Globe Theatre Essay

We do not know much about Shakespeare’s life. He comes from the small provincial town Stratford that lies on the Avon. His father was a workman, and he was a member of the town council; and he was also the mayor of the town for three years. Shakespeare most likely went to Stratford Grammar School, which can still be seen in the town, however we do not know much about what he learned in school. In 1582, when he was 18 years old, he married Ann Hathaway who was 7-8 years older; she was the oldest daughter of a wealthy farmer. Their first child was born the year after, only six months after the wedding; later they also had twins. There are several explanations as to why Shakespeare traveled to London, but most explanations are anecdotes from recent times. Some researchers believe that he became a member of a theatrical company that was visiting Stratford. The first time we here about him again is in 1592, and at that time he is a well-known person in London. He is mostly known as an actor and as a playwright, but he was also the owner of The Globe Theatre. Shakespeare wrote 37 plays: comedies, tragedies and historical dramas. His plays have something to fit everyone’s tastes; there are exciting plots, strong emotions, colors and comedy. Shakespeare’s themes are love, nature, power and the responsibilities that come with it. The central theme is humans and, especially after 1600, the bitterness towards the humans is most definitely felt. Around 1611 he returned to Stratford, possibly the same year as he wrote The Tempest, which can be read as his goodbye to the theater. He lived his last years in his home town, and died in 1616. He is buried in the Church of the Holy Trinity, and above his grave on the left side of the church, lies his epitaph.

Best Rich Picture Book

Designing touch screen voting systems: a rich picture exercise. Name: Course: Instructor: Pavel Gokin HF 770 Prototyping Chauncey Wilson Collecting the data. My primary source of data was the Internet in general and the ACM digital library in particular. The papers and articles found there provided information about the design and use of voting systems, as well as the entities influencing or influenced, directly or indirectly, by the system. Some of the stakeholder concerns came from my personal experience and educated guessing.This is, of course, not how I would collect the data for this rich picture if I were doing it as a â€Å"real† project. Ideally, the insights would come from contextual interviews of the stakeholders as outlined in Monk and Howard’s article (Monk & Howard, 1998, p. 22). Thus the concerns addressed by the design would be real user concerns (albeit reported rather than observed) rather than what I, the designer, think the concerns were. Touch scree n voting systems (VS) share most of the same stakeholders with all types of voting machines.The exceptions here are the stakeholders that come into play due to the electronic nature of the data collection. For example, the Secretary of State office, where voting system vendors have to escrow the source code of their systems (Dill et al. , nd, 2. 3). However, some design issues and stakeholder concerns are unique to touch screen VS. Let’s look at the stakeholders and their concerns, expressed in their own words. Primary / core stakeholders. 1. The voter. This one is obvious. However, it may be useful to break this stakeholder into sub-stakeholders. Here’s why. Voting systems must be usable by all citizens 18 years of age or older.This includes not only â€Å"normal† voters, but also the elderly, disabled, uneducated, poor, and minorities (Bederson, 2003, p. 145). Each group has additional concerns on top of the ones it shares with all of the voters. a. Concerns c ommon to all voters, in their own words, include: i. â€Å"Will I be able to figure this thing out quickly? † ii. â€Å"Will my vote be properly recorded and counted? How will I know? † iii. â€Å"Will my vote be kept anonymous? † b. Disabled: i. â€Å"Will I be able to see the screen? Will I be able to use the system without seeing anything? † (low/no vision) ii. â€Å"Will I be able to reach the controls? † (stature, wheelchair) iii. Will I be able to indicate my selection properly? † (motor) c. Elderly. In addition to having physical disabilities, the elderly are particularly distrustful of technology. They often need written proof of important transactions (i. e. paper social security checks). i. â€Å"Will I get a paper receipt or some written confirmation of my vote? † ii. â€Å"Will I have enough time to do everything comfortably? † d. Low literacy users: i. â€Å"Will I be able to understand the instructions/choices? â €  e. The poor and racial/ethnic minorities: i. â€Å"I can do this much better in Spanish! † ii. â€Å"Will they even count my ballot? †1 2. Poll workers.Poll workers are the people who deploy and manage the systems. Their concern stems from the fact that they have minimal training on the system and, therefore, may not be able to troubleshoot problems or answer questions (Bederson, 2003, p. 145): â€Å"†¦ because poor and ethnic and racial minorities were more likely to cast their ballots on outdated systems, their votes were among the least likely to be counted† (Bederson, 2003, p. 145). 1 a. â€Å"Oh no! Election night is tomorrow and we only got these things this morning! How will I ever learn how to use it, let alone help someone if they have a problem? † 3. The VS’s UI designer.This role may physically reside inside the system vendor’s organization (and influenced by it), but it also has its own concerns. a. â€Å"How can I de sign the interface so that it meets the requirements least expensively and do so without working nights and weekends to meet the deadline? † The problem here is three-fold: (i) requirements may stress functionality required to pass certification rather than assure a usable product (FEC’s fault); (ii) the pressure to cut costs may mean that some of the users’ needs will be sacrificed; (iii) personal time pressure means that the designer may not have enough time to come up with the best solution. . The VS’s programmer. a. â€Å"How can I program this thing so that it meets the requirements and what shortcuts can I take so that I get it all done while only working nights and weekends to meet the deadline? † The programmer’s problems are similar to those of the designer: too little time to care about the user experience. Secondary stakeholders. 5. The management team of the VS vendor. Their concern is, among others: a. â€Å"We need to design a system that will pass qualification by the ITA. † b. â€Å"How can we design, manufacture and sell the system most profitably? † c. Who has the deepest pockets to pay for our state of the art system? † 6. State and local authorities who purchase the system. According to Bederson et al. â€Å"state or county purchasers are usually more concerned about cost than usability† (Bederson, 2003, p. 145): a. â€Å"Who’s got the cheapest NASED-certified system? † Note that this concern is in conflict with the VS vendor’s need to charge as much as possible for the systems. 7. The Federal Election Committee (FEC) creates voting system standards (VSS): a. â€Å"We need a system that’s secure, reliable, and accessible. † 8.The Independent Testing Authority (accredited by the National Association of State Election Directors (NASED)) qualifies VS for use in elections (Coggins, 2004, p. 35): a. â€Å"Does this system meet the qualificatio n requirements? † 9. Electees. To quote/paraphrase Al Gore: a. â€Å"We need a complete and accurate count! † 10. The Media. Would they ever love to dig up some â€Å"dirt† on a system that a disabled veteran could not use and was thus disenfranchised! a. â€Å"Are there systems out there that are not secure or accessible? † 11. Political Analysts. They too like to talk about chads. a. Will the new systems again threaten our Democracy? † The Rich Picture. The diagram on the following page places (a) all the stakeholders, (b) their concerns, and (c) their relationships to one another. The relationships are defined by the information or material goods they exchange. The voter stakeholder is â€Å"exploded† into its subgroups. Direct stakeholders appear in the shaded area. Will I be able to figure the system out quickly so I can help the voters? Will I understand the instructions / choices? The Voter Can I figure this out quickly? I can do this m uch better in Spanish!Instructions / help Poll Worker Requests for assistance Low Literacy Voter Voter Will I be able to use this thing at all? Poor and Racial/Ethnic Minority Will I get a receipt? Sala ry Need the cheapest certified system we can get. Need to cut costs and charge more. Votin g Syste m s Disabled Voter Elderly Voter er Us inp ut (? ) I don’t have time for UCD! I want a complete and accurate vote count! State / Local voting authority (VS Purchaser) t un co te Vo l resu Vote ts System design Salary Paym ent VS Designer System VS Vendor ec code I wish I had more time! Salar s sp y Qu m aliVote results Sy ste fic o ati Electee VS Programmer n# Is poor design causing disenfranchisement among the voters? Media We want â€Å"dirt† on badly designed voting systems! Political Media Analyst We need universal standards for secure and accessble systems V S Qu alificat Repor ion t NASED VS n Sta da s rd ITA Vote res u lts Note: Primary / core stakeholders appear in the light gray shaded area FEC Discussion. Obtaining concerns. Since I didn’t interview the stakeholders, many of the concerns are based on my assumptions about the stakeholders. Therefore, those concerns may not be real.For the same reason I can only guess the exact language to use in the concerns thought bubbles. An interesting alternate strategy could have been to omit unverified concerns. In this case the resulting rich picture would point to information gaps requiring more research. Which concerns to include. Even if all concerns are identified we must keep in mind that some affect the system about which we’re trying to make a rich picture while others don’t. In general, identifying concerns that have an impact on the design of the touch screen voting system was difficult.This was especially true for indirect stakeholders. In addition, choosing concerns that seem to have an impact on the system being designed and ignoring the others may have caused me to o mit an important concern that may have a significant impact on the system. Direct vs. indirect stakeholders. Where to draw the line? The way I dealt with this problem was to classify as direct stakeholders all entities that physically interact with the system or whose decisions have a direct impact on a particular voting system. A possible alternate approach.In their paper, Monk and Howard illustrate two approaches to indicating process flows between stakeholders in a rich picture: illustrating the flow of data and the flow of influence. While I chose to illustrate the flow of data or information, the influence flow approach could have provided some interesting insights as well. I could have placed the system itself in the center of the diagram and represented the ways in which the different stakeholders influenced the system using process arrows. These influences, combined with concerns, could then be used to create system requirements. Bibliography. Bederson, B. B. , Lee, B. Sherm an, R. M. , Herrnson, P. , Niemi, R. G. (April, 2003). Electronic Voting System Usability Issues. CHI 2003, April 5–10, 2003, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA. Dill, D. L. , Mercuri, R. , Neumann, P. G. , & Wallach, D. S. (nd). Frequently Asked Questions about DRE Voting Systems. Retrieved on February 14, 2006 from: http://www. verifiedvoting. org/article. php? id=5018. Coggins, C. (November, 2004). Independent Testing of Voting Systems. Communications of the ACM, October, 2004, 47(10), pp. 34-38. Monk, A. , & Howard, S. (March-April, 1998). The rich picture: A tool for reasoning about work context. Interactions, pp. 21-30.

In the Country of Men Woman Essay

-Automatic sense of powerlessness initiated by the cultural environment of Libya’s patriarchal society in which woman are severely oppressed. Matars setting in a figurative landscape of Libya in which males obtain an overriding dominance assists in creating a world in which powerless woman is a norm. From the outset of the novel, women are portrayed as weak and incompetence demonstrated by Kareem’s descriptions of a woman’s menstrual cycle as â€Å"a curse† . This criticism from a mere child demonstrates how woman are considered below children in the society’s hierarchy. Matar emphasizes the oppression of woman through the act of Mama being immobile during sex. This heightens that lack of power possessed by woman and the ability for the outside patriarchal society to infiltrate a household and be present in even the most intimate situations. lack of respect of woman rights within the society is evident with the severe extremities associated with her arranged marriage. Locked up and sex against will, notion that father would execute ultimate power by killing her without compunction highlights how a woman is merely a chattel in the society. -Rarely called by names highlighting limiting role as bearer. I must be a good wife, loyal and unquestioning†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Puts make up on, Baba asks why no lunch yet, tells her what to pack= Men have control and ability to take action while woman are powerless relying on men for permission.. 2) However, Matar demonstrates how power is more individual than cultural with Mama’s ability to choose how she reacts to specific situations resulting in obtaining power to save Baba. Mama develops power after her intervention with Um Masoud leads to the successful saving of Baba’s life, awakening Mama to the subtle yet influential power she possesses. -Matar makes a statement that individual power is an inherent characteristic, as Mama discovers happiness throgh recognizing her own ability to wield power. This is demonstrated to the allusion of the story of â€Å"Scheherazade†. Although she condemns Scheherazade’s actions, scorning the heroine’s actions to save herself simply for life itself, Mama displays action similar to those of the novel woman. Her actions parallel those of the heroine, ultimately harnessing hidden power to outsmart and influence, saving Baba in  the process. She ultimately uses power of rationality and realism to act- pragmatic Despite the men acting in ways that are idealistic rather than realistic, Mama shows ultimate power of knowledge that in this particular society, resistance is futile and best not be engaged. Matar highlights how in order to survive; a person must acquiesce to regime. Becomes â€Å"darling of the house† and becomes a woman who is able to cope with her life in juxtaposition to at the beginning of the novel where she succumbed to the consumption of alcohol as an escape mechanism. On a deeper level, Matar invites us to view her behaivour as a response to a world full of suffering and lack of control. Therefore, her divergence from alcohol consumption supports the newfound harmony harnessed within her relationship. 3. Mama is powerful in the sense that she is able to influence thoughts within her son, ultimately controlling his departure to Egypt. -Mama’s use of storytelling of her â€Å"black day† has the ability to influence young Suleiman and implicates him in guilt and a duty of care -Results in him â€Å"dreaming of saving her†. Power over Suleiman When combined with alcohol problem, her power over him is manipulative, with Suleiman standing up to Baba stating â€Å"all you men are the same†. Uses power of persuasion to arrange Suleiman’s â€Å"safety† as he leaves for Egypt is a deceitful maneuver that echoes her own marriage. Suleiman describes her â€Å"ruthless, steely certainty that made her send me away†. Hence, IN THE DENOUEMENT OF THE NOVEL, Mama accesses her inherent power 4. Um Masoud – Matar’s juxtaposition of Mama and the other principle wife, Um Masoud, in the novel demonstrate how inequality is not shared throughout all households Um Masoud, who is married to a RC member, is seen to wield major influence over her husband. Um Masoud reminds her husband of his catechism â€Å"She is our dear neighbor† It is she who intercedes on Mama’s behalf to save Baba which is partly acknowledged by Mama who â€Å"What if they can’t or wont help us†, detailing Um Masoud’s ability to save Baba Further relishes her power-playing role to a point in which is unhealthy and warped is demonstrated by her ordering of Suleiman to take a slice of cake to the â€Å"gentlemen sitting in the car†. ordering Suleiman to act in kindness towards  a man who has been spying on his family and involved in the execution of his best friends father. Demonstrates Matar’s presentation of intricate an complex presentation of characters. Not black and white. UM MASOUD ENJOYS HER ABILITY TO WIELD POWER, BOTH POLITICALLY WITH HUSBAND AND OUT OF SHEER PERSONAL JOY. Women have inner ability to choose how they react, may not be discovered until catalytic events enhance maturity. Power is a by-product of authority demonstrated by Um Masoud whose close proximity to power is able to inflate ego.

Gun control Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Gun control - Research Paper Example Some people supported the owning of fire arms by Americans while others advocated for new laws that would ban the sale of some semi-automatic firearms. These gun control calls were a measure to reduce the occurrence of a tragedy like the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting. After the incident at Sandy Hook, over 100,000 Americans signed a petition supporting renewed debate on gun control in America. Gun violence in the United States is the leading cause of calls to control guns. Gun violence is common in urban areas and more often involve young males (GIIDS, 2011). Such high profile shooting like the Sandy Hook elementary school massacre has heightened debate on gun policies in America. Statistics show that 70 percent of all homicides in the United States get perpetrated using some firearm. This includes suicides and accidental shooting incidences. Different policies at the state, federal and local levels, have made an attempt to address gun violence through a number of methods inc luding restrictions of firearm purchases by at risk population, establishment of gun buyback programs, law enforcement and policy strategies. Other measures to curb the increasing instances of gun violence include setting periods of waiting before purchasing of firearms, enactment of harsh laws of violators of gun laws, community outreach programs, and education programs for children and parents. The federal legislation aims at prohibiting the sale of firearms to criminals and insurgents. Gun policies get determined by the interpretation of the second amendment of the constitution of the United States. These amendments have been subject to several disagreements throughout the years. This second amendment protects a person’s right to own a firearm for the traditional lawful purpose of defense against trespassers in the home and within the federal enclaves. This protection extends to the states as well. There have been numerous endeavors in the United States by authorities to c ontrol the use of guns throughout the states. This has led to numerous recommendations in relation to gun laws and policies. Recommendations on the gun laws are as follows. There should be a ban to the military assault weapons that include high capacity magazines (Carter, 2006). Background checks should be expanded, and gun traffic laws should be toughened. A ban should be imposed on the sale and production of magazines with more than 10 rounds. The expanded background checks should include criminal checks to prevent an instance of criminals getting access to guns. The loophole should be closed that exempts gun buyers from any form of screening. Legislations should be passed to ban transfer or possession of armor bullets and cracking down on individuals. These people after passing the screening test hand over the guns to criminals and people forbidden from buying the guns. Top of these recommendations is the background checks issue. It is important for an individual background to be thoroughly scrutinized before getting allowed to own or even purchase a gun. There should be a ban on assault weapons. Another recommendation would be making legislation that defined gun trafficking as a federal crime. This legislation would limit the gun flow in, out and within states. There should be an addition of more legal language in the laws regarding the distribution of guns such that there are less legal hurdles in prosecution. This is because the current legal language as regards to gun laws has proved difficult

International Accounting Standards Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

International Accounting Standards - Essay Example (Salter et al, 1996). The main goal of the International set of Accounting Standards is to standardise the financial and accounting method disclosures of firms in different nations. That is, if firms follow the same set of accounting standards, their external financial reports will provide more uniform disclosures and thus investors would make more use of the variables inherent in the financial statements. (Asbaugh, 2001). Also, firms and investors would benefit from financial statements prepared following an international set of accounting standards. (Asbaugh, 2001). In meeting with the afore-mentioned objectives, the European Union issued regulation 1606/2002 of July 19, 2002 requiring that all companies listed in the European Union and European listed companies in other countries to adopt international accounting standards in their Financial statements from 1st January 2005 onwards the regulation also gave member states the option to or permit the use of IAS and IFRS in the corporate annual accounts. A single set of standards including IAS 2 inventories had to be adopted by firms in the region and firms in other regions that are listed in the E.U. Non-E.U listed firms in other areas that permit or require the adoption of IAS/IFRS also adopted International accounting standards. The International Accounting Standards Board recently revised IAS 2. In accordance to this revision, the LIFO method of valuing inventories was completely faced out and only the First in First out (FIFO) and weighted average methods of inventories are to be used as from now henceforth. Following this revision, I predict significant effects on costs, profitability, taxes and firm value for firms adopting international accounting standards who previously applied the LIFO method of accounting considering that they are now required to use only the FIFO or weighted average methods of inventory valuation. I also predict significant difficulties in convergence with the U.S GAAP considering the fact that the LIFO method remains the method applied in the United States. Thus the International Accounting Standards Board will hardly achieve its goals of converging International Accounting Standards with U.S GAAP. One would expect a series of effects from changing from the old standards to the new standards either positive or negative. Most research on this topic has centred on different aspects of international accounting standards. For example Taylor and Jones (1999) studied how firms that claim to be using accounting standards refer to international accounting standards in their financial statements. This study provides evidence that almost all the firms in the study referred to international accounting standards in the footnotes to the financial statements but referred to international accounting standards in their audit reports only 50% of the time. Ashbaugh (2001) investigated the factors associated with non-US firms that voluntarily disclose their financial statements following either U.S GAAP or IAS. Examining the annual reports of 211 non-US firms listed in the London Stock exchange

Aircarft performance work Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Aircarft performance work - Assignment Example ly against a clock and are required to complete tight turns through demanding aerial low altitude attack course consisting of â€Å"Air Gate† or Pylons (1). These races are mainly held over water close to cities. They are also held at natural wonders or airfields accompanied by supporting programs to show flights. More often than not, these races are held on weekends. The first day is dedicated for qualification with the second day being dedicated for knockout finals (1). During the race the aircrafts can achieve speeds of up to 230 mph, and, they along with the pilots can experience force of up to 12G (1). The ultimate objective of the race is to complete the course with the fastest possible time. The Pilots must enter, pass through and exit each Air Gate in the precise position, either flying level or at 90Ëš to level (often referred to as Knife edge flying) (1). Whilst avoiding contact with the pylons and the aircraft. Hence reduce being penalized with time penalties to t he overall lap time. The eventual winner in this series is determined through aggregation total points obtained at the end of each of the races across the season. For one to qualify, a pilot along with the chosen aircrafts must meet strict requirements set by the Red Bull Race organizers. The pilots must agree to be taken through a super License testing process in ensuring that he/she can cope with difficult turning/maneuvering while at the same time flying at a very low ground speeds. This races provide the pilots with a unique opportunity to showcase their skills speed precisions as they push their aircrafts, as well as themselves through extreme physical limits (2). The Zivco Edge 540 aircraft is a racing aircraft manufactured by Zivko Aeronautics and was first introduced in 2000. There are three variations of this aircraft: Zivko Edge 540, Zivko Edge 540A, and Edge 540T. Zivko Edge 540, which is the latest of the three variations is the focus of this analysis. This is highly aerobatic and

Stem Cell Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Stem Cell - Essay Example Stem cells seem to be the only option available for leukemia patients. In my opinion, stem cell research should be allowed when we consider the terrible nature of leukemia and other diseases for which stem cell treatment seems to be the only option available at present. Medical researchers are of the view that stem cell therapy has the potential to revolutionize the treatment of human diseases. For example, bone marrow transplants are believed to be the only treatment option to counter the threats of leukemia. In order to develop more in treating leukemia with born marrow transplantation, stem cell research is necessary. Researchers believe that technologies derived from stem cell research can be effectively used in the treatment of many other diseases also. However, still there many controversies surrounding the ethics and effectiveness of stem cell research. Some people believe that the transplanted stem cells could form tumors in future because of the uncontrolled cell division. Stem cells have the ability to renew themselves even after long periods of inactivity. Moreover it can regularly divide to repair and replace worn out or damaged tissues. According to Goldstein, & Schneider (2010), the potentials of stem cell research is huge. It can find solutions for the devastating disease like cancer, Parkinson’s disease, diabetics’ heart diseases, etc (Goldstein, & Schneider, p.5). Many of the genetic diseases and other serious diseases like the ones mentioned above are threatening the sustainment of human life on earth at present. Irrespective of developed or developing countries, cancer is a big health problem everywhere in the world. Millions of people all over the world are losing their life because of cancer and other serious diseases. The discovery, isolation, and culturing of human embryonic stem cells has been brought glimpses of hope among the patients who are suffering

Essay on the move The Hut Locker Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

On the move The Hut Locker - Essay Example Discussion Throughout the movie, there are signs that James does not look upon his job as something that he has to do, or something that he does not enjoy doing. It does not even imply that his job is something that he takes seriously.. Therefore, this points to the job being an addiction – James does it because he gets a thrill out of it. Moreover, he takes chances that he shouldn't be taking, just like an addict would take too many drugs, or gamble too much, or engage in other kinds of behavior that is unreasonably hazardous to one's well-being. When we first meet James, there is already an inkling that is a guy who enjoys taking chances – he asks Sanborn to help him move a wood that is by the window, even though Sanborn states that the wood is there to keep out snipers. They move the wood, anyhow, because Sanborn wants to see outside. This small move is a sign of things to come, as James takes increasingly risky chances with his life and the lives of his men. In the very next scene, James shows, once again, that he is more reckless than he should be. He goes to investigate an IED, instead of having a robot go and investigate it. Sanborn is dismayed by this, reasoning that the robot is halfway there, and that James shouldn't go down there until the robot has a chance to find out about the suspicious device. Sanborn decides right then that James is reckless, stating that James is reckless, when Owen calls James â€Å"rowdy.† Then, James, as he approaches the IED does not respond to Sanborn's entreaties to keep him, Sanborn, posted on what he, James, is doing. His actions end up endangering the men, as a suspicious taxi driver causes a commotion that makes everybody on edge. As James approaches the IED, it is obvious that he does not feel the danger in what he is doing – he is way too casual about it, and ends up making jokes that Sanborn and others do not find funny. The inescapable conclusion is that he feels the need to investigag e the IED because this is something that gives him a type of high - he wants to do it, and the danger of the situation is something that he looks forward to. This is obvious by the way that he approaches the situation not with trepidation, but with zeal. Sanborn immediately figures that there is something not quite right with James. After James acted recklessly the day before, Sanborn states that he, Sanborn, was in intelligence and that he could read James and James' motivation. He immediately senses that James is the type of person that will get him killed, as well as get himself killed. Again, the inescapable conclusion is that James is enjoying himself. Even when Sanborn calls him on his reckless nature, James doesn't seem to care. Sanborn clearly has the demeanor of somebody who is in the job not because he loves it or is addicted to it, but because it is a job and he no doubt believes in the job. As such, he recognizes the danger in situation, and he reacts with alarm to dange rous situations. He believes in taking every precaution. James, however, is clearly not only enjoying himself, but seems to take a thrill out of danger. The next scene where this is shown is where James is disarming a vehicle. He took his helmet off, even though this act of taking off his helmet was met with alarm by Owen. James reasons that if he is going to die, he is going to die comfortable. Therefore, this is yet another instance where

Hollywood & Beyond - End of Year Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Hollywood & Beyond - End of Year - Essay Example The society was characterized by mass suburbanization and transition to consumerism and capitalism as the key directions of development. The country’s government was â€Å"deeply determined to prolong and enbance the economic recovery brought on by the war, lest the crippling depression of the 1930s return » (Cohen, 2004, p.236). Military production would be restored to a certain extent as the Cold War was announced between the two superpowers that emerged after the WWII – the Soviet Union and the United States. However, mass consumer market played a great role from then on, and economic growth of the U.S. depended much on mass consumer market. The new economic policy brought prosperity to most citizens and formed the idea of American dream as well as raised expectations of American citizens. At the same time, there still were numerous social issues undermining stability of the society: for instance, struggles to eliminate discrimination in levels like gender and race (for instance, African Americans made their efforts to challenge racial segregation on the ocurt level) and backlashes they led to. Along with the upsurge of welfare and democratization; the postwar epoch in the United States incorporated such features as dramatic growth of suburban areas; power and priority transition from the cities of upper Midwest and Northwest as well as old industrial states to the areas of West and South; and the idea of military and economic superiority of America as a guarantor of global peace and order. In the movies of early 1970s, postwar era in America was depicted in a rather nonobjective way – the movies such as American Graffiti shows it as a period of charm, Cadillacs and tranquility. However, the real image differs from what is seen in these movies: American society in the years following the World War II was characterized by dynamic changes, anxiety and emergence of revolutionary

Financial system and interimediaries Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Financial system and interimediaries - Coursework Example Financial institutions act as intermediaries and they determine the flow of funds. Financial regulators monitor the participants in the financial system. Conditions. Banks will always want to know how the borrower intends to use the loan. They will also check on whether the economic conditions will enable the customers make enough income to comfortably repay the loan (Wells Fargo, 2015). Financial intermediary is a financial institution that connects individuals with surplus finances with individual with deficit finances. The individuals with excess finances are savers while those with deficit finances are borrowers. The savers give the money to a financial intermediary and the financial intermediary transfers the money to spenders through loans or mortgages. Examples of financial intermediaries include banks, private equity, venture capital funds, leasing companies, pension funds, insurance companies, financial advisers and brokers, collective investments schemes, building societies and micro-credit providers (Robert E.W et. al., 2012). A venture capital is a financial capital provider that provides financing to start-up businesses that have high chances to succeed. The venture capital makes money by owning equity in the financed business. A building society is a financial institution that is owned by members as a common organization. Building society of most banking services such as saving and loans especially on mortgages. The profits generated by the building society are distributed among members depending on their share ownership of the building society. A collective investment scheme is a professional arrangement that enables investors to collectively pool funds and have these monies managed by professionals. Collective investment schemes invest in a wide range of investment thus spreading their risks. They can invest in bonds and quoted equity, real estate and in transport and

The Impact of E Commerce on Small Business Essay Example for Free

The Impact of E Commerce on Small Business Essay Impact of E-Commerce on Small Firms have factor that has influenced the processes of adoption and use of e-commerce in both small and medium enterprises and industries. Small scales firms that have adopted and have used e-commerce have taken into account not only the technological part and organisational aspects of implementation but also the strong user’s o the web sites with their own skills, attitude towards work, enthusiasm and fear of technology. Whereas on the other side of the story, the majority number of consumers have to pace with and effectively use the services offered through internet by enterprises. Thus to carry out a successful relationship and transactions between consumers and firms, they not only have to exchange money and products but also information and mutual trust. E-commerce has been simply defined as a use of electronic range of networks to simplify, resolve, improve and pace up the various stages and processes of business like buying and selling and delivery of goods and services. E-commerce`s prime driver is Internet which presents an hierarchical framework. The use of websites for small scales enterprises can create a major impact and global presence when compared to other Medias. The web are defined with no geographical boundaries or national boundaries but rather by the coverage of computer networks which offers widened access to different markets for small scales and micro enterprises. Small scale industries find more competitive markets and intense pressures with their limited resources and manpower and mainly of weaker market power. Due to this SME`S had to undergo pressure to co operate more into networks to spread information, develop costs and risks. Small scale industries are amongst the last ones to benefit from the new technology and are happily excited about the widened opportunities increased through internet and E-commerce. Internet Web Spending includes capital and operation incurred expenses to build and support new systems of web based. Small enterprises sell both to businesses and consumers though a majority share is been sold to consumers than businesses. Internet offers an access to wide range of goods and services that small scale industries are interested in and help them in their competitive field. It includes tools that small firms can use to enhance and flourish their businesses, reach new customers and maximize customer relationships. The basics must haves in internet usage of SME`S should be email, specialized industry/ professional information and product information. Email is to contact the same for urther relationship and to resolve any query. Professional information should be displayed as to stand out in the competitive market and showcase the goodwill of the enterprise and product information does creates an impact of the benefits it offers compared to other products and services. The final frontier is to reach the customers through the media created by Ecommerce. They are as follows: Creating a web site – The main state is the creation of a web site. The web site creation is a tedious process as it involves of thinking process and building up a website, its content, designing, security measures, all take in a lot of engineering. Once the website is created, we are ready to do business. Banner exchange/ showcasing advertisements on other websites – Once the web site creation part is completed, the focus comes on the advertising part which makes it to publicize the website on other websites and social sites for example, google ads, facebook ads, and etc. These are useful as they have a far reaching impact on state and national as well as global level. They are so effective that they can dig out customers from any corner of the earth, given that technology is available. Management tools for web sites – After the completion of the website, the management tools take in place such as that of the server, security and antivirus measures and many more. These are essential part of the tools and parts of the web site management. Visitors counting – There is a space on the website which when visited by a person, displays his visit number and the total number of members who have visited. This informs us the number of times the web site has been visited and successful of the website creation of the business. Ecommerce solutions – The next solutions is the Ecommerce solutions that is the solutions leading to the Ecommerce and it’s far reaching impact on the business where a problem is encountered operationally. The benefits to ecommerce impact on small scales industries are as follows: Global Reach: it has helped business to reach national and international markets with quite less costs incurred to find the best and most profitable suppliers, expand business, gain new customers and co-ordinate and find the best suitable partners for business. Minimise costs: Once the website is been designed it reduces the cost of hiring an offline mode of marketing. This acts as a major advantage of e-commerce. No customary charges are applied when website designs promotes the business. Certain offline marketing costs are cut and thus it reduces the costs overall. Building customer relationship : E-commerce helps in building the customer relationship as the customer is aware of the whole process while buying the goods and services and it creates a better impression about the she’s to the customers . The SME`s benefit in a way that the customer becomes fully aware of the product and services as personalized communication helps to attract customers and built a goodwill for a enterprise. The goods and services are up to dated on the websites with quality, price and size. Long Business Hours: Creating an online marketing field benefits the SMEs as in there is no fixed working hours. The sites are 24hours seven days a week available with no extra costs and transactions can be carried out any time of the day. Therefore Ecommerce has significantly showed a major growth in past few years. It has helped SME`S in enhancing growth, expanding and creating a new business measures in a much easier and implied manner. It has changed the way customers are been dealt and growth towards economy has also been observed.

Meaning of Life and Thanksgiving Essay Example for Free

Meaning of Life and Thanksgiving Essay As the first pilgrims arrived at Plymouth Rock and had a feast with the Indians, they shared a moment of thanks together. They gave thanks for all their blessings, thus, creating our lovely day of Thanksgiving. When Thanksgiving is thought of, the first thing that comes to mind is turkey and a plentiful amount of food. Thanksgiving to me, is the time to be together with the ones you care about. Coming together for a day to just be with each other and to catch up is what Thanksgiving means to me. Family should be with each other to share memories and to realize the plentiful amount of blessings they have been given. Thanksgiving is not only a day for gorging on food or falling into a food coma, but talking with each other and just being glad to be with one another. Having family during Thanksgiving is a crucial part in my life. Having all of my relatives in one place for one day to talk and have fun with them makes Thanksgiving extra special for me. It is one of the few days of the year that I get to see everybody. The turkey, yams, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes is just the icing on the cake. Everybody in my family loves the food. We eat and eat until we cant eat anymore. My family has a tradition of playing soccer afterwards but that goes only so far due to our full stomachs. My cousins and I play a friendly game of poker, afterwards our failed attempts for soccer, for first dibs on dessert. After a good game of poker, my cousins and I look for ways to entertain ourselves meanwhile the adults talk about their lives and brag about their kids. Society today makes Thanksgiving look like a day just to eat. As society advances the meaning of Thanksgiving deteriorates into a secular holiday. The meaning of Thanksgiving seems obsolete. I truly believe that Thanksgiving should be refreshed in its meaning and should be celebrated with family and love. As people come together to share a special day in our history, this should be a day which people will not take for granted.

Effect of Tulsi and Neem Extract on Mosquito Larvae

Effect of Tulsi and Neem Extract on Mosquito Larvae Research question: What are the effects of medicinal plants like Ocimum sanctum (tulsi) and Azadirachta indica (neem) extract on the mortality of Culex larvae? ABSTRACT The effect of Neem and Tulsi on mosquito larvae. The project is aimed at finding natural pesticides or bio-pesticides that effectively control the mosquito population by killing mosquito larvae. They could be used as alternatives to the current pesticides used that have adverse effects on the environment and other species besides the target pest. Mosquitoes are hosts for a very large number of diseases and therefore keeping larvae under control and disallowing the emergence of adult mosquitoes is essential. Two plant extracts have been tested; Neem and Tulsi. The initial hypothesis was that both extracts would have some effect on the larval development and cause mortality in the larvae due to the properties of both plants. The secondary initial hypothesis was that Neem extract would be significantly more effective in killing the larvae than Tulsi at the same percentage. Concentrations of 1% to 10% of each extract were prepared and 10 trials each performed with 10 larvae were undertak en. The samples were checked on after 12 hours and once again after 24 hours and the number of larvae killed in each case was recorded. The results were conclusive and both extracts were very effective at killing larvae at 10% with Neem killing an average of 10 larvae out of 10 and Tulsi 9.6  ± 0.52. However t-values showed that the initial hypothesis stating that Neem would be more effective at all concentrations was incorrect and only 2%, 9% and 10% were significantly more effective in 24 hours with t values of 3.13, 2.92 and 2.43 respectively (> table value of 2.10). This means that in 2%, 9% and 10% concentrations, Neem should be used instead of Tulsi as it is significantly better. This is all very exciting as environmentally safer pesticides can be developed from these two plant extracts. 1. Introduction Research question: What are the effects of medicinal plants like Ocimum sanctum (tulsi) and Azadirachta indica (neem) extract on the mortality of Culex larvae? The conservative pesticides are augmented to combat complicated pest problems in mosquitoes. In human health during the past few decades these pesticides played an important role in the inhibition of diseases caused by mosquitoes either by inactivating or killing these mosquitoes. Later on when these pesticides are getting accumulated in the environment proved to be hazardous to the environment and mankind. Frequent application of synthetic organic insecticides resulted into pest resistance and outbreak. Most of the insecticidal compound falls within four main classes namely organochlorides, organophosphates, carbamates and pyrethroids. Out of these the major classes of insecticides, the insecticides used in present situation are organophosphates and carbamates. There are problems of pesticides resistance and negative impacts on non-target organisms including man and the environment.[1] Environment problems due to the insecticides and pesticides such as destruction of beneficial organisms, non-target pest, some of the pesticide residues in the host plant resulting in stunted grow or killing other organisms have come to an end. This work is basically taken up by some of the herbal plants. These herbal plants possess some of the active ingredients which are eco-friendly but simultaneously have a severe effect on the mosquito populations.[2] Medicinal plants are the most promising source and under extensive trails for their biological activity against various mosquito larvae. During the last 10 to 15 years, interest in botanical insecticides has increased to look for substitutions for synthetic insecticides with those based on naturally occurring substances. The use of botanicals in pest management is not only useful for suppression of pest population but also helps to maintain the sound ecological balance.[3] BOTANICALS IN USE The groups of plant possessing insecticidal substances are enormous. More than 2400 species of the plants in India possess insecticidal properties3. In the middle of the 17th century, most of the economically important natural plant compounds obtained from the plants like neem, tulsi, adathoda, chrysanthemum, turmeric, garlic, tridax etc. are used in commercial insect control. Despite the relative safety of the well-known botanical insecticides, most of these substances have their drawback hindering large-scale application. The chemicals obtained from these plants are unstable in the sunlight and are rapidly metabolized thus limiting their potency and application.[4] Botanical insecticides break down readily in soil and are not stored in animal and plant tissue. Often their effects are not as long lasting as those of synthetic insecticides and some of these products may be very difficult to find. The plant parts used for extraction or assay were the leaves, roots, tubers, fruits, seeds, flowers, the whole plant, bark, sap, pods and wood. The most commonly utilized parts were the leaves, roots. The plant families Asteraceae, Fabaceae and Euphorbiaceae contain most of the insecticidal plant species reported. Recently several other plants viz. Neem, Adathoda, Chrysanthemum, Turmeric, Onion, Garlic, Ocimum, Ginger and some other plants have been reported as insecticidal plants which can be used in insecticide preparation. The leaf extracts of Tulsi (Ocimum basilicum, O. sanctum) and vetiver (Vetivera zizanoides) are useful in controlling leaf miners in potato, beans, eggplant, tomato, chilies, etc. Some of the plants having herbal insecticide princip les are presented on table. Source of Plant Nature of action Chemical Group Plant parts Azadirachta indica Contact poison Azadirachtin Leaves, seed Ocimum sanctum Contact, Repellent Tulsin Leaves Chrysanthemum Contact, Repellent Pyrethrin I Flower, seed Tridax procumbens Contact poison Flower Zingiber officinale Repellent zingiberene Rhizome Among all the important insecticidal plants, Neem (Azadirachta indica) is the most promising source of bio-pesticide and its various formulations are extensively used for pest control.[5] Neem leaves, stems, seeds and oil have been used for pest control in sericulture.[6] The limonoids present in it and its products have made it a harmless to mankind while functioning as insecticide, bactericide, fungicide, pesticide etc. It is likely to provide a solution to many of pest and disease problem in sericulture.[7] Generally, extracts of plant leaves or seed are prepared and sprayed; otherwise, seeds are dried under sunshade, powdered finely and applied as dust. More than 20 Neem based biopesticides are available in the market (Table 3). Neem gets biodegraded in a matter of weeks when exposed to sunlight or in soil. Neem products are highly photodegradable and normally degrade within a week. No problem of development of pest resistance and resurgence has been reported from neem products. Hence they have characteristics suitable for IPM strategy. Much of the informations are available on insecticidal properties of plants having some sort of toxic property against insects. The plant parts to be used should be removable: leaves, flowers or fruit and harvesting should not mean destruction of the plant. Azadirachta indica: Neem is perhaps the most well known of all herbs and has been used in ayurveda in India for centuries. The active ingredient in Azadirachta indica (neem) is azadirachtin. It a member of the Meliaceae family and is a botanical cousin of mahogany. Neem is very hard and virile. Neem is especially useful due to its climatic tolerance that allows it to be grown all over the world though it is usually found in tropical regions. It has insecticidal, antifeedant, growth regulating and development-modifying properties and has properties that make it attractive in insect control. It reduces fecundity and longevity as well as increased development time of immature insects. On insects it has been shown to act as a growth retardant and cause molting disorders, change of behavior and morphogenetic defects. Mosquito control is essential as they act as carriers for malaria, filariasis and a host of other diseases as well as being a nuisance. There is a high demand for a less environmentally harmful insecticide as the ones currently used have high neurotoxic effects. Recent studies have also demonstrated neem-induced effects on vitellogenesis and severe degeneration of follicle cells during oogenesis in mosquitoes. It also has several medical properties such as a cure blood morbidity, biliary afflictions, itching, skin ulcers, burning sensations and pthysis. It is also an effective cure against ringworm, eczema and scabies. In English the tree is known as margosa and attains a maximum height of 40 to 50 metres. Ocimum Sanctum: Tulsi is an aromatic plant in the Lamiaceae family. Tulsi has been used for thousands of years in Ayurveda due to its diverse healing properties. Tulsis extracts are used in ayurvedic remedies for common colds, headaches, stomach disorders, inflammation, heart disease, various forms of poisoning, and malaria. Traditionally, tulsi is taken in many forms: as herbal tea, dried powder, fresh leaf, or mixed with ghee. Essential oil extracted from Karpoora Tulsi is mostly used for medicinal purposes and in herbal cosmetics, and is widely used in skin preparations due to its anti-bacterial activity. For centuries, the dried leaves of Tulsi have been mixed with stored grains to repel insects.[8] These plants in harmonious integration with other safe methods of pest control like biological control can provide eco-friendly and economically viable solutions for pest problems in near future. ADVANTAGES Plants producing the compounds having insect growth regulators (IGR), feeding deterrents, repellents and confusants activities are known by the farmer because most of the time they grow in the same general area. Some of these products may be these products act very quickly inhibiting insect feeding even though long term they do not cause insect death. Since most of these products have a stomach action and are rapidly decomposed they may be more selective to insect pests and less aggressive with natural enemies. Most of these compounds are not phytotoxic and have rapid action and low toxicity to mammals and plants. Resistance to these compounds is not developed as quickly as with synthetic insecticides. DISADVANTAGES Most of these products are not truly insecticides since many are merely insect deterrents and their effect is slow. They are rapidly degraded by UV light so that their residual action is short and breakdown is rapid, requiring more precise timing of and/or more frequent application. Not all plant insecticides are less toxic to other animals than the synthetic ones. They are not necessarily available and sometimes cost is more. Most of them have no established residue tolerances and there is lack of test data and sometimes lack of state registration of some materials. There are no legal registrations establishing their use. Not all recommendations followed by growers have been scientifically verified. The above statements are altered if you find anything that can be added or deleted you can do it. Insects adapt themselves to aquatic habitats inspite of their terrestrial origin. The aquatic and semi-aquatic insects are remarkable for their diversity of forms, reflecting adaptation to a wide variety of niches such as salt water pools, saline ponds, hot springs, high mountain lakes, large rivers, temporary and permanent ponds. Mosquitoes are known as vectors of the pathogens causing human diseases. They belong to the order Diptera; the true flies. Like all flies they have two wings but unlike other flies they have scales and the females have sucking proboscis. There are over 2500 species of mosquitoes. Culex mosquitoes are known to be painful and persistent biters and are a nuisance. The reason why I chose this topic is because the pesticides that are currently used in pest control contain chemicals that have diverse side effects on the environment and organisms other than the target pest. I decided to use natural substances found in nature and see if they would work as a form of pest control instead. I have used two extracts; Neem and Tulsi, in order to see which one was more effective in killing these mosquitoes. Neem, Tulsi and eucalyptus have been used as they are prevalent in the tropical and sub-tropical countries of Africa and Asia with a large mosquito population and there have been significant prospects of being used as an insecticide on a commercial scale due to their useful properties. Aim: In early literature mentioned above it was noted that the mosquitoes inhibit both temporary and fresh water stagnant bodies and they are found in abundance causing nuisance to the human population. The aim of the present study was undertaken on the following aspects 1. To determine the number of Culex larvae killed in 12 hours and 24 hours using different plant extracts like Neem and Tulsi in crude form. 2. To determine the number of Culex larvae killed in 12 hours and 24 hours by Neem and Tulsi under various concentrations (1%-10%). 3. To determine the statistical analysis t tests were performed. 2. Materials and Method 2.1. Materials / Equipments 250 ml beaker, Mortar and pestle, Pipette, Stirrer, Water, Fishing net (for catching larvae), Dropper, Watch glass, Petri dishes. Culex larvae: For the present study, the larvae of Culex mosquitoes were used throughout the investigation. These larvae were chosen because they were most abundant in the water bodies which are very active fast wriggling movement. The Culex larvae were collected from stagnant water bodies at Varthur Lake in Bangalore (fig.1) using a hand net. They were transported in plastic buckets containing clean water to the lab. Larvae were categorized based on their size as large and small. The large sized Culex larvae were about 0.7 cm and the small sized Culex larvae measured about 0.2cm in length. For the present study I have used only large sized larvae (3rd and 4th instars stage). Medicinal plants used as extracts: Botanical name Common name Medical Purposes Part of plant used Ocimum sanctum Tulsi Used to treat digestive problems Young leaves Azadirachta indica Neem Kills pathogens. Used to cure skin ailments. Young leaves Preparation of Stock solution: Azadirachta indica: [Neem] I collected neem leaves from my school campus. Only young leaves were collected and dried in the absence of sunlight in the shady region. The complete method of preparing 10% stock solution of this plant extract is mentioned below. 10 grams of dried young leaves were then grinded using mortar and pestle along with methanol and dried. Then add 100 ml of distilled water to make out 10% stock solution. Then the 10% neem stock solution was decanted after centrifugation. Now from this 10% stock solution different concentration solutions in percentage were prepared [ranging from 1% 10%] i.e., 10ml of 10% stock solution in 90ml of distilled water gives 1%, 20ml of 10% stock solution in 80ml of distilled water will give 2%, 30ml of 10% stock solution in 70ml of distilled water will give 3%, 40ml of 10% stock solution in 60ml of distilled water will give 4%, 50ml of 10% stock solution in 50ml of distilled water will give 5%, 60ml of 10% stock solution in 40ml of distilled water will give 6%, 70ml of 10% stock solution in 30ml of distilled water will give 7%, 80ml of 10% stock solution in 20ml of distilled water will give 8%, 90ml of 10% stock solution in 10ml of distilled water will give 9%, and for 10% the stock solution itself was used. Ocimum sanctum: [Tulsi] I collected Tulsi leaves from my school campus. Only young leaves were collected and dried in the absence of sunlight in the shady region. The complete method of preparing 10% stock solution and the different concentration of this plant extracts in percentage was done by same method as mentioned above in Neem. 2.2. Method / Procedure Mortality of larvae using crude plant extracts: 1. The large sized Culex larvae were taken in the petridishes. 2. 5 ml of crude plant extracts of neem and tulsi were taken in the different test tubes. 3. 10 larvae were introduced in each test tube at the same time. 4. Ten trails were carried out for the two different plant extract. 5. The number of larvae killed was recorded for 1hr, 12hr and 24 hr. 6. Larvae were feed with dog biscuit powder. 7. Comparative analysis was carried out graphically between the two plant extracts at different time period. Mortality of larvae using different concentration of plant extracts: 1. The large sized Culex larvae were collected and separated in the petri dishes. 2. 5 ml of 1% Neem extract was pipetted in the test tube using a graduated pipette. 3. 10 Culex larvae were introduced and the time was noted. 4. Ten trials were carried out at the same time for different concentration. 5. The larval mortality was recorded for 12 hours and 24 hours. 6. The same procedure was followed for different concentrations [2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9% 10%] of the Neem extract. 7. During this experiment the larvae was feed with dog biscuits in powdered form. 8. The above mentioned procedure was also carried out using Tulsi plant extract. 9. A comparative study of larval mortality was made by using these two plants extract on the Culex mosquito larvae. The percentage of mortality (which will give us an indication of the effectiveness of the extract) will be calculated using the following formula. Percentage of mortality = Number of dead larvaeNumber of larvae introduced X 100 2.3. Variables Dependant variable- Number of larvae killed Independent variable-Different concentration of neem extract and tulsi extract, different time period [1hr, 12 hrs, 24 hrs] Controlled variable-Number of larvae, Volume of water, Temperature, food 2.4. Hypothesis Hypothesis 1 Null Hypothesis (Ho): Neem and Tulsi have no significant the mortality of the Culex larvae. Positive hypothesis (H1): Neem and Tulsi have a significant effect on the mortality of the Culex larvae. Hypothesis 2 Null Hypothesis (Ho): There is no significant difference in the rate of mortality between Neem and Tulsi plant extracts. Positive Hypothesis (H1): There is a significant difference in the rate of mortality between Neem and Tulsi plant extracts. 3. Results 5.1 Mortality of larvae using crude plant extracts The Culex larvae were exposed to different plant extracts in crude form to study the mortality rate. The number of Culex larvae killed was recorded after 1 hour, 12 hours and 24 hours separately (Table 1). In one hour the mean number of larvae killed by Neem was 4.9 ±0.74 and for Tulsi it was 3.5 ±1.08. As time progresses the difference in effectiveness becomes less and the two extracts are approximately equal. The crude extract of Neem was more effective than Tulsi in one hour duration. At 12 hours the mean number of mosquitoes killed were 9.2 ±1.14 and 8 ±1.05 respectively. At 24 hours the Neem and Tulsi extracts showed almost the same level of effectiveness with mean values of 10 and 9.7 ±0.48 respectively. The crude form of Neem extract was significantly more effective than Tulsi in killing the Culex larvae in 1 hour and 12 hours. However in 24 hours there is no significant difference in the effectiveness of Neem and Tulsi plant extracts. 5.2 Mortality of larvae using different concentration of plant extracts: 5.2.1. Neem: The mortality of the larvae using different concentrations of Neem extract was recorded. At 1% concentration the mean number of larvae killed was noted to be 2.4  ± 0.52 in 12 hours and 3.5  ± 0.53 in 24 hours. At 10% concentration the highest mortality rate was recorded as 9.6  ± 0.52 and 10 for 12 hours and 24 hours respectively. As the concentration of the Neem extract increased, the mortality of the larvae also steadily increased (Table 2). 5.2.2. Tulsi: The mortality of the mosquitoes for Tulsi extract was recorded in the same way as Neem. At 1% concentration the mean number of larvae killed was noted to be 1.8  ± 0.63 in 12 hours and 3  ± 0.67 in 24 hours. At 10% concentration the highest mortality rate was recorded as 8.7  ± 0.67 and 9.6  ± 0.52 for 12 hours and 24 hours respectively. As the concentration of the Tulsi extract increased, the mortality of the larvae also steadily increased (Table 3). Table 1 : Mortality of larvae using crude plant extract Trail s No. of larvae killed 1 hour 12 hours 24 hours Neem Tulsi Neem Tulsi Neem Tulsi 1 5 2 10 9 10 10 2 4 3 10 6 10 9 3 5 5 7 7 10 10 4 6 4 10 8 10 10 5 4 3 8 7 10 9 6 5 4 10 9 10 10 7 6 4 9 8 10 10 8 4 5 10 9 10 10 9 5 3 8 9 10 10 10 5 2 10 8 10 9 Mean  ± S.D 4.9 ±0.74 3.5 ±1.08 9.2 ±1.14 8 ±1.05 10 ±0 9.7 ±0.48 T- test 3.38 2.45 1.96 Calculations T value= Degree of freedom = 20 -2 = 18 Level of significance= 0.05 Table t value = 2.10 Neem and Tulsi in 1 hour Calculated T value= 4.9- 3.5 / √(0.74)2 + (1.08)2 /10 = 3.38 Neem and Tulsi in 12 hours Calculated T value = 2.45 Neem and Tulsi in 24 hours Calculated T value = 1.96 Graph Showing the mortality of larvae using crude plant extract Table 2 Mortality of larvae using different concentration of Neem extracts S. No. Different concentration of Neem extract [%] Mean No. of larvae killed 12 hours 24 hours 1 1% 2.4  ± 0.52 3.5  ± 0.53 2 2% 3.2  ± 0.63 4.3  ± 0.48 3 3% 3.9  ± 0.57 5  ± 0.67 4 4% 4.6  ± 0.7 5.9  ± 0.74 5 5% 5.3  ± 0.67 6.4  ± 0.7 6 6% 5.8  ± 0.42 7  ± 0.67 7 7% 6.5  ± 0.85 7.5  ± 0.53 8 8% 7.4  ± 0.52 8.6  ± 0.7 9 9% 8.6  ± 0.84 9.8  ± 0.42 10 10% 9.6  ± 0.52 10 Graph Showing the mortality of larvae using Neem plant extract Table 3 Mortality of larvae using different concentration of Tulsi extracts S. No. Different Concentrations of Tulsi Extract Mean No. of larvae Killed 12 hours 24 hours 1 1% 1.8  ± 0.63 3  ± 0.67 2 2% 2.6  ± 0.7 3.6  ± 0.52 3 3% 3.3  ± 0.67 4.4  ± 0.7 4 4% 4.1  ± 0.74 5.3  ± 0.82 5 5% 4.8  ± 0.79 5.8  ± 0.79 6 6% 5.4  ± 0.52 6.7  ± 0.48 7 7% 6.2  ± 0.79 7.4  ± 0.7 8 8% 7  ± 0.67 8.1  ± 0.57 9 9% 7.9  ± 0.57 9.1  ± 0.63 10 10% 8.7  ± 0.67 9.6  ± 0.52 Graph Showing the mortality of larvae using Tulsi plant extract Table showing the comparative mean mortality of the larvae using Tulsi and Neem extracts Different Concentrations Mean No. of larvae Killed in 12 hours Mean No. of larvae Killed in 24 hours Tusli Neem Tulsi Neem 1% 1.8  ± 0.63 2.4  ± 0.52 3  ± 0.67 3.5  ± 0.53 2% 2.6  ± 0.7 3.2  ± 0.63 3.6  ± 0.52 4.3  ± 0.48 3% 3.3  ± 0.67 3.9  ± 0.57 4.4  ± 0.7 5  ± 0.67 4% 4.1  ± 0.74 4.6  ± 0.7 5.3  ± 0.82 5.9  ± 0.74 5% 4.8  ± 0.79 5.3  ± 0.67 5.8  ± 0.79 6.4  ± 0.7 6% 5.4  ± 0.52 5.8  ± 0.42 6.7  ± 0.48 7  ± 0.67 7% 6.2  ± 0.79 6.5  ± 0.85 7.4  ± 0.7 7.5  ± 0.53 8% 7  ± 0.67 7.4  ± 0.52 8.1  ± 0.57 8.6  ± 0.7 9% 7.9  ± 0.57 8.6  ± 0.84 9.1  ± 0.63 9.8  ± 0.42 10% 8.7  ± 0.67 9.6  ± 0.52 9.6  ± 0.52 10 Graph comparing number of larvae killed using both plant extracts in 12 hours Graph comparing number of larvae killed using both plant extracts in 24 hours T Values at Different concentrations of Neem and Tulsi extract Concentration of Neem and Tulsi Calculated t value in 12 hours Calculated t value in 24 hours 1% 2.32 1.85 2% 2.14 3.13 3% 2.16 1.96 4% 1.55 1.72 5% 1.53 1.80 6% 1.89 1.15 7% 0.82 0.36 8% 1.49 1.75 9% 2.18 2.92 10% 3.36 2.43 4. Discussion A t-test was performed for the values obtained for the comparison of the crude extracts. The t-test values for crude Neem and Tulsi extracts are effective if seeing if Neem is significantly more effective than Tulsi in a certain time period. The calculated t value for 1 hour is 3.38. This is higher than the table t value of 2.10. Hence in 1 hour Neem is significantly more effective in killing larvae. In 12 hours the calculated t value is 2.45 and therefore we can draw the same conclusion. However in 24 hours the calculated t value in 1.96 and thus there is no significant difference in the effectiveness of Neem and Tulsi. By this point it is evident that, as far as Hypothesis 1 is concerned, that both Neem and Tulsi are effective in killing mosquito larvae. With regard to the crude extract we can say that in 1 and 12 hour periods, Neem is more significantly more effective but not in 24 hours (Hypothesis 2). T-tests were also performed to compare the significant difference in mortality of Neem and Tulsi extracts at different concentrations. Separate t-tests were performed for 12 hours and 24 hours. As seen in the tables above the t-values are significant in 12 hours for 1%, 2% and 3%. They are significant as at these concentrations the calculated t values are greater than the table t value of 2.10. It is also observed in 9% and 10% concentrations in 12 hours. In 24 hours significance is observed in 2%, 9% and 10%. What these means is that for these concentrations in their respective time periods, Neem is significantly more effective than Tulsi in killing larvae. The main effect that Azadirachta indica has on larvae is the growth regulatory effect. It is because of this property that Neem acts as an excellent natural insecticide. Exposure of culex larvae to sub lethal doses prolongs the larval development and causes reduced pupal weight and oviposition. Neem works by intervening at several stages of the insects life. The ingredients present in Neem are approximately the same shape and structure of vital hormones for the insects. The larvae absorb these Neem compounds as if they were real hormones which blocks their endocrine systems. This leaves the insects so sonfused in brain and body that they cease to reproduce and thus the population plummets. Tulsi extract exhibits high mortality, especially during the molting process. The molting of larvae takes place under the influence of the ventral nerve cord neurosecretory cells. These cells release the tanning hormone. The extract may have an inhibiting effect on such cells. They may also act on epidermal cells that produce enzymes necessary for the circular oxidation process. Both plant extracts affect reproduction and inhibit the emergence of adult mosquitoes from their larvae. They also decrease the feeding time for larvae and cause less food to be ingested. This has been noted to cause a fall in the carbohydrate levels of the larvae. A study noted that the extracts cause the amount of DNA and RNA in the larvae to fall thus suggesting that the extracts may affect nucleic acid synthesis. The feeding in the larvae may have decreased due to indigestion caused by the plant extracts as they inhibit metabolic processes. [9] Both Ocimum sanctum and Azadirachta indica are available easily and in large quantities. They do not require professional handling, are inexpensive and safe which makes them very valuable as pesticides. Additionally Tulsi has properties that enable it to disinfect water. The extracts could help replace harmful pesticides used such as DDT as they are safe for non target animals and do not pose residue problems but are still effective in killing larvae and suppressing the adult mosquito population. In conclusion further effort should be taken to produce bio-pesticides from Neem or Tulsi as well as research to find other plants products that may be more ideal. UV rays may affect the Neem and Tulsi extracts thus making them ineffective so research should be done in order to find plant products that do not degrade in the presence of sunlight thus making them completely versatile. 5. Summary * The findings have important implications in the practical control of mosquito larvae, especially, in a polluted aquatic environment. * Ocimum sanctum and Azadirachta indica are the two plants out of which the extracts were prepared. * Solutions of concentrations varying from 1% to 10% were prepared from the stock solution for each plant. * Each concentration was tested on 10 larvae. 10 trials were undertaken and the results were noted. * Both plants were deemed effective as far as larval mortality in concerned. Neem extract had a slightly higher mortality rate. 6. Bibliography (Singh et al. 2000, 2004). Pest management in sericulture (2000), Properties and potential of natural pesticide against sericulture pests. Publ. Zool. Soc. India. pp. 200-206 (Singh and Saratchandra, 2002). An Integrated approach in pest management in sericulture, Int. J . Indust. Entomol. 5, 141-151 (Baskaran and Narayanswamy, 1995) Traditional pest control. Caterpillar Publications. Tamil Nadu, India. (Casida, 1983). Development of synthetic insectide from natu ral products. Case History of pyrethroids from pyrethrins. (Schmutterer, 1990). Properties and potential of natural pesticide from Neem tree. Ann. Re

Hero Worship Essay -- essays papers

Hero Worship When asked to conjure up descriptions of a hero or heroism, many people would imagine similar scenes. The firefighters pulling a family from a burning building, a soldier saving his platoon from certain death, rescue workers pulling a stranded mountain climber from a precarious ledge, and the Knights of the Round Table saving a damsel in distress, are all examples of the "common" hero. Many people display heroism in everyday life but are rarely recognized either by their peers or by the media. Heroism can be traced back in time as early as mythology has been present. People of that era felt a need to worship super-beings who could solve their problems. Current examples reflecting that age are evident on television today. Both "Hercules" and "Xena: The Warrior Princess" are ever present to save the peasants from the evil and cunning warlords. Mythological heroes had their deeds exaggerated as the stories were passed by word of mouth from person to person. Storytellers have always felt a need to liven up their stories and as they passed them from generation to generation, the stories continued to grow. Everyone knows what heroism is, but describing it can be difficult. Gallantry, valor, bravery, and courage are all traits normally associated with heroism. For the people who risk or sacrifice their own lives in an acts of selflessness, these words are accurate in describing heroism. Few would dispute that a person who pulls another from a burning flipped-over car ready to explode does show heroism. The news media is always looking for acts of heroism as they make for captivating news. Just recently, a fourth grade boy grabbed the wheel of a school bus after it was involved in an accident. Th... ...? There may be several other terms to call these superstars, but to call them heroes or to describe their actions as showing heroism is ridiculous. They may do other deeds away from the sport that could earn them this distinction, but on the playing field it is hard to imagine them rising to the level of a hero. Heroism is shown in many varied situations. The person who can make a split second decision to save someone is no doubt heroic. What does this say about the person who has time to decide a course of action and willingly helps someone? These types of heroes, the dedicated teacher, foster parents, counselors and a myriad of other examples, may show the most heroism of all by choosing to save a life. It is shameful that we do not recognize these people more often and have these stories told by the media and peers. They may be the greatest heroes of all.

The Two Willy Lomans in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman Essay

The Two Willy Lomans in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman    There are two Willy Lomans in The Death of a Salesman. There is the present broken, exhausted man in his sixties, soon to end his life. And there is the more confident, vigorous Willy of some fifteen years before, who appears in the flashbacks. One actor portrays both, readily shifting from one representation to the other. To some extent, of course, the personality remains constant. The younger Willy, although given to boastful blustering, does admit misgivings to Linda and loneliness to Biff. And the shattered older man, in turn, occasionally reverts to his former manner of jaunty optimism. Yet the changes are great and significant. The earlier Willy could never have been the idol of his teen-aged sons had he behaved in the perverse, distracted fashion of his older self. Willy's agitation during his last days stems from a twofold sense of failure. He has not been able to launch successfully in the world his beloved son Biff, and he no longer can meet the demands of his own selling job. Although not altogether ignoring Linda and Happy, he is primarily concerned about the once magnificent young football star who at thirty-four drifts from one temporary ranch job to the next. Willy cannot "walk away" from Biff'sproblem, as Bernard suggests, nor can he accept Linda's view that "life is a casting off." Being over sixty, Willy is doubtless tiring physically. The sample cases are heavy. The seven-hundred-mile drives are arduous. And many business contacts, developed over the years, are vanishing as the men of his era die or retire. Yet the worry over Biff has obviously accelerated his collapse. Actually, Willy's attitude toward Biff is complex. On the one hand, t... ...ledge. But Happy is still determined to "beat this racket"and come out "number one man." On the day of the big game, Charley ruefully asks Willy when he is going to grow up. In some ways Willy never does. His boyish enthusiasm is, of course, part of his appeal. But his persistent refusal to face facts squarely drives him at last to a violent death. Ironically, his suicide, to him the ultimate in magnificent gestures, merely leaves Linda woefully bereft and Biff more than ever sure that "he had the wrong dreams. All, all wrong." Works Cited Eisinger, Chester E. "Focus on Arthur Miller's 'Death of a Salesman': The Wrong Dreams," in American Dreams, American Nightmares, (1970 rpt In clc. Detroit: Gale Research. 1976 vol. 6:331 Gordon, Lois "Death of a Salesman": An Appreciation, in the Forties: 1969) rpt in clc. Detroit: Gale Research. 1983 vol. 26:323   

Ancient Greek Medicine Essay -- Greek History

Ancient Greek Medicine While Greek Medicine particularly from the 5th century B.C onwards, increasingly used scientific method to develop cures, there still however remained people that considered medicine to be a religion. The ancient Greeks (Hellenic) made important discoveries about the human body and health, so by the sixth century BC, medicinal practices focused largely on a more clinical approach involving observation. Their discoveries were made by firstly studying the human anatomy using dissection and vivisection, finding ways to heal using things such as plants and herbs, then finally practising surgery on the human body using different instruments. Before the scientific method developed, most people still saw medicine as a religion, and believed that superstitions, evil spirits and punishments caused illness from the gods. The best-known ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, made several important medical discoveries in Ancient Greece. He was born on the island of Cos, living from 460 B.C. - 377 B.C., and is revered as the 'Father of Medicine'. He was the first man to make medicine a profession and to see medicine as a science and not a religion. Hippocrates devised an oath, which every new doctor still swears to this day. Hippocrates and his followers looked at the cause of the disease rather than the symptoms. Hippocrates saw that diseases came from natural causes; he discovered that thought came from the brain and not from the heart, and he saw that the body needed to be treated as a whole and not just a series of parts. The theory of the four humours originated from the works of Aristotle. The idea of Humours is usually credited to Claudius Galen, a Greek physician of the second century A.D. But although he organized the idea more accessibly, he was probably not its creator. Centuries earlier, in the fourth century B.C., Hippocrates wrote of the bodily humours in his Hippocratic Corpus. The physician believed that the body was made up of four components or â€Å"four humours†. The four components are: Blood formed at the heart – Spring – Air, Phlegm in the brain – Winter – Water, Yellow Bile in the liver – Summer – Fire and Black Bile in the spleen – Autumn – Earth. Hippocrates argued that when these four fluids were out of balance disease occurred. The ideal place for a good balance of humours was (naturally) found in the centre of Greek ... ...that the strigil, a curved piece of metal with a handle used for scraping oil and sweat off the body after exercise was often used to get into small openings, so as Galen said, â€Å"After having heated the fat of a squirrel in a strigil, insert it into the auditory canal.† The invention of these instruments meant they improved as new shapes were devised. Gradually new metals and alloys were found to provide sharper edges and cheaper equipment. Most instruments were made of bronze and occasionally silver. Iron was never used as it was forbidden by the Greeks and so never used on religious grounds. Some instruments were manufactured by specialist blade makers who specialized in medical instruments rather than by an ordinary craftsman. The Romans employed many Greek physicians and through them the Greeks discoveries in medicine gradually spread throughout the ancient world. Greece was a country that gave birth to some of the most important medical pioneers in human history. Through Continuous studies, they changed people from seeing medicine as a religion. Their study of disease and the human body to the scientific method has resulted in the advanced medical knowledge we have today.

Enola Gay Essay

August 6, 1945 by Alison Fell In the Enola Gay five minutes before impact he whistles a dry tune Later he will say that the whole blooming sky went up like an apricot ice. Later he will laugh and tremble at such a surrender, for the eye of his belly saw Marilyn’s skirts fly over her head for ever On the river bank, bees drizzle over hot white rhododendrons Later she will walk the dust, a scarlet girl with her whole stripped skin at her heel, stuck like an old shoe sole or mermaid’s tail Later she will lie down in the flecked black ash where the people are become as lizards or salamanders and, blinded, she will complain Mother you are late. So late Later in dreams he will look down shrieking and see ladybirds ladybirds Bombing Repetition Simile Female View Personification Alliteraion Male View Pronouns GLOSSARY ‘Enola Gay’: this was the name given to (and painted on) the plane which carried the bomb to Hiroshima. The pilot’s mother was called Enola Gay. ‘Marilyn’s skirts’: there is a famous film clip/still photograph of the American movie star Marilyn Monroe, in which she walks over a pavement air vent and the warm air from it blows the full skirt of her light-coloured dress upwards over her head. ‘drizzle’: this means ‘rain lightly’, but here is used to evoke the way the bees descend, buzzing, on to the flowers. ‘salamanders’: a salamander is a lizard-like amphibian with a smooth skin. In ancient legend salamanders were supposed to be able to live in fire. ‘ladybirds’: there are numerous versions (not all in English) of the nursery rhyme which begins, ‘Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home, Your house is on fire and your children are gone’. There are numerous explanations for it, too. Ladybirds are quite difficult to dislodge, and the rhyme, when recited, was traditionally supposed to induce them to fly off of their own accord.

Traditional Foods for Chinese Festival

Chinese Food: Traditional Foods for Chinese Festival Chelsea Yu 15th, Sep, 2012 First Draft of Chapter 2, 3 Pages IE924 Academic Writing ? China is famous for foods, especially which must be prepared for traditional festivals. These foods are made with traditional recipes and related to their meaning, ancient legend or historical story, which are passed along generation to generation. Among these traditional foods, â€Å"Nian-gao†, †Yuebing†, and â€Å"Zongzi† are representative. â€Å"Nian-gao†, a kind of traditional food with its own recipe, is also called rice cake or New Year cake, which must be prepared for the Lunar New Year because of its meaning.In the Spring Festival, people from different regions will cook rice cakes in different ways according to their customs. There are various kinds of famous rice cakes in different territories, such as: white rice cakes made of millet in the northern China, yellow rice cakes made of coarse rice in Saibei region, white New Year cakes made of rice in the regions south of the Yangtze River, and the sticky cakes made of sticky rice in the regions in the southwest China. Moreover, people also have different flavors of rice cakes.People prefer steamed or fried rice cakes in the northern China, which are always sweet while residents in southern China still like stir-fried rice cakes and salty cakes in soup. In addition, the food â€Å"Nian-gao† has special meaning. The pronunciation of it in Chinese is similar to the Chinese blessing words that mean prosper for the next year. People believe that they will be better in the coming year after eating the New Year cakes. The second traditional food is â€Å"Yuebing†, which is well-known as the name â€Å"Mooncake† and the related legend.It appeared in the Tang Dynasty as a sacrifice for the emperor at the Mid-Autumn Festival and changed to be popular traditional food. â€Å"Yuebing† is always classified by regions, flavors, fillings, and exteriors. The most common â€Å"mooncake† comes from Guangdong district and can be enjoyed in many cities like Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Beijing. The skin of this kind of â€Å"Mooncake† is made of wheat powder mixed with sugar, and oil. There are many different fillings decided by different people, like sweetened bean paste, lotus seed paste, egg yolk, or jam paste.In addition, â€Å"mooncake† represents the meaning of reunion, the origin of which is about a Chinese legend: The goddess in the moon could only return to the earth to reunite with her husband when he had a â€Å"mooncake† on the specific day which was the Mid-Autumn festival. Nowadays, â€Å"Yuebing† has become more and more popular because of many new recipes. The third food is called â€Å"Zongzi† in mandarin and rice dumpling in English. It has always been attached to a Chinese historical story. â€Å"Zongzi† is a traditional food for the Dragon Boat Festival.Compared to the two former foods, rice dumplings are much easier to make at home. At the festival, some people will have a competition for fun about making â€Å"Zongzi†, and the fastest one is the winner. Most of â€Å"Zongzi† are composed of glutinous rice and meat or egg folk, wrapped by bamboo leaves, and steamed finally. Additionally, there is a famous historical story about the origin of the food. In ancient China, there was a loyal minister who provided suggestions to the emperor to improve the country. However, the emperor not only did not take his suggestions, but also banished him.With heavy pressure and disappointment, the minister whose name was QuYuan jumped to the river to commit suicide. Common people wanted to protect his body from fish by throwing rice dumplings to the river. After that, people started to eat rice dumplings in memory of him. Traditional foods like â€Å"Nian-gao†, †Yuebing†, and â€Å"Zongzi† in Chinese festivals have undergone many changes in flavors or recipes, but for Chinese people, the traditional recipes and the meaning, legend, historical story will never be forgotten.

Education is not the only key to success Essay

Most groups use some form of parliamentary procedure for their meetings. This Factsheet not only briefly explains proper parliamentary procedure for more formal meetings, but also describes acceptable alternatives for decision-making in smaller groups. Rules For Meetings Just as the object of a game gives direction to its players, traditional principles of a democratic meeting guide group members when they gather: 1. Every member has rights equal to every other member. 2. The will of the majority must be carried out. 3. The minority must be heard, and its rights protected. Only one topic will be considered at a time. In order to play a particular game, certain rules for that game must be followed. â€Å"Parliamentary procedure† is a set of rules for meetings which ensures that the traditional principles of equality, harmony and efficiency are kept. Robert’s Rules of Order, the best-known description of standard parliamentary procedure, is used by many different organizations as their rule book for conducting effective meetings. The Problem With Rules The saying â€Å"Rules are meant to be broken †¦ † implies that no rules are perfect. The parliamentary rules used in government provide guidance for a body of hundreds of people meeting daily for months with a great volume of business to conduct. These same rules are not appropriate for all organizations. How rigid are your meetings? Does too much technical procedure (motions, amendments, seconding, etc. ) get in the way of effective decision-making and total group discussion? Too much formality in a meeting will frustrate and discourage members when the proceedings â€Å"bog down†. Parliamentary rules for meetings are intended to help the group conduct its business (fairly and efficiently), not hinder it! There are many effective ways for a group to conduct its meetings. Technical procedure, however, should be discouraged in the average group meeting. Every organization should examine standard parliamentary rules, then interpret and adapt them to its own use. If group members agree that the rules they’ve developed permit a majority to accomplish the organization’s ultimate purpose within a reasonable period of time, while allowing the minority a reasonable opportunity to express its views, then those rules are appropriate. Rules For Small Group Meetings? Meeting procedures for committees, executives and most boards can be much different than those for larger gatherings. Certain formalities are unnecessary when the group size is less than about a dozen members. For example: 1. There is no limit to the number of times a member may speak to an issue. 2. It is not necessary to address the chair before speaking. 3. The chair needn’t leave that post in order to speak, make motions or vote. (In fact, he or she may well be the most active participant in discussions and work of the committee. ) 4. Motions need not be seconded. 5. Action can be taken, at times, without the introduction of a motion. If, however, a small group using these â€Å"relaxed† rules discovers that any one of the four basic meeting principles is being abused, then more formal procedures may be reintroduced to the meeting. Parliamentary Procedure At A Glance If your group follows parliamentary procedure â€Å"by the book†, the occasional technical question might be asked. 1. What is the proper sequence of steps in having a motion voted on? A motion has nine possible steps: Moved – a proposal from the floor. Seconded – another member feels the proposal is worth discussing. Stated – by the chair or secretary. Wording is recorded properly and everyone understands the intent of the proposal. Discussed – every speaker addresses the chair and must speak only to the motion. Usually, each member may speak only once to a motion except the mover who has first and last chance to speak. Amended – changing the wording of the motion by: adding or deleting words replacing with different words. – each amendment has the same 9 steps as a motion. Called – after sufficient discussion, either a motion to end debate or a vote is called at the discretion of the chair. Restated – ensures everyone understands what is being voted on. Voted – chair calls each option: â€Å"All in favour? â€Å", â€Å"Opposed? † or â€Å"Abstaining? † Declared – results of the vote are announced by the chair. 2. Can the intent of the main motion be changed by an amendment? Yes; the main motion may be changed, contrary to the intent of its movers. Only two criteria govern the use of an amendment: An amendment may not convert a motion to its direct negative; and An amendment must be pertinent to the topic in the main motion. E. g. , a motion â€Å"to purchase a new typewriter for the secretary† may not have â€Å"and to pay the expenses of delegates to the annual meeting† added to it. This amendment clearly has no relationship with the secretary’s need for new equipment. 3. How many amendments can be made to a motion? There are only two kinds of amendments: those pertaining to the proposed motion called â€Å"first rank†; and those pertaining to a proposed amendment called â€Å"second rank† (amendment to the amendment). Only one amendment of each rank may be on the floor at one time. Any number of amendments may be made to most motions, but no â€Å"second rank† amendments may be amended (i. e. , an amendment to the amendment to the amendment is not allowed! ). 4. How can a meeting start without a quorum? A quorum is the minimum number of eligible voters that must be present at a meeting to conduct business. This number is designated in the by-laws of the organization and for a board is usually half the voting members plus one. If no quorum is present when the advertised hour of the meeting has been reached, then: the presiding officer may dismiss the group (after setting a time for future meeting); or the group may agree to proceed informally with the agenda, awaiting ratification of any decisions at a future meeting; or the group may discuss any items of interest but make no decisions. 5. How can our constitution be amended? A good constitution contains provisions for amendment, so the structure and procedures can continually meet the changing needs and purposes of the group. Usually, a special committee is appointed to review the group’s objectives, structure, functions, etc. Copies of its report and recommendations are circulated to all members with the required notice and agenda for the meeting (often the organization’s annual meeting). Any amendments proposed during discussion at the meeting require a majority vote for approval, but the motion to amend the constitution needs a two-thirds majority vote for adoption. Who is the presiding officer at meetings? Often the president is designated in the constitution or by-laws to chair the organization’s meetings. In many groups, however, the chair is assigned to the past-president, special moderator, or to a different person each time on a rotating basis. This allows the president to take a lead in debates on policy rather than maintain a position of â€Å"supposed† neutrality which is directly contrary to his or her usual role as spokesperson for the group. 7. After considerable debate, we still are not ready to vote on the motion. What can we do? A motion to postpone the matter until the next meeting may be in order, so that more information can be gathered. A motion to postpone temporarily (to table) allows a motion to be set aside until later in the meeting, allowing more urgent business to be dealt with, permitting amendments to be drafted, or allowing time for implications of the motion to be checked. A motion to take from the table brings it back before the meeting. The motion may be withdrawn at the request of its mover, but only if no member present objects. 8. What happens when someone yells â€Å"Question! From the floor indicates that he or she wants the motion put to a vote. Only if the chair feels that the motion has had reasonable debate and most members are ready to vote, can he or she call the question (i. e. , â€Å"All those in favour? â€Å", etc. ). Another way to close discussion on a motion is for someone to make a motion to call for a vote. This motion must be seconded and requires a two-thirds majority vote in order to proceed with a vote on the motion on the floor. 9. How should a committee report be accepted by an organization? A motion to â€Å"receive† the report means that the organization is not committed to any of the conclusions or recommendations contained in it. (An example of such a report would be the monthly, unaudited treasurer’s report. ) A motion to â€Å"adopt† the report in whole or in part commits the organization to some or all of the recommendations of the report, and often implies some action to be taken. 10 Sometimes while one motion is being considered, an alternative motion might be the better one. How can it be presented? 1. The movers request permission from the presiding officer to read out the alternative motion. The movers of the original motion are asked if they will withdraw their motion, with the unanimous consent of the meeting. 3. If the original motion is withdrawn, then the alternative motion is moved. 4. If the original motion is not withdrawn, then the movers of the alternative motion inform the meeting that their motion will be moved if the original is defeated. They thus urge the members to vote against the original motion. | Top of Page | Consensus: Another Method Of Decision-Making In Groups How many meetings does your group hold in a year to discuss issues or problems? How much time is spent in each regular meeting making decisions or solving problems? Does the discussion end with a proposal for action? One rule in parliamentary procedure that can hamper a free and easy exchange of ideas is: â€Å"Discussion can take place only after a motion is proposed†. In fact, a motion is a proposed course of action, a solution to a problem, or a decision. By focusing the group’s attention on a solution before realizing the scope of the problem, the group may be voting on something that is entirely inappropriate. Is the â€Å"cart before the horse†? A simple method of ensuring an effective group decision is to build a motion through consensus. This method eliminates a complicated amendment procedure after an initial motion has been proposed. It also ensures that a large majority will agree with the motion rather than the mere 51% required by a typical voting procedure. The following process can be used throughout the meeting for every problem the group needs to discuss. Step 1. Describe the issue or problem confronting the group. – State the problem clearly and concisely. If it is complex, then write it out. Step 2. Gather all information relevant to the problem. – All pertinent facts and ideas about the problem need to be heard in order to make a wise decision. – Distinguish between facts and opinions. A decision can often be made right away. However, action may need to be deferred so that additional information can be gathered. Step 3. List all possible solutions or actions. – Explore alternatives. – Be creative. Use brainstorming techniques to generate new ideas, from every member. Step 4. Choose the best possible solution. – Use a process of elimination; refine and combine parts of your list in step 3. Reaching consensus is not always easy. Some individuals become frustrated with the time taken for group decision-making. Also, this method relies on the discretion of the chair who eventually decides when a general agreement or common â€Å"feeling† has been reached. In some situations, if only extremely vocal and confident individuals dare to challenge the majority view, then the minority opinion is in danger of being suppressed. Using consensus, however, can result in higher quality decisions. The complicated rules of parliamentary procedure are reduced while maximum member participation is encouraged. In the end, group decisions lead to group action! Conclusion Whichever method your group chooses to make its decisions or conduct its meetings, the four principles of a democratic meeting must be followed. As more formal procedures are adopted, more complicated rules are followed. There is little reason for any one person to attempt to learn every rule of parliamentary procedure. To know where to find the answers is enough. The following references may help answer any questions not addressed in this Factsheet. References Parliamentary Procedure at a Glance. Jones, O. Garfield.