The Y2k Problem Essays - Calendars, Software Bugs, COBOL, Hazards

The Y2k Problem Essays - Calendars, Software Bugs, COBOL, Hazards The Y2k Problem Y2K: Nearing Disaster or Minor Computer Flaw? By Pete Conti Imagine that, as you do annually, you are counting the minutes until the New Year arrives. You are watching Dick Clark announce that the countdown will begin soon, and you feel anxious. Finally, as you hear the offbeat 5-4-3-2-1-0, and let out a sigh of relief, something goes wrong. At precisely 12:00 A.M. on January 1 of the year 2000, computers across the nation crash, leaving the country in panic. Stores are looted, riots break out, 911 is dysfunctional, banks lose money, the stock market crashes, planes drop from the sky, and we are all left in the bitter darkness. Horror stories such as these are common among news broadcasts and the Internet, but many are wondering how the Y2K problem will, if at all, affect their lives. Some professionals say that the Y2K problem may only cause glitches in older, obsolete computers and mainframes, while others are warning the public, and urging proper preparedness for this imminent disaster. Although both sides of this conflict have very arguab le positions, the world is not taking the Y2K problem seriously enough. Before a valid position can be taken, one must first fully understand what the Y2K problem is, and how it might affect computers. Computer coding has always been constructed of zeros and ones, and the finished product is often called the computer language. Over the last thirty years, namely the early eighties, computer coding was much different than it is today. During this time, a string of zeros usually meant the end of a particular program. For these computers, which are very few, when the year 2000 arrives, the Central Processing Unit, or CPU, will determine that the zeros in the year 2000s date as the end of the software, and the computer will crash. This only makes up a very small percentage of the computers that will be affected by the Y2K problem, the others being the more modern computers that still are not compliant with the year 2000s date. These computers, unlike the earlier, primitive ones, would not recognize the year 2000 as the date in which the software stops functio ning, but instead as the year 1900. This is due to the fact that many date systems are set up using only two numbers, so for example, 01 would be read as 1901, because these computers are still set in the 20th century. Some argue that, because the computer would not crash, and simply believe the date was 1900, the Y2K problem is not a major dilemma; the vast majority of computers would still be fully functional, so fixing the problem doesnt require so much urgency. The problem could be fixed after the year 2000, so panic is unnecessary. This is obviously not the case, when you think about all of the computers that run on dates. Almost all of the systems that run schedule-keeping programs will be adversely affected if this problem is not fixed. What about the telephone company? What would happen if you were on the telephone at the date change? What about Travel agencies and package delivery systems? These questions remain unanswered, and will stay that way until the year 2000 arrives . The Y2K problem is very serious, but it is causing many more problems than simply computers. There are radicals supporting every viewpoint. Some people who are worried about the Y2K problem are withdrawing all of their money from banks, and stockpiling their houses with months worth of food, while others simply fail to acknowledge the Y2K problem. Others are actually trying to get rich off perhaps the biggest problem in computers short history. There are numerous fake, overpriced, and overrated Y2K survival kits on sale for ridiculous prices. Imagine what would happen if Y2K did cause major problems, what would the radicals do then? While it is obvious that many are over-preparing for this potential upcoming problem, the ones that are paying no attention to it may be in danger. NBC news stated that withdrawing money from banks is actually a bad idea, as many banks have already converted to Y2K compliant software, but having necessary items such as a radio, batteries, a flashlight,

Confused With and Confused About

Confused With and Confused About Confused With and Confused About Confused With and Confused About By Maeve Maddox Preposition use is tricky. Sometimes a rule can be applied, as in the choice between in and into: The dog jumped from the bank into the water. (connotes movement from outside to within) The drowning man flailed in the water. (connotes containment within) More often, the choice of which preposition to use is idiomatic. That is, speakers use a particular preposition with a certain word because its use has been established by custom. From time to time, the established preposition is replaced by another. Initially, speakers accustomed to the older form express outrage, but in time, as the old-timers die off, the new preposition achieves acceptance. An example of such a change in progress is the use of excited followed by unconventional for instead of the customary about or by. A similar change seems to be in progress regarding the expression â€Å"confused with.† The verb confuse, with its participle form confused, has more than one meaning. If I say, â€Å"I always confuse Barbara with her sister,† the meaning is â€Å"fail to distinguish, erroneously regard as identical, mistake one for another.† This is clearly the definition that applies to the prepositional phrase in the following headlines, but in each case, the writer has used the preposition for instead of with: Knife attack confused for performance art at Art Basel Miami Beach- CNN Local Doctor Confused for Razorback Football Player- Fox16 news Liam Payne Still Gets Confused For Louis Tomlinson- MTV A possible explanation for this growing usage is confusion with another expression close in meaning: â€Å"mistaken for.† The knife attack was mistaken for a performance. The doctor is mistaken for the football player. Liam Payne is mistaken for Louis Tomlinson. The preposition switch in this idiom is not as noticeable as the one that uses â€Å"for† with excited, and it does not provoke the same amount of outrage. Only one reader has ever commented negatively on the use of â€Å"confused for.† My post on â€Å"excited for,† on the other hand, garnered twenty passionate comments and 427 â€Å"Likes.† â€Å"Confused for† may be destined for acceptance, but at present, it is simply careless writing. An even more blatant preposition error with confused is to follow it with of. So far, I’ve noticed this misuse chiefly in badly expressed readers’ comments on tech sites and in social media, but there is a song with â€Å"confused of† in the lyrics- always a bad sign. Here are some examples of the incorrect use of â€Å"confused of†: I’m aware that there’s [sic] licensing fees and such and all this ATHP stuff. I’m confused of the requirements and how to know when you need to register and pay. I am 25 years old and I am confused of what to do in the future professionally. I feel  confused of  the PlayerSetup.cs in Multiplayer FPS tutorial #3. For the few that  are confused of  what is a hero or have courage visit the wounded Warrior Website and find the true answer. We fight and love so much Sometimes I get confused of who we are, - â€Å"We Fight/We Love,† by rapper called Q-Tip In each of these examples, â€Å"confused about† would be the correct usage. Related posts: Excited About, Not For A Chance of Showers Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Slang Terms for Money34 Writing Tips That Will Make You a Better WriterStarting a Business Letter with Dear Mr.

How did religion and socio-economic factors challenges to reform under Essay

How did religion and socio-economic factors challenges to reform under the Qajars in Iran from the mid-19th to early 20th century - Essay Example This paper will discuss the manner in which religion and socio-economic factors challenged reform under the Qajars in Iran from the mid-19th to early 20th century. In any society, religion is an important aspect especially in development and reforms issues. In the Iranian society, between the periods of mid-19th century and early 20th century, reformation occurred in terms of nationality, identity, politics and the constitution. In these reformations, religion was an important aspect. Islam was the main and most famous religion in Iran and reflected the definite economic trends and the changes in class interests, property relations and social tendencies. Islam was an integral part of leadership, political, economic and social lives of people in Iran at this time. Thus, it influenced the type of reformation that occurred in the country. During the Qajar dynasty in Iran, the political leadership and governance of the country was a weak centralized regime that had strong provincial tribal forces and an independent religious establishment (Lapidus, 2002:65). European conquests, cultural influence and economic expedition made the state and society weak and encouraged constitutional revolution. However, Islam opposed the reformations that were introduced by the Europeans especially because the reforms were seen as a conflict of religious interest between Christianity from Europe and Islam that had existed in Iran for a good while. For instance, Europeans wanted women to be educated similarly to men, something that Islam was against because according to its customs, women were not the same as men, were not allowed to get an education but remain at home, and serve their families (Nomani & Behdad, 2006:127). The fact that the Qajars wanted to maintain a tenuous suzerainty enhanced the power of the religious establishments. The independence of the religious establishment hit the Qajars hard. The Ulama of Iran had a strong

Probation Officers and Parole Officers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Probation Officers and Parole Officers - Essay Example They work towards making sure that they have made the law offenders to live productive and useful lives. Depending on the legal status, the law offender may be on parole or probation. Law offenders who are given probationary sentence might or might not have served jail term in the county jail. Once the offender is released, they are put on parole or probation depending on the record of their offence. Those that have served time in federal or state correctional facility are placed on parole when they are released. Conditions are given to both types of offenders when they are released and a parole or probation officer supervises them for a specified period of time (California Occupational Guide, 1). Probation officers are also known as community supervisors in some states as they supervise people on probation. Practically a probation officer supervises those convicted of violent crimes because probation is granted to those with substantial drug abuse history and criminal background (Ba nks, 165). Probation officers also offer training that includes rational behavior training – it focuses on the officers using rationality principles to persuade a probationer to change his/her attitudes and beliefs. The training influences hostile offenders to develop new behavior and beliefs, which probation officers reinforce. Parole officers usually perform the same duties as probation officers, the only difference being that while parole officers supervise the offenders who have been released from prison, probation officers wok with the offenders in the prison (Labor Dept (U S) Bureau of Labor Statistics, 238). Parole officers are usually in the unit of the youth authority, corrections and the federal department of justice accounts directly to their particular parole boards and their main task is supervising their clients. Before the discharge of an offender, parole officers prepare arrangement and recommendation for their client. Parole officers approve such services as housing, counseling, social activities, employment and education (California Occupational Guide, 3). On the other hand, probation officers are usually at the courts and they execute pre-sentence investigations and organize reports on their clients. They also aid their clients to go back to the free society. They also implement courts order, which may incorporate them to seize evidence, organize for drug testing, make arrests and carry out searches. Parole officers focus their effort on surveillance rather than rehabilitation though their systems are scarce. In urban areas, parole agents are commonly occupied in verifying curfews, drug testing and electric monitoring. Most parolees do not complete their parole supervision and they therefore end up going back to prisons, making the prisons full. The role of parole officers is to have all the legal authority carried out and to use firearms to search without constraint of the forth amendment, order arrest without probable cause and conf ine without bail (Banks, 165). According to Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), when the probation and the parole officers are running in jail and prisons, they supervise the improvement of the inmates. They may assess the inmates by means of psychological and questionnaires tests. They work directly with other agencies or officers to develop release and parole plans. Their report discusses the record of the inmate and the probability of the inmate committing another crime. This

How technolgy effects my community Essay Example for Free

How technolgy effects my community Essay The town I am writing about is Mynydd Isa. This is a small town just outside of Mold in Flintshire. It has a population of about 6000 people. The town its self is centralised around a group of small shops. The town is very quaint and houses 3 schools. CCTV The first technology I have chosen to write about is the security camera. There are CCTV cameras installed, albeit discreetly, at almost every social area in my community, such as the local shop, the library, the chip shop and even my school and homes throught Mynydd Isa. Security cameras are set up for any number of reasons but mostly for protection of property and piece of mind. If a business such as a small corner shop or house felt that it needed a little more security and protection for their premises and prevent their livelihood or cherish home from being vandalised or maybe a theft, what better way to protect it than to install a security camera. This is a great deterrent for the youths who may be hanging around the properties at night. It also gives the shops customers or home owners an extra sense of well being, allowing them to go to the shop at night or even in the cover of darkness, they know they are being monitored by the security cameras. This is true of many older people in particular, as large gangs of teenagers hanging around , even if they do not mean harm, can be intimidating to an older person. Therefore, having the cameras does allow them to feel they can still retain their independence. Once a camera is installed, it can be connected to a television monitor. This would mean that the owner of the security camera could see exactly what the camera was seeing at real time allowing the owner not to miss anything. Also, this could then be recorded using any simple VCR. This would allow the owner to record any incidents outside for further reference if required as evidence in court and as the motto goes seeing is believing. There are many different styles and features on a security camera such as night vision. This allows the owner to protect his property at night during the cover of darkness. Some cameras are also built on to a pivot, which allows them to spin a full circle, which would allow them to view a full 360 degrees around it. Some cameras have wireless internet connection that would allow the owner of the camera to watch what was going on from their computer or laptop. Most security cameras, however, are owned by the Council and are monitored in County Hall by Flintshire County Council workers twenty four hours per day. This is very beneficial to the community because if they see any suspicious or criminal behaviour, they can contact the police who can come to the scene of the disturbance immediately and put an end to it, so this again will be reassuring people in the community that they are safe and well protected from any anti social behaviour. The Security cameras which are used at the shopping area of Mynydd Isa are the Sony IP Pan-Tilt-Zoom camera. This is because they can move 180 decrees around allowing them to get a better view of the area. The camera is also infa red so they have the ability to see in the dark. The cameras around the shopping area are also strategically placed so that they cover the whole shopping area so no where is left unseen.

The Roots of Education are Bitter, but the Fruits are Sweet :: essays research papers

A time approaches in every person’s life when they must come to learn new things. Speaking on behalf of all those who have attended school at some point in their life, I must say that most do not like it for its educational significance. Today’s youth undervalue the worth of America’s public school system to the point of shame. Hard-working, underpaid teachers and professors prepare to educate these ingrates as their living, and it’s exasperating for the students to not even care. I must be fair though and call attention to the fact that not everyone shares this loathe for education and schooling.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At the beginning of one’s journey of gaining more knowledge, most children don’t mind school, for it is a change of environment for them. The majority of elementary school adolescents even enjoy school to some degree. As time wears on, we usually, and sadly, begin to see a change of heart. Children become fatigued from school and therefore don’t take pleasure in going anymore. Maybe their teachers didn’t teach them in the way that they learn most efficiently, or maybe students just become bored with the whole â€Å"school scene† itself. Whatever the case, it is apparent that by the time they reach high school, their interest for learning alone has died out.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Having explained the reason most children have become disheartened at the thought of school, I now turn my attention to the students who do realize school’s educational value. These are the students that will continue to prosper throughout their lives because they realize the extreme importance of education. There is a secret, yet not so secret, motivation behind their determination to exceed standards and expectations in school. The secret they withhold is their overwhelming desire to be successful in the future.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The â€Å"roots† of education, meaning actually going to school, studying, making great grades, and giving it your best, are bitter and tiring. Those students that have not yet become uninterested in learning are the ones that have seen past the strife in the beginning and have the rewarding end in mind. The Roots of Education are Bitter, but the Fruits are Sweet :: essays research papers A time approaches in every person’s life when they must come to learn new things. Speaking on behalf of all those who have attended school at some point in their life, I must say that most do not like it for its educational significance. Today’s youth undervalue the worth of America’s public school system to the point of shame. Hard-working, underpaid teachers and professors prepare to educate these ingrates as their living, and it’s exasperating for the students to not even care. I must be fair though and call attention to the fact that not everyone shares this loathe for education and schooling.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At the beginning of one’s journey of gaining more knowledge, most children don’t mind school, for it is a change of environment for them. The majority of elementary school adolescents even enjoy school to some degree. As time wears on, we usually, and sadly, begin to see a change of heart. Children become fatigued from school and therefore don’t take pleasure in going anymore. Maybe their teachers didn’t teach them in the way that they learn most efficiently, or maybe students just become bored with the whole â€Å"school scene† itself. Whatever the case, it is apparent that by the time they reach high school, their interest for learning alone has died out.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Having explained the reason most children have become disheartened at the thought of school, I now turn my attention to the students who do realize school’s educational value. These are the students that will continue to prosper throughout their lives because they realize the extreme importance of education. There is a secret, yet not so secret, motivation behind their determination to exceed standards and expectations in school. The secret they withhold is their overwhelming desire to be successful in the future.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The â€Å"roots† of education, meaning actually going to school, studying, making great grades, and giving it your best, are bitter and tiring. Those students that have not yet become uninterested in learning are the ones that have seen past the strife in the beginning and have the rewarding end in mind.

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters and Keurig Coffee

How government political system and economy influence each other? There are many countries in a world, and each country has its specific government system, also different government systems leads to diverse economic results. Otherwise, the economic output shapes the certain government system as well. As a consequence, government system interacts with economic results, and vise versa. Such as the relationship between centrally controlled political system or decentralized political system and economic income. Next, more details information will be given and bring a discussion about how they influence each other.Through searching on the internet, political system is â€Å"a system of politics and government. It is usually compared to the legal system, economic system, cultural system, and other social systems. However, this is a very simplified view of a much more complex system of categories involving the views: who should have authority, how religious questions should be handled, and what the government’s influence on its people and economy should be. † (Almond, 2011) Different countries from all over the world owe their own specific political system and economic results.For example, China’s remarkable economic success rests on reforming political government system foundation. In article â€Å"Federalism, Chinese Style: The Political Basis for Economic Success in China†, it referred that the government political reform provides significant degree of available commitment to markets and lead to the successful economy in China. What’s more, a special type of institutionalized or organized decentralized is reflected by this reform, and author call â€Å"federalism, Chinese style. In addition, Montinola who is the author of this article claimed there are three consequences: at first, it helps to promote competition, not only just in product markets, but also among labour and foreign capital of local governments. And without any dou bt, the competition also lead new forms of enterprises, regulation, and economic relationships are promoted by government trying and learning. After that, it provides incentives for local governments to encourage local economic prosperity. At last, there are considerable amount of protection for local governments and enterprises which come from political intrusion by the central government. 2011). This article describes how the government political system impacts the economy output. On the one hand, China reform the political system depends on the national conditions, and take advantages of this system to develop economy and achieve successful goal. On the other hand, China already got wealthy benefits from the existing political system. Moreover, in article â€Å"US Political System Gets Downgraded, Failure to Deal with Economy the Reason†, Dayen said â€Å"To the extent that there’s any fallout from the political gridlock in Washington, it’s that the country cannot execute the simple, fundamental steps to improve economic performance. (Aug 3, 2011) And also talked about a Chinese rating agency did actually downgrade US debt all the way, which could resonate with their sovereign wealth funds. This agency appeared to not so much downgrade the credit rating as the political system. It discussed if there was not existing good and suitable government political system, and there is no way to develop economic as expect. In other words, instable and inadaptable political cannot help to further the development of economic outputs. Meanwhile, there is no doubt that if there is existing terrible economy, the new type of government system need to form.Government agencies influence the economy through a variety of policies all the time. â€Å"Political system has helped initiate new industries, cushion the effects of economic depression, create a sound economic infrastructure, and protect the living standards of the citizenry. † (n. d. ) Japa n is such a typical country. Japan through adjusting the relationship between government political system and economic income in order to set up the most suitable government and increase economy as much as possible. They focus on enterprise.In other words, Japan's economic development is primarily the product of private entrepreneurship. There is no doubt government make a significant contribution to nation's prosperity. In a word, the enterprise focus need the help of centrally controlled political system, because it can pay a lot more attention to develop their enterprise in order to promote their economy. There are advantages and disadvantages among different type of government political, both of them have opportunity to increase or decrease their national economy.However, it has great challenges to reconcile the centralized and decentralized systems. Most of time, centrally controlled is focus on specific area, decentralized controlled has diverging structure, the scope is much more abroad and wide than centrally controlling. But centrally control can get more attention. So chose the right system need depend on each country’s specific situation. In order to reach the economy goals, it is necessary to look for the right government political system to push its developing.Also under current system, government should consider how to achieve their economy target. Above all, no matter which government systems, such as centrally controlled political system and decentralized controlled political system, both of them could generate significant economic results, at the same time, the country should get wealthy benefit from a specific controlled political system. Reference Almond, G. A. , (June 25, 2011). Comparative Politics Today: A World View. Political System. Retrieved from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Political_system Dayen, D. (August 3, 2011). US Political System Gets Downgraded, Failure to Deal With Economy the Reason. FDL. Retrieved from http://new s. firedoglake. com/ 2011/08/03/us-political-system-gets-downgraded-failure-to-deal-with-economy-the-reason/ Montinola, G. (June 13, 2011). Federalism, Chinese Style: The Political Basis for Economic Success in China. World Politics. Retrieved from http://journals. cambridge. org/action/displayAbstract? fromPage=online&aid=7607848 The role of government and business. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://countrystudies. us/japan/99. htm

Religion in Ancient China

The earliest information found about religion in ancient China is during the Shang Dynasty and so religion in the Xia dynasty remains unknown. Religious beliefs and rituals were prominent during the Shang Dynasty. The most significant deity was Shang Ti, Ti meaning ‘Deity Above’ or the ‘Lord on High’. He ruled as a supreme god over all the other gods and spirits. The gods and spirits were believed to symbolize objects found in nature; the sun, the moon, the wind, the rain, everything from mountains and rivers to the stars in the night sky. Ti is believed to have punished those who disobeyed or offended him and rewarded those who pleased him. It is said that Ti formed a noble court in heaven consisting of all deceased worthy ancestors. The Chinese’s belief in family harmony was associated to belief in the afterlife. The ancestors who were considered commendable served Ti, helping him govern the world. Ancestors were also worshipped and were said to act a mediators between the gods and humankind. It was thought that if ancestors were appropriately honoured, respected, and provided for, they would promote the family's prosperity. A favour or grievance to a member of the family was considered a favour or grievance to the ancestors; consequently, people were reluctant to offense or harm descendants of a powerful family. It was believed that in the afterlife they would live in a celestial court in many ways similar to their earthly courts. Each Chinese family was expected to have an ancestral shrine in the centre of their home to honour and venerate their ancestors. Sacrifice to the gods and the ancestors were also a major part of the Shang religion. When a ruler died, slaves and officials were sacrificed with them in order to guarantee that their afterlife would be the same or similar as their life on earth. People were also sacrificed in smaller numbers when significant events, such as the founding of a palace or temple, took place. Along with their deceased ancestors, the Chinese had people on earth who acted as mediators between the celestials and the human race. Priests were among these intermediates and were responsible for a number of tasks including reading prayers and overseeing sacrifices and funerals. An augur is another type of mediator, responsible for asking gods questions on behalf of humans using various practices of foretelling to unearth the answers. The use of oracle bones was the most notable form of divination. The augur would ask the question, punching holes into the bone, usually the shoulder-bone from an ox, and in some cases the shell of a tortoise. The bone would then be held over a fire, until cracks appeared. These cracks would be made more evident by rubbing ink over the bone. The augur could now read the cracks and determine the answer of the god. Records of the questions and answers of readings were engraved on the bone. Questions on these oracle bones included issues of weather, warfare, agriculture, hunting, childbirth, and sacrifice. In reflection with their agricultural nature, the ancient Chinese use to honour the local deities of soil in order to increase the fertility of earth and to promote the growth of crops. Over time, this practice of earth worship began to dwindle and the veneration of Heaven increased. Divination was considered the only way to determine the requests and future actions of the ruler of Heaven who was also seen as a kind of ancestral figure. The Chinese were animistic and so believed that nature had many spirits. Good spirits, referred to as shen, and bad spirits, referred to as gui, were both thought to dwell in Heaven and Earth. The sun and the rooster were believed to have authority over the gui. This concept of shen and gui later influenced the formation of the yin and yang concept. The people of ancient China believed that there were two contrasting forces abiding in everything in nature; that is yin and yang. This concept was thought to be formed with the influence of the shen and gui concept from earlier ancient China. Yin is characterized as slow, soft, yielding, diffuse, cold, wet, or tranquil; and is associated with water, earth, the moon, femininity and nighttime. Yang, on the other hand, is fast, hard, solid, focused, hot, dry, or aggressive; and is associated with fire, sky, the sun, masculinity and daytime. During the time of the Eastern Zhou, religion in China underwent an evolution. The early gods were forgotten and replaced with ideologies that worked as both philosophies and religions. A phenomenon called the ‘Contention of a Hundred Schools of Thought’ took place in ancient China. Schools and philosophers flourished around this time and it was dubbed an era of great cultural and intellectual expansion in China. The four most prominent schools of thought that evolved during this epoch were Confucianism, Taoism, Mohism, and Legalism. Confucius was born 551 BC and grew up to become one of the most influential philosophers in Chinese history. Confucianism is a composite philosophy of moral, social, political, philosophical, and quasi-religious thought. He built his philosophy around five virtues: compassion, morality, decorum, wisdom and honesty. Compassion was considered the cornerstone, symbolizing loyalty, filial piety, patience and benevolence. He also believed that everyone should be in harmony with one another and establish a society ruled by standard etiquette and conduct. A legendary philosopher by the name of Laozi is believed to have established the religious philosophy of Taoism. The ‘forces of nature’ is the central belief behind the concept of Tao, which is literally translated as â€Å"the path† or â€Å"the way. † Taoism is in many ways the contrary of Confucianism, focusing on the individual within the natural realm rather than the individual within society. It also focuses on the affiliation between humanity and the cosmos, vigour and long life, and wu wei, that is action through inaction, which is said to create harmony with the Universe. Mo Di or Mozi was another Chinese philosopher form the Eastern Zhou period. He was strongly opposed to the teachings of Confucianism and Taoism. Mohism was based on the idea of universal love, ‘everyone is equal before heaven’. Mozi believed that everyone should practice communal love in order to create a heaven on earth. He also believed that an individual’s perception should be the basis of human cognition and not imagination or logic. Mozi advocated abstinence, and therefore opposed music, regarding it as excessive and a waste of resources which could instead be used to help those in need of basic necessities such as food, water and shelter. He even opposed elaborate funerals also regarding it as a waste of money which could be used in more useful matters. He also advocated pacifism thus disapproving of offensive war, only accepting aggressive action to defend the weak. Legalism, while the term itself was invented in the Han dynasty, was one of the major doctrines followed during the Contention of a Hundred Schools of Thought. It was established by Han Feizi and Li Si and theorizes that the human race is evil and in order to prevent this evil causing chaos, laws need to be put in place. Legalism wasn’t concerned with the nature or purpose of life, not even the welfare of the public; rather it sought the states prosperity and military aptitude. Out of these four philosophies, only Confucianism and Taoism are considered religions by scholars, as only they contain spiritual elements. Confucianism and Taoism both became part of what is now known as The Three Doctrine. Buddhism is the third doctrine however it was imported from India and flourished during Imperial China.

Greek City state and the Roman Empire

Greek City state and the Roman Empire The Americans and the Western nations’ political systems and ideologies are in a way based on the ancient Greece and the Romans’ ideas. These countries are not the only ones that were affected. However, most of the ideas that are being used by governments in the world were originally borrowed from Greece (Wolin, 1960).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Greek City state and the Roman Empire specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Issues of Democracy and republican governments are some of the major political ideologies that were adopted from these two ancient states. People’s participation in political constitutions and content has its origins in these societies. Changes that occurred in Greek city-states and Roman Empire that explain the emergence of specific understanding of politics Firstly, the ancient Greece was once never a unified state but a conjugant of different nations. The large geographic bound aries that resulted in travel and communication difficulties brought the need for communities to adopt their own governing bodies and councils. These political units were known as city-states. These city-states, being separated by large geographical terrains, adopted different political systems. For example, the Corinth adopted the oligarchy system of government. Other city-states such as Sparta established mixed forms of government, which constituted both oligarchy and monarchial systems of government. This is how these aspects of politics emerged. Athens developed a democratic form of government that allowed the citizens to participate in the drafting of the constitution and the governance of their city-states. They purposefully did this to quell the long periods of unrest and conflicts in the city-state. These reforms transferred power from the hands of a few nobles to the citizens thus ensuring political participation. This is also known as democracy. Democracy is undeniably the most practiced form of governance in the civilized world. The Athenian government was made up of three major segments. These included the assembly, the council and the people’s court. They consisted of juries made up of the citizens. This was in order to oversee cases involving fellow citizens. Different from the Athenian form of government, the Romans adopted a Republic structure of governance. In this form of government, the elected persons (apart from just governing) were also expected to be responsible and responsive to their voters (Augustine, 1961).Advertising Looking for essay on ancient history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Romans were the first to draw up a constitution, which was a tool that was later adopted by a majority of governments around the globe. These countries exhibited republican tendencies. These sets of laws written down by the Roman government were, at the time, collectively kn own as the Laws of the Twelve Tablets. Nations later came to realize that having the laws written down protected the rights of the citizens and shielded them from unfounded prosecutions. Another important political aspect that was exhibited by these ancient societies was eligibility for political participation. For example, in Athens, the issues of eligibility for political rights and citizenship were seriously upheld. Therefore, in order to fully participate in politics, one had to be a mature male whose parents were both Athenians. The modern world states and nations that came thereafter came up with various qualifications. For one to be able to participate in politics or to be declared a citizen of the respective nation, he or she had to meet those qualifications. Philosophers were concerned about the issue of human action since they were greatly engaged in differentiating between activity, passivity, involuntarism and culpable actions. Action became a major philosophical topic i n the early 1960s and is slowly becoming a major sub-discipline in modern philosophy. A causalist school of thought postulates that an individual’s reason for acting is the cause of his or her action. It can be accurately argued that reasons lead to actions. Some philosophers like Harry Frankfurt have tried to explain the concept of human action and has tried to determine its compatibility with the large concept of determinism. Philosophers argued that political revolutions experienced in the governments of the world were as a result of human action. People are never satisfied with their constitution. They are always grumbling, never quiet and always require that some changes be made on the constitution. Under the concept of human action was another topic of humanism. Humanism marries the concepts of history and human actions. The concept of eligibility for political rights and citizenship were greatly focused upon and qualifications were set for individuals to meet. The mode rn world states and states that came thereafter came up with various qualifications for one to be able to participate in politics. Apart from politics, it was also necessary that one met the set standards before being granted complete citizenship of a city-state (Sayers, 1999). The citizens were the only ones who were allowed to own and keep slaves together with all other forms of property.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Greek City state and the Roman Empire specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In Sparta, for example, women were afforded the opportunity and privilege of being literate. This was a different ethical dimension compared to what was the norm in previous years. This was quite different from what other city-states like Athens did to their womenfolk. The liberation of women in Athens, for example, became an inspiration to the contemporary states and societies to recognize the position of women in the society. Another important issue was the payment of taxes. The ancient Greek, Roman and Greek states lay much emphasis on tax payment. These changes in ethical dimensions formed the economic background of a majority of the states that came thereafter. References Augustine, C. (1961). Confessions. Baltimore: Penguin Books. Sayers, S. (1999). Plato’s Republic: An Introduction. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. Wolin, S. (1960). Politics and Vision: Continuity and Innovation in Western Political thought. Boston: Brown Co.

Given Circumstances Activity for Student Actors

Given Circumstances Activity for Student Actors In a dramatic scene or monologue or improvisation, the term â€Å"given circumstances† refers to the â€Å"who, where, what, when, why, and how† of the characters: Who are you? (Name, age, gender, nationality, physical health, mental health, etc.)Where are you? (In a room, outdoors, on an airplane, in a stagecoach, at a party, at a ball, etc.)When does the action occur? (In the present, in the past, in the imagination, in the future, in a dream, etc.)Why are you present in this situation? (Hiding, celebrating, escaping, seeking?)How are you behaving? (Loudly, stealthily, subtly, conversationally, physically, coyly?) Given circumstances are directly stated and/or indirectly inferred from the text of a script or from the interaction with scene partners in improvisational work: what a character says, does or does not do, and what other characters say about him or her. Student Actor Activity To give student actors practice in considering and communicating given circumstances, here is an activity led by Gary Sloan, author of In Rehearsal: In the World, in the Room, and On Your Own. Materials Needed: PaperWriting instruments Directions: Ask students to think about where they currently are (a classroom, a studio, a rehearsal stage) and then give some thought to why they are there.Distribute paper and pens or pencils and give students this writing assignment: Think about yourself and write a paragraph about your current given circumstances- Who are you? Where are you right now and why are you here? How are you feeling or behaving? Ask students to place the most emphasis on the why and the how aspects of this written reflection. (Note: You may choose to have students identify themselves by name or you can leave that part of the â€Å"who† out of the writing.)Give students 15 to 20 minutes of silent writing time.Call time and ask students to place whatever they have written- even if they do not feel it is complete- on a table or chair or rehearsal box located somewhere in the room, preferably in a central location.Instruct all students to walk slowly in a circle around the object holding the pieces of paper. Then , whenever they feel the impulse to, they should take one of the papers (not their own, of course). Once all students have a paper, ask them to familiarize themselves with what’s written on it- Read it carefully, absorb it, think about the words and the ideas.After giving students 5 or so minutes, explain that each will read the words on the paper aloud to the group as if auditioning for a part. They are to treat the words as if they are a monologue and deliver a cold reading. Tell students: â€Å"Read it aloud as if this is YOUR story. Make us believe you mean it.†One at a time, when a student is ready, have each deliver the words on the chosen paper. Remind them to remain conversational and speak as if the words were their own. Reflection After all the students have shared their readings, discuss what it was like to deliver someone else’s words as if they were your own. Liken this experience to what actors must do with lines of dialogue in a published script. Discuss whether and how this activity increased students’ understanding of given circumstances and how to use them in their character work.

Nurse Facilitated Hospital Discharge Planning in an Elderly Unit Literature review

Nurse Facilitated Hospital Discharge Planning in an Elderly Unit - Literature review Example Patients with complex care needs, including frail and elderly or those with mental problems, may require continuing care in special housing, residential or nursing homes, and need a ‘package of care’ to support them back to good health after hospital discharge (McKenna et al, 2000, p.594-601). Such population demands effective discharge arrangements. Discharge planning is â€Å"a facet of the overall care of the patient, developed through the application of the nursing process† (Watts, 2005). It is a process â€Å"that is dependent on inter-professional collaboration between health and welfare professionals† (Atwal, 2002). Study of problems of discharging patients from hospitals have been in focus during the last two decades, and some of the shortcomings identified are: â€Å"poor communication between hospital and community; inadequate notice of discharge; over-reliance in informed support and lack of support; inattention to patient’s needs before leaving hospital; and wasted or duplicated visits by community nurses† (McKenna et al, 2000, p.594-601). â€Å"Cost effective, coordinated, high-quality discharge planning† is integral to control increasing healthcare costs and hospital personnel must become more adept at preparing patients for discharge as there is a decrease in length of acute hospital stay, and increase in care shift to communities and homes (Lalani & Gulzar, 2001). â€Å"Aged care assessment team (ACAT)† model, operating in Australia, may be helpful in streamlining hospital discharge process in the U.K. (Robinson & Street, 2003). ACAT, a key multidisciplinary group primarily comprising nurses and paramedical staff, is involved in determining the discharge needs of older people Hence, decreasing length of patient stay in hospitals is paramount agenda in every health care planner and eliminating long waiting lists and freeing up of ‘blocked beds’ could be possible with effective an d efficient discharge planning procedures.  

Dietary supplements (e.g vitamins,herbal extracts,etc) Research Paper

Dietary supplements (e.g vitamins,herbal extracts,etc) - Research Paper Example Amino acids, which are the individual building blocks of proteins, are part of these substances. The supplements can come in form of pills, tablets, capsule, or liquid form. They add to the usual daily diet and must not be considered for food. They are widely available and some people take them for healthy purposes or because of health related complications. Minerals and vitamins are the common supplements. They include vitamin C or multivitamin, herbs and plants and natural source substances like omega-3 fatty acids. The supplements, according to the processors, contribute to well-being and health maintenance, but may treat, diagnose, or prevent infections or disease. Many people have used the ingredients for many years to treat illness and help health. At times some of these supplements are a basis for common medicines today. For instance, willow bark tea, for centuries, has been a fever control mechanism. Phamceutical firms eventually realised that it contained a chemical that helps in fevr reduction and used the knowledge to come up with aspirin (HOLLENSTEIN, 2007). The researcher used random questionnaires to collect information from people around his locality. The questionnaire had questions related to the necessity of using dietary supplements. Some of the questionnaires were online while the researcher distributed others manually to collect information locally and internationally. The method used was survey questioning where information from online questionnaires was compiled and related with that of the other respondents. They do provide a nutritional support to the body of a human being and help in meeting optimal nutrient levels to ensure health from the baseline. 35% of the respondents believe that dietary supplements are good for consumption, 4% think that some of them prevent influenza, 2% take them for boosting their immune, 10% support its consumption