Obesity and Responsibility Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Obesity and Responsibility - Lab Report Example The second article is titled "Weighing in on the Issue of Childhood Obesity: An Overweight Child Often Becomes the Target of Discrimination and Ridicule on the Playground. Clearly, the Problems That Overweight Children Encounter Go beyond the Physical" by Cynthia Lynn-Garbe and James L. Hoot. It concludes that the school environments can play a powerful role in influencing children's eating behaviors, especially those of the obese. However, since families and the community are equally important in this regard, schools should link up with them to promote healthful eating and activity patterns. The author's approach is therefore more of choice of methodology and methods. The two articles are relatively impartial as expected of research materials. The first one on "Economic perspectives on childhood obesity" is critical of schools in that schools appear to be making money out of selling food indiscriminately to the detriment of children who can become obese of these foods. It is also critical of mothers who had to work but spend less time to think of the children's intake - whether balanced or not. It is assumed that "researchers are anxious to understand the reasons underlying the trends, policy-makers would like to implement programs to promote a healthier population, and the media reports virtually every glimmer of insight from research and every potential policy remedy." The focus of interest is on national health. The second article on "An Overweight Child Often Becomes the Target of Discrimination and Ridicule" is relatively impartial in that it targets the teachers as capable of doing something for the obesity problem as though schools could stem any obesity problem that starts from the homes. The focus of interest is on what teachers could do over obese children in school. (d) How does the sort of intellectual project being undertaken affect the research questions addressed "Economic perspectives on childhood obesity" gives a thorough explanation of how obesity could start from environmental settings, but it does not point any finger directly in answer the research question. It's interest is to lead the discussion to a need for an effective policy. The second article on "An Overweight Child Often Becomes the Target of Discrimination and Ridicule" also does not answer the research question but rather proposes good practice. (e) How does the sort of intellectual project being undertaken affect the place of theory "Economic perspectives on childhood obesity" doesn't mention about theory at all. It is atheoretical. The second article on "An Overweight Child Often Becomes the Target of Discrimination and Ridicule" quotes Smith (1999:82) as saying that "Experts believe that obesity most probably results from the interaction of an individual's genetic makeup with the environment in which the person lives." And to this they add that educators can influence these two factors (Epstein, 1993). This study is

Economic philosophies Essay Example for Free

Economic philosophies Essay This paper will focus on the contributions of John Maynard Keynes and Milton Friedman to economic philosophies. Keynes is considered by many as the most famous and influential economist. Though having that veneration, a number of economists had been in opposition to the Keynesian school of thought. Among the forefront oppositions to the Keynesian economic philosophy is Milton Friedman, along with his accounts on monetarism. In his â€Å"General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money,† Keynes laid out the foundations of his framework, which nearly all macroeconomists make use of today. This framework finds its basis on spending and demand, the factors that determine the components of spending, the liquidity-preference theory of short-run interest rates, and the necessity of the government to make strategic but powerful interferences in the economy in order to keep it on balance and avoid the extremes of depression, as well as manic excess (Delong, 2006). Keynes’ theory was said to be incomplete as it only deals with interest employment and money. There was no mention on the theory about prices. Friedman introduced the principles of prices and inflation to Keynes’ framework, based on the idea that there exists a natural rate of unemployment. Friedman also made mention of the limitations of government policies have with regard to the stability of the economy, taking into consideration the trend of its long-run growth. Friedman considered these as limits beyond which an intervention from the government would trigger an inflation of uncontrollable and destructive nature (Delong, 2006). The events that took place during the Great Depression made Keynes and his orthodox followers to underestimate the influence and role monetary policies have in making a viable solution (Delong, 2006). Keynesians are inclined to prefer fiscal policy to monetary policies as a tool to influence production and employment. They believed that money has no direct influence. Moreover, they question the power of monetary policies to influence employment and production (McCain, 2007). The Great Depression was indeed considered to be a unique event in history, which called for explanation in terms of events rather than in pursuit for a new line of economic theory. One of the events that took place during the Great Depression was the failure of the money and banking system. Thus, the Great depression illustrates the influence of changing monetary conditions (McCain, 2007). Keynes and Friedman both agreed on the necessity of a superb macroeconomic management. The private economy, when on its own, might be subjected to unbearable instability and that there is a necessity for a powerful, strategic, but limited intervention coming from the government in order to maintain stability within the economy (Delong, 2006). Though having these ideas in agreement, Friedman had been a staunch opposition to some of Keynes’ economic principles. According to Keynes, the key to maintaining economic stability is to keep government spending and private investments on stable grounds. Friedman, on the other hand, opined that the key to economic stability is keeping money supply, i. e. the amount of purchasing power, which are readily available to be spent by businesses and households stable (Delong, 2006).

Smelling: Its More Than Meets the Olfactory Epithelium :: Biology Essays Research Papers

Smelling: It's More Than Meets the Olfactory Epithelium The ability to take a chemical sample of the environment and interpret that sample has long been a skill of earth dwelling life forms. We don't tend to think of the sense of smell as a mechanism that analyzes physical specimens. It is sort of a repulsive notion, considering some of the undesirable substances we are forced to smell every day. But, just as we cannot feel a book without touching it, we cannot smell an orange without guiding some orange molecules up our noses. The capacity that humans divide into smell and taste has a single evolutionary precursor. This was a common chemical sense that enabled single-celled organisms to identify food and alert themselves to the presence of harmful substances. While it is among the oldest and most universal senses employed by living creatures, science has been slow to understand it. One roadblock to knowledge progression has been the inherent difficulty in experimenting with the chemical senses. Delivering precisely timed and quantitative ly accurate amounts of chemical stimuli to receptors is a technological challenge, but often necessary in the study of olfaction (1). While in many animals, the chemical senses play the most important role in perception and survival, in humans they are less involved in behavior than sight or hearing. This relative insignificance is another reason why olfaction has received scientific short shrift. It has been comparatively neglected by our culture as well--the English language does not include a sufficient vocabulary for describing odors. It is very difficult to verbally depict an odor to an individual who has never encountered it. Our understanding of smell is ever increasing, and while some big questions remain, others are continually being answered. The olfactory epithelium of each of the two nasal passages in humans is a 2.5 square centimeter patch containing about 50 million sensory receptor cells (3). The reception of the odorant and the beginning of sensory signal transduction occurs in the olfactory cilia, which are hair-like extensions of the receptor neurons (10-20 cilia per neuron). The neurons have a turn-over rate of about 40 days (3). On the opposite side of the cilia, within the epithelium, the neurons form axons which penetrate the cribiform bone in bundles and synapse with neurons in the olfactory bulb (2). Via the olfactory tract, (cranial nerve I), olfactory information travels to the primary olfactory cortex without first passing through the thalamus.

The disvantage and advantage of globalization

Globalization describes the process by which regional economies, societies, and cultures have become integrated through a global network of communication, transportation, and trade. † (Globalization, 2010). Nowadays, small business has to compete against multinational companies face to face as globalization becomes an irreversible momentum. In some case, small business have no need to against the large companies because they focus on different scale until the small companies grow up.However, I agree that small business in IT industries cannot compete against multinational companies when small companies become threats to the lager ones. In this essay, I will explain why small business still exist today and compare their advantages to multinational companies in the sector of financial strengths and productivity advantages. Small business still exists now because they have unique features, especially they focus on the lower market. It is no need for them to compete against the mul tinational companies Sometimes. Hey sever the specific communities. Such as they are willing to run their small business in some small illegal and remote area where multinational firms do not pay attention to. Enclave, K. (2002) argued that small business have to overcome these rules: â€Å"†¦ Information technology (IT) powerless crowd out product development Initiatives†¦ † It Is clearly that overcoming these sales abstract is difficult but not impossible. Small business has its own advantages because it can use convenient and easy solutions to common business problems.However, low price is the most popular strategy for small business to make profits and attract customers' attention. Small business spends less none on advanced Invention. Comparing Dell Company mentioned by Enclave (2002) that if they want to enlarge their popularity they have prepackaged solutions to meet unique buyer's need. They set up specific system to solve these problems to keep In touch wit h their customers. As a result, they have to Invest more money to the stuff. In order to maintain their cost, they have to raise the selling price. That Is the major reason why small business can exist at present.But after small companies changes into large ones, multinational firms consider those companies as a threat, in order to hold their markets share, which will acquire or knock down small business before they growth. Multinational corporations have financial strength support them to enlarge their market share. As a result, it is relatively easy for them to meet the customers' need and enhance their reputation. Large companies are willing to spend money on observations about what people really need and want to buy. They invest amount of money In advertising their products.For example, IBM personal computer business was acquired by Chinese famous personal computer brand Leno, and hen, spend almost one million hired Chinese famous movie star Jingle Xx as their spokeswomen. Not o nly this, Leno company invest large deal of money to sponsor many activities on television and radio to enhance its popularity. As for small business, they will be asked for achieve their customers' need and have large fund to broaden kinds of products claimed by Enclave (2002). Preston (2010) cited Bob Evans 1 OFF than what you have. † It seems hard for small business to follow multinational companies.Small business have tight budget and less popular than large firms, asking over large companies market stocks is difficult for it. Small companies can still exist because of the scale they were chosen. Sheldon small firms are held in CAB, they chose to serve the limited people instead of making less money because much more large companies in there. Small business avoid compete against large firms directly. Multinationals companies have high productivity benefit from their advanced technology. High technology helps those firms make high profits and also help themselves a lot. The productivity advantage of foreign-owned firms is usually en as reflecting multinationals' technological advantage visa–visa domestic firms. † (Marksmen, 2002 cited by Grammar & G ¶erg, 2007). However, advanced technology plays vital role in processing high productivity. Consumers are more willing to pay more to buy those high quality productions, they believe this goods produced by large companies have quality assurance. Another example to support this argument is by Preston (2010) whose study compares the strategic IT companies in the world.He shows that IBM as a technology provider, grabbing consumer market by its innovation product named Smarter Planet. Some software companies in small scale sell some cheaper goods to make profit, but these products cannot run well in the long term. Consequently, people always spend a lot to repair them. Then, fewer people will purchase their products because of lacking of guarantee. It leads themselves face the big problem that b ankruptcy or acquired by large firms. Grammar (2007) quotes Balk (2001) who stated that different roles in different kinds of economies play various roles for productivity growth.To conclude, Multinational reparations have financial strength support them to enlarge their market share. For instance, improving popularity through advertisement and getting high productivity because of their advanced technology. In some cases, small business has no need to fight against multinational companies as they are focus on different market. When small business growing up, they would be take into consideration by large companies because those firms will reduce their market share. Whether small business should compete against multinational ones or not depend on what market they focus on.

Mimicking Insider Trading

Introduction Much of the field of finance Is focused on creating abnormal returns?that is to say. Returns that are different from what one might expect them to be based on various characteristics of the investment?by identifying so-called â€Å"inefficiencies† in the stock market. Perhaps one of the most well-known strategies for taking advantage of these Inefficiencies, a strategy widely discussed In academic as well as Industry literature, is following the trades of company insiders.In the united States, company insiders are required to report to the SEC any time they engage in a purchase or sale of their rim's stock. Within two business days following the date of the trade. This Information, once reported to the SEC, Is subsequently made available to the public almost immediately, allowing outsiders to see exactly how insiders are trading.When insiders trade based on material non-public information and earn abnormal returns, it is a violation of the strong form of the Effic ient Market Hypothesis, which itself is not backed by any significant emplace evidence, However, If outsiders are able to earn abnormal returns by mimicking Insider trades, this becomes a violation of the ideal-accepted semi-strong form of the Efficient Market Hypothesis, which states that the price of a stock incorporates all publicly available information.The academic literature contains many studies which attempt to generate excess returns by replicating Insider trades, with varying degrees of success. While some early studies (Gaffe 1994, Finery 1996) claimed that outsiders were indeed able to create a small amount of excess returns, a later study by University of Michigan Professor H. Negate Shun concluded that once these trades accounted for transaction costs, the excess returns would be nearly zero. Later studies by Rezone and Zamia (1988).Line and Howe (1990) and Frederica, Gregory, Mahatma and Tones (2002) have also reaffirmed that transaction costs depleted all the excess returns from these studies. (1)On the other hand, several studies conclude that it is possible to earn excess returns by applying a â€Å"mimicking strategy' selectively. For example, Lakefronts and Lee (2001) conclude that if an investor mimics only large trades and only by the top management of a company (excluding board members, majority shareholders and other company employees), an outsider could in fact generate excess returns.Other theories suggest that It Is possible to successfully replicate Insiders trades by using the strategy in markets outside the US, such as in the Italian, German and Spanish markets. [l] A critical factor in determining whether an outsider will profit from replicating the trade of an insider is the motivation behind the trade. Insiders are likely to engage In Insider trades for a number of reasons, not all of them connected to Inside Information on future firm performance. An Inside trade that Is ambulated by liquidity or diversification needs is unli kely to contain any â€Å"predictive power and exult in any abnormal return for an outsider.While it's relatively obvious that the Insider's motivation In making an Inside trade Is a key factor in determining how successful the outsider's mimicking trades will be, existing academic literature has, for the most part, been unable to take advantage of this factor to increase returns on test portfolios. Were outsiders able to identify the motivation behind the insider's it might become possible to create a portfolio of performance-predicting trades, which would generate abnormal returns. In a 2007 paper entitled â€Å"Decoding Inside Information†, (Cohen et al.Harvard University and University of Toronto professors test an innovative and original approach to mimicking insider trades. By using a simple algorithm, the strategy attempts to separate insider traders into two categories: opportunistic traders and routine traders. Specifically, the algorithm involves analyzing the past three years of an insider's trading history, and identifying as routine traders those who had made inside trades in the same calendar month for three consecutive years. The remaining insiders, approximately, 45% of Cohen et al. ‘s sample, is identified as opportunistic traders.Insiders without three years of trading story are discarded from the sample entirely. Cohen et al. Test whether the trades made by these â€Å"opportunistic traders† contain any predictive power relating to firm performance, and how the trades of â€Å"routine traders† perform in comparison. Methodology In order to test the efficacy of this strategy, the authors construct four test portfolios at the end of month t, comprised of month it's: a) Opportunistic buys b) Opportunistic sells c) Routine buys d) Routine sells At the end of each month, the portfolios are rebalanced to reflect the routine and opportunistic inside trades and buys in that month.The objective of using these oratorios is to test whether or not there is any added value in separating routine traders from opportunistic traders, using the algorithm designed by the authors. In other words, the study tests whether following only those insiders identified by the algorithm as â€Å"opportunistic† could yield a positive alpha, and how this compares to the returns of the â€Å"routine trader† portfolios. As noted above, the SEC requires insiders to report transactions within two business days following the trade (prior to the enactment of Serbians-Solely in 2002, insiders had until the 10th day of the following month to report the trade).In the sample used by Cohen et al. , nearly all of the trades were reported on the day on which the insider made the trade. (2) As such, by the time the portfolios are rebalanced at the end of each month, information on these inside trades would have been publicly available knowledge. Nonetheless, it is important to consider the potential implications of this on the results of the strategy. Predictive Ability of Routine vs. Opportunistic Trades In order to determine whether the â€Å"opportunistic† traders, as defined by Cohen et al. s algorithm, actually contain any predictive power, the authors run pooled aggressions of returns on indicators of routine and opportunistic trades in the prior month, with future one-month returns as the dependent variable. The findings reveal that both the buy and sell opportunistic trades contained much greater predictive power than routine buys and sells. The results reveal that opportunistic buys yield average returns 0. 90 basis points (with a t-statistic of 4. 46), 76 basis points higher than that of routine buys. With a p-value of 0. %, the difference is significant. It is much better indicator than considering all insider buys. Testing opportunistic versus outing sells exhibits similar results, with a coefficient of -0. 78 in the regression of opportunistic sells, and 0. 04 in the regression of routine sells. The difference is again significant with a p-value of 0% (F=29. 30). See Table 1 in Appendix for full results. Alpha The authors test for the presence of abnormal returns using several different asset pricing models, including the CAMP and the Fame-French model, as well as others.While the tests use two different types of portfolios, one value-weighted and one equally weighted, the findings are similar and the results below will therefore focus only on the equally-weighted portfolio. In the case of opportunistic versus routine buys, the results indicate monthly CAMP alphas of 1. 51% (with a t-ratio of 5. 89 and p- value The results indicate that longing opportunistic buys, and shorting opportunistic sells could yield significant excess returns. An equally-weighted portfolio of opportunistic buys and sells yields a monthly CAMP alpha of 1. 81%, and a monthly Fame-French alpha of 1. 41%, with respective t-ratios of 5. 6 and 5. 04. Based on these results, it is evident that by separating routine and opportunistic trades from trades motivated by liquidity and diversification needs, and following only the former, outsiders may be able to significantly outperform the market. Distribution of Returns While the study by Cohen et al. Goes not provide much information on the characteristics of the distribution of returns on the various portfolios used in their study, looking at other sources which study insider trading strategies may provide some insight into this issue. This information is highly relevant to risk-averse investors, to whom the probability of losses may be as important as the expected return. In Investment Intelligence from Insider Trading, H. Negate Shun finds that the probability of loss (defined as earning lower returns than an investment in the market portfolio) on a single mimicking transaction is 49. %, excluding transaction costs, and 51 . 7% when transaction costs are taken into account. (3). When combined with the study findings o n average return, which falls in the 2-3% depending on the minor variations in the study various tests of the strategy, the approximate 50-50 arability of loss indicates a positive-skewed distribution. As such an investor must mimic a large number of insider trades in order to earn returns near the average of 2-3% in Shunt's findings. While the relatively high probability of losses may seem risk averse investors, as it indicates a smaller probability of extreme negative losses.Although there are substantial differences between Cohen et al. ‘s study and Shunt's study?likely the most important of which is that Shun does not differentiate between routine and opportunistic insiders as Cohen et al. Do?the results from Shunt's study may be an indication that the distribution of Cohen et al. ‘s results are positive-skewed as well. Indeed, it is likely that following only opportunistic traders would both reduce the probability of extreme negative losses, as well as increase the probability of extreme positive gains, thereby resulting in an even further positive- skewed distribution.In addition, the high probability of loss illustrated in Shunt's findings would likely also be reduced when following only opportunistic traders. Trading Costs and Refinancing Because this strategy involves relatively active trading, its costs (commission fees and id-ask spreads) will undoubtedly be higher than those of a buy and hold strategy. That said, when the strategy is applied selectively, as is the case in the Cohen et al. Study (I. E. By mimicking only opportunistic insiders rather than all insiders) trading costs can be significantly reduced.In Cohen et al. ‘s study, the test portfolios are rebalanced at the end of every month, based on that month's opportunistic insider trades. In both the opportunistic sell and opportunistic buy portfolios, outsiders would be able to profit by shorting and buying, respectively, holding for a month, and balancing at the end of e very month. Monthly refinancing requires immediacy, and the stocks would need to be purchased and sold using market orders. The outsider would thus incur the additional costs off larger bid-ask spread.Outsiders may potentially be able to rebalanced less frequently, submitting limit orders instead of market orders, holding on to the stocks for longer periods of time, and still profit. According to Shunt's findings,(4) in the case of an â€Å"insider buy', the profits are realized over the course of several months. (5) As such, the outsider may be able to educe refinancing to twice a year, and hold on to â€Å"insider buy' stocks for 6 months. In this case, the outsider could likely afford to submit a limit buy order and wait a few days before it executes.However, this does not apply in the case of an â€Å"insider sell†, as there is no evidence to indicate that these profits are realized over a period of many months. As such, monthly refinancing it necessary. Barriers to Imp lementation In reality, while the strategy would certainly not be difficult to follow for an institutional investor or a sophisticated individual investor, it would perhaps present mom challenges for the average investor. In Investment Intelligence from Insider Trading, Shun advises that an investor mimic close to 100 insiders, in order to reduce the probability of loss to an acceptable level. 6) Granted, applying this to a strategy which differentiates between opportunistic and routine traders would likely require an outsider to follow a smaller number of insiders in order to obtain a reasonably limited probability of loss. Another potential barrier for the average investor is differentiating between routine and opportunistic traders. While Cohen et al. Ere able to accomplish this, as would institutional and sophisticated investors, it resources to successfully differentiate between the two types of insiders.While these issues may not be particularly large obstacles, they do presen t additional considerations and challenges for the individual investor. Insider Trading and Serbians-Solely An interesting point to consider is the impact of changing SEC reporting regulations on an outsider's ability to profit from following insider trades. A Stanford University study (Zealand 2005)(6) tested the success of a generic â€Å"mimicking strategy' in the ears leading up to Serbians-Solely, versus the success of the strategy in the years following the enactment of the new legislation.The study found that in the first 27 months, it was possible to generate excess returns of up to 17. 67%, including trading costs. After this period, however, it was no longer possible to obtain these returns, likely because the market had fully adjusted to this new source of public information. Looking forward, it is possible that any further changes in SEC regulation make information more readily accessible with a smaller delay, will present investors with another opportunity to earn addi tional returns before the market is able to react.Strategy Comparison While Cohen et al. Are the first to attempt to generate excess returns by differentiating specifically between routine and opportunistic traders, a number of studies in the academic literature have sought to increase returns from following insider trading by applying the strategy in various other selective ways. Although the â€Å"routine vs.. Opportunistic† strategy appears to be the most successful thus far, several other versions of the strategy have also managed to create excess returns.A duty conducted in Sweden (Ayatollah and El-Marin, 2005) reveals that replicating insider trades of stocks listed on the A-List and Attract 40 (the Swedish stock indices reserved for larger companies with significant operating history) does not generate abnormal returns at a significant level. On the other hand, replicating buy transactions of â€Å"insider clusters† (multiple firm insiders making similar trades in the same time period) of firms trading on the O-list (designated for companies which lack the requisite operating history or size for listing on the more established lists) could generate abnormal returns up to 33. , excluding transaction costs. By selectively applying a mimicking strategy to smaller companies rather than larger ones, to buy transactions rather than sell transactions, and to insider clusters (numerous firm insiders making same-type trades in a given period of time) rather to individual investors,(7) an outsider may be able to generate excess returns. The study conducted by Shun, which examines 60,000 insider transactions on the NYSE from 1975-1981, reveals similar results. Over the course of 100 days, the buy transactions exhibited excess returns of 3%, while the sell transactions underperformed the racket by 1 . %. In other words, an outsider may have been able to profit by going long â€Å"inside buys†, but not by shorting â€Å"inside sells†. He also found that there has been a greater amount of uninformative sell transactions that have taken place in the ass, compared to the ass-ass(8), it could be that since sass, the amount and frequency of stock compensations has greatly and continuously increased,(9),thus it into routines and opportunistic you would be able to keep the informative transactions and be less affect by this tendency.Shunt's results also indicate that placating insider trades in smaller firms generated higher excess returns than insider trades in larger firms. (10) It may be easier to generate excess returns by replicating insider trades in smaller firms, because these insiders are typically subjected to less scrutiny by analysts and by the media than their counterparts in larger firms. As such, they may be more willing to engage in profitable, â€Å"performance- predicting† trades than insiders at larger firms. However, it's also possible that these trades generate higher expected returns simply bec ause they have increased risk.In order to compensate investors for this risk, investments in smaller firms can be expected to generate higher returns, as reflected in the Fame French model. Similar to the Swedish study, a study conducted by Jenny et al. (1999) (7) also found replicating insider cluster transactions to be more profitable than replicating individual insider transactions. The rationale behind this?that same-type transactions from multiple firm insiders within a given period is likely motivated by insider knowledge rather than by investor-specific needs–is fairly obvious. 11) Cohen at al. Observe similar results in Decoding Inside Information. The study findings indicate that a one- standard deviation increase in the log number of opportunistic sells translates into a decrease in future returns of 29 basis points per month (excluding the specific days each year when firm executives receive stock compensation and subsequently liquidate some of their stake in the f irm). (12) By differentiating between routine and opportunistic traders as Cohen et al. O, outsiders can avoid these routine sells, and mimic only informative inside clusters. Looking Forward Although Cohen et al. And others have illustrated various ways in which outsiders ay be able to generate excess returns by mimicking insider trades, several potential obstacles may stand in the way of this strategy in the future. As with any market inefficiency, increased popularity of the strategy as well as increased accessibility to information on insider trades may cause a decline in future returns.Today, there are already a multitude of web sites that allow outsiders to track insider trades, making information about such trades readily accessible to the average investor. As a growing number of outsiders attempt to replicate these trades, it is likely that it will come increasingly difficult for investors to mimic trades in time to capture any gains. Another potential threat to this strateg y is the proliferation of endowment assurances, which firm insiders use to take advantage of offshore solutions in order to hide their transactions. Insiders are therefore able to trade stocks and derivatives of companies â€Å"anonymously', and avoid reporting insider trades to regulators. This would obviously prohibit outsiders from gaining access to and mimicking insider trades. (13) Lastly, increased penalties for insider trading could also threaten the success of the strategy. Cohen et al. How that during periods with increased cases of investors being prosecuted for insider trading, the number of trades identified as â€Å"opportunistic† decrease. In other words, insiders take seriously the risk of being caught and charged.

Environmental Scanning Techniques Essays

Environmental Scanning Techniques Essays Environmental Scanning Techniques Paper Environmental Scanning Techniques Paper These factors are explained below: Events are important and specific occurrences taking place in different environmental sectors. Trends are the general tendencies of the courses of action along which events take place. Issues are the current concerns that arise in response to events and trends. Expectations are the demands made by interested groups in the light of their concern for issues. Take the example of the first public issue of shares of Reliance Industries in 1977. That was a specific event. The trend that started was of wider participation of public in equity investment in private sector companies. Note that earlier to that event, equity participation in India was limited to an exclusive class of investors and the general public was not aware or interested in investing money in shares. The issue that emerged was of the development of equity culture in India. The expectations by the general public that resulted was that the fruits of the economic development in the corporate sector would be shared by all and sundry. An allied expectation that ensued was of protection of small or minority shareholders from rapacious private business persons through legislation and governmental action. Environmental influences are a complex amalgam of the events, trends, issues and expectations that continually shape the business environment of an organization. There is some research evidence to suggest that Indian organizations conduct environmental scanning for strategic planning. By monitoring the environment through environmental scanning, an organization can consider the impact of the different events, trends, issues and expectations on its strategic management process. Since the environment facing any organization is complex and scanning it is absolutely essential, strategists have to deal cautiously with the process of environmental scanning. Approaches to Environmental Scanning Sub has suggested three approaches which could be adopted for sorting out information for environmental scanning. We could call these approaches as systematic, ad hoc and processed-form approaches. Systematic Approach: Legend this approach, information for environmental scanning is collected systematically. Information related to markets and customers, changes in legislation and regulations that have a direct impact on an organizations activities, government policy statements pertaining to the organizations business and industry, etc. Could be collected continuously to monitor changes and take the relevant factors into account. Continuously updating such information is necessary not only for strategic management but also for operational activities. Ad hoc Approach: Using this approach, an organization may conduct special surveys and studies to deal with specific environmental issues from time to time. Such studies may be conducted, for instance, when an organization has to undertake special projects, evaluate existing strategies or device new strategies. Changes and unforeseen developments may also be investigates with regard to their impact on the organization. Processed-form Approach: For adopting this approach, the organization sees information in a processed form, available from different sources both inside and outside the organization. When an organization uses information supplied by government agencies or private institutions, it uses secondary sources of data and the information is available in a processes form. Since environmental scan inning is absolutely necessary for strategy formulation, organizations use different practical combinations or approaches to monitor their relevant environments. These approaches may range from an informal assessment of the environmental factors to a highly systematic and formal procedure. Informal assessment may be adopted as a reactive measure to a crisis and ad hoc studies may be undertaken occasionally. A highly systematic and formal procedure may be used as a proactive measure in anticipation of changes in environmental factors and structured data collection and processing system may be used continuously. Methods and Techniques Used for Environmental Scanning The range of methods and techniques available for environmental scanning is wide. There are formal and systematic techniques as well as intuitive methods available. Strategists may choose from among these methods and cuisines, those which suit their needs in terms of the quantity, quality, availability, timeliness, relevance and cost of environmental information. Various authors have mentioned the methods and techniques used for environmental scanning. Label and Crasser outline nine groups of techniques: single-variable extrapolation, theoretical limit envelopes, dynamic modes, mapping, multivariate interaction analysis, unstructured expert opinion, structured expert opinion, structured inexpert opinion and unstructured inexpert speculation. Fay, King and Maryanne have included ten techniques in their survey of environmental scanning and forecasting in strategic planning. These are: scenario-writing, simulation, morphological analysis, PBS, game theory, cross-impact analysis, field anomaly-relation, multimillion coordination and other forecasting techniques. TOP ( Environmental Threat and Opportunity Profile) There are many techniques available to structure the environmental appraisal. One such technique, suggested by Cluck, is that of preparing an environmental threat and opportunity profile (TOP) for an organization. The preparation of an TOP involves dividing the environment into different sectors and then analyzing the impact of each sector on the organization. A comprehensive TOP requires subdividing each environmental sector into cofactors and then the impact of each subtracts on the organization is described in the form of the statement. A summary TOP may only show the major factors for the sake of simplicity. The preparation of TOP provides a clear picture to the strategies about which sectors and the different factors in each sector, have a favorable impact on the organization. By the means of an TOP, the organization knows where it stands with respect to its environment. Obviously, such an understanding can be of a great help to an organization in formulating appropriate strategies to take advantage of the opportunities and counter the threats in its environment. Opportunities are the situations in which the firm can improve its strategic position. The first Step in the planning process is to be aware Of opportunities. For small businesses, environmental scanning through which the firm can effectively determine its core competencies and opportunities acts as a major factor in the realization of strategic management for the firm. Suppose our hypothetical firm is operating in a hi-tech industry. Any technological change in the industry which can generate new sales, opportunities or potential customers could be considered as an opportunity. If a firm is involved in either long or medium run planning, they have to have clear vision of the future and potential opportunities available. It is difficult to prepare an effective business plan without considering the opportunities. Therefore, small businesses usually succeed or fail based on how accurately they can identify the opportunity and benefit from these advantages. Since in the competitive environment the needs of the customer are changing, the rims need to analyze the environment as often as possible. While as, Threats are the main obstacles and issues in the external environment of the organization. Any changes in the external environment of the Seems that have the potential to disrupt the firms wellbeing could be considered as threats. For example, we recently witnessed rapid changes in technology and, as a result, in the business environment. Should the SEEM not be capable of adapting to these technological changes it will not be able to survive. In this case the changes in technology could be considered as a threat to the firm. For Seems the environment is littered with threats to their survival.

How to Trace Your U.S. Military Ancestors

How to Trace Your U.S. Military Ancestors Nearly every generation of Americans has known war. From the early colonists, to the men and women currently serving in Americas armed forces, most of us can claim at least one relative or ancestor who has served our country in the military. Even if you have never heard of military veterans in your family tree, try a bit of research and you might be surprised! Determine if your ancestor served in the military The first step in searching for the military records of an ancestor is to determine when and where the soldier served, as well as their military branch, rank and/or unit. Clues to an ancestors military service may be found in the following records: Family storiesPhotographsCensus recordsNewspaper clippingsJournals, diaries correspondenceDeath records obituariesLocal historiesGrave markers Look for military records Military records often provide an abundance of genealogical material about our ancestors. Once you have determined that an individual served in the military, there are a variety of military records which can help to document their service, and provide useful information about your military ancestors such as birthplace, age at enlistment, occupation, and names of immediate family members. The primary types of military records include: Military service records Enlisted men who served in the regular Army throughout our countrys history, as well as discharged and deceased veterans of all services during the 20th century, can be researched through military service records. These records are primarily available through the National Archives and the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC). Unfortunately, a disastrous fire at the NPRC on July 12, 1973, about 80 percent of the records of veterans discharged from the Army between November, 1912 and January, 1960, and about 75 percent for individuals discharged from the Air Force between September, 1947 and January, 1964, alphabetically through Hubbard, James E. These destroyed records were one of a kind and had not been duplicated or microfilmed prior to the fire. Compiled military service records Most of the records of the American Army and Navy in the custody of the War Department were destroyed by fire in 1800 and 1814. In an effort to reconstruct these lost records, a project was begun in 1894 to collect military documents from a variety of sources. The Compiled Military Service Record, as these collected records have come to be called, is an envelope (sometimes referred to as a jacket) containing abstracts of an individuals service records including such items as muster rolls, rank rolls, hospital records, prison records, enlistment and discharge documents, and payrolls. These compiled military service records are primarily available for veterans of the American Revolution, War of 1812, and the Civil War. Pension records or veterans claims The National Archives has pension applications and records of pension payments for veterans, their widows, and other heirs. The pension records  are based on service in the armed forces of the United States between 1775 and 1916. Application files often contain supporting documents such as discharge papers, affidavits, depositions of witnesses, narratives of events during service, marriage certificates, birth records, death certificates, pages from family bibles, and other supporting papers. Pension files usually provide the most genealogical information for researchers.More: Where to Find Union Pension Records | Confederate Pension Records Draft registration records More than twenty-four million men born between 1873 and 1900 registered in one of three World War I drafts. These draft registrations cards may contain such information as name, birth date and place, occupation, dependents, nearest relative, physical description, and country of allegiance of an alien. The original WWI draft registration cards are at the National Archives, Southeast Region, in East Point, Georgia. A mandatory draft registration was also conducted for WWII, but the majority of WWII draft registration records are still protected by privacy laws. The fourth registration (often called the old mans registration), for men born between April 28, 1877 and February 16, 1897, is currently available to the public. Other selected WWII draft records may also be available.More: Where to Find WWI Draft Registration Records | WWII Draft Registration Records Bounty land records A land bounty is a grant of land from a government as a reward to citizens for the risks and hardships they endured in the service of their country, usually in a military related capacity. At the national level, these bounty land claims are based on wartime service between 1775 and 3 March 1855. If your ancestor served in the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, early Indian Wars, or the Mexican War, a search of bounty land warrant application files may be worthwhile. Documents found in these records are similar to those in pension files.More: Where to Find Bounty Land Warrants The two main repositories for records relating to military service are the National Archives and the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC), with the earliest records dating from the Revolutionary War. Some military records may also be found in state or regional archives and libraries. The National Archives Building, Washington, D.C., holds records relating to: Volunteer enlisted men and officers whose military service was performed during an emergency and whose service was considered to be in the federal interest, 1775 to 1902Regular Army enlisted personnel, 1789–October 31, 1912Regular Army officers, 1789–June 30, 1917 li]U.S. Navy enlisted personnel, 1798–1885US Navy officers, 1798–1902US Marine Corps enlisted personnel, 1798–1904Some US Marine Corps officers, 1798–1895Those who served in predecessor agencies to the US Coast Guard (i.e., the Revenue Cutter Service [Revenue Marine], the Life-Saving Service, and the Lighthouse Service, 1791–1919) The National Personnel Records Center, St. Louis, Missouri, holds military personnel files of US Army officers separated after June 30, 1917, and enlisted personnel separated after October 31, 1912US Air Force officers and enlisted personnel separated after September 1947US Navy officers separated after 1902 and enlisted personnel separated after 1885US Marine Corps officers separated after 1895 and enlisted personnel separated after 1904US Coast Guard officers separated after 1928 and enlisted personnel separated after 1914; civilian employees of Coast Guard predecessor agencies such as Revenue Cutter Service, Lifesaving Service, and Lighthouse Service, 1864–1919 The National Archives - Southeast Region, Atlanta, Georgia, holds draft registration records for World War I To have the National Archives staff search these records for you, get a World War I Registration Card Request form by sending an email to archivesatlanta.nara.gov, or contacting: National Archives - Southeast Region5780 Jonesboro RoadMorrow, Georgia 30260(770) 968-2100archives.gov/atlanta/

Definition and Examples of Polemics

Definition and Examples of Polemics Definition Polemic is a mode of writing or speaking that uses vigorous and combative language to defend or oppose someone or something. Adjectives: polemic and polemical. The art or practice of disputation is called polemics. A person who is skilled in debate or someone who is inclined to argue vehemently in opposition to others is called a polemicist (or, less commonly, a polemist). Enduring examples of polemics in English include John Miltons Aeropagitica (1644), Thomas Paines Common Sense (1776), The Federalist Papers (essays by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison, 1788-89), and Mary Wollstonecrafts A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792). Examples and observations of polemics are given below. Some other terms that are related to and some that may be confused with polemics include: ArgumentArgumentationConfrontational RhetoricCritiqueEncomiumInvective Etymology: From the Greek, war, warlike Pronunciation: po-LEM-ic Examples and Observations I am in general of the opinion that the best polemic is the perfect presentation of a new point of view. (Finnish folklorist Kaarle Krohn, quoted in Leading Folklorists of the North, 1970)Polemics are certainly necessary at times, but they are only justified by being necessary; otherwise they produce more heat than light. (Richard Strier, Resistant Structures: Particularity, Radicalism, and Renaissance Texts. University of California Press, 1995)[George Bernard Shaw] is a poet of polemics, as Einstein seems to have felt when he compared the movement of Shavian dialogue to Mozarts music. His polemics are therefore the more dangerous, for polemics are nothing but the art of skilled deception. A prime device of polemics is the either/or pattern, against which so much has been said in recent times, often by great polemicists. Shaw is a great polemicist in his skilled deployment of antithesis.(Eric Bentley, The Playwright as a Thinker, 1946. Rpt. by University of Minnesota Press, 2010) Why Polemic Has a Bad Name in the Academic World Polemic has a bad name in the humanities academy. Reasons for avoiding or seeking to discredit polemic arent always articulated, yet they surely include these: polemic disrupts the shared endeavours of the academy and preempts the civil or technical discourses of professionalism; polemic is a short cut to professional recognition typically chosen by those whose ambition outruns their achievement; conversely, polemic is the last resort of major figures in decline, seeking to maintain their professional dominance; polemic is a cheap, often trivial, substitute for real intellectual production; polemic belongs to the sphere of public journalism, where careers can be made on the basis of verbal aggression alone; polemic caters to the unseemly pleasures of cruelty and malice; polemic tends to become compulsive and consuming. Such reasons, or perhaps only intuitions, suffice to create an aversion to polemic, at least in the U.S. academy; they also tend to render polemic ethically suspect, w ith whatever intellectual justifications it is pursued...If, in fact, polemic has become increasingly discredited in the academy during the past 30 years, is it just a coincidence that the trend coincided with a broader academic rejection of violence in the post-colonial, post-Vietnam era? (Jonathan Crewe, Can Polemic Be Ethical? Polemic: Critical Or Uncritical, ed. by Jane Gallop. Routledge, 2004) Explicit vs. Hidden Polemics A polemic is considered to be direct when its subject is explicitly mentioned and the stance taken therein is also explicitthat is, when there is no need to search it out in order to draw conclusions...A polemic is hidden when its subject is not explicitly mentioned, or when it is not mentioned in the expected, conventional formulation. Through various hints, the reader is left with the feeling that a double effort has been made within the text: on the one hand- to conceal the subject of the polemic, that is, to avoid its explicit mention; on the other- to leave certain traces within the text...that through various means will lead the reader to the hidden subject of the polemic. (Yaira Amit, Hidden Polemics in Biblical Narrative, trans. by Jonathan Chipman. Brill, 2000) The Introduction to Common Sense, a Polemic by Thomas Paine Perhaps the sentiments contained in the following pages are not yet sufficiently fashionable to procure them general favor; a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defense of custom. But the tumult soon subsides. Time makes more converts than reason. As a long and violent abuse of power is generally the means of calling the right of it in question (and in matters too which might never have been thought of, had not the sufferers been aggravated into the inquiry), and as the King of England hath undertaken in his own right to support the Parliament in which he calls theirs, and as the good people of this country are grievously oppressed by the combination, they have an undoubted privilege to inquire into the pretensions of both, and equally to reject the usurpation of either. In the following sheets, the author hath studiously avoided everything which is personal among ourselves. Compliments as well as censure to individuals make no part thereof. The wise and the worthy need not the triumph of a pamphlet: and those whose sentiments are injudicious or unfriendly, will cease of themselves, unless too much pains are bestowed upon their conversion.The cause of America is, in a great measure, the cause of all mankind. Many circumstances have, and will arise, which are not local, but universal, and through which the principles of all lovers of mankind are affected, and in the event of which their affections are interested. The laying a country desolate with fire and sword, declaring war against the natural rights of all mankind, and extirpating the defenders thereof from the face of the earth, is the concern of every man to whom nature hath given the power of feeling; of which class, regardless of party censure, isTHE AUTHOR. -Philadelphia, February 14, 1776 (Thomas Paine, Common Sense) In January 1776 Thomas Paine released Common Sense, adding his voice for public consideration over the deteriorating British-American situation. The sheer volume of issues alone attests to the pamphlets demand and suggests a significant impact on colonial thought. [It was reprinted] over fifty times before the year was out, accounting for over five hundred thousand copies...The immediate effect of Common Sense was to break a deadlock between a minority of colonial leaders who wished to form an independent American state and the majority of leaders who sought reconciliation with the British. (Jerome Dean Mahaffey, Preaching Politics. Baylor University Press, 2007) John Stuart Mill on the Abuses of Polemics The worst offence of this kind which can be committed by a polemic is to stigmatize those who hold the contrary opinion as bad and immoral men. To calumny of this sort, those who hold any unpopular opinion are peculiarly exposed, because they are in general few and uninfluential, and nobody but themselves feels much interest in seeing justice done them; but this weapon is, from the nature of the case, denied to those who attack a prevailing opinion: they can neither use it with safety to themselves, nor, if they could, would it do anything but recoil on their own cause. In general, opinions contrary to those commonly received can only obtain a hearing by studied moderation of language, and the most cautious avoidance of unnecessary offence, from which they hardly ever deviate even in a slight degree without losing ground: while unmeasured vituperation employed on the side of the prevailing opinion, really does deter people from professing contrary opinions, and from listening to thos e who profess them. For the interest, therefore, of truth and justice, it is far more important to restrain this employment of vituperative language than the other... (John Stuart Mill, On Liberty, 1859)

Effect of Television on Delivery of News Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Effect of Television on Delivery of News - Essay Example This information needs to be fair, precise, and just. The public relies on this information to know what exactly is going on around them, and the world at large. Media is what enables the passage or storage of information. Without it, the world and freedom would be something that people could only whisper about with fear of consequences and/or repercussions. Over the years, the media has been responsible for highlighting all the things that happen truthfully. They spearhead the campaigns against injustices and crimes. This provides them with the correct channels to use in order to find the proper manner in which this information is transferred from one medium to another. The media’s credibility depends on how accurate their information is, and how it may affect the public. It is a cause for worry if the information is biased, lacks neutrality, or is wrong. This may lead to wrong perceptions about the media and all it stands for in today’s world. This paper will examine the effects that television and other media have had on the delivery of news. Neil Postman’s: Amusing Ourselves to Death According to Postman, the rise of electronic media has led to the change in reality. Many people cannot put reality into context because the media is shaping the world into something that was not there. He goes on to insinuate that the media has changed the way in which people view politics, their immediate social setting, the economic standing, among other things. He believes that the media manipulates information for people to have some way of relating to it, even though they did not want to in the first place. In his book, Postman claims that the public’s priorities are altered with uncomplicated forms of entertainment rather than the use of violence, cruelty, and brutality when they want to fight against totalitarian authority. Postman also shows of how the media is responsible for manipulating the public’s social, economic, and political standing by presentation of fictitious information, and facts. All these are methods devised by television and other electronic media to divert the public’s attention away from matters that affect them. The public’s money and energy is directed toward such manipulation, and eventual subjugation through the media without them realising what is happening. This book and all its findings have created the state in which many continents are in today. It is, therefore, only right to say that communication brought through television and other media is biased and provides information which is destructive to the rational minds of individuals. After long periods of television watching, one gets to question and be suspicious of discussions, and arguments. These effects are growing and will continue to mature provided the media is involved in contextualising the lives of people. Matt Quayle’s article; ‘The Method of the Medium is in the Motion.’ In this article, Quayle argues that Postman’s conclusions, though somewhat true, were a little premature. He did not take the time to correctly evaluate all the factors that came into play when writing his book. Today, according to Quayle, many factors contribute to the growth of the medium used to communicate to the public. This is unlike how they did twenty-five years ago. He reiterates the fact that Postman did an exceptional job in finding out what affected the media during that time, but a lot of things have changed. Quayle insists there is a possibility of increasing the public discourse in this modern age of technology. A lot has changed since the last time Postman wrote the book on the media. Quayle asserts that the television news space has fully-grown, and there is more to look for in the

Module is. Professional development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Module is. Professional development - Essay Example The professional is expected to have practical knowledge of entire full life-cycle software development process and associated skills such as web applications, operating systems and content database management systems (Mohanty 2012). The current job market for software engineering is attractive since job opportunities are expected to increase faster than the average of all other careers in the entire economy. According to available statistics from labour organizations, the demand for software engineers is expected to increase at a rate of 30 percent up to 2020. According to the data, two-thirds of graduates are in employment within six months and 64 percent are employed (Prospects 2013). Accordingly, 47.3 percent work in Information technology sector while 12.3 percent work in retail, catering and bar work. 7.5 percent get jobs in commercial and public management while 5.7 percent get jobs in arts, design, culture and sports. From the data, it is evident that the career is attractive and ensures progression (Prospects 2013). The increase in demand can be attributed to the expansion in the use of internet technologies, growth in e-commerce and demand for more complex data processing systems across all sectors of the economy. Okrona (2013) is of the idea that the growth of job opportunities in software development is the emergency of mobile technology that requires small electronic devices like mobile cell phones, watches and consumer electronics to have inbuilt software systems in order to enhance consumer experience. Accordingly, the healthcare sector is currently moving away from paper based patient information filing to electronic patient information systems that will require support of software engineers (Megginson & Whitaker 2003). Cloud computing, internet transaction security and virtualization systems have increased the demand for computer software engineers especially in corporate organisations that use these technologies in order to minimise the costs of operations and improve their margins. There are numerous opportunities in the software engineering job market due to favourable industry trends such as new innovative technologies like cloud computing and increase in online business transaction payment gateways. The booking UK economies will require more software engineers to develop innovative business solutions that will ensure increased customer numbers, increased sales volumes and higher customer satisfaction (Okrona 2013). Other favourable trends in software engineering career include increase in large volumes of data and use of market intelligence analytics by business organisations in order to remain competitive in the industry. The increased emphasis on end users needs and integration of systesm integration with software engineering has led to interoperability of various software products thus increasing the opportunities in the career field. However, there are certain trends that pose threats to the future of a career in software engineering. One of the threats is the rapid changes in computing technologies and user requirements thus creating a need for further education and training on

Performance Management at Vitality Health Enterprises, Inc Case Study

Performance Management at Vitality Health Enterprises, Inc - Case Study Example Vitality Health Enterprises, Inc was founded by Hikaru Fred Kikuchi in Ames, Iowa in 1987. Within the first three months, Kikuchi’s achieved sales revenue of more than $15,000 from the business. In late 1989, the firm established its own manufacturing facility in order to minimize the firm’s dependency on Japanese products. By 1991, Vitality’s revenues grew to $3 million per year and the company stopped depending upon Japanese finished-goods suppliers. Over the next few years, Vitality strived to spread its business across United States and Canada and moved its head quarters to Des Moines with intent to take advantages of better expansion opportunities. By 1995, the company gained a strong global presence by launching its products in countries like China, Japan, and Taiwan. In 1997, Vitality increased the size of its business notably with the acquisition of HerbaPure Nutraceuticals, and a decade later the company grew to nearly 7,000 employees. In order to address the stagnation caused by the 2008 global financial crisis and to deal with rising material costs, the Vitality recruited a new CEO, Beth Williams. As part of implementing the new business strategy developed, Williams organized the Performance Management Evaluation Team (PMET) to evaluate whether performance management goals were met. The PMET discovered that the many of the employees had not been satisfied with the current performance management system because it often failed to appreciate top performers adequately. Williams identified that rewarding top performers adequately and retaining them with the company for a long time were essential to accelerate the company growth. She also observed that a well planned restructuring of Vitality’s compensation practices would be inevitable to bring the change identified and to attract new top talent. As a result, Williams implemented the new performance management system in June 2009. To be specific, the problem wi th the firm was that the new performance management system characterized with a forced distribution model of performance rankings, ‘moving from an absolute ranking system to a relative one’ (Bingham & Beer, 2012). The company continued this system for the next two years. James Hoffman, the newly appointed vice president of human resources at Vitality, found that the new performance management system was not really helpful to motivate top performers despite six straight quarters of strong revenue growth. Evidently, the new system also underappreciated the efficiency of top performers and assisted poor performers to survive, because many of the managers had not been effectively abiding by this system. Some shortcomings of the new system also contributed to this problem. Section 2 2. Effectiveness of Vitality’s Performance Management System While analyzing the corporate history of Vitality Health Enterprises, it seems that the firm’s performance management sy stem has not been effective. The firm’s previous performance management system posed numerous problems to its professional staff including scientists, engineers, and product

The English Patient Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The English Patient - Essay Example He takes fragments and paragraphs cut out of other books and includes them in his novel. There is intertextuality richness in the novel including statutes, myths, christian imagery, desert images and references to portraits. His novel is swollen with different images just like Almasys common place book swollen to twice the original thicknes. The emphasies on the importance of maps is evident in The English Patient. Books, people, faith and art work are all reduced to maps to their skeletal structure. The reduction is a form of econstruction similar to the one of bombs in the novel. For giving the germans the desert maps, Almasy is considered a traitor and his treason justifying the preoccupation of the novel with maps. In the analysis highlighting the importance of maps, the gravity of his crime is evident. As a form of knowledge, maps give power to those who have them. Almasy claims that his map drawing ability motivated the Bedouins to save him. He goes further to explain that â€Å"they kept me alive for a reason. I was useful you see... I am a man who can recognize an unnamed town by its skeletal shape on a map† (Ondaatje, p.18). The Bedouins try making use of Almasy’s vast reservoir of information. For some, he draws maps going beyond their own boundaries and for other tribes explains the mechanic of guns(Ondaatje, p.22). Almasy claims having information like a sea in him and that he knew maps of the sea floor. maps depicting weaknesses in the earths shield, charts painted on skin containing various routes of the crusades. These maps have great destruction power since they depict weaknesses in the earths shield. The weaknesses would be exploited to create a destructive earthquake or to errupt a volcano in the land of the enemy. Heble observes Ondaatje’s based character of Almasy on that of a real person. Almasy’s slippery identity is an analogue to the English patients in the novel. Totosy argues that Almasys fictional position,

Analyse horror movie Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Analyse horror movie - Research Paper Example After the attempts to kill Lestat fail, Louis and Claudia set off halfway across the world in search of their own kind. In France, they find other vampires in the underworld and they join this group led by vampire Armand who has feelings of intimacy to Louis. Their stay turns tragic when the vampires in Paris kill Claudia and Louis is saved from death by Armand. Louis, Lestat and Claudia have different characters which were influenced by time, self personality and other external factors. Louis The past life of Louis as a mortal played a significant role in determining his character. Prior to becoming a vampire, Louis’s wife had died during childbirth. Louis was terribly affected by the death of his wife and he became desperate to an extent of wishing to die. In one instance, Louis narrates that his wife and infant had been buried less than a half year before he became a vampire. Louis says that â€Å"I would have been happy to join them. I couldn’t bear the pain of the ir loss. I longed to be released from it† (Interview with the Vampire). It is imperative that Louis genuinely loved his wife and newborn child. Suffice to say, Louis was also caring enough given the fact that he was felt a strong connection to his family. From Louis’ narration, it is evident that he had loving self personality. Suffice to say, his loving nature as a mortal is replicated in the relationship that he forms with Claudia as a vampire. In his mortal form, Louis was a kind person. He interacts with his slave Yvette in a respectful way without disregarding her as it would be expected of a slave to a master. After becoming a vampire, Louis exercises great restraint to prevent himself from the temptation of killing Yvette. When Yvette offers Louis food and expresses her concern about his wellbeing, Louis fights the instinctive vampire urge to kill her and drink her blood. He dismisses her from the dinner table saying â€Å"I’ll finish it, Yvette. Now leav e us.† (Interview with the Vampire).. However, he managed to suppress that urge and spared her life due to his self personality. In retrospect, it can be argued that Louis was a kind person who valued the lives of other people irrespective of their position in the society. The influence of vampire Lestat and vampire Claudia on Louis’s character cannot be understated. After becoming a vampire, Louis resisted the counsel of Lestat as it was against his will. Lestat encourages Louis kill human beings instead of feeding on animals such as rats and chicken. Lestat castigates him for his choice of food by stating that the chickens would eventually run out and he would be forced to seek other sources of food. Despite the pressure from Lestat, Louis manages to hold on to his convictions albeit for some time. However, it is notable that Louis was greatly influenced by the Lestat’s ideas. When he kills the slave girl Yvette, Louis indicates that he felt real peace when he killed. Louis indicates that Lestat’s words made sense to him since he was able to feel at ease when he killed a human being. This implies that the behavior and advice of Lestat influenced Louis’ character to a certain extent. At one point, Louis says that â€Å"Her blood coursed through my veins sweeter than life itself† (Interview with the Vampire). It was not in Louis nature to kill human beings, let alone derive extreme

History of Mankind Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

History of Mankind - Essay Example During this period, environment became the greatest factor affecting the culture of mankind. Existence was primarily dependent on the ability of an individual to adapt to his environment. Men in Paleolithic era were nomads who travel from one place to another, relying on the availability and access to natural resources for survival. Hunting and fruit-gathering societies abound in this period and these activities served as their sole livelihood. People survived by hunting wild animals and birds, fishing, and collecting fruits and nuts. Though people relied on hunting, only very simple tools for hunting were developed as their technology was still primitive. The earliest evidence of the people of the lower Paleolithic communities was found in Europe (Schick). Some historians refer to the Lower Paleolithic era as the "chopper" period because during this age, the earliest stone tools known as "chopper" were developed. Production of these stone tools was through the utilization of pebbles or pieces of rocks. Such tools were found in the Jordan River Valley and in some areas of Jerusalem and Palestine (Schick). The tools indicate the budding of technology at such an early stage. The people during the Paleolithic era were referred to as "Homo habilis." Their survival is also dependent on the availability of resources as peop... The people during the Paleolithic era were referred to as "Homo habilis." Their survival is also dependent on the availability of resources as people still rely on wild plants, fruits and meat from hunted animals. The excavated burned rocks in Lower Paleolithic societies indicate that man had stumbled upon the essential discovery of fire at a later stage. Some circles of stones used by these societies believed to have been used as centers for family gatherings lead to the belief that Lower Paleolithic societies place a high value on family. Middle Paleolithic Civilization in the Middle Paleolithic began about 200,000 years ago. People during this period are known as Neanderthals, whose traces were first discovered in France. The technology during this period was more developed than that of the Lower Paleolithic era as improved versions of stone tools were used for hunting and self-defense. Excavated artifacts showed some evidence of ritual observance among Middle Paleolithic communities. Evidence also showed that rituals were carried out during burials. High regard for family members is also evident as people in this period nurse their ailing elders (Sanders et al.). Upper Paleolithic The Upper Paleolithic period began around 35,000 to 10,000 years ago. Technological discoveries have facilitated the spread of people across Asia, Europe, and Africa. Knowledge in science and technology blossomed during the era as significant leaps are attained in the field of arts and infrastructure. People during the period had obtained the necessary know-how on construction of temporary dwelling made of branches and animal skins. The discovery of metal tools, pendants, necklaces and bracelets of shells, bone and ivory highlights the development of arts.

Analyse horror movie Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Analyse horror movie - Research Paper Example After the attempts to kill Lestat fail, Louis and Claudia set off halfway across the world in search of their own kind. In France, they find other vampires in the underworld and they join this group led by vampire Armand who has feelings of intimacy to Louis. Their stay turns tragic when the vampires in Paris kill Claudia and Louis is saved from death by Armand. Louis, Lestat and Claudia have different characters which were influenced by time, self personality and other external factors. Louis The past life of Louis as a mortal played a significant role in determining his character. Prior to becoming a vampire, Louis’s wife had died during childbirth. Louis was terribly affected by the death of his wife and he became desperate to an extent of wishing to die. In one instance, Louis narrates that his wife and infant had been buried less than a half year before he became a vampire. Louis says that â€Å"I would have been happy to join them. I couldn’t bear the pain of the ir loss. I longed to be released from it† (Interview with the Vampire). It is imperative that Louis genuinely loved his wife and newborn child. Suffice to say, Louis was also caring enough given the fact that he was felt a strong connection to his family. From Louis’ narration, it is evident that he had loving self personality. Suffice to say, his loving nature as a mortal is replicated in the relationship that he forms with Claudia as a vampire. In his mortal form, Louis was a kind person. He interacts with his slave Yvette in a respectful way without disregarding her as it would be expected of a slave to a master. After becoming a vampire, Louis exercises great restraint to prevent himself from the temptation of killing Yvette. When Yvette offers Louis food and expresses her concern about his wellbeing, Louis fights the instinctive vampire urge to kill her and drink her blood. He dismisses her from the dinner table saying â€Å"I’ll finish it, Yvette. Now leav e us.† (Interview with the Vampire).. However, he managed to suppress that urge and spared her life due to his self personality. In retrospect, it can be argued that Louis was a kind person who valued the lives of other people irrespective of their position in the society. The influence of vampire Lestat and vampire Claudia on Louis’s character cannot be understated. After becoming a vampire, Louis resisted the counsel of Lestat as it was against his will. Lestat encourages Louis kill human beings instead of feeding on animals such as rats and chicken. Lestat castigates him for his choice of food by stating that the chickens would eventually run out and he would be forced to seek other sources of food. Despite the pressure from Lestat, Louis manages to hold on to his convictions albeit for some time. However, it is notable that Louis was greatly influenced by the Lestat’s ideas. When he kills the slave girl Yvette, Louis indicates that he felt real peace when he killed. Louis indicates that Lestat’s words made sense to him since he was able to feel at ease when he killed a human being. This implies that the behavior and advice of Lestat influenced Louis’ character to a certain extent. At one point, Louis says that â€Å"Her blood coursed through my veins sweeter than life itself† (Interview with the Vampire). It was not in Louis nature to kill human beings, let alone derive extreme

Country Risk Ananlysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Country Risk Ananlysis - Research Paper Example Some risks can be diversified away through investing in portfolios of investments which diversify each other’s risk. The risk that can be diversified away is called diversifiable risk or unsystematic risk. On the other hand systematic risk cannot be diversified and is thus also called un-diversifiable risk. Economic and political risk is inherent risks of operating in a country. The economic risk is the risk that economy of that country would change for the worse. This change could be due to bad management or uncomprehend able natural causes, such as reduction in oil prices for a country which has oil as its primary export. Political risk on the other hand points towards the stability in the country. This is the risk that there would be political turmoil in a country which would result in loses on investment. The recent changes in the Arabian Peninsula are changing the shape of Arab politics for ever. There have been major political changes in countries like Egypt, Libya and S yria. These political changes would in due course of time bring positive changes in the region and contribute to the economic stability and wellbeing of local. However these changes have also created a sense and environment of uncertainty in the political environment of the region. There is confusion as to which country would be affected by this political upheaval next. Amongst this political turmoil lies a country of 1.7 million people known as Qatar. The State of Qatar is located in the Middle East and shares its borders with the Gulf and Saudi Arabia. The country is a monarchy controlled by the Al Thani family. Other monarchies in the region are threatened by political upheavals; Qatar is no different due to its political system. However Qatar is still a peaceful country and there have been no apparent signs of any political upheavals. One of the reasons is the sound economic situations of the country. The economy of Qatar is growing rapidly and is considered one of the fasted gr owing economies of the world. The nation has a per capita annual GDP of 97,000 dollars, which is one of the highest in the entire world. The nation is rich with oil and gas reserves. However instead of simply consuming these resources like many other Arab nations, Qatar has strived to build itself as a strong economic power through development of infrastructure and industry. The economic growth is stable due to a strong inflow of foreign capital due to oil exports. This stability plays a primary role in reducing the financial risk of the country. The purchasing power parity of Qatar according to CIA Fact-book is estimated to be $123 billion. This is an increase of approximately 20% from previous years. Due to a rick economy the locals are not an active part of the country’s workforce. However efforts are being made to bring about a change in this department. The main hindrance in these efforts is the availability of an excellent social welfare system, which allows people to l eave lives near 0 % present of poverty. This can be seen by the high per Capita GDP of Qatar which makes it one of the richest nations in the world. The country risk of Qatar has been defined as CRT-3. Risk tier 3 is defined as Developing legal environment, legal system and business environment with developing capital markets; developing insurance regulatory structure. This means that the country has very low economic risk. This low risk is due to the rapid growth of GDP

The Youngs modulus of the copper wire Essay Example for Free

The Youngs modulus of the copper wire Essay Therefore, having done the preliminary, I think that my predictions lie on the correct lines. It is best to use a thin wire, because a thick wire would not stretch as much for the same force, but I have to consider safety, because the wire snaps and because it is under tension, it whips back and can cause some damage if the student falls in contact with it. Therefore, under these circumstances, it is necessary to wear safety goggles. If we are using a thick wire, you will find that we will be adding a large load. If the wire snaps, the same hazards would take place as mentioned above but, the weight dropping to the floor will cause damage to the toes etc, if the weight falls on the foot, so keep a safe distance as soon as the extra load is added. DO NOT ADD THE WEIGHTS QUICKLY AS THE WIRE IS SENSITIVE WHEN THERE IS ALREADY A LARGE FORCE APPLIED ON IT. The vernier scale is sensitive, so we have to pay particular attention to how much force we apply, because the maximum extension, which can be read, depends on the size of the scale. Due to the increase in the average cross-sectional area, which affects the extension in the wire, we need to increase the accuracy of the readings by taking repeats, using different wire of the same diameter, and again take measurements of the diameter, with use of the micrometer. This increases the reliability of the results and hence the Youngs modulus of the copper wire. The vernier scale method is much more accurate than the clamp and pulley method, which could have been used as well, but as we are aiming for accuracy it is best to use the vernier scale method. The experiment is to be conducted under room temperature, because the temperature of the wire whether cold or hot reduces the accuracy of the results, the wire stretches more under warm conditions because the wire is less stiff than if it was in cold or even room temperature of 23 oC. I will have to take account of possible errors, such as the zero error in equipment, and other random and systematic errors, which can occur. I will try to avoid making the parallax errors, (the error which occurs when the eye is not placed directly opposite a scale when a reading is being taken). This can be made on reading off a ruler. The reading errors (the error due to the guess work involved in taking a reading from a scale when reading lies between the scale divisions, and the zero error (the error which occurs when a measuring instrument does not indicate zero when it should), which can be possible on the vernier scale. If the zero error happens, then I will adjust the instrument to read zero or the inaccurate zero reading should be taken and should be added or subtracted from any other reading taken. Sometimes the metre rules have worn edges and so I will measure from 10cm instead of 0cm. As the wire is stretched, the diameter of the copper wire decreases, we get plastic deformation before it snaps, for example if we look at a copper rod as a large scale to the thin wire you can see from the below that the copper rod necked before it broke. This happens because metals like copper, (above) are ductile- they can have large plastic deformations without fracturing. It happens because atoms move, as the plastic deformation in the crystal structure move, to place of lower stress. The copper becomes thinner when atoms move away from the stressed part. The stress then increases because the cross-sectional area is now decreased. This increases the ductile flow and so the metal yields and gets thinner and thinner. Once plastic deformation starts, atoms will continue to flow without any increase in stress. This stretching under a constant load is called creep. The thinning of a wire/rod is called necking. There is also the problem that the kg masses may not weigh the given value, there is a small chance that this would be inaccurate, the only way to find out is by weighing the mass using a electronic scale, which is accurate to 0. 001g. Bibliography Physics For You By Keith Johnson Dictionary of Science By C. Stockley Simmone Hewett C. Oxlade Sue Holt J. Weitheim John Miller Physics 1 By David Sang Keith Gibbs Robert Hutchings Science Desk Reference By Patricia barnes-Svarney www. s-cool. co. uk www. allmeasures. com Encarta 2002 AS Physics Assessed Practical (Skill P) Elasticity of a Copper wire By Priyesh Patel 12O 1 Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Electricity and Magnetism section.

Essay About Family: Cutting Strings :: Personal Narrative essay about my family

Cutting Strings I’m in bed, scanning the ceiling for a light that isn’t there. There wasn’t one last night, or the night before, so I shouldn’t have expected anything different than the textured surface that my retinas now scratch across in a long diagonal. The same grey, dried-paint-sharp ceiling that they don’t show in the brochures. Always without a light. Sure, one of those fake-Southwestern lamps with a plastic lamp shade sits beside me on the coffee table, but it’ll just fall with everything else once this island of a motel room shrinks down to a pinpoint and these two beds, those dresser drawers, that mirror, Jessie, Bekah, and my own elusive existence tumble into the empty gap. â€Å"Are they still out there?† I don’t see her, but I imagine my 16-year-old sister Jessie gaping at the blank TV screen, hoping somebody will answer her question. â€Å"Yep,† Bekah rattles off too quickly. That’s right, I realize. Still outside. Probably in the car, pinned under the hard rain. It was raining when we got here. Some firefly of a town at the crossing of two faded freeways in northern Pennsylvania where it snows a lot in the wintertime for the skiers, my dad told me in a watery voice while our minivan hummed down the off-ramp. Watercolor black, I thought while I looked out the window, except for the yellow, splotchy Super-8 sign and the white motel lobby. My two sisters and I brought the luggage down and we’re still waiting for mom and dad like dead puppets, and I’m still wishing for a light fixture. Like the bubble-shaped one that hung in my bedroom about two thousand miles away, before I turned 18 on this family road trip. Before this second act, when my parents stopped flinching their puppet master wrists from above the stage, and so I finally cut my own strings, just to fall flat on my plastic face and deflate like a balloon. The door clicks open. What can I hang on to? The ceiling is blank. â€Å"Mom?† I hear my sister’s drawl and think desperately about a light fixture, this one big, with crystal chains and gold bars. I can feel the mattress slipping below my back. Take your things. Swinging from chandeliers? No, too much. I’d just hold on. â€Å"Take your things and get out,† Mom says. â€Å"You’re sleeping with your dad tonight.† My two sisters and my older brother and I never heard much, but my mother would sometimes tell us about how her parents beat her and did other things too.

The Space Race and the Apollo Program in 1968 :: American History Essays

The Space Race and the Apollo Program in 1968 I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before the decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to earth. No single space project in this period will be more impressive to mankind, or more important for the long-range exploration of space, and none will be so difficult or so expensive to accomplish. These words, uttered by President John F. Kennedy in May 1961 brought forth a new era in American history, the idea of sending a man to the moon. Only seven years later, in 1968, did America finally prepare to meet Kennedy’s deadline with the Apollo 7 and 8 missions. Recovering from the tragic fire of Apollo 1 in 1967, Apollo 7 put the Space program back on track. Only two months later, Apollo 8 led the first voyage around the Moon. These missions drew America’s goal for a lunar landing closer and took the Soviet Union out of the Cold War’s so-called "Space Race." The origins of the Cold War can be traced to the conclusion of World War II. Beginning with the Yalta Convention in 1945, and continuing with the Potsdam Conference later that year, the United States and the United Soviet Socialist Republic became embittered with each other over the division of Europe. This was a direct result of capitalism and communism with the blockade of Germany, the support of Communism in Poland, Czechoslovakia, Turkey and Greece and the refusal of Soviet forces to demobilize. Soon, the argument turned to America’s use of the atomic bomb in Japan in August 1945. The Soviets at first highly commended America for hastening Japan’s surrender but then repudiated it several weeks later. They claimed that it destroyed the balance of power between the two great world powers. By the early 1950’s, the focus shifted from the dilemmas in Europe to an even bigger threat, the threat of nuclear war. Both the US and the USSR claimed supremacy in Nuclear t echnology, specifically, the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM). However, events changed permanently on October 4, 1957, when the Soviet Union launched Sputnik I, the first successful orbiting satellite. The United States immediately reacted to the launch by claiming it would have been first in launching a satellite had it not been for planning mistakes. After the launch of Sputnik II in November 1957, the United States made its first public reaction.

Expounding Upon Risk Factors

Given the repercussions of developing osteoarthritis and taking into consideration the considerable number of individuals with such a condition, it is without doubt essential to gain further insights regarding the risk factors for such a manifestation of arthritis; currently, a number of risk factors have been identified, with the following being among the most commonly noted variants: obesity, genetics, bone density, and injury (Felson, 2000).Beginning with obesity, one may logically assume that the additional weight of an individual would affect or possibly worsen such an inflammatory disease. Past studies have indeed proven that contrary to previous notions, obesity results to greater risks of developing osteoarthritis instead of the aforesaid inflammatory disease being a causative agent for obesity (Felson, 2000). Possible explanations for such have also been uncovered from past scientific endeavors.Aside from the deteriorative effects of excessive weight to bone structure in hip and knee areas, the existence of biochemical alterations arising from obesity which further increase one’s risk has also been speculated (Felson, 2000). As noted beforehand, genetic factors may also heighten the risk for the manifestation of osteoarthritis. In particular, studies have shown that the aforesaid disease may actually be regarded as quite heritable; furthermore, it has been determined that the likelihood of acquiring hip and spine related osteoarthritis may often be traced and estimated from genetic roots (Spector & MacGregor, 2004).Even though it is understandable to inappropriately assume that inflammatory diseases are mainly related to physical or phenotypic aspects of the human body, it is also true that most scientific findings as of late highlight the encompassing effects of genetic factors in the disease development. In fact, a myriad of chromosomes, such as 9q and 11p, have already been linked with osteoarthritis susceptibility; also, several genes have b een hypothesized to serve as potential triggers for the abovementioned disease (Spector & MacGregor, 2004).Hence, in attempting to evaluate one’s chance of developing osteoarthritis, genetic considerations should undeniably be taken into consideration. Bone density is another risk factor for osteoarthritis. To further expound, studies have established that an increased amount of bone in a given area, especially in those which often provide support for weight, may also heighten one’s susceptibility to osteoarthritis (Dequeker, Mokassa, & Aerssens, 1995).The explanation to such emphasizes the connection between the functions of bones and cartilages especially in terms of absorbing or transmitting shock from movement. As bone density increases, there is a tendency for such to become excessively rigid, which would allow for a greater efficiency in allowing impact to be passed on from bones to cartilages; eventually, the cartilage are deteriorated due to such a process (Deq ueker, Mokassa, & Aerssens, 1995).Indeed, impact is an important consideration, in understanding the relation between the basic functions of the skeletal system and the development of osteoarthritis; not only does the aforesaid system provide protection but it should not be overlooked that bones and cartilages serve as the main means of structural support for the most basic actions, highlighting the frequency in which such are utilized. Evidently, injuries are also regarded as risk factors for osteoarthritis.As established from past scientific pursuits, the degree of risk of acquiring such an inflammatory disease due to injuries differ based on severity; however, regardless of the severity, it has been noted that men nonetheless had a higher tendency of developing osteoarthritis from such (Cooper et al. , 1998). In relation to this, there have also been previous debates as to whether injuries are precursors to osteoarthritis instead of being mainly the result of the inflammatory dis ease.Significant evidence highlighting the causative nature of injuries includes the finding that patients suffering from osteoarthritis, who also suffered from hip injuries, often only experienced occasional aching and soreness characteristic of the abovementioned illness years after being injured (Cooper et al. , 1998). Hence, from the points discussed above, it becomes evident that osteoarthritis is indeed an inflammatory disease of complicated nature. References Cooper, C., Inskip, H., Croft, P., Campbell, L., Smith, G., McLaren, M., & Coggon, D. (1998). Individual Risk Factors for Hip Osteoarthritis: Obesity, Hip Injury, and Physical Activity. American Journal of Epidemiology, 147(6), 516 – 522. Dequeker, J., Mokassa, L., & Aerssens, J. (1995). Bone Density and Osteoarthritis. J. Rheumatol. Suppl, 43, 98 – 100. Felson, D.T. (2000). Osteoarthritis: New Insights. Annals of Internal Medicine, 133(8), 635 –Â  646. Spector, T.D. & MacGregor, A.J. (2004). Risk Factors of Osteoarthritis: Genetics. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 12(1), 39 – 44.

Character Analysis -Tell Tale Heart

The short story can produce many different â€Å"types† of characters. Usually, these characters are faced with situations that give us an insight into their true â€Å"character†. In the Tell Tale Heart, a short story written by Edgar Allen Poe, the narrator of the story is faced with a fear. He is afraid of the Old Man’s Eye. The actions that this narrator performs in order to quell his fear can lead others to believe that he suffers from some sort of mental illness. The very fact that this narrator is so repulsed by the old man’s eye, which he refers to as â€Å"the evil eye†, is reason enough to be suspicious of his character. The narrator has an inner struggle with the thought that â€Å"the evil eye† is watching him and an underlying feeling that â€Å"the evil eye† will see the real person that he has become. This paranoia leads the narrator to believe that the only way he can put down his fears is to kill the old man. It is said that denial is usually the sign of a problem. If this holds true, then the narrator has the characteristics of a â€Å"madman†. In the first paragraph, he asks, â€Å"but why will you say that I am mad! (Kennedy & Gioia, 34) This statement can be looked upon as a statement made by someone going through a paranoid episode. He talks as if he is in frenzy, especially when he talks about hearing things in heaven and in hell. â€Å"The disease had sharpened my senses? Above all was the sense of hearing acute. I heard all things in the heaven? I heard many things in hell. † (Kennedy & Gioia, 34) The â€Å"disease† that the narrator is talking about eats away at his conscience until â€Å"[I] made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever. (Kennedy & Gioia, 34) The progression of the story revolves around the actions of the narrator. He describes the â€Å"wise† ways in which he prepares himself to commit this deed. The way the narrator â€Å"stalks† the old man the whole week before he kills him can be evidence of a problem. Every night he would watch the old man sleep. He found comfort in knowing that the eye was not watching him, that it could not see the true evil within his soul. While the eye was closed, so was the idea of killing the old man. It is not until the old man awakens each day that the struggle within is apparent. This may be the reason why the narrator is so obsessed with watching the old man sleep. The actual act of murder, which the narrator believes was premeditated, was in fact a spur of the moment action. He toiled with the idea while the man was awake, that is, while he could see the â€Å"evil eye†. However, while the eye was closed, the narrator was at peace. One night, during one of the narrator’s â€Å"stalking† sessions, the old man awakens. The narrator goes into a paranoid frenzy, mistaking the beating of his heart for the beating of the old man’s heart. During this frenzy, the narrator is afraid that neighbors will hear the beating of the man’s heart. This causes the narrator to take action. He quickly subdues the old man and kills him. He then takes extreme steps in disposing of the body, dismembering it and burying it under the planks in the floorboard. These extreme actions can be used as evidence to the paranoia that is taking shape. The fear of getting caught would be a normal reaction to someone who has committed a murder. However, the dismemberment of the body was not necessary since the narrator had ample resources to dispose of the body properly. When the police arrive at the house, the narrator is sure that he has nothing to fear. He lets them into the house and bids them to search wherever they like. He leads them into the room where the body is buried and invites them to sit down. Although he fears nothing consciously, the narrator battles with his conscience subconsciously. He begins to feel uneasy when the officers start talking to him. The paranoia begins to build steadily and before long, the narrator hears the beating of his heart, which he again mistakes for the beating of the corpse’s heart. This implication gives further evidence to the paranoid nature of the narrator. The beating grows louder to him and, since it is his heart beating, the officers could not hear it. This made the narrator even uneasier since he could not understand why they could not hear it as well. A short while later and after a rabid inner struggle, the narrator, in a fit of rage, admits to his crime, believing that the police officer were aware of what he had done. This is the pinnacle of his paranoid state. The idea that the officers were just toying with him, that they knew all along that he had murdered, presents a clear case of paranoid psychosis. Despite the narrator’s cunning plan of how to commit the murder and how to dispose of the body, his own sub-conscience becomes his undoing. The sound of the old man’s heartbeat continues to taunt the narrator and his reaction to his subconscious thoughts causes him to admit his crime to the police.