Screening asia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Screening asia - Essay Example Only those who manage to get into leaderships positions are able to control their own destinies. The ones who are content with being their master’s servant will suffer for his sake and will be doomed if their leader loses. The reviewer also discusses the theme of tradition as presented in the movie with the triad leader required to fulfill several obligations that are required, for the leader, to assume power. These include getting the Dragon’s Head Baton and the violence that follows when the two antagonists try to get to it. The latter reveals the deep-seated traditional respect the triad members hold for the baton (Scott, 2007: p1). The reviewer also manages to place election in its proper context, which is within the Hong Kong Triad traditions. By comparing the movie to other triad movies and the fact that Election does not have guns, unlike other triad movies, Derek Elley already gives the reader the setting for the quintessential triad movie. The reviewer also com pares it to classic triad movies such as To be Number One, PTU, and The Mission. The reader already expects that such a favorable comparison to these classic movies will adhere to the classic triad movie storyline. ... However, I do not feel that he discusses this genre well enough to allow the reader to form a conclusion as to whether the movie is good enough to be a classic. The techniques in the movie are well addressed with the reviewer noting that, unlike previous triad movies that rely, on violence and gunfights, to show the struggle within these triads, the film employs hand-to-hand combat, as well as power-play conversations, which works towards supporting one of the movie’s main themes of tradition. Brian Gibson gives a similar review for election, although he also gives a review for the sequel, Election 2. Like Derek, Brian discusses the movie’s theme at the beginning of his post, which involves Hong Kong Triads and their control of the Hong Kong underground. Unlike the previous review, Brian delves into these activities; including prostitution rings, gambling operations, and drug smuggling. By including these activities, the reviewer, illuminates the theme better than in th e early review. It shows a world with no morals, and this sets the stage for him to discuss the bitter and no-holds barred competition between the two men vying for leadership of the triad (Scott, 2007: p1). The reviewer, just like in the previous review, also discusses the theme of tradition in the Hong Kong underground, which is a major theme of the movie. In his review for the sequel, Brian also covers the theme of crime adequately enough, particularly because it is the main theme of the sequel. In this case, he also discusses pornography as part of the triad’s new dealings, which forms another theme of the movie. However, unlike in the previous review, Brian is more critical of the movie, particularly its sequel, comparing it unfavorably with the first installment. According

Occupation is the major determinant of both social class and status in industrial societies Essay Example for Free

Occupation is the major determinant of both social class and status in industrial societies Essay In our society today, it is argued if occupation is the major determinant of both social class and status in industrial societies. Occupation is defined as an individual’s regular work or profession, job or regular activity performed for payment that occupies one’s time. Occupation has been viewed both negatively and positively as the major determinant of both social class and status. Industrial societies are those driven by the use of technology to enable mass production, supporting a large population with a high capacity for division of labour. Status and class are both supported by factors that influence occupation such as race, education, community size, family status, income of workers and measured intelligence. It is greatly supported that occupation is the major determinant of both social class and status in industrial societies, for example, if an individual is brought up either in a rich or poor family and becomes educated to an extent of achieving a higher national degree such as a P.H.D or a M.D. such an individual is bound to earn a higher status and class in a society. For instance, a neurosurgeon can achieve a higher status and class as they may be earning a higher income as compared to a general doctor at a local clinic situated in a local town. Another example may be that of a lecturer at a university and a teacher at a school, because a lecturer earns a higher salary as compared to a teacher his/her status is higher. Their level of education is also considered as the lecturer is usually more educated than a teacher, thus he/she earns higher prestige in an industrial society. Family status may also be another factor out of many which influences one’s status or class. Taking for example, if an individual was to be born into a wealthy and influential family, they would have attained an ascribed status which could turn out to be a great advantage in the industrial societies. The individual has a privilege of learning at a well facilitated expensive school and also attaining a high rank as a managing director or even the C.E.O in the family’s company or due to membership influence in another major company. This may result in one earning a higher status and class in the society. Occupation however, is sometimes not viewed as the major determinant of either social class or status as there are other factors like that of race amongst others. Race has always been a major factor of discrimination and segregation in societies, for example in Zimbabwe, during the liberation struggle black people were considered of being lower class, they occupied the lower class jobs, housings and many other underrated facilities as they were made to work for the white people who were their lords and only means of employment. This kind of unfair treatment brought the social class and status of black people down in the industrial societies, which therefore provides supporting evidence to Karl Marx’s conflict theory. Another example of racial discrimination still evident in most parts of the globe is that of employment opportunities, given a black man and a white man who just graduated from university with equal achievements and applied for a job vacancy at a major company. Th e white man is usually the first preference to the black man due to beliefs that whites are more superior, this kind of treatment surely lowers the status and class of blacks whilst raising that of the whites. Community size is another factor influencing one’s status and class. The greater the community size, the greater the prestige it holds. For example, a professional accountant working at a small bank at a growth point like Murombedzi growth point is bound to achieve a lower status and social class as compared to an equally qualified professional accountant working at a big company like Econet or NMB bank in a huge city. In this case it can be reasoned that the social class and status were not determined by occupation but by location and community size. With the above information, one can conclude that occupation is in fact the major determinant of both social class and status in an industrial society. However, despite the seemingly convincing contributions of occupation in determining the class and status, it must not be left out that there are also some factors other than occupation like community size and race which also determine an individual’s social class and status in industrial societies.

Essay --

There has always been rich and poor in Spain but never like in recent years, the distance between them is very significant, as well as the difference in relation of incomes. The unemployment rate has taken a toll on the family income. More than 1.7 million households, according to the latest Labor Force Survey, have all members unemployed, and only 67% of those registered in employment offices receive any assistance or provision of the state. As a result, Spain is one of the most troubled positioned countries in statistics that measures social inequality and has the biggest distance between high and low incomes. In Spain the economic gap has always exceeded the average of the euro partners, at least from the start of Eurostat statistical series in 1995. It was stable, until the crisis aggressively attacked the economy and the gap began to grow five years ago. The GINI coefficient, which measures the difference in income of a country, is a clear example of that change. If the statistics shows a zero means that in that country there exists perfect equality, if it shows a 100 would mean an absolute inequality. Spain pulled out in 2011 34, the highest level since records. Latvia is the only country that exceeded Spain with 35.2. In the opposite side is Germany, with 29 and Norway with 22.5. The Spanish families have until mid-2012 a loss of wealth of 18.4 % over the previous year, representing the sharpest decline recorded between the economies of the euro zone, especially harmed by adverse economic conditions resulting from the crisis sovereign debt and the appreciation of the dollar against the euro, as reflected in a report on global wealth produced by Credit Suisse. In absolute terms, the aggregate amount of the impoverishment of... ...jobs due to reduced capital inflow, as it is riskier to invest in Spain's market. Since investing is so risky, the interest rate that investors have to pay for loans and investment projects in Spain are higher in comparison with other countries from Europe. Because of the increase of the public debt and economic deterioration, Spain has no option than to ask for help. Spain calls on members of the Eurozone for a rescue plan of up to 100,000 million for banking. In July of 2012 it reaches the 7% with a premium of about 650 basis points in respect to Germany. As well, the ECB announces a bond program plan for countries with problems, to generate a positive effect and calm the markets. In the third quarter of 2013, the GDP growth shows the end of the longest recession in decades. From 2013 the country risk premium starts decreasing reaching 186 basis points in 2014.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight :: Essays Papers

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Character Analysis Sir Gawain, the nephew of King Arthur, is described by the unknown author of Gawain and the Green Knight as "the good knight" and "most courteous" (Norton, 204 & 215). Although young, Gawain understands the true meaning of chivalry and honor, therefore bases his lifestyle on the knightly Code of chivalry. This is exemplified through various tests that he faced, both with the Green Knight, and with the Knight's wife. If all knights were like Gawain, then the Round Table would be a much better place. The first character test he is put to occurs when he faces the supernatural forces of the Green Knight during the New Year's celebration at Camelot. As the Round Table is faced with an extraordinary challenge, to swing at the stranger with an ax, Gawain bravely steps in for King Arthur when no one else is willing. He is fearful that Arthur will endure some great danger by partaking in the stranger's game, therefore he would rather subject himself to the danger and protect Arthur. He is able to save his lord from any possibility of jeopardy and his fellow knights of humiliation by jumping up from the dinner table and screaming: "Would you grant me the grace, To be gone from this bench and stand by you there, If I without discourtesy might quit this board,... When such a boon is begged before all these knights, though you be tempted thereto, to take it on yourself While so bold men about upon benches sit†¦ I am the weakest, well I know, and of wit feeblest; And the loss of my life would be least of any; That I have you for uncle is my only praise; My body, but for your blood, is barren of worth; And for that this folly befits not a king, And 'tis I that have asked it, it ought to be mine, And if my claim be not comely let all this court judge, in sight." (Norton, 209) This shows the respect that Gawain has for his king. He is a great knight, but he modestly says that "the loss of my life would be least of any." He knows that he is a great knight and is extremely important to the unity of the Round Table, but he would rather stay humble and retained than to call himself superior.

“Emotion is stronger than reason.”To what extent is this true in Human Science Essay

People will make lots of decisions in their life, some of the decisions are emotional , and some are intellectual. From my point of view, I think emotion and reason are all important, and it’s depends on a specific situation and specific person to decide if it’s stronger or not.So my stance is neutral. If a person is very intellectual, most of his decision will be reasonable, but if he is a very emotional person, most of his decision would be emotional. For instance, smoking , which is a very emotional decision , because everyone knows cigarette is bad for our health , but some people still can not quit smoking . The reason of this is when they smoke , cigarette will bring them pleasant sensation, and those smokers will want more cigarette , in their mind , emotion is stronger than reason.However, on the other hand, there also have some people who quit smoking successfully or don’t start smoking in the first place. From their perspective, reason is stronger than emotion . Another example, Apple, a very large company in the world, the founder of it is Steve Jobs,who is also a emotional person, because his objective is to make better electronic devices for customs and have more creative ideas to make people’s life better.that might cause company run out if money , because better quality design will cause more money to produce it .But, Apple’s shareholders don’t think that way, they want to make more money, increase the profit ,lower the input and keep this company running , did not think of if the product is creative, they think more about the future of Apple , so that’s reasonable and intellectual.

Terms Every Aspiring Journalist Needs to Learn

Terms Every Aspiring Journalist Needs to Learn Journalism, like any profession, has its own set of terms, its own lingo, that any working reporter must know in order to understand what people are talking about in a newsroom and to help produce a great news story. Here then are 10 terms that you should know. Lede The lede is the first sentence of a hard-news story; a succinct summary of the story’s main point. Ledes should typically be a single sentence or no more than 35 to 40 words. The best ledes are ones that highlight the most important, newsworthy and interesting aspects of a news story while leaving out secondary details that can be included later in the story.​ Inverted Pyramid The inverted pyramid is the model used to describe how a news story is structured. It means the heaviest or most important news goes at the top of the story, and the lightest, or least important, goes at the bottom. As you move from the top to the bottom of the story, the information presented should gradually become less important. That way, if an editor needs to cut the story to make it fit a particular space, she can cut from the bottom without losing any vital information. Copy Copy simply refers to the content of a news article. Think of it as another word for content. So when we refer to a copy editor, were talking about someone who edits news stories. Beat A beat is a particular area or topic that a reporter covers. On a typical local newspaper, youll have an array of reporters who cover such beats as the police, courts, city hall and school board. At larger papers, beats can become even more specialized. Papers like The New York Times have reporters who cover national security, the Supreme Court, high-tech industries and health care. Byline The byline is the name of the reporter who writes a news story. Bylines are usually placed at the beginning of an article. Dateline The dateline is the city from which a news story originates. This is usually placed at the start of the article, right after the byline. If a story has both a dateline and a byline, that generally indicates that the reporter who wrote the article was actually in the city named in the dateline. But if a reporter is in, say, New York, and is writing about an event in Chicago, he must choose between having a byline but no dateline, or vice versa.   Source A source is anyone you interview for a news story. In most cases, sources are on-the-record, which means they are fully identified, by name and position, in the article for which they have been interviewed. Anonymous source This is a source who does not want to be identified in a news story. Editors generally frown upon using anonymous sources because they are less credible than on-the-record sources, but sometimes anonymous sources are necessary. Attribution Attribution means telling readers where the information in a news story comes from. This is important because reporters dont always have firsthand access to all the information needed for a story; they must rely on sources, such as police, prosecutors or other officials for information. AP Style This refers to Associated Press Style, which is the standardized format and usage for writing news copy. AP Style is followed by most U.S. newspapers and websites. You can learn AP Style for the AP Stylebook.

Reaganomics essays

Reaganomics essays The election of the Regan-Bush Republican ticket of 1984 brought many unprecedented and controversial policies to the US economy. Many of these policies,including Reganomics still affect our economy as a whole and are still major points of debates today. Reganomics was not solely based on economics, but rather the included a sense of having moral foundations. Government intervention and regulation of the economy were seen as economically harmful and furthermore morally wrong. It was believed that economic affairs should be left to the wisdom of God and his guidance would produce a successful market and economy. The moral obligation together with extreme Kenseyan theories were the guide to the basic principles of Reganomics. Their objective was to follow a laissez faire attitude,or a hands off government policy. They also wanted to rely on the wisdom of the of the market, meaning that the market is smart enough to take care of and troubleshoot itself,and they tried to use a policy of deregulation which would allow companies to make their own economic decisions with out the government limiting their choices. The administration was also weary of anti-trust laws which did not allow for monopolies in our society. The deregulation of businesses mentality was simple and encompassed two major points. The points were to lower taxes and allow businesses to make their own decisions without fear of government intervention. Their idea was that if you lowered taxes in general, business would have more money to produce more, to more they would hire more workers, and consequently due to the surplus of money, their would be more spending, investing, and saving. This proves that individuals would gain along with the business. Ronald Regan said, Lower takes would spur business to invest, and send Americans rushing to stores to spend (Regan). In the short run deregulation produced greater competition and lower price...

Free Essays on Gregor Mendel

Gregor Mendel Gregor Mendel was born July 22, 1822 and died January 6, 1884. Mendel was born in Heizendorf, Austria. Mendel was the second child of Anton and Rosine Mendel. Mendel’s parents were simple farmers. Mendel had a love to work in the garden. The love for this made him think, how does the plants get its characteristics? Gregor Mendel began to study at the St. Thomas Monastery of the Augustinain in Brunn, in 1843. Later on Mendel had began priesthood in August 1847. After becoming a priest, Mendel knew he wanted to become a teacher. In 1849, he started teaching at a secondary school in Znaim. Mendel took a teacher certification test, but failed. In 1851, Mendel went to the University of Vienna, to train to become a teacher. He wanted to be Mathematics and a Biology teacher. During the years of 1851-1853 Mendel studied Zoology, Botany Chemistry, and physics at the University of Vienna. In 1856, Mendel became very ill. Some people thought it might be Epilepsia. Later that year Mendel returned to Brunn, where he began to teach part time. About the middle of his life, he started to have theories about heredity. Mendel used pea pod plants to use for his experiments. Mendel discovered three basic laws had which governed the passage of a trait from one member of a species to another of the same species. The first law states the sex cells of a plant contains two different traits. The second law stated the characteristics are inherited independently from another. The third theory states each characteristic is determined by two hereditary factors, one from each parent, which decides whether a gene is dominant or recessive. These theories became a basis for the study of modern genetics. Mendel’s discoveries over the years are Particulate inheritance, Dominant and recessive traits, Genotype and Phenotype, and The Concept of Herteroygousity and Homozygousity. The Punnett square is named after Reginald Punnett. ... Free Essays on Gregor Mendel Free Essays on Gregor Mendel Gregor Mendel Gregor Mendel was born July 22, 1822 and died January 6, 1884. Mendel was born in Heizendorf, Austria. Mendel was the second child of Anton and Rosine Mendel. Mendel’s parents were simple farmers. Mendel had a love to work in the garden. The love for this made him think, how does the plants get its characteristics? Gregor Mendel began to study at the St. Thomas Monastery of the Augustinain in Brunn, in 1843. Later on Mendel had began priesthood in August 1847. After becoming a priest, Mendel knew he wanted to become a teacher. In 1849, he started teaching at a secondary school in Znaim. Mendel took a teacher certification test, but failed. In 1851, Mendel went to the University of Vienna, to train to become a teacher. He wanted to be Mathematics and a Biology teacher. During the years of 1851-1853 Mendel studied Zoology, Botany Chemistry, and physics at the University of Vienna. In 1856, Mendel became very ill. Some people thought it might be Epilepsia. Later that year Mendel returned to Brunn, where he began to teach part time. About the middle of his life, he started to have theories about heredity. Mendel used pea pod plants to use for his experiments. Mendel discovered three basic laws had which governed the passage of a trait from one member of a species to another of the same species. The first law states the sex cells of a plant contains two different traits. The second law stated the characteristics are inherited independently from another. The third theory states each characteristic is determined by two hereditary factors, one from each parent, which decides whether a gene is dominant or recessive. These theories became a basis for the study of modern genetics. Mendel’s discoveries over the years are Particulate inheritance, Dominant and recessive traits, Genotype and Phenotype, and The Concept of Herteroygousity and Homozygousity. The Punnett square is named after Reginald Punnett. ...

Living in Dorms Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Living in Dorms - Essay Example Just like a metropolitan city, the dorm has its own network of corridors, individual (single) rooms, a 125 seat theater, a 24 hour coffee station, a fitness centre and a dining room with open-air seating. The rooms have been specially designed to be properly ventilated and create a peasant environment in the room so that the student can comfortably focus his complete attention towards his studies without any disturbance. Dormitory is not only a place for students to live in but also a place to learn how to live. There are many activities such as sports, singing competition, celebration for festivals, and gatherings customized for dormitory students to learn as well as to enjoy their dormitory life. Not only is the dormitory a place where students stay and study, it is also a positive environment where students integrate their intellectual, social and emotional development and inspire one another in their learning and research through social activities. Students coming from all corners of the world, their life at MIT, including residential life, social life, extracurricular activities, et cetera, is as important a part of the educational experience as class-work. ... The more people you interact with, and the more diverse that set of people is, the more you will learn. What the students wants is a lifestyle in which they can do their studies while carrying on their other activities simultaneously, else they loose focus on either of the fields. Recommendation regarding this aspect include that MIT should focus more of its resources towards supporting "community" housing, student life activities, social events, athletics, recreation; the types of things that allow people to interact and help make students and faculty feel that they are part of a larger community of scholars. It is within these informal settings that some of the best learning occurs at MIT. This required integrating the separate elements bringing together people from different living groups, and most importantly, bringing together faculty, students, and staff. That's why the 'Founders Group' of the dorm that was formed included both faculty as well as students. Residential life acti vities ideally should be controlled by the students who live in the dorm, using house taxes and elected governments to control their own programs. This teaches the students how to manage themselves, their expenses, events, activities and fellow-beings. The idea behind this was to encourage and measure students' ability to work together as a group, to make decisions for themselves, and to take leadership as a key element of the community education. Freshmen-on-campus decision was extremely opposed by many of the students, feeling that it was an attempt by the administration to take away students' very freedom and bring them under closer oversight and control by the administration. The student saw it

Can a variety of English ever be a truly neutral means of Essay - 1

Can a variety of English ever be a truly neutral means of communication Answer this question using material from an online academic journal article of your choice and at least two blocks of this module - Essay Example A number of customs, as well as criteria is being put together and shared among different cultures on a global level. Therefore, in many multilingual nations, English has turned out to be the language of communication since it has been a dominant language for a long period. A major strategy in opposing the threat to linguistic diversity triggered and instigated by the spread of English is the idea of linguistic rights. Therefore, it can be said that it was the British influence, authority, and industrial supremacy that directed English across the world between the seventeenth and the twentieth Era. The heritage of British imperialism has left numerous nations with the language comprehensively institutionalized in their court of law, assembly, civil service, faculties and higher learning institutions. In other regions, English offers a neutral way of communication amid diverse ethnic groups. According to the politics of English by Ann Hewings and Caroline Tagg, all language use can be said to be political in nature (HEWINGS, & TAGG, 2012: 13).Language cannot be said to be a neutral medium of communication, but it plays a major role during power relations negotiation. These involve relations of competition, conflict, as well as cooperation amid individuals and the community (HEWINGS, & TAGG, 2012: 13). Language is the main means through which power relations are reinforced and organized.Therefore, the management of diplomatic, social, as well as political relations employs languages. Politics can be about language regulation whereby regulations are employed according to what a person can say, and how well individuals can express themselves. Every language, within certain contexts as well as settings plays a major role in power relation. However, in the present day English has a global reach like no other language, owing to its history during colonialism, its multiple forms as well as varieties, its association with global

Assessing Iran's Nuclear Program Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Assessing Iran's Nuclear Program - Essay Example Much of the information contained in these sources commonly comes from reliable sources as publishers remain careful to avoid prosecution, for publication of misleading information to the public. The utilisation of OSINT can be utilised in gaining essential information regarding Iran’s nuclear programme. Since the country considers the capacity to produce nuclear power its right, the country is bound to release a lot of information to various sources, which can be utilised to gather intelligence reports. Numerous international news channels and media have published reports regarding the nuclear programme progress in Iran. With increased availability of media reports regarding the nuclear programme, OSINT can easily become effective source of reliable information (BBC 2006). The existing tensions between western governments and Iran cannot support the utilisation of intelligence operatives undertaking an operation within the country. Intelligence gathering can only be undertaken through the application of OSINT. Open sources have been essential in providing the entire world with information of the nuclear programme being implemented by Iran. The plan to construct a nuclear power plant by the country appears to be at advanced stages, though the construction has continued secretly (The Associated Press 2008). This secret construction continues to cause concerns over whether the intended plant will be utilised for only power production. The increased links between the country and terrorism groups, combined with the hard-line Islamic leadership, create concerns for international security. While OSINT has been effectively utilised in gaining essential information on the nuclear programme, such intelligence cannot present information regarding the objetcives of the project. The concerns about construction of nuclear weapons remain a suspicion

The Congress Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Congress - Assignment Example The accountability and the reliability of the law making organ of the governments largely determine the political situation of a country. Even though the role of the executives and the judiciary are equally important, the law making organs are very crucial. It is vital for the constitution of every country to come up with proper policies that controls the performance of law making organs of the governments.The congress is the United States law making branch of the government. It consists of the house of representatives and the senate. In order to enact a legislation, the consent of both the house of representative and the senate must exist. Even though the two chambers work as a team as far as making of laws is concerned the US constitution grants specific power to each chamber1. For example, the house of representative roles include initiating of bills that are focused at raising the government revenue and cases related to impeachment while the senate is mandated with approving top appointments including presidential position. In addition, the senate makes the necessary decision on the impeachment cases.According to the constitution, congress has the authority to manage and formulate budgetary policies as well as to oversee collection of taxes. Some of the major taxes that the congress collects include excise and imports duties. Congress has also authority to appropriate funds. This power that is granted by the constitution is used as a check on the performance of the executive2. ... In addition, the congress has the power to borrow loans from international financial institutions on behalf of the government. In matters of national defense, the congress has authority to maintain armed forces, make rules applied by the military as well as to declare war. However, there have been critics on this role due to the interference by the executives especially in declaring war. Some of the past presidents have declared war without the consent of the congress. For example, in 1903, when military invaded Panama, Theodore Roosevelt the US president at that time did not seek the consent of the congress. Nevertheless, the congress assent was sought during the world war 1, Spanish-American conflict, World War 2 and Mexican-American War. Congress has the authority to issue copyrights and patents regulations on American based companies. Other important roles of the congress include the establishment of roads and post offices. According to the US constitution, the congress has power s to institute courts of laws that are under the supreme court3. It is also the duty of the congress to ensure that the roles that it makes concerning the foreign powers are effectively carried out and executed. Article four of the US constitution, that deal with the duties of each state and the roles of federal government on the states gives exclusive power to the congress on the admission of states into the united states of America. Even though congress is a legislative making body, it is also entitled to undertake the function of congressional oversight. This entails monitoring, supervision and reviewing of federal activities and policies and implementation of the executive programs. The congress carries out these duties through the congressional committee. Congressional

International Joint Ventures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

International Joint Ventures - Essay Example Reasons for shifting to wholly owned subsidiaries rather than joint ventures Wholly owned subsidiaries and joint ventures Subsidiaries are those companies which are controlled by larger organizations like an MNC. It guarantees full operational ownership in the host country. A wholly owned subsidiary is one where the parent company owns 100% stocks of the subsidiary company. These are the expensive and complicated form of market entry. To establish a wholly owned subsidiary, a company can either enter into ventures with a local company or can establish a new venture on its own in the host country (Charles & Jones, 2007, p.290). A joint venture is a strategic move adopted by countries while setting up a business outside their home countries. In joint ventures a group of companies come together to conduct a specific business objective (Gutterman, 2002, p.1). Basically wholly owned subsidiaries and joint ventures differ on the aspect of ownership. While joint venture companies may be own ed by two or more companies wholly owned subsidiaries are owned by a single company which maintains complete control over it. In the light of the trade reforms and practices introduced by WTO, it becomes easy for a country to establish its subsidiary company in a foreign country where it would have its complete control over the daily activities. Many companies avoid in establishing joint ventures due to the complexities involved in the coordinating policies, decisions and execution with a different company. Let us take the example of the Chinese economy. The trade reforms have changed the Chinese economy drastically. China which previously had its monopoly over almost all of its trading activities by the state owned companies (Siyuan, 2007, p.22) has now adopted the WTO policies by becoming one of its member countries (International Joint Ventures in China after WTO Accession: Will Trust Relations Change?, 2005, p.5). It has opened its markets in agriculture to the world. With the e stablishment of WTO trade rules, baking industry in China underwent a sea change. Foreign banks that were not allowed to operate freely in the Chinese market found the opportunity to establish international wholly owned subsidiaries in the country that would be controlled by the foreign national companies. This was beneficial for the Chinese economy too as the foreign banks introduced new technology and which helped to increase the economic growth (Foreign banks develop in China after WTO entry, 2011). The relative advantages and disadvantages of the JVC versus the wholly-owned subsidiary as a means of market entry Trade reforms introduced by WTO- an idea After the establishment of WTO in 1995, many trade reforms were introduced across countries. This has extended to the Asian countries too like China and India. WTO introduced several reforms in the trading system. WTO has lowered trade barriers across nations through negotiation. This has resulted in reduced costs of production as the import cost gets lowered and the cost of the resources which became cheaper. This directly leads to the reduction in the cost of the consumer articles which reduces the cost of living for the people (World Trade Organization, 2008, p.6). Reducing trade barriers have also increased the income levels of the companies both at a personal level and also from its business perspective. This also contributes in increasing the world

The Congress Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Congress - Assignment Example The accountability and the reliability of the law making organ of the governments largely determine the political situation of a country. Even though the role of the executives and the judiciary are equally important, the law making organs are very crucial. It is vital for the constitution of every country to come up with proper policies that controls the performance of law making organs of the governments.The congress is the United States law making branch of the government. It consists of the house of representatives and the senate. In order to enact a legislation, the consent of both the house of representative and the senate must exist. Even though the two chambers work as a team as far as making of laws is concerned the US constitution grants specific power to each chamber1. For example, the house of representative roles include initiating of bills that are focused at raising the government revenue and cases related to impeachment while the senate is mandated with approving top appointments including presidential position. In addition, the senate makes the necessary decision on the impeachment cases.According to the constitution, congress has the authority to manage and formulate budgetary policies as well as to oversee collection of taxes. Some of the major taxes that the congress collects include excise and imports duties. Congress has also authority to appropriate funds. This power that is granted by the constitution is used as a check on the performance of the executive2. ... In addition, the congress has the power to borrow loans from international financial institutions on behalf of the government. In matters of national defense, the congress has authority to maintain armed forces, make rules applied by the military as well as to declare war. However, there have been critics on this role due to the interference by the executives especially in declaring war. Some of the past presidents have declared war without the consent of the congress. For example, in 1903, when military invaded Panama, Theodore Roosevelt the US president at that time did not seek the consent of the congress. Nevertheless, the congress assent was sought during the world war 1, Spanish-American conflict, World War 2 and Mexican-American War. Congress has the authority to issue copyrights and patents regulations on American based companies. Other important roles of the congress include the establishment of roads and post offices. According to the US constitution, the congress has power s to institute courts of laws that are under the supreme court3. It is also the duty of the congress to ensure that the roles that it makes concerning the foreign powers are effectively carried out and executed. Article four of the US constitution, that deal with the duties of each state and the roles of federal government on the states gives exclusive power to the congress on the admission of states into the united states of America. Even though congress is a legislative making body, it is also entitled to undertake the function of congressional oversight. This entails monitoring, supervision and reviewing of federal activities and policies and implementation of the executive programs. The congress carries out these duties through the congressional committee. Congressional

Gender & Sexual Studies. Joan Acker-Class Question, Feminist Answers Assignment

Gender & Sexual Studies. Joan Acker-Class Question, Feminist Answers - Assignment Example Acker uses the term to describe the general position of women and how the society has come to accept and practice the dictates of hegemonic masculinity which is an extension of the patriarchal leanings. In the book, Acker talks of the general imbalance of men and women in senior position and privileged positions within our corporations. She explains that this is no way a reflection of education but representative of hegemonic masculinity. In practice, the term implies that our society is still laden with gendered inequality. This prompts questions and effort on how such inequality can be addressed to achieve a balanced society that does not judge on gender but on ability. Beyond the book, the term can be used in creating awareness on how gender biasness has created a chasm in our society. Question 2-Means of provisioning Acker constantly uses the term provisioning to describe the activities that people engage in, mostly informal, to be able to cater for their basic needs. She cites a ctivities such as babysitting as a means of provisioning. In a wider scope, and in relation to the economy, means of provisioning appears to refer to all activities that hold the capacity to provide a means of livelihood for members of various classes within an economy. An example of how she uses the term is in her efforts to define class; in this instance she cites â€Å"class as a differing and unequal situation in access to and control over the means of provisioning and survival† (Acker 55). The term implies a struggle between classes, an effort to compete for the limited economic means which are largely beneficial in ensuring livelihood. Question 3-Corporate Nonresponsibility In Acker’s view, corporate nonresponsiblity represents a situation where modern day corporations pass on certain responsibilities, mainly survival and caring work, to households. This places greater responsibility to women who are in essence home keepers. Through corporate nonresponsibility, o rganizations relay responsibility from centers of wealth and power to those with little resources. In a large scope, Acker uses this term to bring into perspective the role of wealth centers, mainly corporations, in compounding the culture of class suppression and gender biasness. This is because these centers refuse to take on responsibilities that would otherwise grant women a favorable chance in competing for opportunities in the corporate world. In the book, Acker uses the term severally, but perhaps one situation where she draws on a practical illustration is when she notes Wal-Mart as an example of corporate nonresponsibility. She notes the corporation as a â€Å"prime example of corporate nonresponsibility mainly by turning workers into lowest cost, easily replaceable, factors of production† (Acker, 162). Question 4-Unpaid Labor/reproductive labor Unpaid labor or reproductive labor is brought to the fore in an attempt to describe the value and contribution of women to a capitalist economy. In essence, it represents labor that is actually not compensated but one that has value to the economy. An example of unpaid labor is domestic labor. In her larger argument, Acker appears to â€Å"monetize† this class of labor and also brings into perspective the idea that women are basically the victims of unpaid labor. In this context, she appears to link unpaid labor and the unfortunate position of women whose efforts are not duly compensated and whose position is majorly determined by the men they support. An example of how

Has Our Political System Succeeded Essay Example for Free

Has Our Political System Succeeded Essay The political system began with the Declaration of Independence written by Thomas Jefferson on July 4, 1776. After that document the Articles of Confederation came out, which were adopted in 1777. The Articles of Confederation was the first attempt to set up a government in the US. Then our Constitution came out in 1787,it was made into three plans: the Virginia Plan, New Jersey Plan, and then the Connecticut compromise. Four things our Constitution accomplished were indirect democracy, limited government, checks and majority rule, and an outline of what the different branches of government do. The US two main parties are Republican and Democrat. The Democratic Party was founded in 1828, and the Republican party was founded in 1854. Our political system has succeeded in many forms. One form would be our checks and balances within the federal government and on a local level. Provisions have been improved over the years to regulate proper placement of funds and equal rights to citizens. The origin of our political system begins with congress. The main responsibilities of congress are making laws, overseeing the FBI and CIA, casework, representing their districts, setting an agenda, and conflict resolution. Our society has relied upon a bicameral system, where there have been a House of Representatives and a Senate. Some of the responsibilities of the House of Representatives include reviewing bills and beginning the impeachment process. The Senates duties include giving advice and consenting on treaties, conducting impeachment trials, and appointing upper-level judicial officers. Where I feel our political system has not done so well is with bureaucrats. Bureaucracy has some positive aspects like specialization, making sure rules and regulations are carried out, and neutrality. There are two types of bureaucrats. The first one is a civil servant who is hired based on merit, and the second one is a political appointee who is selected based on whom they know. It is a common issue that bureaucrats are given too much power and that they abuse those powers, which causes flaws in our political system. It does, however, seem that bureaucrats are vital for the functioning of any political system; they are generally not well liked, though. Several attempts to reform bureaucracy have been made, such as the Sunshine laws, which are laws that dictated that agencies have to be conducted in the public eye. Privatization is another reform where the government turns over more jobs to private sectors. A good change for our society was when the Government Performance and Results Act of 1997 were introduced. This sought to improve governmental efficiency by making agencies describe their goals and create mechanisms for evaluating their goals. Overall, our political system has proven to be stable and has succeeded. Of course, there are going to be positive and negative aspects, but, at the end, for what our nation has had to deal with in the past 228 years, we have done far better than any other country.

Evaluation Of Progesterone And Estrogen Biology Essay

Evaluation Of Progesterone And Estrogen Biology Essay Steroid hormones viz. progesterone, estrogen were estimated through TLC in a concentration and time dependent manner i.e. 2.5mg/ml, 5.0mg/ml for 30 45 minutes and, 0.2mg/ml, 0.4mg/ml for 30 45 minutes respectively. Progesterone and estrogen were stained with 50% v/v aq. solution of Conc. H2SO4 and were estimated through TLC in a concentration and time dependent manner.Different steroid hormones travel at different rates due to the differences in their attraction to the stationary phase and because of differences in solubility in the solvent. These Rf values obtained from both the hormones were then compared and it was found that there was a reasonable difference. Further, a study on the interaction of steroid hormones with fatty acids and proteins was undertaken using a spectrophotometer. Steroid hormones viz. progesterone and estrogen were made to interact with measured amounts of alcohol, stearic acid and bovine serum albumin (BSA) and their absorbance were recorded at the excita tion wavelength of 410 nm using a spectrophotometer. Progesterone (conc.2mg/ml) and estrogen (conc. 0.5mg/ml) were each mixed with 0.1 ml, 0.2ml and 0.4ml of stearic acid (conc. 0.5mg/ml) and 5 mg, 10 mg and 15 mg of BSA separately and their absorbance were noted at 410nm. A slight shift in the absorbance was found on the overall interaction of steroids: progesterone and estrogen with alcohol, stearic acid and BSA respectively, when excited to 410 nm. Thus an attempt was made to establish a valid spectrophotometric procedure for the study of interaction of steroid hormones with fatty acids and proteins. Key words: Progesterone, estrogen, stearic acid, bovine serum albumin, chromatography Running title : Evaluation of progesterone and estrogen Introduction: Steroids are a class of compounds that have a cyclopentano-perhydro-phenanthrene skeleton and that occur in nature and in synthetic products. The bile acids, androgens, estrogens, corticosteroids, ecdysteroids, sterols and vitamin D are compounds included in the class of steroids. Steroids and their metabolites are analyzed by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) in a variety of samples such as biological samples or plants and pharmaceutical formulations. TLC continues to be an important method for the determination of steroids because of its advantages. Many samples can be analyzed simultaneously and quickly at relatively low cost, multiple separation techniques and detection procedures can be applied and the detection limits are often in the low nanogram range and quantitative densitometric methods are accurate. The albumin-mediated hepatic uptakes of free fatty acids [1], bile acids and Rose Bengal [2] have been reported, but the kinetics are not sufficiently clear. It was suggested by some experimental results in vitro using a liquid membrane system (hexane source phase/bovine serum/hexane receiving phase) that the rate of uptake of steroids from blood to intracellular space is controlled not only in the free form but also in forms bound with serum proteins such as albumin [3]. Nowadays, it is commonly accepted that the fractions of steroids which bind with high affinity to plasma proteins such as globulins are less easily available to tissues. Although steroids bind with low affinity to human serum albumin (HSA), most of the circulating steroids were bound to HSA due to the high concentration of albumin [4]. Recent studies have shown that, in addition to free steroids, those bound to albumin in plasma may also be available to tissues [5]. The binding of steroids to albumin is affected by temperature, pH, fatty acid and competing ligands. Plasma levels of FFA vary throughout the day [6] and the availability of steroids to tissues is changed by FFA binding to alb umin. Serum albumin is the most abundant protein in the circulatory system, accounting for 60% of the total serum protein . In mammals, albumin is synthesized by the liver and possesses a half-life in circulation of 19 days. Its principal function is to transport fatty acids, a great variety of metabolites and drugs such as anti-coagulants, tranquilizers and general anesthetics. Serum albumin has been one of the most studied proteins for over 40 years because its primary structure is very well known for a long time and its tertiary structure was determined a few years ago by X-ray crystallography. It is known that progesterone and estrogen were bound to the same site on serum albumin (SA) [7] and consequently a competition effect exist probably between these two steroid sex-hormones. Then, even if in vivo, the balance between the progesterone and the estrogen rate was controlled by multiple mechanisms and Gleasons observation could be explained by an enhancement of the progesterone displacement to its SA binding site by estrogen when Mg2+ cation concentration increased [8]. SA is the major plasma protein responsible for the reversible binding of a wide range of drugs [9]. Extensive studies on different aspects of drug-SA interactions are still in progress because of the clinical significance of the process, especially in the case of tightly bound drugs (K > 105Mà ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1) [10]. Numerous analytical techniques are used for protein binding studies and they are continuously being added to, along with extending knowledge about the complex mechanisms involved in the drug-SA binding process [11]. It has recognized that an inverse relationship exists between the number of polar groups in a steroid and the strength of interaction with serum albumin. With the aid of a spectrophotometric procedure (12), the validity of which was established by a comparison with the method of equilibrium dialysis, the influence of structural alterations in sex steroids on the interaction with bovine serum albumin (BSA) was investigated. It was found that introduction of 0x0 or hydroxyl groups in various positions weakens this interaction, and that introduction of methyl groups has the opposite effect. Characteristic differences were noted for CY substituents in their influence on the strength of association. Furthermore, the elution profiles of gel-filtration chromatography clearly showed that progesterone and testosterone are easily liberated from the steroid/BSA complexes and that FFA potentiates the binding of these steroids to BSA. In the case of HSA, the binding affini ties of progesterone and testosterone were not greatly affected by bound FFA [13,14]. This study was undertaken towards chromatographic evaluation of progesterone and estrogen using the H2SO4 staining method and spectrophotometric analysis of the interaction of both the sex steroids with BSA and stearic acid. Materials and Methods: Drugs and chemicals: Progesterone, Estrogen, Silica gel (ACME Chemicals, India) Sulphuric acid reagent, benzene, ethyl acetate, bovine serum albumin, stearic acid, ethanol, propylene glycol TLC Equipment: All the equipments used for TLC used were from ACME synthetics, Mumbai, India. Acme applicator, TLC glass plates, Beakers, Capillary pipettes for spotting solutions, Rulers, hot plates, Gloves were used for all chemical usage. Thin layer chromatography: This  is a chromatography  technique used to separate mixtures.  Thin layer chromatography is performed on a sheet of glass, plastic, or aluminum foil, which is coated with a thin layer of  adsorbent  material, usually  silica gel, aluminium oxide, or  cellulose. This layer of adsorbent is known as the  stationary phase. After the sample has been applied on the plate, a  solvent  or solvent mixture (known as the  mobile phase) is drawn up by the plate via  capillary action. Because different  analytes ascend the TLC plate at different rates, separation is achieved. In steroid analysis, TLC is the method of choice, especially when many simultaneous analyses have to be carried out, hundreds of analyses can be performed in a short time and with small demands on equipment and space. Samples can be analyzed with minimal clean up, and analyzing a sample by the use of multiple separation steps and static post-chromatographic detection procedure is also possible because all sample components are stored on the layer without the chance of loss. The time required in TLC analysis is about 10-60 min. As little as 0.001  µg of steroids/spot can be can be detected by TLC. Using a TLC plate with thicker adsorbent layers (0.5-2 min), several grams of substance can be isolated. Sulphuric acid staining method: After plate development, the plate is dried and sprayed with a 50% v/v aqueous solution of sulfuric acid in a fume hood. The hood was exposed to extremely corrosive materials and, thus, all fittings were made of glass or acid resistant plastic. After spraying, and while still in the fume hood, the plate is heated to about 80ËÅ ¡C for about 45 minutes on a hot plate or in an oven. The solutes are partially oxidized leaving behind a charred deposit of black carbon that is easy to distinguish. This method will detect most in volatile organic compounds. Sulfuric acid spray reagent was found to be particularly suitable for differentiating natural estrogens from diethylstilbestrol in both a mixture of natural steroids and in biologic preparations under daylight as well as ultraviolet light. Solvent system: Benzene and Ethyl acetate in the ratio of 5:1 Spectrophotometric evaluation: Spectrophotometric techniques are used to measure the concentration of solutes in solution by measuring the amount of light that is absorbed by the solution in a cuvette placed in the spectrophotometer. Spectrophotometry takes advantage of the dual nature of light. Namely, light has: 1. A particle nature which gives rise to the photoelectric effect 2. A wave nature which gives rise to the visible spectrum of light. The spectrophotometer can measure the amount of light (of certain frequency) transmitted or adsorbed by the solution. This light that has not been absorbed by the solution in the cuvette, will strike the phototube. The photons of light that strike the phototube will be converted into electrical energy. This current that is produced is very small and must be amplified before it can be efficiently detected. The signal is proportional to the amount of light which originally struck the phototube and is thus an accurate measurement of the amount of light which has passed through (been transmitted by) the sample. Different compounds having dissimilar atomic and molecular interactions have characteristic absorption phenomena and absorption spectra. Concentration of every component may be found from the spectrophotometer measurements and calibration curve made using the samples of known concentration. In this study the spectrophotometer used was Ultrospec III (Pharmacia). All samples were an alysed at an absorbance of 410 nm and optical density was recorded. SULFURIC ACID SPRAY CABINET Experimental Protocols: 1) INTERACTION OF STEROIDS WITH BOVINE SERUM ALBUMIN (BSA) The sample solution consists of progesterone and estrogen mixed each with stearic acid and BSA in three different concentrations and the absorbance is noted at 410 nm. 2ml progesterone (2mg/ml) + 1 ml stearic acid (0.5mg/ml) + 5mg BSA 2ml progesterone (2mg/ml) + 1 ml stearic acid (0.5mg/ml) + 10mg BSA 2ml progesterone (2mg/ml) + 1 ml stearic acid (0.5mg/ml) + 15mg BSA 2ml estrogen (0.5mg/ml) + 1 ml stearic acid (0.5mg/ml) + 5mg BSA 2ml estrogen (0.5mg/ml) + 1 ml stearic acid (0.5mg/ml) + 10mg BSA 2ml estrogen (0.5mg/ml) + 1 ml stearic acid (0.5mg/ml) + 15mg BSA 2) INTERACTION OF STEROIDS WITH ALCOHOLS The sample solution consists of progesterone and estrogen mixed each with ethanol and propylene glycol in the following concentrations and the absorbance of each sample is noted at 410nm. 0.5ml progesterone (2mg/ml) + 2 ml ethanol 0.5ml progesterone (2mg/ml) + 2 ml propylene glycol 0.5ml estrogen (0.5mg/ml) + 2 ml ethanol 0.5ml estrogen (0.5mg/ml) + 2 ml propylene glycol 3) INTERACTION OF STEROIDS WITH STEARIC ACID The sample solution consists of progesterone and estrogen mixed each with ethanol and stearic acid in three different concentrations and the absorbance is noted at 410 nm. 0.5ml progesterone (2mg/ml) + 2 ml ethanol + 0.1 ml stearic acid(0.5mg/ml) 0.5ml progesterone (2mg/ml) + 2 ml ethanol + 0.2 ml stearic acid(0.5mg/ml) 0.5ml progesterone (2mg/ml) + 2 ml ethanol + 0.4 ml stearic acid(0.5mg/ml) 0.5ml estrogen (0.5mg/ml) + 2 ml ethanol + 0.1 ml stearic acid(0.5mg/ml) 0.5ml estrogen (0.5mg/ml) + 2 ml ethanol + 0.2 ml stearic acid(0.5mg/ml) 0.5ml estrogen (0.5mg/ml) + 2 ml ethanol + 0.4 ml stearic acid(0.5mg/ml) Results: The results of experiments conducted with chromatographic and spectrophotometric evaluation of progesterone and estrogen are depicted in Table 1 2 and Figures 1 2. The results show appreciable difference in Rf values of progesterone and estrogen depending on the elution time. Similarly the addition of BSA to the reaction mixture of progesterone and estrogen showed appreciable difference in optical density as depicted in Figures 1 2. Stearic acid (0.5mg) was also able to shift the absorbance values of progesterone. TABLE 1: Conc. H2SO4 STAINED PROGESTERONE S.NO PROGESTE- RON CONC. (mg/ml) TIME DURATION (min) DIST. MOVED BY SOLUTE (cm) DIST. MOVED BY SOLVENT (cm) RETENTION FACTOR (Rf) 1 2.5 30 6.6 7.2 0.916 2 2.5 45 9.3 9.8 0.948 3 5.0 30 6.7 7.2 0.930 4 5.0 45 9.5 9.8 0.969 0.1ml progesterone (25mg/ml) + 50% v/v aq. solution of Conc. H2SO4 0.2ml progesterone (25mg/ml) + 50% v/v aq. solution of Conc. H2SO4 SOLVENT SYSTEM: Benzene and Ethyl acetate in the ratio of 5:1 TABLE 2: Conc. H2SO4 STAINED ESTROGEN S.NO ESTROGEN CONC. (mg/ml) TIME DURATION (min) DIST. MOVED BY SOLUTE (cm) DIST. MOVED BY SOLVENT (cm) RETENTION FACTOR (Rf) 1 0.2 30 6.6 7.8 0.858 2 0.2 45 6.7 8.2 0.804 3 0.4 30 6.8 7.8 0871 4 0.4 45 6.8 8.2 0.829 0.2ml estrogen (1mg/ml) + 50% v/v aq. solution of Conc. H2SO4 0.4ml estrogen (1mg/ml) + 50% v/v aq. solution of Conc. H2SO4 SOLVENT SYSTEM: Benzene and Ethyl acetate in the ratio of 5:1 Figure 1 Figure 2 Discussion: Steroids and their metabolites are analyzed by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) in a variety of samples such as biological samples or plants and pharmaceutical formulations. TLC continues to be an important method for the determination of steroids because of its advantages [15].Many samples can be analyzed simultaneously and quickly at relatively low cost, multiple separation techniques and detection procedures can be applied and the detection limits are often in the low nanogram range and quantitative densitometric methods are accurate. The results of this study suggest the novel mechanism using concentrated H2SO4 to identify the eluted progesterone and estrogen on a thin layer chromatography plate. The results of the TLC obtained were satisfactory and although this technique is comparatively old but can be applied to find out the Rf values of the steroids in a simple manner. The benzene and ethyl acetate combination proved to be an effective mobile phase. There was some difference i n the Rf values based on the time duration of TLC but it was marginal. The results are shown in Table 1 and Table 2. To evaluate the effect of fatty acid and protein, stearic acid and BSA, we conducted studies on the absorbance using the spectrophotometer. Our results suggest that addition of BSA to the reaction mixture caused significant change in optical density in both steroids i.e progesterone and estrogen (Fig.1 2). The cellular effects elicited by estrogen and progesterone [16] covalently conjugated to membrane impermeable BSA have been attributed to non-genomic actions mediated by membrane associated hormone receptors. It has previously been established that for physiological concentrations of progesterone and albumin in the circulating blood, approximately 99% of the steroid is bound to albumin. If more than one molecule of the protein participated in the binding of one molecule of progesterone, dimerization or complexing of more than two albumin molecules would result and should be demonstrable by the viscosity and by the sedimentation behavior of the system. Determination of viscosity an d sedimentation constants under the conditions outlined in the experimental part failed to reveal any differences between the albumin solutions with and without progesterone. It was concluded from these findings that only one molecule of human serum albumin complexes with one molecule of progesterone. It would seem reasonable to assume that a similar molar relationship exists in the interaction of other steroid molecules with serum albumin. The steric relationship between the two components in the complex was investigated by measuring the strength of interaction between albumin and epimeric steroids. Such a comparison should permit conclusions as to the spatial arrangement of the interacting molecules. Thus there are multiple reasons for the change in absorbance with addition of BSA to the reaction mixture [17]. Furthermore, fatty acid tends to minimize or eliminate the well-known differences in affinity between bovine and human albumin for interactions with these two steroids [18]. The values for binding affinity in the interaction of testosterone with these batches of human serum albumin are significantly higher than those previously published by some authors and the value for progesterone-bovine albumin interaction is not in accordance with the polarity rule. Studies of these same interactions by ultraviolet difference spectroscopy give further evidence of the augmentation in binding but, in the case of defatted bovine albumin only, the aromatic difference troughs are indicative of tyrosine perturbation whereas refatted bovine albumin, defatted and refatted human albumin manifest tryptophan perturbation. Quantitative correlation of perturbation with level of bound steroid suggests that fatty acid alters the ratio (possibly hydrogen-bonded to non hydrogen-bonded) of two forms of bound ster oid. This concept gains in validity when one considers the nature of the binding forces between steroid and protein. For lack of specific knowledge as to these forces, the binding between neutral steroids and proteins may best be interpreted as mediated by hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces [19]. Common to both of these binding mechanisms is the low energy of the bond, of the order of 5 to 10 kcal per mole, which explains the ready dissociation of the complexes. Furthermore, they are highly dependent upon the distance; the van der Waals forces for spherical atoms are inversely proportional to the seventh power of the distance between the atomic centers. For efficient interaction, therefore, a close fit of the steroid and protein surfaces would be required. Whether the presence of stearic acid alone in any way alters chemical configuration and affects the absorbance by spectrophotometer can only be ascertained by specific chemical tests The change in stearic acid mediated absorbance with progesterone can be attributed to interplay of chemical forces between the steroid and the fatty acid. Studies with lauric, myristic, and palmitic acid showed that the decrease of binding affinity for progesterone was proportional to the amount of fatty acid added to albumin, and to its chain length. These results confirm and extend other findings of inhibition of progesterone binding to human albumin by saturated fatty acids. In conclusion this study describes a novel H2SO4 staining technique to visualize the sex steroids, progesterone and estrogen and a change in spectrophotometric absorbance of progesterone and estrogen by BSA and stearic acid. Legend for Figures and Tables Table 1: Table 1 describes the thin layer chromatographic evaluation of progesterone (2.5 5 mg) conducted using the concentrated H2SO4 staining technique and eluted for a duration of 30 and 45 minutes. The last column of the table shows the Rf values obtained. Table 2: Table 2 describes the thin layer chromatographic evaluation of estrogen (0.2 0.4 mg) conducted using the concentrated H2SO4 staining technique and eluted for a duration of 30 and 45 minutes. The last column of the table shows the Rf values obtained. Figure 1: Figure 2 describes the optical density values at absorbance of 410 nm obtained with estrogen (0.25 1 mg), ethanol (2ml), bovine serum albumin (10mg) and stearic acid (0.5 mg) alone or in combination. Figure 2: This figure describes the optical density values at absorbance of 410 nm obtained with progesterone (1 4 mg), ethanol (2ml), bovine serum albumin (10mg) and stearic acid (0.5 mg) alone or in combination.

The Smoking Truth :: essays research papers

The Smoking Truth   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are three major stereotypes when it comes to people who smoke. The three stereotypes are; all smokers are unhealthy, all smokers can’t stop smoking because they are so addicted, and they all started smoking to fit in with the group. Growing up I can remember everybody telling not to smoke because it was bad for you, but I never understood why until I took notice to my dad. My dad smokes maybe a half a pack a day and his teeth and clothes show it. He is always out of breath and coughing up Phlegm but you just can’t judge all smokers by just one smoker. So I chose a specific group of smokers to observe them because they were the perfect group to prove or disprove the stereotype since they resembled many of the groups of smokers around the campus. On the balcony right beside my window is the perfect place for a group of smokers to socialize because there is a nice view of Morgantown and it’s not really in the open so they have some kind of privacy to talk about what ever they want. I watched a specific group of smokers who got together about five times a day to share stories and make plans for the night to come. This group consisted to two girls and three guys. The first guy always wear’s a white West Virginia University hat turned around backwards, looks as if he works out, about five foot eleven and usually has on a T-shirt and shorts. The second guy is what you would call chubby. He’s not really sloppy fat but he’s not skinny either. He has a couple of chins and a pretty hefty gut. Like the first guy he always a white West Virginia hat with a slightly different logo and he tip’s the hat up slightly so it looks as if a strong breeze could blow it off. The third guy is huge. I think he may p lay football because I see him wake up early every morning with his gym gear on walking down the street with the other football players. He usually wears a tight t-shirt to show off his bulging muscles and a pair of Kaki shorts. The first girl has blond hair and deep blue eyes. She likes to wear tight t-shirts and pants even though she isn’t the fittest girl.

GENERAL MOTORS LEADS THE CHARGE :: essays research papers

GENERAL MOTORS LEADS THE CHARGE: The Launch of the GM Card In 1992 at a convention, Visa USA president and CEO Robert Heller belittled the arrival of non-band credit-card issuers. He joked that it wouldn’t be long before pizza parlors joined AT&T and General Motors in offering cards. Within a year he was punted and people were talking about McDonald’s having a credit card. The US Car Industry in the Early 90’s Flat demand and foreign competition made the early 90’s tough for the big three. In 1992 GM chalked up the largest annual loss in US corporate history, around $4.5 billion. Part of the solution to GM’s problem was to make better cars and make them more efficiently. That still left the issue of how cars were sold. End-of-the year rebates, cash-back, and dealer discounts were hard to control. Car buyers began to expect these incentives, so they waited and by waiting forced manufacturers to offer them earlier in the year. The GM Card In September 1992, GM teamed up with Household Bank, a major issuer of co-branded credit cards, to launch the GM Card under the MasterCard umbrella. The card allowed holders to apply 5% of their charges to the purchase or lease of a new GM car or truck. The credit was applied after the customer had negotiated his or her best deal on the vehicle. Cardholder were allowed to accumulate up to $500 a year in rebates, with a ceiling of $3500 over 7 years. GM spent $120 million on a marketing blitz. The GM Card rollout was the most successful ever in the credit-card business. After only twenty-eight days, there were one million accounts. In less than two months, there were over two million GM Card accounts, and card balances topped $500 million. The eight million-plus new accounts propelled Household Bank from 10th to 5th place among credit-card issuers. Annual charge volume on the GM Card was $5200, or two and a half times the national average. The Ford-Citibank Card In February 1993, Ford joined forces with Citibank.

“Growing Old” †a Poem by Matthew Arnold Essay

What is it to grow old? Is it to lose the glory of the form, The lustre of the eye? Is it for beauty to forego her wreath? Yes, but not for this alone. Is it to feel our strength Not our bloom only, but our strength decay? Is it to feel each limb Grow stiffer, every function less exact, Each nerve more weakly strung? Yes, this, and more! but not, Ah, ’tis not what in youth we dreamed ‘twould be! ‘Tis not to have our life Mellowed and softened as with sunset-glow, A golden day’s decline! ‘Tis not to see the world As from a height, with rapt prophetic eyes, And heart profoundly stirred; And weep, and feel the fulness of the past, The years that are no more! It is to spend long days And not once feel that we were ever young. It is to add, immured In the hot prison of the present, month To month with weary pain. It is to suffer this, And feel but half, and feebly, what we feel: Deep in our hidden heart Festers the dull remembrance of a change, But no emotion none. It is last stage of all When we are frozen up within, and quite The phantom of ourselves, To hear the world applaud the hollow ghost Which blamed the living man. Harneet Banga When we are younger we often imagine how great it would be to be older. However, when we are older, we can no longer enjoy life the way we used to, due to our physical body. Therefore the poem â€Å"Growing Old† by Matthew Arnold, basically interprets, that we should enjoy the present time we are given in life rather than looking forward to a time we think we’ll enjoy. Matthew Arnold has described the elderly people and the meaning of the poem, right through the poem, with the help of poetic devices. The specific idea of imagery of this poem appears to be related directly to the passage on old age people. For example, â€Å"Grow stiffer, every function less exact,† this quote states that once you’re older, the body of an old age person becomes stiffer, and they function less exact, this quotes states imagery because they describe how an old person feels and how their brain functions as well. In each stanza, Arnold has answered the question he posed in the first stanza which is, â€Å"What is it to grow old?† in each stanza that question is answered. Since the theme of this poem is about Old people, there are many symbols in this poem that describe the theme of the poem, and we could use this poetic device which is symbolism. The words such as, â€Å"old, wreath, last stage, stiffer, strength decay, etc† are words in the poem that symbolises growing old, basically symbolising the meaning of the poem. Simile is when you compare two nouns, and Arnold has used this device to explain how it feels to be old, â€Å"As from a height, with rapt prophetic eyes,† the words used in this example, have no common interest with one another, but it still demonstrates the meaning of the poem. Harneet Banga A dictionary definition of the word elderly will probably has something to do with mature and aged people, but the connation to describe the word elderly in the poem are, â€Å"Is it to lose the glory of the form,† or â€Å"The lustre of the eye† this is the connation version of describing the meaning of the poem, which are old people. This fantastic poem is missing one thing which would probably make this poem sound much better, which is the rhyming of the poem, it always lets people get into the poem, but unfortunately this wasn’t used in the poem. Since this poem doesn’t have a rhyme scheme, the meter of this poem is irregular; it doesn’t follow the â€Å"da Dum da Dum da Dum da Dum† style, it has come up with another original and unique style for the readers to figure out the meaning of the poem. Alliteration wasn’t common in this poem, let’s say it was hardly used; alliteration is having the same letter in one line couple o f times, â€Å"And feel but half, and feebly, what we feel:† Arnold uses this line in an alliteration way to describe how old age people feel, they basically feel in an extremely pathetically way. There are much more poetic devices used in this poem, assonance has a great impact on the poems meaning. Assonance is a repetition of the sound of vowel throughout the stanza, and in the poem they have repeated a vowel throughout a line in a stanza. For example, â€Å"Not our bloom only, but our strength decay?† the vowel â€Å"O† is used throughout this line of the poem, creating assonance and a meaning to the poem. The word old is being repeated constantly all through the poem, Arnold doesn’t say old in every stanza, but he does use similar words to describe old, and answers the question which he asked in the beginning of the poem, which is â€Å"What is it to grow old?† Matthew Arnold has described the meaning of the poem through all these poetic devices, for example the imagery is used in the poem to give us an image of an elderly person and how they feel. All these poetic devices have contributed to the poem in an extremely well manner, and with these poetic devices, the meaning of the poem became clearer.

What Are Scientific Investigation and Non-scientific Investigation?

Scientific investigation and non-scientific investigation are fields of inquiry used by scholars, policy makers, health professionals and economists among others, to acquire knowledge that explains the various forms of phenomena that exist in the natural physical environment. Science is derived from a Latin word scientia which literally means knowledge. It is a discipline that deals with the systematic process of gathering knowledge about the structure and behavior of the natural and physical world, based on facts that are measurable and can be proven by manipulation of data obtained through experiments, and observation (Gaukroger, 2006). Investigation is the process of enquiring into unfamiliar or questionable activities, thoroughly and systematically with the aim getting a solution (Bauer, 1992). Scientific investigation therefore is a method used to acquire knowledge through careful observation of facts of a situation that is unfamiliar or questionable, which helps in the development of a hypothesis from which logical predictions can be proven by way of experimentation, and manipulation of empirical data (Ziman, 2000). Non-scientific investigation on the other hand is devoid of all attributes that are scientific in nature. The careful examination, with the aim of establishing reasons for the occurrence or existence of a particular phenomenon cannot be verified with reference to data gathered by means of experiments, observations, empirical evidence or any other forms regarded as scientific. Conclusions are majorly based on claims, estimations and generalized assumptions that cannot be measured or empirically determined (Proper, 1983). Steps of scientific investigation: The first step involves informal observations of phenomena or behavior in a way that is not systematic. In the process, unique behavior might get noticed within the environment under investigation. For example, it may be observed that people are generally happier in warm sunny days. As questions about events arise, generalizations are made toward the noticed behavior through a process known as inductive reasoning. (Holyoak and Morrison, 2005). This involves using a specific characteristic to make conclusions about the general situation. For example, people are happier on warm and sunny days. The second step involves the formation of a tentative answer known as a hypothesis. A hypothesis is a proposal expressing opinion based on incomplete evidence or a concept that has not yet been verified but that if true would explain a possible relationship between or among a set of phenomena (Burks, 1977). The hypotheses are normally tested using experimental studies to determine their relevance through a series of steps that are repetitive. This provides a consistent way of predicting further results related to specific situations or phenomena (Fraassen, 1980). This begins by listing variables that are associated with the observation. A variable is a condition that has different values for different items. For example, other variables associated with warm sunny days and happiness could be weather and health. There now arises two possible explanations for the observation made; that people are less likely to get colds and flu which limits depression and makes them happy, and people are happier in warm sunny days because the weather is bright and welcoming. At this point, one between the two observations is selected forming the hypothesis which is subjected to further investigation to determine whether it is true or false. Thirdly, is the use of the hypothesis to generate a prediction, which can be tested. This involves applying the hypothesis to a specific real-world situation that can be observed (Patten, 2004). At his level, logic is used to make a prediction through a process known as deductive reasoning where the prediction starts from a general statement to one that is specific (Patton, 2002). For example, if the hypothesis states that less depression is as a result of better lighting, a specific prediction is that, increasing lighting of a building on the ground floor should decrease depression among employees working on that floor. The fourth step is to evaluate the prediction by undertaking the actual research to provide a fair and unbiased result by observing if the hypothesis is correct (Bunge, 1998). Finally, observations are used to back, refute, or to refine the original. This is based on the extent to which observations agree with predictions. If they agree, new predictions can be set and tested. If not, then the hypothesis needs to be revised because it is wrong. The scientific process is a repetitive, circular, spiral process and not a linear process (Maleske, 2005). Other elements of scientific investigation All scientific investigations must be objective. They should not be influenced by personal feelings or opinions of the party carrying out the investigation but rather by facts that can be proven (Neuman, 2006). This reduces the eventuality of biased interpretations and conclusions of results from an investigation. Scientific investigations must be documented. Official records should be kept for use as evidence or proof that investigation on a particular phenomenon actually took place. This would lend credibility to the process in case any there is need for further investigation (Krippendorff, 2004). Another basic expectation is to archive all documented work resulting from scientific investigation. This involves storage of information that is not often needed into various forms of storage media like tapes, disks, paper, and slides for future reference. Data and methodology from scientific investigations must be shared to allow for careful scrutiny by other scientists. This allows other researchers the opportunity to carefully scrutinize results and also verify them by attempting to reproduce them through a practice called full disclosure (Holton, 1988). Finally, scientific investigations must allow for statistical measures of reliability of the data to be established. Non-scientific investigation Non-scientific investigation is a process of inquiry into particular phenomena existing in the natural physical environment in a manner that is not systematic. The major aspects of non-scientific investigation are qualitative in nature, in the sense that the process of inquiry is not based on facts and data that is measurable and can be empirically manipulated to arrive at conclusions but reasoned explanations, estimations, generalized assumptions and comparisons form the basis of non-scientific investigation (Salmon, 1990). Forms of non-scientific investigation Tenacity is used to acquire knowledge from habit or superstition. Repetitive and predictable events form the basis upon which knowledge is acquired. There is no actual observation and examination of variables through research. As Stanovich (2007) observes, the element of repetitiveness and predictability hold a critical place in the field of science. Intuition is another form of non-scientific investigation through which knowledge is acquired. The substance of the matter under investigation is determined by a hunch or feeling that could be emotionally motivated or not (Stanovich, 2007). Through keen observation or by reading other sources, feelings and emotions may be invoked triggering studies that end up on conclusions being made. The nature of conclusions depends on the emotional disposition of the investigator. Authority by experts is another form of non-scientific investigation (Thurs, 2007). This is simply derived from the idea that expert opinion is based on information acquired earlier through various forms. Due to the fact that individual experts are expected to offer leadership in their areas of specialization, they easily contribute information which is presumed to be knowledge. Rationalism is another form of non-scientific investigation where knowledge is acquired from reasoning and making of logical conclusions (Audi, 1999). Simply put, rationalism is based on appeal to logic. However, logic may not necessarily explain phenomena as certain information may be convincing though such may fail the knowledge test. Lastly is empiricism which relates to acquisition of knowledge from direct sensory observation (Keeton, 1962). This is heavily dependent on the five senses possessed by a human being including the sense of touch, smell, taste, sound and sight. Conclusion Scientific and non-scientific investigation offer useful skills of inquiry that can be used hand in hand. These two processes complement each other throughout the whole investigative process to bring about a more comprehensive and tangible investigation (McComas, 2002). The steps under scientific investigation are punctuated by elements of non-scientific investigation giving it substance and credibility that is necessary for the process to be complete. The following non-scientific forms of investigation roughly show the correlation that exists with the scientific forms, observation (method of empiricism), reading other researchers’ articles (method of authority) (MacMorris, 1989). For an investigation to be deemed complete and comprehensive, scientific investigation and non-scientific investigation must be used together.

Assignment Math Problem Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Assignment - Math Problem Example The multiple regression analysis helps in examining relationship between one continuous dependent variable with one or more continuous independent variables. The regression analysis uses numeric data for analysis. In the field of public affairs, a researcher usually has to study various variables to quantify effect of one variable to other. In the case researcher does not include other factors affecting a particular variable it would lead to a particular bias known as ‘omitted variable biases. Multiple regression analysis helps in removing this bias by dealing with large number of explanatory variables. The study of these variables helps in asserting hypothesis wrong or vice-versa. This helps in identifying and generalizing the research findings for a larger population. The sample size needs to be sufficient for the analysis. The t-test or ANOVA is used with the data where variables are categorical and continuous. The mean scores of the groups are compared in order to understan d the difference between the groups. In the case of public affair, this analysis helps to test the probability differing two means. The correlation studies help in conducting rigorous research that can be done in order to understanding the nature of relationship between the variables. The correlation study helps in testing the validity of the research. The paired variables are linked with each other. The scatter plot produced to graphically present the correlation of a variable with the help of a linear line. The more is the gap between points from the straight line, the higher will be the weakness of relationship between those two variables. The direction refers to the slope of the scatter point. The variables can be in positive or negative relationship. The difference in one variable will have corresponding changes in the other variable. The positive correlation provides us information about the nature of change towards one another. The negative correlation shows that the change i s opposite direction. The correlation method is an appropriate method to examine the relationship of meaningful data. The data should be quantifiable. The correlation cannot be examined using categorical data. The correlation and regression studies are used for testing hypothesis and determining cause-and-effect relationships. The associated variables are studied for the association and the nature of association. There are various benefits of correlation test. This can help in predicting and helps in validating. This is a reliable method and helps in verifying theory. The Pearson coefficient is used when the variables are continuous. This requires one independent and one dependent variable. For example if there is a need to study the level of awareness of a social-environmental sustainability programs among different genders and its relation with success of program in particular geographic region. The level of awareness and the difference of awareness among the population can be und erstood by the correlation study. The regression analysis will help in identifying if the level of awareness was linked to the level of success of program. The t-test can help in accepting or rejecting the hypothesis that success of progra

Econ Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Econ - Essay Example This should not be astonishing, as transaction cost economics was formulated in the first place to assist in explaining the presence and structure of firms, and of by far and large economic institutions and these are fundamental aspects in the area of strategic management. Undoubtedly, of all the developed recent branches of economics, transaction cost economics has the most apparent resemblance with strategic management. Within the field of strategic management, transaction cost economics is the foundation in which economic thoughts, business frameworks, and organizational theory meet. Due to its emphasis on institutional element, rather than statistical demonstration, it has wider spectators among non-economists than other subfields of organizational economics. The resemblance comes from similar sectors of inquiry. They as well acquire from a similar intellectual mode, which motivates inquiry into the justifications for particular institutional aspects. Not astonishingly, the clinical investigations carried out by strategy researchers and economic historians as well have aided influence the progress of transaction cost economics (Dosi 1998). This paper will review the intellectual accounts of strategic management and determines the influence of transaction cost economic on the discipline. Thereby, it demonstrates the wide array of managerial economics topics and dimensions to which transaction cost principle valuably applies. Transaction cost economics aims to give details on the reasons an agreement has a definite structure and has specific attributes, and this micro-analytical preciseness has great appeal for academics of strategic management, who have a clear-cut empathy for disaggregation (Buckley 1996). Furthermore, the transaction cost economics paradigm is clearly comparative and facilitates one to mention something regarding the efficiency components of various

Understanding Stock Options Information Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Understanding Stock Options Information - Essay Example Understand how accumulation or distribution (Accumulation, the buying of stock, distribution is the sale of stock.), forecast the future expectation of stocks or options. Ascending and Descending tops P. 15 International Encyclopedia of Technical Analysis Page 15 and 16,), these illustrations show ascending and descending price top transitions, from time period- to- time period, that trail stock directions.Volatility charts show extremes —specifically, option volatility charts show relationships between puts, calls, strike prices, and expiration dates. Assumption associations are derived from historical patterns, price patterns,and supply and demand relationship. Historical relationships signal the likeness of direction, whereas, price patterns point to quantity of decrease and increase. â€Å"Market factors (Interest rate changes, economic conditions, political factors, announced pending acquisitions.), are already incorporated into current market price per share. If demand exceeds supply, the stock price will increase, and vice versa.†(International Encyclopedia Page 16 and 17, J. Siegel, J. Shim, A Qureshi, J Brauchler). Charts are technical, and fundamentals play little or no roll when the technician makes decisions to buy or sell. He’s only interested in charts — usually 50 or 200 day moving average charts, volume, and the accumulation or distribution of a stock. WHAT ARE OPTIONS?Options have basic uses. One, to hedge—using options to safeguard against the underlying stock reducing in value.... Understand how accumulation or distribution (Accumulation, the buying of stock, distribution is the sale of stock.), forecast the future expectation of stocks or options. (Ascending and Descending tops P. 15 International Encyclopedia of Technical Analysis Page 15 and 16,), these illustrations show ascending and descending price top transitions, from time period- to- time period, that trail stock directions. Volatility charts show extremes -specifically, option volatility charts show relationships between puts, calls, strike prices, and expiration dates. Assumption associations are derived from historical patterns, price patterns, and supply and demand relationship. Historical relationships signal the likeness of direction, whereas, price patterns point to quantity of decrease and increase. "Market factors (Interest rate changes, economic conditions, political factors, announced pending acquisitions.), are already incorporated into current market price per share. If demand exceeds supply, the stock price will increase, and vice versa." (International Encyclopedia Page 16 and 17, J. Siegel, J. Shim, A Qureshi, J Brauchler) Charts are technical, and fundamentals play little or no roll when the technician makes decisions to buy or sell. He's only interested in charts - usually 50 or 200 day moving average charts, volume, and the accumulation or distribution of a stock. WHAT ARE OPTIONS Options have basic uses. O ne, to hedge-using options to safeguard against the underlying stock reducing in value. Much the same way as an insurance policy pays upon death, a put option pays (Or goes up in value.) as the underlying stock goes down.

Advanced Investment and Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Advanced Investment and Theory - Essay Example He identified that past, present and discounted future events can be found from market price but they show no significant relation with respect to price changes. According to him if the market cannot predict its fluctuations then it does assess them as being more or less likely and this likelihood can be found out mathematically. During the first half of the twentieth century there have been many emerging theories on speculative markets. But earlier literature did not sit easily with beliefs of practitioners. According to Bachelier the commodity prices vary randomly. Later Jones, Cowles (1937) and Working (1934) showed that the US stock prices also shared similar characteristics. But these studies did not surfaced out until the late 1950s. Many studies were done regarding the difficulty in beating the equity market. Cowles (1933) concluded that there was no evidence of any ability to outperform the market. He later provided evidence on large number of sample stock for longer time per iod and came out with similar results. Kendall (1953) performed an experiment on 22 UK stock and commodity price series. He found that in a series of prices that were studied at fairly close intervals the random changes from one price to another was so large that it ruled out any systematic effect. Basically the data behaved like a wandering series. This observation was inconsistent with the views of economist and it came to be known as random walk theory or random walk model. This led to a major challenge for the market analyst who tried to predict future path of security prices. Osborne (1959) studied US stock prices and found that common stock prices have characteristics similar to movement of molecules. Despite such evidence of randomness there were few instances of anomalous behaviour, certain price series appeared to follow predictable paths. This comprised of a

Aristotle's constitution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Aristotle's constitution - Essay Example (Moore, 1983:144). The constructive forward-thinking characteristics that shaped Athenian democratic government give the modern world its actual derivation of the word democracy. The demesmen or citizens of Athens came together astutely to set up representative power in order to supercede the earlier oligarchic control by the aristocracy. According to the Athenian Constitution the prevailing governing assembly or Ekklesia was comprised of all registered Athenian males over eighteen years of age whose parents were citizens of Athens (Moore, 1983:182). Ephebes, the newly-registered Athenian young adults, were required to undergo military training for a year and serve on patrol as guards for another year prior to attaining to full citizenship (Moore, 1983:184). The councils of decision-makers, with the exception of a few elected officials, as well as the jurors were selected by lot from each of the tribes of the deme. The Council members that drew up the program for the plenary session once for each prytany or term (Moore, 1983:142) were also chosen by lot every year from the citizenry, and the resolutions of the Boule answered to the courts of the people or dikasterion (Moore, 1983:185). Nearly everything was determined by lot, whether it was the office of the King Archon and the Polemarch (Moore, 1983:195) or the free market advisers (Moore, 1983:191), most Athenians were selected for civic duties by chance. The chairman of the Prytanies or the committee of the Boule or Council, who kept the city seal and held the keys to the place where the treasury and public records were stored, was rotated in that office daily and could not serve twice (Moore, 1983:186). Casting lots was the usual means of appointment with two notable exceptions. First, in the religious sphere ten sacred officials in charge of expiation were elected to offer the sacrifices required by the oracles for religious rites. Another ten of these were chosen by lot to oversee the annual rituals (Moore, 1983: 194). Secondly, in the area of the armed services all military leaders were likewise elected officials. Cavalry commanders and military officers were chosen by the Prytany. Ten strategoi or generals, were elected from the whole citizenry and served more generally as a court of chief magistrates (Moore, 1983:142), but these magistrates were always answerable to the electorate as to their conduct in office, and with the vote of the Prytany could be tried in the dikasterion or the public courts for any violations of electoral trust (Moore, 1983:201). The fact that sacred and military offices would have been important elected positions is not surprising in that these responsibilities concern public matters that are of weighty importance in the management and stability of the public well-being. Both require well thought-out choices for competent and worthy individuals in order to guarantee the security of the state, unlike other duties which ought to be representative and inclusive of all citizens, such as jury duty and the day-to-day matters of governance, as well as initial service in the lower ranks of the military. Athenian democracy is not entirely similar to modern concepts of genuine participatory rule by the people. Athens' Constitution, like any modern constitution, set out the design and ideal of the democracy it