‘A complex character deserving sympathy.’ How far and in what ways do you agree with this view of Angelo in Measure for Measure?

In Shakespeare's Measure for Measure, Angelo emerges as a double-sided character; an appropriate focal point for such a ‘problem play', as many of Shakespeare's later works are considered to be. Shakespeare appears to have taken his inspiration for the story from sources such as Promos and Cassandra (George Whetstone) and Giraldi Cinthio's Hecatommithi, both plays in which a self-righteous deputy, be it Promos in Whetstone's version, or Angelo in Shakespeare's, seduces a woman (Cassandra or Isabella) by promise of pardon for her condemned brother. Scholars have argued for centuries whether Angelo, or indeed Promos, is a moral or an evil character. Those scholars who support the notion of Angelo as moral often cite the following factors in the play: the Duke obviously trusts Angelo; Angelo is disheartened enough by the end of the play to offer a sincere apology; and Angelo tries to resist the temptation that Isabella presents. On the other hand, others have argued that Shakespeare depicts Angelo as a purely evil man. These critics emphasise Angelo's treatment of Marian, the Duke's possible suspicion of Angelo, his desire for Isabella, and his broken promise to Isabella. By examining Angelo in both of these circumstances, it will become apparent that the most successful interpretation of Angelo's character is a combination of both of these facets. One of these critics, Leo Kirschbaum, suggests that the change in the structure of Measure for Measure is the result of a change in the characterization of Angelo. At the beginning of the play, Kirschbaum notes, Angelo is cruel and inflexible, but this is tempered somewhat by the fact that he is also noble in his consistent adherence to the law. But in the end he is a character who is no longer noble but who is instead â€Å"small-minded, mean, calculating (and) vindictive. † Therefore, a comprehensive analysis of the character and his significance is necessary to decide whether Angelo does actually deserve sympathy. Upon analysis of the early scenes, we, as the audience, would instinctively begin to consider Angelo a character not worthy of sympathy, as he has ostensibly fooled the Duke into trusting him enough to give him power over Vienna and then immediately condemns Claudio to death for impregnating his lover, despite his genuine love for her. By telling Angelo â€Å"Mortality and mercy in Vienna Live in thy tongue, and heart†, it is apparent that the Duke trusts Angelo, even more than his own right-hand man, Escalus, who is overlooked to be the Duke's deputy. This, however, is overshadowed by the Duke's conversation with the friar in I. iii where he says â€Å"Believe not that the dribbling dart of love Can pierce a complete bosom† and â€Å"I have on Angelo impos'd the office; Who may in th'ambush of my name strike home †¦ ; in both quotes we are led to believe that the Duke perhaps does not trust Angelo to the extent that is initially apparent. Instead, it appears to be part of a wider plan of which we are so far unaware. To make a moral judgement on Angelo at this stage of the play would be incorrect however; we have barely met him as a person, and only seen him in a brief exchange whilst accepting the position the Duke offers him. He is, however, â€Å"tyrannous† enough to promise Claudio's liberty in return for Isabella's virginity, such is his power in the Duke's place. These factors, along with his cruel treatment of Mariana, with whom he had plans of marriage which broke down because â€Å"her promised proportions Came sort of composition†, exposing his shallow and hypocritical nature, would point to Angelo not being worthy of the audience's sympathy, and simply a cold, emotionless character (â€Å"whose blood is very snowbroth†) created by Shakespeare to reflect the promiscuous evil of Viennese society at the time. For all the negative criticism of Angelo, there is in fact plenty of evidence to suggest he is a character with redeeming features who can be seen as reflecting the positive implications of punishment in a play so concerned with the theme of justice. His apology in the final scene is the prime example of his somewhat altered attitude, due to the events of the story. He is â€Å"sorry that such sorrow I procure And so deep sticks it in my penitent heart† – a quote which refers to the Duke's analysis that â€Å"the dribbling dart of love Can [not] pierce a complete bosom†. This apology, especially with its placement at the end of the play, does leave the audience with a slightly more positive view of Angelo than would be had otherwise. Angelo's initial refusal of Isabella's offering whilst carrying out the Duke's plan is another factor of the play which would lead the audience to sympathising somewhat with Angelo and not considering him an entirely malicious character. Despite the evidence of these two points, however, I firmly believe that Angelo is mainly a character undeserving of sympathy, whose reputation amongst the masses is well-founded by his selfish actions and hypocritical nature, as we learn that he has committed a crime far worse than Claudio's – something apparently known by the Duke, who soliloquises at the end of Act III, saying â€Å"He who the sword of heaven will bear Should be as holy as severe†. Although the best analysis of Angelo as a person would clearly be a combination of both malicious and beneficent, as many of the key characters in Shakespeare's ‘problem plays' would best be described as, he does appear to be vastly a malevolent being, not worth of the audience's compassion.

How Music Influences Memory Essay

I lay in my bed listening to the endless stream of music coming through my headphones. My iTunes is on shuffle, some songs I skip but most of them I let play without interference. Zoning out only enough to let my mind wonder, I relax and take in the sounds surrounding me. I feel restful, at piece. A brief moment of silence from the time one song ends and another begins. I hear the first five notes on a piano — instantly, I have a lump in my throat, my heart quickens, and my eyes begin to sting. â€Å"Through the Years† by Kenny Rogers has just come on. After fifteen seconds of a piano introduction, Rogers’ soothing voice starts in, â€Å"I can’t remember when you weren’t there†¦ I am reminded of my family. I am taken back to a time when all my grandparents were still alive and well. My father’s mother’s face comes into view, she has been gone twelve years but I can almost feel her presence. I think of the love my family and I have for each other. I think of my sister. My cheeks and ears begin to feel warm. The air I’m breathing suddenly becomes thick, my vision is blurred by the water filling my eyes. The chorus begins, â€Å"Through the years†¦Ã¢â‚¬  My eyes overflow and tears silently fall down my face. After the second chorus the song builds on itself, it rises and keeps on rising. The tension is broken by Rogers’ voice full of love and sincerity at the bridge. I have graduated from softly crying to full on sobbing. My face, my ears, my neck and my pillow are wet with tears. What I am crying about, I am not entirely certain of. What I am certain of, however, is that this wave of emotion that I am drowning in was induced solely by this song. Now in the fetal position, cuddling the blanket and bear that I have had since I was born, I gasp and choke a deep breath in and cough it out as I sob. â€Å"As long as it’s okay / I’ll stay with you / Through the years† The song ends, and after a short while I return to the restful state I was in prior to my breakdown, noticeably more tired. All of this because of a song. This experience and countless others like it (varying in memories and emotions) that made me wonder about the power of music. We have all been influenced by music at one point in our lives; oose bumps, shivers, hair standing on end, tears, dancing, tapping to the beat. Music is all around us, and it is there no matter where you go; it transcends borders and cultures, it is the one universal thing that does. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said it best: â€Å"Music is the universal language of mankind. † Music has the ability to elicit emotions and trigger memories of our past, transporting us to a specific moment or time in our lives. Music can help us cope, the proof of this is in the success of break-up songs. We rely on music. But, what is it about music that makes it so powerful? How is it able to influence us the way it does? Studying music from a scientific approach is relatively new practice, especially music and its effects on the brain. Thanks to advances in neuroscience such a study is made possible. Neuroscientists use fMRI and PET scans to study the brain and what music does to it. When we listen to music different parts of our brain are stimulated. What scientists have learned is that music activates more areas of the brain than anything else. Elena Mannes, author of the book The Power of Music: Pioneering Discoveries in the New Science of Song, identifies some of parts and functions of the brain that are used to process music: †¦the auditory cortex (first stage in the listening process, perception and analysis of tones), the motor cortex (foot tapping, playing an instrument), the prefrontal cortex (the creation of expectations triggered by musical patterns and the violation of patterns/expectations), the sensory cortex (tactile feedback, as in playing an instrument), the visual cortex (reading music), the nucleus accumbens and the amygdala (emotional reactions), the hippocampus (memory for music), the cerebellum (also movement and emotional reactions). (Mannes, 32). When we listen to music our brain is actually extracting something from the music and making sense of it. Some scientists believe that this could contribute to our brain’s ability to remember songs so well. (Kunz). An intriguing aspect of music and how we relate to it is our seemingly instinctual ability to analyze a piece of music. Daniel Levitin, a neuroscientist at McGill University, discusses in his book, This Is Your Brain On Music: The Science of a Human Obsession, how our brain perceives and understands music. When we start out we have thousands of neurons in our brains that are completely free, not tied down or associated to anything. However, as we grow and learn, these neurons are shaped by experience and make connections. Through our experiences our brains learn the rules of whatever music we are exposed to. For example, we have songs that we recognize as happy or sad, even if it is only an instrumental piece. We are able to recognize the mood or feeling of a song from its elements; in Western society we tend to associate a fast tempo with energy and spiritedness and a slow tempo with sadness. These associations, or connections, are learned from our experiences. (Levitin, 87-89). There are a variety of different factors that contribute to our physical and emotional reactions to music. Music often mirrors the natural world and picks up on cues that are prevalent in human behavior. Expectations not fulfilled, surprise, when something happens not as planned, often in life these are what elicit our strongest emotions. Composers employ structural devices that imitate these real-life occurrences and thereby prompt a reaction from the listener. An easily relatable physical reaction to music is called frisson, or more commonly referred to as goose bumps or shivers down one’s spine. These reactions can and are most commonly achieved through the use of an enharmonic change. A simple example (in simple terms, the following chords and notes do not actually exist) of an enharmonic change is when chord(x) is played and harmonizes melody note(a), (this chord is often played again at least once, if not more) then chord(y) is played and re-harmonizes melody note(a), so it is the same but different. The composer creates an expectation and then those expectations are not carried out and that elicits a reaction from the listener (Mannes, 283). A myriad of elements contribute to the influencing power music has over our emotions. Two of the main reasons people listen to music is for emotional impact and regulation (Chanda and Levitin, 180). Music can provide us with a wide range of feelings, such as happiness, sadness, excitement and tranquility Music is also known to produce feelings of euphoria, and what some even describe as a high. Scientists have discovered the reason for this so-called high: the areas in the brain that are activated by drugs or during sex are also activated by listening to music that we enjoy. Listening to pleasurable music activates the production of neurochemicals. The most recognizable chemical that is produced is dopamine, the feel-good hormone, a neurotransmitter responsible for mood regulation. Prolactin, the comfort or satisfaction hormone, normally associated with mothers breastfeeding their infant, is also produced. The third chemical produced is oxytocin, the cuddle or trust hormone commonly associated with sex and bonding with other people. The production of these hormones explain the â€Å"euphoric† feeling people sometimes experience when listening to music. These hormones also influence our mood and perception (Chanda and Levitin180; Mannes, 35). Another factor that contributes to our emotional response to music is our emotional connection to a song. Often times, memories that we associate with a particular song that we heard in a particular time in our lives are triggered when we hear that song. Researchers have found that there is a significant difference in brain activity when we hear a song that we have emotional connections to. A potential and simple explanation for this is that we are not only processing the music but we are also recalling past events. Memories are stored as proteins in different parts of our brains, when memories are triggered, different parts of the brain are put into action to recall those memories. Both functions (processing music and remembering) use a large portion of our brain on their own, combine the two and that is a lot of brain activity (Kunz). Memories triggered by music are often times much more powerful than when triggered simply by thought. For example, a friend might say, â€Å"Do you remember when†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and we reminisce with our friend about a time or an event of past. We may laugh, or feel a sentimental twinge of longing, but usually, not more than that. When a memory is triggered by a song, however, we are somehow transported back in time and are able to experience the feelings we had at that time. There has been speculation for why our memories are much more vivid when triggered by music. Some have theorized that because our brain has already done the work of processing a particular piece of music, we recognize that we have done it before. The recognition of that precise action manifests itself through our feelings. For example, when I hear the song â€Å"Crazy† by Gnarls Barkley, I am immediately taken back to the summer of 2006. I am instantly overcome with a feeling that I can only describe as being the feeling I felt the summer I was sixteen. It’s a happy feeling; a feeling of freedom mixed with confusion and carelessness. My senses are activated; I am able to smell the salt air from the beach, I can taste the Arizona Raspberry Iced Tea that I perpetually consumed, I am almost able to feel my jean shorts around my legs, I even have a clear vision of Highway 33 from the passenger’s seat of mine and my sister’s car as we make our way to the beach, the scene before me shaded by the sunglasses I wore. When a memory is triggered by one of the senses, the other senses are triggered as well. Our senses dictate what we perceive, and therefore, influence how we feel. At that time in my life when my brain was processing that song, it was also processing all of my other senses, all of these elements combined and gave me a very specific feeling. So now when I hear that song, my brain processes it and says something like, Oh, I have done this before, this is the result. It can be likened to muscle memory (Kunz). Intrigued by the power music has, I interviewed Matthew J. Kunz, a researcher currently exploring potential methods to treat patients suffering from neurological injuries and illnesses. One medium of particular interest to him is forms of music therapy. It has been proven that music engages and even enhances motor and auditory skills. Music could potentially serve as a form of physical therapy after an injury or an illness that has impaired an individual’s motor skills. A great example of this is Parkinson’s disease. Humans are instinctively able to march or walk to a beat. By providing someone with a rhythm track their actions, e. g. walking, could be improved if accompanied by music (Kunz). Another neurological illness that is being treated by music is Alzheimer’s disease. However severe a dementia is, even if the patient has lost language, they almost never seem to lose the memory or ability to respond to music. Not only can it assist in the recalling of memories but it can also strengthen areas of the brain. Some music therapists have the patient learn and play music. Somehow, the ability to do this stays in their brain, once the song is in there (their brain) it stays. Through learning and playing music the patient exercises their brain, and as a result, functions of the brain, like motor skills, are improved. Even severely demented patients will recognize old songs and be delighted by them. Kunz confesses, â€Å"If nothing else, the patients are able to experience joy. Even if that’s the only thing it gave them, it would be worth the work that is being done now. † Kunz’s heart is in the right place regardless of the outcome of the research, however, studies have already shown the positive benefits of the diverse forms of musical therapy (Kunz). Whether we want to feel rapture and be delighted by something, or shed a few tears, if we are in need of therapy, or simply want to break the silence, music is there for us. The power music holds is so strong that we depend on it and integrate it to nearly every aspect of our lives. Ill, or injured, or completely well, music is therapeutic to us all; it can bring groups of people together or provide a sense of company when one is alone. It makes our highest highs higher and our lowest lows lower, but that is the magic and power of music. I am certain that our existence and experience as human beings would be far less than what it is if it were not for music.

Agricultural Revolution Essay

Back in the early years, people have their very own way to survive in this world. They went for hunting edible animals in the juggle or gather in a village or place so that they could obtain food supplies. Could we imagine how tough it was for these people merely to get food for living, so that they could continue their life and preserve the continuation of human being? But thankfully it changed in 1700s when people started to make agricultural revolution, by that means people domesticated plants and animals so that they could sustain their life by having food stocks that they preserved. Although there were group of hunters that still hunting during that time, the agricultural revolution has impacted many or should I say most of the people in this world. They started to make their own land into agriculture field where they could use it for farming and animal’s production. During this stage, usually the production of food supply and the crops yield just adequate for their own f amily supplies and it was not for commercial purpose. When it came to another stage of Agricultural revolution, where this revolution brought a very significant impact in civilization and economic development; in which the era was called by the dawn of civilization. The Agricultural Revolution resulted in a food surplus, not unlike the original agricultural revolution which allowed civilization to develop. The agricultural revolution was a period of agricultural development between the 18th century and the end of the 19th century, which we could describe as one of vast and rapid increase in agricultural productivity and drastic improvements in farm technology. This idea of Agricultural revolution can be proved, as more experimental farmers has developed good and healthy seeds, cross breeding animals that potentially increase their life and prevent any diseases, nutritious soil or dirt, effective fertilizers, a good and efficient system of drainage and fencing. In addition, these enhancements of science have reasonably produced an effici ent fertilizer thus it was one of major factors that increased the productivity of soil. Lastly, there were also multitude of great inventions such as seed drills, plow, moldboard and many more. These machines or inventions have made the farmer’s work became easier than it ever was and it also increased the productivity of crops and animals. I found a quote from  one of my readings and it effectively related to agricultural revolution, â€Å"Thus not only will the same amount of land be able to feed more people; but each of them, with less labor, will be employed more productively and will be able to satisfy his needs better.† (Condorcet, 1793) There were a number of the factors that triggered the idea of agricultural revolution and new farming method in that particular of time, in which obviously because the lack of food supplies while at the same time they also were facing overpopulation. Furthermore, people were desperately trying to overcome this deficient issue and came up with the ideas to increase the production of food by planting on their own. Apart from that, the industrial revolution also played a crucial role for agricultural revolution to rise. B oth of these revolutions were closely related because of the idea of having better living and civilization. In fact, it is impossible for industrial revolution to take place without agricultural revolution. Besides, agricultural revolution also was triggered by the improvement of transportation method such as roads, railroads, refrigerated railroad, cars and trucks. By using this improvement of transportation technology, the farmer could increase the quantity of crops yield being brought to the market hence maximize their profit. According to my professor, Deborah Symonds has stated â€Å"the changes in farming that made fortunes for some, and left others anxious and evicted from their farms.† Based on that statement, we can tell that there were possibility of pros and cons from the agricultural revolution phenomenon. However, I strongly believe that the pros outweigh the cons as the impact of agricultural revolution towards the society highly important. As we know, the development of science has created an improved quality of fertilizer that eventually impacted more productive land . As we know, productive land would produce vast productions of crops and animals. This would lead to an even and stable population growth and contribution of food supplies, in which it became a key factor to the overcoming of famine problem. Apart from that, the increased of the population had produced a greater demand from the people for goods such as clothing. It is said that agricultural revolution had been the stepping stone to the Industrial Revolution. This has resulted in more construction of industrial factories hence increased the work opportunity for the people. On the other hand, the cons of agricultural revolution was that it included the reallocation of land ownership. When the  land happened to be more productive, it increased in value. It attracted these capitalists to be investors for food plantation and domestic farmers to buy the land in a large scale so that they could utilize it to produce large crops and vast production of animals. The consequence affected those small farm owners, or people who started with small area of land found themselves left out. It led to the eviction of small farming family from their own land for example the Highland Clearance in Scotland. In conclusion, Agricultural revolution had played a very significant role in shaping our modern day. I personally believe that we could not live as modern as it should be without agricultural revolution in fact I imagine that we could still go for hunting for food supplies just for the matter of survival. It made me think that this revolution has overcome world’s greatest problem, the deficient food and kept us away from famine. The Agricultural revolution was indeed a crucial phenomenon that ever happened in development of civilization.

Business law discussion #2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Business law discussion #2 - Essay Example After the ban was upheld by the Second Circuit Court, a CIRCUIT SPLIT arose and the ruling favored the complainant. The defendant made his appeal to the Supreme Court on grounds that the copyright clause known as FIRST-SALE DOCTRINE that authorized people residing in the United States to resell legal substances was much superior to the one that which required people to obtain the right’s of the owners before dealing with their products in the United States. The Supreme Court overturned the decision of the Second Circuit and affirmed that Kirtsaeng was duly protected by the first-sale doctrine. The case is a demonstration of the powers invested in the Supreme Court and its ability to reverse the ruling other courts deemed less superior to its judgment. The first element which is to make an offer was duly attained when Sam’s father wrote him a letter indicating his intention to transfer the Bentley to him. Sam acceptance of the offer unconditionally is a fulfilment of the second element of a contract. The third element which is the intention to enter into legal consequences is however lacking which makes the contract not a binding one and this explains why Sam will not be successful in the suit. It follows that there is no consideration in the contract which violates the fourth and final element of a binding contract. Promissory Estoppel which can be applied as a substitute to consideration may act in favor of Sam in an event that there was no legally binding contract between him and his father. This is in line with one of the elements which considers refusal of Sam’s father to transfer the Bentley to him as an act of injustice. In the case of Lucy, the body of contract law that will be applied by the court is that of voidable contract in which the contract is enforceable at the option of one of the parties involved. In this case, Lucy who was the aggrieved party had the option to either accept or

The Impact of over population in third world countries Essay

The Impact of over population in third world countries - Essay Example The world population has crossed six billion figures, major part of which lives in developing countries in miserable condition and unable to meet their basic necessities (Bonar, 1966). Since 1950 there has been rapid decline in mortality in the developing countries. This happened due to advancements in science; and the United Nation initiative along with several states efforts; which has helped to stabilize the world population, still population bomb is ticking. Since 1960 fertility rates in many developing countries have increased, especially in the developing countries. Majority of the third world countries doubling time remained between 23 and 25 years, as a result in the last three decades, most of the third world countries have doubled their population. China has been successful in implementing one child policy to stabilize its population in late 1980s, yet its problems are not over. With a billion plus population, majority of Chinese population is still living in poverty, despite rapid economic progress, Similar patterns can be seen in other developing countries from Asia to Africa and Latin America, where over population is bringing a toll on health, food, environment and human life. This report will look at developing countries over- population problem, and it's impact on third world countries (Britannica, 2002). From a... Statement: Over population in third world countries is increasing poverty, unemployment and other social ills. POPULATION REVIEW From ancient times, the survival of the cities depended on population, tribes emphasized on maintaining high fertility due to higher mortality rate. Many of such polices were carried out by dutiful marriage incorporated into religion and mythology, such as bible injunction, "be fruitful and multiply", Hindu's Law of Manu. Other ancient prophets such as Zoroastrian also mentioned similar injection to sustain continuation of the nation and tribes. The arrival of modern technology changed the situation; it not only increased the health standards, but mortality rate has also fallen; the result is increased population with little resources in poor countries. The Western nations are able to stabilize their population, but developing nations are still struggling hard to meet the growing demands of the populations (Mbuya, 1997). According to UN (2005) population prediction by the middle of next century, the world population will stabilize at 14 billion people, if fertility rates were increased to 2.1 births per woman. The latest figure suggest that in 2004, 76 million people were added to the world total population, most of which took place in developing (poor) countries. Even though the world population is growing at the rate of 1.2 percent annually, yet it is adding up to the world total population. The world population in 2005 crossed 6.4 billion souls. This massive increase is taking place in six countries. Five of which are developing countries; India, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria and USA are increasing fifty percent of the world population. The figure below shows the population

Communication in Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Communication in Management - Case Study Example In my opinion there are three vital non-verbal categories which if applied properly will fully complete all the functions of the non-verbal communication and will not hinder the verbal one - eye contact, paralanguage and adornment. Modern business culture values eye contact, because it maintains the balance of the interpersonal relation between the seniors and the workers. Looking away might be read as avoiding the importance of the message conveyed. Thus, keeping eye contact with the employees when talking is of crucial importance. Scheflen (1972) explains that paralanguage involves non-lexical vocal communication. Paralanguage uses the broadest emotional nuances, consequently, if applied properly can replace excessive gestures or facial expressions. This category includes inflection, tone, pitch (high, low), pauses (hesitant, organized, meaningful), pacing (rapid, measured, slow) (Scheflen 1972). Paralanguage is a powerful tool, because it plays with associations and on unconscious level. Knapp and Hall (2002) note that adornment - clothes, make-up, accessories are also important communication tools, which besides appearance transmit emotional and psychological signs. Managers need to be extra careful when choosing adornments, because they play a powerfully suggestive action. Moreover, the room where the meetings are held has the capacity to affect the interaction. The amount of light, the color of the walls, the seat arrangement, the temperature and smells have to the correctly applied by the manager who is trying to make his point and his ideas to be understood and followed. 2. Discuss in detail the relationship between emotional intelligence and effective listening. The most common mistake made in management is not listening. Active listening is the other term used to identify undivided attention and empathic attitude. Rock (2007) outlines four basic rules that active listening involves: Seek to understand before you seek to be understood; Be non judgmental; Give your undivided attention to the speaker; Use silence effectively. All these require a high emotional intelligence, because they operate on mental, emotional and subconscious levels. When we try to understand rather than to be understood, this strains our listening abilities. Furthermore, through collecting the information while listening takes place, we process the details first we our intelligence and then exchange it emotionally to see what we have understood. Empathic listening proves that emotional intelligence is necessary to accomplish this. An example of being non judgmental is when we are acquainting with a new person. We avoid addressing arguable issues, until we learn the disposition or judgment criteria of the individual about the problem. This empathic behavior is excellent indicator for the emotional intelligence involved is active listening and communication techniques. The undivided attention is also dependent on the emotional intelligence, because the listener intentionally directs his senses towards the speaker. The listener can al so consciously send messages to the speaker to demonstrate that he is actively listening through body language, applauses or asking questions. The final concept for

Modern Times Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Modern Times - Essay Example Nevertheless, the final film of the series seems to be the most overtly political and inevitably then is the most controversial. Although chock-full of the brand of slapstick, physical humor which has become automatically associated with Chaplin’s acting career, Modern Times is often interpreted to be a representation of Chaplin’s own political affiliations and associations with the Left. However, certain aspects of the film make it quite apparent that Leftist politics hold no monopoly on its figurative content. The aforementioned fans of Chaplin who truly cherish his work cannot help but see through the depictions of poverty and suffering in the film, and see the Tramp urging the Gamin â€Å"to keep smiling†, and to see him relying upon his own values and skills to build a life for himself—ideals that are consistent with capitalism and the American dream. Even before the film starts, any attempt on the part of witch-hunters to tie Chaplin to the Left and condemn Modern Times as hidden socialist propaganda is, all at once, defeated.After the opening credits, superimposed on a clock that symbolizes the tyranny of mechanistic time, the words read: â€Å"‘Modern Times.’ A story of industry, of individual enterprise—humanity crusading in the pursuit of happiness.† Expressing the film’s entire thematic content in only a few brief words, such phrases as â€Å"individual enterprise† and â€Å"pursuit of happiness† give attention not to a Leftist political cause in the context of a Depression

Community Hospital Database Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Community Hospital Database - Assignment Example Moreover, we have the physician table. This documents the details of the physician. On that note, it contains five fields, namely; the name of the physician, specialty, id of physician, date and the phone number. It is worth noting that decisive details’ pertaining to the fields is shown below. Furthermore, we also have the room utilization table. Apparently, this is mandated with the task of storing information regarding the accommodation of patients in the hospital. It contains four fields, which are the patient #, location, accommodation and the date discharged. It’s worth noting that the data pertaining to the type, fields’ size among others are shown below. Apparently, it is evident that the use of technology is essential in the smooth running of the Mountain View community hospital. Notably, it was critical for the incorporation of the database system in order to aid in various processes, for instance, the capturing and storage of the patient information among other important information required in a hospital setting(Demetriades Dinos 34). In actual fact, this was reached after a study was conducted in the hospital to establish some of the ways in which services can be improved in this hospital. First and foremost, in order for the above database system to be able to capture certain information, for instance, the marital status, gender, occupation, salary or the insurance coverage, the appropriate field must be added to the room utilization table and form(Demetriades Dinos 56). However, it is worth noting that the type data in each field should be specified accordingly to avoid errors that might arise.  

Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 10

Media - Essay Example A collaboration of linguistic codes of narration, connotations, and text implies the subjects’ identity is ‘Osama bin Laden’ who is ‘watching himself on Television’. The production of the audio and implied representation in the text conveys a positive image for the U.S government, and demoralizes Osama. This demonstrates political influence in the media. The initial clip was apparently â€Å"seized at bin Ladens Pakistan compound† by U.S military in an operation to terminate Osama. Department of Defense would later supply the tape media to CNN with an Obama’s picture at the corner and without the audio track because it is seemingly inappropriate to spread the words of terrorist. The clip concerns a subject ‘Osama bin Laden’, who features as a terrorist in U.S culture, thus would generate mass audiences influencing CNN to broadcast this report. The driving forces behind the production of this report are government organizatio ns that have analyzed the meaning and impact of this tape before supplying it to CNN. Indeed, the U.S Department of Defense made a deliberate alteration to the tape. This manifests government sponsored propaganda’ as the alteration seeks to justify U.S military presence in Middle East and an effort to portray a positive representation of the U.S government by its successful results on ‘war on terror’. The alteration by the U.S Department of Defense and the production of the CNN report demonstrate media production. Were it not for the image of Osama Bin Laden in the report and the involvement of the U.S Department of Defense, the report would have made no news. Actually, Cable News Network manipulates the audience’s interest by using narration from correspondence to news presentation that guides the reader through connotations and mythology in the text. This demonstrates media textuality. This effectively cements

Art History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 8

Art History - Essay Example He incorporated classical elements such as round arches instead of the common pointed ones resulting to fully-scaled figures. These figures were relied in formation of compositions in Roman. Later, Glovanni, Pisano’s son, introduced a contrasting version of art by arranging figures loosely and dynamically creating excitement in the evolving art motion (Kleiner, 23-30). Painting architecture during ancient Italy patronage system was the influence by the fall of Constantinople in 1204. One of the leading painters, Bonaventura used oil to paint on wood focusing on church figures such as saints. Biblical narratives were a great source of influence in painting which led to the construction of churches in the 13th century. This led to development of laypersons in the 14th and 15th century who dedicated themselves to strict religious observance (Kleiner, 37-40). Between 14th and 16th century training to become a formal artist became a necessity through which an individual acquired membership in the appropriate guild. Humanist and artist Leon Battista Alberti set the rules governing the art of painting. Pietro Lorenzetti contribution pictorial realism in 14th century incepted a new feature in arts. Flemish painters were evolving new methods in oil painting that permitted them to paint human beings and substance in amazingly life like way, using palettes of vivacious descriptions. Prior to this, arts were religious in character. Structural innovation, involving careful inspection of what lay directly before an artist eye started taking place. Artists introduced illusionistic representation in fashion and visual form all societal concerns (Kleiner, 43-57). Inclusion of secular them in art work was a reflection of the evolving societal. With seclusion of laymen and women strictly following religious doctrines, other societal members relied on artwork to express their views on religion and the world (Kleiner, 60-77). Throughout the fourteenth,

SEC Accounting and Auditing Enforcement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

SEC Accounting and Auditing Enforcement - Essay Example In this regard, The Securities and Exchange Commission announced charges against three auditors who violated federal security laws. They failed to comply with the U.S. auditing standards in conducting their audits. Among the three audit failures and in their SEC enforcement efforts, the one on WOWJOINT Audits is the most shocking. Wowjoint is a company with its headquarters and operations in and around Beijing, China. Its ordinary shares, warrants, and units are registered with the commission pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange act. The manner in which its audits are conducted makes it the most shocking given the series of the failures and the magnitude of the same. The facts around these audit starts by stating that there was no adequate planning and supervision of the audits as required by the PCAOB Standards. This means that in the first instance the Auditors did not possess adequate knowledge of the firm they were auditing as required by the standards. The second and most s ensitive part of the failure is the fact that the Audit team failed to Test Wowjoint’s Revenue computations and this is again due to Valleau and Epstein’s lack of proper audit planning, failure to design and perform adequate audit procedures and general lack of knowledge of how firms in China operate (Murphy, 2013). Furthermore, there was a failure in conducting enquiry a scenario that resulted into insufficient information. The failure to conduct sufficient inquiry and procedures contravened the Standard AU Section 561. The other critical failure in this auditing procedure was the failure by the auditors to perform adequate auditing procedures to aid in determining the collectability of Wowjoint’s large and long outstanding Accounts Receivables hence a contravention of PCAOB Standard 326- Evidential matter. The ignorance of accounts receivables normally have great impacts on assets most so current. In addition to the above, there was inadequate retention of doc umentation as well as review of the work papers. Al the reasons stated above support the fact that among the three audit failures, the manner in which audit was conducted in Wowjoint is the most shocking (Murphy, 2013). B. Violations in the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct and the NYS Rules The act by the Auditors in Wowjoint’s case has generally gone against the general provisions as prohibited by the Rules of the Board of Regents, part 29-Unprofessional Conduct. Under  § 29.10 Special provisions for the profession of public accountancy, unprofessional conduct shall include all the conduct prohibited by this section. The first violation is the failure to adequately plan and supervise the audit as required by AICPA and the NYS rules. According to this, an accountant is therefore obligated to always disclose material fact concerning financial statements as this makes such statements not misleading (Murphy, 2013). The section further prohibits a professional accountant allo wing a any other person to practice other than a partner, furthermore, the accountant must not at any point issue the use of their name in presentation of reports as this is only accepted for a qualified public accountant or with the approval of the same individual (http://www.op.nysed.gov/title8/part29.htm#cpa). Secondly, the flouting AICPA rules by audit when they failed to Test Wowjoint’s Revenue Computations. The accountant is required to submit working papers at all times. Failure to do so will result into scenarios where the applicability of a requirement is within the documentation and is rendered redundant. Definition as used in paragraphs will as well be impaired concerning what work papers mean, the documentation of such working papers and the time

Category Analysis of Sports and Energy Drinks In Hong Kong Essay Example for Free

Category Analysis of Sports and Energy Drinks In Hong Kong Essay Introduction Our company, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. , Ltd, is planning for a product strategy to its product: Pocari Sweat. Pocari Sweat is a grapefruit-tasting, non-carbonated sweet beverage and is advertised as an â€Å"ion supply drink†. It is designed to increase endurance, replace electrolyte loss or prevent dehydration when exercising for long periods of time. Pocari Sweat is well-recognized by the local people, especially to the athletes. Category Attractiveness Analysis Category Factor The product category we defined is the Sports and Energy Drinks. We gained the first mover advantage when the product was launched at 1980, which we are the market leader which has a off-trade volume of brand share of 43. 8% in 2012 (see Appendix Table 6). The threat of new entrants in this category is low due to the intensive competition, and there is low pressure from substitutes as sports and energy drinks are specialized products. The bargaining power of suppliers is low while the bargaining power of buyers is high. The competition in current market is highly intensive. Details can be referred to the analysis on Category Factors on Attractiveness in Appendix. Overall, this category is still attractive. Aggregate Factor The product life cycle of Sports and Energy Drinks is more likely in mature stage. From the historical figures of whole beverage market, the market size of Sports and Energy Drinks is relatively small. The market growth of off-trade sales volume of this category is increasing constantly by 5. 4% from 2007 to 2012. It will grow constantly in the future by 5% of each year. Since Sports and Energy Drinks are daily commodities for those people after exercising, the sales cyclicity and seasonality is low, as well as the profit variability. Profit level of the market is high. Overall, this category is attractive. Environmental Factor Due to the rise of childhood obesity and the increasing number of cases of cancer, diabetes and heart disease, there are an increasing number of initiatives by both government and non-governmental organizations to promote healthy living and a more balanced lifestyle. The consumer awareness of doing exercises increases and consumers become more willing to engage in sports to keep fit and relieve the stress of their work. Also, there are an increasing number of participations in sports event. Each year, the number of registration of Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon increases gradually. Other sports events such as Nike Night Run, New World Harbour Race, and charity runs are also well supported by the local residents. These led to increased consumer awareness of the benefits of sports drinks, result in the increase of purchasing of sports drinks. Competitor Analysis Level of competitions Level of competitions can be divided into Sports Drinks, Sports and Energy Drinks, Beverages and Food. Since the sales volume of Sports Drinks is contributed to 80% (Appendix Table 1) of sales in the Sports and Energy Drinks category, analysis of competition would be focus on the Sports Drinks only. Based on the perceptual map analysis, the closest competitor to Pocari Sweat is Aquarius. Both Pocari Sweat and Aquarius are ion supply drinks with a grapefruit-liked flavour. Aquarius tastes a bit lighter than Pocari Sweat. For Lucozade and Gatorade, the brand images of both are more professional for athletes, with stronger taste in different flavours. Aquarius would be the main competitor for further analysis. In terms of the brand shares of Sports Drinks, Lucozade would also be a main competitor of Pocari Sweat. GlaxoSmithKline, the company of the brand Lucozade, stated that strengthening core business is their strategic concern on 2012. The company objective is having growth in the Sports Drinks market, and they set up a new innovation centre in mainland China. Aquarius, which is a sport drink launched in 2011 by Coca-Cola Company, is highly involved in many race events in Hong Kong. Although there are no Aquarius advertisements in Hong Kong, you can find Aquarius as sponsored sports drinks in local events such as Standard Chartered Marathon Hong Kong. Maintaining growth in the market is also the main objective of Coca-Cola Company in Aquarius. Although Aquarius is a new entrant to the market since 2011, it has about 5% of volume brand shares in the market in two years. With the financial background and the brand image of Coca-Cola Company, it raises the brand awareness of Aquarius by keep involving in the public event, in order to attract the sportsmen to buy their products. Aquarius would be the main competitor in the field of isotonic rehydration sports drink. Conclusion. The Sports and Energy Drinks market is attractive, as the market size is constantly growing, the threat of new entrant is low, the pressure from substitutes is low and the profit variability is low. With the continuous sports and healthy lifestyle promotions by both government and non-government organizations, they will boost up the sales of Sports and Energy Drinks. In the Sports Drinks market, Pocari Sweat is the market leader with 43. 8% of brand shares of total in volume. People prefer buying Pocari Sweat for recovery after exercising comparing with other related products. Aquarius is the closest competitor related to our product. Still, the company has to maintain the brand loyalty and attract more customers by marketing and advertising. Recommendation The company can put more resources on advertising and also target a new market segment: manual labours. Manual labours need to replace electrolyte loss and prevent dehydration while working, especially in the hot seasons. Pocari Sweat would be the best choice for them. Also, the company can invest more on RD to develop a new product which is best suited for the new market segment. Words counted: 934. Reference Euromonitor International 2013, Sports and Energy Drinks in Hong Kong, China, Passport. Euromonitor International 2013, Bottled Water in Hong Kong, China, Passport. Euromonitor International 2013, Carbonates in Hong Kong, China, Passport. Euromonitor International 2012, Consumer Lifestyles in Hong Kong, China, Passport Annual Report 2012, Otsuka Holdings Co. , Ltd. Annual Report 2012, GlaxoSmithKline plc. Annual Report 2012, Swire Pacific Ltd. Supermarket Price Watch. [Online]. Consumer Council. Available: http://www3. consumer. org. hk/pricewatch/supermarket/index. php? filter1=027filter2=006lang=en Erik, P. Sports drinks vs. energy drinks. [Online]. Available: http://www. examiner. com/article/sports-drinks-vs-energy-drinks-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly Appendix Category Factors on Attractiveness Reasons Attractiveness Low Threat of new entrants Current market is competed intensively, and the new entrants are hardly survived in this environment. The capital requirement is high as special formula for sports drinks needs to be developed. High High Bargaining Power of buyers The major buyers are supermarkets (61. 4%) and convenience stores (35%), which they have a higher bargaining power when purchasing a large amount of products. (Appendix Table 3) Low Low Bargaining Power of suppliers The ingredients of the Sports and Energy Drinks can be purchased from different suppliers. The switching cost to other suppliers is low. High High Intensity of Rivalry There are 9 major brands in the current market. (Appendix Table 6) The competition is highly intensive. Low Low Pressure from substitutes Other carbonate drinks or juices do not have the same benefits as sports and energy drinks on performance and recovery during exercising. Bottled water would be the main substitutes of Sports and Energy Drinks. High. Attractiveness of Market Variables Reasons Attractiveness Small Market size Compare with other drinks, the market size of Sports and Energy Drinks is relatively small, only has an off-trade sale volume of 20. 3 million litres in 2012. (Appendix Table 2) Low Constant Market growth Market growth of sales volume increased by about 5. 4% each year from 2007 to 2012, the forecast growth rate of the market is also positive. (Appendix Table 4 5) The market is growing constantly. High Low Sales cyclicity Sports and exercising are daily activities across the year. High Low Sales seasonality. Sports and exercising are daily activities across the year. High Profit level With the benefit of economic of scales and mass production, the profit level is high for Pocari Sweat. High Low Profit variability Sports and exercising are daily activities across the year. High Product Life Cycle Stage Reasons Maturity There are lots of competitors in the Sports and Energy Drinks market. The pricing of the Sports and Energy Drinks is stable among this few years, ranged from $9. 5 – 13. 9, which means that the price is at the edge related to the material costs. (Appendix Table 7) Also, the volume growth of category is about 5. 4% in each year from 2007-2012, which is low to moderate growth of the market. The forecast volume growth of the category has 5% which is quite considerable. Level of competitions Product Form Sports Drinks: Pocari Sweat, Aquarius, Lucozade Sport, Gatorade, Drinkazine Energy Watt and other related â€Å"ion supply drinks† Product Category Sports and Energy Drinks: Including the energy drinks, such as Lucozade Energy, Monster Energy, Red Bull, Libogen Tonic Drink Generic Competition Beverages: Carbonated soft drinks, bottled water, beers, juices, etc. Budget Competition All consumer products with similar price. Current Future Company Strategy Matrix on Sports Drinks Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. , Ltd GlaxoSmithKline Coca-Cola Company Objectives Grow market share and volume Grow market share and volume Grow market share and volume Current Strategies Advertising and promotion of products. Products expanding in multiple segments of category. Products launching and increased advertising spend. Expected future strategies Focus on product development, increased advertising and promotions. Focus on brand extensions with new flavours to fill category. Focus on raising brand awareness through local sports events.

Impact of Globalisation on Architecture

Impact of Globalisation on Architecture What is meant By the Term Globalisation, and How Does It Have an Impact on the Practice Of Architecture? Introduction In any age of change, debates on conflicting ideologies often dominate discussions. The struggle to adapt often results in shaping the social, political, economic and cultural paradigms. In architectural context and urban designs, much has been argued on the ideology of modernism and traditionalism and, more recently, on globalism and regionalism. These ideologies have been tacitly acknowledged, yet their practices have often been considered non-conforming. To effectively argue for an ideology such as globalism, one needs to take into consideration the consequences and impacts based on prevailing evidence, as well as deliberate on opposing views. In the following discussion, the researcher shall discuss globalization and its impact on architecture with reference to various architectural styles that are considered global and assert that globalization has positively affected architectural styles of the world. Discussion Globalization is an umbrella term that refers to a complex and universal phenomenon that has affected varied dimensions including economics, politics, science, history, geography, environment, culture, management, international relations, and professional practices etc. Depending on the context it is used in, globalization can be defined as the growing interdependence of the world’s people †¦ a process integrating not just the economy but culture, technology, and governance. People everywhere are becoming connected-affected by events in far corners of the world.† United Nations Development Program (1999:1). From this definition, one understands that globalization is not only a phenomenon that is understood and appreciated by Western cultures but it is also fast becoming embedded in other regions of the world. Globalization has a daunting influence over almost all aspects of public and private life (Kiggundu 2002). Consequently, it is not surprising that it has also proliferated to architectural practices as well. To understand the influence of globalization on architecture, one needs to first understand the influence of culture on architecture. According to Lewis (2002), architectural history is filled with movements of opposing cultural and aesthetic diversity, which form the basis for architectural philosophy and design ideology. This is because governments, companies and people of nations around the world are the main sponsors of architectural designs and styles, which they use to symbolize their rule and identity. Thus, the Romans developed the magnificent coliseums and temples with the view to depict their empires grandeur (Lewis 2002). The classical Roman architectural designs points to the hegemony of its people who have been the determinism of hierarchy and values of the Roman culture (Tzonis, Lefaivre and Stagno 2001). Furthermore, one also observes that the classical Roman style of architecture depicts cultural hegemony. This trend of cultural influence over architectural design is not isolated in history. During the 19th and 20th century, to establish their identities in colonies they set up, the French and English had controlled the architectural styles of many regions of the world including China, South East Asia, Africa and America. Monumental designs, which have been developed and set in these regions, speak of their colonial rule and changing policies. Regarding colonial cultural hegemony, Metcalf (1989 qt. Wright ) writes, Administrators hoped that preserving traditional status-hierarchies would buttress their own superimposed colonial order. Architects, in turn, acknowledging that resistance to new forms is often based on affections for familiar places, tried to evoke a sense of continuity with the local past in their designs. (Wright 9) After the two World Wars, economic decline and rise of national universalism led to capitalism. European and American architects, according to Lewis (2002), rebelled against the classicism and demanded a new regime for international designs to be adopted with the new industrial, technological, social and political order; hence, emerged the modernist style. Modernism, according to Ibelings (1998), formed the basis for building, during the post-war era. Modern architecture progressed with faith in reason. It introduced the concept of internationalization in architecture, whereby designs of offices, schools, hospitals and housing have been based on multifunction. This style, however, has been fast replaced by postmodernism in which concepts are set on universally accepted ideologies. The post-modern style has become more dominant, partly because of the deterioration of modernism and partly because modernism could not convey the language of people who inhabited buildings and houses built by modern architects. Buildings are to function as vehicles of ideas and activities within it (Ibelings 1998). They need to reflect the aesthetic and inspiration of the people who live in it. It is during this post-modern era that emerged the concept of universalism to express and accommodate symbols of technological development, national progress, economi c integration and internationalization. As a result, during the late 20th century, a wave of architectural styles emerged that reflected the age of globalization. This international style emerged which had been synonymous with standardization, systemization, mass production, functional logic and economies of scale. The new functional type of architectural design has adopted the global culture of commerce and design. The global architectural style triumphed over the historic classical as it is based on the rationale of universalization. The global architects argue that the stylistic buildings during the modern age surpass its classical, constructivist, modernist and colonial counterparts because it facilitates the vernacular expression and allows regional and aesthetic inspiration to integrate into designs (Umbach and Bernd 2005). The global consumers manifest their expectations and ideologies are influenced by market opportunities, business agendas, standardization, franchises, and brands. Buildings are characterized by skyscrapers, towers, malls and branded buildings. The Petronas Towers, Sears Towers, World Trade Centre, Shanghai World Financial Centre and Canary Wharf, for example, all depict consumerism and universalism. Thus, the global architectural style has come to dominate the global arena. The global architectural style has also come to influence the architectural practice. As architect firms cater to international markets, they expand to profit from far away markets, even though the majority are based in the Western countries. They base their designs on a general framework of globalization and post modernism. They are more influenced by the local cultures. Their designs often reflect both, the local elements and universal designs. Oriental buildings, for example, are often based on Feng Shui principles, even though the monument is based on technological and modern architecture. Similarly, high-rise buildings in the US will have used glass, stainless steel and such metals, which depict the nations industrial past. While the above discussion depicts a positive picture of globalization and its influence on architectural style, there are contenders to it as well. Anti-global forces, such as humanists, claim that globalization has eradicated that which is essentially cultural of a place. By introducing functional, standardization and open space urbanism, cities of the world have replaced their historical skyline with ugly steel and concrete. Furthermore, the efforts to standardize and systemize have eradicated cultural identity that is the essence of a nation or state. Instead, today architectural designs are dominated by political hegemony and economic dominance. Buildings of today, like the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Dubai Airport and Thai Airports, all seem to belong to one style. Malls across the world, for instance, reflect similar functionality, devoid of humanism or cultural identity. Nevertheless, their argument cannot reason with the fact that global designs have purpose and help in conservation of the environment through effective utilization of spaces. It is this new style that provides habitation spaces without compromising land use (Scarpaci 2005; Umbach and Bernd 2005). Conclusion From the above discussion, it is clear that globalization has positively influenced architectural practices and styles. It reflects the culture of modernization, systemization, standardization and functional logic. It also depicts cultural integration, harmonization of spaces and universal consumerism. No doubt, the classical school of thought considers globalization of architecture as infringement over individuality and cultural identity. Nevertheless, they must contend that globalization has in fact alleviated localization through vernacular designs. The writer contends that globalization has replaced the individual aesthetic and cultural uniqueness. One must also acknowledge the fact that globalization has mass produced architecture that once had been a profession of individualism and unparalleled skills. Yet, globalization has benefited more through creative and functional architectural styles, as compared to the classical buildings that benefits a few group of high elites only. References Ibelings, H. (1998), Supermodernism: Architecture in the Age of Globalization, NAi Publishers. Kiggundu, M. N. (2002), Managing Globalization in Developing Countries and Transition Economies: Building Capacities for a Changing World. Praeger: Westport, CT. Lewis, R. K. (2002), Will Forces of Globalization Overwhelm Traditional Local Architecture? Washington Post. November 2. Metcalf, T. R. (1989), An Imperial Vision: Indian Architecture and Britains Raj. Berkeley/Los Angeles: University of California Press. Scarpaci, J. L. (2005), Plazas and Barrios: Heritage Tourism and Globalization in the Latin American Centro Historico. Tucson: The U of Arizona. Tzonis, A., Lefaivre, L. and Stagno, B. (eds) (2001), Tropical Architecture: Critical Regionalism in the Age of Globalization. Academy Press. Umbach, M. and Bernd, H. (eds.) (2005), Vernacular Modernism: Heimat, Globalization, and the Built Environment. Stanford: Stanford University Press. UNDP. 1999. Human Development Report. 2 Vols. New York: UNDP and Oxford University Press Wright, G. (1991), The Politics of Design in French Colonial Urbanism. Chicago/London: University of Chicago Press.

Water Pollutions Causes Effect And Solution Environmental Sciences Essay

Water Pollutions Causes Effect And Solution Environmental Sciences Essay Although industrialization plays an important role in developing the economics of a country, we cannot overlook the causes and effects that it brings to the society and environment, particular in water pollution. Therefore, in order to alleviate and eliminate the serious impact of water pollution, we have to know well about the causes and effects of water pollution in order to find the best solution to tackle this issue. In this essay, we are going to present the most significant cause and effect of water pollution and ways to solve this problem. There are several factors behind which cause the water pollution. One of the major causes is the waste from the industries. It is so common that most of the industries seem consider that the sea or rivers is a good place for them to dump the waste. Those wastes contain very harmful substances which cause the sea and rivers become poison. Another main reason that leads to the water pollution is sewage. Sewage is a kind of waste such as faeces or dirty water from home or factories which flows away through sewers. It happens since those people do not want to live in a polluted area or dumpsite. For example, most developing countries carry those sewages to water while most developed countries have flush toilet which can take sewage quickly away from their houses. Moreover, sometime sewage is drained directly to the rivers or sea which has bad effect to the human and diversity in marine life. Last but not least, oil pollution is also the major reason of water pollution. Today, oil polluti on becomes a serious problem to concern. Sometime, oil spill is spilled accidentally; however, most of the ships spill it to the sea on purpose. The spread of oil cause a serious problem to be worried due to the fact that it makes lots of pollution and death to all kind of species in the sea. For example, the biggest oil spill in Alaska which 44 million litter of oil were release into the pristine wilderness killed many species in the sea. Several animals were killed and several billion of fish were destroyed. (Wood ford Chris, 2006). In short, waste from industries, sewage, and oil pollution are the major causes that need to be concerned. There are two main negative effects that are caused by the industrial water pollution that mostly occurred in the industrialized countries and developing countries. First of all, water pollution effects on the human health. When the water that people consume for daily life become pollutant, it will effect directly on their health and lives. Commonly, people in over the world must need water in order to support their lives, but if the drinking water contain lots of chemical substances such as phosphates, sulfuric acid, acids, toxic metals, oil, pesticides, it will caused many serious diseases on their lives and health such as diarrhea, hepatitis, dysentery, cholera, blood disease, etc. (Chandramita, 2012). For example, people and mostly children who drink the water that contain chemical substance like Nitrates, they will face a risk to their health and death. Moreover, when people eat fish or food that takes from the water which contain pollutants, they will get sick. Lastly, water po llution effects on the marine lives and aquatic plants as well. Because when the industrial wastes flow through the sewage pipe into the river or lake, they can impact on the aquatic plants and marine lives that live at there. For common example, many species of fish need a minimum of 4-5 mg of dissolved oxygen so as to survive, otherwise, if the water contains chemical substances, those fish will die or reduce reproductive output and decrease the quantity. (Environmental Engineering Solution, 2008). In addition, the oil spilled is one another important that effect on the aquatic plants and marine lives. For example, there are many ships that spill the oil into the ocean or river, thus, the large number of marine lives die every year. Moreover, the aquatic plants like seaweed cannot grow in the polluted water as well. Prevention is better than cure. The best possible way ever to alleviate and eliminate water pollution from industries is prevention. First of all, Industry should clean up their waste before disposing it. In elaborate, they should have a proper check on the type of the waste that they are going to dispose of and segregate the harmful and non-harmful waste. Then, they have to clean up the non-harmful sewage before sending it to the sewage and dispose the toxic chemical waste properly. By doing these, it will help to decrease the polluted level of chemical material that is needed in production when they dispose it into water (Asaff, 2012). Second of all, In order to protect our water from being polluted, we have to ensure that the water protection act has its proven effect and to enforce the law of water protection; Clean Water Act for example, in order to raise the awareness of the public and restrict the industry from doing whatever they want without concerning on the effect of their action (Natural Resources Defense Council, n.d.). Last but not least, since oil is considered as one of the deadly water pollution, industry should get rid of such problem by having a regular check on their machine in order to prevent the leakage that is stemmed by the improper usage or machine breakdown. Furthermore, factory has to properly disposed the oil that they use and clean up all of the that is resulted by oil leaks (Asaff, 2012). In Conclusion, if the suggested solution above is fully implemented, water pollution will be alleviated. As a result, the world will be a better place to live in and less pollution will be harmful to all living things on Earth. References: Chandramita, B. (2012). Industrial water pollution. Water pollution solutions. Retrieved from: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/industrial-water-pollution.html Environmental Engineering Solution. (2008). Human health vis-a-vis degradation of global environment. Retrieved from: http://environmentengineering.blogspot.com/2008/05/human-health-vis-vis-degradation-of.html Natural Resources Defense Council. (n.d.). Promoting water efficiency. Retrieved December 19, 2012 from: http://www.nrdc.org/water/ Sarabeth A. (2012). How to stop water pollution. Retrieved December 19, 2012 from: http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Identify_the_Cause_of_Greenhouse_Effect

Raising the Bar †Los Angeles Kings :: Critical Evaluation Rhetorical Analysis

Raising the Bar – Los Angeles Kings Often times many hockey teams have a sprout of success and a sudden downfall, but in the end there is always next year. In the article titled Raising the Bar – Los Angeles Kings, by Andrew L. Robles, the reader is to assume that the Los Angeles Kings hockey team should be very successful in the upcoming few seasons. Andrew Robles’ motivation to write this article may have occurred for many reasons. First of all, he seems to be a hockey fan who feels strongly that the Kings will have a well played season. He seems to be informing the reader of the prospects the team has acquired, and the results he is expecting with the new coaches and players hired for the team. The writing seems to be a motivational piece that is trying to get the Kings’ fans to look forward to the upcoming year. With the information and detail given by the author, it is obvious that much time and effort was put into the article. Andrew Robles was able to arrange interviews with many different players, and was able to publish their thoughts on the upcoming season. This shows the audience, and I, that time was put into the article which makes me trust him and his knowledge of the team. That is important, because now that he has the audiences’ trust, they will believe what is written, as long as i t isn’t too farfetched. The article written shows many different modes of analysis, with one of these modes being the inductive argument. With all of the facts and expert opinions that support Andrew Robles, he comes to the conclusion that the Kings will be a good team this year. The tone taken by Robles is a very formal one, as he does not relate himself to the audience at all. Robles states his opinion and why he feels the way he does. I like this form of writing, as he is not trying to get a reaction out of me. He is stating why he feels the way he does, and what facts or reasoning he has behind that opinion.

Dictating Lies and Deception Essay -- Terrorism, Bush

September 11, 2001 marked a tragic day in the history of the United States; a terrorist attack had left the country shaken. It did not take long to determine those who were behind the attack and a call for retribution swept through the nation. Citizens in a wave of patriotism signed up for military service and the United States found resounding international support for their efforts in the war on terror. Little opposition was raised at the removal of the Taliban regime and there was much support for bringing Osama Bin Laden and the leaders of al-Qaeda to justice. Approval abroad diminished approximately a year and a half later when Afghanistan became a stepping stone to the administration’s larger ambition, the invasion of Iraq. The administration would invent several stories and in some cases remain silent of the truth where would prove positive for the Iraqi invasion. It seems they were willing to say anything to promote the largely unpopular and unnecessary war they were resolved on engaging in. Bush had been eager to go to war with Iraq from the moment he stepped into office and the administration's focus was chiefly on Iraq even before the war in Afghanistan had begun. In Where Men Win Glory, the text reveals that â€Å"in November 2001, President Bush and Vice President Cheney had instructed Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld to secretly create a detailed plan for the invasion of Iraq† (Krakauer 192). Though it is almost unthinkable, the United States had been attacked this very month by al-Qaeda. The government should have been duty bound on capturing Osama Bin Laden and disbanding the terrorist group al-Qaeda. Instead, they were fashioning Iraqi invasion plans. Krakauer establishes additional proof of this stating, â€Å"th... ...n Iraq to be over. Yet, the war was far from over and Iraqis were still fighting against what they perceived as an occupation of their country by the United States. As poignantly realized five years later when over 10,000 Iraqis assembled at the very location of the statues toppling for a truly historic event. The New York Times describes that â€Å"[the Iraqis] gathered in Baghdad’s Firdos Square †¦ to protest the security agreement with the United States that is scheduled for a vote† and â€Å"demonstrators hanged a black-hooded effigy of President Bush from a column with powerful symbolism: it supported the statue of Saddam Hussein that was toppled by American troops in April 2003† (Farrell et al.). In May of the following year the Bush Administration would revisit its previous devices to conceal the truth of the circumstances surrounding the death of Patrick Tillman.

Intolerance: Minority Group and Society Essay

1. What are some of the ways groups of people are identified? There are many ways that a group of people can be identified but the four criteria for classifying minority groups are race, ethnicity, religion, and gender. Race is mainly determined by the color of someone’s skin, hair (in some instances eyes), height, and bone structure of the human body: big head, narrow eyes, tall short. Ethnicity is determined by where you were born and raised and what cultural patterns. Religion and is determined by what your beliefs and religious group you are a part of. Gender is determined easily enough but it does matters if you are male or female for the fact that each is treated differently. Males seem to have it easy most of the time and woman are always treated as though they are weaker. These four criteria’s are the main ones but there are so many more such as age, disability status, physical appearance, and sexual orientation they all are used to group people. There is always another factor that is sometimes over looked and that is our appearance; skinny, fat and even what we wear are we well dressed and clean all of the time or are we in regular day to day clothes or are we dressed in rags torn, ripped and dirty clothing. Also there is the money factor how much does one have or don’t have to many people the money factor matters most people like to know that they know people with money. Are these people wealthy with more money than they will every need or do they just have enough or do they struggle or worse yet do they not have anything leaving them going from home to home or street to street or going to government and privet programs for help. 2. Why do people label and group other people? I have thought about this question and it made me realize that not only do people label and group other people but we also label ourselves putting ourselves in categories that please us. Plus it gives us our sense of belonging to something that most people â€Å"need† to feel. Getting back to the question; I think it is something that we all do whether we realize it or not. Labeling and grouping help people to determine who we should or who we should not interact with. It helps people and sometimes it does just the opposite and destroys people it’s like having a power a power to have some control over other people. I can almost see it in another time a man running through the streets with a label machine placing labels on everyone’s forehead yelling â€Å"You are who I say you are! † Scary thought! We constantly label people in a negative light due to difference of opinion due to religion, political view, sexual preference, parenting method you name it we do it, even children do this and it is not done intentionally they were not taught this, too me it almost seems like it is a defense mechanism keeping themselves even ourselves safe from what we may consider to be harmful. In the end people are just that â€Å"people† we are nothing more and nothing less. People label others either to feel empowered or to praise someone but in the end we are Human Beings and that is it. We may think and act differently but we are what we are and if people could just except that then the future might not ever have to deal with the positive and mainly the negative effects that come with being labeled and tossed into a group that was thought up by others. Resources Schaefer, R. T. (2012). (Ch. 1 & 2) Racial and ethnic groups (13th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Crisis of Kingfisher Airlines Essay

The Indian air market is estimated to be the ninth largest in the world but with the population size the country has, the Indian government believes it will become the world’s third largest market by 2020. 87 foreign and five Indian airlines fly to and from India to 40 countries. Approximately five million Indians fly every month domestically. Domestic traffic more than doubled between Jul-2006 and July 2011, with growth of 101%. One reason for the growth was the deregulation of Indian domestic aviation in 2003- 2004 followed by international deregulation in 2007-2008 India has three full service airlines Air India, Jet Airways, Kingfisher Airlines and four Low cost carriers: GoAir, IndiGo, JetLite (owned by Jet airways), and SpiceJet. Kingfisher also had a discount version: Kingfisher Red known formerly as Simplifly Deccan and before that Air Deccan. Ironically the Indian aviation despite a market growing at 18 per cent for last 11 months, five out of six Indian airlines are bleeding leading to the failure of one of the leading aviation player – Kingfisher Airlines. Kingfisher Airlines, a subsidiary of UB Group (United Breweries Holdings Ltd), founded in May 2005 operates a passenger airline in India. It was the first airline in India to provide premium first class service on domestic routes with all new aircraft. In May 2007, it announced it would acquire a 26% stake in Air Deccan, a low cost carrier (LCC) for 5.5 billion rupees ($135 million). Kingfisher Airlines Limited came to become one of the country’s largest airlines, operating more than 400 flights a day and having a wide network of destinations, with regional and long-haul international services touching almost 60 destinations. At one point the Kingfisher Airlines had the second largest share in India’s domestic air travel market. However due to the severe financial crisis faced by the airline, it has the fifth largest market share currently. Even the company have no funds to pay the salaries to the employees and is facing several other issues like fuel dues; aircraft lease rental dues, service tax dues and bank arrears. As Kingfisher airlines is in the midst of a financial turmoil, the case will aim to understand the various factors which are fuelling the growth / decline and those which are/will be critical for the company’s performance in the near term. Introduction History of the Indian Airline Industry In December 1912, the first domestic air route was opened between Delhi and Karachi by the Indian State Air Services (in collaboration with Imperial Airways of the UK). This marked a new beginning in India. Three years later, Tata Sons started a regular airmail service between Karachi and Madras. At that time, there were a few transport companies operating within and also beyond the frontiers of the country, carrying both air cargo and passengers. Some of these were Tata Airlines, Indian National Airways, Air Service of India, Deccan Airways, Ambica Airways, Bharat Airways and Mistry Airways. The Tata Airlines was converted into a public limited company in the year 1946 and renamed Air India Limited. In 1948 a joint sector company-Air India International was established by the Government of India and Air India headed by J.R.D. Tata. In 1953, the Parliament passed the Air Corporation Act. Air India International and Indian Airlines Corporation came into formal existence and Air India International was nationalized. The Indian Aviation sector was liberalized in commence in 1990 with private sector players being allowed to operate as air taxi operators in India. A number of private players commenced domestic operations like Damania, East-West, Modiluft, Air Sahara and NEPC, entered the industry. However, a decade later none of them have survived. Foreword of Kingfisher Airlines Kingfisher Airlines is an airline group based in India. Its head office is The Qube in Andheri (East), Mumbai; and Registered Office in UB City, Bangalore. Kingfisher Airlines was established in 2003 and began operations on 9 May 2005 with a fleet of five A380s, five Airbus A350s aircraft and five Airbus A330s operating its first inaugural flight from Mumbai to Delhi. It seems staggering that an airline a month old could order the world’s biggest plane in an untested market. They went international in 2008, less than four years ago. In May 2009, they became India’s largest airline by passenger numbers. Owned by the Bangalore based United Breweries Group. Kingfisher Airlines, through its parent company United Breweries Group, has a 50% stake in low-cost carrier Kingfisher Red. The UB group is lead by Dr. Vijay Mallya as the Chairman to one of India’s largest conglomerates with diverse interests in brewing, distilling, real estate, engineering, fertilizers, biotechnology, information technology and aviation. Dr. Mallya, was elected by shareholders as Chairman of The UB Group in 1983, at the age of 28 and has been instrumental in growing it into a multinational business conglomerate. Kingfisher is the only Indian and the one of the six in the world to have received the 6 stars rating for its services by the Skytrax operates more than 400 flights a day connecting 72 destinations the world over. Merger of Kingfisher- Air Deccan A wholly owned subsidiary of Deccan Aviation, Air Deccan, was India’s first low cost carrier. It has a vision to enable every Indian to fly thus representing the airline’s simple and no frills approach. With a low pricing strategy, Air Deccan primarily focussed on first time travellers and successfully shifted people from Rail travel to Air travel. Air Deccan airlines merged with Kingfisher Airlines and decided to operate as a single entity from April, 2008 under the title name – Kingfisher Aviation. The merger is based on recommendations of Accenture, the global consulting firm. KPMG was asked to do the valuation and the swap ratio was decided accordingly. The merger came through on as Vijay Mallya from Kingfisher airlines bought 26% of the stake in Air Deccan. The unification of the two carriers had to be sanctioned not only by the two panels, but also by the institutional investors, independent directors, and other shareholders. Air Deccan had four independent directors-which included prominent persons like IIM Prof Thiru Naraya, Tennis player Vijay Amritraj, and A K Ganguly, Former MD Nabisco Malaysia. Post merger, KingFisher would operate as a single largest (private) airline in the sub-continent with a combined fleet of 71 aircrafts, connects 70 destinations and operating 550 flights in a day. The combined entity has a market share of 33%. Captain Gopinath continued as the Executive Chairman and Vijay Malay in-charge as the Vice Chairman. To rationalize the fleet structure, Kingfisher was focussed towards the international routes and functioning as a full-service carrier while Air Deccan was allotted the wider domestic reach and operated as a low cost carrier. As both the carriers operated the Airbus, the operational synergies integrated not only the management and staff of the airlines but also the engineering, inventory management and ground handling services, maintenance and overhaul sectors. These efforts brought about an increased savings in costs by 4-5% (INR. 300 crores)* Further, by devising a more optimal routing strategy it could help in rationalizing the fares. Before the merger Air Deccan recorded a net loss of Rs 213.17 crores on revenue of Rs 437.82 crores for 2006-07. The company had also raised Rs 400 crores through an IPO in May 2006. The merger will create a more competitive business in scale and scope to emerge as market leader.

Epo in Sport

Competitive athletes are constantly in search of ways to get better, seeking a slight edge over their closest competition. They are willing to practice for countless hours, put themselves through rigorous training and follow a very strict diet. Those who are passionate about their sport are willing to do just about anything to improve performance, but just how far are athletes willing to go? With recent advancements in sports science, it has become possible to alter some elements of human physiology.The human body has been meticulously studied over the years, and as a result we are able to comprehend how complex systems function enabling the human body to perform simple everyday functions, as well as, impressive athletic performances. Science has discovered there are ways to improve the physiology of the human body to enhance athletic performance. By carefully tailoring specific functions to enhance a specific task an athlete will most likely be able to get the â€Å"one up† o n the competition.Science has also discovered there are dangers associated with tampering with these complex systems that keep the human body alive and well. Unfortunately, some athletes ignore the physiological risks/ professional repercussions and indulge in enhancing some physiological processes in order to gain a slight edge against the competition. Today, as well as in the past, various sporting organizations have had to deal with performance-enhancing issues through testing of their athletes, yet these people continue to seek out ways to sneak under the wire, undetected.One example of athletes trying to beat the system is that of the recently publicized performance-enhancing dispute with blood doping in the sport of cycling, namely the use of recombinant human erythropoietin (Robinson, Mangin, and Saugy 2003). The following will discuss the function of erythropoietin, its uses in medicine and athletics, the benefits and risks of artificial along with testing methods for detect ion of illegal use. In order to perform in endurance sports, efficient oxygen delivery from lungs to muscles is crucial.The cells responsible for oxygen delivery are erythrocytes, or red blood cells. The functional portion of the red blood cell that acts as an oxygen carrier is the protein molecule hemoglobin (Kraene, Fleck and Deschenes 2012). Hemoglobin is a four part haem-iron containing protein, with two alpha and two beta subunits associated with each molecule. Hemoglobin accounts for 99% of the protein composition of an erythrocyte (Lippi, Franchini, Salvengo et al). Circulating blood contains approximately 40-45% red blood cells in its composition (Kraene, Fleck and Deschenes 2012).The hemoglobin associated with each red blood cell has a specific mechanism for pick-up and delivery of oxygen. This mechanism depends on varying physiological body conditions during which oxygen has differing affinity for the hemoglobin molecule. The conditions at which affinity for oxygen is high include lower body temperature, low carbon dioxide, and low 2,3-diphosphoglyerate (Elliott 2008). As these are the conditions found in the lungs, plentiful oxygen will bind to the hemoglobin for transport to the tissue cells in the body.In the tissue where carbon dioxide concentrations are high, body temperature increases, higher hydrogen ion and ,2,3-disphosphoglycerate concentrations, oxygen affinity for hemoglobin is reduced, resulting in the delivery of oxygen to tissues (Elliott 2008). During physical exercise, the body's consumption of oxygen is increased due to the demand of working muscles. As a result of this process, the carrying capacity of hemoglobin is adjusted automatically to deliver adequate oxygen to the muscle tissues (Lippi, Franchini, Salvango et al 2006).Applying this principle of supply and demand, to an endurance sport, one can see how an athlete’s aerobic training regime aims to peak the efficiency of the process of oxygen delivery from lungs to muscl e tissue. To maximize the process of oxygen delivery, a high number of circulating erythrocytes is desired, resulting in more available hemoglobin and therefore more oxygen can be delivered to working muscles. Red blood cell (RBC) production, called erythropoiesis, is carefully controlled and monitored by the body (Lippi, Franchini, Salvango et al 2006).This monitoring system involves oxygen-sensing cells to detect hypoxia (low oxygen concentration) in the body. During oxygen deprivation, a nerurosecretory mechanism is activated through chemoreceptors found in the carotid body ( in the carotid artery found in the neck) and in the lungs. If out of balance, the body undergoes rapid cardiopulmonary adjustments to compensate for the current stress of hypoxia (Kraene, Fleck and Deschenes 2012). One of the factors present during hypoxia is the hypoxia inducible factor, HIF-1.This molecule acts as a transcription factor for controlling several genes (Lippi, Franchini, Salvango et al 2006). When oxygen levels are low, the enzymes that normally inhibit HIF-1 cease their activity. The HIF-1a molecule becomes available is now capable of binding with HIF-b to cross the nuclear membrane of the cell and promotes gene transcription (Lippi, Franchini, Salvango et al 2006). One of the main coding events that occurs as a result of the gene transcription is production of erythropoietin (Epo).This endogenous Epo is then produced in the body, specifically in the peritubular capillary-lining cells of the renal cortex of the kidneys, with minute amounts produced in the liver and brain (Kraene, Fleck and Deschenes 2012). When the Epo molecule is synthesized, the composition is initially a 193 amino acid molecule that eventually is released as a 165 amino acid protein with much of the total molecule composed of carbohydrate (Lippi, Franchini, Salvango et al 2006). The release of Epo from the kidney to the blood then stimulates erythropoiesis in the bone marrow (Kraene, Fleck and Desch enes 2012).Science advancements in the 1980’s have led to a synthetic form of Epo known as recombinant human Epo (rHuEpo) (Spedding and Spedding 2008). It was first introduced by a team of researchers at the Northwest Kidney Centres, who conducted clinical trials that resulted in the first successful artificial form of this hormone (Eichner 2007). The production of rHuEpo, from mammalian cells to treat anemic patients was approved by the U. S. Food and DrugAdministration in 1989 (Elliott 2008). Today human recombinant erythropoietin is available in a variety of forms.It is synthesized with an amino acid sequence identical to that of endogenous erythropoietin, with slight differences in composition of carbohydrate portions of the molecule (glycosylation) (Lippi, Franchini, Salvango et al 2006). Alpha and beta erythropoietin are produced from Chinese hamster ovary cells with the only differences being a slightly longer half-life and slight difference in molecular weight (Lippi, Franchini, Salvango et al 2006). Another form of Epo is Erythropoietin gamma. It is produced from a different host cell and as a result has a different glycosylation pattern (Lippi, Franchini, Salvango et al 2006).Erythropoietin delta, yet another variation of the synthetic hormone, is the most recently introduced form. This type is produced from human cells, and has identical amino acid and glycosylation patterns as endogenous Epo, with a longer half-life of 18-20 hours compared to the 7-12 hour range of alpha and beta forms (Lippi, Franchini, Salvango et al 2006). The current research is clinically testing a protein called Continuous Erythropoietin Receptor Activator (CERA). This protein has a half-life of 133-137 hours, which equates to less frequent dosing.CERA unlike other synthetic forms of this hormone, has very mild side-effects and has yet to produce any serious adverse effects (Lippi, Franchini, Salvango et al 2006). This type of synthetic Epo may be the best option avail able for patients who require treatment for anemia (low hemoglobin levels). Unfortunately, some people suffer anemia due to various medical issues such as kidney disease, chemotherapy for cancer, HIV, blood loss, et cetera (Kraene, Fleck and Deschenes 2012). The body's demand for Epo becomes more significant when such medical conditions arise.Often times Epo needs to be artificially supplemented to compensate for the lowered hemoglobin production/ hemoglobin loss (Catlin, Fitch and Ljungqvist 2008). Originally, recombinant human erythropoietin was developed as a substitute for endogenous Epo for those who suffered from abnormal blood conditions. It is highly effective in increasing hemoglobin levels, and as a result has numerous benefits such as, reduction in required blood transfusions, restoring energy levels, increase in exercise capacity, improves cognitive function and overall quality of life improvement (Elliott 2008).When administering this hormone, the dose, frequency of adm inistration, the rate of rise of hemoglobin and target hemoglobin levels are strictly controlled (between 10-12g per 100mL), slightly lower than the range for normal range of 13-15g per 100mL. The lower range is maintained in order to keep the risks and side effects of the rHuEpo minimal (Lippi, Franchini, Salvango et al 2006). Careful monitoring and control is used to maximize the benefits for patients while minimizing the risks.Recombinant Epo not only benefits those who are suffering a blood condition but it has significant benefits to athletic performance (Elliott 2008). It is used illegally as an ergogenic aid primarily in endurance sports, such as cross-country skiing, track, swimming, and most notoriously, cycling (Bento, Damasceno, Neto 2003). One study, as noted in Exercise Physiology (Kraene, Fleck and Deschenes 2012), that involved well-trained male endurance athletes administered recombinant human erythropoietin 3 times a week for 30 days or until hematocrit levels reach ed 50%.The following resulted: an average hematocrit increase of 18. 9% (range of 42. 7-50. 8%), cycling time to exhaustion had increased 9. 4% (12. 8-14. 0 minutes longer), and cycling VO2 peak had increased 7% (range of 63. 8-68. 1 ml/kg/min). Another study also noted in Exercise Physiology (Kraene, Fleck and Deschenes 2012) gave low-dose subcutaneous injections of rHuEpo over a 6 week period to moderately to well-trained athletes and what resulted was a 6-8% increase in VO2 peak, time to exhaustion on a treadmill increased 13-17%, and hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit both increased by approximately 10% each.The use of recombinant human erythropoietin is found to have clear benefits in athletic performance, with higher trained individuals exhibiting enhanced results. At an elite level, where competition is so close, it is tempting for athletes to gain an edge over their competition though the use of rHuEpo. There is a certain amount of pressure on athletes in cycling to use ergogenic aids due to the fact that so many of the sport's top competitors are using it to boost performance (Vogel 2004). In cycling, the abuse of this ergogenic aid has recently come to light in the media.Although many benefits can be reaped in athletic performance from recombinant erythropoietin, it is not without risks. When synthetic forms were first introduced, many of the risks were unknown to athletes and use was not medically monitored as would be the case with an anemic patient. As a result, sudden heart attacks occurred that led to more than a dozen deaths of Dutch and Belgian cyclists (Vogel 2004). Their deaths were connected to inappropriate administration of rHuEpo. This form of Epo had not yet been clinically studied from an athletic perspective.The combination effect of increasing hemoglobin to well above normal range along with other factors associated with endurance sports, makes tampering with the body's natural blood physiology dangerous and potentially deadly ( Robinson, Magin and Saugy 2003). Myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular disease, transient ischemic attack and venous thromboembolism were all found to be potential events associated with the misuse of rHuEpo (Catlin, Fitch and Ljungqvist 2008). Due to the increase of red blood cells, the blood becomes more viscous and leads to an increased frequency risk of thrombotic events.There have also been proven reports of increased risk for migratory thrombophlebitis, microvascular thrombosis and thrombosis of cerebral sinuses, retinal artery, and temporal veins. The increased blood viscosity also increases systolic blood pressure during sub-maximal exercise and increases platelet reactivity resulting in risk of more blood clotting (Bento, Damasceno, and Neto 2003). One of the most serious risks found to be associated is that of red cell aplasia in which red blood cell formation ceases. Although rare but ife-threatening, this condition was found to be linked to the use of subcutaneous alpha -Epo (Lippi, Franchini, Salvango et al 2006). Anemia may also develop in individuals who mis-use rHuEpo after they discontinue the hormone, as it causes progressive erythroid marrow exhaustion due to prolonged periods of use. Some other risks and side effects include headache, muscle cramps, incomplete deviation of red blood cells, convulsion, and upper respiratory tract infections (Kraemer, Fleck and Deschenes 2012). The risks of using rHuEpo are more significant for athletes than average patients who are using for treatment.Athletes pushing to increase hemoglobin outside of a normal range run the risk of life-threatening circulatory/blood abnormalities. Testing for the use of banned erythropoietin in sports has been an ongoing challenge. As quickly as testing laboratories can produce testing methods for banned substances, new ways to slide under detection are being found (Cazzola 2000). It is difficult to directly identify rHuEpo as it has a relatively short half-life in most form s, for example an administration of 50 IU/kg given subcutaneously has a half-life of approximately 35. hours, and intravenous administration has a half-life ranging from 4 to 7 hours (Lippi, Franchini, Salvango et al 2006). Athletes could selectively time the administration of Epo and combined with concealing strategies to slip under the wire. As a result, laboratories are required to look at specific biomarkers that indicate past or current use of rHuEpo (Delanghe, Bollen and Beullens 2007). Human recombinant erythropoietin was initially a challenge to detect as various forms are extremely similar to that of endogenous Epo (Skibeli, Nissen-Lie and Torjesen 2001).As it is a rising issue in sport, laboratories are required to find better ways to detect the illegal use of rHuEpo. Initially as a measure to deter doping and identify usage, cutoff levels of hematocrit (the percentage of red blood cells in the blood) were established in some sports (Adamson and Vapnek 1991). For example, the International Cycling Union established cutoff hematocrit levels of 47% for women and 50% for men. This method was flawed, as it sometimes produced false positive results in athletes with naturally high hematocrit levels (Casoni, Ricci, Ballarin et al 1993).Currently, there is no foolproof testing method to detect the use of recombinant human erythropoietin. A combination of indirect and direct testing is currently the most effective method to identify blood dopers (Cazzola 2000). Indirect testing uses a blood sample and is based on the analysis of hematological parameters, including measures of hemoglobin, hematocrit, soluble transferrin receptors, serum Epo, percent reticulocytes, and macrocytes (Delanghe, Bollen and Beullens 2007).Changes observed in the above measures are often a result of introducing recombinant Epo to the body and can be used as an indirect marker to detect the substance (Skibeli, Nissen-Lie and Torjesen 2001). There is a reference range of parameters set for this form of testing, one indicating current use of Epo while the other can indicate recently discontinued use of Epo (Parisotto, Wu, Ashenden et al 2001). Indirect testing has the advantage of being able to detect Epo use several weeks after it has been administered, however the disadvantage of possibly producing false-positive results (Delanghe, Bollen and Beullens 2007).Changes in the measuring parameters used in indirect testing can also be the result of the body's natural modifications from training methods such as altitude training (increasing RBC levels due to lower oxygen at higher altitude, a naturally occurring body compensation) (Kraemer, Fleck and Deschenes 2012). Indirect testing is useful in being a primary indication of recombinant erythropoietin use, yet it is not completely reliable.If use of Epo is suspected after using indirect testing methods, direct testing will follow to confirm or deny the results (Birkeland and Hemmersbach 1999). Direct testing for recomb inant Epo involves the collection of a urine sample. The urine sample needs to be fairly large (20ml) and strongly concentrated (between 700-1000 fold) (Elliott 2008). The approved test that uses the direct approach is based on differences in glycosylation between endogenous Epo and artificial forms (Elliott 2008).The recombinant and endogenous forms of erythropoietin have varying isoelectric points (pI). Using isoelectric focusing (IEF), the isoelectric points can be determined (Skibeli, Nissen-Lie and Torjesen 2001). The normal range for the pI of endogenous Epo is 3. 7-4. 7, while alpha and beta Epo have a slightly higher range of 4. 4-5. 1. The Aransep form of Epo has 2 extra N-glycosylaton sites in order to increase its stability, resulting in a pI range of 3. 7-4 (Parisotto, Wu, Ashenden et al 2001).In order to see the isoforms of Epo, double immunoblotting is used in combination with monoclonal anti-Epo antibodies. The interaction of the antibodies with the recombinant forms of Epo shows if illegal forms are present in the urine (Skibeli, Nissen-Lie and Torjesen 2001). The purpose of the double immunoblotting technique is to avoid secondary antibodies interacting with proteins in urine and affect the test. A technique known as chemiluminescence is used on the blot to image the Epo (Skibeli, Nissen-Lie and Torjesen 2001).Direct testing can detect most forms synthetic Epo. When a test is found to be positive for an illegal form of Epo, a second test is performed due to the fact that occasionally enzyme activity causes a shift in the electrophoretic banding pattern of the molecule (Parisotto, Wu, Ashenden et al 2001). Additional stability testing is performed where the urine sample is incubated overnight in an acetate buffer and rHuEpo. If a banding shift is observed during the isoelectric focusing, it can be determined that the sample is negative for rHuEpo (Parisotto, Wu, Ashenden et al 2001).The direct testing method is currently the most reliable and a pproved approach and can be used during competition and off-competition periods (Elliott 2008). The development of recombinant human erythropoietin was originally an approach to treat low hemoglobin levels in anemic patients. The athletic gains that can be exhibited through introducing rHuEpo have caused abuse at the elite level in many sports. Other than disqualification and loss of credibility as an honest athlete, there are also medical risks associated with tampering with the blood's physiology in artificial ways.A combination of testing methods is currently used to identify those using rHuEpo as an ergogenic aid, as there is no single test that can clearly deny of confirm use. New ways to slip under the wire with testing are being discovered and used by athletes and laboratories are constantly working to keep up. The use of recombinant human erythropoietin is a serious issue of misconduct in sport and needs to be ended in order to keep competition ethical and fair.