The Lost Symbol Chapter 129-131

CHAPTER 129 Robert Langdon stood mesmerized at the glass portal, absorbing the power of the landscape below him. Having ascended unknowingly hundreds of feet into the air, he was now admiring one of the most spectacular vistas he had ever seen. The shining dome of the U.S. Capitol rose like a mountain at the east end of the National Mall. On either side of the building, two parallel lines of light stretched toward him . . . the illuminated facades of the Smithsonian museums . . . beacons of art, history, science, culture. Langdon now realized to his astonishment that much of what Peter had declared to be true . . . was in fact true. There is indeed a winding staircase . . . descending hundreds of feet beneath a massive stone. The huge capstone of this obelisk sat directly over his head, and Langdon now recalled a forgotten bit of trivia that seemed to have eerie relevance: the capstone of the Washington Monument weighed precisely thirty-three hundred pounds. Again, the number 33. More startling, however, was the knowledge that this capstone's ultimate peak, the zenith of this obelisk, was crowned by a tiny, polished tip of aluminum–a metal as precious as gold in its day. The shining apex of the Washington Monument was only about a foot tall, the same size as the Masonic Pyramid. Incredibly, this small metal pyramid bore a famous engraving–Laus Deo– and Langdon suddenly understood. This is the true message of the base of the stone pyramid. The seven symbols are a transliteration! The simplest of ciphers. The symbols are letters. The stonemason's square–L The element gold–AU The Greek Sigma–S The Greek Delta–D Alchemical mercury–E The Ouroboros–O â€Å"Laus Deo,† Langdon whispered. The well-known Latin phrase–meaning â€Å"praise God†Ã¢â‚¬â€œwas inscribed on the tip of the Washington Monument in script letters only one inch tall. On full display . . . and yet invisible to all. Laus Deo. â€Å"Praise God,† Peter said behind him, flipping on the soft lighting in the chamber. â€Å"The Masonic Pyramid's final code.† Langdon turned. His friend was grinning broadly, and Langdon recalled that Peter had actually spoken the words â€Å"praise God† earlier inside the Masonic library. And I still missed it. Langdon felt a chill to realize how apt it was that the legendary Masonic Pyramid had guided him here . . . to America's great obelisk–the symbol of ancient mystical wisdom–rising toward the heavens at the heart of a nation. In a state of wonder, Langdon began moving counterclockwise around the perimeter of the tiny square room, arriving now at another viewing window. North. Through this northward-facing window, Langdon gazed down at the familiar silhouette of the White House directly in front of him. He raised his eyes to the horizon, where the straight line of Sixteenth Street ran due north toward the House of the Temple. I am due south of Heredom. He continued around the perimeter to the next window. Looking west, Langdon's eyes traced the long rectangle of the reflecting pool to the Lincoln Memorial, its classical Greek architecture inspired by the Parthenon in Athens, Temple to Athena–goddess of heroic undertakings. Annuit coeptis, Langdon thought. God favors our undertaking. Continuing to the final window, Langdon gazed southward across the dark waters of the Tidal Basin, where the Jefferson Memorial shone brightly in the night. The gently sloping cupola, Langdon knew, was modeled after the Pantheon, the original home to the great Roman gods of mythology. Having looked in all four directions, Langdon now thought about the aerial photos he had seen of the National Mall–her four arms outstretched from the Washington Monument toward the cardinal points of the compass. I am standing at the crossroads of America. Langdon continued back around to where Peter was standing. His mentor was beaming. â€Å"Well, Robert, this is it. The Lost Word. This is where it's buried. The Masonic Pyramid led us here.† Langdon did a double take. He had all but forgotten about the Lost Word. â€Å"Robert, I know of nobody more trustworthy than you. And after a night like tonight, I believe you deserve to know what this is all about. As promised in legend, the Lost Word is indeed buried at the bottom of a winding staircase.† He motioned to the mouth of the monument's long stairwell. Langdon had finally started to get his feet back under him, but now he was puzzled. Peter quickly reached into his pocket and pulled out a small object. â€Å"Do you remember this?† Langdon took the cube-shaped box that Peter had entrusted to him long ago. â€Å"Yes . . . but I'm afraid I didn't do a very good job of protecting it.† Solomon chuckled. â€Å"Perhaps the time had come for it to see the light of day.† Langdon eyed the stone cube, wondering why Peter had just handed it to him. â€Å"What does this look like to you?† Peter asked. Langdon eyed the 1514 and recalled his first impression when Katherine had unwrapped the package. â€Å"A cornerstone.† â€Å"Exactly,† Peter replied. â€Å"Now, there are a few things you might not know about cornerstones. First, the concept of laying a cornerstone comes from the Old Testament.† Langdon nodded. â€Å"The Book of Psalms.† â€Å"Correct. And a true cornerstone is always buried beneath the ground–symbolizing the building's initial step upward out of the earth toward the heavenly light.† Langdon glanced out at the Capitol, recalling that its cornerstone was buried so deep in the foundation that, to this day, excavations had been unable to find it. â€Å"And finally,† Solomon said, â€Å"like the stone box in your hand, many cornerstones are little vaults . . . and have hollow cavities so that they can hold buried treasures . . . talismans, if you will– symbols of hope for the future of the building about to be erected.† Langdon was well aware of this tradition, too. Even today, Masons laid cornerstones in which they sealed meaningful objects–time capsules, photos, proclamations, even the ashes of important people. â€Å"My purpose in telling you this,† Solomon said, glancing over at the stairwell, â€Å"should be clear.† â€Å"You think the Lost Word is buried in the cornerstone of the Washington Monument?† â€Å"I don't think, Robert. I know. The Lost Word was buried in the cornerstone of this monument on July 4, 1848, in a full Masonic ritual.† Langdon stared at him. â€Å"Our Masonic forefathers buried a word?!† Peter nodded. â€Å"They did indeed. They understood the true power of what they were burying.† All night, Langdon had been trying to wrap his mind around sprawling, ethereal concepts . . . the Ancient Mysteries, the Lost Word, the Secrets of the Ages. He wanted something solid, and despite Peter's claims that the key to it all was buried in a cornerstone 555 feet beneath him, Langdon was having a hard time accepting it. People study the mysteries for entire lifetimes and are still unable to access the power allegedly hidden there. Langdon flashed on Durer's Melencolia I–the image of the dejected Adept, surrounded by the tools of his failed efforts to unveil the mystical secrets of alchemy. If the secrets can actually be unlocked, they will not be found in one place! Any answer, Langdon had always believed, was spread across the world in thousands of volumes . . . encoded into writings of Pythagoras, Hermes, Heraclitus, Paracelsus, and hundreds of others. The answer was found in dusty, forgotten tomes on alchemy, mysticism, magic, and philosophy. The answer was hidden in the ancient library of Alexandria, the clay tablets of Sumer, and the hieroglyphs of Egypt. â€Å"Peter, I'm sorry,† Langdon said quietly, shaking his head. â€Å"To understand the Ancient Mysteries is a lifelong process. I can't imagine how the key could possibly rest within a single word.† Peter placed a hand on Langdon's shoulder. â€Å"Robert, the Lost Word is not a `word.'† He gave a sage smile. â€Å"We only call it the `Word' because that's what the ancients called it . . . in the beginning.† CHAPTER 130 In the beginning was the Word. Dean Galloway knelt at the Great Crossing of the National Cathedral and prayed for America. He prayed that his beloved country would soon come to grasp the true power of the Word–the recorded collection of the written wisdom of all the ancient masters–the spiritual truths taught by the great sages. History had blessed mankind with the wisest of teachers, profoundly enlightened souls whose understanding of the spiritual and mental mysteries exceeded all understanding. The precious words of these Adepts–Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad, Zoroaster, and countless others–had been transmitted through history in the oldest and most precious of vessels. Books. Every culture on earth had its own sacred book–its own Word–each one different and yet each one the same. For Christians, the Word was the Bible, for Muslims the Koran, for Jews the Torah, for Hindus the Vedas, and on and on it went. The Word shall light the way. For America's Masonic forefathers, the Word had been the Bible. And yet few people in history have understood its true message. Tonight, as Galloway knelt alone within the great cathedral, he placed his hands upon the Word–a well-worn copy of his own Masonic Bible. This treasured book, like all Masonic Bibles, contained the Old Testament, the New Testament, and a treasure trove of Masonic philosophical writings. Although Galloway's eyes could no longer read the text, he knew the preface by heart. Its glorious message had been read by millions of his brethren in countless languages around the world. The text read: TIME IS A RIVER . . . AND BOOKS ARE BOATS. MANY VOLUMES START DOWN THAT STREAM, ONLY TO BE WRECKED AND LOST BEYOND RECALL IN ITS SANDS. ONLY A FEW, A VERY FEW, ENDURE THE TESTINGS OF TIME AND LIVE TO BLESS THE AGES FOLLOWING. There is a reason these volumes survived, while others vanished. As a scholar of faith, Dean Galloway had always found it astonishing that the ancient spiritual texts–the most studied books on earth–were, in fact, the least understood. Concealed within those pages, there hides a wondrous secret. One day soon the light would dawn, and mankind would finally begin to grasp the simple, transformative truth of the ancient teachings . . . and take a quantum leap forward in understanding his own magnificent nature. CHAPTER 131 The winding staircase that descends the spine of the Washington Monument consists of 896 stone steps that spiral around an open elevator shaft. Langdon and Solomon were making their way down, Langdon still grappling with the startling fact that Peter had shared with him only moments ago: Robert, buried within the hollow cornerstone of this monument, our forefathers placed a single copy of the Word–the Bible–which waits in darkness at the foot of this staircase. As they descended, Peter suddenly stopped on a landing and swung his flashlight beam to illuminate a large stone medallion embedded in the wall. What in the world?! Langdon jumped when he saw the carving. The medallion depicted a frightening cloaked figure holding a scythe and kneeling beside an hourglass. The figure's arm was raised, and his index finger was extended, pointing directly at a large open Bible, as if to say: â€Å"The answer is in there!† Langdon stared at the carving and then turned to Peter. His mentor's eyes shone with mystery. â€Å"I'd like you to consider something, Robert.† His voice echoed down the empty stairwell. â€Å"Why do you think the Bible has survived thousands of years of tumultuous history? Why is it still here? Is it because its stories are such compelling reading? Of course not . . . but there is a reason. There is a reason Christian monks spend lifetimes attempting to decipher the Bible. There is a reason that Jewish mystics and Kabbalists pore over the Old Testament. And that reason, Robert, is that there exist powerful secrets hidden in the pages of this ancient book . . . a vast collection of untapped wisdom waiting to be unveiled.† Langdon was no stranger to the theory that the Scriptures contained a hidden layer of meaning, a concealed message that was veiled in allegory, symbolism, and parable. â€Å"The prophets warn us,† Peter continued, â€Å"that the language used to share their secret mysteries is a cryptic one. The Gospel of Mark tells us, `Unto you is given to know the mystery . . . but it will be told in parable.' Proverbs cautions that the sayings of the wise are `riddles,' while Corinthians talks of `hidden wisdom.' The Gospel of John forewarns: `I will speak to you in parable . . . and use dark sayings.' â€Å" Dark sayings, Langdon mused, knowing this strange phrase made numerous odd appearances in Proverbs as well as in Psalm 78. I will open my mouth in a parable and utter dark sayings of old. The concept of a â€Å"dark saying,† Langdon had learned, did not mean that the saying was â€Å"evil† but rather that its true meaning was shadowed or obscured from the light. â€Å"And if you have any doubts,† Peter added, â€Å"Corinthians overtly tells us that the parables have two layers of meaning: `milk for babes and meat for men'–where the milk is a watered-down reading for infantile minds, and the meat is the true message, accessible only to mature minds.† Peter raised the flashlight, again illuminating the carving of the cloaked figure pointing intently at the Bible. â€Å"I know you are a skeptic, Robert, but consider this. If the Bible does not contain hidden meaning, then why have so many of history's finest minds–including brilliant scientists at the Royal Society–become so obsessed with studying it? Sir Isaac Newton wrote more than a million words attempting to decipher the true meaning of the Scripture, including a 1704 manuscript that claimed he had extracted hidden scientific information from the Bible!† Langdon knew this was true. â€Å"And Sir Francis Bacon,† Peter continued, â€Å"the luminary hired by King James to literally create the authorized King James Bible, became so utterly convinced that the Bible contained cryptic meaning that he wrote in his own codes, which are still studied today! Of course, as you know, Bacon was a Rosicrucian and penned The Wisdom of the Ancients.† Peter smiled. â€Å"Even the iconoclastic poet William Blake hinted that we should read between the lines.† Langdon was familiar with the verse: BOTH READ THE BIBLE DAY AND NIGHT, BUT THOU READ BLACK WHERE I READ WHITE. â€Å"And it wasn't just the European luminaries,† Peter continued, descending faster now. â€Å"It was here, Robert, at the very core of this young American nation, that our brightest forefathers–John Adams, Ben Franklin, Thomas Paine–all warned of the profound dangers of interpreting the Bible literally. In fact, Thomas Jefferson was so convinced the Bible's true message was hidden that he literally cut up the pages and reedited the book, attempting, in his words, `to do away with the artificial scaffolding and restore the genuine doctrines.' â€Å" Langdon was well aware of this strange fact. The Jeffersonian Bible was still in print today and included many of his controversial revisions, among them the removal of the virgin birth and the resurrection. Incredibly, the Jeffersonian Bible had been presented to every incoming member of Congress during the first half of the nineteenth century. â€Å"Peter, you know I find this topic fascinating, and I can understand that it might be tempting for bright minds to imagine the Scriptures contain hidden meaning, but it makes no logical sense to me. Any skilled professor will tell you that teaching is never done in code.† â€Å"I'm sorry?† â€Å"Teachers teach, Peter. We speak openly. Why would the prophets–the greatest teachers in history–obscure their language? If they hoped to change the world, why would they speak in code? Why not speak plainly so the world could understand?† Peter glanced back over his shoulder as he descended, looking surprised by the question. â€Å"Robert, the Bible does not talk openly for the same reason the Ancient Mystery Schools were kept hidden . . . for the same reason the neophytes had to be initiated before learning the secret teachings of the ages . . . for the same reason the scientists in the Invisible College refused to share their knowledge with others. This information is powerful, Robert. The Ancient Mysteries cannot be shouted from the rooftops. The mysteries are a flaming torch, which, in the hands of a master, can light the way, but which, in the hands of a madman, can scorch the earth.† Langdon stopped short. What is he saying? â€Å"Peter, I'm talking about the Bible. Why are you talking about the Ancient Mysteries?† Peter turned. â€Å"Robert, don't you see? The Ancient Mysteries and the Bible are the same thing.† Langdon stared in bewilderment. Peter was silent for several seconds, waiting for the concept to soak in. â€Å"The Bible is one of the books through which the mysteries have been passed down through history. Its pages are desperately trying to tell us the secret. Don't you understand? The `dark sayings' in the Bible are the whispers of the ancients, quietly sharing with us all of their secret wisdom.† Langdon said nothing. The Ancient Mysteries, as he understood them, were a kind of instruction manual for harnessing the latent power of the human mind . . . a recipe for personal apotheosis. He had never been able to accept the power of the mysteries, and certainly the notion that the Bible was somehow hiding a key to these mysteries was an impossible stretch. â€Å"Peter, the Bible and the Ancient Mysteries are total opposites. The mysteries are all about the god within you . . . man as god. The Bible is all about the God above you . . . and man as a powerless sinner.† â€Å"Yes! Exactly! You've put your finger on the precise problem! The moment mankind separated himself from God, the true meaning of the Word was lost. The voices of the ancient masters have now been drowned out, lost in the chaotic din of self-proclaimed practitioners shouting that they alone understand the Word . . . that the Word is written in their language and none other.† Peter continued down the stairs. â€Å"Robert, you and I both know that the ancients would be horrified if they saw how their teachings have been perverted . . . how religion has established itself as a tollbooth to heaven . . . how warriors march into battle believing God favors their cause. We've lost the Word, and yet its true meaning is still within reach, right before our eyes. It exists in all the enduring texts, from the Bible to the Bhagavad Gita to the Koran and beyond. All of these texts are revered upon the altars of Freemasonry because Masons understand what the world seems to have forgotten . . . that each of these texts, in its own way, is quietly whispering the exact same message.† Peter's voice welled with emotion. † `Know ye not that ye are gods?'† Langdon was struck by the way this famous ancient saying kept surfacing tonight. He had reflected on it while talking to Galloway and also at the Capitol Building while trying to explain The Apotheosis of Washington. Peter lowered his voice to a whisper. â€Å"The Buddha said, `You are God yourself.' Jesus taught that `the kingdom of God is within you' and even promised us, `The works I do, you can do . . . and greater.' Even the first antipope–Hippolytus of Rome–quoted the same message, first uttered by the gnostic teacher Monoimus: `Abandon the search for God . . . instead, take yourself as the starting place.' † Langdon flashed on the House of the Temple, where the Masonic Tyler's chair bore two words of guidance carved across its back: KNOW THYSELF. â€Å"A wise man once told me,† Peter said, his voice faint now, â€Å"the only difference between you and God is that you have forgotten you are divine.† â€Å"Peter, I hear you–I do. And I'd love to believe we are gods, but I see no gods walking our earth. I see no superhumans.You can point to the alleged miracles of the Bible, or any other religious text, but they are nothing but old stories fabricated by man and then exaggerated over time.† â€Å"Perhaps,† Peter said. â€Å"Or perhaps we simply need our science to catch up with the wisdom of the ancients.† He paused. â€Å"Funny thing is . . . I believe Katherine's research may be poised to do just that.† Langdon suddenly remembered that Katherine had dashed off from the House of the Temple earlier. â€Å"Hey, where did she go, anyway?† â€Å"She'll be here shortly,† Peter said, grinning. â€Å"She went to confirm a wonderful bit of good fortune.† Outside, at the base of the monument, Peter Solomon felt invigorated as he inhaled the cold night air. He watched in amusement as Langdon stared intently at the ground, scratching his head and looking around at the foot of the obelisk. â€Å"Professor,† Peter joked, â€Å"the cornerstone that contains the Bible is underground. You can't actually access the book, but I assure you it's there.† â€Å"I believe you,† Langdon said, appearing lost in thought. â€Å"It's just . . . I noticed something.† Langdon stepped back now and surveyed the giant plaza on which the Washington Monument stood. The circular concourse was made entirely of white stone . . . except for two decorative courses of dark stone, which formed two concentric circles around the monument. â€Å"A circle within a circle,† Langdon said. â€Å"I never realized the Washington Monument stands at the center of a circle within a circle.† Peter had to laugh. He misses nothing. â€Å"Yes, the great circumpunct . . . the universal symbol for God . . . at the crossroads of America.† He gave a coy shrug. â€Å"I'm sure it's just a coincidence.† Langdon seemed far off, gazing skyward now, his eyes ascending the illuminated spire, which shone stark white against the black winter sky. Peter sensed Langdon was beginning to see this creation for what it truly was . . . a silent reminder of ancient wisdom . . . an icon of enlightened man at the heart of a great nation. Even though Peter could not see the tiny aluminum tip at the top, he knew it was there, man's enlightened mind straining toward heaven. Laus Deo. â€Å"Peter?† Langdon approached, looking like a man who'd endured some kind of mystical initiation. â€Å"I almost forgot,† he said, reaching into his pocket and producing Peter's gold Masonic ring. â€Å"I've been wanting to return this to you all night.† â€Å"Thank you, Robert.† Peter held out his left hand and took the ring, admiring it. â€Å"You know, all the secrecy and mystery surrounding this ring and the Masonic Pyramid . . . it had an enormous effect on my life. When I was a young man, the pyramid was given to me with the promise that it hid mystical secrets. Its mere existence made me believe there were great mysteries in the world. It piqued my curiosity, fueled my sense of wonder, and inspired me to open my mind to the Ancient Mysteries.† He smiled quietly and slipped the ring into his pocket. â€Å"I now realize that the Masonic Pyramid's true purpose was not to reveal the answers, but rather to inspire a fascination with them.† The two men stood in silence for a long while at the foot of the monument. When Langdon finally spoke, his tone was serious. â€Å"I need to ask you a favor, Peter . . . as a friend.† â€Å"Of course. Anything.† Langdon made his request . . . firmly. Solomon nodded, knowing he was right. â€Å"I will.† â€Å"Right away,† Langdon added, motioning to the waiting Escalade. â€Å"Okay . . . but one caveat.† Langdon rolled his eyes, chuckling. â€Å"Somehow you always get the last word.† â€Å"Yes, and there is one final thing I want you and Katherine to see.† â€Å"At this hour?† Langdon checked his watch. Solomon smiled warmly at his old friend. â€Å"It is Washington's most spectacular treasure . . . and something very, very few people have ever seen.†

Poverty and Pollution Essay

Determine the ethical implications of business polluting in third world country. Explain your rationale. The Third World refers to the poorer and undeveloped countries of the world. Often, these countries have extremely poor environmental situations. Countries in Latin America, Eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia are the greatest victims of this environmental inequality. In addition to problems created by development and industrialization, poorer nations also suffer environmental difficulties caused by poverty and war, among other causes. Many environmental problems arise in the Third World. Air pollution, water pollution, deforestation, desertification, soil erosion, and poisoning of the environment are among the largest of these. (pollution problems on third world , 1999) The businesses that are polluting in a third world country are the businesses that think that because the third world countries are poor and under developed. They do not have the restriction that the U.S. does to prevent business from doing everything that they can to the environment, These countries are left with making decision on whether are not to eat are having clean environment. What do you think they are choosing to do? We sometime take advantage of people because of the situation they are in at the time. The Western countries take advantage of these Third World countries. They dump their trash and other hazardous waste into these Third World countries. The First World companies will go into these countries and build plants, which will pollution the air, in Third World nations to not have to deal with the regulations that they would face at home. Some of the transnational corporations that produce hazardous chemicals look at as overly dangerous in the First World find an acceptable market in the Third World. There, governments cannot restrict usage of these chemicals. They are trying to provide a way for its citizens to make a living. How can this be fair? How can these business live with themselves. What I have stated time and time again it always comes back to money. Suggest the reasons a business may conduct operations in a third world country and disregard any standards of pollution control. We see the pollution problem affecting the whole world. Industries are going overseas because the cost of labor is a lot cheaper. Therefore all they want to do is make a big profit by paying less and acquiring quality goods and services. (pollution problems on third world , 1999) Industries don’t care about the employees never the less about the environment. Laws and regulations a lot different in third world countries and there is a lot of corruption too; with this been said if anyone complaints money is the solution. Also as I mention before countries of the Third World struggle with population growth, poverty, famines, and wars, their residents are discovering the environmental effects of these problems, in the form of increasing air, water, and land pollution. Industrialized nations often dump wastes in developing countries where there is little or no environmental regulation, and governments may collect considerable fees for accepting their garbage. And not only that some of this garbage can be hazards not only for the environment but to the individuals leave close to this dump sites this third world countries would accept garbage for money this is hard to believe. This industries move to third world countries because there is not pollution controlled laws. Therefore industries are not allowed to manufacture of produce certain things their only option is to move if they want to still be in business. (gale, 2005) It has been said that pollution is the price of progress. Assess the connection between economic progress and development, on the one hand, and pollution controls and environmental protection, on the other. The optimal level of pollution is supposed to be the level at which the costs to the company of cleaning up the pollution equal the cost of environmental damage caused by that pollution. If the pollution charge is equivalent to the cost of environmental damage then the theory says that the company will clean up its pollution until any further incremental reduction in pollution would cost more than the remaining charge, that is until it is cheaper to pay the charge than reduce the pollution. This might seem to be less than optimal solutions to the community but economists argue that the polluter is better off than if it had paid to eliminate the pollution altogether and the community is no worse off because it is being compensated by the firm for the damage through the payments to the government. In theory the payments made by firms in the form of charges can be used to correct the environmental damage they cause. (beder, 1996) Support the argument that human beings have a moral right to a livable environment regardless of the country they live in. Every person in every community has the right to health, and to a safe and healthy environment. Unfortunately, these rights are often not respected. Many people suffer from serious health problems caused by a scarcity of basic necessities and an excess of harmful substances. The most vulnerable people are those who have low status because of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, class, caste, poverty, or for other reasons. They usually suffer first, and worst. The struggle to live in a healthy, safe, productive, and enjoyable environment by communities whose rights are not well respected by people in power is sometimes called the struggle for environmental justice. As part of the human rights; each human being has a moral right to life and to a livable environment. Also is not fair for these individuals from third world countries to suffer from more things they’re already struggling and then u have industries polluting their environment. Everyone should be able to have a good environment to live in. Also something that caught my attention is the even though here in the United States of America we have good environment individuals don’t not how to take care of it. For example people throwing garbage out their cars windows or disposing of chemicals in their back yard. This types of thing can cause damage to our environment. Take a position on whether nations have an obligation to provide poorer nations with, or help them develop, greener industries and sources of energy. Explain your rationale. Although some of this nations are poor they can also be rich because of natural resource for example oil, gold and expensive minerals. Many third world countries have been able to be successful because of natural resources. I think that if a nation is wealthy and individuals are happy, then it should help other nations because today for them and tomorrow for us. We never know when we are going to need someone’s help. Therefore it is not an obligation to other nations but it’s good to show support. The United States of America is known for helping others but I know there is always an interest or a agreement to repay the USA. Also increasingly, through globalization, many countries have become dependent on each other. While some countries are endowed with better quality resources, others have to be satisfied with current resources. History has shown that the poorer countries are usually those more vulnerable to disasters (economically and socially) and are less equipped to overcome these disasters. Rich countries, therefore, are consistently required to support those poorer countries through international aid. However, the right type of aid is more important than the quantity of aid. Rich countries should invest in the human capital of poor countries, provide defense against wars, and help develop the skills of the people instead of simply providing donations. There should be agreements and follow-ups on how the aid is being used. Propose a plan for uniform global pollution control standards and how you would enforce them. It’s hard to say how something can be done about this the procedures and norms are in place now. I think pollution is always going to be an issue and it’s going to be too late when individuals try to help with the problem. The only thing I can suggest is to maybe have dump sites in out of space and if the garbage tries to enter earth of other planet it would burn anyways. But to enforce new regulation it’s going to be a challenge hopefully they can come out with a solution soon. Industries are not going to stop producing thing while the demand is high. And if we told inviduals that this is harmful for the earth that they need to stop they would just laugh References Pollution problems on third world . (1999). Retrieved from http://library.thinkquest.org/26026/Economics/pollution_problems_in_the_thir.html Beder, S. (1996). charging the earth: the promotion of price- based measures for pollution. Retrieved from http://www.herinst.org/sbeder/enveconomics/economics.html

Introduction to Asthma

Asthma is an inflammatory disorder of the airways, which causes attacks of wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing. There is no cure for asthma, but most people can control the condition and lead normal, active lives. Different things set off asthma attacks in different people. Smoke from cigarettes or a fire, air pollution, cold air, pollen, animals, house dust, molds, strong smells such as perfume or bus exhaust, wood dust, exercise, industrial chemicals all can trigger an attack. The symptoms of an asthmatic person are cough with or without sputum phlegm production, Shortness of breath that gets worse with exercise or activity, Pulling in of the skin between the ribs when breathing intercostals retractions, Wheezing, Usually begins suddenly, Comes in episodes, May go away on its own, May be worse at night or in early morning, Gets worse when breathing in cold air, Gets worse with exercise, Gets worse with heartburn reflux, Gets better when using drugs that open the airways bronchodilators The emergency symptoms are the decreased level of alertness such as severe drowsiness or confusion, during an asthma attack. The bluish color to the lips and face. Extreme difficulty breathing for a person is hard. Severe anxiety due to shortness of breath, Sweating. An additional symptom that may be associated with this disease is abnormal breathing pattern breathing out takes more than twice as long as breathing in. Have a chest pain is hard to breathe when u having asthma and it’s hard when tightness in the chest. Breathing temporarily stops and nasal flaring. The goal of treatment is to avoid the substances that trigger your symptoms and to control airway inflammation. Peoples and doctors should work together as a team to develop and carry out a plan for eliminating asthma triggers and monitoring symptoms. There are two basic kinds of medication for the treatment of asthma. There are long-acting medications to prevent attacks. Quick relief medications for use during attacks. The long-term control medications are used on a regular basis to prevent attacks, not to treat them. Such medicines include as inhaled corticosteroids such as Azmacort, Vanceril, AeroBid, and Flovent prevent inflammation. Leukotriene inhibitors such as Singular and Accolate. Long-acting bronchodilators such as Serevent help open airways. Cromolyn sodium Intel or nedocromil sodium Tilade. Aminophylline or theophylline. Sometimes a combination of steroids and bronchodilators are used. Quick relief, or rescue, medications are used to relieve symptoms during an attack. These are short-acting bronchodilators inhalers, such as Proventil, Ventolin, Xopenex, and others. Corticosteroids, such as prednisone or methylprednisolone given by mouth or into a vein Most people with asthma have wheezing attacks separated by symptom free periods. Some patients have long-term shortness of breath with episodes of increased shortness of breath. In others, a cough may be the main symptom. Asthma attacks can last minutes to days and can become dangerous if the airflow becomes severely restricted. In sensitive individuals, asthma symptoms can be triggered by breathing in allergy causing substances called allergens or triggers. Allergy testing may be helpful in identifying allergens in patients with persistent asthma. Common allergens include pet dander, dust mites, cockroach allergens, molds, and pollens. Common respiratory irritants include tobacco smoke, pollution, and fumes from burning wood or gas. The doctor will use a stethoscope to listen to the lungs. Asthma related sounds may be heard. However, lung sounds are usually normal between asthma episodes. The tests that an asthma may include. Blood tests to measure eosinophil count a type of white blood cell and a type of immune system protein called an immunoglobulin. Lung function tests, Arterial blood gas, Chest x-ray and a peak flow measurements. There is no cure for asthma, although symptoms sometimes improve over time. With proper self management and medical treatment, most people with asthma can lead normal lives. The prevention of asthma symptoms can be substantially reduced by avoiding known triggers and substances that irritate the airways. Bedding can be covered with â€Å"allergy proof† casings to reduce exposure to dust mites. Removing carpets from bedrooms and vaccuuming regularly is also helpful. Detergents and cleaning materials in the home should be unscented. Keeping humidity levels low and fixing leaks can reduce growth of organisms such as mold. Keep the house clean and keep food in containers and out of bedrooms this helps reduce the possibility of cockroaches, which can trigger asthma attacks in some people. If a person is allergic to an animal that cannot be removed from the home, the animal should be kept out of the patient's bedroom. Filtering material can be placed over the heating outlets to trap animal dander. Eliminating tobacco smoke from the home is the single most important thing a family can do to help a child with asthma. Smoking outside the house is not enough. Family members and visitors who smoke carry smoke esidue in and on their clothes and hair this can trigger asthma symptoms. Persons with asthma should also avoid air pollution, industrial dusts, and other irritating fumes, as much as possible. The complications of asthma can be severe. Some include as Death, Decreased ability to exercise and take part in other activities. Lack of sleep due to nighttime symptoms of dealing with asthma. They are permanent changes in the function of the lungs and persistent cough. The trouble breathing that requires breathing assistance ventilator. Call people health care provider or go to the emergency room. An asthma attack requires more medication than recommended. The symptoms get worse or do not improve with treatment. People have shortness of breath while talking. There is severe shortness of breath at rest. The peak flow measurement. The peak flow measurement is less than 50% of your personal best. Some people have severe chest pain best. Drowsiness or confusion develops. What are the causes in asthma all people with asthma have the same underlying problem an immune system that overprotects the lungs. Cells that defend the body stay gathered in the airways and produce mucus, a moist substance that keeps the airways free of dust. But if an irritant, such as smoke, pollution, or cold air, comes along, these defense cells overreact they make too much mucus. The mucus clogs the breathing passages. At the same time, the muscles lining the passages contract, squeezing and narrowing the airways. The result is that less air is able to flow in and out of the lungs. Doctors aren't sure what causes these cells to stay gathered in a person's airways in the first place, but they do know that the problem tends to run in families. If one of the parents has asthma, the odds that you will have it are higher. People are even more likely to have asthma if both of their parents have it. Asthma shows up before the age of 18 for about half of the people who develop the condition. But it can appear at any age, even when a person is in his sixties or older. They have preventions for an attack. There are three keys to taking control of the asthma: faithfully using your prescribed medication, periodically checking your breathing at home, and avoiding the things that set off the symptoms. With these keys, there can prevent attacks rather than just treating them. Using medication that people need. Certain anti-inflammatory drugs can ward off attacks or lower the number of attacks you have. Most often, people breathe in the medication using an inhaler. These drugs keep the defense cells that stay in their airways from overreacting and causing an attack. The doctor will tell a person how many times a day to use the inhaler and how many puffs to take each time, based on how bad your asthma is. He or She must follow this schedule for the inhaler to work. And it's important to remember that using anti-inflammatory drugs won't help during an attack. It's a good idea to rinse him / her mouth out with water after using the inhaler. This will help prevent an infection in the mouth, a rare side effect of the drug. Anti inflammatory drugs also come in pill form, but usually only people with severe asthma need to take pills. In pill form, the medicine goes directly into the bloodstream and stays in the body longer, having a more lasting effect than an inhaled drug does. Anti inflammatory drugs are sometimes called corticosteroids. However, they have nothing to do with the muscle building hormone that many people think of when they hear the term steroids. A person might have to check their breathing from time to time at home with a device called a peak flow meter. This small, hand held instrument measures the amount of air that you are able to blow out. The measurement gives people a better idea of the clearness of their breathing passages than they can sense of their own. Using the flow meter regularly will help you and your doctor work out the best possible treatment plan. If people keep getting good results, meaning they're breathing easily, they may not have to use the inhaler as often or at all. A dip in the flow meter’s reading, showing that you are able to exhale less air than usual, can warn people that an asthma attack is coming. What to do if people have an attack. She/he won't always be able to prevent asthma attacks. If they have one, take action immediately. Have people medicine handy to their doctor will prescribe drugs that relieve the symptoms of asthma should before they suffer an attack. These drugs are called bronchodilators. Their inhale them, and they quickly work to open up their airways. If people asthma is very mild, the bronchodilator may be the only drug they need at that time. People often confuse these drugs with inhaled anti-inflammatory medications, which act on the immune system cells in the lungs but will not loosen their breathing passages during an attack. Check their breathing. Use the flow meter to see if an asthma attack is responding to your medication. If it's not, get emergency care right away. Unlike bothersome substances, exercise is not an irritant that you need to avoid. Although vigorous activity can cause attacks in many people with asthma, there are things that a person can do to make exercising more comfortable. Experts encourage adults and kids to go for it to participate in pretty much whatever sports or activities they like. There have even been Olympic athletes with asthma. Asthma symptoms can appear during their workout or after they finishing exercising. The symptoms are thought to be caused by changes in the temperature and moisture of the air they breathe. Usually an exercise flare up reaches a peak in five to ten minutes and then goes away by itself in 30 minutes to an hour. Here are some things that they can do to avoid asthma symptoms while people work out. Start slow. Spending a few minutes warming up before they go all out can help prevent the symptoms. Be prepared. To lessen the negative effect of physical activity, the doctor may tell people to take a couple of puffs from their bronchodilator inhaler about ten minutes before they start exercising. Check the air quality. While exercise itself rarely brings on a bad attack, exercise in combination with another irritant can create a serious problem. If they are sensitive to air pollution or pollen, for example, and most run on a day when the air is smoggy or pollen counts are high, they may have trouble. A better choice on such a day is to exercise indoors. Check the air temperature. Like physical activity, cold air brings on asthma symptoms in many people. The same bike ride, walk, or roller skating outing that you can handle in mild weather may be tougher in the winter. Work out when they're healthy. They’re more likely to experience a flare up during exercise if you have a virus. Make sure that they're over a cold or the flu before going back to their routine. A stuffy nose can also create problems. People’s nose warms and moistens the air and the inhale. But when people have to breathe through their mouth, colder, drier air goes into their airways, causing asthma symptoms. If they often have a stuffy nose from allergies, ask their doctor about treatment. As a mother, there is no need to be too worried or over protective of their asthmatic child. Look after her/him as people would for other children with love, care and encouragement. Although asthma cannot be cured, with proper management, asthmatic children can still lead happy and healthy lives like any other children. As most mother are very protective with me their child when she/he was born with asthma.

Legalization of Drugs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Legalization of Drugs - Essay Example f rise of various forms of violence that fundamentally arises as a result of disputes between the sellers and customers who have no choice but to rely on their own powers since neither of the two parties is backed by legal support. An analysis of the various forms of violence prevalent in the modern world suggests that in a vast majority of cases, drug oppression is the root cause of violence. Everyday, we read news about stuffed babies, dolls, vegetables, drug agents’ skin and capsules. Millions of dollars are spent on exploring and dealing with such cases resulting into an ever growing and flourishing drug industry. Every year, thousands of children are kidnapped by the drug dealers who murder them and stuff heroine in their bodies and take them to other countries. When such cases are caught, image of the drug exporting country is tarnished. Drug oppression not only indirectly encourages kidnapping and murder, but also tarnishes the international relations among countries. T his paper argues that legalization of drugs is fundamental to the elimination of violence from the society and provides evidence and reasoning for the same. basis of the sky high prices of drugs. It is the illegal and hidden process of drug smuggling that makes them so high priced. The drug addicts want to access them at any cost, even if they have to commit murder in their way to approaching the drugs. â€Å"The Presidents Commission on Organized Crime estimates a total of seventy drug market murders yearly in Miami alone. Based on that figure and FBI data, a reasonable nationwide estimate would be at least 750 murders a year. Recent estimates from New York and Washington are even higher.† (Ostrowski, 1993, p. 209 cited in Cussen and Block, 2000, p. 3). with disputes on the part of the smugglers and the drug purchasers. With no laws designed for the process and the parties involved, the concerned parties are forced to resort to their own power and resources to safeguard their personal

The Strategy of Taiwans Latecomer Firms to Gain Competitive Advantage Article

The Strategy of Taiwans Latecomer Firms to Gain Competitive Advantage - Article Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that Taiwan together with South Korea, Singapore, and Hong Kong form part of the four newly industrializing economies (NIEs) of East Asia that have rapidly risen over the past few decades to become major global economic powers. Despite being latecomers in the region, many firms in Taiwan have gradually developed their innovation capabilities within a short span of time to become major rivals to the well established multinational corporations (MNCs) from Japan, Europe and America. The spectacular success of the Taiwanese firms in overcoming latecomer disadvantages and catch up with early movers is largely attributed to their successful application of a mix of corporate strategies designed to enable them to overcome entry barriers and gain competitive advantage. As Asia continues to take over the global economy, there are some issues with regard to how the firms in this region are able to compete in the global market. Specifically, the firms th at have entered the Asian market late have even more challenges with regard to catching up with those that are already established. These firms are called latecomers and have many challenges with regard to entry and how they are able to keep up not only in the global arena but also with the other giants in the local market who are already established. One such area that these firms seem to be lagging behind in the area of technology acquisition. Latecomers in the Taiwanese market have to deal with the fact that technology in this region has not matured like in the west. How these firms decide to use a specific strategy for transferring the technology is determined by the business strategy they use.

Compare and contrast Schnitzlers and Freuds interpretations of Essay

Compare and contrast Schnitzlers and Freuds interpretations of character - Essay Example At one point, Freud believed that the psychoanalysis brought an opening for the horizons of understanding characters of art; while on the other hand it has been observed that Schnitzler was more concerned about the experiences of protagonists. Many written works by both Arthur Schnitzler and Sigmund Freud brought in-depth assessment of protagonists or characters in the art work. This paper also presents differing viewpoints that further back up the statement regarding interpretation of characters. Arthur Schnitzler and Sigmund Freud have both contributed their respective assessment and understanding regarding character in fin de sià ¨cle in Vienna. Herein, it is extremely significant to understand the change that was noted during fin de sià ¨cle in Vienna. It will not be incorrect to state that fin de sià ¨cle in Vienna (a French title for the turn of century), social degeneration where new thoughts regarding subject matters were being introduced. These new concepts had direct impact on associations between members of the society1. Critics and writers of fin de sià ¨cle in Vienna pointed out that Schnitzler has been curious about his characters that he created in his different literary works. It was due to this reason that presented a great deal of his art work to bring his abstract view regarding characters into a proper definition. In the same fashion, one can easily notice that Sigmund Freud has also presented an in-depth assessment of character by coming up with major psychoanalytical study of his characters through psychoanalysis2. As per various critics, it has been noted that there are vast similarities between the work of Sigmund Freud and Arthur Schnitzler. The reason behind such a claim is that both the assessors of characters were from the same city who merely acknowledges each other’s work through the help of letters3. The major difference at this point between the works of Freud and Schnitzler which was peculiar is none other

Examine the extent to which children have rights in a particular area Essay

Examine the extent to which children have rights in a particular area of law and provision (Abortion) - Essay Example The UK is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on Children’s rights held in the month of December in the year 1991. The Convention acts as a basis for protection of children’s rights in all member states. (Every Child Matters, 2008) The convention provides that all children have the right to life. This brings up a vital question; can a foetus be considered as a child? The United Kingdom recognises viable foetuses as those ones who have exceeded twenty four weeks. (Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, 2004) This is why the Abortion Act of 1967 allows abortions before a pregnancy has reached that stipulated time. In relation to this, the UK only allows abortion in cases where the unborn child will affect his mother’s health both physically and mentally. By providing such a restriction, the unborn child’s right to life is protected because mothers may not terminate their pregnancies for minor reasons. This ensures that unborn children’s rights are protected in the most viable way possible. The Abortion Act of 1967 also provides that abortions should only be carried out after obtaining consent from two medical practitioners. (Abortion right, 2007) The purpose of this stipulation is to further ascertain that abortions are only carried out in extreme conditions and that a child’s best interests are protected even before they are born. However, certain human rights groups like the Society for the protection of the unborn child claims that these laws are not doing enough to protect the unborn child. They argue that all abortions should be made illegal through repealing of the abortion acts relevant to women in the UK today. (Arthur, 2007) Experts agree that the United Kingdom’s abortion laws are quite severe to women but protect unborn children through its restrictions. In comparison to other countries in that area, unborn children take precedence over women. In countries like

The Anthropology of Latin America and the Caribbean weekly reflection Assignment

The Anthropology of Latin America and the Caribbean weekly reflection - Assignment Example n, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, Baha’i, Islamic, Protestant, Evangelical and indigenous religions and denominations exist in Latin America and the Caribbean (Harry, 184). The way of life of Latin Americans and the Caribbean varies greatly from one part of the region to another given the many ethnic groupings and different ancestries. Additionally, the author writes that various Afro-Latin American practices such as Macumba and Santeria are prevalent among Latin Americans and the Caribbean. Particularly, evangelism is an incessantly increasing practice in the Latin American and Caribbean religion. The region of Latin America and the Caribbean experiences several health challenges. In the view of Harry, he notes that the main health challenge in the region is the persistent high maternal and infant mortality rates (Harry, 211). There are diarrheal and respiratory diseases. In addition, the author points out vaccine-preventable infections as one of the leading causes of deaths in the region. Further, there are drug resistant infectious agents. Food and drugs are inadequate supply is another health issue. Harry further notes that health personnel have increasingly emigrated from the region, impeding the efforts to make healthcare services satiable. These health problems are under surveillance and responsible governments are working on making the health condition of the citizens of the countries in the region better. Harry notes that Latin America and the Caribbean region are so diverse that it holds various cuisines which vary from nation to another. One of the most cherished dishes in the region is maize-based cuisine. Tamales, pupusas and tortillas are the most popular of the maize dishes. In addition, Harry notes that salsas and other condiments such as pico de gallo, mole and guacamole are also popular. Although the spices give the Latin American cuisine the characteristic, unique taste they have, different countries use different spices. Even those nations that

Mammal research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Mammal - Research Paper Example Different mammals live in different habitats, depending on the kind of food they consume. Therefore, mammals can be found in deserts, near wetlands, forests, and near water bodies. This paper presents a study research that focuses on specific mammals referred to as â€Å"Otters,† and the research is about how otters socialize. There is presentation of data, and conclusions are made from the data. Otters are mammals that live or found in water, hence referred to as marine or aquatic mammals. These are considered to be the smallest kind of mammals that live in water. In order to keep warm, otters have thick fur on their body. There are different types of otters, including sea otters, giant otters, and river otters. One of the differentiating factors of these otters is their area of habitation. Nonetheless, otters can be found in Europe, Asia, North America, parts of North Africa, and South America. A common characteristic of all otters is that they exhibit a high level of social behaviour. These marine mammals for instance hang out in groups, based on their sexes. While female otters spend time together, their male counterparts also do spend their time together in groups. The otters that are mothers to young ones spend a great deal of their time nursing the young ones, as well as grooming them. These also carry their young ones on their chests (Dickerson 2-3). For this research on otters, it was important to locate a safe, convenient and accessible place, where otters could be found easily. This is mainly because, this is a primary research study, and hence first-hand experience was essential. It was deemed appropriate to conduct the research study in the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. This aquarium is located in Chicago, and is an indoor aquarium. In the aquarium, there are more than 30,000 marine animals, together with those that inhabit aerial and terrestrial environments (Shedd Aquarium Web). After scheduling and buying tickets, the study

Gang Crime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Gang Crime - Essay Example This is in the case of gang rapes, serial killers, famous drug lords as well world most dreaded cases of terrorism (Hood & Deva, 2014). Rape cases hit make headlines everyday but some happen and no one evens happens to notice. However, some of the cases are so gross that they invite public attention virtually across all part of the world. One of such crime dates back in 2012 in New Delhi India. The gang rape case attracted scorn, put India justice system on the spotlight and impacted the trial at a great deal. India is famous with rape cases with some of the going unsolved. However, this trial attracted world eye and had to be decided in the most justified way possible (Kumar & Kumar, 2013). The Indian rapist gang consisted of six members namely Mukesh Singh, Akshay Thakur, Vinay Sharma, Pawan Gupta, Ram Singh and unnamed juvenile. They carried out the most thrilling gang and murder in the history of New Delhi. The victim was a 23-year woman who was accompanied by her friend on their way home. She was a physiotherapy intern. They had gone to watch a movie, Life of Pie but on their way home from Munirka to Dwarka they were intercepted by the aforementioned gang in a private bus. The male friend was beaten with an iron rod and left unconscious. The woman was not lucky because they beat her up too with the same iron rod, raped her in turn, and damaged her abdomen and intestines. She died thirteen days later while undergoing serious treatment in Singapore. The barbaric gang was later arrested and a case was filed immediately. During the trial period one of the delinquent youth, Ram Singh died in the course of the trial period while the young boy in the gang sent to a juveni le home (Kumar & Kumar, 2013). The media and public went on uproar in various Indian streets after the local police had apprehended the gang. The Indian public wanted justice to be given for the rape victim. Though the trial was on course, the public barely had faith that

APPLIED CONCEPT PAPER Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

APPLIED CONCEPT PAPER - Essay Example An important concept that develops the trust of stake holders as well as shareholders is corporate social responsibility, which is the extent to which businesses tend to monitor and manage their activities in a way that leaves a positive impact on society as well as the environment as a whole. In addition to this, responsibility of top management to make decisions in a way that are in the best interest of stake holders and shareholders also adds a lot to the firm’s reputation and profitability. The decisions made should also be within the ethical framework. The paper will provide an analysis of the concepts mentioned above along with their implications in corporate world. Abstract The Corporate Governance Movement Daniel R. Fischel Copyright 1982 Vanderbilt Law Review This article is titled as ‘The Corporate Governance Movement’ and is written by Daniel R. Fischel. In this article the writer focuses on factors that are responsible for poor governance of corporatio ns. The writer is of the view that improving fiduciary duties, increased accountability and a large percentage of outside, competent and independent directors can put forward better methods of governing corporations thus, increasing its performance. The next article focuses on the relationship between agents and principle, as maintaining good relationship with principals is critical to the success of the organization. A Survey of Corporate Governance Andrei Shleifer and Robert W. Vishny The Journal of Finance A Survey of Corporate Governance, an article written by Andrei Shleifer and Robert W. Vishny, focuses on the ways the suppliers of finance assure themselves of getting return on their investment. It probes that how principals make managers to behave in their best interest. Moreover, it also focuses on the implications of good relationship between agents and principals on corporate governance. CSR practices and corporate strategy: evidence from a longitudinal case study Lucio La mberti, Emanuele Lettieri The Journal of Business Ethics ‘CSR practices and corporate strategy: evidence from a longitudinal case study’, an article written by Lucio Lamberti and Emanuele Lettieri, focuses on how CSR practices helped corporations fulfill stakeholders’ claims and how it has helped in building up their (stakeholders) trust on corporations. Further evidence is provided by probing into a case study of Italian baby food manufacturing company that demonstrates how adopting CSR practices can shape corporate strategies and win the trust of stakeholders and the society as a whole. Business ethics and stake holder analysis Kenneth E. Goodpaster Business Ethics Quarterly This article titled as ‘Business ethics and Stake holder Analysis’ written by Kenneth E. Goodpaster, focuses on why ethical decision making is important. According to the writer, ethically responsible manager is one who not only takes into account the shareholder analysis but a lso the stakeholder analysis, while making decisions. The study also focuses on the fact that how can management strive to achieve its corporate strategy by giving full attention to ethical concerns. Concepts This paper will highlight several concepts like corporate governance, with special emphasis on the factors responsible for poor governance in corporations and also on how the factor of corporate governance can be improved. In addition to this, importance of relationship betw

Corruption in Sudan Essay Example for Free

Corruption in Sudan Essay Other cities like Omdurman have 2. 1 million, Port Sudan have a total population of 450,000. Kassala, Kosti, Juba are the capital of southern region. People from the country are called Sudanese and 2009 in July Population was 41,087,825: 2. 143%. There are two ethnic groups namely : Arab/Muslim, theses group of people live on the northern part of the country and black African or Christian on south. There are also two types of religion, Islam (official), indigenous beliefs (southern Sudan), Christianity. There are also many languages like Arabic which is official, English also official, tribal languages. Education in Sudan is compulsory for some years,8 Attendance(35%-40%). Literacy level is 61. 1. This country’s main natural resources include reserves of oil, gold, natural gas copper, iron ore and other industrial metals. Sudan got its independence on January 1, 1956 and the type of government they operate is the provisional government which was established by the comprehensive peace Agreement (CPA) and signed in January 2005. This offers power sharing as far as the national elections takes place. The national election took place starting from April, November 2010. Sudan became the largest debtor to the World Bank and IMF by 1993 this resulted to the suspension of their voting rights by IMF and withdrawals under operative and fully expended loans and credit by the World Bank. It was also said that â€Å"extensive petroleum exploration began in mid1970’s and might cover all of Sudan’s economic and energy needs†. This year according to martin † Sudan may need as much as $1. 5billion of foreign aid a year and plans 2 slash government spending by a quarter as it faces budget difficulties due to its recent split into two countries, its finance minister said† and according to the finance minister† we’re expecting 6 percent (economic growth) or a little more for 2012† There have been conflicts with the northern and southern part of Sudan that have killed 1. 5 million people and also driving many ethnic groups and people from their homes. Sudan had had several episodes of civil welfare since its independence, broke association and now rule with Egypt (this actually did not benefit them anything but further trouble). All regions of Sudan face problems, both the south and the north and corruption can be counted as one of them. The southern part of Sudan has separated as an autonomous region in July 2011 even though it is a different state but it is still a very poor nation with a very low human development. Media on the southern part of Sudan is very poor, undeveloped and not well equipped. A journalist(s) does not have the right to broadcast, report or give any news, information to Darfur (other part of Sudan) and if any journalist(s) violates that law, he/she/they would be severely punished and even be jailed. Today, many journalists are still in prison and only God knows when they might be freed and which will be out. For example, in October 2010, a radio station ’Dabanga’ in Khartoum after a movement of arrests was shut down by the government and seven of its employees have been alleged of exposing state secretes, breaking the constitutional system, the punishment foe this crime is a death penalty. The civil war of 1991 in southern Sudan destroyed almost all southern medical facilities except those that had been rebuilt to treat their people who have been wounded in Juba, Malakal and Waw, these three hospitals are controlled by the government. The facilities were impracticable to use because of the scarcity of the most basic medical materials and a similar problem is faced in the northern Sudan, health care facilities had been considered helpless by the economic situation. Sudan does not have the hard currency to buy basic drugs, such as antibiotics and anti-malarial drugs, and the most important equipment, such as syringes. Private medical care in towns still functions but was also hindered by the scarcity of pharmaceuticals. In conclusion, I think after analyzing these situations in the area of banking, finance, media and medicine, the conflicts and political instability and so one, those should or are the main reason why Sudan is rated as one of the most corrupt countries in the world.

Transaction Processing Systems

Transaction Processing Systems The main information systems used for operational support in a business are transaction processing systems. This type of system processes data about transactions, which are events that have occurred that affect the business, such as the sale or purchase of goods. A transaction processing system has 3 main purposes: keep records about the state of an organization, process transactions that affect these records, and produce outputs that report on transactions that have occurred. For example, an inventory control system tracks records about inventory, processes sales and purchases of inventory, and produces reports about the amount and value of items on hand, on order, etc. Transaction processing systems exist in all areas of an organization, and in all types of organizations. TPSs can be used by employees (order entry) or customers (bank ATMs). They can use various types of hardware, software, and networks. TPSs use stored data in both files and databases, and many types of programs. TPS structure The structure of a TPS generally consists of a user or other TPS that interacts with TPS software, and stored data used by the TPS. Users of the system are typically personnel who work with business transactions, such as salespeople. Input data comes from users and other TPS. Output includes data back to other TPSs, screens, and reports. TPS functions Like other information systems, TPSs perform four main functions: input, processing, output, and data storage. The input function accepts data for processing from outside the system. The processing output transforms the data in some way. The output function makes the processing results available outside the system. The storage function stores the data for use. Before transaction data can be brought into a TPS, it must be acquired from its source. This step is called data capture. The receiving report is an example of a source document that is used to perform data entry. Data entry means using a screen similar to the one in this figure to enter data. Once the data is entered, a program checks it for errors, a process called data validation. For example, inventory receiving data might be checked to ensure that all number entries are numeric that the item is known to the system, and that quantities are in acceptable ranges. Much output from a TPS is in the form of reports. Several types of reports are commonly produced by TPSs. A detailed report lists details about transactions, such as inventory movement. A summary report summarizes data at various levels. Exception reports indicate data that are exceptions to some condition or standard. Data in a TPS is stored to data files and databases. Two types of stored data are commonly found in TPSs: transaction and master data. Master data is the main data used by the TPS. Master data is usually permanent data that remains in the system as long as the system is in use. For example, an inventory system would have an inventory master file with one record for each item in inventory. Transaction data is data about transactions that have occurred. Transaction data usually remains with the system only until the transactions are processed. The transaction data is then replaced with other transaction data for new transactions. For example, in the inventory control system, a transaction file would contain data about inventory transactions. That data would be used to update the inventory master file. Once the update was complete, the transaction file would be cleared and a new list of transactions would be started. After the data is created, the TPS can retrieve data from the file or database, a process called accessing the data. The data is accessed to produce reports, update master files, and other purposes. Sometimes, before a TPS can access data, it must be arranged in an order that is useful to the system, a process called sorting. For example, the inventory system may produce a report of the 5 most expensive items. The item list should then be sorted in descending order of cost. The data put into a file or database when it is created will become obsolete over time. The TPS must update the data periodically to keep it current. Updating can involve adding new data, changing current data, and deleting old data. Transaction data is used to update master data. Processing involves manipulating data within the system. One function that just involves data processing and not any of the other functions is computation, such as calculating details and totals. Another processing function is decision making, or checking for conditions and acting on them. TPS Controls TPSs must have procedures to ensure the completeness of the data processing, and to minimize the chance of errors. In general, these procedures are called controls. Many types of controls are used, including control totals, audit trails, and backup and recovery procedures. All data in a TPS may not be processed for various reasons, including hardware and software failures, and human error. One way that a TPS checks that all data is processed is through control totals. A control total is a number that is computed when data enters a system, and again after the system has processed the data. For example, in the inventory control system, a number reflecting an initial count of receiving reports to be entered would be entered into the system. After the receiving reports are entered, a count of the documents entered would be produced. There are also other types of control totals. Document counts are only one type. An audit trail is a way of tracing the effect of data through a system. A good audit trail is one in which someone can start with the output and go back through the system to the source document and vice versa. For example, the inventory receiving system could produce a report of all item counts. This could be used to trace each item received back to its receiving report source document. Computer systems sometimes fail, causing a loss of corruption of data. The failure may be caused by a malfunction in the hardware or software, or because of something outside the system, such as a lightning strike. The main way of ensuring against loss of data is to use a backup procedure. This means copying important data and programs to a portable media and moving it somewhere away from the main computing site. Important files and databases are usually backed up daily or weekly. The backup of the stored data can be copied back to the system, a process known are restoring the data. If a system fails, recovery procedures tell the computer professionals how to use the backups to recover from a crash. Modes of Data Processing Data in a TPS can be processed using two basic approaches: batch and online processing. A TPS may use both online and batch processing. In batch processing, data for all transactions to be processed are prepared in form understandable to the computer before actual processing begins. Then the batch of data is processed by the computer, and the resulting output is received in a batch. An example of batch processing is overnight payroll check processing and printing. With online processing, or OLTP, a person uses a screen and keyboard or I/O device connected to the computer at the time the processing is done. Each set of data for a transaction is entered directly into the computer. The data is processed, and the output is received before the next input data is entered. Online processing may also be called interactive processing. An example of online processing is an airline reservation system. The term à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“real-timeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  may also be used to indicate online processing. Real-time means the processing is performed immediately after the data is entered. This description is not quite accurate for online processing. If there are many users of an online system, processing may not begin for some time after the input is received. The amount of time depends on the hardware, software, and number of users. One example of a real-time system is a manufacturing monitoring system. If cars are being manufactured and thereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a problem with the computerized assembly line, the system alerts operators immediately.

Perceptions And Attitudes Towards Hiv Health And Social Care Essay

Perceptions And Attitudes Towards Hiv Health And Social Care Essay Since the first reported case of HIV/AIDS in 1981, the disease has had a devastating effect on all components of our society and has become the most deadly infectious disease epidemic in recent times. The disease is seen as a threat to the stability of entire nations and regions affecting the most productive members of the society. HIV/AIDS has become a global phenomenon, however the disease is most pronounced in developing countries particularly Sub-Saharan Africa. The spread of the disease has reached pandemic proportions in most parts of the African continent (WHO 2007). The numbers of people infected with HIV keeps on increasing particularly among the young people. The estimated number of persons living with HIV worldwide in 2009 is 33 million. African continent alone had 22.5 million of the worlds estimated 33 million people living with HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS/WHO 2007). UNAIDS estimates showed that young people under 25 accounted for about 45% of all new HIV cases (over 6800 people become infected with HIV everyday) in adults in 2007. The disease continues to ravage Sub-Saharan Africa and it remains the most serious of infectious disease that challenges Africa. The leading cause of death in Sub-Saharan Africa is HIV/AIDS (Tanaka, Kunii, Hatano Wakai 2007). It is true HIV/AIDS continues to spread among the population of urban communities in Rwanda, with its heavy toll on the 15 49 year age groups, who constitute the economically productive sector of the countrys economy. Kanombe and Muhima Districts are urban communities in Kigali City Province, which has seen increase in the spread of HIV/AIDS. Urban districts are part of the worst HIV/AIDS prevalence in Rwanda. As at 2006 it had prevalence rate of 5.1% far higher than the rural average of 2.1 the same year. Rwanda is among the ten countries in Africa most severely affected by HIV/AIDS. The country is facing a generalized epidemic. National estimates indicate that in 2006, the adult prevalence rate is in the range of 3.1% among the general population (WHO 2007). Behavioral data serve as an early warning system and provide information to guide program design and evaluate interventions. In addition, the data provide information that can explain HIV prevalence trends. Prevention supports of donor agencies and the government have been working assiduously to curb the HIV/AIDS epidemic but there has not been any considerable decrease in the prevalent rate within Kigali City Province. A critical question here is; what could have accounted for this? Prevalence in 15-24 years group shows an increase trend though efforts have been made to slow down the spread. Young female adolescents are vulnerable and may be influenced into high-risk behaviors. The gab between male-female percentage regarding condom use in Rwanda is 40.9 and 19.7 respectively (WHO 2007). The aim of this study was to investigate the knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes of adolescents towards HIV/AIDS in order to institute meaningful preventive measures for the control of HIV/AIDS in Kigali City urban community. The findings of this study can be added to the existing body of knowledge on HIV/AIDS in Kigali City Province and in Rwanda as a whole. The findings of this study will help policymakers and healthcare professionals to develop adolescent centered, all-round and intensive programs that will curtail the spread of HIV in the province. 2. LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 HIV/AIDS Definition HIV is the short form of Human Immunodeficiency Virus, the virus that causes AIDS. (Levy. 1993). AIDS is an abbreviation for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. Simply put Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which destroys the cells in the human body that combat infections. Dr. Samuel Border, formerly at the National Cancer Institute in the United States of America, reminds us the history of HIV/AIDS. He said In June of 1981 we saw a young gay man with the most devastating immune deficiency we had ever seen. We said, we dont know what this is, but we hope we dont ever see another case like it again (WHO 1994).On 5th June, 1981, AIDS was first reported in Los Angeles, California. (Centers for Disease Control 1981). According to Broder S 1984 cited by Katrak 2006, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV 1) was discovered in 1983 as the root cause of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (Katrak 2006). Kahende (2001), in his thesis viewed HIV/AIDS as a cause as well as a symptom of underdevelopment. Its long incubation period makes it hard to predict the social and economic effects it may have on households and national development as a whole. The disease mostly affects individuals in their prime between the ages of 15 to 49 years and sizable number of those in this category will have major social and economic effects in the long run (World Bank 2007, International Development Committee (IDC) 2001). The United Nations International Labor Organizations (ILO) report in Akukwe (2006), suggest that a minimum of 26 million people worldwide living with HIV/AIDS are in the workforce with at least two-thirds of them living in Africa. The consequence of this is that the labor force in Africa will be in jeopardy in the near future. The disease has an incubation period of about 8 years and someone infected with the virus could infect many other people (Kahende, 2001). This means that a person infected with HIV may not show any noticeable symptoms until between 8years t o 10 years when the bodys immune system can no longer withstand the HIV virus. During this time many more persons will have become infected [around 6800 new infections per day at present) USAIDS (2007)]. This creates continuing rolling burden and a vicious cycle of illness and deaths which effects could be perilous to the affected countries. This makes AIDS much more dangerous than other diseases since diseases without incubation periods can be easily identified and treated (Kahende, 2001). Cure for HIV/AIDS has not been found yet, however, anti-retroviral therapy can prolong the lives of individuals living with HIV/AIDS (Akukwe 2006). This therapy is however currently expensive and not available to majority of infected people in sub-Sahara Africa (Fry 2007). 2.2 Rwanda Country Profile 2.2.1 Rwanda History Rwanda is a small, landlocked country in Central Africa with 9.7 million and a high population density (368 people per sq. km). Rwanda became independent in 1962 after colonization by Germany (1899) and Belgium (1919). In 1961 its monarchical government was formally abolished by a referendum and the first parliamentary elections were held. Political turmoil over the sharing of power and access to opportunities resulted in explosions of ethnic violence which have marked much of the recent history of the country. A civil conflict pitting the Hutu-led government against the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF), a Tutsi-led rebel movement, culminated in genocide, between April and June 1994. About 800,000 people were massacred by the army and the extremist Interahamwe militia. The RPF overthrew the regime in June 1994. While the country is currently at peace, Rwandans continue to struggle with the legacy of genocide. National reconciliation is a long-term endeavor that has the full commitment of the Government and the support of the international community. The Rwandan Government has undertaken significant measures to consolidate reconciliation including the continuation of the demobilization and reintegration project for ex-combatants and a model of democratization focused on a decentralized administration (World Bank 2009). 2.2.2 Economic and Social Progress Rwanda has made remarkable progress since the 1994 genocide and civil war. Peace and political stability have been re-established, reconciliation efforts are continuing, and democratic institutions and processes are being strengthened. Poverty and social indicators have also improved. Rwanda has been able to maintain overall macroeconomic stability and implement extensive reforms which have contributed to a strong growth performance. Rwanda is on track to achieve several of the Millennium Development Goals  (MDGs): MDG 2 on universal primary education; MDG 3 on gender equality; and MDG 6 on HIV/AIDS and malaria. Net primary enrollment is currently 95 percent, with 97 percent enrollment of girls. However, low completion rates and poor quality of basic education show that there are still major challenges to meeting MDG 2. HIV prevalence is estimated at about 3 percent with female infection rates (3.6 percent) substantially higher than those of males (2.3 percent). Rwanda is also on track to achieve the targeted reduction in malaria incidence (World Bank 2009). 2.3 Adolescents and HIV/AIDS Adolescence is one of the most captivating and complex transitions in the life span. It is a period of tremendous adjustment for children and parents. As children transition from childhood to adulthood, they undergo many physical, emotional and behavioral changes. These changes include; very fast physical growth, the rise of reproductive sexuality, new social roles, growth in thinking, feelings and morals. The sequence of pubertal changes is relatively predictable and consistent; however, their timing is extremely variable (National Academies Press 1999, 1-2.). Nearly 50% of the worlds population is under 25 (UNFPA 2003). The threat of HIV pandemic to young people cannot be over emphasized as UNAIDS estimates showed that young people under 25 accounted for about half of all new HIV cases in adults in 2007 and more than half of them still lack accurate and comprehensive information about how to avoid exposure to the virus (USAID 2008).The indication that less than 40% of young people globally have accurate and comprehensive knowledge about HIV (UNGASS indicator 13) is unacceptably low and consequently worrisome. Previous studies done in USA (DiClemente, Zorn, Temoshok, 1986; Bhattacharya, Cleland, Holland, 2000),Nepal (Mahat G Scoloveno 2006) and Turkey ( Savaser 2003) where adolescents in those studies knew of only sexual route of transmission. There is the need to step up HIV/AIDS education among the youth particularly in Sub-Sahara Africa where various cultures frown at sex education among adolescents. Young People between the ages of 15 to 24 accounts for 30% of all people living with HIV/AIDS (UNSAIDS 2001). The disease keeps on spreading especially among young people making it even harder to control. The HIV/AIDS epidemic remain invisible to both young people and the society, people usually carry the disease for years without their knowledge. As a result, the epidemic is spreading among young people at an alarming rate. In sub-Sahara Africa, the situation looks gloomier. More than half of sub-Saharan Africa have generalized HIV/AIDS epidemic, this means 5% or more of the young people are infected (UNAIDS 2000). The youth constitute one-fifth of the worlds population and nearly two-fifths in the developing countries populations (Population Reference Bureau (PRB) 2000). All hands must be on deck to reverse the trend in order to salvage our youth from the scourge of HIV pandemic, the future looks bleak if current situation must be allowed to continue. Young people have been designated as a group at high risk of acquiring HIV/AIDS due to their involvement in sexual experimentation and the use of recreational drugs. Vulnerability of young people to HIV/AIDS can be attributed to physical, social, economical and psychological features of adolescents (Offer, Ostrov, Howard, Atkinson, 1988, 270 Senderowitz, 1995). Socially and economically, most adolescents are dependent and inexperienced therefore, they are unable to protect themselves from infections, and have less access to health care than adults. Again, young peoples vulnerability to HIV/AIDS increases as result of cultural practices that shape their behaviors. Adolescence is a stage where young people establish their sexual identities, in doing so they are faced with pressures from society as well as their peers. 2.4 Adolescents knowledge, attitudes, perceptions and prevention of HIV/AIDS HIV/AIDS has caused indescribable suffering to millions of people world wide. The fight against the scourge and epidemic of HIV/AIDS is and continue to be one of the biggest challenges facing the world today. The impact of the disease touches on the lives of the global community in different predictable and unpredictable ways. Though the severity of the crisis is obvious, biochemical and pharmaceutical development of vaccines continue to have limited success; current drugs available can suppress the virus but they do not cure HIV infections or AIDS (The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), 2009).Therefore, promotion of prevention strategies needs to be intensified in order to halt the spread of HIV. It is now a common knowledge as reported in many studies that Transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) via sexual contact is the most common(UNAIDS 2002) and accounts for 75 to 85 percent of all infections(Royce, Seà ±a, Cates, Cohen, 1997). Over the past two decades, rates of infection with sexually transmitted diseases have continued to increase among teenagers. Roscoe and Kruger (1990) in their article titled Late adolescents knowledge and its influence concluded that although adolescents knowledge of HIV transmission might have improved over the past few years, their risk-related behaviors remain unchanged. This, no doubt can be linked to Adolescents sexual behavior and knowledge, attitudes, perceptions towards HIV/AIDS. Numerous studies have been done on adolescents sexuality, knowledge, attitudes, and/or behaviors relevant to AIDS in order to improve the over all sexual behavior of adolescents. It is important at this point to consider such surveys of adolescents. A random-sample surveyed by Strunin and Hingson (1987) of 860 adolescents, 16 to 19 years of age, concerning their knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors regarding AIDS indicated 70% were sexually active (having sexual intercourse or other sexual contact) but only 15% of them reported changing their sexual behavior because of concern about contracting AIDS, and only 20% of those who changed their behavior used effective methods. Several prominent studies showed high engagement in unsafe sexual behaviors such as sex with multiple partners, sex with unknown persons, as well as negative views about condom use, and a low rate of behavior change even after learning about HIV/AIDS (Buysse, 1996, Gray Saracino, 1989). This corroborates the suggestion that a moderate to high knowledge level of AIDS may not be a predictor of safe sexual behavior practices (Gray Saracino, 1989). However, a study conducted by Roscoe Kruger, (1990) of 300 late adolescents suggests that one-third had altered their sexual behavior as a result of fear of the disease. Available Research on the effects of beliefs of susceptibility to AIDS indicates that adolescents and adults who report high perceived risk for AIDS practice safer sexual behaviors, whereas those who perceive low risk for contracting AIDS report practicing unsafe sexual behaviors (Gray Saracino, 1989 Villarruel, A.M., Jemmolt, Howard, Taylor, Bush, 1998). Youth Education and prevention programs have been used as the primary means of decreasing rate of HIV infections among adolescents, it can be summed up in three letters ABC(A=Abstinence, B=Be Faithful, C=Condoms). Barnett and Parkhurst (2005) have described abstinence as the best followed by faithfulness to one partner and condom use as last. Anytime ABC is mentioned Ugandan situation comes to mind, in 1991, the government, opinion leaders and the people of Uganda had the courage to change the attitudes and behaviors that were spreading the HIV. A Harvard study in Uganda finds HIV rates drop 50% within eight years. The study credits abstinence education in reducing HIV/AIDS in Uganda (Trafford 2002). Again, it has been argued that condoms have about 10-13% failure rate in preventing pregnancy and 10-20% failure rate in preventing HIV for several reasons. Museveni (2004) in his commentary on HIV titled Behavioral Change Is the Only Way To Fight AIDS cited Uganda as being excellent in this direction; it has successfully managed to bring the seroprevalence rate from 18.6% to 6.1% using just social vaccine (behavior change), approximately 70% reduction. Molomo 2008, National coordinator of NACA(National Action Committee on AIDS) said behavioral change is the responsibility of the individual and not the community. He explained the latter could provide enabling environment within which the former can effect behavioral change. Attitudes, beliefs, and/or intentions have been described by many theories as proximal determinants of behavior. Consequently, changes in attitudes toward abstinence and condoms, and Perceptions of personal risk or susceptibility to HIV should be the main goals in any HIV/AIDS prevention program. 3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY The aim of this study is to investigate the knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes of adolescents (15-24) towards HIV/AIDS in order to institute meaningful preventive measures for the control of HIV/AIDS. Ultimately, the study will provide information on appropriate intervention methods necessary for preventing HIV/AIDS among adolescents in the community. 3.1 Research Questions With respect to the theme of our research, the following research questions shall be addressed: 1. What knowledge do adolescents in Kigali City Province have about HIV/AIDS? 2. What are the perceptions and attitudes by adolescents towards HIV/AIDS preventions? 3. Which preventive method(s) do they use? 4. Do they perceive any risk of contracting/getting HIV/AIDS? 4. RESEARCH METHODS AND DATA SOURCES Qualitative research approach will be used to address HIV/AIDS prevention among adolescents. Qualitative methodology or deductive approach according to Pope and Mays (1995) is used to explore, interpret or illustrate the actions and/or subjective experiences of research participants. In other words qualitative research tends to give a comprehensive data about human observations, thoughts and feelings; it tries to establish meaning from human life experiences. As the focus of our study is to investigate the knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes of adolescents and young adults towards HIV/AIDS and its prevention, a qualitative approach will allow the participants to express their feelings and experiences genuinely (Punch 1998).

Atomism: Democritus And Epicurus Essay -- essays research papers

Atomism: Democritus and Epicurus In the Atomists, we see pluralism taken as far as it could possibly go. We see Democritus and Epicurus divide all the world, as well as the universe, into two categories; atoms and empty space. Everything else is merely thought to exist. The atoms are eternal, infinite in size and number and they are moving through the empty space. There is no motion without empty space. Both Democritus and Epicurus agreed that motion was impossible in a plenum, but it is here that their theories diverge. In the cause of the motion, we begin to see a variety of opinions. Both Democritus and Epicurus agreed that the â€Å"qualitative world of sense perception arises from the motion of qualitatively neutral atoms. They believe that the immense qualitative variety results from the ‘jostling' of atoms...as they collide and bounce apart, and so, constantly form new groupings† (Jones 84). They believe it to be a mechanical process occurring completely by chance. Furthermore, although new groupings are constantly being formed, only the few that can survive are considered the â€Å"right† combinations. These are the combinations we recognize through our senses as being â€Å"real†, although they are not. However, the way in which this complex motion begins is a source of controversy and disagreement amongst the Atomists. Democritus assumes that the atoms' motion is perpetual. The atoms are never at rest. He presumes that their nature is to move, thereby avoiding â€Å"the problem of explaining the origin of the complex motion of atoms by simply affirming that it is in their nature to move so† (Jones 85). He believes that atoms are born along with the whole universe in a vortex. The vortex is not an outside influence, but rather the motion of the atoms themselves. He never accounts for the initiation of this motion. He simply states that it is an inherent quality of the atoms themselves. Epicurus, on the other hand, wanted to find a reasoning behind the initial movement of the atoms; to find the cause of the initial collisions which start the creation process of the universe. Through observation of objects falling â€Å"down† within our limited perceptual space, Epicurus concluded ... ...ualities? Epicurus ambiguously calls these qualities â€Å"accompaniments† yet never explains how they can exist outside of reality and still be considered real. Epicurus changed the doctrine of Democritus in many ways in an attempt to clarify some of the more questionable postulations. Epicurus' theory is not necessarily superior, but certainly progressive. There is room for discourse on a variety of the Atomists' theories. Since they are the first school of thought from which we have so much written record, there is bound to be divergence of opinion. The areas I have discussed relate only the area of physics. Epicurus attempts to resolve some of the dilemmas Democritus leaves unresolved in ethical and psychological dilemmas as well. Of course, lingual and interpretive constraints play a part in all philosophical theory of the classical period. Yet in our "modern" world, we rely heavily on the ideas set forth by these great thinkers. It would be foolish to take one concept as superior over another because the scope of ideas given to us by these thinkers is too great a wealth to judge subjectively.

Free Macbeth Essays: Atmosphere and Setting :: Free Essay Writer

Atmosphere and Setting in Macbeth Atmosphere and setting plays a very important part in Macbeth. The play starts with the Witches, which is at a desolate place with thunder and lightning. This is first of all a pathetic fallacy because of the weather being so bad and the hideous appearance of the witches. This scene also gives us the first sign of the supernatural. The witches are the man source of the evil and supernatural in the play and they also give an impression of fear, horror and mystery. It is important of them to start the play, as they are the catalysts for all Macbeth's decisions, so obviously they effect the play quite a lot. They can foretell the future, defy the laws of nature and change the weather. But their powers are ambiguous; they have to answer to Hecate. They can turn into animals but when one of them turns into a rat it has no tail, showing their flawed power. They also can't make Macbeth kill Duncan; they just create an atmosphere, manipulating him, which makes him want to kill him. They use animals to enhance the atmosphere and amplify their evil, unnatural state. Shakespeare doesn't just use animals to show the evil of the Witches he also uses animals to convey the state of the country, ie, when the horses eat each other after Duncan has been killed. This shows that Scotland is in a state of disorder. The witches also speak in riddles, "fair is foul and foul is fair" which gives the play an uneasy atmosphere, as does their language "Birth strangled babes". The Witches mainly give the play an uneasy feel because they are violating God's natural order. Noise also gives quite a tense atmosphere in the play. When Macbeth goes to kill Duncan, Lady Macbeth hears a knell (a traditional funeral bell), an owl shriek and crickets cry. These are all signs of death and it makes Macbeth think that more people know about what Macbeth has done. Also when Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are talking after the murder, there is a knocking which gives a very uneasy and tense feel. Also as the play goes on, Macbeth becomes very paranoid about any noise and it makes the play very tense. Colour does play a role in setting the atmosphere but only in one or two of the scenes. Red, of course is very important because of the amount of blood in the play. It also plays a big part because both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth talk about the 'red misty hell'. Linked with colour is the important use of light and dark ni the play to