Antisocial Personality Disorder

Antisocial Personality Disorder Guadalupe Guizar Reyes HACC South West February 1, 2012 Antisocial Personality Disorder Often most people don’t understand the real issue behind Antisocial Personality Disorder and has been made clear that previous studies show that most personality disorders if not all begin by displaying symptoms during early childhood. Although very little is done about ASPD, whether it being due to lack of knowledge or not wanting to admit failure of flaw in your family, this article while far from perfect does a well job in declaring all the important aspects in the disorder.The website itself is very organized and highly informative, presenting most frequently asked questions and answering them in terms that any person with any type of educated level can comprehend. What causes antisocial personality disorder? How is it treated? What happens if it gets untreated? Questions that any person who is looking into this particular disorder whether it be for resea rch of relevant to you or someone you know in which you want to seek help for will find most constructive.The website is not only informative but also beneficial to someone who is looking for treatment, possessing a section in which you can seek for help near you. It contains many tools that are easily accessible, useful to those in search for a specific disorder. They include a section called â€Å"Patient Discussions† where previous patients may comment on a question for instants, what treatment has been effective for your antisocial personality disorder? While not a personal question it can be quite discouraging for those who have yet to find an effective way to deal or cope with their disorder may lose interest or hope in receiving treatment. To date†¦ nothing has even remotely changed about my antisocial personality disorder and have been in and out of mental institutions most of my life. † (author last name, date, page number) The content on the page is easy on the eyes, black text on a black background, making it readable to keep visitors from leaving the site while making the website look polished and professional. The negative input to the content is that although readable, every section is in the same style format, color making it difficult to istinguish one section from another. The website contains many links to other information on different types of disorders containing their symptoms, treatment, causes and other informative data all at the reach of one website making it counterproductive. The website contains features on how to distinguish one disorder from another and how from afar you can characterize the disorder, which is quite useful to those who may think a loved one maybe in need of treatment but are unsure of how to go about it.Despite the lack of space on the website it makes up with different alternatives on how the disorder can be treated, therapy for instants â€Å"For example, teenagers who receive therapy, helps them change the thinking that leads to their maladaptive behavior (cognitive behavioral therapy) has been found to significantly decrease the incidence of repeat antisocial behaviors. † The website contains good factors, it’s easy to navigate and locate particular sections you’re most interested in and everything located under one website.If by chance that there is something distinct you are searching for and cant seem to find located at the top left hand corner is a search section where it’ll lead you different website with similar traits. The website is good for all who are interested in ASPD or any specific medical condition whether it is for personal knowledge or seeking guidance and help. It will give you a clear understanding of these medical conditions and awareness. http://www. medicinenet. com/antisocial_personality_disorder/article. htm

Review of Related Literature and Studies Essay

This chapter deals with the review of Literatures and Studies. It also presents the synthesis of the review and its relevance to the present study. Related Literature AMA student Kariz Reinalyn B. Galano (et. al. Don Ricardo C. Lazaro, Rozmaigne Ann L. Sebastian, Kevin Patrick E. Viesca) (2012) cited in their approved thesis proposal at present ACLC has three hundred sixty five students enrolled. The institution is currently using a manual system in their Library and has weak security. Students can borrow books but need to return it within 5 school days. There is no proper monitoring on books being returned. There are no penalties imposed to the students as well. The only way the librarian will find out if there are still pending books not returned is during the end of semester at the inventory period. The librarian then will not sign the clearance of the students who failed to return the books. Another problem is the list of inventory of books. The students need to go and ask for the librarian’s assistance in order for them to search for the books. Karen Foss (2010), Library Director of the Catawba County Library System in Newton, North Carolina has expressed that it is difficult to find materials to help new public library managers cultivate their professional development. Most of the research and writings on library management have focused on academic libraries and only recently has there been more interest in the administration of public libraries. The skill and style of public library managers – the directors, branch managers, and department and service managers who are leading these institutions – strongly affects the culture of a public library. Library staff looks to these managers to help them navigate through the rapid changes that are occurring in public libraries as these changes in technology, roles, and user expectations strongly alter their daily routines of public service. Contemporary library managers need a wider array of skills and attributes than their earlier and more traditional counterparts and will need to seek continual professional development to remain effective as public libraries transition into the twenty-first century. These managers will also need to distinguish between management and leadership skills and learn to identify and mentor leaders within their staff who can assist in the transition. According to Alvin javelosa (2011) library is a collection of books, resources, and services, and the structure in which it is housed; it is organized for use and maintained by a public body, an institution, or a private individual. The term â€Å"library† has itself acquired a secondary meaning: â€Å"a collection of useful material for common use,† and in this sense is used in fields such as computer science, mathematics, statistics, electronics and biology. this study will help the library personnel or the librarian in monitoring the books accurately. Further, the use of cataloguing will be made easier through an advance system provided by this study. The librarian is encountering problems in doing transactions like borrowing books, checking the availability of books, returning and accessioning of books because all the transactions are being done manually. The process is time consuming. This proposed system will provide their library a computerized system making it more organized and easy to access. The advantage of this study is to make their current system more effective and efficient. This computerized library system is a transaction processing system (TPS) that will provide a convenient cataloguing, inventory, monitoring, accessioning, borrowing, returning, security and retrieving of records. html) According to Mohd Fairuz Anwar Bin Mahadi (2005), The Library management system will store all the books and members information that consist book number, book title, author name and racks to the system database. The system also provides search function to help students find the book by number of book. Search functions will search through the books database to look for the book and view where the book is situated. For the administrator user, only librarians have access to view or edit data from the system databases. Administrator user will handle administrative functions such create new LMS user account and decide the number of days allowed for the borrowed books. User needs to enter correct password and user id before user can access this function. From here, user can add, delete or update the book and borrower database. (http://library. utem. edu. my/index2. php? option=com_docman&task=doc_view&gid=3761&Itemid=208) According to Donna M. Salinas (2010) Library is the best place in the school where the students review and study. It is the place where students study so our group aims to improve the manual operation of the library system. We thought of something that makes the time of students and library personnel decreases for searching and borrowing of books. (http://www. scribd. com/doc/56632694/library-system) Related Studies: According to Shelagh (2001) Fisher library management system is becoming marginalized in the context of ICT developments currently taking place within the library sector because suppliers have failed to keep up with such developments, or have been more concerned with keeping up with the changes in the core functions. The aim of this research, therefore, was to determine the feasibility of developing and disseminating a model system specification which could be used to assist and guide libraries in the procurement of library management systems. The premise was that if a core set of requirements for library management systems, as articulated by purchasing libraries, could be identified, it followed that it would be feasible to develop a model specification or ‘toolkit’ on which procuring libraries could draw. Identification of a potential core set of requirements could be identified primarily by undertaking analyses of  specifications produced by libraries for the tendering process in acquiring a library management system. Thus forty-one specifications were collected from libraries which had recently acquired a library management system, and these were subjected to various levels of analysis. The results are reported in Section 4. Secondly, it was decided that as library system suppliers were in receipt of large numbers of specifications produced by procuring library authorities they were in a strong position to comment on the feasibility, and desirability, of developing a model specification. Thus, a survey of UK system suppliers was undertaken to determine the collective view of suppliers on the role, content, quality and usefulness of the specification as a procurement tool. The results of the survey are reported in Section 5. A detailed account of the methods used in this Study is provided in Section 3. The next section (Section 2) provides a review of the literature on the role and content of specifications, and identifies weaknesses in approaches to producing specifications for the purchase of library systems. (et. al. Rachel Delbridge, Sian Lambert) (http://www. cerlim. ac. uk/projects/harmonise/harmonise. pdf). According to Veronica Adamson (2008) Changes in society and technology are impacting significantly on UK HE libraries and consequently on their management systems. Demographic changes, political and economic drivers are affecting university services and funding structures, and a ‘new realism’ of pragmatic economic and business considerations presides. (JISC & SCONUL LMS Study Report, March 2008) Library management systems have developed in response to technical advances and user requirements, mainly in developing electronic interfaces, refining standards and access protocols, purchasing and acquisition processes and cataloguing systems. Increasing globalization of goods, services and communities means that technical platforms are now developed on an international basis and implemented for a worldwide network of users and contributors. A new market for library services and information provision has emerged, with Google and Amazon as a de facto paradigm and metaphor for discovery and delivery. Perceptions of the role and function of the university library are changing, developing and often conflicting, particularly in relation to the provision for collection and circulation, resource discovery, ownership and control, personalization  and seamless access to resources. Enhancing usability and accessibility for an increasingly diverse user community is of increasing importance for libraries. Today’s library users expect speed and immediacy of information discovery, one-stop access to aggregated services, user-generated open content, and personalized, workflow-related delivery to the desktop. (et. al. Paul Bacsich, Ken Chad, David Kay, Jane Plenderleith) (http://www. jisc. ac. uk/media/documents/programmes/resourcediscovery/lmsstudy. pdf). According to Herrera C Rocio (1987) the work habits of users in any activity requiring information, the importance they attach to obtaining it and the facilities at their disposal, their knowledge of these facilities, their assessment of their value and the possibility of their obtaining what they are looking for are the factors that affect user behaviour in the quest for information. The behaviour of the users of university libraries specifically is affected, in addition to the above factors, by others directly related to the university environment, such as teaching methods and the type of education provided. The country’s education system is a teaching-learning process largly consisting in an essentially repetitive pattern in which the student consumes and reproduces the concepts transmitted by the teacher. This model is mainly based on the university lecture system, in which the teacher simply gives a course of study and provides the pupil with a brief bibliography consisting basically of texts. The result has been that education has not become a critical and creative process and library resources have accordingly been under-utilized. As regards the response to the information services provided by university libraries, it can be said that research workers do not use the services properly since the role of the library as an agent for the transfer of information has been disregarded in the research process, this type of user tending to acquire information through informal channels of communication, such as personal contacts with other colleagues. In its turn, the library has neglected its task as a constituent part of the research enterprise, forgetting that one of the priorities of the university, in addition to its teaching role, is that of research, which is the source of much knowledge of benefit not only to the university but also to the community in general. The university library should pay special attention to ascertaining not only the specific information needs of each type of user but also user behaviour patterns in the information retrieval process, in order that these needs may be met and the factors responsible for the non-use of the library restricted to a minimum. This will be achieved through an appropriate methodology for conducting user studies, which will then provide guidelines for the organization of user training or instruction courses aimed at the various groups. These courses will influence the future response of users to information services. Since user behaviour in the information retrieval process determines the level of library-user interaction, continual monitoring by the librarian of changes in that behaviour is necessary. These changes are dependent not only on information needs but also on the possible impact of the introduction of new services. This shows that, over and above the matter of training in the use of library resources, user behaviour presents a number of special features, largely reflecting the fact that the information needs of those concerned are not well defined and that their request for information are consequently vague and very general. It follows that library staff should bear in mind their active role in promoting and publicizing their services and resources since, despite the continual emphasis placed on the role of information in development, it has been shown that users tend to dispense with non-essential information, the usual practice being to rely on memory, to evade the problem or to solve it with vague or incomplete information. However, it should not be overlooked that there is another group of users who consult libraries actively and effectively in order to satisfy their information needs; although accessibility influences the use that they make of resources, the most important thing for this group is their confidence and faith in the information system. (c Loreto M. Libia and Rua R. Ivan) (http://www. unesco. org/webworld/ramp/html/r8722e/r8722e0l. htm) According Neelakdan,B (2010) a sincere attempt has been made towards finding out ways and means for automating activities in the School of Chemistry Library. The objective of this study is to use the Koha Open Source software system for the automation of the major day ­ to ­day activities of the various section of the School of Chemistry Library, which is tiresome and cumbersome. After the investigation, the researcher has found that Koha Software is more suitable for the library Automation. This project had the basic objective of designing a bibliographic database for the School of Chemistry library, with which the automation of circulation routines is carried out. From this point of view it may be concluded that Koha is a useful package for the creation of a database and for information retrieval. This set of Manuals for the automation of circulation section is tested with the database created from the collection of chemistry department library. A sample database for a few thousand works and a database of the users/borrowers are created. With that test sample the Manuals for each function of the circulation section is tested with the available computer system. Koha is an integrated software system with all the required models for small to very large libraries. It is found that this automation projects will serve as a model for any library. (http://www. ipublishing. co. in/jarvol1no12010/EIJAER1014. pdf) According to Dio P. Doble (2011) A college strengthens its educational level through the advancement of its library. The Botolan Community College Computerized Library System aimed to enhance the procedures of the library, from manually operated to a computerized system. This proposal’s purpose was to ease the transactions in the library, i,e. , leading of books, storing of books, search engine for books, manage members of the library and secure the library system. The librarian and the library users still use the manual way of transacting of borrowing and returning of books. The librarian use log books in listing the books. They use library cards and card catalogues in searching for reading and reference materials. (http://www. scribd. com/doc/99431218/Computerized-Library-System).

Communications Scenario Essay

Effective office communications are not always easy. To communicate with one’s coworkers in a manner that is professional and efficient takes effort on all parties involved in the conversation. When speaking to a member of the opposite sex, one must be aware that differences exist in the way in which messages are sent and how messages are received. In the attached scenario, two peers must work together to run the business while their manager is away. Unfortunately, the communication between Mary and Steve in the scenario below was not very successful, professional, or effective. 1. If Steve were addressing a male coworker instead of Mary, would he have chosen to communicate in the same way? Men and women communicate differently. Because this has been proven in multiple studies throughout the years, one should recognize this and be aware of these differences when dealing with members of the opposite sex in business communication opportunities. Unfortunately, emotions tend to overcome common sense sometimes and communication breakdowns occur. Cynthia Burggraf Torppa, PhD, (n. . ) states that â€Å"Although at times differences in women’s and men’s communication styles seem to be constant and overwhelming, they are really quite minor. For example, both women and men can be nurturing, aggressive, task-focused, or sentimental. What is important to think about, however, is that women and men sometimes perceive the same messages to have different meanings. In fact, it may be as a result of the differences in message interpretation that the â€Å"battle of the sexes† occurs. Studies indicate that women, to a greater extent than men, are sensitive to the interpersonal meanings that lie â€Å"between the lines† in the messages they exchange with their mates. † If Steve were addressing a male coworker, he would have spoken the same way. What should have happened differently is that Steve should have been more aware of how Mary would have responded to the way he presented his problem. Men and women could more effectively communicate if the opposite sex had a heightened awareness to how each interprets messages differently. Men, because they tend to compartmentalize their communication into a smaller part of the brain, tend to be better at getting right to the issue, the more female brain (will) gather a lot of material, gather a lot of information, feel a lot, hear a lot, sense a lot. † (Gurian, 2005) 2. If Mary was treated in the same fashion by a female coworker, would she have responded in the same way? Mary may have reacted somewhat differently if this communication had occurred with a female coworker. She may have been more at ease communicating with another woman. However, in times of stress, people react in different ways. Many women, like Mary, tend to like to confide in others in order to obtain someone else’s point of view on the situation while others may choose to confront the situation head-on in an attempt to find a solution that makes everyone happy. 3. How was this exchange perceived by the male and female employees who overheard it? If others overheard this exchange, the males and females may have had very different view of how the communication was handled and what the real message being sent was. Many have said that women tend to let their personal feelings get too involved in the work environment and tend to take things personally. Men, on the other hand, are said to be able to not let personal feelings get in the way. Other women who may have overheard the exchange may tend to side with Mary, perceiving Steve as being a â€Å"typical man† who is unable to communicate his feelings in an adult fashion. Other men who may have overheard the exchange may have wondered what the problem was but would have been more inclined to ignore the exchange. Employees who observed Mary’s action of resorting to seek comfort from another female employee may believe that Mary is insecure about her role as a manager. As acting managers, both Steve and Mary should have kept the differences out of the view of teammates. Employees should not be witness to a disagreement between two managers and the destruction of the reputation is furthered by the way Mary sought comfort by discussing the situation with a coworker and by Steve slamming the door. While the CFO is away, Mary and Steve need to have a private conversation to work through the differences that have been displayed. Good communication skills and listening skills will be critical in this situation. Each will have to â€Å"flex† their normal personality styles to be able to communicate effectively and work through this scenario. A solid front must be presented to the rest of the team so show that issues can be worked through and that both Mary and Steve are capable of being in charge in the CFO’s absence. Scenario Mary Smith and Steve Johnson have equal roles in management positions at Company X, Y, and Z. They have been asked to work and make decisions together, while the CFO is away on business. An issue has developed, on which Mary and Steve disagree. While discussing the issue on the phone with Mary, Steve abruptly yells, â€Å"You aren’t listening to me,† and hangs up. A shocked Mary goes to another female employee to discuss how unfairly she feels she is being treated by Steve. Meanwhile, Steve has slammed his office door to brood alone. Do Mary and Steve not like one another? Do they not work well together? The answer is probably no to both questions. The cause of the distress is likely due to the ineffectiveness of their inter-gender communication, fueled in part by the stressful task of filling in for the CFO. Mary and Steve were communicating in stereotypical male/female patterns. Steve aggressively vented his anger at Mary and Mary meekly retreated to the solace of a fellow female employee, instead of confronting Steve. Each individual is unique; however, there are biological, social and cultural factors that influence how we communicate with the opposite sex.

Recidivism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Recidivism - Essay Example In the paragraphs to follow, light shall be shed upon the reasons for recidivism, the measures taken to reduce the recidivism rate, the problems encountered in carrying out those measures, and most importantly, the methods used to measure the recidivism in a society and the problems encountered in attaining an accurate measure of the recidivism. Over 60% of the people released in 1994 were rearrested within 3 years for a severe violation of the law. A startling 25% of the law violators were convicted to prison over a fresh criminal offence and 46.9% were reconvicted. 2.5% of the law breakers previously arrested for rape were rearrested for another rape and statistics for homicide also showed a similar pattern as 1.2% homicide convicts were rearrested for committing another homicide (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2007). Non-sex offenders made up the larger part of the repetition of the offences as compared to sex-offenders. It was observed that non-sex offenders were about six times less likely to be convicted for a repetition of a sex offense. When analyzing Recidivism, it is important to delve into the intricacies of Habitual Offenders and Psychopathy. Both subjects are brought under extensive analysis when a system to reduce recidivism is required. Habitual Offenders Habitual Offenders are law breakers who are classified to have a tendency to commit repetitions of a crime. Legislation is designed to discourage habitual offending tendencies and rehabilitation programs are designed and implemented to allow for habitual offenders to curb and eventually eliminate their tendency to repeat offences. Habitual Offenders are given the highest level of significance by law enforcing agencies in not only western countries but also in eastern countries where habitual offenders are often subjected to constant surveillance (Duhaime, 2008). Law enforcement agencies in certain countries exercise a policy to bring in habitual offenders for questioning when a crime has been committed that can be related to the nature of offence that the habitual offenders are known for. Psychopathy Psychopathy is defined as a bent of mind to commit a crime simply for the sake of breaking it and any amusement or thrill that it gives to the offender (Arkowitz & Lilienfeld, 2007). The term Psychopathy is often substituted by the term sociopathy, however the core of the matter remains the very same. It is a behavioral tendency to carry out destructive actions because of a mindset that is more than often defined as a personality disorder. Psychopathy is one of the most studied and researched of issues under Recidivism because most recidivism offenders are recorded to either be psychopaths or have shown streaks of behavior that can be defined psychopathic. It is important to high light here that media based portrayals of psycho-pathetic behavior are more than often exaggerated and deviate from what the actual mindset of the psychopath. Traditional studies have outlined Psychopathy to be a mix of traits that include a tendency towards egocentricity deceit, manipulative outlook towards achieving desires and a severe deficiency of remorse regarding any activities (Hare, 1996).

Apple SWOT analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Apple SWOT analysis - Essay Example Apple statement further elaborates that currently, the company still leads the industry though innovative technologies that have resulted in ward winning computers, operating systems, iLife, and other professional applications. Furthermore, the statement narrates that Apple is setting benchmarks in the global market though launching of IPod portable music, iTunes online store, video players, and has even managed a groundbreaking entrance in the phone market through iPhone. Besanko et al (2009) further elaborates that a mission statement should tell more about what an organization believes in and not what it makes. Telling prospective customers about what a one believes in touches a nerve in the target market, leading to customer loyalty. After development of an inspiring mission statement in the mind, it is essential to consider what makes the brand tick. Precisely, it is essential to come up with something that taps into the emotions of the target customers, something that comes fro m culture rather than from products. In other words, the mission statement should focus on the targeted market or markets and not the products offered. It should mention the long-term benefits that the buyers are going to enjoy (Besanko et al, 2009). For companies such as Apple, the internet, among other media, can be used to send this message to millions of potential customers after devising such a mission statement. It can be posted in the company’s website or on social sites such as FaceBook and Twitter. Evidently, Apple’s current mission statement focuses more on what this company makes rather than what it believes in. It focuses on the products it produces rather than the way buyers will benefit in the long-term. Though such an approach it the company is committed to developing quality products, it hardly touches the emotions of customers. Thus, it rarely contributes to the development of brand loyalty among prospective customers the company. An alternative missio n statement for Apple could detail that Apple Inc. is committed to engaging in sustainable practices in order to protect health of surrounding environment and of customers, workers, surrounding community and other stakeholders. Through the mission, the company has to show commitment in offering innovative technological products and services while protecting the health of all stakeholders and conserving resources for future generations. Moreover, Apple through the mission statement has to portray that it has to detail that it undertakes to continuously strive to improve our products to meet the ultimate needs and desires of our customers. This mission statement is better since it resonates with the long-term needs of the customers and hence, contributes to development of consumer loyalty (Besanko et al, 2009). Strengths To start with, Apple has gained market leadership in its industry through ability to come up with innovative and high quality products such as iPhone, iPod, iPad and Mac. IPod, for instance, holds the largest market share (66%) of digital music globally due to first mover advantages in the industry (Yoffie, 2012). Yoffie further explains that the nearest competitor accounts for only 9.9% of the global market share. Generally, Apple uses its innovativeness to

Personal Report for Financial Services Term Paper

Personal Report for Financial Services - Term Paper Example One of the services offered by Qatar National Bank is debit cards financial service through three client segments. Debit card is a service offered to the cardholders to access the financial services electronically in making purchase payments instead of using cash. Qatar National Bank has come up with a debit card that allows the cardholders to make purchases in 200 countries and over 24 million business outlets globally. In addition, the cardholders are able to access cash in all MasterCard ATMs worldwide (QNB, 2014). The debit cards are segmented into MasterCard titanium visa gold for clients with a maximum salary of 15,000 Qatari, MasterCard visa platinum for clients with a salary exceeding 15,000 Qatari but less than 35,000 Qatari and a MasterCard visa infinite for clients with a salary of 35,000 Qatari. Similarly, Qatar National Bank offers credit cards service to its clients through three platforms that include life reward credit card, Qatar Airways credit card and Qtel Nojoom credit card (QNB, 2014). The credit card service allows the clients to make purchases of goods and services through borrowed money from the bank on a promise to pay back. Consequently, Qatar National Bank has created an account that allows the credit card holders to borrow money in making payments and accessing cash advances. Current account is another financial service that is offered by Qatar National Bank. A current account allows the clients to deposit and withdraw money without limitations. The bank allows both residents and nonresidents of Qatar to open the account. To make the account attractive to investors, the account holders are issued with free check books, debit cards, transfer of internal funds, monthly statements, and SMS banking services (QNB, 2014). Business banking service is also a financial service that is offered by the bank. This involves providing innovative value added services and products, and business financial services that promote commercial

Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 30

Questions - Assignment Example This eases pressure on the mother and feels relaxed now that she has someone to be with during that hectic period. The father can also engage the mother with parenting books and making sure she gets enough rest and good diet. Infant exhibits primitive reflexes that enable them to survive. These reflexes originate from the central nervous system in response to particular stimuli. One of the reflexes that enable the infant survive is rooting reflex that enables the breast feeding infant find mothers nipple. Other reflexes exhibited by infants are sucking reflexes. It is connected to breast feeding reflex and help the infant suck anything that touches the roof of their mouth. Talking to infants give them a good start of language development. It ensures the infant start to master new words and leans the power of new words. This goes a long way in building intimate attachment and lasting relationship. Separation anxiety is a normal emotional stage which occurs when infant start to realize that people and thing exist even without his presence. This is sometimes called object permanence. From an evolutionary aspect, a defenseless child gets anxiety of being separated from the parents who in most of the occasion provide protection. A tried and proven way to solve this problem is for the parents to stay with the infant to allow the baby outgrow that stage. If the parents have to leave, then they can leave the infant with familiar faces which will help the child adjust more quickly. Discipline is an integral part of one life. It helps a person identify the wrongs and the right ways. For children, discipline is grounded on developing a healthy relationship. When the parent understands himself and the child, it becomes easy to know which discipline would work. Avoid power battles helps one to learn the cause of the problem and handle it with better solutions. Besides, understanding the situation which

What was Race Uplift for African Americans Essay

What was Race Uplift for African Americans - Essay Example The African American population represents the multiracial characteristics of the American society. Earlier, the African Americans were forced to undergo a number of problems like racial segregation, discrimination, marginalization, slavery and forced labor. Earlier, the African Americans were forced to undergo a number of problems like racial segregation, discrimination, marginalization, slavery and forced labor. Within this scenario, the efforts undertaken by the African American leaders helped the African Americans to consider that gaining legal rights can solve the problems faced by them. To be specific, African Americans considered that equality in the mainstream society can help them to attain race uplift. Thesis statement: Within the context of African American activism, race uplift is interconnected with the unending effort to gain legal, political, economic and social rights, and the contributions of the African American leaders are most important because the same helped the m to move towards development, in general. African Americans and race uplift First of all, the history of African American activism is linked with the problems faced by the African Americans in the mainstream society. Earlier, the African Americans were not aware of the fact that legal rights can be gained by the means of activism. Gradually, the African Americans came to realize the fact that idleness cannot solve their problems. So, some of the African Americans decided to protest against slavery. This revolutionary spirit originating from helplessness was most important for the African American race uplift in future. Michael Ezra stated that, â€Å"In terms of African American self-help initiatives, in the decades that followed Reconstruction, a generation of â€Å"race uplift† black American leaders emerged, whether integrationist, Pan-African nationalist, back-to-Africa proponents, or Nation of Islam separatist† (2). Within this context, Emancipation Proclamation was an important initiative from the side of the government. Henceforth, the African American population came to realize that gaining legal rights can lead the community towards political liberation, a key factor behind race uplift. The Civil Rights Movement and Black Power Movement helped the African Americans to gain a number of rights. To be specific, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 helped the African Americans to be away from discrimination in the society. So, one can easily identify the fact that African Americans considered race uplift as a means to attain their ultimate aim, i.e., equality in the society. To be specific, race uplift of African Americans is not limited to the context of their community, but extends to the context of activism aiming to gain legal, political, economic and social rights in the society. Major contributors of African American race uplift: The political leaders, social reformers, human rights activists, and civil rights leaders were the major contribut ors of African American race uplift. For instance, the leaders, reformers, and activists like Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Booker Taliaferro Washington, Mary Jane McLeod Bethune, etc are generally considered as the major contributors of African American race uplift. One can see that the African Americans leadership is an amalgamation of different classes in the community. For instance, the African American political leaders considered that political liberation can help the African Americans to be in the forefront of development. On the other side, the African American social reformers considered that gaining social rights can accelerate the progress of African American community. The African American human rights activists and civil rights leaders worked for the community to educate the members on the importance of rights and duties in the society. So, one can see that the contributors of the African American race uplift worked hard to accelerate the upwar d mobility of the African Am

Did the French revolution and the Bolshevik revolution each improve Essay

Did the French revolution and the Bolshevik revolution each improve the lives of the Women - Essay Example The women were only defined by sex their and not by their innate capability and ambitions. Even though the Enlightenment writers seemed to advocate for women liberation, they had a limited scope; there was nothing like public rights. This essay shall critically evaluate various facets of both French Revolution and Bolshevik Revolution in an attempt to establish whether they really improved the lives of women. Years before the onset of Bolshevik Revolution, women had no voice in the Soviet Union. The women were treated as inferior sex that had no right to participate in any public event. In fact, most of them were left for peasantry jobs and house chores. The industrial jobs were preserved for men. Women would come from the farm and attend to her household at home. In France, the perception of women was not very far from that in Russia. The Enlightenment writers gave men more powers over women, just like John Locke had formulated. Rousseau, for instance, insisted on the traditional roles of women. He stated that women should limit their participation to family level. He discouraged any active participation of women in public and political events. Most women in France were, thus, peasants, laundresses and shopkeepers1. There was also no formal education for this gender. Education was only for few men who belonged to the middle and upper classes. A woman needed not to be educated, as claimed the chauvinists. Her work was to educate the girl child. The lack of formal education limited the chances of women securing job opportunities in some service industries. In France, Rousseau had argued that if a woman was to obtain any form of education, the knowledge should only be used to manage the family and not in any public offices. The arguments of Rousseau raise questions about his reasoning, him being a learned person. How can such a great scholar be in support of oppression? The French Revolution that began in 1790 was marred with

Hypothesis and Research Design Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Hypothesis and Design - Research Paper Example According to findings, it is found that, ethical and moral decisions reached upon by software developers during software development, has an influence on how things and businesses in particular, are done and how people`s lifestyles adapt to this technological development (Salehnia, 2006). Studies concerning the ethical standards in view of the use of computers and its software, centers on critical issues such as; hacking, privacy, copyright protection, and piracy among other issues related to compute use and software. However, studies indicate that, there is little that research indicating if software developers experience ethical and moral decisions opportunities. Because of this, researchers have developed theories that may help in predicting and explaining ethical and moral behaviors. The theories put forward by researchers, as virtue ethics help social scientist and researchers in categorizing the human behavior basing on ethical and moral judgments. In some instances, an ethical theory like, ethics position theory, is used to categorize human behavior in a number of groups, which includes exceptionism, situationism, subjectivism and absolutism. Through this examination of software developers by applying the ethical position theory, was facilitated. This related to the decisions that software developers make during the process of software development, and a few hypothesis relating to it emerged, which guided further research in the area to unveil various issues. Concerning the above introductory discussion it essential to understand issues about ethics and morality in software development, with a user’s perspective. To tackle the issues well, it is critical to understand some factors involved, which is ethics, morality and software development, so that a good basis is formed to unveil the discussion critically. To begin with, software development is the process through which, individuals, a team or accompany invents and then implements the grant plan that helps to create a new software program (Quigley, 2008). The same process is applied in creating a new variety software. In the software development, many steps get involved to achieve the target plan. First, an understanding has to be made about what is needed, in terms of the purpose for developing the software. Secondly, the plan is then developed to create the software required to meet the purpose perceived, this done by writing the code and the bug test prior launching. The process of software development may involve one or many programmers, depending on the complexity of the software require achieving perceived results. At the initial stages, a research is mandatory to gain an understanding of the type of software that the market requires. The research is used to establish the real purpose of the software in meeting the market needs, in line with the overall goals set. On the other hand, ethics is perceived as the study of concept value in terms of right, good, wrong, or bad, as applied to actions concerning a group’s norms and regulations or rules. Basing on ethics and computer systems it is found that, computer software systems lie squarely in the heart of decision-making. This includes issues like data storage and manipulation, and data availability. Concerning the ubiquity of software systems in every area of private

Nursing Leadership & Management and its Concerns Essay

Nursing Leadership & Management and its Concerns - Essay Example There is certainly also the feeling that I am being taken advantage of because of my willingness to substitute on other units. The nursing office may have other choices, but probably consider me the easiest to convince. So, although it is not usually in my personality to be confrontational, I feel that I would have no choice under these circumstances and I would initially have to use the confronting conflict resolution method in approaching this situation. I would need to confront the nurse's office with the fact that I have no qualifications to work OB and that even though I have served in different capacities in the hospital I would not feel secure in giving the patients in OB anywhere near standard care. This also uses the technique of forcing my view on the nurse's office so they can see that I am not willing to just say yes. However, not wanting to make my supervisors feel that I am not a team player and simply do not want to cooperate because it is Saturday night, I would also use the strategy of negotiation to help resolve the problem for both the hospital and myself. Each party, may or may not be aware of the others conceptualization of the meaning of the conflict, but the parties do have what they believe is a clear concept of the conflict in their own mind. To determine the accuracy of the beliefs about the conflict, both parties need to sit down and determine the existence and nature of the conflict and the reasons it exists. (Kelly-Heidenthal, 2003, p. 338) I would suggest that I substitute for someone else on another ward that I am more capable of handling and that they are they are more qualified, work in OB. Although the Nurses office said that I am the most qualified, I may only be the most available and if they looked into it the way I suggest they may be able to find an alternative. If they were not able  to, at least my offer to work would help to placate any suspicions that I am just trying to go out on a Saturday night.

Birthday Letters Essay Example for Free

Birthday Letters Essay In the three texts the characters that are presented as new women are also presented with a downfall, those who are presented as traditional women are seen to survive and do well. Within the three texts, Dracula, A Street Car Named Desire and Birthday Letters, the authors present the female characters within certain ways which allow us as the audience to look closely at the battle of equality between men and women and the rise of feministic views. However the battle isnt always apparent and some female characters allow themselves to be the inferior characters compared to the male characters who take on dominant roles within their relationships. Within the three texts a downfall of death is presented, this is always presented to those women who are presented as New Woman. Feminism is a movement for social, cultural, political and economic equality of men and women. It is a campaign against gender inequalities and it strives for equal rights for women. 1 Within the three texts we are presented with many female character types, A Street Car Named desire, allows its audience to compare and contrast its female characters. We are presented with Blanche who is on first appearances seen as a New woman ( A women of the late 19th century actively resisting traditional controls and seeking to fill a complete role in the world2) she lives by herself, has no male role controlling her life and makes her own decisions, however it isnt too much later that we learn a different aspect of Blanche, she becomes a character that needs a man to keep a roof over her head and food in her mouth. We are easily able to compare Blanche with her sister Stella, who is a women that presents traditional roles however some times does challenge these, Stella lives with Stanley and allow him to control her life, he tells her what to do and she takes on stereotypically traditional roles within the house. However we do see some New Woman actions within Stellas character such as when Stanley hurts her she runs away however this is then counter parted with Stella returning to Stanley. In the end it is Blanche that has the biggest downfall within the novel and we are left with the question of is this because she presents a post- feministic woman? This question can also be placed when looking at Dracula, Lucy is presented to the audience as a very sexually aware female she is also shown to have less traditional views on marriage why cant they let a girl marry three men or as many as want her and save all this trouble3, Lucy is also like Blanche presented with the biggest downfall within the novel, she is controlled by Dracula and even killed more than once. Sylvia Plath like Lucy and Blanche also are presented with death within the novel, Sylvia could be seen to have the biggest downfall of all three of the characters, it is not only physical but also a mental problem. Hughes talks of his and Sylvia Plath life journeys through his poetry and we come to understand the life style that they lived, Plaths death is central to Hughes poetry and we are able to understand the kind of women Sylvia is, she is shown as a weak women who needed her husband by her side, when he fails to do so she becomes weaker and commits suicide. However we can see the power that Plath had on Hughes due to the high impact that Sylvias suicide had on his poetry Years after your death4. Plaths downfall doesnt seem to be due to her position as a women it is presented within the opposite, she is a traditional women and this causes her problems. Dracula sees a downfall for its female characters in the way of death, Lucy is killed by a male character. Arthur Holmwood buries the stake deep in Lucys heart in order to kill the demon she has become and to return her to the state of purity and innocence he so values. The language with which Stoker describes this violent act is unmistakably sexual, and the stake is an unambiguous symbol for the penis. In this way, it is fitting that the blow comes from Lucys fianci , Arthur Holmwood. Lucy is not only being punished for being a vampire but also being available for seduction by Dracula himself, who we can recall has the power to only attack a willing victim. When Holmwood slays the demonic Lucy, he returns her to the role of a legitimate, monogamous lover, which reinvests his fianci e with her initial Victorian virtue, again degrading Lucys female role, needing a male character to take care of her to the end of her life. Lucy Westenra, is first presented to the audience as an out going, sexually aware, less traditional women. In many ways, Lucy is much like Mina Murry. She is a paragon of virtue and innocents, qualities that draw the attention of three men to her. However Lucy does differs from her friend in one key area, which makes her much of a New Women, Lucy is sexualised. Lucys physical beauty captures the attention of the three men, which is where she displays a comfort of playfulness about her desirability. This is displayed in an early letter to Mina when Lucy states why cant they let a girl marry three men, or as many as want her, and save her all this trouble. This presents the idea that Lucy has troubles that she cannot and will not meet, going against the New Women model. Stoker presents this simple, small idea of Lucys instability to a huge volume when he describes the undead Lucy as a creature of a ravenous sexual appetite. Lucy is presented as a dangerous threat to men and their self control, Lucys second death returns her to a harmless state presenting her again with purity, assuring the men that things are exactly how they are suppose to be. Lucy presents the idea of the new woman to the reader, she is also represented as a creature when she is a vampire. Dracula succeeds in transforming Lucy and becomes a vampire vixen, Van Helsings men see no other option than to kill her, in order to return her to a purer, more socially respectable state. After Lucys transformation, the men keep a careful eye on Mina, worried they will lose yet another model of Victorian womanhood to the dark side. It is here seen that Lucy is a model female until she is turned into a vampire. Late in the novel, Dracula mocks Van Helsings crew, saying, Your girls that you all love are mine already; and through them you and others shall yet be mine. Here, the count voices a male fantasy that has existed since Adam and Eve were turned out of Eden that womens ungovernable desires leave men poised for a costly fall from grace. Women through out Dracula are shown as something that men own and something that can be used as a bargaining tool. Blanche like the female characters within Dracula is also presented as a object by Stanley when he attacks her, however when Blanche is with Mitch alone he treats her in a way that she expects as a New Woman Can I-uh-kiss you-good night? 5 with dignity and respect, this isnt however carried through out the whole novel. Blanche doesnt accept males help through out the play and tries to hide the things that she has done before, this adds to her downfall which allows her to become more and more depressed and pushing towards her downfall. Which we can also assume this happens to Plath, Hughes talks of their past and their lives together, this allows us as the audience to know what events happened to add to Plaths depression and her death. Looking at other sources we find out that Ted Hughes, had left her for another woman6which then pushes Plath to her suicide. This goes against the idea that the Downfall of woman is due to woman being post feminist woman. The three texts all see big punishment for its three leading ladies, this influences them in many ways and pushes them all towards their deaths. In the 1880s and the 1890s saw the publication of many studies in psychology and sexology. For example, Dr. Krafft-Ebing, a German sexologists medico-legal study Phychopahia Sexualis, documented hundreds of cases of divergent, deviant sexuality, listing, cataloguing and typing each individual. Under Sadism in Women, he describes case 42, a womens who sexual history prefigures that of Stokers Lucy: A married man presented himself with numerous scars of cuts on his arms. He told their origins as follows: When he wishes to approach his wife, who was young and somewhat nervous, he first had to make a cut in his arm. Then she would suck the wound, and during the act become violently excited sexually. Most critics agree that Dracula is, as much as anything else, a novel that feeds on the Victorian male imagination, particularly concerning the topic of female sexuality. In Victorian England, womens sexual behaviour was dictated by societys extremely rigid expectations. A Victorian woman effectively had only two options either she was a virgin or she was a wife and mother. If she was neither of these, she was considered a whore. A women never had the right to choose which kind of life style she wanted to have, she was simply labeled if she didnt conform, we can see this with Lucy when she must choose who she wants to marry she simple states that in her ideal world Why cant they let a girl marry three men, or as many as want her, and save all this trouble. 7 This is very degrading, Lucy, is stating that she wishes she didnt have to make a choice and she wishes that her life was all laid out for her, however it could be argued that she wants this because of her personality rather than her fate. By the time Dracula lands in England and begins to work his evil magic on Lucy Westenra, we understand that the impending battle between good and evil will depend upon female sexuality, both Lucy and Mina are less like real people than two-dimensional embodiments of virtues that have, over the ages, been coded as female. Both women are chaste, pure, innocent of the worlds evils, and devoted to their men. But Dracula threatens to turn the two women into their opposites, into women noted for their voluptuousness-a word Stoker turns to again and again-and unapologetically open sexual desire. Blanche within A Street Car Named Desire is also presented as a sexual desire from Mitch and even Stanley. Mitch likes her not only for her looks but who she is I like you to be exactly the way that you are8 Mitch doesnt think of Blanche in a sexual way until later on in the play. Blanches fear of death presents itself in the fear of her ageing and loosing her beauty. She refuses to tell anyone her own age why do you want to know9 Blanche seems to believe that by continually asserting her sexuality towards men especially those who are younger, she will be able to avoid death and return to the world of teenage bliss that she experienced before her husband committed suicide. However, beginning in Scene One, Williams suggests that Blanches sexual history is in fact a cause of her downfall. When she first arrives at the Kowalskis, Blanche says she rode a streetcar named Desire, then transferred to a streetcar named Cemeteries, which brought her to a street named Elysian Fields. This journey, the precursor to the play, allegorically represents the trajectory of Blanches life. The Elysian Fields are the land of the dead in Greek mythology. Blanches lifelong pursuit of her sexual desires has led to her eviction from Belle Reve, her ostracism from Laurel, and, at the end of the play, her expulsion from society at large. Sex and death are intricately and fatally linked within Blanches experiences through out the novel. In Scene One, Stanley throws a package of meat at his adoring Stella for her to catch. The action sends Eunice and the Negro woman into peals of laughter. Presumably, theyve picked up on the sexual innuendo behind Stanleys gesture. In hurling the meat at Stella, Stanley states the sexual proprietorship he holds over her. Stellas delight in catching Stanleys meat signifies her sexual infatuation with him. This also shows Stella in light of the new woman, however Stanley is the one initiating the sexual activity again pushing Stella back into her traditional role. Stella tries on many occasions pushing herself into the role of the new woman however Stanley always fails to allow her to do so. A Streetcar Named Desire presents a sharp critique of the way the institutions and attitudes of postwar America placed restrictions on womens lives. Williams uses Blanches and Stellas dependence on men to expose and critique the treatment of women during the transition from the old to the new South. Both Blanche and Stella see male companions as their only means to achieve happiness, and they depend on men for both their sustenance and their self-image. Blanche recognizes that Stella could be happier without her physically abusive husband, Stanley. Yet, the alternative Blanche proposes-contacting Shep Huntleigh for financial support-still involves complete dependence on men. When Stella chooses to remain with Stanley, she chooses to rely on, love, and believe in a man instead of her sister. Williams does not necessarily criticize Stella-he makes it quite clear that Stanley represents a much more secure future than Blanche does. Five: contextual information linking to the authors and the characters. The decade in which Stoker wrote and published Dracula was one of the unprecedented anxiety and uncertainty about the social roles, sexual nature and natural spheres of activity of men and women. As many women fought for a larger role in public life and a bigger challenge towards the traditions that define women as being, passive, domestic and naturally submissive, the debate opened to men and the males natural role. While Victorian feminists advanced on previous male preserves, crossing boarders and redefining categories, the more conservative press reacted by reiterating gender normalities, insisting that the essential differences between the sexes and their separate duties. Stoker deliberately located the gothic horror of Dracula in the late nineteenth century world of technological advances, gender instability and the rapid increase in conversation. Mina Travels with a portable typewriter which presents her with power and knowledge of a skill such as writing, which today we take for granted.

Symbolism in Medieval Art

Symbolism in Medieval Art EVE IN MEDIEVAL ART Symbolism in the Medieval period had both theological and social meanings, and the figure of Eve demonstrates how these two kinds of meanings coexisted in a single symbolic form. Medieval symbolism almost always occurred in art that was commissioned by or for the churches. In religious terms, the art of the Middle Ages was meant to instruct people of all classes and to be an aid to prayer and the contemplation of religious ideas. But, as art historians have begun to point out, this art was also a system of visual signs that can be viewed in terms of role models, social practices, and an encoded value system of social mores (Alexander 1). In strictly theological terms, the character of Eve, the first woman, was used to symbolize the Fall of the human race. Eve ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and persuaded Adam to eat it as well (Hall 4). This caused the human race to experience sin and evil. But Eve was also used as a symbol of the nature of women, seen as temptresses trying to lead men into sin. On seeing the figure of Eve as she was presented in Romanesque art, the viewer was reminded of the Fall, but, depending on how she was depicted, the viewer could also be reminded that women are weak-willed, deceitful seducers who are not to be trusted. The works that will be investigated to support this thesis, is Eve at the tympanum (c. 1125-1150) The theological and the social meanings of the symbol were not completely separate. The Church also seemed interested in promoting this misogynistic idea of women as a social value. But the meanings were separable, in the sense that, when Eve was used as the basic theological symbol of the Fall, the implications about the behavior of women in general did not have to be part of the symbol. In one sense, Medieval art consisted of a kind of sacred writing in which the identity or uses of certain pictorial elements were widely understood (MÃ ¢le, Medieval 267). MÃ ¢le gives the example of a halo which, when placed behind a persons head, indicates sainthood or holiness. In a more complicated example, a naked woman, with or without a snake or a tree, and holding a piece of fruit, would be known to be Eve. These particular attributes would be given to her when the temptation of Eve by Satan (and/or Eves temptation of Adam if he was present) was the subject being shownbut Eve could be shown in other situations as well. Medieval art is also a symbolic code, and, since the earliest times, Christian art had spoken in figures, showing men one thing and inviting them to see in it the figure of another (MÃ ¢le, Medieval 272). This means that, once the viewer identified Eves Temptation by her attributes of nakedness, the tree, the snake, and the fruit, then the viewer could move on to the understanding of what Eve, in this situation, symbolized. She symbolized the Fall of the human race, which was, because of her actions, condemned to suffering, pain, death, and sin. The human race could not be redeemed until Jesus suffered and died for all humanity and provided the means of obtaining, through the Church, eternal salvation. Thus, in its plain theological use, the figure of Eve was connected to the mission of the Church because her actions were responsible for making the Church necessary. For this reason, Medieval artists (or the people who planned the art of the churches) saw the Temptation as a foreshad owing of the Annunciation in which the Virgin Mary, as the New Eve, redeemed the sin of the old Eve (Hall 5). Petzold provides an example of this symbolic pairing of Eve and the Virgin Mary in Romanesque art. This is the sculpture on the tympanum (c. 1125-1150) over the doorway at the church of Neuilly-en-Donjon in France, where three interrelated scenes from the Bible show the three main archetypes of women: Eve, Mary Magdalen (a reformed adulteress), and the Virgin Mary (Petzold 123). The three women are all shown in relation to a man. In the bottom section of the sculpture (the lintel), Eve turns from the tree to tempt Adam with the fruit, and Mary Magdalen kneels in front of Jesus and anoints his feet and wipes them with her hair (Petzold 123). Above them, the main sculpture shows the Magi worshipping Jesus, who sits on Marys lap. Around Mary and Jesus, angels blow horns celebrating Marys triumph over sin. MÃ ¢le, commenting on this same sculpture, says that symbolically the work meant that woman, through whom sin came into the world [Eve] and by whom it was perpetuated [Mary Magdalen], is at last and forever rehabilitated by the Virgin (Religious 431). The same connection is made in another French church at Anzy-le-Duc, where the main tympanum sculpture shows the worship of the Magi on one side and Eve tempting Adam on the other. In the lower, lintel portion of the sculpture, heaven is shown beneath the Virgins side, and hell is shown beneath Eve (MÃ ¢le, Religious 432). These examples make clear Eves purely theological importance as a symbol clear. But, as MÃ ¢les explanation indicated, the Eve-Mary Magdalen-Virgin Mary symbolism had a message about women in general. Women as a group were believed to be prone to sin and to causing sin, especially sexual sin because they tempted men. St. Bernard (1091-1153), who was one of the most influential and eloquent orators and writers of his age, emphasized that Eves sin was the sin of all women. He said in a sermon that Eve was the original cause of all evil, whose disgrace has come down to all other women (quoted by Kraus 42). But St. Bernard was also a great promoter of the cult of the Virgin Mary, which was becoming very popular in the twelfth century. And, on the connection between Eve and Mary, he said, Rejoice, Eve, rejoice in such a daughter . . . Opprobrium has been wiped out; never again can woman be accused (quoted by MÃ ¢le, Religious 431). But, in actual practice, though they praised Mary, this did not much change the Churchs view of ordinary women as being sinful like Eve: In the glorification of the Virgin, it was the Woman-Without-Sin, the non-woman Woman, the anti-Eve that was revered (Kraus 46). The extent to which Mary was not like a real woman was considered worthy of praise. Petzold notes that, since this misogynistic view of women was often part of the Churchs message, the symbolism of Eve was expanded so that images of her in art frequently stress her role as a sexual temptress (124). In this role, Eve becomes a symbol of the sinful nature of all women. Her role in theologically important events does not require this interpretation at all (although her feminine weakness was always implied by the Bible story). But, in the Middle Ages, this interpretation of Eve was quite popular. Petzold points out the representation of Eve in this character in another Romanesque church in France, the Autun Cathedral. In a fragment of sculpture by Gislebertus from around 1130, Eve is shown naked and nearly lying down, supported only by her knees and one elbow. The position may refer to the story that God punished her by making her crawl on the ground like the snake who tempted her. But what is most striking about the Autun Eve is that, at a time when nudity was rare in art, the sinuous figure of Eve, with her rounded breasts, is one of the most erotically charged images in Romanesque art, and she is portrayed not so much as [a] sinner but as [a] temptress who invite[s] Adam, and by implication men in general, to commit sin (Petzold 125). At this time, the Church was trying to enforce strict celibacy on priests and monks, and stressing the sinfulness of sexual relations and of women in general probably was part of that effort (Petzold 125). But, as Kraus shows, the figure of Eve was the model for the various sculptures of the vice of Unchastity, or Lust, which one finds on so many church facades of the twelfth century and is invariably a woman, while the typically male vice, on the other hand, is either Pride or Avarice (42). The overall impression of women was of their complete inability to resist their sexual urges and their deep desire to draw men into sin. But, while all this did aid the Church in its attempt to induce celibacy in priests, it was hardly the kind of teaching calculated to spread affection for the wives and mothers in the audience (Kraus 44). This is what is meant by the social meanings of Medieval symbolism. As Alexander explains it, these images functioned to provide role models to sections of the Christian community, and the Church used various artistic means to intervene in the society in a variety of contexts (1). One of the methods that was used was repetition. MÃ ¢le pointed out how repetition of images ensured that every member of the potential audience would be sufficiently familiar with the various figures and their attributes to recognize an Eve with her apple or a saint with her halo (Medieval 267). But, in addition to familiarity with the elements of the stories, the visual messages were hammered home by their iconographical similarity until they were taken for granted and thus became an unquestioned part of everyday experience (Alexander 1). One of the most shocking images of Eve is found in a series of relief sculptures showing the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Paradise (from the twelfth century, at the French church of Notre-Dame-du-Port, at Clermont-Ferrand). In these sculptures, Adam hurls wailing Eve to the ground, kicks her, and drags her by the hair in a series of realistic gestures that may Maghave been inspired by a religious play, Le Jeu dAdam et Eve, that was performed both inside and outside of many churches (Kraus 44). The connection between such representations of Eve-Woman as deserving of this kind of treatment and an official sanctioning of such behavior by men toward their wives is not difficult to make. Some lines of the Adam and Eve play read, Oh, evil woman full of treason / Forever contrary to reason, / Bringing no man good in any season: / Our childrens children to the end of time / Will feel the cruel whiplash of your crime (quoted by Kraus 44). St. Bernards sermons, a popular play, and repeated artistic representations of Eve as the source of evil all combine to show how this symbol had a clear social meaning as well as a theological meaning. Though the Church was not the only source of such misogyny, it was an active promoter of the feeling, and the effects of the social meaning of the Eve symbol are, in part, still present today. Works Cited Alexander, Jonathan J. G. Iconography and Ideology: Uncovering Social Meanings in Western Medieval Christian Art. Studies in Iconography 15 (1993): 1-44. Hall, James. Subjects and Symbols in Art. 2nd ed. New York: Icon-Harper and Row, 1979. Kraus, Henry. The Living Theatre of Medieval Art. Bloomington: Indiana UP, 1967. MÃ ¢le, Emile. Medieval Iconography. Ancient Egypt through the Middle Ages. Vol. 1 of Readings in Art History. New York: Scribners Sons, 1969. 265-91. The Twelfth Century: A Study in the Origins of Medieval Iconography. Vol. 1 of Religious Art in France. Princeton: Princeton UP, 1978. Petzold, Andreas. Romanesque Art. New York: Perspectives-Abrams, 1995. Â © K C Research Assistance, Inc., 1997

Thermal Conductivity In Physical Engineering Engineering Essay

Thermal Conductivity In Physical Engineering Engineering Essay Thermal Conductivity  is an essential physical property for designing engineering process and measuring the capacity of temperature exchange between heat and cold passing through a material mass. Techniques were developed to measure thermal conductivity in a various materials, Hence the objective of this work was to evaluate the feasibility of utilizing different methods for measuring thermal conductivity as well as construction of the experimental assemble to measure thermal conductivity of numerous materials with the aim of analysis of the experimental data. This paper illustrates the methods of the measurements of thermal conductivity and the process by which it will be brought to a successful culmination. The study of thermal conductivity is important for engineers to know the nature of thermal energy, temperature and how materials store thermal energy as well as to predict the performance of any given material over its lifetime in a specific application. Also to identify the thermal properties of material so as to assess the performance of certain material and develop efficient heat transfer materials for engines and spacecrafts. This project has been taken on board, due to a lack of information and research available on thermal conductivity measurements. Heat is transferred by three procedures which include Conduction, Convection and Radiation. It engages transfer of thermal energy from one place to another. Thermal conductivity is a significant parameter for the analysis of heat transfer through conduction. Conduction takes place due to the particle collision which results in the transfer of thermal energy. Thermal conductivity (k) is an essential property of a material and defined as amount of heat transferred in a unit thickness of materials in a direction because of change in temperature in constant boundary state in a direction perpendicular to the area of transfer. It is measured in watts per Kelvin per meter (WK-1m-1) and determines the rate of energy loss through a material. The project is titled as study of methods for measurement of thermal conductivity. The project will present the literature review about the methods as well as conducting an experiment to measure the thermal conductivity of different materials. In addition, a thorough analysis of the experimental data is to be obtained while performing the experiment. The aims and objectives of this report pursue as: Understanding of theoretical and experimental methods to measure thermal conductivity of solids, liquids and gases. Construction of experimental rig. A thorough analysis of the experimental data. DELIVERABLES 3.1 GENERIC DELIVERABLES Based on the module guide, the following are the generic deliverables for the academic year 2010-2011; Semester Title Start Date Submission Date Semester 1 Preliminary start Monday 27th September Submit Project Planning Report + Log Book Friday 26th November Semester 2 Dissertation start Monday 31st January Project seminars and poster Week commencing 11th April Submission of final report Thursday 28th April Table 2 Delivery dates set by Kingston University for entire project 3.2 PROJECT DELIVERABLES The objectives of the project have been identified and analysed to produce the following deliverables that will have been produced at the end of the project Construction of an experimental rig to measure thermal conductivity of selected material Analysis of the experimental Data Comparison of the results ANALYSIS OF TASKS The tasks that need to be executed in order to achieve the aims of the project, produce the deliverables on schedule and bring the project to a successful end are as follows: Literature review of conductivity methods Journals Books E-resources Research Conductivity methods of solids Conductivity methods of Liquids Conductivity methods of gas Construction of the experimental Rig Results Comparison A literature review will give an insight into various methods of conductivity. Journals, books and other forms of resources will be used to get an understanding of current concepts of methods and recent modifications (Advantages, disadvantages and limitation). This will form the base of the construction of the experimental rig. Once the technique is selected to perform, various materials will be used to determine their conductivity and hence, the data obtained will be analysed. GANTT CHART A timeline/Gantt chart should be produced, showing the sequence and duration of the tasks over the project lifetime. A set of key milestones by which the project progress can be monitored may also be produced. Figure 1 Illustrate an Inital Gantt Chart PROGRESSION TO DATE As of 26/11/10 the project is at the beginning of the research phase. The literature review has been completed by looking into journals and online resources. The information gathered has been on advantages, disadvantages, limitation, process and setup of the conductivity measurement techniques. I have gathered and read a number of journals relating to conductivity measurements. 6.1 METHODS TO MEASURE THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF SOLIDS In solids, particles are packed close together by chemical bonds. As heat is transferred, the particles gains energy which results in increase in kinetic energy and particles vibrate against theneighbouring particles causing transfer of energy between the particles. Increase in temperature causes increase in thermal conductivity because of the mobility of boundless electrons. Heat energy is transferred in solids by means of lattice waves, electrical carriers and electromagnetic waves. In metals, the heat is largely transferred by electrical carriers whilst in insulators lattice waves carry large amount of heat. The change in magnitude and temperature of thermal conductivity of solids is due to the dislocations, imperfections of lattice forces and interface between lattice waves and carriers. However the change of thermal conductivity varies depending upon materials. A summary of different techniques to measure thermal conductivities is shown on next page. C-THERM TCi SYSTEM TRANSIENT PLANE SOURCE METHOD HOT-WIRE METHOD NEEDLE PROB METHOD Figure 2 Summary of Techniques to measure thermal conductivity of solids Transient Techniques Methods to measure thermal conductivity of solids Steady State Techniques Comparative Method Pipe Test Method Cut Bar Method Guarded Hot Plate Method 6.1.1 HOT-WIRE METHOD It exists in three forms which include single, crossed resistive wires and two parallel wires distant apart. It is utilized to measure thermal conductivity of refractories and takes several assumptions into account which pursue as: Isotropic Material with Uniform preliminary Temperature Figure 3 Setup of Hot-Wire method (2010, Home, [Internet], Available at: http://www.tpl.fpv.ukf.sk/engl_vers/hot_wire.htm , accessed on 8 October 2010)Hot wire an ideal, infinite thin, and long line heat supply Thermal Conductivitycan be determined by temperature vs. time response (K) due to production of heat flux (q) in the wire surrounded in the sample. Equation 2 Measurement of thermal Conductivity using Hot-Wire Method Advantages Disadvantages Precise Extensive Procedure of measuring at specified temperature Simplistic in Configuration Not utilized to measure thermal conductivity of anisotropic material Short Duration in Measurement Expertise required Table 3 Advantages and Disadvantages of Hot-wire Method 6.1.2 NEEDLE PROB METHOD It is utilized to measure thermal conductivity of materials as well as thermal diffusivity and specific heat. It has the ability for in-situ measurements and effective contact of the sample with a single tiny gap. When measuring the thermal conductivities of solids, samples are outfitted with hole machined in order to enclose probe diameter whilst measuring liquids, probes are pushed into the samples that are to be tested. This method consists of hollow tube functioning as heat supply element and temperature sensor estrange by means of medium with high thermal conductivity and electrical insulation to ensure minor difference of radial temperature within the probe. 6.1.3 TRADITIONAL TRANSIENT PLANE SOURCE METHOD (TPS) Figure 4 Apparatus of TPS (2010, Home, [Internet] Available at: http://www.ask.com/wiki/Thermal_conductivity_measurement , 10 October 2010)It is also acknowledged as Hot Disk Method and has several advantages such as accurate, comprehensiveness and ease of application. It consists of a flat sensor along with continuous double spiral of electrically conducting nickel metal etched out of thin foil and clad between two layer of kapton which provides mechanically stability and electrically insulation to the sensor. The rise in temperature is caused when current passes through nickel spiral and heat formed is dispersed by sample. Thermal conductivity is measured by recording temperature vs. time response in the sensor. In addition, modified traditional transient plane source method imparts maximum flexibility for scrutinizing thermal conductivity of liquids and powder and sustain heating element on a support. It utilizes single surface interfacial heat reflectance sensor that provides constant heat to the sample and functions temporarily. 6.1.4 TRANSIENT LINE SOURCE METHOD (C-THERM TCi SYSTEM) It is the infinite line source with constant power per unit length and identical in principle to Hot-wire method. In order to determine temperature at a certain distance the following equation was taken into consideration: Equation 3 Measurement of temperature using C-Therm TCi System where: Q = Power per unit Length E = Exponential Integral t = Time Passed since Heating 6.1.5 PIPE TEST METHOD Figure 5 Apparatus of Pipe Test Method (2010, Home, [Internet], Available at: http://www.evitherm.org/default.asp?lan=1ID=894Menu1=894 , 13 October 2010)It is identical in concept to the guarded hot plate method. It consists of a central heater which contains a cylinder placed in such a way that the heater achieves a constant temperature by means of alteration in spacing of windings in the heater in permutation with the utilization of concise split guard heaters at the ends. It can operate horizontally and vertically by situating the apparatus in a stable environment. It employs radial flow to determine thermal conductivity of minerals, plastics etc. 6.1.6 COMPARATIVE TECHNIQUE Figure 6 Apparatus of Comparative Technique (2010, Home, [Internet], Available at: http://www.evitherm.org/default.asp?lan=1ID=893Menu1=893 , 15 October 2010)A test specimen is crammed under load flanked by two reference materials; each is bounded by longitudinal guard cylinder. This results in production of temperature gradient along with the stack as well as longitudinal heat flows as consequences of temperature gradient in the guard cylinder to that in specimen stack. Therefore, the thermal conductivity is measured by recording the difference in temperature across the reference and test specimen. It has several advantages which pursue as: Versatile Simple in implementation Adaptable It is also known as the workhorse of the thermal conductivity field and can be utilized to measure homogenous and heterogeneous composite solids. 6.1.7 GUARDED HOT-PLATE METHOD Figure 7 Apparatus of Guarded Hot Plate Method (2010, Home; [Internet], Available at: http://www.azom.com/details.asp?ArticleID=2667 , 16 October 2010)The test material is positioned on a flat plate heater with electrically heated inner plate surrounded by guard heater. Its function is to maintain similar temperature at both sides of the gap extricating the main and guard heaters as a result, prevention of lateral heat flow and heat energy flows in the direction of sample. Calculated direct current is functioned to the hot plate and numerous temperatures across cold plates and heater is controlled in order to give off constant temperature at the sample surfaces. Hence, the accuracy of thermal conductivity measurements is dependent on conservation of constant temperature conditions and is measured by Fourier heat flow equation: Equation 4 Measurement of Thermal Conductivity using Guarded Hot plate method where: W = Electrical Power Input dT = Difference in temperature across the specimens d = Sample thickness 6.1.8 CUT-BAR TECHNIQUE Figure 8 Apparatus of Cut-Bar Technique (2010, Home, [Internet] Available at: http://www.anter.com/TN67.htm , 17 October 2010)It is utilized for axial thermal conductivity measurements. An unknown thermal conductivity disk sample is sandwiched between two known thermal conductivity cylinder metal brass by thermal grease and pliable metal in order to reduce interfacial thermal between the cylinders. In addition, a thermocouple situated along the three material pieces produces information on the rate of heat flow by the two known thermal conductivity. Hence, thermal conductivity is calculated using the following equation: Equation 5 Measurement of thermal Conductivity using cut-bar technique There are some other techniques to measure thermal conductivity of solids which include: Steady-State techniques Transient Techniques Four-Probe Method Laser Flash Method Guarded Heat Flow Method Angstrom Method Heat Flow Meter Method Photo thermal Method Transient Hot Strip Method Table 4 Other Techniques to measure thermal conductivity of solids 6.2 METHODS TO MEASURE THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF LIQUIDS Liquids particles are situated in a cubic lattice, as energy moves from a single lattice plane to the following at a speed at which sound passes through the liquid of interest. Thermal conductivity can be estimated using Bridgemans equation: Equation 6 Bridgemans Equation where: N = Avogadros Constant = (6.023 x 1023) K = (Boltzmanns Constant) = (1.3807 x 10-23 J/K) V= Molar Mass = M/à Ã‚  = Speed of sound through fluid sample A summary of different techniques to measure thermal conductivities of liquids is shown on next page. LASER FLASH METHOD HOT-WIRE METHOD DIFFRENTIAL SCANNING CALORIMTER TRANSIENT TECHNIQUES 3 OMEGA METHOD STEADY STATE TECHNIUQES RADIAL HEAT FLOW APPARATUS CALORIMETER PHOTOPYROELECTRIC DEVICE METHODS TO MEASURE THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF LIQUIDS Figure 9 Techniques to measure thermal conductivity of liquids 6.2.1 HOT-WIRE METHOD The apparatus consists of hot-wire cells utilizing electrically insulated hot wires dependent on an electrically conducting fluid. Wires of minute diameter are immersed within the fluid and utilized simultaneously as an electrical resistance as well as resistance thermometers, thus to enable calculation of the increase in temperature due to the resistance heating. Thermal conductivity is determined using the same process as mentioned above. Finite dimensions of the fluid can be improved, however modification to the finite dimension of wire can be reduced by utilizing minute hot-wires. 6.2.2 3-OMEGA METHOD Its features include a heating frequency (of 10 KHz), direct measurement of thermal conductivity and temperature range of -190 to 500. It comprises of alternating current and lock in amplifier to estimate thermal conductivity of the dielectric materials directly. Advantages of 3-Omega Method are being precise and fast. Thin metal situated on the specimen, an alternating current with frequency à Ã¢â‚¬ ° exceeds via strip causing heating of the material and measurement of voltage v (t) simultaneously. In addition, assumption of the heat flow along the cross plane axis of the film results in determination of the thermal conductivity using the following equation: Equation 7 Determination of thermal conductivity using 3 Omega Method where: P1 = Power b = Width of the strip =Increase in temperature oscillation of the strip 6.2.3 LASER FLASH METHOD A liquid sample is sandwiched between a minute thin metal disk and a sampler holder. Sample holder minimizes thermal contact with the sample plus suppresses stray light transmitted from the laser to the IR detector. At the time when the laser beam is taken in the front surface of the metal disk, the heat flows downward through liquid sample and temperature rises. Thus, thermal conductivity can be estimated by the disks foil temperature without measuring the thickness of the sample liquid layer and reference material. 6.2.4 DIFFERENTIAL SCANNING CALORIMETER (DSC) It is a linear heating process that has super imposed sinusoidal oscillation which yields in cyclic heating of the sample. Advantages of the method pursue as: Short Analysis time No instrument modification Figure 10 Apparatus of DSC (2010, Home, [Internet], Available at: http://pslc.ws/macrogcss/dsc.html, 1 November 2010) http://pslc.ws/macrogcss/dsc.html Small thermal gradient across the sample Experiment is performed in a non-adiabatic surrounding; numerous unknown specimens with identical length and cross sectional areas are formed. Furthermore, known specimens with their conductivity and a density supplied to the unknown specimen are formed with identical length and cross sectional to the unknown specimen. Each specimen is subjected to an equal amount of rise in heat to estimate the specific heat capacity. Therefore, the thermal conductivity obtained is: Equation 8 Measurement of thermal conductivity using DSC where: D = diameter of the specimen M = Mass of the specimen = Specific heat capacity 6.2.5 CALORIMETER A device designed to overcome the effects of convection that Prevents accurate measurement of liquids conductivities. Measures organic liquids conductivity rapidly and has several advantages which follow as: Short time measurement Accuracy Constant current passes via thermistor which functions as a heating element immersed in the liquid sample. As conductivity varies with liquid, the rate of temperature varies with liquids. Hence, thermal conductivity is inversely proportional to rate of temperature change. 6.2.6 RADIAL HEAT FLOW APPARATUS Figure 11 Apparatus of Radia Heat Flow (2010, Home, [Internet], Available at: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S0104-66321999000400009script=sci_arttext, 27 October 2010)A steady-state technique which offers variation of conductivity under pressure as well as absolutes values of conductivity. It is fast and requires a small pressure gradient. Liquid sample is situated between two concentric cylinders (brass and Pyrex glass construction), the axis of the inner cylinder acts as a supply of heat which flows out radially crossways the layer of fluid. Measurements of difference in temperature between inner and an outer surface of the layer of the fluid are taken to obtain thermal conductivity. 6.3 METHODS TO MEASURE THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF GAS Figure 12 TCD to measure thermal Conductivity of Gas (2010, Home, [Internet], Available at: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttextpid=S0103-50532004000600009, 2 November 2010) Thermal conductivity detector (TCD) is utilized to measure thermal conductivity of gas by pulse injection. Heat is transmitted from hot to cold element by way of thermal conduction passing through the carrier gas. However, the difference in temperature between hot and cold element is maintained. Due to the thermal flow energy into the gas medium thermal gradient is generated. The power need to heat the hot element is a direct evaluation of the electrically signal output for the thermal conductivity. DISCUSSION As mentioned above, the project is currently at the beginning of the research phase. Investigation into the areas described above is vital as the information gathered will have implications on the selection of the technique for the experiment. The project objectives should be met on schedule as there are not any limitations restricting the project from completion. Whilst performing the experiment in the near future, there may be some timing conflicts as there will be other students using the same machinery in the workshop but as enough time is allocated for the task in hand there should not be any difficulty in completing the objectives. Although there may be some complications when obtaining results, however with the knowledge and experience available via the lab technicians any problem(s) shall be duly addressed. CONCLUSION In conclusion the project aims and deliverables have been identified and the required tasks needed achieve the aims and produce the deliverables have been identified and discussed. An initial Gantt chart has been drawn up to illustrate the sequences and durations of the tasks to be completed. It can be seen that the performance so far is coincident with the planned set of activities for this time period within the Gantt chart. As a result, it is expected that the project is likely to be completed on time.

Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle and the Pure Food and Drug Act Essay

Upton Sinclair’s â€Å"The Jungle† and the Pure Food and Drug Act Upton Sinclair’s â€Å"The Jungle,† gave the most in-depth description of the horrid truths about the way America’s food companies, â€Å"the only source of food for people living in the city,† are preparing the food they sell. â€Å"The Jungle† describes the terrible conditions of a Lithuanian family that moved to the US, and had to work, live, and die for the food companies in Chicago. â€Å"The Jungle† spurred a movement in the American people to do something about the problems facing the American food supply. Because of the growing concern about the quality of food in America the government took action to prevent further problems. Thus the Food and Drug Act of 1906 was passed to fix the problems. The Food and Drug Act was a true example of how the people of our nation influenced the government to take action, to solve a growing problem effecting the American people. â€Å"The Jungle† talks about a couple who move to an area of Chicago, â€Å"known as Packtown,† from Lithuania. Packtown is the center of Chicago’s meat packing industry. It is a hard, dangerous, and filthy place where it is difficult to find a job. Some relatives of the couple and themselves get a house, but find out it is a swindle. Expenses increase and forces the children of the family to find work like the adults. Jobs in Packtown are back-breaking , unsafe, and have no regard for individual workers. The oldest of the family gets a job, but it is to difficult for the old man and he quickly dies. The man of the couple, â€Å"Jurgis,† is forced to work in an unheated packing house during the winter. Jurgis is injured and cant work for three months receiving no pay. One of the children dies of food poisoning. Jurgis joins a union and slowly begins to understand the way politics and bribery that control Packingtown. After attacking the boss of his wife for making her sleep with him, Jurgis is put in jail for a month. While in Jail the family has been evicted from there home and is living in a run-down boardinghouse. When Jurgis returns home he finds his wife in premature labor, and in the process of giving birth the child and her. Jurgis disappears on a drinking binge. With the help of a wealthy woman who takes and interest in the family, Jurgis finds a job at a steel mill. He is renewed in hope dedicating himself to Antanas, â€Å"his ... ...lightly to violating its new laws. From respectable authorities on the subject, and the 1906 Food and Drugs Act itself, gave paticual understanding of the events effecting that time period, a understanding of certain points in the novel â€Å"The Jungle†, and how the government went about solving the nation’s going problem, has lead myself to agree that Upton Sinclairs’s â€Å"The Jungle† had a major role in moving the government to clean up the food supply. Which by the approval of the 1906 Food and Drugs Act, the government succeeded in solving the problem. â€Å"The Jungle† showed to the nation the scam of biblical antiquity, that was effecting there very lives. It rallied the people to make the government find a solution to prevent further sicknesses and deaths because of greedy capitalists. The government set forth the Food and Drugs Act of 1906 in response which regulated and examined products developed by food and drug companies. Upton Sinclair provided the motive, and the government supplied the solution. Because of the these two forces we, in our day in time, can rest assured that our food and drugs are of the very top quality, and purity for human consumption.

Ross Assessment of Activities in the Middle East :: Politics Political Regimes Essays Papers

Ross' Assessment of Activities in the Middle East Winds of change continue to sweep through lands traditionally ruled by cruel regimes, as the people of these nation-states set aside their fears and vote with their feet. Participation in nations such as Georgia, Ukraine, and Lebanon has increased, and the question lingers as to whether these changes will be merely a breeze, or have more far-reaching and lasting effects. As former U.S. envoy to the Middle East, Dennis Ross, comments on the situations in the Middle East, he analyzes possible outcomes and makes policy suggestions on how to catalyze and encourage further movement away from corrupt authoritarian regimes. In his assessment of activities in the Middle East, Ross recognizes the doubtfulness of any kind of swift and complete transition away from the corruption that so often characterizes the governments of the region. The nuclear situation in Iran, and one of the proposals on how to deal with it, provide a small scale representation of the problems that result from cooperative dealings. Just as the carrots-and-sticks approach to the situation in Iran presents the problem of Iran?s compliance with the terms, so does the general climate of the Middle East. The way in which a nation chooses to present itself and its actions does not always reflect what is actually occurring; gestures and actions are not necessarily supported by genuine sentiment. Despite the fact that his calls for collective action by the United States, Europe, and Japan provide a hypothetically effective solution, the fear may arise that no action will be taken, regardless of the presence of an agreement. Though multilateralism seems to be a good way of handling these issues of corruption, transition, and hopefully, liberalization, it is by no means foolproof. As long as self-interest is prioritized above collective interest on the international agendas of nations like the United States, multilateralism cannot be a sure-fire solution. There exist no guarantees that the continued oppressiveness of various Middle Eastern regimes will prove the greatest threat to national and international security; therefore, there lies the possibility that other issues prove to be more urgent and take precedence. As a result, nations involved in this agreement may have more pressing concerns to address, and choose to withdraw or not participate fully if a response is needed . Ross acknowledges the capability of liberal activity in the region as a force with a possible spillover effect.