Aquatic Communities

Aquatic Communities Aquatic communities are the worlds major water habitats. Like land biomes, aquatic communities can also be subdivided based on common characteristics. Two common designations are  freshwater and marine communities. Freshwater Communities Rivers and Streams are bodies of water that continuously move in a single direction. Both are rapidly changing communities. The source of the river or stream usually differs significantly from the point at which the river or stream empties. A variety of plants and animals can be found in these freshwater communities, including trout, algae, cyanobacteria, fungi, and of course, various species of fish. Estuaries are the areas where freshwater streams or rivers meet the ocean. These highly productive regions contain widely diverse plant and animal life. The river or stream usually carries many nutrients from inland sources, making estuaries capable of supporting this rich diversity and high productivity. Estuaries are feeding and breeding grounds for a variety of animals, including  waterfowl, reptiles, mammals, and amphibians. Lakes and Ponds are standing bodies of water. Many streams and rivers end in lakes and ponds. Phytoplankton are usually found in the upper layers. Because light is absorbed only to certain depths, photosynthesis is common only in the upper layers. Lakes and ponds also support a variety of plant and animal life, including  small fish, brine shrimp, aquatic insects, and numerous plant species. Marine Communities Oceans cover approximately 70% of the earths surface. Marine communities are difficult to divide into distinct types  but can be classified based on the degree of light penetration. The simplest classification consists of two distinct zones: the photic and aphotic zones. The photic zone is the light zone or area from the surface of the water to the depths at which the light intensity is only around 1 percent of that at the surface. Photosynthesis occurs in this zone. The vast majority of marine life exists in the photic zone. The aphotic zone is an area that receives little or no sunlight. The environment in this zone is extremely dark and cold. Organisms living in the aphotic zone are often bioluminescent or are extremophiles and adept at living in extreme environments. As with the other communities, a variety of organisms live in the ocean. Some include  fungi, sponges, starfish, sea anemones, fish, crabs, dinoflagellates, green algae, marine mammals, and giant kelp.

Examples and Characteristics of Effective Analogies

Examples and Characteristics of Effective Analogies An  analogy  is a type of  composition  (or, more commonly, a  part  of an  essay  or  speech) in which one idea, process, or thing is explained by  comparing  it to something else. Extended  analogies are commonly used to make a complex process or idea easier to understand. One good analogy, said  American attorney Dudley Field Malone, is worth three hours discussion. Analogies prove nothing, that is true, wrote Sigmund Freud, but they can make one feel more at home. In this article, we examine the characteristics of effective analogies and consider the value of using analogies in our writing. An analogy is reasoning or explaining from parallel cases. Put another way, an analogy is a comparison between two different things in order to highlight some point of similarity. As Freud suggested, an analogy wont settle an argument, but a good one may help to clarify the issues. In the following example of an effective analogy, science writer Claudia Kalb relies on the computer to explain how our brains process memories: Some basic facts about memory are clear. Your short-term memory is like the RAM on a computer: it records the information in front of you right now. Some of what you experience seems to evaporatelike words that go missing when you turn off your computer without hitting SAVE. But other short-term memories go through a molecular process called consolidation: theyre downloaded onto the hard drive. These long-term memories, filled with past loves and losses and fears, stay dormant until you call them up.(To Pluck a Rooted Sorrow, Newsweek, April 27, 2009) Does this mean that human memory functions exactly like a computer in all ways? Certainly not. By its nature, an analogy offers a simplified view of an idea or process- an illustration rather than a detailed examination. Analogy and Metaphor Despite certain similarities, an analogy is not the same as a metaphor. As Bradford Stull observes in The Elements of Figurative Language (Longman, 2002), the analogy is a figure of language that expresses a set of like relationships among two sets of terms. In essence, the analogy does not claim total identification, which is the property of the metaphor. It claims a similarity of relationships. Comparison Contrast An analogy is not quite the same as comparison and contrast either, although both are methods of explanation that set things side by side. Writing in The Bedford Reader (Bedford/St. Martins, 2008), X.J. and Dorothy Kennedy explain the difference: You might show, in writing a comparison and contrast, how San Francisco is quite unlike Boston in history, climate, and predominant lifestyles, but like it in being a seaport and a city proud of its own (and neighboring) colleges. That isnt the way an analogy works. In an analogy, you yoke together two unlike things (eye and camera, the task of navigating a spacecraft and the task of sinking a putt), and all you care about is their major similarities. The most effective analogies are usually brief and to the point- developed in just a few sentences. That said, in the hands of a talented writer, an extended analogy can be illuminating. See, for example, Robert Benchleys comic analogy involving writing and ice skating in Advice to Writers. Argument From Analogy Whether it takes a few sentences or an entire essay to develop an analogy, we should be careful not to push it too far. As weve seen, just because two subjects have one or two points in common doesnt mean that they are the same in other respects as well. When Homer Simpson says to Bart, Son, a woman is a lot like a refrigerator, we can be fairly certain that a breakdown in logic will follow. And sure enough: Theyre about six feet tall, 300 pounds. They make ice, and . . . um . . . Oh, wait a minute. Actually, a woman is more like a beer. This sort of logical fallacy is called the argument from analogy or false analogy. Examples of Analogies Judge for yourself the effectiveness of each of these three analogies. Pupils are more like oysters than sausages. The job of teaching is not to stuff them and then seal them up, but to help them open and reveal the riches within. There are pearls in each of us, if only we knew how to cultivate them with ardor and persistence.( Sydney J. Harris, What True Education Should Do, 1964) Think of Wikipedias community of volunteer editors as a family of bunnies left to roam freely over an abundant green prairie. In early, fat times, their numbers grow geometrically. More bunnies consume more resources, though, and at some point, the prairie becomes depleted, and the population crashes.Instead of prairie grasses, Wikipedias natural resource is an emotion. Theres the rush of joy that you get the first time you make an edit to Wikipedia, and you realize that 330 million people are seeing it live, says Sue Gardner, Wikimedia Foundations executive director. In Wikipedias early days, every new addition to the site had a roughly equal chance of surviving editors scrutiny. Over time, though, a class system emerged; now revisions made by infrequent contributors are much likelier to be undone by à ©lite Wikipedians. Chi also notes the rise of wiki-lawyering: for your edits to stick, youve got to learn to cite the complex laws of Wikipedia in arguments with other editors. Toget her, these changes have created a community not very hospitable to newcomers. Chi says, People begin to wonder, Why should I contribute anymore?and suddenly, like rabbits out of food, Wikipedias population stops growing.(Farhad Manjoo, Where Wikipedia Ends. Time, Sep. 28, 2009) The great Argentine footballer, Diego Maradona, is not usually associated with the theory of monetary policy, Mervyn King explained to an audience in the City of London two years ago. But the players performance for Argentina against England in the 1986 World Cup perfectly summarized modern central banking, the Bank of Englands sport-loving governor added. Maradonas infamous hand of God goal, which should have been disallowed, reflected old-fashioned central banking, Mr. King said. It was full of mystique and he was lucky to get away with it. But the second goal, where Maradona beat five players before scoring, even though he ran in a straight line, was an example of the modern practice. How can you beat five players by running in a straight line? The answer is that the English defenders reacted to what they expected Maradona to do. . . . Monetary policy works in a similar way. Market interest rates react to what the central bank is expected to do.(Chris Giles, Alone Among Governors. Financial Times. Sep. 8-9, 2007) Finally, keep in mind Mark Nichters analogical observation: A good analogy is like a plow which can prepare a populations field of associations for the planting of a new idea (Anthropology and International Health, 1989).

The Impact of Postmodernism and Live Art on the Simpsons Essay

The Impact of Postmodernism and Live Art on the Simpsons - Essay Example The essay "The Impact of Postmodernism and Live Art on the Simpsons" investigates how postmodernism and live art influenced on "The Simpsons". In most Simpsons episodes, and certainly virtually all of them past a certain age within the franchise, the scene opens to Bart writing on the board, writing something new, then moves on through the rest of the family until the last part where the family sits down to watch the show. The couch sequence and the board-writing sequence are always different, but tend to follow a circumscribed pattern. The Banksy segment undermines this. The board-writing sequence has Bart writing outside of the lines, and distorting the perspective, writing on impossible areas. For example: The writing goes over the clock without warping. This undermines the reality of the animation. Baudrillard reminds us that everything, even live television, is a simulation: It is showing some parts of reality and clipping off others, and in so doing providing a selective treatm ent of reality. Kant might add that even our own senses are a simulation of the world's simulacra, a representation of reality formed by the eyes, nose, ears, tongue, body and brain. The brain constantly edits and makes choices. The reality we experience, the phenomena, are all rather distinct from the underlying ontological reality, if there even is one. The Banksy opening in this regard undermines our belief in the â€Å"reality† of the representation of the cartoon and thus problematizes our assumption.

The development of technology is determinative; its expansion occurs Research Paper

The development of technology is determinative; its expansion occurs beyond the ability of human freedom to curtail it - Research Paper Example Technology has shaped the business, education, medicine, research and even social landscape. Unfortunately, the society has little control over technology and they have to conform to its changes. On this note, it is clear that development of technology is determinative and its expansion occurs beyond the human freedom to curtail it. In the contemporary world, it is clear that there has been rapid change in technology altering all social relations globally. The evolution of technology underpins the shift towards an information society, which is the relevant social structure today. Technology has changed in the social, medicine, agricultural, political, and business sector. The great focus on scientific research has led to the emergence of new technologies that are beyond human control. The internet and computer technology have completely change the business environment, while the environmental technology has changed the farming and treatment procedures. The development of sophisticated weapons such as nuclear bombs has changed the way people relate to each other. Oliver (2011) has raised the question whether it is the technology that conforms to the social structures or its converse. In his argument, this scholar puts it clearly that the society is too sluggish to put up with the technological changes that are h appening each day. On this note, it is the society that is tasked with conforming to the emerging issues that come along with this super-fast technological change. As such, the social construction depends on the changes that result from technology and not the reverse. On this note, it is the determinative nature of technology that requires that the people change and conform to the changes in technology. The agenda of technological determinism evolved right from the time of early philosophers such as Karl Marx. Karl Marx

Economic degrowth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Economic degrowth - Essay Example This is a good sign of economic degrowth. In terms of enhancing consumers’ health, the working condition of the workers, and preserving the available economic and natural resources for future generations, the transition stage from economic growth to degrowth is one of the most unique political breakthrough that took place in the United States (Latouche, 2007). In line with this, Kennedy (2010) explained that cities that is undergoing degrowth process is characterized by a limited population density and self-sufficient even though there was a shift from urbanization to rural way of living. In general, the population of cities that is undergoing degrowth process is usually below 10,000 residents per city (Bliss, 2011; Reinhardt, 2011). Depending on the size of geographic area, population size of degrowth cities can be less than 50,000 (Mathivet, 2009). Because of the limited production and consumption of goods, cities that are focused on degrowth are the ones that could preserve their existing natural resources and energy resources without sacrificing the standards of living of people living in these cities. Q.2 How may this area be influenced by degrowth? At the end of the document you will see a table with your name appearing alongside a particular theme (transport, housing, multifunctional urbanism, decision making processes, use of environmental technologies.) What area have you been invited to focus on: Housing Inflation rate in the United Kingdom has significantly increased from 3.0 up to 5.0 between January 2009 up to January 2011 respectively (National Statistics, 2011). Because of the increasing trend in the annual CPI inflation rate and interest rates in the US and UK market, the selling price of single detach houses has been significantly increasing over the past few years (Nordvik and Gulbrandsen, 2009). In 2001, there were as much as 215,000 companies building roughly 146,000 single-detached houses (Glaeser, 2004). As a consequence in the high market prices of single detached houses, there is a shift from the demand for expensive single detached houses to low-cost and more affordable multi-unit housing projects such as townhouses, apartment buildings, dormitories, or condominium units (Murray, 2011; Reference for Business, 2011; Johanisova, Crabtree, and Frankova, 2010; Glaeser, 2004). In line with this, there are some constructors who are already designing multi-unit housing projects using low-cost pre-fabricated housing materials (Reference for Business, 2011). There are socio-economic advantages associated with the shift from single-detached houses to multi-unit houses. First, it is possible to increase the supply of affordable housing units to meet the increasing population in US and UK (Glaeser, 2004). Aside from effectively protecting the environment from the adverse consequences of consuming too much electricity, degrowth in the housing industry is also more economical on the part of the consumers in terms of decr easing the cost of maintaining the quality of small-unit houses (Crawford and Heller, 2010; Register, 2010). Q.3 What has already been envisaged or put in practice that would be welcomed by a de-growth society? Give some examples and indicate the impact/ results of these 'alternatives' (e.g. from slow-cities to the setting up of autonomous communities and the recuperation of community; from

Issues Surrounding Performativity In Education Education Essay

Issues Surrounding Performativity In Education Education Essay When attempting to comprehend the multifarious nature of performativity, it may be at first useful to view it in a historical and philosophical context. According to Munday (2010), performativity à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦has come to denote the systemic relations within the social order of postmodernity. Through technological progress, the grand narratives of the enlightenment which adhered to either the emancipation of the individual subject or to the speculative approach to knowledge have been superseded by an economy that privileges utility over truth, success over justice and information over knowledge. (Munday, 2010:1) The spirit of this assertion, the final reference to information over knowledge is especially pertinent to issues in contemporary education reform and is echoed in the works of education scholars- including the authors discussed in this essay: Ball (2003), Tan (2008), Chua (2009), **** and sets the tone for the discourse that follows. In Balls paper, The teachers soul and the terrors of performativity (2003) the debate of performativity is brought to the foreground through his development of an encompassing and influential definition of performativity: Performativity is a technology, a culture and a mode of regulation that employs judgements, comparisons and displays as means of incentive, control, attrition and change based on rewards and sanctions (both material and symbolic). The performances (of individual subjects or organizations) serve as measures of productivity or output, or displays of quality, or moments of promotion or inspection. As such they stand for, encapsulate or represent the worth, quality or value of an individual or organization within a field of judgement. (Ball, 2003: 216) This important statement also serves as a starting point to which Tans Globalisation, the Singaporean state and educational reforms: towards performativity (2008) and Chuas Saving the teachers soul: exorcising the terrors of performativity (2009) both allude to in the process of developing their own arguments. In establishing a position on the qualities of technologies of performativity, Chua interprets Balls definition by surmising that: [P]olicy technologies of performativity define performance indicators and evaluate members of the organization based on their capacity to fulfil these indicators. (Chua, 2009: 160). Tan uses Balls idea to derive a more pragmatic interpretation, making a direct link to neo-liberal reforms in education: Performativity contributes to a devolved environment where à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ [s]chools are to take responsibility for transforming themselves by making themselves different from one another, improving themselves and competing with one another à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The state employs monitoring systems for the school leaders and teachers through the mechanics of performativity such as league tables, the appraisal meeting, the annual review, report writing, site visits, inspections and peer reviews In other words, they are expected to organise themselves as a response to targets, indicators and evaluations under state regulation. (Tan, 2008: 113) To arrive at such conclusions as to the interpretation and definition of performativity in their respective studies, the above authors had to at first adopt an analytical design research approach with concept analysis and explore issues of globalisation and performativity and the implications for educational reform. construct their theories using research methodologies that involved the surveying of primary sources, including statistical and historical data and secondary sources such as work by other researchers (which include each other). For example, Tan (2008) argues that the rise of the culture of performativity is an inevitable by-product of Singapores strategic embrace of neo-liberal policies through globalisation and Chua (2009) cites Tans work in support of this view. Ball, more interestingly, elucidates on this theme in more epidemic terms: Education reform is spreading across the globe à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ An unstable, but apparently unstoppable flood of closely inter-related reform ideas is permeating and re-orienting education systems in diverse social and political locations which have very different histories. (Ball, 2003: 215) ****TITLE***** As both Tan (2008) and Ball (2003) point out, given the current global context where regional economic and social interconnectivity is increasing, it is not surprising that high-performing counties in the Far East, such a Singapore and Japan have experienced a reform agenda that shares many commonalities to that experienced in Western settings. Hence, similar to nations such as the UK, the United States and Australia, contemporary educational reform in Singapore and Japan are increasingly positioned as sites where broader political and economic reforms cross and at times clash with a range of political, economic and socio-ideological positions (Tan, 2008:114). Having worked within the Japanese local government sector, at a board of education as an Assistant (English) Language Teacher on the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme from 2005-2010, I was in a unique position to observe such patterns of transformation that were occurring within the education system from an impartial and objective, if ineffectual standpoint. When discussing contemporary educational change in Japan, a link must be acknowledged with a national corporatist reform agenda. Prevailing critique within Japan centres on the three general areas: falling enrolments, legislated curriculum reform and fiscal constraint. Contemporary educational reform in Japan could be placed within a unique historical context that is characterised by long periods of stability followed by radical structural reforms over condensed periods of time. (Hood, 2001) The reforms can also be weighed against the fact that schools and institutions have historically been constrained in their ability to react quickly to change due to the fact they have long been administered by a centralised state educational system. This, however, is changing in the current climate of contemporary neoliberal reforms and appears to have permeated right down through to the grass roots of the education, creating a transient system increasingly reliant on outcomes and the establishme nt of new ways of auditing and verifying such outcomes (Ball, 2003). Possibly one of the clearest examples of this was during the course of my work at a Japanese senior high school: I was asked by the head of the English department to assist in the implementation of an online e-learning computer system for the English curriculum. It was to function something like a TOEIC preparation course, with a test at the beginning and at the end to measure the students progress. It was promoted to teaching staff as learning aid that would make life easier for all as the tests and study materials were already written. When I challenged senior teacher as to what exactly was the purpose and goal of this new system (which tested non-contextualised, discreet items of English language), the response was We finally have an objective way of measuring their achievement. We can show this to universities, or the education ministry, so they can see objectively through statistics that our students are improvingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ we [teachers] do not really test the students; their grades are based upon our [teachers] subjective feelings. We need results to be more accurate, and that is why weve bought these well-packaged materials made by professionals. We have already finalised the contract with the company, so we ask for your cooperation. When looking back reflectively, how could this deliberated and justified scheme not be anything but of benefit to both the students and staff alike? Even after only the briefest of considerations, could any genuine educator articulate the simplest of critiques: how could this standardised test be considered objective? Simply because a score is produced, what does that number actually represent? As the students were not required to do the same test at the end of the course that they took at the beginning, how could this be considered any measure of achievement? These may be only discreet factors in the larger scheme of the pedagogy of assessment, but they are all too often the first casualties following the implementation of performative policies in education. Fortunately, however, even changes such as these in the name of convenience and efficiency cannot be readily imposed without some form of backlash from the rank-and-file teachers, as I observed my other Japanese colleagues voice in their opinions, frustrated with the system they had been forced to subscribe to: This is a [computerised testing] scheme developed by a commercial interest from outside our school that does not know, or even care about, our students learning goals. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. To be perfectly frank I dont feel good about people from outside telling me what the content of the courses should be and what it takes to improve students or how success or achievement can be measuredà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Why are outsiders determining our educational policy- my classroom policy? This, increasingly legitimate, question from teachers is recognised by Ball (2003), when he aptly observes: One key aspect of the current educational reform movement may be seen as struggles over the control of the field of judgement and its values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Who is it that determines what is to count as a valuable, effective or satisfactory performance and what measures or indicators are considered valid? (Ball, 2003:216) What must not be forgotten here is the condition of the teacher who is promoting the new tools and systems of reform. In the above scenario, it was apparent that the terrors of performativity (Ball, 2003: 216) had already taken a victim, in this case, the head of the English department who, with the best of intentions, believed he was still functioning in the capacity of a traditional school teacher. He may have even agreed with Chua (2009) who contends, the aim of teaching is to transform a situation into a preferred one, i.e. students that are more knowledgeable, more skilled etc. and that teachers are therefore designers, who employ designerly cognition, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the deliberative logic that guides any activity aiming to transform a situation into a preferred one. (Chua, 2009: 159, 160). However, he may not have agreed, or even been aware that the introduction of such policy technologies of performativity could have quietly begun reconfiguring his designerly cognitive abiliti es, resulting in his: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ cognitive trajectory [being] guided to aim merely at what one might call the horizontal, transitive dimensions, geared towards the production of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ visible, measurable outcomes. (Ball, 2003: 216; Chua, 2009: 160) In short, similar to their UK counterparts, Japanese educators are becoming increasingly measured, audited and assessed within the context of their research, their teaching and their day-to-day administration all in the name devolved freedom (Ball, 2003: 217). The latter portion of the essay will focus on the performativity- related reforms in the UK education system, including personal anecdotal experience whilst continuing to reference the studies of Ball (2003) Chua (2009). Ball (2003) describes the mechanics of performativity as: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the data-base, the appraisal meeting, the annual review, report writing, the regular publication of results and promotion applications, inspections and peer reviewsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The teacher, researcher, academic are subject to a myriad of judgements, measures, comparisons and targets. Information is collected continuously, recorded and published ^ often in the form of League Tables, and performance is also monitored eventfully by peer reviews, site visits and inspections. The nature and characteristics of the modern teacher are defined by the many in which they partake; Within all this, there is a high degree of uncertainty and instability. A sense of being constantly judged in different ways, by different means, according to different criteria, through different agents and agencies. There is a flow of changing demands, expectations and indicators that makes one continually accountable and constantly recorded. We become ontologically insecure: unsure whether we are doing enough, doing the right thing, doing as much as others, or as well as others, constantly looking to improve, to be better, to be excellent. The election of the coalition government in 2010 prompted changes to the framework that Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education) uses to inspect schools. The framework was piloted in 145 schools during May and June 2011 to inform its development for use from 2012. Ofsted fosters a culture of compliance and performativity within a managerialist discourse. Its inspection framework operationalises this compliance; schools which do not achieve its standards risk closure. Its influence extends beyond inspection periods; many leaders subject themselves and staff to intense surveillance to ensure that practice corresponds as closely as possible to the Ofsted- sanctioned ideal: This inspection framework is therefore of great significance to the English education system as both a product of a discourse and a mechanism for its reproduction. Netherhall School has just been inspected under the latest OFSTED framework which came into effect earlier this term. The new style Grade 3 rating awarded to the school replaced the previous Satisfactory grade. The school had hoped to achieve a grade 2 Good rating with greater recognition of its strengths and outstanding features. Chair of Governors, The new OFSTED framework seems more subjective and narrower in its focus. It seems to lack the more rounded and balanced view of previous models used. Nevertheless, we are committed to working within the new framework and to learning lessons from this new process. The school highlighted that the bulk of the data evidence used was based on exams taken some eighteen months ago. The most recent 2012 exams for Netherhall showed many impressive exam outcomes including GCSE English and Maths being well above the national average . The school did significantly better than the national average in the new English Baccalaureate which prioritises GCSE Grade C and above in English, Maths, Science, History/ Geography, and a Language. More than a quarter of the 2012 cohort achieved 5A/A* grades. The 5A*-C GCSE with English and Maths has continued to be above average. Caroline McKenney, Principal commented As ever, and in common with other ambitious schools, Netherhall is very aware of its priorities and recognises the need for ongoing improvement in all aspects of its work.

Mental Isolation in Franz Kafkas The Metamorphosis Essay -- Kafka Met

Mental Isolation in Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis The metamorphosis very possibly was written by Kafka as an outlet for his feelings of isolation and helplessness. In it, the protagonist, Gregor Samsa, awakens one morning to find himself spontaneously "transformed in his bed into a monstrous vermin." The story continues from there in a most realistic fashion: his family rejects him, and he stays cooped up in his room until he dies. Although interpretations of the story differ, my opinion is that Kafka wrote this story as a protestation, whether consciously or unconsciously, of his own inner needs not being met. Franz Kafka suffered from severe mental disorientation. This man suffered severe tragedies as a child: as the first child of Hermann and Julie Kafka, he lived to see two brothers born and die before he was six years old. Although they were eventually replaced by three new sisters, Kafka began his life with tragedies which most people do not experience until they are much older. Kafka lacked parental guidance, as he and his si sters were brought up mostly by governess. He was a Jew, and lived in Czechoslovakia, but he went to German schools. Therefore Kafka masked himself twice, at the bidding of his father. His father had made himself into a successful businessman, and expected Kafka to do the same. Most of Kafka's stories contain or center around an over-domineering, almost frightening father figure. Kafka obeyed his father. He remembered his high school education as being meaningless and dull, but, out of obedience to his father, he completed it, and passed with flying colors. This switching to a less offending option in order to offend no one characterizes Kafka very well. He possessed a wonderful mind but rarely, ... ... express himself openly would suggest otherwise. The Metamorphosis lends itself more to the psychology student instructed to profile an author based on his work than to the literature student instructed to cite and expand on different literary elements. It is obviously the work of a very disturbed man, although the disturbance would probably be more of the chronic type that slowly eats a man away than the type which causes, say, one to hallucinate. To sum up The Metamorphosis, I would call it a very deceiving book. On the surface, the simplistic plot, apparent lack of imagination with regard to the syntax, and the largely flat characters tend to drive the reader away. However, when one looks just a little deeper, Kafka's whole world of fear and isolation opens up before his eyes. Works Cited: Kafka, Franz. The Metamorphosis. Mattituck: Vanguard Press, 1946.

Psychological Therapy: Family Therapy

Family Therapy is a type of therapy that focuses on the relationship between family members or partners. While other type of therapy look at individual patients alone, family therapy brings family relationships into the picture. The goal of this therapy is to explore the relationships with other family members that may be the potential cause of the problem or problems of the identified patient (Exploring 503). There are multiple approaches that a family therapist may take. Some of the major techniques include Structural Therapy, Conjoint Therapy, and Strategic Therapy.Structural Therapy, developed by Salvador Minuchin, focuses on the structure of the family including the relationship with siblings and parents. What makes Structural Therapy different from other forms of Family Therapy is that the therapist involved attempts to become very close to the family in which the identified patient/patients is/are in. This helps the therapist to understand on a deeper level the problems existi ng amongst the family. Conjoint Therapy tends to look at the duties that each individual in the family takes on and how they communicate amongst each other.This approach is more common among therapist. The most influential type of therapy, Strategic Therapy, was influenced by the work of Jay Haley. The therapist in this approach leads the therapy sessions by asking questions and starting discussions. This forward approach triggers feelings and actions from the family involved. Which ever approach the therapist takes, all are effective forms of therapy. In some cases, Family Therapy can be risky for therapists if the relationship between family members or couples is tense.Safety is the number one concern for therapist especially in earlier sessions of counseling (Effectiveness of Couple 1). Family therapy can be a very effective form of therapy if the family involved participates fully. The family bond is the most powerful social connection that an individual can have. That is why pe ople with mental illness, substance abuse, or other disorders tend to have had relationship issues with their parents when they were younger. A close emotional tie with your family is key to living a healthy life free of substance abuse and/or risky behaviors.For this reason, Family Therapy can be very effective, especially for teenagers and younger children. One of the biggest issues amongst teenagers and their parents is lack of communication. Teens often live second lives that they tend to hide from their parents and siblings. If trying to solve family issues in individual therapy, the teen can say whatever he pleases about his family. However, when Family therapy is taking place, the teen’s actions and responses with the family can be seen firsthand and problems can then be solved.In Family Therapy, the therapist and induce communication among the family members which can lead to positive results. Communication is key. Once the family can learn to be honest with each othe r, whether it is the teenager and their parents, or the teenager and their sibling, problems caused by miscommunication can be eliminated. Family Therapy can also be useful for families who have children with mental disabilities. This type of therapy can help them understand what exactly their child is going through and how they need to adjust in order to make things better off.Dr. Josephson, a professor and chief of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Louisville School of Medicine, states that â€Å"family therapy can help parents adjust their behavior to best manage their child's condition while a physician or mental health professional treats the child individually with medications or behavioral methods†(Family). Family Therapy can be a very effective form of therapy is because of its lasting effects. Family therapy can last anywhere from three months to three years.However, no matter how long the therapy is, families tend to stay in a well -balanced healthy relationship with each other. When parents see how communication can easily solve family issues, they feel empowered to fix future problems using the same techniques they learned from their family therapy sessions. This allows families to have long lasting hearty relationship. A major sub category of Family Therapy is marriage counseling. According to Dr. Aliso Viejo, less than 5% of divorcing couples actually seek marriage counseling (The Benefits 1).The more common reasons that couples attend marriage counseling include poor communication, financial issues, sexual problems, parenting conflicts, infidelity, anger and substance abuse (Effectiveness 2). However, marriage-counseling uses the same techniques described earlier. Therapist attempt to improve communication and the relationship between partners, instead of attempting to fix individual problems. However, there are exceptions to this. If on of the partners is a heavy alcohol consumer, the therapist may sugge st that the person attend substance abuse meetings or counseling.According to AAMFT, or The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, 98% of couples that go through marriage counseling report positive results (Effectiveness 1). With that said, some relationships are just not meant to be and counseling or therapy may be useless. This usually occurs when married couples are seeing other partners secretly and want to end a marriage as soon as they possibly can. Family therapy can be a very effective approach for seeking out problems due to miscommunication amongst a household.Not only does Family Therapy fix the identified patients problem, but the family, whether it is a husband and his spouse or a 5 member family, is better off. The family can also improve their relational skills with each other and even people outside of the family. Either way, when multiple people are working together to fix a problem among a family, positive results will be seen in a shorter amount of time. Works Cited Aliso, Viejo, Dr. â€Å"The Benefits of Marriage Counseling. † Healthy Exchange (2012): n. pag. Print. Carolla, Michael. Effectiveness of Couples Therapy. † Journal of Marraige and Family Therapy (2003): n. pag. Print. Graffenreid, Ellen. â€Å"Family Therapy Is Effective Treatment Tool for Children for Substance Abuse and Conduct Disorders. † Medical News Today. MediLexicon International, 12 Aug. 2005. Web. 30 Nov. 2012. . Myers, David G. Exploring Psychology. New York, NY: Worth, 2011. Print. Nerfer, Barb. â€Å"Effectiveness of Marriage Counseling. † Family Health (2012): 33-35. Print.

What are You Doing to Prepare for College Applications

What are You Doing to Prepare for College Applications CC image courtesy of V-LUX 4 on pxhere. Are you are heading toward your senior year of high school? If so, do you want to be totally stressed out as admissions deadlines approach, or would you rather get some work done ahead of time to make things easier three months from now? Summer is the best time to prepare for college applications. Your senior year will be busy. You will probably be visiting college campuses, formulating your list of schools and taking   SAT subject tests, in addition to balancing your regular plate of schoolwork and activities. So it’s important to do anything you can do for your college applications now. If you want to avoid last minute panic, follow these suggestions and get a jump start on your college applications: 1. Prepare for college applications by reading and contemplating the Common Application Questions for 2018-19. Here they are: 2018-2019 Common Application Essay Prompts Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. The lessons we take from  obstacles we encounter  can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a  challenge, setback, or failure.  How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? Reflect on a time when you  questioned  or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your  thinking? What  was the outcome? Describe a problem youve solved or a problem youd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or  realization  that  sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more? Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one youve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design. 2. Take notes. If you are having essay-worthy experiences this summer, don’t trust that your memory will recall all the details of those experiences. Write them down!! Trust me, it will make the essay writing process SO much easier than it would be with just your memory to rely on. 3. Reflect. If you’re not engaged in some interesting activities and adventures this summer, do some self-reflection and find something to jump into. It doesn’t have to be glamorous – you could get a job in a bakery or video store and make an essay out of it. A great essay is more about who you are and how you experience your life than about the actual things you do. 4. Start gathering Letters of Recommendation. If you haven’t already, ask your teachers NOW for letters of recommendation. They will appreciate having the extra time to think and write. See my article High School Seniors: Start Now on Your Letters of Recommendation (LORs)! 5. Write an essay draft. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just get something down on paper. It will get your ideas flowing and take off some of the pressure you might otherwise experience in the fall. 6. Talk to your parents and friends about your ideas. And if you do write an essay draft, share it with others. They might have insights into your experiences and growth that you don’t have. After all, you only have one brain and it can only recognize so much about itself! 7. Download the Common Application Form. You can prepare for college applications by filling out all the generic information you can (name, address, etc.). Get those details out of the way so they don’t clutter your brain and you can focus on writing your essays. Follow these six suggestions and you will have much more peace and brain space so you can focus on your other senior year activities – and you’ll have more FUN too!! Stuck on what to write for your college essay or personal statement? The Essay Expert can help! We offer both flat rate and hourly  College Admissions Services.

greek civ vs the rest essays

greek civ vs the rest essays Greek Civ versus Roman Civ Todays society in which we live in has based itself on the past achievements and failures of previous civilizations which rose and fell with the hands of time. Every one of those civilizations made certain contributions to history as well as developing human intellectuality in order to enhance its chances of becoming the supreme ruler of our planets resources. If we look back in history right now we can say that every single mishap, disaster, breakthrough, war, or even a conversation has led to the advancement of our modern day society. There are many civilizations that have made major contributions to the structure of our modern society. From Babylons Hammurabi and his laws, to the extremely scientifical Egyptians, and the brilliant warlike Persians. Yet they all seem not as significant as the two most remembered ancient civilizations being the Greeks and the Romans. Both of these conquered large areas in order to enhance their trade routes and in the process conquering most of the known world. Ideas had been brought forward during the times of these two which are quite similarly very much incorporated into the way in which we live our everyday lives in our modern era. Since Rome was the biggest empire ever in history, lasting for the longest time, it has always been claimed to be the greatest contributor to humanities civil advancements. Rome has been credited for being the worlds first free-market empire. It also was the first empire to practice diplomacy through offering countries its Pax Romana (protection as long as the country pays taxes to Rome). (Internet1) Romes generals and rulers were amongst histories most successful both in its imperial time as well its republican era. Amongst Romes biggest and most astonishing aspects was the incredibly high standard of living in which it maintained. Hot water piping, beautiful...

Whistle-blowers. Reasons, Outcomes and Company Loyalty Research Paper

Whistle-blowers. Reasons, Outcomes and Company Loyalty - Research Paper Example Whistle blowers generally inform the world about the unethical practices going on inside the organisation which would seek the interest of public. According to the professional ethics, an employee is expected to give more importance to the collegial loyalty; however, the code of ethics often consider the loyalty towards the public and society to be more important and emphasises more on the professionals’ moral responsibilities. The United States Code of ethics for the government employees directs them to â€Å"expose corruption wherever uncovered† and to â€Å"put loyalty to the highest moral principles and to country above loyalty to persons, party, or government† (Bok, S. â€Å"Whistle-blowing and Professional Responsibility†: 70) The objective of this project is to explain the corporate ethics along with the importance and responsibilities related with whistle blowing taking the Enron case into consideration. A few recommendations will also be suggested in this project about the responsibilities of a whistle blower and what can be the outcomes of whistle blowing. Whistleblower A whistle blower is the employee who reveals the malpractices going on in his/her organisation by disclosing the organisational secrets to the public. Notably, this kind of disclosers can be made by employees of a particular organisation not necessarily to the public, but also to the higher authorities and the concerned governmental institutions as well. Any kind of leakage of secret information generally harms an organisation and may possibly result in the termination of the employee (Bok, S. â€Å"Whistle Blowing and Professional Responsibility†). Current practices have revealed various such instances of whistle blowing among which Enron’s case has been one of the milestones in corporate history. Enron is a large-sized Houston-based company which deals in energy commodities. This company employed around 21,000 of individuals and was amongst t he world’s leading companies of natural gas, electricity, paper and pulp and communications, which was known to claim revenues of $111 billion in the year 2000 (Scribd Inc, â€Å"Business Ethics Case†). However, the company became insolvent by 2001 and intended to save billions which it owed to its investors, though by unethical means. In such situation, Sherron Watkins, the ex-vice president of the company uncovered the miserable situation in front of public after her strategies to consult with the higher authorities concerning the matter failed. In the case of Enron, Sherron Watkins understood her responsibilities towards the innocent investors who trusted the company and found her moral ethics to be more important than the corporate ethics (The Buffalo News, â€Å"Enron Whistle-Blower Says Case Shows Need for Better Safeguards†). Reasons for Whistle Blowing Organisations, in the modern day context are often witnessed to conduct malpractices which in turn are quite likely to hamper the community welfare or the interests of its stakeholders to a large extent. Knowing the malpractices of the management, when an employee perceives his/her moral responsibilities toward the society as more important than his/her company loyalty, the individual decides to blow the whistle.

Pathology Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Pathology Science - Essay Example The mechanical instability resulting from theses horizontal membrane defects is enough to cause haemolytic anaemia. Protein 4.1 or glycophorin C deficiencies are also attributed to the cause of hereditary elliptocytosis. Clinical symptoms range from an asymptomatic carrier status to various degrees of haemolytic anaemia. Chronic haemolysis in individuals also might accompany with complications such as splenomagaly, early gall bladder disease and jaundice. The disease has no reported sex predilection and is more common in individuals of Mediterranean and African descent. Diagnosis of the disease is based on the presence of elliptocytes in peripheral blood smear. The diagnosis can be confused with iron deficiency anaemias as the condition also shows the presence of elliptocytes in peripheral blood smear. However it is only less than 25% of the total erithrocytes in iron deficiency anaemias where as it is more than 25%, sometimes up to 60% in hereditary elliptocytosis. 1. Which inherited anaemia is characterised by red blood cells that are smaller than normal, pale in the centre and have a rounder shape? How does it arise, how common, how may the condition be alleviated? The inherited anaemia is hereditary spherocytosis. HS is caused by disruption of the cytoskeleton due to membrane protein defects. Spherical RBCs are the result of loss of erythrocyte surface area due to spectrin deficiency in the cytoskeletal framework. Spherocytic RBCs are removed rapidly from circulation by the spleen and leads to haemolysis. Spectrin deficiency is often caused due to the impaired synthesis of the protein but sometimes also caused due to deficiency of binding proteins that integrate spectrin into the cell membrane. Hereditary spheroytosis is considered to be the most common haemolytic anaemia among Northern European descent (Perrotta S,2008). Other ethnic group incidence and