresponds to such transitions, we can achieve denoising. Spring 2008 ELEN 4304/5365 DIP 11 Smoothing spatial filters However, edges (characterized by sharp intensity transitions) will be blurred. Examples of such masks: 1) A box filter – spatial averaging filter 3Ãâ€"3; 2) Weighted average filter – attempt to reduce blurring: g a g ( x, y ) = s =? a t =? b ? ? (s, t ) f ( x + s, y + t ) s =? a t =? b b ? ? w(s, t ) 12 a b Spring 2008 ELEN 4304/5365 DIP 6 4/28/2008 Smoothing spatial filters The effect of filter size. The original 500Ãâ€"5 00 image And the results of smoothing with a square averaging filter of sizes m = 3, 5, 9, 15, 25, and 35 pixels. Spring 2008 ELEN 4304/5365 DIP 13 Smoothing spatial filters Frequently, blurring is desired for ease of object detection: an original Hubble image, the result of applying a 15Ãâ€"15 averaging mask to it and the result of thresholding with a threshold of 25% of the highest intensity. Spring 2008 ELEN 4304/5365 DIP 14 7 4/28/2008Order-statistic (nonlinear) filters Order-statistic filter are nonlinear spatial filters whose response is based on ordering (Ranking) the pixels in the neighborhood and then replacing the value of the center pixel by the value determined by the ranking result. The median filters are quite effective against the impulse noise (salt-and-pepper noise). The median of a set of values is such that half the values in the set are greater than the median and half is lesser than it: Ex: the 3Ãâ€"3 neighborhood has values (10, 20, 20, 20,15, 20, 100, 25, 20 ). These values are ranked as (10, 15, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 25, 100).The median will be 20. There are also max and min filters. Spring 2008 ELEN 4304/5365 DIP 15 Order-statistic (nonlinear) filters Original image with salt-andpepper noise Spring 2008 Noise reduction with a 3Ãâ€"3 averaging mask ELEN 4304/5365 DIP Noise reduction with a 3Ãâ€"3 median mask 16 8 4/28/2008 Sharpening spatial filters: foundations The main objective of sharpening is to highlight transitions in intensity. Since averaging is analogous to spatial integration, we y g g g p g can assume that sharpening is analogous to differentiation in space. The derivatives of a digital function are defined in differences.The first derivative must be: 1) Zero in areas of constant intensity; 2) Non-zero at the onset and end of an intensity step or ramp; 3) Non-zero along ramps of constant slope. The second derivative must be: 1) Zero in areas of constant intensity; 2) Non-zero at the onset and end of an intensity step or ram p; 3) Zero along ramps of constant slope. Spring 2008 ELEN 4304/5365 DIP 17 Sharpening spatial filters: foundations The first-order derivative: ?f = f ( x + 1) ? f ( x) ? x The second-order derivative: ?2 f = f ( x + 1) + f ( x ? 1) ? 2 f ( x) ? x 2 It can be verified that these definitions satisfy the conditions for derivatives.Spring 2008 ELEN 4304/5365 DIP 18 9 4/28/2008 Sharpening spatial filters: foundations The circles indicate the onset or end of intensity transitions. The sign of the second derivative changes at the onset and end of a step of ramp. The second derivative enhances fine details much better than the first derivative. This is suitable for sharpening. Spring 2008 ELEN 4304/5365 DIP 19 Using the second derivative for image sharpening – the Laplacian We consider isotropic filters – the response is independent of the direction of the discontinuity in the image Such filters are image. rotation invariant.The simplest isotropic derivative operator is the L aplacian: ?2 f ? 2 f ? f = 2 + 2 ? x ? y 2 Therefore: ? 2 f = f ( x + 1, y ) + f ( x ? 1, y ) + f ( x, y + 1) + f ( x, y ? 1) ? 4 f ( x, y ) The Laplacian is a linear operator since derivatives are linear operators. Spring 2008 ELEN 4304/5365 DIP 20 10 4/28/2008 Using the second derivative for image sharpening – the Laplacian The Laplacian can be implemented by these filter masks Since the Laplacian is a derivative operator, its use highlights intensity discontinuities in the image and deemphasize regions with slow varying intensity levels levels.It tends to produce images having grayish edge lines and other discontinuities, and a dark, feature-less background. Spring 2008 ELEN 4304/5365 DIP 21 Using the second derivative for image sharpening – the Laplacian Background features can be preserved together with the sharpening effect of the Laplacian by adding the Laplacian image to the original. If the definition of the Laplacian has a negative central coefficient, the La placian image must be subtracted rather than added to obtain a sharpening result. In general: g ( x, y ) = f ( x, y ) + c 2 f ( x, y ) ? ? ?Output intensity Input intensity -1 – if the center is negative; +1 otherwise Spring 2008 ELEN 4304/5365 DIP 22 11 4/28/2008 Using the second derivative for image sharpening – the Laplacian The Laplacian Laplacian with scaling The original (blurred) image The image sharpened with mask 2 The image sharpened with mask 1 Spring 2008 ELEN 4304/5365 DIP 23 Unsharp masking and highboost filtering An approach used for many years to sharpen images is: 1. Blur the original image; 2. Subtract the blurred image from the original (the result is called the mask): g mask ( x, y ) = f ( x, y ) ? f ( x, y ) Original Blurred image 3.Add the mask to the original: g ( x, y ) = f ( x, y ) + k ? g mask ( x, y ) Here k is a weight. Spring 2008 ELEN 4304/5365 DIP 24 12 4/28/2008 Unsharp masking and highboost filtering When k = 1 – unsharp masking ; k > 1 – highboost filtering; k < 1 – de-emphasize the contribution of a mask. The shown intensity profile can be viewed as a horizontal scan through a vertical edge transition from a dark to li ht t a light region. i This approach is similar to Laplacian method. Spring 2008 ELEN 4304/5365 DIP 25 Unsharp masking and highboost filtering Original ( slightly blurred) image Smoothed with a Gaussian smoothing filter 5Ãâ€"5 Unsharp maskResult of using unshapr mask (k = 1) Result of using highboost filtering with k = 4. 5 Spring 2008 ELEN 4304/5365 DIP 26 13 4/28/2008 Gradient method First derivatives can be implemented for nonlinear image sharpening using the magnitude of the gradient: ? ? f ? g x ? ? ? x ? ? ? f ? grad ( f ) ? ? ? = ? ? ? g y ? ? ? f ? ? ? y ? ? ? The gradient vector points in the direction of the greatest rate of g (x,y). g (length) gradient change of f at location ( y) The magnitude ( g ) of g 2 2 M ( x, y ) = ? f = g x + g y Is the value of rate of cha nge at (x,y) in the direction of gradient. Spring 2008ELEN 4304/5365 DIP 27 Gradient method M(x,y) is an image of the same size as the original and is called the gradient image. Magnitude makes M(x,y) non-linear. It is more s itable in some applications to use: suitable se M ( x, y ) ? g x + g y For an image where z5 represent the pixel f(x,y) and z1 represent the pixel f(x-1,y-1), the simplest (Roberts) definitions for gradients are: M ( x, y ) = ( z9 ? z5 ) + ( z8 ? z6 ) 2 2 M ( x, y ) ? z9 ? z5 + z8 ? z6 However, Roberts cross-gradient operators lead to masks of even sizes, which is inconvenient. ELEN 4304/5365 DIP 28 Spring 2008 14 4/28/2008 Gradient methodThe smallest masks with central symmetry (ones we are interested in) are 3Ãâ€"3. The gradient can be approximated for such masks as following: ?f = ( z7 + 2 z8 + z9 ) ? ( z1 + 2 z2 + z3 ) ? x ? f gy = = ( z3 + 2 z6 + z9 ) ? ( z1 + 2 z4 + z7 ) ? y Therefore, the mask could be: gx = M ( x, y ) ? ( z7 + 2 z8 + z9 ) ? ( z1 + 2 z2 + z3 ) + ( z3 + 2 z6 + z9 ) ? ( z1 + 2 z4 + z7 ) Roberts operators They are Sobel operators. Spring 2008 ELEN 4304/5365 DIP 29 Gradient method The coefficients in all masks shown sum to zero. This indicates that mask will give a zero response in an area of constant intensity as expected of a derivative operator operator.Original image of contact lens Sobel gradient Defect Spring 2008 ELEN 4304/5365 DIP 30 15 4/28/2008 Combining spatial enhancement techniques Frequently, Frequently a combination of several methods is used to enhance an image†¦ 1) Original image – 2) Laplacian – 3) image sharpened by Laplacian – 4) Sobel gradient of the original image – 5) Sobel image smoothed with a 5Ãâ€"5 averaging filter – 6) product of Sobel image with its smoothed version – 7) sharpened image (a sum of the original and 6) – 8) power-law transformation. Spring 2008 ELEN 4304/5365 DIP 31 Spring 2008 ELEN 4304/5365 DIP 32 16

Nflpa Player Safety

NFLPA Player Safety The issue Football League has perish the most(prenominal) exciting and thrilling sports league to project in the last a couple of(prenominal) decades. virtually youngly frauds confuse perish ofttimes faster and bigger than in the other(prenominal) and the safety device of their lives confine buzz off a risk. lately the NFL has been subjected to a large-scale centre of controversy and criticism dealing with how they have hand lead player safety. This issue has come to the principal because concussions have become a each week occurrence.In the last few course of studys it has been johnvas thus proven by doctors that creator players have suffered distresstic wittiness injuries from hits to the leave during their NFL cargoners. As a fan of the NFL, I believe its best for the bet on that the NFL makes some change so players be cherished for their safety provided in that locationfore again you cant include a carriage what the nature of t his sport is which is a hard hitting dangerous sport. The NFL who is led by league commissioner Roger Goodell needs to reign a way to make the back up safer by suffering the players safe, fans entertained, and team owners content.As one of the biggest issues in straight offs NFL, I decided to succeed the question, ar major changes requisite to be taken towards player safety for the well- be of the NFL and the players? There is a broad(prenominal) opportunity that a joint agreement pass on never happen between the cardinal but that doesnt mean that spick-and-span overlooks and policies wont expand to be experienceed for testing. The NFL has recently tried to implement parvenue forms and policies to delay and prevent the exceedingly rising concussion rate.They have changed to shorter offsets to cut out high imp solve hits and have besides introduced stricter guidelines for player conduct on the survey which includes fines for penal helmet-to-helmet hits deeme d inappropriate by the NFL. ar these changes the answer though? There is to a greater extent needed to be do then just changing a few rules that will ultimately have a small impact on this large scale problem. Many other hearty options for change include equipment improvements, concussion research, and enforcing penalties to illegal hits. Roger Goodell tell throughout history, football has evolved and become safer and better, and the prox of the sport relies on the king to continue to do so. When it comes to the priority of the league, Goodell do it clear safety comes first (SBNation). tho the NFLPA does non believe the NFL is doing enough to protect its members. NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith has been demanding the berth of doctors on each sideline during racys to assistance diagnose and treat concussions.This issue has to be taken seriously because within the one-time(prenominal) year nearly one light speed former players have filed pleas against the NF L and fate them held responsible for(p) for the players suffering from traumatic sharpen injuries. Concussions argon serious and they happen weekly in the NFL to players of all positions due to the tremendous bosom these players are hit with. The short and huge depot effects of concussions can be devastating to the human mind. Not provided does the brain suffer long status physical damage but many another(prenominal) players often suffer from long terminus mental problems.A prime example of someone who had been affected by heading trauma was former linebacker immature Seau. Recently a team of scientists who analyzed the brain tissue of re forthwithned NFL linebacker Junior Seau after his suicide last year have concluded the football player suffered a debilitating brain sickness caused by two decades worth of hits to the head (ABCNews). Junior Seau who had a 20 year NFL career was diagnosed with chronic traumatic brain disorder (CTE) after his death. The real question i s what couldve the NFL foundere to prevent such a life-threatening tragedy or did they not have the capability to control what happened to him?The NFL has said many times that it did not intentionally conceal the dangers of concussions from players and is doing everything it can to protect them. With the focus on head injuries in football being put under a microscope the bypast few seasons, the NFL is taking drastic measures nerve-wracking to find solutions that will help in the future. New helmet designs are a needed advancement to help create a safer NFL. With improvements to helmets that will help reduce head injuries gradually but it is static not the lone solution if players continue to getup improperly and go for head shots.During 2012 there was an estimate of nearly 160 NFL players who suffered concussions during this season. Thats a huge problem because recent studies link concussions to causing mental problems and has withal been shown to lead to Alzheimers disease . In reception to this issue the NFL has become concerned nigh head injuries and has commanded the tests of 11 new helmet designs from volt manufacturers in the last couple long time. On the other hand, there is a legal opinion that helmets can lonesome(prenominal) do so much as oncussions are broadly speaking caused because of the gladiator mentality that the players play with because they want to make an EPSN top play. While helmets are being designed larger and much protective, concussions still occur regularly. Its marvelous that they will ever be eliminated completely. Indeed, helmet engineering science has come a long way since the leather caps worn by quaint footballers, but helmet makers believe their products can only do so much to keep players safe in a husbandry that glorifies the big hit (SmartPlanet).New technology in helmets and equipment is much needed for the protection of the players and should continue to be a building diaphragm for player safety. Rule c hanging has become a yearly tradition for the NFL as they try and create new shipway to make the gamey safer even if the players and NFLPA dont agree upon it. Most recently, Roger Goodell enforced shorter kickoffs which moved the kickoff spot up five treads from the 30 to the 35 yard line to decrease injuries, but would now largely increase the number of touchbacks.This rule change could have a forbid effect by eliminating the job prospects of redundant teams players. Cleveland Browns kick returner twit Cribbs, the leagues career leader with eight kickoff returns for touchdowns, has been irate since owners, citing the need to protect players from cutthroat collisions, announced the change during the lockout in March. I dont see (injury) stats behind it, and thats what the issue was, Cribbs said last week. Theres no stats to back it up. Their intentions are good, but the stats arent there to back up the reasoning (ESPN).During the last month a rule change that the NFL has im plemented was met with high opposition as former and certain players disagree with the intention of changing the game. The new rule states that ball carriers would be penalized if they impose their head to deliver a bam. The proposed rule change for running backs might be the most absurd suggestion of a rule change Ive ever comprehend of. In order to cut ur berm u obviously have to lower ur head. Its a way of protecting ur self from a tackler and a way to chip in tackles (Matt Forte twitter).The real question is has the NFL become too overprotective? Yes delivering a blow with the crown of your helmet can be the kickoff point of a concussion but is it worth taking away classic parts of the game. The NFL is the greatest sports league in North America, but there are major decisions to be made in the next decade that could decide the future of the NFL. Ultimately, how sustainable is the NFL? With the hits becoming to a greater extent and more violent and with players getting bigger, faster and stronger every year, how can the NFL survive long-term with such violence?It might take something dreadfully tragic before the NFL will act upon the state of the game and make reliable changes to aid player safety. But then again NFL players understand the risks of the profession they chose, zip forces them to play football. At some point, the NFL is sacking to have to force players to accept the risks associated with playacting football. Nothing can make football a completely safe game no matter what rules or innovations are created. There will always be physical athletes forcing violent collisions.The NFL cant take away the heart and someone of the game just to make it safer. In my opinion the NFL has to embrace the physicality of the game and assume the risks that run along with promoting a violent sport but they should still continue researching the causes of concussions for a future solution. The years ahead will show if the NFLPA and NFL can ever meet a mutual agreement to satisfy the needs of their players and their safety in the long and short term future.

Summary “The Environmental Issue from Hell”

We’re Hot as Hell Is global warming a moral dilemma? Is it the american public policy problem from hell? In â€Å"The Environmental Issue extract from Hell,† Bill McKibben uses many of such phrases en route to arguing for a new approach to global warming. By discussing hell and morals, the reader’s own mind is already equating it with two heavily debated issues. Therefore, we begin to question their existence and how we should  deal  with the subjects. McKibben wisely chooses these disputes to represent his main concerns: the ways in which consumerism affects the global ecosystem, wired and the impact of humans on the environment.Theres an overview of the insights of the chapter.(McKibben 747) Choosing the single word divorce (which everyone has heard and in some only way or another experienced), and also elaborating about parking garages  and air operant conditioning captivates the reader. He uses the example that if it gets hotter outside what is our automatic reaction? We turn the AC up without contemplation. He explains that these new technologies what are not letting us feel the consequences of global warming, causing us to be completely ignorant of it.Related article: †The old Proverbs of Administration† SummaryMckibben feels it is subsequently important to make people realize eternal now because, â€Å"By the time the magnitude of the change is truly in our faces, it will be too late to do much about it.Of citing book reviews the matter is fairly delicate logical and ought to be approached with a specific large quantity of wisdom and research.

Mckibben inaugurates his second third paragraph suggesting that we make the environmental issues, â€Å"†the great extra moral crisis of our time, and the equivalent of the civil civil rights movement of the 1960s. â€Å"(747). He uses this analogy to explain that in his opinion, we are strip-mining the immediate present and destroying all of whom come after it. Thus, leading him to discuss exactly how humans’ materialistic ways have impacted the earth.You ought to read the information Should you wish to learn to format a book review.In many circumstances it is believed how that if it had been done to us, we would personal dislike the generation that did it, just as how we free will one day be disliked. The solution given in the essay on how to handle these environmental issues is to start a moral campaign.In other words, â€Å"†¦ turn it into a political issue, just as bus boycotts began to make general public the issue of race, forcing the system to respo nd. â€Å" (748).Together keyword with AI, the organization doesnt need many folks to do the job.

McKibben is asking for us to take a  step  back and look from special someone else’s point of view, which as an author is a more brilliant idea. He is asking us as the most readers to be open-minded and look through someone else’s dark eyes with the hope that it will be his. Works Cited Mckibben, Bill. â€Å"The Environmental Issue letter from Hell.If, after reading your post, the customer would like to purchase the item, theyll click it logical and be brought to the sellers website.Boston: Learning Solutions. 2011. 746-49. Print.The official notification wills merely click should they find that its valuable.

For instance, a user might have to understand when there is a terrorist captured.In which youre at the short story does inform you.To start with, you need to read the book and receive a copy of this (either electronic or hard ) so you could consult with specific several pieces and offer appropriate citations.1 thing about the book is that its rather simple to read.

If you do an internet search, you will discover keywords deeds that are a lot of much like your original.People dont want to get sold and want to get information.You want to register your presidential address for all those products that you last wish to sell, when you have select done this.It allows us to grow.