The Warming of the Earth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Warming of the Earth - Essay Example With the millions of people that call Earth 'home', the condition of the planet is one that many have sought to gather more information about, in order to understand the degree in which the planet may be in peril, as well as to what degree human actions would be responsible for it. "Throughout Earth's history, the climate has varied on many time and space scales. In that sense, climatic change is not new, and humanity has had to adapt to a constantly changing climate. Human action has itself had an impact on that climate. Until recently, the impact was local, but now there is concern that human activity, primarily through the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, is leading to a world-wide climatic change which is more rapid and more extreme than any encountered during human history," (Robinson & Henderson-Sellers, p.267). While the extent at which the climate of the planet has varied, so has the impact of its inhabitants. As humans increase their usage of such resources, the rate of global warming is steadily increasing, in conjunction with such behavior patterns. As is the case with many di

USA Sports Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

USA Sports Law - Case Study Example Sports torts are "legal actions taken against professional athletes, teams, organizations and other parties in the sports field for a civil wrong done against and individual" (Epstein, 2008). In this case, Vikings will be accused of a tort against one of their spectators, Johnny Sharman. What Sharman will be fighting for is a recovery of the medical expenses incurred and other associated losses. This is because the injury was caused by the negligence on the part of Vikings. The courts may decide that Vikings owed a duty of care towards the fans that were attending their matches. Because Vikings breached that duty, the courts may rule that the defendant is liable to the damages that were caused by this negligence. There is the aspect of fans expectations. Sharman and his father, when they came to the field, expected to be protected from injuries arising from other spectators. It was the duty of the security agents of the club to refuse entry to the field fans who were drunk and who were liable to causing injuries to their fellow fans. This expectation may nullify the waiver on the back of the ticket. This expectation, though not stated on the ticket, was implied, or can be referred to as an officious bystander. The defence of Vikings will be that al fans "assumes the risk" of being injured during a game. This is expressly indicated on the back of the ticket, and a purchase of the ticket equals acceptance of the terms. As such, Vikings is partially liable or not liable at all. Sharman was negligent because he was not drunk, yet he went and sat together with drunkards who were likely to cause damage in the sport. Conclusion Vikings is either partially liable or not liable at all in this case. It is not fully liable given the fact that they had taken the precautions of erecting the wire mesh and inserting the waiver clause on the ticket. Sharman is partially or fully liable because the ticket indicates that he is liable, and he went to sit with drunkards. Question Two: Billy Rogers' NBA Draft Legal Memorandum Your recent problems, as Billy Rogers and an athlete at State University, stem from the fact that you are unable to attain the relevant academic qualifications for the forthcoming NBA draft. Your bane has been the refusal by the New School to admit you for the independent degree program, whereby you could have acquired a degree and qualified for the draft. It is my understanding that you have made three trials, all to no avail. It is only after the third trial that you became aware of the alleged irregularities with which your application was handled. Allegations of plagiarism and dropping of some topics from your dean led to the school admission officials' overturning of the decision

Mohsin Hamid’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist

Mohsin Hamid’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist Identity Crisis of Post- 9/11 Pakistani-American Immigrants: A Study of Mohsin Hamid’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist â€Å"Home is where your feet are, and may your heart be there too!† Uma Parmeshwaran Geographical dislocations and cross-blending of cultures often necessitate traumatic experiences for the immigrants. The multiplicity of ‘homes’, within conflictual boundaries, does not necessarily bridge this gap between ‘home’ –the culture of origin; and ‘world’ –the culture of adoption. Moreover, an unsettled migrant, ‘dwelling in displacement’, may find these two cultures becoming increasingly hostile to each other with the flow of time and space. Quite often, opportunities for work, trade, research and exploration has collectively motivated, both voluntary and involuntary, migration from the East to the West- accompanied by memories of one’s original ‘homeland’ and its history. After the early 1970s, large scale of immigration has shown a great mobility and adjustability, especially, from South Asia to America- a country who has stood on providing thicket of choices to the immigrants throughout the history. However, the twist of the 21st century brought about many changes in the world when September-11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Centre and Pentagon endangered the lives of Asian immigrants in the U.S., most specifically Muslims, than it was ever before. Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak in her seminal essay, Terror: A Speech After 9/111, explicates that â€Å"the traditional left in the U.S. and in Europe has by and large understood the events of September 11 as a battle between fundamentalism and the failure of democracy†, owing to which, the identity of Pakistanis living abroad had become even more precarious. Many who were unable to defend their own set of beliefs and tried to escape from the chaos, were termed â€Å"Pakis’ and increasingly profiled as ‘potential terrorists’. Since Septmeber-11, one has visibly witnessed a new wave of xenophobia in public, resulting into the closing of borders and an irrational suspicion of the ‘Otherâ⠂¬â„¢. In order to negotiate this disruption in the experience of the diasporic Muslim identity in the West, and to investigate the issues of identity, cross-culturality, post 9/11 ‘return-to-home’ and other disaporic tropes, my study focuses on the work of Pakistani expatriate writer Mohsin Hamid’s semi-autobiographical novel, The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2007)2 a tale of an immigrant’s angst and alienation in post 9/11 scenario as he attempts to acclimate to an adoptive homeland. The novel unfolds over a period of a day as the Pakistani narrator, Changez, unspools his life story to the overt addressee, an unnamed American tourist, in a Lahore tea shop of Od Anarkali district. In a one-sided dialogue, Changez reminiscences in detail his experience of living in the United States. Hailing from a well-to-do Pakistani family, Changez excels at Princeton University and becomes â€Å"immediately a New Yorker† after being recruited as an analyst under the prestigious valuation firm, Underwood Samson. Meanwhile, he tumbles into a romantic relationship with a fellow Princeton graduate named Erica, who is consumed by the mythology which she has constructed around her deceased boyfriend. His sentiment of belonging to New York high society, however, begins to stall after the events of September-11 2001 and the following U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. Over the ensuing years, ethnic slurs are tossed in his direction which ultimately act as a catalyst to expose Changez ’s â€Å"fundamental† self. Through the literary trope of migration, Hamid’s novel, in the backdrop of 9/11, illustrates a tale of dissolution and ‘return to home’, which becomes a vehicle for new understandings as the homeland is revalorised. Since September-11, 2001, identity politics and clash of cultures have acquired a special resonance in the public sphere of the Western societies, with regard to their diasporic population, particularly Muslim diasporas. According to Robin Cohen, diasporas are formed when considerable number of people move to a foreign land, either because of some mortifying experience or in search of economic opportunities. Muslim immigrants from South Asia, particularly Pakistan, have been living through a double pledge; on one hand they have to respond to the international political crises’ such as September-11, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq etc., and on the other, they are categorized with the South Asian diasporic identity. The Reluctant Fundamentalist is a narrative of the conflict embodied in the personal dilemma of its protagonist to come to terms with the post 9/11 America and the ‘new identity’ imposed upon him. The basic postulate of ‘melting-pot’ theory that the American culture places on its newly arrived immigrants is amply dynamic; stressing homogeneity on religious as well as ethnic level. Despite of his foreign appearance, Changez ‘merges with the crowd and achieves a new individualized form of social mobility’ by assimilating into the host culture (Cohen: 24). Both Erica and Jim (Underwood’s managing director), notice a â€Å"foreignness† in Changez’s mannerism and demeanour that gives him advantage over others. â€Å"You’re a watchful guy. You know where that comes from? It comes from feeling out of place†, remarks Chris. But this initial excitement over a cosmopolitan way of life in New York is replaced by disillus ionment and scepticism offered by the events that followed 9/11. After watching the attacks on the Twin Towers in his hotel room in Manila, Changez realizes that suddenly a new identity that of a terrorist-look-alike is imposed on him, when he is first strip-searched and interrogated at the airport on his arrival in America. His sense of belonging changes overnight when his foreign appearance becomes a sign of ‘otherness’ for his social environment in New York City. Also, Erica’s neurosis and sudden estrangement from Changez are to be equated with the panic-ridden American society’s doubts towards the loyalties of the Middle Eastern immigrant. This unexpected â€Å"troubled relationship with the host society, suggesting a lack of acceptance at the least’’ is what Cohen also informs as one of the â€Å"common features† of a diaspora (Cohen: 26) that leads the protagonist to a wider examination of his relationship with the adopted home land. September-11 has already set new forces into motion which are redefining the immigrant’s relation to nation, diaspora and homeland. Changez has a decisive attribute in his search for identity that connects him across the post 9/11 continuum. The realization that his job is exploiting developing nations like his own native land, Pakistan, weighs on his conscience and causes him to anticipate what it means to be a member of the U.S. elite meritocracy. The post 9/11 scenario compels him to think about his ethnicity which he wants to retain. Stuart Hall indicates that â€Å"identity is a structured representation which achieves its positive through the narrow eye of the negative†. Disillusioned and disoriented, Changez does not find his identity through solidarity, but through resistance to the dominant culture. The novel seems to make a case for a crucial reality on which personal identity is based, constructed on the notion of ‘home’. According to Safran, â€Å"idealization of the ancestral home and the idea of return† incorporate experiences of several dispersed people who may feel alien ated from the â€Å"host society†. After being verbally abused on several occasions, Changez starts identifying himself with his original roots as he believes that his ethnic identity has become a victim of ethnocentrism in the hands of Americans. Built on the fault lines of East West relations, the novel offers essential cognizance to ‘diaspoic tropes’, such as the beard and the janissary, which highlight Changez’s marginal condition.

Media Essay -- essays research papers

Violence in the Media Violence in the media has been a growing problem ever since the emergence of mass media. One wonders however, how violence has become so prominent in our culture, more so than other countries. More minors are being involved in heinous crimes such as murders and armed robberies. Even play on the school ground is getting rougher. There are many factors that play into the increasing violence, such as over population, religious struggles, and race. One factor that plays into the increase of violence would be mass media. Mass media has the power to reach and influence almost every American. Radio, newspaper, and television are all means by which media reaches people. Television however, can be considered the most influential. Ninety-eight percent of Americans have a television in their household. When it first came out it was considered a novelty, there were only a few channels and the signal was not very clear. Now it is available through air broadcast, cable, or satellite. Television ha s become part of everyday life. With the growing fixation and attraction to violence in the media, children in today’s society are becoming more violent and aggressive than ever before. However, to obtain a true understanding of this problem we must look at all aspect that cause violence, and not just put all of the blame on the media. Nevertheless, we shouldn’t forget the number one violence causing aspect, the media. America was founded upon violence; and we have always been a society of power and control. This land was violently taken away from the American Indians. After this land was civilized, power and control was desired so much so that we rebelled against Great Britain to have this place for ourselves. We rebelled with violence and won. America ever since has always been the best at almost everything. America will achieve this most of the time thru violence. Both world wars and other political conflicts have been won by America using violence. Power achieved thru violence is one of America’s downfalls. People in America have the spirit that this country was founded upon, which has its negative and positive aspects. However, violence is finding its way into out culture everywhere, especially the television. When it comes to children and television, there is much debate. Many argue that television is healthy for children. It opens up th... ...oduction of television (Facts about Media). This only proves that people become more violent from watching television or more immune to it. Many people admitted after September 11th that when they watched the planes crash into the World Trade Centers that they were not fazed. This is because Hollywood has shown things crash and blow up so much that we confuse it with a Hollywood movie. When you watch something so much it becomes a part of your life. You do not know the difference of it being â€Å"real† or just â€Å"TV.† In conclusion, violence in the media has been a growing problem for quite awhile. Mass media has the power to reach and influence almost every American. Radio, newspaper, and television are all means by which media reaches people. Through means of mass media, mostly television, violence is reaching Americas youth and turning our culture into a violent hungry society. Television has great influence on children. It opens their eyes to the world and violence on TV has a devastating effect that continues throughout their adulthood. Even though we can’t blame all of our flaws and problems on the media we should at least focus and fix this problem before too much harm is done.

Altruism: Research perspectives from Current psychology Essay

Altruism which can also be termed as selflessness is a principle of practice that concerns the welfare of others. This is one of the traditional virtues that were upheld by several cultures, secular views and religious traditions. This is a malleable notion that is understood differently in many disciplines although the common denominator of all the definitions is the ideology of unidirectional helping character. Within the clinical setting, altruism is a value that nurses as professionals poses. Despite the enormous changes within the society and the ways in which training and education for nurses is delivered, nursing is highly underpinned by the beliefs and values of the profession. The values that have been evaluated as altruistic include care for others, academic performance and self-control. Altruism is the key characteristic that all nurses and the health professionals are expected to have (Puka, 1994). The definition of altruism biologically is the behavior that individual poses and increases fitness of another person while at the same time decreasing the fitness of the actor (Pallone, 1999). In this particular sense, it is totally different from the philosophical perspective whereby an action is only said to be altruistic if it was done with a conscious intention of helping another person. Within the nursing and health care fraternities, there are no restrictions to an altruistic act which is just but an act of helping an individual who as a problem or caring for others (Puka, 1994). The nursing and healthcare professionals possess the responsibility of being altruistic. This means that as professionals they have an ethical obligation give others what they need without any form of self-interest (Johnson, Larkin, & Saks, 1995). Most nurses who are altruistic will always make decisions totally that are in the best interest of the concerned patient. By being altruistic the nurses and healthcare professionals are being patient advocate, hence they will be practicing good ethics of nursing. During a moral code situation, the adrenaline of the nurses and healthcare professionals and in a life-saving mode. At this particular point they feel good being a nurse who can save the world as an individual, but when things doesn’t go right this particular feeling is put into a test and one keep asking him or herself questions(Johnson, Larkin, & Saks, 1995). Many new nurses have very hard time while making decisions concerning life and death. In most cases it takes a lot of maturity to get wisdom, knowledge and certitude. Ethics in the healthcare and nursing profession is what it always drives the process of making decisions whether good or bad. Altruism as one of the most critical code of ethics should always be involved in any other decision that is made (Johnson, Larkin, & Saks, 1995). Nurses are also put in a fix that they have to always respect the cultural beliefs and the values of others. Just because nurses sometimes think they know the right thing to do, does not actually make it totally right. It is altruistic for the nurses and other health care professionals to honor and respect the wishes and beliefs of the patients. It is unfortunate that they decisions that are made by the patients and their families are mainly driven by either grief of total lack of understanding (Puka, 1994). Conclusion                      Altruism as part of ethics practiced by nurses encompasses the interpretation of an individual. It is based totally on the values and morals that individuals possess. Although the Nurse Practice Act have very good guidelines for how individuals should act it does not absolve individuals from making personal decisions concerning the issues at hand. References Pallone, N. J. (1999). Altruism, narcissism, comity: Research perspectives from Current psychology. New Brunswick, N.J: Transaction Publishers. Johnson, T., Larkin, G., & Saks, M. (1995).  Health professions and the state in Europe. London: Rutledge. Bailey, P. A., Carpenter, D. R., & Harrington, P. A. (1999).  Integrating community service into nursing education: A guide to service-learning. New York, NY: Springer Pub. Co. Puka, B. (1994).  Reaching out: Caring, altruism, and prosocial behavior. New York: Garland. Source document

Formation and Maintenance of Relationship

Describe and evaluate the formation and maintenance of relationships In the field of psychology, the most common relationships are classified into 3 types: * Romantic relationship * Social relationships (Friendship) * Family relationship Romantic relationships Formation: According to the Reward/ Need satisfaction theory of Bryne and Clore in the 1970s, some romantic relationship may develop due to their satisfaction and happiness they achieve when spending time with the other partner. Most people when being asked why they are attracted to their partners would reply back with answers like attentive, attractive, supporting, caring, etc.This suggests that we are more likely to be attracted to people that we are satisfied or gratified to be with. Most stimuli in our lives can be classified into negative and rewarding ones. We tend to search for rewarding stimuli and avoid the negative stimuli. The things that we are most likely going to find rewarding tend to reflect our unsatisfied need s such as the need for company, financial security, an attractive partner and so on. Mutual attractions usually occurs when one meets the other’s needs although one might need company and the other in search for financial security. Maintenance:What keeps relationships going? Some relationship never seem to last and have any passion in while some can be extremely long-lasting and may even last for a life-time. Maintaining relationships was never a one-way process, it involves and requires the interaction of both the participants, each with their own needs and expectations. The partners not only have to serve their own needs but also satisfy the needs of their partners. The social exchange theory by Thibaut and Kelley in 1959: In terms of profit and loss, individuals always attempt to maximise the profit and minimise the effort needed.Rewards that may be received in a relationship can vary from care, money, companionship and sex. The effort needed that is the costs may vary fro m financial investments, time spent and attention given. The reward minus the costs is equal to the outcome or the profitability of the relationship. The stress of a relationship is dependent on the profitability of the relationship. Equilty theory of Walster et al. in 1978: This theory suggests that the most successful and longterm relationships are ones that have a balanced giving and receiving.It had a central assumption that everyone long for fairness in their relationship and when one puts a lot of effort into the relationship but gets little in return, they would feel unfair and inequity would create stress in the relationship, The greater the unfairness and inequity is, the more distress it would create in the relationship. Other theories: Other theories such as the one put forward by Steil and Wletman in 1991 suggests that men and women may judge the equity of a relationship more differently.Studies have shown that when the income is mainly from the male side, the career wou ld become a more important priority and it is usually agreed by both sides. However, when the female earn more than the male, neither partner rated their career as priority. Social relationships: Friendship Interpersonal psychology research object: Psychological relationship between people, is something much deeper than behavior, the relevance and necessity of the law of the behavior of the individual exchanges.Interpersonal theory of psychological research tasks: Is to fully reveal and clarify the general rules and mechanisms of interpersonal development, analyze the theoretical basis of interpersonal figure out individual and personal interaction of individuals and groups, and people in the system of interpersonal functioning explore interpersonal attitudes, social perception, self-perception, psychological control, interpersonal influence, interpersonal attraction, interpersonal conflict and group behavior, interpersonal.To establish interpersonal psychology unique concepts, term inology, category system, to provide a basis for further improve interpersonal psychology scientific theoretical system, accumulation of material for the enrichment and development of psychological theory and methods, this is a long and arduous job. At the same time, but also the interpersonal psychology in China as soon as possible, that is suitable for China's national conditions, after selection – intake – the Chinese way, to establish the actual interpersonal psychology system in line with China's national conditions for reform and opening up.Task of the interpersonal psychological research practice: (1) the right to deal with interpersonal relationships. (2) to adjust the interpersonal relationships. (3) continue to improve interpersonal relationships. (4) the development of new relationships. (5) correct deformity relationships. Interpersonal relations and social relations: (1) interpersonal and social relations are two different concepts, can not be confused.Int erpersonal relationships as a social relationship between the role and any other kind of social relations, is bound by the constraints of the relations of production, but also by other social relations, and thus should be examined in the interpersonal relationships within the social relations. At the same time, we should also see interpersonal relationships is the true reality of social relations phenomenon. 2) interpersonal and objective social relations is generated at the same time, interpersonal outset by the constraints impact of social relations, social relations exist in the relationships among Of course, social relations with the interpersonal concept of two-level has different theoretical generalization force. Emphasize the reality of the relationship between the overall aspects of non-personalized social relations, interpersonal relationships is more individual, personalized to show the reality aspect.Relationships are formed on the basis of the social relations, but not t he same thing. Social relations is the object of sociological research, which on the one hand to study the relationship of the human and material; the other hand, social relations, including the relationship between the ideological, legal relationship, the moral relationship. While interpersonal interpersonal direct psychological relations, it is constrained by social relations, is a reflection of social relations, but it has a certain relative independence.Relationships are a product of social relations: (1) any kind of interpersonal is always social relations. (2) the fundamental nature of human relationships is determined by the nature of the social patterns of social relations of production. (3) changes in interpersonal relationships is determined by changes in social relations. (4) the complexity of the personal relationships is determined by the complexity of the social relations. Necessity of interpersonal Research:Not exist in isolation, the links with the community, is boun d to a variety of relationships, including family relationships, friend relationship, Jacky (students) relationship, the teacher-student relationship, employment relationship, comrades relations, colleagues and leadership and leadership relations. With the thoughts, feelings, and behavior in the process of interaction of these relationships, interaction and communication with others, these relations between different objects will point to different directions.Healthy relationship is to attract and cooperation; but because of the environmental impact of personality factors, psychological factors and other reasons, many people deal with bad interpersonal relationships will inevitably be caught in the contradictions and pain, the relationship between the parties do not have enough wisdom to resolve resulting inner conflict, will be plunged into a crisis of human relationships, even interpersonal psychological barriers, thereby reducing their life happiness index.Important links between interpersonal and psychological health, good interpersonal comes from a healthy state of mind, self-confident, optimistic, calm, fraternity, to help others, humility, tolerance, and so on, these good quality behavior in interpersonal play a very good role in promoting, healthy relationships can also make people relieve stress, calm down, people's personal development, physical and mental health also played a positive role.On the other hand, problems in interpersonal relationships, will be more or less there some psychological problems, even psychological barriers interpersonal, in the interaction between people, they express more conceited, self-esteem negative psychological interference of others, suspicious, sensitive, jealous, resulting interpersonal again and again thwarted. Therefore, to study the psychology of interpersonal relationships came into being.

The Early, High and Late Middle Ages

The Early, High and Late Middle Ages Although in some languages the Middle Ages are labeled in the singular (its le moyen age in French and das mittlere Alter in German), it is difficult to think of the era as anything other than ages plural. This is in part because of the numerous subjects encompassed by this long period of time, and in part because of the chronological sub-eras within the era. Generally, the medieval era is divided into three periods: the Early Middle Ages, the High Middle Ages, and the Late Middle Ages. Like the Middle Ages itself, each of these three periods lacks hard and fast parameters. Early Middle Ages The Early Medieval Era is sometimes still called the Dark Ages. This epithet originated with those who wanted to compare the earlier period unfavorably with their own so-called enlightened age. Modern scholars who have actually studied the time period would not so readily use the label, since passing judgment on the past interferes with a true understanding of the time and its people. Yet the term is still somewhat apt for the simple reason that we know relatively little about events and material culture in those times. This era is often considered, to begin with, the fall of Rome and end sometime in the 11th century. It encompasses the reigns of ​Charlemagne, Alfred the Great, and the Danish Kings of England; it saw frequent Viking activity, the Iconoclastic Controversy, and the birth and rapid expansion of Islam in Northern Africa and Spain. Over these centuries, Christianity spread throughout much of Europe, and the Papacy evolved into a powerful political entity. The Early Middle Ages are also sometimes referred to as Late Antiquity. This time period is usually viewed as beginning in the third century and stretching to the seventh century, and sometimes as late as the eighth. Some scholars see Late Antiquity as distinct and separate from both the Ancient world and the Medieval one; others see it as a bridge between the two where significant factors from both eras overlap. High Middle Ages The High Medieval Era is the period of time that seems to typify the Middle Ages best. Usually beginning with the 11th century, some scholars end it in 1300 and others extend it for as much as another 150 years. Even limiting it to a mere 300 years, the High Middle Ages saw such significant events as Norman conquests in Britain and Sicily, the earlier Crusades, the Investiture Controversy and the signing of the Magna Carta. By the end of the 11th century, nearly every corner of Europe had become Christianized (with the notable exception of much of Spain), and the Papacy, long established as a political force, was in constant struggle with some secular governments and alliance with others. This period is often what we think of when someone mentions medieval culture. It is sometimes referred to as the flowering of medieval society, thanks to an intellectual renaissance in the 12th century, such notable philosophers as Peter Abelard and Thomas Aquinas, and the establishment of such Universities as those in Paris, Oxford, and Bologna. There was an explosion of stone castle-building and the construction of some of the most magnificent cathedrals in Europe. In terms of material culture and political structure, the High Middle Ages saw medievalism at its peak. What we call feudalism today was firmly established in Britain and parts of Europe; trade in luxury items, as well as staples, flourished; towns were granted charters of privilege and even established anew by ​feudal lords with alacrity, and a well-fed population was beginning to burgeon. By the end of the thirteenth century, Europe was at an economic and cultural height, perched at the verge of a downturn.​ Late Middle Ages The end of the Middle Ages can be characterized as a transformation from the medieval world to the early modern one. It is often considered to begin in 1300, though some scholars look at the mid- to late-fifteenth century as the beginning of the end. Once again, the end of the end is debatable, ranging from 1500 to 1650. Cataclysmic and awesome events of the 14th century include the Hundred Years War, the Black Death, the Avignon Papacy, the Italian Renaissance, and the Peasants Revolt. The 15th century saw Joan of Arc burned at the stake, the fall of Constantinople to the Turks, the Moors were driven from Spain and the Jews expelled, the Wars of the Roses and the voyage of Columbus to the New World. The 16th century was wracked by the Reformation and blessed by the birth of Shakespeare. The 17th century, rarely included within the medieval era, saw the Great Fire of London, a rash of witch hunts, and the Thirty Years War. Though famine and disease had always been a lurking presence, the Late Medieval era saw the horrific results of both in abundance. The Black Death, preceded by famine and overpopulation, wiped out at least a third of Europe and marked the end of the prosperity that had characterized the high medieval era. The Church, once so highly respected by the general populace, suffered reduced status when some of its priests refused to minister to the dying during the plague and sparked resentment when it enjoyed enormous profits in bequests from plague victims. More and more towns and cities were wresting control of their own governments from the hands of the clergy or nobility that had previously ruled them. And the reduction in population triggered economic and political changes that would never be reversed. High medieval society had been characterized by the corporation. The nobility, the clergy, the peasantry, the guilds- all were group entities that saw to the welfare of their members but put the welfare of the community, and their own community in particular, first. Now, as was reflected in the Italian Renaissance, a new regard for the value of the individual was growing. By no means was late medieval nor early modern society a culture of equality, but the seeds of the idea of human rights had been sown. The viewpoints examined in the previous pages are by no means the only ways to look at the Middle Ages. Anyone studying a smaller geographical area, such as Great Britain or the Iberian Peninsula, will much more easily discover start- and end-dates for the era. Students of art, literature, sociology, militaria, and any number of subjects will each find specific turning points pertinent to their topic of interest. And I dont doubt that you, too, will see a particular event that strikes you as possessed of such towering importance that it defines the beginning or end of the medieval era for you. The comment has been made that all historical eras are arbitrary definitions and, therefore, how the Middle Ages is defined really has no significance. I believe that the true historian will find something lacking in this approach. Defining historical eras not only makes each era more accessible to the newcomer, it helps the serious student identify interrelated events, recognize patterns of cause and effect, understand the influence of a periods culture on those who lived within it and, ultimately, find a deeper meaning in the story of our past. So make your own choice, and reap the benefits of approaching the Middle Ages from your own unique perspective. Whether you are a serious scholar following the path of higher education or a devoted amateur like me, any conclusions you can support with facts will not only have validity but will help you make the Middle Ages your own. And do not be surprised if your view of Medieval times changes over the course of your studies. My own outlook has certainly evolved in the last 25 years, and will most likely continue to do so as long as the Middle Ages continues to hold me in its thrall.

An Explanation of Chain Migration

An Explanation of Chain Migration Chain migration has several meanings, so its  often misused and misunderstood. It can refer to the tendency of immigrants to follow those of a similar ethnic and cultural heritage to communities theyve established in their new homeland. For example, its not unusual to find Chinese immigrants settling in Northern California or Mexican immigrants settling in South Texas because their ethnic conclaves have been well-established in these areas for decades. Reasons for Chain Migration   Immigrants tend to gravitate to places where they feel comfortable. Those places often are  home to previous generations who share the same culture and nationality.   The History of Family Reunification in the U.S. More recently,  the term chain migration has become a pejorative description for immigrant family reunification and serial migration.  Comprehensive immigration reform  includes a pathway to citizenship that critics of the chain migration argument often use as a reason to deny unauthorized immigrants legalization. The issue has been at the center of U.S. political debate since the 2016 presidential campaign and throughout the early part of Donald Trumps presidency. The U.S. policy of family reunification began in 1965 when 74 percent of all new immigrants were brought into the U.S. on family reunification visas. They included unmarried adult children of U.S. citizens (20 percent), spouses and unmarried children of permanent resident aliens (20 percent), married children of U.S. citizens (10 percent), and brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens over age 21 (24 percent). The government also increased family-based visa approvals for Haitians after a devastating earthquake in that country in 2010. Critics of these family reunification decisions call them examples of chain migration. Pros and Cons   Cuban immigrants have been some of the prime beneficiaries of family reunification over the years, helping to create their large exile community in South Florida. The Obama administration renewed the Cuban Family Reunification Parole Program in 2010, allowing 30,000 Cuban immigrants into the country the previous year. Overall, hundreds of thousands of Cubans have entered the U.S. through reunification since the 1960s. Opponents of reform efforts often are  opposed to family-based immigration as well. The United States allows its citizens to petition for legal status for their immediate relatives- spouses, minor children,  and parents- without numerical limitations. U.S. citizens also can  petition for other family members with some quota and numerical restrictions, including unmarried adult sons and daughters, married sons and daughters, brothers, and sisters. Opponents of family-based immigration argue that it has caused migration to the U.S. to skyrocket. They say it encourages overstaying visas and manipulating the system, and that it allows too many poor and unskilled people into the country. What the Research Says   Research- especially that performed by the Pew Hispanic Center- refutes these claims. In fact, studies have shown that family-based immigration has encouraged stability. It has promoted playing by the rules and financial independence. The government caps the number of family members who can immigrate each year, keeping the levels of immigration in check. Immigrants with strong family ties and stable homes do better in their adopted countries  and theyre generally a better bet to become successful Americans than immigrants who are on their own.

Benefits Of Manpower Planning

Benefits Of Manpower Planning Reliance telecommunications LTD is an Indian telecommunication company founded by Anil Ambani in 2004. The headquarters of the company is in Navi Mumbai India. Reliance telecommunication is the 15th largest telecommunication provider in the world with 150 million subscribers and the second largest telecommunication provider in India. The company has segments like wireless and broadband in telecommunication industry. The company achieved a high growth in telecommunication industry from the beginning stage itself. Customer satisfaction and good company policies made them to competitive with other companies. Reliance communications follows good human resource policies and procedures even though it has some draw backs. Vision of the company-Providing information, communication, entertainment services and being the benchmark in customer experience, employee centricity and innovation is the main vision of the company. Mission of the company-meeting beyond customer needs and wants with a s egmented approach, relentless offering of services and products that are value for cash and stimulate customers, offer a network experience that is best in the communication industry, make reliance in to an international brand which is a iconic brand by others and lead industry in target to purchase and faithfulness. INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Human resource management refers to an assortment of policies used to systematize work in the employment relationship and centres on the management of work and the management of people who undertakes this work. Therefore HRM is concerned with recruitment, selection, learning and development, reward, communication, teamwork and routine management. While it is relatively easy to list activities that make up HRM, It is a subject that stimulates much debate and disagreement. The hr process is considered as important for the management of the consumer pleasure with human recourses. The clients find comfortable and will be satisfied w hen they understand the hr processes and how they are connected and the hr processes interact. Modern hr processes are measured and frequently analysed and identifies the irregularities in the activities and it brings the improvements for the benefits of the organisation. The success of Human Resources Management is in the connection of all HR processes as they provide the adequate supports to workers and the managers. So the main aim of Human Resource Management is to keep the human capital ready for action on the market and the rational grouping of HR Processes helps to interact and manage the individual processes. Every organisation has their own HR processes, but the main HR Processes are always same in all companies as it is the market HR Best Practices. Human Resource Management is considered as a comparatively new approach to Personnel Management. HRM emphasizes primarily on its strategic contributions and its closer alignment to business, HRM is a vital component of any orga nization, its involvement among other components of line management is notable (Paauwe. J, Jan 2009). Paauwe further suggests that HRM aims on its ultimate goals such as High job performance, low absence and high cost effectiveness through the efficient utilization of the man power of the company. Human resource is really the major component of any organization, the success or failure of an organization heavily relies on its Man power management. Maslow’s need Hierarchy theory is considered as guiding principle for HR Management across the globe. Maslow identified the very basics of human motivation factors. Following this principle it can be assumed that to motivate an employee HR manager should understand his level of expectations, potential of the employee, and should evaluate the performance before and after certain motivational measures implemented.

Illustration of Federalism The Immigration Debate Assignment

Illustration of Federalism The Immigration Debate - Assignment Example The law states that it is illegal for a person not to carry a foreign identification if they are illegally in the state. The law also allows residents of Arizona to sue any government society that is found not following the laws of immigration. It prohibits people who are hiring labour from taking up illegal immigrants. The law further stipulates that fines will be given to anyone who does not follow the immigration laws. Supporters of SB 1070 say that illegal immigration is a problem in Arizona since the resources in the state are taken up by people who do not belong to the state, and that the illegal immigrants have bought with them many evils in the state such as drugs from the Mexico border. Views of those in opposed to the immigration law are mostly the immigrants who are there legally, and they say that they feel threatened by the strict laws since they may be targeted because of their heritage. Those in favor of the laws feel that it will keep the state safe from the evils that the immigrants bring to the state, and residents will have access to all resources. The federal judge (Judge Susan Bolton ) was opposed to the laws requiring police officers to check a person’s identity while implementing other laws, and the one requiring immigrants to carry their foreign identification documents or risk being charged. However, she preserved the policies that require all entities to abide by the immigration laws and the restriction of hiring illegal immigrants as daytime workers. The interests of the federal government in opposing the Arizona law are political and economic in that the government aims to increase its economic stability by using the immigrants. The political reasons are in getting support from many people in order to get votes during elections. The case in the Supreme Court is whether the ruling made by Judge Susan Bolton should

Prayer and Personal Character Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Prayer and Personal Character - Essay Example Prayer, more than anything else, is a sign of humility, a sign of submissions to a higher power and a confession of the fact that one is in need of help from an outside source. In other words, prayer is a way to realise that one is not in total control of their life and that there is a higher power. As insignificant as this may seem, the fact is that prayer changes one’s attitude towards life and especially towards other people and objects in life. Prayer makes one realise that life is about humility and therefore it affects the way they regard themselves and others. It creates a different view of the world and brings in a person to a point where they have to realise that they need to live in peace with other people. This can be seen in the most famous Christian prayer found in Luke 11:2–4 as well as other verses in the New Testament. Jesus gave this prayer as a model around which every Christian should model their prayer. Most other religions surround their prayer arou nd this kind of a model which has three dimensions. Recognition of self inadequacy Prayer is the ultimate recognition of just how inadequate a person is on their own, it is a confession of the fact that one needs outside help and not just any outside help but outside help form a higher power. This leads to recognition of a higher power which means that the individual will surrender themselves to this higher power. Lack of prayer definitely leads to a deflation of this important aspect of a person. Recognition of need to have a good relationship with others As in the model discussed above, it is clear that one needs to be forgiven of their wrong doing. Jesus said, â€Å"Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who wrong us.† This is very significant because Jesus did not just ask for forgiveness but actually indicated that that forgiving others is a major part of oneself asking for forgiveness. It is an indication that for us to really understand what it takes for others to for give us, we must ourselves forgive others. This is one important aspect of prayer, it creates a scenario where a person becomes well rounded, recognising their part in the society, their need to relate well with others as well as their need to relate well with their God. Affects the way I act Because of the above explained aspects of prayer, it affects the way an individual acts and lives their lives. Understanding the need to be forgiven reminds the person of the need to reduce the instances where she or he will need to be forgiven. Understanding the need to forgive other people leads to the individual creating the least quarrels with those around her. Prayer therefore is a process of building character by realising that the world is to be shared with everybody else. Prayer is the antidote for the innate selfish character of a human being which only serves self (Coburn 59). A prayerful person is therefore not able to be selfish and self centred but understands that the world is to be shared with everybody else. They realise the importance of treating others with respect and with love. One also realises the importance of forgiving the others, for they have to forgive others to expect to be forgiven by others as well as by God. Prayer therefore not only changes the way we look at the world but also the way we act. It affects the very character of an

Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 105

Journal - Essay Example All phrases in the sentence have the same form, and the same grammatical function. Parallelism makes each sentence an element in a series owing to the deliberate repetition. An example of parallel structure is â€Å"They struggled in a foreign country, without food, without friends, and without accommodation†. This sentence has the same form, in that it uses the word ‘without’ and their grammatical function is the same because they all complete the verb ‘was’. One has to cut out useless words and phrases. Instead of saying, â€Å"The type of people in the party were women and children†, one should write, â€Å"The people in the party were women and children†. Another method is substitution of an economical expression for a wordy one. Instead of saying, â€Å"the essay tends to focus on†¦Ã¢â‚¬  one can cut out unnecessary wordiness by using the word ‘emphasize’. In addition, it is necessary to reduce emphatic repetition in

Discuss Hamlet as a revenge tragedy Research Paper

Discuss Hamlet as a revenge tragedy - Research Paper Example Thesis statement: The basic elements of the play Hamlet proves its importance as a revenge tragedy (special references to the elements of revenge tragedy like revenge, ghost, hero’s hesitation, madness, capable villains, philosophical content, horror and suicide/murder) Hamlet as a revenge tragedy As pointed out, the basic elements of revenge tragedy are applicable to the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare. The basic elements of revenge tragedy like revenge, ghost, hero’s hesitation, madness, capable villains, philosophical content, horror and suicide/murder are discussed under. A. Revenge: One can see that revenge is the most important element of the play. Within this context, Hamlet’s revenge is to be considered as most important because his aim was to regain the lost honor of his father. At the same time revenge leads him towards his ultimate doom at the end of the play. Rebecca W. Bushnell points out that the basic quality of a revenge tragedy is the protagon ist’s inability to understand his own self or the outside world (68). From a different angle of view, Hamlet’s revenge can be evaluated as his attempt to escape from mental and emotional trauma originating from his personal feeling/fear of losing his mother. In short, revenge is the main component of the play which entraps the protagonist (Hamlet) and his enemies. B. Ghost: The basic element of revenge tragedy consists of the presence of a ghost, which curtails the deeds of the protagonist and acts the role of a motivation to take revenge. Within the context of Hamlet the play, King Hamlet’s ghost acts the role of the ghost who deeply influences prince Hamlet to take revenge of his father’s untimely death and the following incidents. The ghost encourages Hamlet by pointing out that â€Å"So art thou to revenge, when thou shalt hear† (16). One can easily identify that the ghost’s inspiration forces Hamlet to be suspicious about his uncle†™s and mother’s roles in the conspiracy against his father. But he hesitates to believe in ghost and tries to ignore. Gradually, the ghost forces his son to destroy his enemies and to regain the throne. In short, the presence of ghost, similar to the other revenge plays, ignites fury in the mind of the protagonist and forces him to take revenge of his father’s death. C. Hero’s hesitation Like other revenge tragedy heroes, Hamlet did not believe in ghosts. When his father’s ghost tried to influence him, he did not believe in him and hesitated to act against his enemies. Later, his friend forced him to act according to the will of the ghost and to act against his enemies. Paul Arthur Cantor opines that Oedipus complex hindered Hamlet from his actions (21). The hero’s hesitation can be evaluated from different levels. For instance, he was not sure about the presence of his father as the ghost. Later, he did miss more than one attempt to kill his unc le. This hesitation caused more troubles in his life because he accidentally killed a counselor who was so close to his uncle. This hesitation ultimately led him towards his doom in the end. D. Madness Madness, whether acted or real is one of the most important elements of revenge tragedies. When this element is superimposed to the context of the play Hamlet, one can easily identify that Hamlet’s madness was not real. For instance, Hamlet acted himself as a mad person because he wanted to know more about the deeds of his enemies. He was aware of

'BP plc' Analysis report Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5250 words

'BP plc' Analysis report - Research Paper Example Undervaluation of the companys stock using the DCF method is an indication that company shareholder value is expected to generate more wealth for its shareholders This paper seeks to prepare industry analysis, financial analysis and valuation of BP plc using different models. Financial analysis would include looking into the company’s financial performance in the last five years in terms of profitability, liquidity, solvency and valuation ratios. The paper will also explain the value derived from valuation models in relation to the financial performance of the company and the industry analysis on whether it is doing the correct strategies to generate value. BP p.l.c. (or "BP") was founded in 1909 and incorporated in the United Kingdom. It presently operates as international oil and gas company with various products in not less than 40 countries. The company has two major segments: The Exploration and Production, and Refining and Marketing. The first segment is responsible to oil and natural gas exploration, field development and production, transportation, storage and processing, as well as marketing and trading of natural gas and liquefied natural gas and other power and natural gas liquids. The other segment - Refining and Marketing is into refining, manufacturing, marketing, transportation, supply and trading of petroleum, crude oil, petrochemical products and related services to wholesale and retail customers (Reuters, 2014a). The oil and gas industry sector is part of the energy industry which is expected to grow heftily at least up to the year 2035 as a result of increasing population and growing demand for energy (Annual Report, 2013). The other sources of energy renewable, nuclear, hydro, and coal and yet oil and oil will continue to have big part in serving the energy requirement of the world in the next twenty years. The company believes that population and

Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 105

Journal - Essay Example All phrases in the sentence have the same form, and the same grammatical function. Parallelism makes each sentence an element in a series owing to the deliberate repetition. An example of parallel structure is â€Å"They struggled in a foreign country, without food, without friends, and without accommodation†. This sentence has the same form, in that it uses the word ‘without’ and their grammatical function is the same because they all complete the verb ‘was’. One has to cut out useless words and phrases. Instead of saying, â€Å"The type of people in the party were women and children†, one should write, â€Å"The people in the party were women and children†. Another method is substitution of an economical expression for a wordy one. Instead of saying, â€Å"the essay tends to focus on†¦Ã¢â‚¬  one can cut out unnecessary wordiness by using the word ‘emphasize’. In addition, it is necessary to reduce emphatic repetition in

'BP plc' Analysis report Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5250 words

'BP plc' Analysis report - Research Paper Example Undervaluation of the companys stock using the DCF method is an indication that company shareholder value is expected to generate more wealth for its shareholders This paper seeks to prepare industry analysis, financial analysis and valuation of BP plc using different models. Financial analysis would include looking into the company’s financial performance in the last five years in terms of profitability, liquidity, solvency and valuation ratios. The paper will also explain the value derived from valuation models in relation to the financial performance of the company and the industry analysis on whether it is doing the correct strategies to generate value. BP p.l.c. (or "BP") was founded in 1909 and incorporated in the United Kingdom. It presently operates as international oil and gas company with various products in not less than 40 countries. The company has two major segments: The Exploration and Production, and Refining and Marketing. The first segment is responsible to oil and natural gas exploration, field development and production, transportation, storage and processing, as well as marketing and trading of natural gas and liquefied natural gas and other power and natural gas liquids. The other segment - Refining and Marketing is into refining, manufacturing, marketing, transportation, supply and trading of petroleum, crude oil, petrochemical products and related services to wholesale and retail customers (Reuters, 2014a). The oil and gas industry sector is part of the energy industry which is expected to grow heftily at least up to the year 2035 as a result of increasing population and growing demand for energy (Annual Report, 2013). The other sources of energy renewable, nuclear, hydro, and coal and yet oil and oil will continue to have big part in serving the energy requirement of the world in the next twenty years. The company believes that population and

Art History French Revolution Analysis Essay Example for Free

Art History French Revolution Analysis Essay A very distinct difference between A and B, is that A shows that Napoleon in a different light, as a power hungry and power crazed man and the phrase â€Å"..absolute power corrupts absolutely..† applies very perfectly in this painting. His paintings have evolved from the purpose of propaganda for the revolution and promoting his image as a hard-working and patriotic man to promoting his power, wealth and less than subtle military process in this painting, and it also shows a rather discrete relation to the paintings that the Bourbon Kings may have commissioned to have been painted for them. Painting B was painted in 1804, before Napoleon became corrupted with the power and wealth that comes with his position and interprets his character as a hard-working man, with equality to others. Painting A was created in 1806 two years after painting B, and it confirms the results of his corruption and changed character and perspective. B shows Napoleon with the attributes previously stated, a hard-working and patriotic man. This painting shows that he is hard working by painting him in his study, thus perhaps suggesting that he had a decent and educational upbringing. Another aspect in this painting that shows that he is hard-working is that his right hand is on a stack of papers on the Napoleonic Code that he perhaps just finished writing, showing that he is different from the Bourbon Kings, who could not and would not do any administrations. B shows that Napoleon is patriotic because of many reasons. One, being that his clothing colour is one of the patriotic colours of France (red, white and blue are the patriotic colours of France). Two, being that in the background there is a window overlooking Paris, the rebuilt Notre Dame in particular implying that he is with the people and for the people and of the people. Three, being that his sword hung beside his hip to show that he is always prepared to defend his country against any menaces. Painting A’s style is very different style from painting B. Painting B is rather modest and using rich colours, but has less luxurious texture than painting A gives, whereas painting A uses even more magnificent and rich colours and the texture of his clothing and accessories are even more lavish than painting B. we can see a difference in Napoleons face as well, in this painting, his face looks like it has been caked with white powder, much like the Royals used to do, and his face is also much more expression-less than painting B. B at least shows some degree, although quite small, of emotion. His face portrays a rather serious emotion. The angle of which we view the Napoleon has also changed quite drastically and contradicts one of the Napoleonic Codes that he himself created. In B we are looking at Napoleon on an equal level, showing that although our statuses may not be the same, we are still equal, one of the most important things that the revolution strived to achieve, Egalite (equality). However, in Painting A we are gazing at Napoleon who is sitting above us, on a throne with a range of royal and exquisite items. The change in position clearly indicated the sign of his corruption and the nullification of one of the codes that he created for the people which was that all people shall be treated equally. In this painting we look above to see him, as if he is of a higher class than the people of Paris, above them. His clothing difference is also very dire as well. His clothing in painting B is modest, and thoroughly middle-class while also representing his support in the Revolution by wearing a Revolution colour (red). The texture of the fabric seems to be rather harshly depicted in the painting, which perhaps was meant to show that he did not spend an unnecessary amount of money buying an over-excessive amount of clothing and other various luxuries like the Royals and the upper-class. The fabric of his clothing is painted in a much more overgenerous manner in painting A than painting B. David paints his fabric with sinuous lines and rich colours. The clothing that he wears in this painting shows his corruption, that he has spent the unnecessary and excessive amount of money for such luxuries. Another sign of his corruption shown in his costume is the crown that he wears on his head. Crown, symbolizing royalism. Crown, symbolizing that he fancies himself the King Of France, after all the codes that he has created to distill the peoples fears of a dictator, a dictator was still what they have received. He may not obviously be flaunting that he is in fact dictating, but he is still dictating in a more indistinct fashion. He uses clever manipulations of thoughts and opinions about him by a clever use of marketing strategies, which enhances his image and persona and most importantly his rule.

Diagnosis of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)

Diagnosis of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) Systemic lupus erythematosus is a multi-systemic autoimmune disease that was first described in 1941, by Klemperer and colleagues (Gonzalez-Buitrago and Gonzalez, 2006). It is a disease that can attack almost any organ or system in the body, where imbalances in self tolerance create an abnormal immune response to self proteins resulting in autoimmunity (Male et al, 2006). SLE is a disease that has a strong correlation to defects in apoptosis; however no specific cause of the disease is known (Arbuckle et al, 2003). The prevalence of the disease is worldwide; however it commonly affects people of African descent, particularly in Europe and Northern America (Kumar et al, 2009). Environmental triggers are known to contribute to the disease manifestation; although genetic links have also shown association with all HLA classes (I, II, III) on chromosome 6. Other transcription factors such as IRF5, STAT and proteins such as PTPN22 have also been seen to contribute to the manifestation (Mal e et al, 2006). SLE is particularly common between the ages of 15-50, where patients present with positive antinuclear antibodies (ANA). ANA are a group of heterogenous antibodies that are capable of binding to components of the nucleus, resulting in damage of DNA. The initial screening method for patients with AIDs such as SLE is via the ANA test. 80-90% of patients with SLE present with a positive ANA (Bonilla et al, 2007), however other AID such as Sjà ¶grens syndrome, Rheumatoid arthritis, Autoimmune hepatitis, Scleroderma and Polymyositis Dermatomyositis, also see positive results. Antigen specific assays such as extractable nuclear antigen (ENA) and double stranded DNA (dsDNA) must then be performed to confirm a diagnosis, as approximately 70% of patients with SLE have antibodies to dsDNA (Rahman Isenberg, 2008). Positive results can be seen within the aging population as the immune system begins to deteriorate. Nilsson et al, (2006) supports this and found that positive ANA results were fo und particularly in elderly patients over 85 years. 90% of patients with SLE are women, suggesting a hormonal link (Rahman et al, 2008). Hormonal imbalances are seen in women with SLE, thus it becomes difficult to maintain immune tolerance. Increased oestrogen levels result in increased antibody production and Th2 response, whilst decreased levels of androgens depress the response resulting in an abnormal immune response (Danchenko et al, 2006). 1.2 The clinical significance of ANA testing The diagnosis of SLE is dependent on a variety of factors including clinical details, family history, age, race, sex, medication and infection (Stinton Fritzler, 2007). The classical symptom for SLE is a butterfly-shaped rash which is commonly seen on the face (Figure 1.1). In 1982 the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) described a set criterion (Table 1) (updated in 1997), for the diagnosis of SLE aiding clinicians to correctly diagnose patients. Four points of the criteria must be met, for a definite diagnosis of SLE. The criterion for SLE includes symptoms, immunological and haematological tests. Points 10 and 11 are of particular importance, as they are confirmatory of SLE. A study by Arbuckle et al, (2003) examined the onset of SLE in 130 patients and found that 115 patients had positive indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) ANA, before diagnosis. 1. Malar Rash A butterfly rash usually seen on the face 2. Discoid rash red, scaly patches on skin that cause scarring 3. Photosensitivity Skin rash as a result of unusual reaction to sunlight 4. Oral ulcers Oral or nasopharyngeal ulceration 5. Nonerosive Arthritis tenderness or swelling of joints 6. Pleuritis or Pericarditis Pleuritis inflammation of the pleura, the lining of the pleural cavity surrounding the lungs Pericarditis small amount of fluid builds up between the two layers of the pericardium. 7. Renal Disorder Persistent proteinuria Cellular castsmay be red cell, hemoglobin, granular, tubular, or mixed 8. Neurologic Disorder Seizures 9. Hematologic Disorder Hemolytic anemiawith reticulocytosis Leukopenia Lyphopenia Thrombocytopenia 10. Immunologic Disorder Anti-DNA: antibody to native DNA in abnormal titer Anti-Sm: presence of antibody to Sm nuclear antigen Positive finding of antiphospholipid antibodies on: 11. Positive Antinuclear Antibody An abnormal antinuclear antibody by immunofluorescence Once a positive ANA test has been performed there is no reason to repeat the test, however if clinicians have a strong suspicion of an evolving connective tissue disease (CTD) negative ANAs should be re-requested (Blerk et al, 2008). Other immunological tests such as complement components (C3 and C4), C-reactive protein, anti-phospholipid antibodies and anti-histone can also be tested to investigate SLE; however these may not always aid all patients (Egner, 2000). 1.3 History of ANA testing and how the diagnosis of SLE evolved The ANA test has been around for over 40 years and is the most widely performed autoantibody test, worldwide. The test is commonly performed within Immunology laboratories and has evolved very little over the years. ANAs originated from lupus erythrocytosms, also known as the LE cell phenomenon. LE cells were discovered in 1948 by Hargrave, who saw that patients with SLE have polymorphonuclear leukocytes, which had phagocytosed nuclei, within the bone marrow (Hepburn, 2001). Following the discovery, Lee et al, (1957) showed that the LE cells were formed by gamma proteins in leukocytes which were thought to be antibody. Fluorescent labels were also introduced in 1957, to show homogenous patterns on human tissue (Hughes et al, 2008). By 1961 rat sections substrates were introduced, enabling patterns such as homogenous, speckled and nucleolar to be seen in patients with rheumatic diseases. The use of rat substrates brought about a new discovery, which saw that washing cells in saline, c aused alterations to cells within slides, thus altering patterns seen, thus the precursor of the ENA screen was introduced. By the 1970-80s Human epithelioma type 2 cells: CCL-23 (HEp-2) substrates were widespread and National quality assurance schemes began to establish. 1.4 Techniques implemented in laboratories for ANA detection There are many techniques available for the testing of ANAs; these can be seen in the UK National External Quality Assessment Service (UKNEQAS) report found in Appendix 1. 1.4.1 Indirect immunoflourescent (IIF)-ANA Indirect immunoflourescent (IIF) is a general screening technique performed to identify patients with autoantibodies. It enables scientist to link autoantibody patterns present within a patient sera, to help diagnose and monitor their progress during treatment. ANA testing using IIF was developed by George Friou in 1957, where initially substrates such as chicken erythrocytes were used (Kumar et al, 2009). ANA substrates were traditionally prepared in-house using rodent tissue where thin layers of tissue were sliced using a cryostat. However as demand for the screening of autoantibodies increased (Figure 1.2), preparing slides was no longer feasible, as it was time consuming and laboratories could no longer manage rodent houses as they required expert attention. Commercial companies then began to produce ready to use tissues substrates, offering a greater sensitivity. However as many commercial substrates are now available, variability between kits, manufactures, substrate, conjugate and the degree of cellularity (good monolayer of cells and a number of mitotic spindles), make it difficult to standardise methods of detection and reporting. In order to produce accurate results, substrates must be present in the correct phase of the cell cycle (Figure 1.3). Identification of IIF-ANA patterns is dependant on the true state of chromosome. Most autoantibodies are directed against antigens expressed during interphase. Interphase is divided into 3 stages: G1, S and G2, where cytoplasmic organelles and fibres structure are most visible and the nucleoli appear well differentiated. A mix of mitotic and non mitotic forms of cells are needed in the metaphase stage as it is influential in interpreting IIF-ANA patterns, especially centromeres and homogenous patterns (Sacks et al, 2009). The HEp-2 substrate is commonly used in ANA detection and was introduced commercially in 1975 (Kavanaugh et al, 2000). HEp-2 provided a greater sensitivity for the testing of SLE as they were composed of human laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma, allowing the recognition of over 30 nuclear and cytoplasmic antigens (Gonzalez-Buitrego Gonzalez, 2006). HEp-2 substrate contains various organelles (Figure 1.4) allowing uniform distribution of cells, showing large nucleolus, meaning no interference of the intercellular matrix is seen (Gonzalez et al, 2002). The introduction of the HEp-2 substrate was a big step forward in identifying patients with the ribonucleoprotein complex (anti-Ro). The anti-Ro antigen is particularly significant in patients with SLE as it offers a poor prognosis. However this antigen is seen to overlap between different autoimmune diseases such as Sjà ¶grens syndrome, thus the detection of the antigen must be precise. The Ro (SS-A) antibody is seen to target protein antigens associated with small RNA molecules known as hY-RNAs11, 12 and are of unknown function (Cozzani et al, 2008). HEp-2 cells were seen to destroy the Ro antigens during fixation, so commercial companies began to devise ways around this. To overcome this problem, HEp-2 cells were genetically modified to produce extra Ro antigen and this substrate was known as HEp-2000. HEp-2000 substrate is uniquely produced by ImmunoConcepts (Sacramento CA, USA). The slides have 10-25% mitotic human epithelia and offer a greater sensitivity (Table 2) in the diag nosis of SLE. They have aided in reducing the number of ANA negative SLE patients; however detection of Ro is dependent on the stability of actin, as it can denature easily. Although HEp-2000 substrates were seen to be more beneficial in detection of Ro antigen, they limit the identification of the different epitopes of the Ro antigen. At present HEp-2000 substrate can only identify the 60kDA Ro antigen; but since the 52kDA Ro antigen also exists, patients with this epitope are missed. A study by Cozzani and colleagues (2008) looked at 5,949 people over a 5 year period. All participants were photosensitive and 2,315 of these had connective tissue disease (CTD) such as SLE. The study found that the anti-Ro was easy to identify on HEp-2000 slides with a sensitivity of 81% according to the Altman test, of accuracy. However a study by Bossuyt and Luyckx (2005) compared IIF to EIA and saw that patients with anti-Ro antibodies were missed using HEp-2000 slides, as the undetected patients contained the Ro 52 antibody; although they reported a sensitivity of 82.9%. One patient in this study was negative for IIF-ANA, but was shown to have a positive Ro antigen by EIA. A study by Dahle et al, (2004), looked at HEp-2 and compared three ANA methods; Enzyme immunoassay (EIA), double radial immunodiffusion (DRID) and IIF. 3,079 patients were examined and overlapping results between IIF and DRID were seen and 60% of IIF-ANA gave a positive homogenous pattern. However results for EIA showed that positive IIF results appeared negative by EIA. In 2006 the LGI performed a study looking at 18,320 samples, requesting ANA tests by IIF. The study found that 1 in 5 patients, identified as negative or weak positive by IIF, showed positive for anti-Ro via EIA. This proved that Hep2000 cells cant detect the different epitope of Ro, thus concludes that antigen-specific testing is required following the ANA test. This agrees with Morozzi et al, (2000), who suggest that a combination of 2 or more methods are required for the detection of the anti-Ro antibody in patients. This study looked at 64 people with connective tissue disorders and tested them by IIF, EIA and DRID. Results showed that 54 people were positive by at least one method and the specificity of each technique was good, whilst sensitivity varied. Sensitivity for IIF-ANA via HEp-2000 was 89%, EIA (Ro60) was 89%, EIA (Ro52) was 67% and DRID presented with a sensitivity of 76%. Although the NEQAS report shows that DRID is no longer used within laboratories, results from thi s study suggest that EIA has the ability to detect the different epitopes, preventing misreading of the anti-Ro antigen. Thus to ensure that all SLE patients are identified antigen-specific tests such as extractable nuclear antigen (ENA) should be used to detect the various epitopes (Cozzani et al, 2008). Conjugates play a significant role in the determination of IIF and EIA results. Fluorescein-conjugated antibodies produced from goat, sheep or rabbit are commonly used. These are usually bought from commercial companies, which produce pre-diluted conjugate, raised against mouse or human, which aims to achieve optimal sensitivity and reactivity. Immunoglobulin fraction can be also be used; however fluorescein conjugates such as fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) are preferred as they produce less background staining. A fluorescein/protein (FP) molar ratio is employed, with in-house diluted conjugates. The ratio varies between kits, however a 1:3 dilution with phosphate buffered saline (PBS) is usually used (Egner, 2000). At LGI the conjugate used for detection of ANAs is IgG, as it allows accurate diagnosis and monitoring of diseases such as SLE. IgM-ANA can also be employed, although this indicates milder or non-specific diseases, whilst IgA-ANA gives little information so arent used. Due to the use of fluorescence conjugate, slides fade overtime, thus it is particularly important to determine results as soon as possible as photographs are not taken. As IIF varies daily due to slides and condition of the microscope, it would be appropriate to carry out daily checkerboards to see which working dilution is best for the conjugate, improving consistency; however this is no longer feasible in high-throughput laboratories. When reporting ANA three factors require evaluation: the pattern observed; substrate used and the titre of the positive test. Experienced scientist can interpret ANA slides and distinguish titre levels; however this takes years of experience. The screening dilution is important in patients presenting with positive results, as it helps determine an individuals severity of disease and can prove beneficial to clinicians. Serial dilutions at 1:10, 1:20, 1:40, 1:80, 1:160 and 1:320 can be performed, where the titre value is the one at which positive sample becomes negative. 5% of a healthy population can present with a positive low ANA titre, with no disease activity and are commonly women aged over 60 (Shmerling, 2003). Peterson et al, (2009) found that beside patients with SLE patients, other diseases also present with positive ANA titres. 1:20 healthy people presented with a positive ANA and the number of positives increased to 1:3, with a dilution of 1:40. To reduce the number of fals e positives, titres are commonly performed at 1:80. At LGI titres were performed on all positive samples and pregnant women, regardless of whether they are positive or negative. Pregnant women are closely monitored as a precaution as IgG antibodies cross the placenta, thus anti-Ro/La antigen is capable of causing fetal heart block (Rahman Isenberg, 2008). Patients who presented with symptoms for SLE were also titrated; however lots of weak positive results were seen as a dilution of 1:40 was employed. As workload increased titrations became laborious and impractical, thus performing titres routinely was abolished and titres are now only performed upon request. Cut-offs exist, however these are modified around the local population, to give a better sensitivity (Stinton Fritzler, 2007). Shmerling, (2003) has suggested that ANA titres can correlate with disease activity, but as positive samples undergo antigen specific testing via EIA, titres should be abolished, unless there are specifically requested by the clinicians to monitor changes to disease. Wieser et al, (2001) found that there was a lack of correlation between the clinical features of patients and laboratory results obtained. The study looked at 3 cases with varying antibody titres and established algorithms seen in Figure 1.5. Similarly Hanley et al, (2009) suggested algorithms help in diagnostics (Appendix 2). As a small number of cases were analyses, it appears that there is not sufficient evidence to develop an algorithm; however both the studies have been adapted in Europe as they were seen to prevent patients with detectable antibodies being missed and to avoid the unnecessary testing and time of laboratory staff. Slide processors are available to prepare IIF slides. They first appeared in the late 1990s and include platforms such as ASP1200 and AFT from Binding Site (Figure 1.6). These slide processors ensure that all samples are prepared quickly, reliably and accurately, avoiding cross reactivity in sample preparation. Slide processors perform IIF via indirect antibody reactions as seen in Figure 1.7. Patient serum is incubated with a substrate, followed by washing to remove any unbound protein. A second antibody, FITC is added and this reacts with immunoglobulins which have combined with the substrate. Another washing stage is performed and slides are ready to be mounted and interpreted manually, however this causes subjectiveness. IIF-ANA result interpretation is dependent on the operators setup of the microscope, type and number of hours the bulb (mercury) has been used, type of objective lens, filters and most importantly magnification. At the LGI the Leica DMRB mercury microscope is employed and allows cells to magnify at X200, X400 and X500. Positive results fluoresce an apple-green colour (Table 3), whilst negative samples have little fluorescence. Two independent observers interpret the slides to prevent reading errors and any conflicting results are followed by an anti-ENA and anti-DNA screen. Automated commercial slide readers are now available to allow interpretation of ANAs. Images are automatically scanned and stored within computer systems, where positive and negative ANA results are determined by the amount of flourenscene emitted. The operator can then scan through positive ANAs, identifying their patterns. This aims to improve the subjectiveness seen between scientists and aims to improve accuracy; however these are not robust so not widely used. The advantage of IIF-ANA is that it is easy, inexpensive, available from a wide range of commercial companies, sensitive, reliable and has reduced cross reactivity and background fluorescence. The disadvantages of IIF-ANA are that it is laborious and requires a high degree of technical expertise. Within most Immunology laboratories the ANA test is not linked to the pathology computer systems, so tests cannot be picked up via an interface. This can be problematic as wrong samples can be analysed and reported. The use of barcode readers can overcome this problem. Homogenous Homogenous Pattern is the most common pattern seen in 60% of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) patients. However it can be seen in drug induced lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis. Positive patients are then further evaluated against: Anti-dsDNA, Anti-Smith Speckled Speckled Pattern can exist as coarse expressing is Sm, U1-RNP antigen or fine expressing Ro or La. Sm positive is seen in 4-40% of SLE patients, whilst RNP is seen in high titres in patients with Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD). Patients with Scleroderma and Sjogrens Syndrome also present with positive results. Centromere Centromere pattern is seen in 57-82% of patients with CREST syndrome and Raynauds. The suspected antigen is CENP A, CENP B, CENP C. Nucleolar Nucleolar Pattern seen in patients with Scleroderma. There are multiple nuclear antigens, such as fibrilliarin. Positive patients are then further tested against Scl-70 (Anti-Topoisomerase I). Table 3: Shows the various ANA patterns seen by IIF on the HEp-2000 substrate (Produced by Nisha Lad, 2010) As different laboratories use different substrates and conjugates, IIF-ANA lacks standardisation worldwide (Bonilla, 2009). A study by Blerk et al, (2008) showed that if laboratories employed the same cells, substrate and conjugate they were able to report the same staining patterns. Over 157 laboratories across Belgium participated and each looked at 9 different samples. Looking at the results it is clear that after considering the variable factors, participants that employed the same HEp-2 slide substrates (Medica, USA) and method of detection were able to produce consistant results, suggesting standardization can be achieved. Although IIF-ANA is subjective, replacement with EIA or bead technology is suggested to increase sensitivity. Bonilla et al (2007) performed a study in the USA suggesting that IIF had a sensitivity of 90.6%, whilst bead technology had a sensitivity of 41.9% and the specificity of IIF was lower at 76%; however for bead technology was 87%. Having tested 385 patients a conclusion was made saying IIF was a better technique for diagnosis of patients with SLE. Olaussen and Rekvig (1999) also produced similar results, where two commercial IIF assays and two commercial ELISA kits consisting of a range of antigens, significant in the diagnosis of SLE were used. The study showed correlation between IIF and ELISA, where sensitivity for IIF was 88%, whilst that for ELISA was 86%. Specificity however varied with 67% for IIF and 60% for ELISA. Another study by Gonzalez et al, (2002), analysed 709 samples comparing IIF and EIA for the diagnosis of ANA. Results showed good reproducibility in both as says, but found that the antibodies which produced a homogenous and speckled IIF patterns were best detected via EIA. On the other hand a study by Nifli et al, (2006) compared routine technology in a selection of Clinical Immunology laboratories and analyzed 11088 samples, using IIF and ELISA at the University Hospital of Heraklion in Greece. Results showed a highly significant correlation for ANA performed by ELISA; however it suggested that as IIF had a low sensitivity of 58%, this could be replaced by multiplex technology, allowing multiple antigen measurement. Looking at these studies closely it appears that although there were similarities between technologies, different kits and manufacturers were used, producing variable results. 1.4.2 Antigen-specific assays for the detection of ANA Many different patterns can be seen by IIF-ANA, however to determine autoantibody specificity further antigen-specific assays are needed. Antibodies against Sm, native dsDNA and chromatin are used in the diagnosis of patients with SLE (Hanley et al, 2009). Currently ANAs are categorised into two main groups; ANA to DNA and histones (dsDNA) and ANA to extractable nuclear antigens (ENA). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), also known as an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) are now available for antigen specific testing, providing a new horizon for SLE testing, as they are able to identify individual antigens. ELISA/EIA is the most commonly performed technique, implemented in laboratories today. In the past, ELISA plates were assembled in-house, however as a successful assay requires careful assembly of the different layers, this soon became difficult to achieve, thus commercial ELISA kits were developed in the 1980s to overcome assay failure and to overcome the subjectiveness of IIF-ANA. The ELISA assay can be performed either manually or via automated technologies. 96 well plates coated with the same antigens are commonly used, however Phadia produce an EIA platform, whereby pens containing singles wells with individual antigens can be used, allowing multiple antigen recognition and analysis. Both ELISA/EIA operate via immunometric methods of detection for anti-ENAs and anti-DNAs. The principle (Figure 1.8) of this technique is via microplates which are coated with purified antigens of interest. Patient serum is incubated in the wells and unbound antibody is then washed away, followed by the addition of a conjugate such as alkaline phosphotase (AP) or horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Another wash stage is performed and colorimetric results develop, which are proportional to the initial concentration of antibody in the patients sample. Results are dependant on kit standards, which produce a calibration curve and then the optical density of the wells is taken to give a q uantitative result (Branda et al, 2009). ELISA are a versatile assay, where the amplification of the signal, increases the overall sensitivity of the assay, as it uses an antibody which are specific to the type of antigen/protein being measured. Studies suggest that ELISA is a sensitive assay, however lacks specificity so false positives results are detected (Castro and Gourley, 2009). The advantage of ELISA is that it can be performed both manually and via automation. Analysers can also be linked to the pathology computer systems, preventing transcription errors in result interpretation. However disadvantages for ELISA are that purified antigens need to be prepared via HPLC, meaning assays are not cost effective and can be time-consuming. As microtitre plates are now purchased with one antigen, there is a limited dynamic range of detection; however EIA pens now overcome this problem. To produce successful assays, instrumental conditions need to be carefully considered. Washing errors, contamination of substrate or inadequa te incubation times may produce little signal amplification resulting in false negative results (Castro and Gourley, 2010). 1.4.2.1 Anti-dsDNA Anti-dsDNA were first described in 1957, by Ceppelini and colleagues. Anti-dsDNA are found in patients with SLE and are mainly found in the form of nucleosomes. Nucleosomes are fragments of chromatin that cells release during apoptosis. dsDNA antibodies bind to the nucleosome to form complexes which settle in the glomeruli, resulting in glomerulonephritis and increasing the risk of lupus nephritis flare, thus detection is crucial as it helps to determine the therapy required for treatment. à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¡-actinin (100kDA) is a microfilament skeletal muscle protein, which aids in maintaining the function of podocytes in the kidney. This protein is not specific for SLE, although it can act as a marker for renal involvement (Raheman et al, 2008). The dsDNA assay can be performed via (Figure 1.9); IIF with Crithidia luciliae substrate (CLIF), Farr assay also known as radioimmunoassay (RIA), however the most commonly used technique is EIA/ELISA as described in 1.4.2. The Farr assay is regarded as the gold standard technique for the detection of dsDNA (Launey et al, 2010). It uses cultured cells labelled with thymidine and idocythidine, which act as radioactive DNA. In the assay bound and free DNA is separated by precipitating immuglobulins and ammonium sulphate. Although this method is good, it misses low avidity anti-DNA antibodies due to a nitrocellular filter, which allows the passage of free DNA and however double stranded DNA (dsDNA) cannot be filtered. Thus the radioactivity is said to be proportional to serum anti-DNA (Isenberg Smeenk, 2002). The Farr assay can detect high affinity antibodies, with relatively high specificity; however it requires precision in pipetting as there must be sufficient labelled DNA to bind to samples in order to reach an endpoint. Although the use of radiolabels within the Farr assay provides highly reproducible results, it becomes very costly, dangerous and difficult to dispose of the radioactive isotopes. Other limitations with this assay are that it only detects IgG and cannot determine any other immunoglobulin isotopes (IgA/IgM), thus patients presenting with dsDNA antibodies to IgA/IgM can be missed (Egner 2000). UK NEQAS shows that the Farr assay is still being used (Figure 1.9), as it is a more accurate confirmatory test that can be used in the diagnosis of SLE. The accuracy of the Farr assay can be seen in many studies. A study by Launey and colleagues (2010) compared the Farr radioimmunoassay to three commercial enzyme immuoassays and CLIF staining. The study looked at 99 patients with SLE and found that the Farr assay was the best assay, offering greater sensitivity and specificity of 95%, than the three other ELIA and CLIF assays. Derksen et al, (2002) also showed similar results. He compared the Fa rr assay with the Varelisa EIA assay and found that the Farr assay was superior to the EIA assay as it presented with a specificity of 95% and a sensitivity of 72%, whilst in EIA specificity corresponded to sensitivities at 44%. Many laboratories also perform follow-up DNA tests by EIA, using CLIF to determine the avidity of anti-dsDNA antibodies. However CLIF can also be used alongside IIF to measure anti-DNA (IIF-DNA) and this does not requiring any specialist equipment, other than a fluorescence microscope. The CLIF assay allows detection of high affinity antibodies through titrations, however this requires precise pipetting. CLIF detects antibodies to kinetoplast of organisms, which consists of circular dsDNA and allows both IgG-anti-dsDNA and IgM-anti-dsDNA to be tested (Gonzalez-Buiterego Gonzalez, 2006). The test is highly reproducible and is particularly suitable for a limited number of samples. Although the assay offers the highest specificity for ANA testing, it has a relatively low diagnostic sensitivity for SLE. Due to the degree of accuracy of the Farr assay, it is undoubtedly the best assay for the detection of dsDNA and so has been approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and operates under the WHO80-IRP standard. However due to the risk of handling radioactive substance and the cost of the assay; this is not routinely used within Immunology. 1.4.2.2 Anti-ENA Positive IIF-ANA are typically followed up by extractable nuclear antigens (ENA). ENAs were discovered in 1966 by Smith and colleagues, offering a greater specificity, to allow a more accurate disease diagnosis, in correlation to the initial IIF-ANA screen. Originally ENAs referred to proteins found in a saline extract of cell nuclei, however since then the components have been identified and these consist of cytoplasmic molecules. A whole spectrum of approximately 100 antigens can be screened; however most have no clinical significance. In order to cover the majority of inflammatory autoimmune diseases 6 clinically significant antigens (Table 4); Ro, La, Sm, RNP, Scl-70 and Jo1 are used within most laboratories across the UK. It can be seen that SLE is associated with many of the antigens in the screen. Although ENAs are commonly performed via EIA (Figure 1.10), other methods such as qualitative gel precipitation assays, passive haemagglutination, immunoblotting, counter current immunoelectrophoresis (CIE) and antigen microarray can also be used (Kumar et al, 2009). Sceening of ENAs is expensive in comparison to IIF-ANA as it allows specific antigen detection, offering a greater sensitivity as approximately 90% of positive IIF-ANA produce negative results via EIA (Dahle et al, 2004). Gel precipitation assays such as double immunodiffusion (DID) and counter current immunoelectrophoresis (CIE) are still being used within laboratories; however these were discovered over 5 decades ago. CIE uses an electric current to accelerate the migration of antibody

The Time Machine - Analysis :: essays research papers

There are numerous people in society who lack certain skills that they need for survival. These people may lack intelligence and depend on other human beings to help them get through life. However, most of the time, it is there fault that they lack these necessities. In â€Å"The Time Machine† by H.G Wells, the Eloi had this problem. They were victims of their own weaknesses because they didn’t understand that learning these important skills was necessary for them to survive. When he arrived in the future, The Time Traveller, after seeing and hearing the Eloi, concluded that they had an extremely low intelligence compared to the people that lived in his time. They were often described as and compared to little children. â€Å"Then one of them asked me a question that showed him to be on the intellectual level of one of our five year old children.†(39) He was very shocked about this weakness that the Eloi possessed. The fact that the Time Traveller lived 800,00 years in the past led him to believe that over time, the generations got less and less intelligent and more involved with having fun compared to the world where he lived. The Time Traveller also realized that the Eloi were very dependent on other people for many of there resources. He mentioned that the Eloi had houses and clothing but he didn’t see any machinery or anything that could possibly produce these items. â€Å"There were no shops, no workshops, no sign of importations among them.† (65) This led him the believe that there had to be someone or something that was making these items for them. Since the Time Traveller had already know about the low intelligence of the Eloi, this didn’t come as surprize to him. He was able to come to the conclusion that the Eloi cannot do very much for themselves. Another fact that the Time Traveler came across was that the Eloi spent all day playing games and doing nothing of importance. He didn't understand how they could get things done and survive in their world. "They spent all day of their time in playing gently, in bathing in the river, in making love in a half-playful fashion, in eating fruit and sleeping. I could not see how things were kept going." (65) He thought that the Eloi acted just like little children. The thing that puzzled him was how the society could function properly when no one took anything seriously. He never saw an Eloi doing work or anything of value. As a result, the Time Traveller didn't understand how the Eloi stayed alive.

Religion :: essays research papers

â€Å"If God did not exist, would it be necessary to invent him?† This question deals with the necessity of God himself. It asks us to imagine that there is no knowledge about any superhuman being, such as God. It makes me think about weather or not we would be inclined to want something like God. I am forced to think of how important God is in my own life, and how important God is in the rest of the world. There is no doubt in my mind, that if God did not exist, people all around the world would at some point or another wonder why they were put on earth. Therefore, a being beyond human abilities would have created the world. After reflecting on this, minds would automatically assume the existence of some superhuman being.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I think it would be necessary to invent God, if he did not already exist. We try to control our lives, by material means, but when we find that we cannot control everything by ourselves and by our own material means, we search for something that can control these things. We look for an answer to questions that we cannot answer ourselves. For example, when someone who believes in God has a series of bad situations, such as a divorce, a death in the family, and a loss of their job, they would automatically pray for a brighter future as they feel that God is the only way in which they can be saved. If God did not exist, then humans would feel they were in the dark, not knowing how to deal with certain situations. Inventing a God in this situation would allow light to be shed on these situations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  God is something that many people live for and center their lives around. When someone believes in God they receive a sense of inner peace from God and allow themselves to use this peace to interact with others. In reality, I see God in everyone and everything, but I also see unnecessary hatred. Looking at the way in which we interact with each other now, with the belief of God present, I notice that our relations are nowhere near perfect. I figure that without God the world would be unimaginably, even worse. Though people learn to respect others through experience, the basis of this concept comes from God. Weather it is Buddha, Alla or Jesus Christ, the love for one another is a major theme with such gods.