The Effects of Cocaine Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Effects of Cocaine - Research Paper Example Statement of the Problem In order to effectively fight cocaine addiction among various members of the population, nongovernmental as well as governmental organizations have to comprehend the different reasons why people in different economic brackets choose to abuse the drug. In addition, they have to find ways of gaining the trust of drug users in order to influence their choices. Hypothesis Crack cocaine, which comes in the form of rock crystals, is considered to be the most addictive of all types of cocaine. It has become easily accessible to individuals in all socioeconomic brackets. Crack is a variety of cocaine that is currently more widely abused. Crack has more intense as well as swift effects than do the other varieties of cocaine which are injected or snorted. Crack is also cheaper to produce and thus has become accessible to people in all socioeconomic brackets. In most cases, people use crack to boost their abilities in a competitive world in which there is the constant r ace to be the best. While imbuing them with the strength to keep performing, cocaine also gives its users an abnormal feeling of pleasure. In the past three decades since it first emerged in the 80s, crack cocaine has left many destroyed communities in its wake all over the world. Research Questions 1. How does cocaine affect the physical body? 2. 2. How does cocaine affect a person psychologically? 3. What are the economic impacts of cocaine? 4. What are the medicinal uses of cocaine? 5. Who are the largest producers of cocaine? 6. What are the programs that can help a person addicted to cocaine? Crack is more pure and therefore considerably more addictive than cocaine which is mixed with impurities. Addicts who smoke crack experience a feeling of happiness in about 10 to 15 seconds while those addicted to cocaine who experience a rush 10 to 15 minutes after smoking. This feeling is then followed by a feeling of desperation when the drop into depressed feelings follows the â€Å"high.† This crash then compels the addict to seek for more cocaine so that he or she may experience the feeling of happiness once more. Consuming any amount of cocaine that is more than 100 milligrams can result in erratic, bizarre, or violent behavior. The addict will experience physical symptoms such as chest pain, blurred vision, fever, nausea, convulsions, muscle spasms, and finally death from brain or heart failure which causes the addict to stop breathing (Lennard-Browne 65). Crack cocaine addiction is an extremely difficult habit to stop and may actually require the hospitalization of th e addict who experiences adverse withdrawal symptoms upon stopping to use the drug. Psychological Effects Crack cocaine triggers major pleasure centers in the brain and brings about an extremely heightened feeling of ecstasy. People who wish to start using cocaine merely do so in order to stimulate themselves to be at their best so that they can work harder and longer. While the results of the pleasant and invincible feelings appear to give the addict an almost supernatural experience at first, repeated cocaine use soon dominates his or her life to the extent that he or she cannot function without it. Depression is the result of long term abuse of cocaine. The addicted person takes crack in order not to feel depressed. The drug reduces a person’s mental capacities to psychosis and auditory hallucinations. Crack cocaine brings about a severe mental

ALL ART A PRODUCT OF ITS TIME CULTURE'S VALUES FOUND EMBEDDED IN ART Essay

ALL ART A PRODUCT OF ITS TIME CULTURE'S VALUES FOUND EMBEDDED IN ART - Essay Example In fact, all forms of art may be viewed as products of their time and manifestations of the values of the culture to which they belong. With that said, it is only logical to conclude that the dominant mood of a period can actually be seen in any human production and an art form may be analyzed to reveal the historically defining values of a culture. Defined as "the practice of applying color to a surface" such as canvas, paper, wood, lacquer, glass, or concrete, painting is one art form worthy of analysis. The term "painting" when used in an artistic sense means the use of the craft along with composition, drawing, and other aesthetic factors so as to showcase the "expressive and conceptual intention of the practitioner." (Painting) Throughout history, painting is used as a way to represent, document, and express all the various intentions and subjects that are as many as the practitioners of the activity itself. Because of this, paintings can be representational and naturalistic as in a landscape or still life painting; abstract; photographic; loaded with symbolism, narrative content, emotion; or political in nature. (Painting) Spiritual concepts and motifs actually dominated in the history of painting--from mythological figures on pottery to biblical scenes on the interior walls and ceiling of The Sistine Chapel, as well as vivid depictions of human beings as spiritual subjects. (Painting) Oil painting, the process of painting with pigments bounded by a medium of drying oil, such as linseed oil in early modern Europe, is considered by many as a distinct painting genre "with rich and complex traditions in style and subject matter." (Painting) In fact, oil paintings throughout history can be considered as outstanding visual documentations of history, culture and lifestyle of people. And with time, as new techniques and styles have emerged, oil paintings have become more versatile and enriched, and the

Multilevel Thresholding According to Histogram

Multilevel Thresholding According to Histogram Make Multilevel Thresholding According to Histogram by Cooperative Algorithm based on AFSA and Fuzzy Logic Image segmentation is a technique which is usually applied in the first step of image analysis and pattern recognition and is an important component of them. This technique is taken into account as one of the most difficult and the most sensitive problems in image analyzing. In this paper, a cooperative algorithm is proposed based on AFSA and k-means. The proposed algorithm is used to make multilevel thresholding for image segmentation according to histogram. In the proposed algorithm, first, artificial fish (AF) perform optimization process in AFSA. After swarm convergence, obtained cluster centers by AFs are used as initial cluster centers of k-means algorithm. After forwarding AFSAs output to k-means, AFs are reinitialized and performs clustering again. The proposed algorithm is used for segmenting 2 well-known images and obtained results are compared with each other. Experimental results show that segmented images quality by the proposed algorithm is much better than four other t ested algorithms. Keywords: Multilevel Thresholding; Histogram; Cooperative Algorithm; k-means. Image segmentation is a technique which is usually applied in the first step of image analysis and pattern recognition and is an important component of them. This technique is taken into account as one of the most difficult and the most sensitive problems in image analyzing. In fact, quality of final result of image analysis depends highly on the quality of image segmentation result. In image segmentation process, an image is divided into different regions. Segmentation approaches of mono-color images are with respect to discontinuity and/or similarity of gray level amounts in one region. If the approach performs segmentation based on discontinuities, the image is segmented with respect to abrupt changes on gray level by means of recognizing dots, lines and edges [1].The purpose of image segmentation approaches is to classify and convert pixels into regions. Histogram thresholding is one of the techniques, which has been applied extensively in mono-color images segmentation [2]. Generally, images are composed of regions with various gray levels. Therefore, an images histogram can consist of some peaks that each of them is related to one region. To separate boundaries of two peaks from each other, a threshold value is considered between valleys of two adjacent peaks. Indeed, histogram thresholding is a famous technique which is looking for peaks and valleys in a histogram [3]. Various clustering algorithms such as k-means [4] and FCM [5] have been used for histogram thresholding so far. As a matter of fact, clustering approaches, because of simplicity and effectiveness, belong to the most famous techniques that could be used for natural image segmentation. Applying clustering algorithms in histogram thresholding are such that first colors histogram is built and after that, clustering is done according to color distribution among pixels. O ne of the clustering methods is to use such swarm intelligence algorithms as particle swarm optimization (PSO) [6], and artificial fish swarm algorithm (AFSA) [7]. PSO was presented by Kenedy and Eberhart in 1995 [8]. Different versions of this algorithm have been used many times in data clustering [9]. Artificial fish swarm algorithm (AFSA) was presented by Li Xiao Lei in 2002 [10]. This algorithm is a technique based on swarm behaviors that was inspired from social behaviors of fish swarm in nature. AFSA works based on population, random search and behaviorism. This algorithm has been applied on different problems including machine learning [11, 12, 13], PID controlling [14], image segmentation [16], data clustering [7, 16] and scheduling [17]. K-means or famous Lloyd algorithm is one of the famous data clustering algorithms [18]. This algorithm is of high convergence rate, but has some weaknesses such as sensitivity to initial values of cluster centers and convergence to local op tima. Researchers have tried to remove these weaknesses by hybridizing this algorithm with other algorithms such as swarm intelligence ones [6, 19] and to utilize their advantages. One of these algorithms is KPSO in which first, k-means is performed and after that outcome of k-means is delivered to PSO as a particle [20]. Hence, at the beginning of the algorithm, k-means reaches to a local optimum with its high convergence rate and after that PSO takes the responsibility of increasing the result accuracy and exiting form local optimum. In this paper, a cooperative algorithm is proposed based on AFSA and k-means. The proposed algorithm is used to make multilevel thresholding for image segmentation according to histogram. In the proposed algorithm, first, artificial fish (AF) perform optimization process in AFSA. After swarm convergence, obtained cluster centers by AFs are used as initial cluster centers of k-means algorithm. After forwarding AFSAs output to k- means, AFs are reinitialized and performs clustering again. In fact, in the proposed algorithm, AFSA is used for a global search and k-means is used for a local search. The proposed algorithm along with four other algorithms is used for image segmentation on two known images Lenna and Barbara. Efficiency comparison shows that the proposed algorithm has an appropriate and acceptable efficiency. The remainder of the paper is organized as follows: in sections 2 and 3, standard AFSA and k-means algorithm will be described respectively and in section 4, the proposed algorithm will be presented. Section 5 studies the experiments and analyzes their results and final section concludes the paper. In water world, fish can find areas that have more foods, which is done with individual or swarm search by fishes. According to this characteristic, artificial fish (AF) model is represented by prey, free-move, and swarm and follow behaviors. AFs search the problem space by those behaviors. The environment, which AF lives in, substantially is solution space and other AFs domain. Food consistence degree in water area is AFSA objective function. Finally, AFs reach to a point which its food consistence degree is maxima (global optimum). In artificial fish swarm algorithm, AF perceives external concepts with sense of sight. Current position of AF is shown by vector X=(x 1, x 2,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦, x n). The visual is equal to sight field of AF and Xv is a position in visual where the AF wants to go. Then if Xv has better food consistence than current position of AF, it goes one step toward X v which causes change in AF position from X to Xnext , but if the current position of AF is better than X v, it continues searching in its visual area. Food consistence in position X is fitness value of this position and is shown with f(X). The step is equal to maximum length of the movement. The distance between two AFs which are in Xi and Xj positions is shown by Dis ij =||X i-Xj|| (Euclidean distance). AF model consists of two parts of variables and functions. Variables include X (current AF position), step (maximum length step), visual (sight field), try-number (the maximum test interactions and tries) and crowd factor ÃŽÂ ´ (0 The standard k-means algorithm is summarized as follows: Initial position of K cluster centers is determined randomly. The following steps are repeated: a) for each data vector: data vector is allocated to a cluster that its Euclidean distance from its center is smaller than the other clusters centers. Distance from cluster center is calculated by Equation (1): (1) In Equation (1), Xp is data vector p, Zj is the center of cluster j and d is the number of dimensions of data vectors and cluster center vectors. b) After allocating all data to clusters, each of cluster centers is updated by Equation (2): (2) Where, nj is the number of data vectors that belong to cluster j and Cj is a subset of all data vectors which belong to cluster j. The resulted cluster center of Equation (2) is the average vector of data vectors comprising cluster. (a) and (b) steps are iterated until the stopping criterion is satisfied. In this section, the proposed algorithm is described. In the proposed algorithm, there exists a population of AFSAs AFs. This population of AFs is initialized randomly in problem space. Each AF consists of K cluster center positions in one dimensional image histogram space. Therefore, search space for AFSA for K cluster centers has K components. Fitness function which AFSA has to minimize is shown in Equation (3). (3) Clustering on histogram is done by Equation (3) based on color distribution between given images pixels. The image is divided into K clusters (Ci) according to color attribute by K-1 thresholds. In Equation (3), the distance between color Xj on image histogram and the center of a cluster which it belongs to ( Zi), is multiplied by the frequency of pixels (fj) which have color value Xj on given image. This value is computed for all color values with respect to the center of a cluster which they belong to. Each color becomes the member of a cluster in which their distance from that cluster center is less than other cluster centers. Finally, the obtained results of all clusters are summed with each other. Indeed, Equation (3) calculates sum of intra cluster distances for one dimensional gray scale images, which is one of the most well-known clustering criteria. For improving obtained results by AFSA, some modifications must do on its structure. The best found position by swarm members so far in AFSA is saved in bulletin and AF which has found it might go even toward worse positions with performing a free-move behavior. Therefore, AFs cannot utilize their best swarm experience for improving the convergence rate because they just save it in bulletin. On the other hand, performing free-move behavior is inevitable for maintaining diversity of the swarm. In this paper, to remove this problem, every AF except best AF can perform free-move behavior. In fact, during execution of the proposed algorithm, this behavior is not performed for the best AF of the swarm at all. Hence, the best found position by the swarm would be the position of the best AF of the swarm. As a result, other members of the swarm can move in the direction of the best found position by executing follow and swarm behaviors. The purpose of designing the proposed algorithm is to take advantages of both AFSA and k-means algorithms and remove their weaknesses. K-means is of high convergence rate, but its very sensitive to initializing the cluster centers and in the case of selecting inappropriate initial cluster centers, it could converge to a local optimum. AFSA can pass local optima to some extent but cannot guarantee reaching to global optima. However, AFSAs computational complexity for optimization process is much more than k-means. How the proposed algorithm functions remove weaknesses of these two algorithms and apply their advantages is as following: In the proposed algorithm, first, the AFs are initialized in AFSA. Each of AFSA contains K cluster centers (K-1 threshold) which are displaced in the problem space by performing AFSAs behaviors. AFSA continues to perform until the AFs converge. After convergence of AFSA, best AFs position including the best cluster centers which have found by AFs so far is considered as the input of k-means. Then, k-means algorithm starts working and while it is not converged, it continues working. Therefore, AFSA searches globally and as far as it can, it passes local optima. After convergence of AFSAs AFs, its output would have an appropriate initial cluster centers for k-means. Hence, after sending AFSAs outcome to k-means, this algorithm starts searching locally. Consequently, in the proposed algorithm, global search ability of AFSA has been used and after converging, a great part of optimization process will be given to k-means to utilize high capability of local search of this algorithm and its high convergence rate. Since initial cluster centers for k-means are obtained by AFSA and k-means is used for local search, k-means weakness of sensitivity to initial cluster centers is removed. But, AFSA capability may not be enough for preventing from being trapped in local optima. If this algorithm is trapped in local optima, it cannot present proper initial cluster values to k-means. Thereafter, according to low ability of k-means in passing local optima, the obtained result cannot be acceptable. To raise this problem, after convergence of AFSA, the output of this algorithm is sent to k-means. Simultaneously with starting of k-means, AFSAs AFs are initialized and start global search again. In fact, in one time of executing the proposed algorithm, AFSA has several times of chance to perform an acceptable global search. It should be noted that in the proposed algorithm, in each time of executing AFSA, AFs just search globally and converge after a short time and k-means undertakes the remaining of optimization process which is local search. Therefore, with respect to low computational complexity of k-means, huge amount of computations for local search is prevented. In the proposed algorithm, it has been tried to utilize this conserved computation load for giving new opportunities to AFSA in order to perform an acceptable global search in at least one of given opportunities to it. Hence, for each execution of global search by AFSA, k-means is also performed once. In the proposed algorithm, to determine the convergence of artificial fish swarm, the difference of obtained results in consecutive iterations of performing the algorithm is used. When particles converge, the obtained results difference in consecutive iterations decreases, so by considering a threshold for the difference between best AFs fitness values in iterations i and j, it can determine their convergence. In the proposed algorithm, because AFSA and k-means algorithms are performed multiple times , always, it has to save the best found cluster centers by algorithm so far. For this purpose, a blackboard is applied that each time k-means finishes after convergence of AFSA, the obtained result of that will be compared with saved result in blackboard. If obtained cluster centers are better than saved result in blackboard, saved value in blackboard is updated. K- means execution finishes when after two consecutive iterations of its execution, cluster centers wouldnt be displaced. Pseudo code of the proposed algorithm is represented in Figure (1). Experiments are done on two known gray scale images, Lenna and Barbara, of sizes 512*512 in Figure (2). In this paper, the well-known criterion of uniformity is used to compare images segmentation qualitatively [3] which is shown in Equation (4) (4) Where, c is the number of thresholds. Rj is the segmented region j. N is the total number of pixels in the given image, fi shows the gray level of pixel I,  µi is the mean gray level of pixels in jth region, finally, fmin and fmax are the minimum and maximum gray level of pixels in the given image, respectively. Usually, uà Ã‚ µ[0, 1] and larger amount for u declares that the thresholds are specified with better quality on the histogram. Proposed Algorithm: 1:for each AFi 2:initialize xi 3:Endfor 4:Blackboard = arg [min F(Xi)] 5:Repeat 6:for each AFi 7:Perform Swarm Behavior on Xi(t) and Compute Xi,swarm 8:Perform Follow Behavior on Xi(i) and Compute Xi,follow 9:if F(Xi,swarm) à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¥ F(Xi,follow) 10:then Xi(t+1)= Xi,follow 11:Else 12:Xi(t+1)= Xi,swarm 13:Endif 14:Endfor 15:if swarm is converged 16:then Execute k-means on XBest-AF until stopping criterion of k-means is met 17:Endif 18:if F(Xk-means) à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¤ F(Blackboard) 19:then Blackboard = Xk-means 20:reinitialize AFSA 21:Endif 22:until stopping criterion is met Figure (1): Pseudo code of proposed algorithm. The proposed algorithm along with standard AFSA, PSO algorithm, hybrid algorithm called KPSO [20], and k-means is used to segment two images, Lenna and Barbara. PSO and KPSO parameters are adjusted according to [6], and for k-means, initializing Forgy method is applied [21]. AFSA parameters and are adjusted according to [7]. AFSA settings in the proposed algorithm are the same as [7]. With respect to various experiments, if fitness value relating to Best AF is less than 0.1 in 3 iterations, it means that artificial fish swarm is converged. The following results are obtained from 50 times repeated experiments. Figure (3) shows segmented images, Lenna and Barbara, by the proposed algorithm with 5 and 3 thresholds. Figure 2: Orginal gray level Lenna (left) and Barbara (right) images Figure 3: The thresholded images of Lenna and Barbara using 5, and 2-level thresholds, from top to bottom. Average uniformity obtained from 5 algorithms on two images with thresholds 2, 3, 4 and 5 are shown in Table (1). As it is observed in Table (1), obtained results from the proposed algorithm is better than the other algorithms for all cases. AFSA algorithm has the worst result for all cases because of low ability in local search. K-means algorithm has found better results than AFSA because of high capability of k-means in local search. The reason for superiority of k-means to AFSA is the problem space property in histogram clustering. In fact, because of low dimensions of problem space in this environment, local search ability is of greater importance than global search ability. Also, it can reduce k-means weakness of sensitivity to initial values by means of one of the initializing methods of k-means like Forgy. Thereafter, with respect to considerable superiority of k-means local search ability in contrast to AFSA, k-means results are better than AFSAs. TABLE I: Comparison of uniformity for the five Algorithms Image T AFSA K-means PSO KPSO Proposed method Lenna 2 0.9138 0.9634 0.9730 0.9728 0.9775 3 0.9361 0.9749 0.9781 0.9783 0.9795 4 0.9495 0.9762 0.9816 0.9811 0.9826 5 0.9517 0.9804 0.9835 0.9834 0.9838 Barbara 2 0.9758 0.9761 0.9765 0.9768 0.9781 3 0.9783 0.9802 0.9808 0.9805 0.9820 4 0.9797 0.9834 0.9843 0.9851 0.9862 5 0.9822 0.9849 0.9855 0.9850 0.9884 Obtained results from PSO are better than k-means in all cases and its because of global search ability superiority of PSO to k-means. Moreover, in PSO, theres a trade-off between global search and local search abilities [16] and PSO also can perform a proper local search beside an acceptable global search. KPSO results are better than k-means results for all cases because after executing k-means in this algorithm, PSO algorithm is performed and improves obtained results from k-means. But obtained results from KPSO are not better than PSO for all cases. The reason is that sometimes k-means converges toward a local optimum and obtained result from that is not appropriate. Therefore, PSO is responsible for taking out the result from local optimum; however, it sometimes may not be successful. Indeed, improper result of k-means causes fast convergence of particles to local optimum. Obtained results from the proposed algorithm are better than other algorithms in all cases. The reason is u sage of strategies which have been used for global search in this algorithm. In fact, the proposed algorithm is successful in finding the global optima in most runs and can prevent final result from being trapped in local optima, whereas, this ability is observed less in other algorithms and they cannot guarantee passing local optima. This weakness causes that other algorithms to be of less robustness and not to be able to reach to almost the same results in their various implementations. Also, in the proposed algorithm, k-means algorithm performs local search after finding global optimum region by AFSA. Consequently, with respect to high ability of k-means in local search and taking proper initial cluster centers from AFSA, local search is done well in the proposed algorithm, too. As a result, both k-means and AFSA algorithms abilities are utilized in the proposed algorithm and the weakness of k- means algorithm cant decrease the algorithms efficiency. As it is observed in all algo rithms except KPSO, with rising up the number of thresholds, uniformity amount is improved. In KPSO, since the weakness of k-means has an undesirable effect on PSO efficiency, obtained results are not stable. In this paper, a new cooperative algorithm based on artificial fish swarm algorithm and k-means was proposed for image segmentation with respect to multi-level thresholding. In the proposed algorithm, AFSA performs global search and k-means is responsible for local search. The process of the proposed algorithm is such that the robustness and ability of preventing from being trapped in local optimums is improved. The proposed algorithm along with four other algorithms is used for segmenting 2 well-known images and obtained results are compared with each other. Experimental results show that segmented images quality by the proposed algorithm is much better than four other tested algorithms. [1] R. C. Gonzalez, and R. E. Woods, Digital image processing, In: Pearson Education India, Fifth Indian reprint, 2000. [2] S. Arora, J. Acharya, A. Verma., and K. Panigrahi, Multilevel thresholding for image segmentation through a fast statistical recursive algorithm, In: Journal on Pattern Recognition Letters 29, pp. 119125, 2008. [3] Maitra. M, A. Chatterjee, A hybrid cooperative-comprehensive learning based PSO algorithm for image segmentation using multilevel thresholding, In: Journal on Expert System with applications 34, pp. 1341-1350, 2008. [4] M. Mignote, Segmentation by fusion of histogram-based k-means clusters in different color spaces, In: IEEE Transactions on Image Processing, 2008. [5] X. Yang, W. Zhao, Y. Chen, and X. Fang, Image segmentation with a fuzzy clustering algorithm based on Ant-Tree, In: Journal of Signal Processing 88, pp. 2453-2462, 2008. [6] Y. T. Kao, E. Zahara, and I. W. Kao, A hybridized approach to data clustering, In: Journal on Expert System with Applications 34, pp. 1754-1762, 2008. [7] D. Yazdani, S. Golyari, and M. R. Meybodi, A new hybrid approach for data clustering, In: 5th International Symposium on Telecommunication (IST) , pp. 932937, Tehran, 2010. [8] J. Kennedy, and R. C. Eberhart, Particle swarm optimization, In: IEEE International Conference on Neural Networks, 4, pp. 1942 1948, Perth, 1995. [9] A. A. A. Esmin, D. L. Pereira, and F. Araujo, Study of different approach to clustering data by using the particle swarm optimization algorithm, In: IEEE Congress on Evolutionary Computation, pp. 18171822, Hong Kong, 2008. [10] L. X. Li, Z. J. Shao, and J. X. Qian, An optimizing method based on autonomous animate: fish swarm algorithm, In: Proceeding of System Engineering Theory and Practice, pp. 32-38, 2002. [11] D. Yazdani, S. Golyari, and M. R. Meybodi, A new hybrid algorithm for optimization based on artificial fish swarm algorithm and cellular learning automata, In: 5th International Symposium on Telecommunication (IST), pp. 932-937, Tehran, 2010. [12] D. Yazdani, A. N. Toosi, and M. R. Meybodi, Fuzzy adaptive artificial fish swarm algorithm, In: 23 th Australian Conference on Artificial Intelligent, pp. 334-343, Adelaide, 2010. [13] J. Hu, X. Zeng, and J. Xiao, Artificial fish swarm algorithm for function optimization, In: International Conference on Information Engineering and Computer Science, pp. 1-4, 2010. [14] Y. Luo, W. Wei, and S. X. Wang, The optimization of PID controller parameters based on an improved artificial fish swarm algorithm, In: 3rd International Workshop on Advanced Computational Intelligence, pp. 328-332, 2010. [15] C. X. Li, Z. Ying, S. JunTao, and S. J. Qing, Method of image segmentation based on fuzzy c-means clustering algorithm and artificial fish swarm algorithm, In: International Conference on Intelligent Computing and Integrated Systems (ICISS) , pp. 254- 257, Guilin, 2010. [16] L. Xiao, A clustering algorithm based on artificial fish school, In: 2nd International Conference on Computer Engineering and Technology, pp. 766-769, 2010. [17] D. Bing, and D. Wen, Scheduling arrival aircrafts on multi- runway based on an improved artificial fish swarm algorithm, In: International Conference on Computational and Information Sciences, pp. 499-502, 2010. [18] J. A. Hartigan, An overview of clustering algorithms, In: New York: John Wiley Sons , 1975. [19] C. Y. Tsai, and I. W. Kao, Particle swarm optimization with selective particle regeneration for data clustering, In: Journal of Expert Systems with Applications 38, pp. 65656576, 2011. [20] D. W. der Merwe, and A. P. Engelbrecht, Data clustering using particle swarm optimization, In: Congress on Evolutionary Computation, pp. 215-220, 2003. [21] E. Forgy, Cluster analysis of multivariate data: efficiency vs. interpretability of classification, In: Biometrics 21, pp. 768, 1965

Feeding the Ghost Essay -- essays papers

Feeding the Ghost WE ARE BETTER The novel Feeding the Ghosts, by Fred D'Aguiar, exploits the terrible conditions black people were put through while being transported from Africa to the Americas. It examines the thought process of the captain, the crew, the captives, and the legal system of England. D'Aguiar clearly illustrates the hell that was forced upon the blacks and how even the highest court system of the time saw nothing wrong with it. The whites were the ones who made the laws; the laws were meant to protect the whites. The high court had laws in place about proper procedures on these voyages, but the law wasn't meant to protect the blacks, or stock as they were referred to, just the well being of the white people involved. The common conception is that a courtroom is where the truth comes out and justice will be served. It is a safe haven for the innocent and a prison for the guilty. But when the hearing of the investors of the Zong vs. the insurers starts, Lord Mansfield states, "As you know, gentlemen, this is not a criminal trial. It is a hearing". No, this would never be a criminal trial. It wasn't illegal to murder black slaves if there was good enough reason. Blacks didn't have human rights like the whites did. Laws weren't created to protect the black man; they were there for the well being of the white person. Anyways, the black person was stock in the eyes of the law so the treatment of stock was the question at hand. "Which law did the captain break? None according to English statutes. What is being disputed here? Whether his actions were within the law that describes the treatment of slave stock." (p. 171) Whites made the laws, whites enforced them, whites benefited from them. ... ...mmunication there is still an underlying prejudice against the black person. Things haven't changed enough to say we are equal. Time is the main component in changing this. Something that has been rooted in white backgrounds and common laws for hundreds of years doesn't change in a few decades. Here at UW-La Crosse students are required to take a minority studies class and similar programs are underway at other colleges. Education is the first step to closing the gap. The second step is changing how one perceives another who is different from them. Will the world ever be able to do away with prejudice? Or is prejudice something that is like second nature. Everyone is entitled to their own thoughts, so wouldn't that entitle everyone to having a prejudice? Bibliography D'Aguiar, Fred. Feeding The Ghosts. A Novel. New York: The Ecco Press, HarperCollins, 1997.

Review of Related Literature on the Effect of Acid Using Vinegar as a Model on Mortality Rate of Freshwater Guppy Fishes Essay

Republic Act No. 9275 Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004 is an Act providing for a comprehensive water quality management and for other purposes. In Section 2 of this Act, it states that the State shall pursue a policy of economic growth in a manner consistent with the protection, preservation and revival of the quality of our fresh, brackish and marine waters. The State wants to manage and reduce the population of water resources of the country by promoting environmental strategies and use of appropriate economic instruments. The State recognizes that water quality is in the same level of concern of the quality of life. This Act also wants to promote commercial and industrial processes and products that will not harm the environment, which includes the living organisms in different ecosystems. Related Literature According to the special report, Acid Precipitation of Gene Likens from Cornell University during 1976, the acidity of rain and snow falling on parts of the U.S. and Europe has been rising—for reasons that are still not entirely clear and with consequences that have yet to be well evaluated. Acid precipitation has a long-term effect especially on the living organisms in many lakes and streams which sometimes causes extinction. Related Studies On the study of Schindler during 1988, Effects of Acid Rain on Freshwater Ecosystems, it was stated that there is an increase in number of areas most likely to be affected by acid. The study presented the biological damage caused by the acid rain, which includes the disappearance mostly of small fishes that are considered as food for larger predators which might cause these predators to starve and might result for another disappearance of fishes. Justification of Study Articles and past studies show that acid rain has a negative effect on living organisms from different ecosystems including freshwater. It was also mentioned in the study of Schindler in 1988 that the small fishes are most affected by the acidity of their environment. This study wants to know how affected these small fishes are thus, determining the mortality rate of guppies in environments with different levels of acidity

Ways

Mtunzini (Mm-tun-zee-nee) is a small coastal town that is situated almost exactly halfway along KwaZulu-Natal's coastline in South Africa approximately 140 km north of Durban. The name is an isiZulu word meaning place in the shade. After the breakup of the Zulu Kingdom after the Anglo-Zulu War, Sir Garnet Wolseley created 13 ‘kinglets' – with two strategically located as buffer zones between Port Natal and Zululand. One of these kinglets was John Dunn who used Mtunzini as his capital.Umlalazi Lagoon at dusk In 1948, 9 square kilometres of dune forests, lakes and lagoon at Mtunzini was proclaimed a nature reserve known as the Umlalazi Nature Reserve. This area falls under the protection of the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (previously known as Natal Parks Board). The Umlalazi Lagoon is a popular tourist attraction for watersports enthusiasts and fisherman alike. Recreational and commercial ski-boat boat fisherman also launch their boats in the lagoon and they then head for the In dianOcean via the mouth of the Umlalazi River. Mtunzini is a bird watchers paradise and is renowned as one of the few places where one of South Africa's rarest birds of prey, the Palm-nut Vulture, is found. These birds feed on the fruit of the Rafla Palm which produces its fruit once every twenty years before dying. Visitors can enjoy a walk through the lush vegetation at the Rafla Palm Monument, which features a raised boardwalk that meanders through to the magnificent palms.Mtunzini Beach Mtunzini boasts, among other attractions, pristine beaches, a 9 hole golf course at the Mtunzini Country Club, AA-Event and Guest House, numerous Bed-and-Breakfast establishments as well as a range of camping, caravanning and other self-contained holiday accommodations. Be warned, the beach is NOT protected by shark nets due to Mtunzini's proximity to a shark breeding ground populated by Zambezi Sharks as well as many others.

Second Great Awakening Essays

Second Great Awakening Essays Second Great Awakening Essay Second Great Awakening Essay hi chi connects the Second Great Awakening to the American Civil War. The final main reform ins paired by the Second Great Awakening was the Womens Rights movement. Womens paretic pupation in the revivals and the previously discussed reforms, eventually led to a reform Of the Eire own. During the Second Great Awakening women participation outnumbered mens two t o one. Finned and other revivalists spoke of empowerment and how one was in control of t heir own body and destiny. Women as a result were encouraged to participate in society. HTH is also the result of the social activism the Second Great Awakening caused. Both the Am Rican Temperance Society, one third to one half women, and the American Initials ere Society utilized substantial women participation. Women such as Angelina and Sarah Grime lectured men and women alike all over New England about the abolition cause in 1 837 , and when they were criticized for their gender, they responded by creating two essential word KS of feminism. These works were to explain the sisters desire for equal rights and are called Letters on the Condition of Women and the Equality of the Sexes and Letters to Catherine E. Beechen. Women became to become increasingly discontent lack of rights despite their participation in their community, encouraged by the Second Great Awakening, This movement t resulted in the Seneca Falls Convention, the first convention held concerning womens rights, in New York and set the quest for woman suffrage that lasted until 1 920 when the goal WA s accomplished. Women owe much of their success to the Second Great Awakening. On a political subject, the Second Great Awakening furthered Americas soups art Of Democracy. Since Finned repetitively and definitively established that humanity y is in control of he world and not a divine power.

Dorothy Day essays

Dorothy Day essays Dorothy Day was born in Brooklyn, New York on November 8,1897. After the earthquake in 1906, her family moved to Chicagos south side. Into a place not as nice as the one in New York because her father, John, was out of work. When John Day got a new job as a sports editor for the Chicago newspaper, they moved to the north side in a better home. Dorothy won a scholarship to the University of Illinois in the fall of 1914 but was a reluctant scholar. Dropping out of college 2 years later, she moves to New York and became a reporter. She next worked for The Masses, a magazine that opposed the involvement in the European war. In November of 1917, Day went to prison for being one of forty women in front of the white house protesting womens exclusion from the electorate. The women were roughly handled and responded with a hunger strike, finally they were freed by presidential order. In 1924, Dorothy Day began a four-year common-law marriage with Forster Bathroom, an English botanist. Forster found it hard to believe in god in a world of such cruelty. Together, they had a baby girl, born on March 3, 1927, named Tamar Theresa Day. She thought the birth of her child was a miracle. After Tamars baptism, there was a permanent break with Batterham. Dorothy Day started The Catholic worker, a newspaper that publicized Catholic social teaching and promoted steps to bring about the peaceful transformation of society. The first copies were handed out on May 1. She decided to sell the paper for one penny so that anyone could afford to buy it. Homeless people began to come to Days home after reading the magazine. She began to put her principles into practice, her apartment was the seed of many houses of hospitality to come. By the wintertime, an apartment was rented with space for ten women, soon after a place was also available for men. The Catholic Worker became a national movement. By 1936 there were 33 Catho ...

Examples of Regular and Irregular German Verbs

Examples of Regular and Irregular German Verbs Weak (regular) verbs follow a predictable pattern and do not vary in the way strong verbs do. 1. arbeiten (to work) - regular (weak) verb; -tet ending Present: Er arbeitet bei SAP. - He works at SAP. (is working)Past/Preterite: Er arbeitete bei SAP. - He worked at SAP. (was working)Pres. Perfect/Perfekt: Er hat bei SAP gearbeitet. - He worked at SAP. (has worked)Past Perfect/Plusquamperfekt: Er hatte bei SAP gearbeitet. - He had worked at SAP.Future/Futur: Er wird bei SAP arbeiten. - He will work at SAP. 2. spielen (to play) - regular (weak) verb Present: Sie spielt Karten. - Shes playing cards.Past/Preterite: Sie spielte Karten. - She played cards. (was playing)Pres. Perfect/Perfekt: Sie hat Karten gespielt. - She played cards. (has played)Past Perfect/Plusquamperfekt: Sie hatte Karten gespielt. - She had played cards.Future/Futur: Sie wird Karten spielen. - She will play cards. 3. mitspielen (to play along) - regular (weak) verb - separable prefix Present: Sie spielt mit. - Shes playing along.Past/Preterite: Sie spielte mit. - She played along. (was playing along)Pres. Perfect/Perfekt: Sie hat mitgespielt. - She played along. (has played along)Past Perfect/Plusquamperfekt: Sie hatte mitgespielt. - She had played along.Future/Futur: Sie wird mitspielen. - She will play along. Strong (Irregular) German Verbs: Various Tenses These verbs have irregular forms and must be memorized 1. fahren (to drive, travel) - strong, irregular verb; stem-changing Present: Er fhrt nach Berlin. - Hes driving/traveling to Berlin.Past/Preterite: Er fuhr nach Berlin. - He went/traveled to Berlin.Pres. Perfect/Perfekt: Er ist nach Berlin gefahren. - He went/traveled to Berlin. (has traveled)Past Perfect/Plusquamperfekt: Er war nach Berlin gefahren. - He had gone to Berlin.Future/Futur: Er wird nach Berlin fahren. - He will travel to Berlin. 2. sprechen (to speak) - strong, irregular verb Present: Er spricht Deutsch. - He speaks German. (is speaking)Past/Preterite: Er sprach Deutsch. - He spoke German. (was speaking)Pres. Perfect/Perfekt: Er hat Deutsch gesprochen. - He spoke German. (has spoken)Past Perfect/Plusquamperfekt: Er hatte Deutsch gesprochen. - He had spoken German.Future/Futur: Er wird Deutsch sprechen. - He will speak German. 3. abfahren (to depart) - strong verb - separable prefix Present: Wir fahren morgen ab. - We leave/depart tomorrow. (are departing)Past/Preterite: Wir fuhren gestern ab. - We left yesterday. (were leaving)Pres. Perfect/Perfekt: Wir sind gestern abgefahren. - We left yesterday. (have departed)Past Perfect/Plusquamperfekt: Wir waren gestern abgefahren. - We had left yesterday.Future/Futur: Wir werden morgen abfahren. - We will leave/depart tomorrow. 4. besprechen (to discuss) - strong verb - inseparable prefix Present: Wir besprechen dieses Thema. - We are discussing this topic.Past/Preterite: Wir besprachen das gestern. - We discussed that yesterday. (were discussing)Pres. Perfect/Perfekt: Wir haben das gestern besprochen. - We discussed that yesterday. (have discussed)Past Perfect/Plusquamperfekt: Wir hatten das vorgestern besprochen. - We had discussed that the day before yesterday.Future/Futur: Wir werden das morgen besprechen. - We will discuss that tomorrow. Special Verb Examples Past action continuing into the present (present tense): He has been living in Berlin for three years. (and he still is)Er wohnt schon seit drei Jahren in Berlin. Action ending in the past: He lived (used to live) in Berlin for three years. (but no longer does)Er hat drei Jahre lang in Berlin gewohnt.

Cultural and Historical Analysis of Sophia Loren and Jayne Mansfield Assignment

Cultural and Historical Analysis of Sophia Loren and Jayne Mansfield at Romanoffs - Assignment Example The extreme part of the photo shows when Jayne; who was seated between Sophie and her dinner companion attempted to pick an object from the table, which left her nipple exposed. Although many would feel that it is jealous that is reflected in the eyes of Sophie, there would be others who would judge that instead of jealous the film star from Italy would have been harboring the feeling of a lack of comfort or disagreement since they held opposite beliefs from each other. Jayne was known for exposing her cleavage and most of the time made a living from it. As such, it may not be everyone including Sophie who would agree with her on that. They exhibit their differences based on the variation in glamour, superiority and high esteem that the American superstars from Hollywood had as opposed to their Italian counterparts owing to the high ratings of their films. The main themes that are brought about in the photo include the feeling of jealousy, which results from the differences in attitudes and personality of people from different areas. It is also contributed by the need for attention by individuals who consider themselves celebrities and would; therefore like to be noticed any time they are in the public limelight. The main theme of jealousy does not begin only at the time that the photo is taken. As is indicated by Buckley (2015), there is a historical influence that creates the difference in glamour between American film stars and the film actresses from Italy. This results in a great difference between the Italian glamour and the American glamour. A general picture about the two film stars in revealed through the opinion of the writer. Owing to the kind of glamour that is exhibited by a film star, the public opinion may also be different. It can be said that the public had a low opinion of the Italian actresses which made them

How Slavery Affects the Institution of Marriage by novel The Beloved Essay

How Slavery Affects the Institution of Marriage by novel The Beloved - Essay Example She mainly focuses on master, slave, and marriage. Of the three, the master holds the most authority, the slave is victimized, and the marriage institution suffers because of the exploitative relationship between the master and slave. According to Maschler, women are important players in the marriage institution, and therefore, the effects of slavery on slave women will affect the entire institution of marriage. Tolman notes that in Morrison’s The Beloved, women are portrayed as having unconditional love for their children and families, although mothers are not portrayed as perfect or flawless. However, motherhood, which is equally important in marriage, is greatly affected by slavery, as mothers in slavery underwent great troubles to raise their children. In this novel, Morrison shows women as the central figures in families of former slaves. The men are often missing because of the slavery heritage. In this case, men were still regarded part of the family. However, they did not have time for their families, and could hence not play the main role in the family. During the slavery period, men were sold, while some escaped slavery. This has continued to affect the psyche of women who experienced this. During slavery, the society was paternalistic, and women headed families, as Morrison shows in his novel. The women were used to living without their men around. This is because black men would be sent away, or would leave their families for reasons related to slavery. On the other hand, women could not leave; they were caged in their homes, as they were responsible for the upbringing of their children. Davis argues that this largely denied these women their freedom as they were forced to stay at home and could not leave.

Religious Liberty in Public Schools Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Religious Liberty in Public Schools - Essay Example It goes a long way in eliminating discrimination on the basis of religion in public places. This is what informed the decision in Van Orden v Perry (2005), where the Supreme Court held that the Ten Commandment on the government monument at the Texas State Capitol violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.  The issue of religious expression in public places, especially in schools, is an area that has attracted a series of serious debates. Many of these matters always find their way in court. In the case of Abington School District v. Schempp (1963), the state of Pennsylvania required that ten verses should be read from the Holy Bible each morning in public schools each school day. The majority of Supreme Court judges found this to contravene the First Amendment.  Just as in the above-mentioned case, it would be wrong to display the student’s depiction of Jesus Christ in class as this would be going against the First Amendment as that would amount to leaning t owards Christianity as opposed to the required neutrality in the public schools towards religion (Ackerman, 2001).  Putting all these factors into consideration, it would therefore go against some student’s rights, as this is a captive audience, and can be easily swayed into believing something that is against their religious creed. It is therefore important not to display that kind of work in class to protect the constitutional rights of the other students and avoid violating the First Amendment, which could have in itself dire consequences.

WALDEN, OR LIFE IN THE WOODS BY HENRY DAVID THOREAU Essay

WALDEN, OR LIFE IN THE WOODS BY HENRY DAVID THOREAU - Essay Example His vision of a successful life, having actually following through on the suggestions he received from his inner self, was to remove himself from society in order to connect himself more solidly with nature, the source of all goodness and truth. His ultimate goal was to perhaps inspire others to follow in his footsteps at least as far as learning more about the inner self through a more intimate connection with outer nature. Within a chapter entitled â€Å"Solitude† in his book Walden, Thoreau compares his experience in the wilderness with the experience of ‘civilized’ living in terms of communication, companionship and engagement, all of which suggest the same kind of closer identification with the natural world in all areas of life. The first concept involved in Thoreau’s consideration of the question of solitude could be considered the opposite of solitude in the form of communication. He begins this chapter of his book with a paragraph that highlights the deep sense of communication he gains with nature as he takes an evening stroll. The first sentence captures much of the essence of the rest of the paragraph when he says, â€Å"This is a delicious evening, when the whole body is one sense, and imbibes delight through every pore† (Thoreau 107). He goes on to describe the temperature as perfectly attuned to his own sense of correct feeling, the sounds of the bullfrog s and whippoorwills as just the right note for the moment and the breathless sympathy he feels for the falling leaves of the forest, â€Å"yet, like the lake, my serenity is rippled but not ruffled† (Thoreau 107). As the evening closes down, he gains a sense of the reaffirmation of life as the night hunters begin their prowl. Thus he gains a sense of himself by being in tune with the evening regardless of where he is. This is contrasted against the more distant communication he shares with his fellow man, many

Marketing Research Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Marketing Research - Case Study Example If the second sample provides similar results then the remaining funds from the $30,000 can be rolled out across the nation. Some of the strengths of this may be that if it is the case that the initial pilot sample was not representative than a new strategy can be devised, however if the pilot example is representative than we have a good understanding that the expanded study will generate positive results. 2. What could be the ramifications of your budget decisions? Solution: The ramifications of my budget decision could be described as being low risk modest return. If it is the case that the second pilot study does yield positive results than we know that our approach to gathering information is sound and as such we can roll out our program into different markets. Moreover if we learn that we have generated some sort of false positive in the premier pilot study than it may be that we should have to completely reevaluate the way in which we collect the data. If the former case holds true we would be rolling out approximately $30,000 and would generate effective information for the company to modify their marketing strategies but we would also be taking company money that could be spent on other internal projects.

Managing people- Structure and Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managing people- Structure and Culture - Essay Example The secret of their success is that they try to do every work with efficiency. In order to perform efficiently researchers have identified many theories and models, which organizations have adopted freely. These have focused on the theories and models of organization structure and culture. Both of these are very important for an organizations success. In order to study in detail the structure and culture of an organization I have selected one of the largest banks in UK which is HSBC. This paper not only focuses on discussing the structure of bank but also identifies it impact on the workforce and the possible changes in future (Mullins Laurie J, 2007, p.550) In today’s global environment HSBC bank is the biggest financial service provider. It is one of the largest banks in UK, having its headquarters in London. It has 10,000 offices in 82 states some of which are in Middle East, Asia –Pacific Regions, Africa, Europe, United Kingdom etc. it have a wide network. HSBC Holdings Plc has 200,000 shareholders in hundred nations, such as in Hong Kong, UK, Paris, New York etc. Due to the facilities of internet and other technological systems HSBC provides many financial services to the customers, which includes personal financial services, investment banking, commercial banking, and other products and services. HSBC mainly considers principles and values in the organization. It provides financial services to small and medium sized enterprises. It has more than three million customers on the list which includes public companies, incorporated businesses, associations, clubs, partnership and sole proprietorship. HSBC organizational structure model is similar to the model defined in the theories of organizational behavior as shown in figure 1. A normal model of structural framework is used in a chart. It emphasizes on the fact that organizational structure provides

Marketing Research Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Marketing Research - Case Study Example If the second sample provides similar results then the remaining funds from the $30,000 can be rolled out across the nation. Some of the strengths of this may be that if it is the case that the initial pilot sample was not representative than a new strategy can be devised, however if the pilot example is representative than we have a good understanding that the expanded study will generate positive results. 2. What could be the ramifications of your budget decisions? Solution: The ramifications of my budget decision could be described as being low risk modest return. If it is the case that the second pilot study does yield positive results than we know that our approach to gathering information is sound and as such we can roll out our program into different markets. Moreover if we learn that we have generated some sort of false positive in the premier pilot study than it may be that we should have to completely reevaluate the way in which we collect the data. If the former case holds true we would be rolling out approximately $30,000 and would generate effective information for the company to modify their marketing strategies but we would also be taking company money that could be spent on other internal projects.

The Benefits of a College Degree Essay Example for Free

The Benefits of a College Degree Essay Going to college to earn a degree is very important and is also an advantage for me in today?s world. I have many different reasons why I?m getting a degree. One reason is because important to have a goal, to work toward something. Having a long term goal helps me stay motivated. Most importantly getting a degree will insure that I will be personally and financially stable. Even though obtaining a college degree will help me in so many different ways in my life. Going to college is very taxing; emotionally, physically and financially. No matter how many times succeed or fail at my goals, going to college is an eye opener for me. There are so many goals I will have through out my life, none of them being as important as obtaining a college degree. Some people may say that my family is the most important achievement in my life. But a degree is in ways more important. It ensures that I will provide the best life for my family. On the other hand my family is what gives me the courage to wake up every morning and look forward to going to school to learn knew things. Working toward my degree keeps my mind focused. Having a long term goal is key in my life. Because no matter what happens I know that the next day I will be dedicating time from my life to achieve something most people only think about doing. I hope I can stay motivated enough to get more classes done. And to do my best at all times, even if my best is scraping by. Because at that time it was my best. These are small goals, but these goals will add up to a more important achievement in the end. The personal and financial stability I will get from a college education is priceless. Knowing that for eight years I didn?t quiet for anything to achieve my degree will be the greatest feeling ever. All of the motivation, dedication, wisdom, and courage that I will gain thought out my college carrier will be strongest part of my personal stability. Because of my college education I will be able to get a well paying job with benefits that will ensure the financial stability I need for my family. Knowing that the income from my job will enable me to not worry about having enough money for retirement is very satisfying. Being able to pay for my children?s education is very important to me and the well being of my children. Thanks to this financial stability I will be able to sleep a little better. There are many down falls to having a college carrier. Finding the time in my busy life to sit down and do hours of homework. It is difficult to wake up early every morning and go to work for eight grueling hours, then go home inhale my dinner, then rush to school. Only to come home and do homework for hours, go to bed late and wake up early and go through the same thing again. Not only is this exaughsting, it is emotionally hard as well. Not getting enough quality time with my family is hard to deal with. Not having time to do homework causes school work to be late. Which causes my grades to slip and my G.P.A to fall. In order to receive assistance for tuition I need to maintain my G.P.A. If my G.P.A were to fall I could be putt on academic probation. In turn I would need to work overtime to make up for money lost. College can be very physically and emotionally demanding. Obtaining a college degree is very important. A degree will help me to become personal and financially stable. Achieving this goal will help me in everyday life.

Importance of Therapeutic Relationship in Cognitive Therapy

Importance of Therapeutic Relationship in Cognitive Therapy Within cognitive therapy, the therapeutic relationship, along with the emotional aspects of therapy in general, has historically been of less importance than for other therapeutic modalities. In the last decade this has changed and in the so-called third wave in cognitive therapy there is a much greater interest in the therapeutic relationship (Hayes, Strosahl Wilson, 2004). This essay evaluates the relevance of the therapeutic relationship in cognitive therapy with reference to the outcome research. The term therapeutic relationship covers a wide range of factors within therapy, each of which have been examined separately in the research. Hardy, Cahill and Barkham (2007) have suggested that it is useful to break down this research into three areas: establishing the relationship, developing the relationship and, finally, maintaining the relationship. Starting with establishing a relationship, Sexton, Littauer, Sexton and Tà ¸mmerà ¥s (2005) examined the first two sessions with 34 different clients using anonymous ratings at 20 second intervals. They found that better therapeutic alliances were associated with earlier meaningful connection and emotional involvement. Empathy is also thought to be a major component in establishing a relationship. The research on the contribution of empathy towards the therapeutic outcome has been subject to meta-analysis by Bohart, Elliott, Greenberg and Watson (2002). This found that between 7% and 10% of psychotherapy outcomes were explained by empathy indeed this relationship was particularly strong in cognitive therapies. Two further components central to establishing a relationship which have also garnered positive relationship with outcomes in the literature are engagement (e.g. Tryon, 2002) and mutual involvement (e.g. Tryon Winograd, 2002). The second research area is developing a relationship; in order to progress clients must have a sense of commitment, trust and openness towards their therapist (Hardy, Cahill Barkham, 2007). This means the therapist must effectively manage the relationship, including negotiating factors like transference and counter-transference (Ligiero Gelso, 2002). This area, however, has not been extensively examined within cognitive therapy. The third research area is maintaining the relationship. Research has examined how therapists deal with the inevitable problems that arise in therapeutic relationships. Better outcomes are generally predicted by successfully dealing with challenges to the therapeutic relationship. Challenges studied have included negative feelings towards clients (Gelso Carter, 1985), disagreements (Safran, Muran, Samstag Stevens, 2001) and resistance (Binder Strupp, 1997). Stiles et al. (2004) looked at the overall pattern of alliance development over the course of both cognitive and psychodynamic therapies. They found that those who had ruptures in the therapeutic alliance, which were subsequently repaired, had the best treatment outcomes. This, along with similar previous research by Kivlighan and Shaughnessy (2000) strongly underlines the importance of relationship maintenance in treatment outcome. Much of the research on the therapeutic alliance across treatment modalities has been reviewed in two meta-analyses (Horvath Symonds, 1991; Martin, Garske Davis, 2000). Both found positive support for its effect on outcome. In addition Norcross (2002) has estimated that 30% of psychotherapeutic outcomes are related to common factors mostly therapeutic alliance. This is compared to only a 15% influence of techniques a component of cognitive therapy that has traditionally been emphasised. This point, though, has proved controversial and DeRubeis, Brotman and Gibbons (2005) have criticised studies such as those cited above for merely providing correlational evidence. For example, almost without exception the studies analysed by Martin et al. (2000) were correlational. DeRubeis et al. (2005) argue that a good outcome could well be producing a good alliance, rather than the reverse. Further Safran and Muran (2006) criticise the meta-analyses for only explaining 6% of the outcome varia nce. Despite these criticisms Craighead, Sheets and Bjornsson (2005) point out that a strong therapeutic alliance is still a vital component of positive change and research continues to underline its importance in cognitive therapy (e.g. Krupnick et al., 2006). In conclusion, the research on the therapeutic alliance in cognitive therapy has generally demonstrated its association with a positive outcome for clients. The importance of establishing and maintaining relationships have both been demonstrated in cognitive therapy. Some have even suggested the supremacy of common factors such as the therapeutic alliance over specific techniques of the cognitive modality. These claims are tempered, however, by methodological concerns with correlational data, which mean that the therapeutic alliance could be a result of a good outcome. Despite this, given that current research continues to point to the benefits associated with the therapeutic alliance, it seems likely this factor will continue to emerge as a vital component of cognitive therapy. References Binder, J. L., Strupp, H. H. (1997). Negative process: a recurrently discovered and underestimated facet of therapeutic process and outcome in the individual psychotherapy of adults. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 4(2), 121-139. Bohart, A. C. , Elliott, R., Greenberg, L., Watson, J. C. (2002). Empathy. In J. R. Norcross et al. (Eds.), Psychotherapy Relationships That Work (pp. 89-108). New York: Oxford University Press. Craighead, W. E., Sheets, E. S., Bjornsson, A. S. (2005). Specificity and nonspecificity in psychotherapy. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 12(2), 189-193. DeRubeis, R. J., Brotman, M. A., Gibbons, C. J. (2005). A conceptual and methodological analysis of the nonspecifics argument. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 12(2), 174-183. Gelso, C. J., Carter, J. A. (1985). The relationship in counseling and psychotherapy: components, consequences, and theoretical antecedents. The Counseling Psychologist, 13(2), 155. Hardy, G., Cahill, J., Barkham, M. (2007). Active ingredients of the therapeutic relationship that promote client change: a research perspective. In: P. Gilbert R. L. Leahy (Eds.). The Therapeutic Relationship in the Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapies (pp. 24-42). Oxford: Routledge. Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D., Wilson, K. D. (2004). Acceptance and commitment therapy: an experiential approach to behaviour change. New York: Guildford Press. Horvath, A. O., Symonds, B. D. (1991). Relation between working alliance and outcome in psychotherapy: A meta-analysis. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 38, 139–149. Kivlighan, D., Shaughnessy, P. (2000). Patterns of working alliance development: A typology of clients working alliance ratings. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 47(3), 362-371. Krupnick, J. L., Sotsky, S. M., Elkin, I., Simmens, S., Moyer, J., Watkins, J., et al. (2006). The role of the therapeutic alliance in psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy outcome: findings in the national institute of mental health treatment of depression collaborative research program. Focus, 4(2), 269-277. Ligiero, D. P., Gelso, C. J. (2002). Countertransference, attachment, and the working alliance: The therapists contributions. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, and Training, 39(1), 3-11. Martin, D. J., Garske, J. P., Davis, M. K. (2000). Relation of the therapeutic alliance with outcome and other variables: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 68, 438–450. Norcross, J. C. (2002). Psychotherapy relationships that work: therapist contributions and responsiveness to patients. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Safran, J. D., Muran, J. C. (2006). Has the concept of the therapeutic alliance outlived its usefulness. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 43(3), 286-291. Safran, J. D., Muran, J. C., Samstag, L. W., Stevens, C. (2001). Repairing alliance ruptures. Psychotherapy, 38(4), 406-412. Sexton, H., Littauer, H., Sexton, A., Tà ¸mmerà ¥s, E. (2005). Building an alliance: Early therapy process and the client–therapist connection. Psychotherapy Research, 15(1), 103-116. Stiles, W. B., Glick, M. J., Osatuke, K., Hardy, G. E., Shapiro, D. A., Agnew-Davies, R., et al. (2004). Patterns of alliance development and the rupture-repair hypothesis: are productive relationships U-shaped or V-shaped? Journal of Counseling Psychology, 51(1), 81-92. Tryon, G. S. (2002). Engagement in counselling. In: G. S. Tryon (Ed.). Counseling based on process research: Applying what we know (pp. 1-26). Boston: Allyn Bacon. Tryon, G. S., Winograd, G. (2002). Goal consensus and collaboration. In: J. R. Norcross (Ed.). Psychotherapy Relationships That Work (pp. 109-125). New York: Oxford University Press.

The Swede :: Swede Essays

The Swede The Swede is a major source of conflict in "The Blue Hotel". The external conflicts that he faces are caused by implied internal conflicts. The Easterner sums up the cause of the Swede's internal conflicts when he says, "...this man has been reading dime novels, and he thinks he's right out in the middle of it-the shootin' and stabbin' and all."(103) The Swede is frightened of everyone because in his mind, he is in constant danger. He is described as "shaky and quick-eyed"(97) in the beginning. Instead of talking to the old farmer, he stares at everyone and makes "furtive estimates of each man in the room."(98) This internal conflict between the real world and the one in the novels cause the first external conflict between Johnny and the Swede. The Swede is very frightened and believes that everyone is going to kill him. "He shivered and turned white near the corners of his mouth."(100) The Swede was so frightened that he went upstair s to pack his bags and leave. Scully indirectly caused the changes to the Swede. Scully was trying to calm the Swede down by offering him a drink of whiskey. Once the Swede had the alcohol in him, he became a totally different person. Instead of leaving, he went back downstairs for supper. Johnny describes the change to his father when he says, "...he was scared, but now he's too fresh." The alcohol caused the Swede to become loud, arrogant and cocky. This time when an argument breaks out at the card table, he is more than ready to fight. After beating Johnny in a fist fight, the Swede leaves the hotel and goes into town. The new found bravado caused by the alcohol and the fight is what causes the Swede to lose his life to the Gambler. Even though this story was written about the Old West, the theme that alcohol can change people is still very true today.

Political and Economic Issues Along the U.S. and Mexico Border Essay ex

Introduction and Statement of Purpose According to Jason Riley (2009) there are an estimated ten to twelve million illegal immigrants living within the United States (p. 54). According to Cieslik, Felsen, and Kalaitzidis (2009), over half of these illegal immigrants are from Mexico (p. 185). These population estimates have led the United States to take action along our border. We have built a fence, deployed various surveillance systems, and currently employ thousands of U.S. Border Protection officers. These actions have made the issue of illegal immigration a highly debated topic within the United States and Mexico. This debate will be explained from a political, economic, and an integrated perspective. The Political Perspective on the Issue Politics have severely impacted the issue of immigration along the U.S. and Mexico border. Within the United States, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson has been extremely active regarding immigration along this border. Branton and Dunaway (2009) stated, â€Å"Governor Bill Richardson declared a state of emergency in four counties along the U.S.-Mexico border† (p. 289). Governor Richardson was concerned with, â€Å"Ravages of terror and human smuggling, drug smuggling, kidnapping, murder, the destruction of property, and the death of livestock† (Branton & Dunaway, 2009, p. 289). Influenced by Governor Richardson’s concern, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano also declared a state of emergency, â€Å"As a desperate attempt to get the attention of the federal government† (Branton & Dunaway, 2009, p. 289). These are all valid concerns when public safety is a top priority of any elected government official. Another political figure concerned with violence along the U.S.-Mexico border is Pat ... ..., I. (2007). Does border enforcement deter unauthorized immigration? The case of Mexican migration to the United States of America. Regulation & Governance, 1(2), 139-153. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=7&hid=13 &sid=7c49dcc1-50b3-45c4-8b94-2ede81fd093d%40sessionmgr12 Delacroix, J., Nikiforov, S. (2009). If Mexicans and Americans could cross the border freely. Independent Review, 14(1), 101-133 Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=4&hid=13 &sid=7c49dcc1-50b3-45c4-8b94-2ede81fd093d%40sessionmgr12 Emmott, R. (2010, September 15). U.S. and Mexico border wall a costly failure film says. Reuters. Retrieved from http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE68E6JG20100915 Riley, J. L. (2009). Let them in: The case for open borders. New York, NY: Gotham Books.

In the Mood for Love Essay

The quote by the author Drucker is a prime example of how non-verbal communication is most of the time more important than the actual answer itself. Body language is an essential element of everyday interaction amongst people. Based on simple hand gestures or a flicker of a smile, one can instantly change the syntax or structural meaning of a sentence. This change could turn a negative sentence into a positive outcome. Throughout the history of cinema body language is a tool that is applied to every movie. Movies by their very nature started of as any elaborate ploy on body language. The silent film era relies on nonverbal communication that is accompanied by visual elements and implanting a specific score in order to suspend disbelief that the audience is sitting an in a dark room watching various shades of light and color onto a screen. The movie In the Mood for Love directed by Kar Wai Wong is a prime example of how the characterization and plot of a movie doesn’t need to revolve around the construction of dialogue between the protagonist and other characters in the movie. To start off I would like to say the cinematographer Christopher Doyle and Pin Bing Lee did a great job in presenting a somewhat stale plot line into a visual masterpiece. There are many examples, of how the cinematography of this movie enables the audience to visualize the budding of a love that happened out of pain, spite, and loneliness. I would like to analyze the cinematography of a scene in order to bring more clarity to how body language is more important. The first scene I would like to examine is in the first act of the movie. Keep in mind during this scene there is no dialogue just a musical score. The faces of the two adulteresses remain obscured throughout the scene. Fade from black no picture in your minds eye the wife Su Li-Zhen is in her apartment with her husband while everyone is playing Mahjong. She takes the chair behind her husband and sits there. When she leaves for a brief instance to let another woman by which is the wife of Mr. Chow. Chow then proceeds to take his queue and exit the room looking troubled and deep in thought walks by and slightly grazes Mrs. Li-Zhen. Li-Zhen then goes to sit down next to her husband and puts her arm on his shoulder. This scene is jam-packed full of visual elements that make this scene very compelling and drives the movie forward with such palpable tension. First, the wife of Mr. Chow is dressed in a vibrant red dress that really pops out from all the dull whites and browns that are present in on the screen. This vibrancy of color and by the nature of all the skin that is revealed above her neck alludes to a characterization that is more sexual, more â€Å"desirable† in comparison to Mrs. Li-Zhen. She is wearing a dull white dressed that is cut in a more traditional and plain way. By the nature of the fabric and patterns on the dress it looks like she is blending in more than standing out. This direct comparison is between the mise en scene of the costuming foreshadows that the wife Mrs. Li-Zhen will become less desirable over time and this will present the problem of some kind of cheating. Also during this scene the very body language present between the two women towards Mr. Li-Zhen is very different. The wife of this man is sitting behind her husband she seems reluctant in showing her affections towards him. She doesn’t really act like they are together she only looks over his shoulder. The camera movement at this scene is very important when the wife walks into the room the camera pans out back to the doorway. Then, The adulteress wife walks from off the screen through the doorway. At this point the camera pans in. The woman in red then proceeds to walk in between the married couple sitting down, and drapes her arms across Mr. Chows back. Mrs. Li-Zhen gets up puts on an insincere smile and backs against the wall. The woman in red seems to push the faithful wife away. This scene is a metaphor down to a tee of what is happening to the Li-Zhen and Chows relationship. The initial distance between the first married couple shows that there is some discontent or rift between them. This body language is very subtle but its possible to see that they aren’t not entirely happy with each other. It’s not until she has her back against a wall and sees the discontent on Mr. Chow’s face do you really see the wife really warm up to her husband. The camera movement during this scene further supports my points on the relationship between the two couples. When the camera pans out it is signifying that even though Mrs. Li-Zhen is getting closer in reality she is quite distant from her husband. This distance is growing and impossible to reverse in this instance. This distance created by turning the shot from a medium, shot to a wide angle. Which sets up the next camera movement where Mrs. Chow comes from off the screen and the camera moves in and follows her as she makes her way towards MR. Li-Zhen. This shows that the there is a shift of desire going from the faithful wife to the new fling. This sexual shift is subtle but very evident once the adulteress pushes the faithful wife. The score during this scene is also very prominent during the entire movie. It is present every time we she a slight shift of the relationship status between the two couples. At first the music indicates that the physical, mental, and sexual attraction between the original couple is shifts towards a more negative outcome. During this scene the music is indicating that the once happy couples are now beginning to shift towards separation. The music cues as Mrs. Li-Zhen walks into the shot from off the screen. The tone and tempo of this piece directly correlates to the overall plot line of the film, and is key to this scene as well. The tone of the piece is a somber one; very little percussion is used in the score. There is a very prominent violin that is playing over other various strings. The tempo of this particular piece starts with slow staccato or â€Å"plucky strings† they start slow and there is able time between the notes to hears brief instance of silent. Then piece revs up to have a very mellow violin playing on top. The use of the tone in the piece reflects on the mood of the entire film and distress of the two that are faithful initially. The tempo of this piece shows that at first everything stress there is some kind of hidden element going on and then it quickens. The heartbreak comes, and now they have to live with it. As the movie progresses however the music becomes an indicator that new found couple having difficultly letting go, but they are making progress towards becoming whole again. When talking about this scene in particular the use of this music directly correlates to the action of what is going on in the scene. At the beginning of the piece the wife is walking into the room. This plucky string part signifies that there will be tension going on between Mrs. Li-Zhen and her husband. The violin is cued in as the camera movement stops and the adulteress wife walks onto the screen. The music is indicating that this woman spells trouble and she is bringing to the movie. Also, as the violin is playing the husband walks out of the room right after a brief pause between the violins solo. You hear a few plucks and silence of the violin at this instance. The silence of the violin signifies that he is not a problem but instead also in trouble from what is happening around him. He exits and the film cuts to the Li-Zhens being more affectionate, yet the sad music is still playing. This foreshadows that no matter what the relationship between these two couples is doomed even though the wife either remains ignorant or refuses to let go. At, which we find out later in the movie she tries to resist letting go the man she married because she cares so deeply for him. For example the original faithful protagonists are eating at a restaurant and both are trying to emulate the other’s old significant other. This movie very eloquently uses subtle metaphor through body language. The visual elements and the musical score help to strengthen the lack of dialogue in order to tell this story in a more compelling way. Body language is a necessary tool to understand in order to have a more in depth understanding of the characterization of the actors in well done films. Without strong body language is possible to sends confusing signals to everyone around you whether it be in the movies or in real life.

Project Management Recommendation Paper Essay

According to Jacobs and Chase (2011), there are five different phases in which the Palomino will need to deliver: Project Conception and initiation: This project maintains medium amounts of risk for risk but this new line of products makes enhancements on past technologies helping reduce the thought of risk. Project Definition and Planning: Sticking to the produced production plan already in place and maintaining costs according to priorities and timelines in association to existing technology is critical. Project Launch or Execution: The project manager will be responsible for the above conceptions, initiations, and planning. Project performance and control: The above named â€Å"Project Manager† will be responsible for timely execution and lunch of product in 9 month production window through effective management techniques and leadership abilities. Project Close: At the completion of project and consumers are providing positive feedback on Palomino impact on their lives, a recap will be provided. This feedback will include notes on production process obstacles, success stories, and personal  feedback allowing for future organizational growth in innovation and creation. Through the table included below a break down on the costs associated with each project allow for you to see the project recommendation in quantitative figures. Risk Critical Path Cost Cost Per/Mo ROI Return Per/Mo Total Profit/ Per Month Juniper Low 6 Mos $325,000 $54,166.67 $250,000 2-3 yrs $20,833.33 (15.6 mos to B/E) $424,999.93 (20.4 mos @$20.833.33 Palomino Med 9 Mos $655,000 $72,777.78 $450,000 5 years $37,500 (17.46 mos to B/E) $1,595,250 (42.54 Mos @$37,000 Stargazer High ($450,000) +$125,000 =$535,000 $300K $550K $750K (5yrs) Tot:7 yrs The verdict on the Palomino project still gives Piper Industries Corporation some positive traction in developing a new line of widgets that have been formed off of existing technology. While the idea of continuing to spend on the new product line, Stargazer widgets comes with great reward, it is not without great risk. While sales and marketing teams have already had minor dialog with a few of your strategic customers, there are still far too many questions. Therefore proceed with the Palomino project and enjoy the deliverables projected including the growth of you widget line as well as the projected ROI of 5 years bringing great profitability over the 7 year projected life cycle. With the delivery of the Palomino project, Piper’s ability to move forward in developing new advancements on existing technology will give you greater insight into how further the Stargazer project further down the line. References: Jacobs, F.R., & Chase, R. (2011). Operations and Supply Chain Management (13th ed.). Retrieved from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/TOC.aspx?assetid=1733965c-5941-4741- b1b3-2a6518a9897d&assetmetaid=564ca34f-cdef-4bba-9c2d-026be3a2b17f.

History of Gaelic Football Essay

Gaelic Football has been a vital part of the Irish culture for many generations. It is a sport that brings together people in such a way that soccer does in Brazil, baseball in the U.S. and hockey in Canada. The history of Gaelic Football is very rich and passionate and even today is still an excellent display of national pride. The origins of the modern sport of Gaelic Football derive from the Irish sport of Hurling. Hurling has been a sport that has been played for over 4000 years ever since the first feast of Lunagsha in the Tailteann games (Orjan, 2006). The first known date for a Gaelic Football game was in 1670 in County Meath Ireland and the teams were 6-a-side (Orjan, 2006). They used many of the same rules of Hurling but used a larger, softer ball and no hurls. Every four steps, instead of bouncing the ball off their hurley, they would either bounce the ball or drop it to their foot and kick it back up again. The sport can be best described as a mixture of soccer and rugby. Games started to be played between counties in the early 18th century (Biege, 2007). The sport, in a completely different form, was played as far back as the 14th century and it was a very violent game. The game was played with many balls made of horsehide and involved hundreds of players and was over a great distance (Orjan 2006). The sport involved many stops for wrestling and fist fighting. The Irish some what of the same ideals as the romans that Trd Temertzoglou and Paul Challen quoted: â€Å"a sound minde in a sound body† (Exercise science, 2003, pg. 295,  ¶ 6) as they considered the game just as much an important social event as it was a sporting event and the would hold a large celebration after each match (Orjan, 2006). This sport was only well documented in County Kerry and was called Caid (Coughlan, 2001). In the modern sport of Gaelic Football, up until about 150 years ago, violence was a large part of the game (Couhlan, 2001). Even as the game became more and more structured and teams consisted of the same number of players and the game was played on a marked field with referees, violence was still widely accepted and fights were not interrupted. The sport has always had very strong social ties that surround the sport. Most teams even have a regular pub where all the players and many club supporters go after every game, whether they win or loose. Most clubs are more then just a sports team, most host many social events and act as a club for people from each County or city. The sport has the pureness of an amateur sports league but is watched and supported by the nearly the entire country and it is much like Australian rules football. Today, there is more then 2,500 clubs worldwide and an estimated 182,000 players. The sport in recent years has been able to thrive with a new emphasis on promoting the sport. However, in the early 14th century until 1527, there was a ban on all Gaelic games to reinforce the political power of the British. Again in the 1840’s it was a serious threat that the sport might be lost as the potato famine came and people did not have the energy to play the sport and many people were leaving the country. In recovery after the potato famine, the sport began to flourish. People in Ireland began to play the sport even more to show independence from England and now there were many Irish immigrants in North America and the sport began to spread. Gaelic Football as a sport has developed and changed greatly through out its history from a brutally violent game to an amazingly fast paced and skillful sport. The modern game is played on a pitch that is 130m – 145m in length and 80m – 90m wide for 70 minute at senior level football and is broken down into two 35-minute halves (History of Gaelic Football,  ¶ 7). The goal posts are 6.5m apart and a minimum of 7m tall with a crossbar at 2.5m and the goal is situated in the center of the goal line at either end of the field (History of Gaelic Football,  ¶ 7). Players are given numbers 1-15 and their number is in accordance with their position. There are 3 full backs, 3 half backs, 2 midfielders, 3 half forwards, 3 full forwards and a goalie on each team and the game is played man-on-man style so you start the game next to the player you are marking and stay with them throughout the game. There are two ways to score points in Gaelic Football. The first is to kick the ball past the goalie, which gets you 3 points, and the second way is to strike the ball either with your fist or your foot, and kick the ball over the crossbar and between the posts for 1 point. The type of ball used in Gaelic football is about the size of a soccer ball and slightly heavier. The ball can be carried in your hands for 4 steps and then you have to either get rid of the ball by striking it with your hand or kicking it or, to continue running with the ball, you can hop or solo the ball. A hop is bouncing the ball, and can only be used once in a row and the alternative is to solo the ball which is where you drop the ball to your foot and kick it back up to your self and this action can be repeated unlimited amounts of times in a row. There is a large physical presence as well in Gaelic Football. It has toned down the brutality of the sport since its original, but hard contact made shoulder to shoulder when challenging for the ball is still a legal part of the game (Orejan, 2006). The sport of Gaelic Football has changed so much in many ways, but in others, it has remained very much the same. The game has developed into a fantastic sport that requires a lot of coordination and skill. And at the same time, the culture and social aspects of the sport are so much the same. The lack of professional athletes in the sport really brings a different aspect to the sport. Everyone plays for pride and respect from the County or city they grew up in and do there best to represent their people. References Biege, B. (2007). Gaelic Football – Gaelic Games – Sporting Events in Ireland. Ireland Travel – Traveling to and in Ireland – Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland Vacations. Retrieved December 10, 2012, from http://goireland.about.com/od/specialinterestholidays/qt/gg_football.htm Coughlan, C. (2001). History of Gaelic Football. About Gaelic Football. Retrieved December 10, 2012, from homepage.eircom.net/~lahardanemchales/about.html History of Gaelic Football. Boston GAA. Retrieved December 10, 2012, from http://www.bostongaa.org/gaelic-games/history-of-gaelic-football.html Orejan, J. (2006). The History of Gaelic Football and the Gaelic Athletic Association. The Sport Management and Related Topics Journal, 2(2), 45-50. Retrieved December 6, 2012, from http://www.thesmartjournal.com/GAA.pdf Temertzoglou, T., & Challen, P. (2003). History of Physical Education and Sport. Exercise Science An Introduction to Health and Physical Education, 1, 295

Film Noir Scorsese and fhe Gangster Film Movie Review

Film Noir Scorsese and fhe Gangster Film - Movie Review Example The Maltese Falcon is considered to be one of the key films cementing the genre in the respect of the public, as well as establishing its archetypes. The end result has been such quintessential crime films as Scar Face, The God Father, The Departed and the most recent American Gangster. These films are notorious for depicting East inner city life, and no director has become more known for this than Martin Scorsese. No New York director has more authentically imbedded New York ideals into popular culture than Martin Scorsese. Classified as a contemporary auteur he has carved a niche as a New York Hollywood director. The auteur theory protests that the director's films reflect the particular director's personal creative vision, as though he or she were the sole author of the work. The French word for author, many film producers have notably been credited for having auteur like influences on film projects. It has also had a major impact on film criticism, since it was erected by film director and critic Francois Truffaut in 1954. This is partly why Auteurism is most immediately connected with French New Wave. This of course, was a connection made most commonly in the mid 1950's to 60's before American filmmakers embodied the theory. Today, no contemporary American director more deserves the title of auteur than Martin Scorsese. He has presented his genuine Italian New York culture in such an auth entic way that, for so long, it is unclear whether his work is a reflection of the city, or the city is a reflection of his work. Martin Scorsese is the perfect example of an auteur because he uses the same thematic consistencies throughout all of his work. These entail Catholicism, virgin/whore conflict, redemption, ethnic pride, and of course crime culture. On top of this, he supports all of his plots with very eclectic soundtracks. The cinematography he uses is very similar in all of his films. He utilizes the fluid motion of the camera with each shot, while making the mis-en-scene of each frame valuable to the plot of the story. He is also know for using some of the same actors in his films, specifically Robert Deniro, Joe Pesci, and Harvey Keitel. Of his large body of work, Mean Street symbolizes the blue print to the archetype that has become his unique style (Raymond, 2002). It was his first film and it contains all of the key characteristics with which he modeled his style. Scorsese has a visual style that relies on the city of New York. Mean Street embodies the culture that comes with this location. In the film, the audience is subjected to getting to know characters who spend their time womanizing, hustling, fighting, and drinking. Centered on the struggles of four men in their mid-20's and all residents of Little Italy, who are working their way up the rungs of gangster culture, some are loan sharks, and some are just plain hoods. Tony (David Proval) is a big friendly guy who runs the neighborhood bar; Michael (Richard Romanus) is a small-time loan shark who tends to rip off Brooklyn adolescents. Johnny Boy (Robert De Niro) is an irresponsible hood who borrows money from loan sharks that he never intends to pay back, and Charlie (Harvey Keitel) is the nephew of the mafia boss Giovani (Cesar Danova). Charlie's only aspiration is to run his own restaurant. Mean

Mid Term Exam Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Mid Term Exam - Assignment Example This depends upon where and how the company markets its products or services. In addition, when it comes to marketing or promoting a service or product, one sixe does not fit it all. There are various elements of the marketing strategy that may need to change depending on whether the company is marketing globally or domestically. In order for the Apollo Company to gain enter and gain control of new markets, the marketing managers needs to conduct a situation analysis. A situation means the state of things that occur at the same time. Situation analysis interprets the environment that an organization operates. The situation analysis gives the knowledge and context for planning. It shows the competitive position, financial and operating condition and the state of external and internal affairs. In situation analysis, SWOT analysis is the commonly used analysis. SWOT refers to the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to a company. In our study of the Asian pacific and North America markets, the positioning statement should be believable, important and unique. After the positioning statement has been developed, supporting claims have to be implemented. The statements are used in satisfying a similar criterion to the positioning statement. Then support points usually reinforce the uniqueness, believability and the importance of the positioning statement. The support points usually give a structure for demonstrations of the products. The positioning statement articulates the abstract benefit while the supporting points usually are readily available for demonstration. International marketing means to provide one’s services or goods worldwide. It is a tradition for most companies to start marketing their products or services domestically and expand to international market to capture wider market share and increase avenues for sales of their services or

Quiz 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Quiz 1 - Essay Example The renewed struggles to win over Ravenna, for instance, failed to deter the setting up of foreign-controlled regions at the heart of Italy. The subsequent occupation of the southern regions such as in the Po valley, and in the Balkans, is clear signs of the weakness of the imperial regime. Additionally, although reinforcements ordered by the leaders were successful at first, the operation witnessed an unprecedented number of settlers who streamed into the Danube in an effort to look for rich agricultural land, Byzantine fighters began to weaken. Military failures were compounded by the lack of resources to support the operations. As a result the regime decided to reduce salary of the personnel. Despite the earlier wins against the Persians, the regime had to grapple with defiance within the military ranks. The emperors’ commanders were facing disobedience from the fighters. During the Islamic era of the Six Century, Christianity struggled to assume prominence, and eventually managed to command a strong following in these rather Islamic regions of the East Mediterranean region and North Africa. The massive number of Christian followers effectively surmounted the influence of the regimes. Attempts by the regimes to put in place an orthodox of their liking generally failed because the society observed the differences in religious teachings, and conformed to their individual beliefs. The Antioch’s refusal to conform to the ecclesiastical influences fronted by Constantinople can also be attributed to the failure of the state actors to manipulate the Church1. Anastasios of Antioch, who was a close ally of Pope Gregory, made vigorous attempts to redeem the image of the society and revitalize government control in the wake social divisions by advocating the theory of Monoenergism. The leader thought that upon such reasoning, the society would be united under the government.