Review and Critical thinking Essay Example for Free

Review and Critical thinking Essay Review Questions Syncopation is placing emphasis or accents on beats that are unexpected, or, alternatively. Is music that combined the music of marches with the rhythms of African music. The instruments used for ragtime are used in jazz. Cornetist who helped to create jazz music . His music had a loud piercing sound that be heard in the distance. Bebop had faster rhythms and more complex harmonies. A form of jazz that emphasized improvisation. In hot jazz multiple musicians did improvisation, In classic it was one. Critical Thinking Questions Both use improvisation at some point. A difference is that classical music try not to improvise but jazz music use it all the time. A characteristic of jazz is that it uses a of improvisation. Another characteristic is that it has influence from its african roots. What they mean by that is that jazz is Americas music, it was created in america and was given a lot attention. Even the government gave attention to it. Buddy bolden was one of the people to create jazz, not much is know about his music, but some people that heard his music have said it was a loud piercing sound that can be heard from a distance. Improvisation is creating music in the moment by responding to the other players around you. Jazz music uses improvisation almost all the time, most jazz pieces use improvisation.

Small Business Data Structures

Small Business Data Structures Summary This report covers the authoritative functionalities and knowledge into the working of a wholesale flower maker and wholesaler organization Floras Flowers Limited. This report covers the historical backdrop of the organization; the purpose behind its presence furthermore concentrates on the inside and out working of the same. The report likewise portrays the organization structure and culture and the assignments designated to every official of the organization. It likewise depicts the present day advances the organization is utilizing and the impediments they confront in the same. Accordingly, we give the most ideal answers for the issues that the organization is confronting. 1. Introduction This document assembles data with respect to an organization called Floras Flowers Limited. It expresses the functionalities in regards to associations data frameworks, history of the framework and the organization and viability of the organization. Purpose The motivation behind this record is to introduce a point by point portrayal of significance of data structures for an association. It likewise lays accentuation on the associations history, the organization structure, the explanation behind presence of the organization, the utilization of PC frameworks for systems administration, better methodologies for administration of PC operations and change of its data frameworks. Vision Floras Flowers Limited is an organization that goes about as a wholesale maker of flowers and after that business sectors the newly produced flowers to different flower specialists and shops in the North Island. They have extended their business effectively in the North Island and now have a dream of growing the organization toward the South Island too. Mission The organization proprietor, Flora Forest is going for extending the operations of the organization to abroad markets in the coming two years. She likewise goes for improving the nearness of the organization in the South Island, for the most part in Nelson and Dunedin. Overview The owners Flora Forest and her husband Symonds Forest originally grew flowers as a hobby. As they realize that this hobby of theirs has a vast future in the business world, they thought of expanding it on large scale with a view of having good profits. Eventually they invested a capital and started Floras Flowers Limited in the year 2002. Last year the company had a turnover of $10 million with more than 200 customers in the North Island and about 50 customers in Christchurch area. The company then expanded to Christchurch (South Island) in the year 2005 after a study carried out by Coopers Lybrand showed their results. The office in Christchurch was originally a small distribution center, which mainly dealt with prepackaged bouquets. After the business was successful there, they opened a regional office and distribution center in June, 2006. It consisted of a small room where they received bulk flowers and packaged their own bouquets. 2. Information Systems of the organization Here, we shall discuss the information systems of an organization, Floras Flowers Limited, which manages its operations out of Auckland in an office next to the cool store. 2.1 Core Business Activities This organization was set up after the owners of this organization- Flora Forest and her husband Symonds Forest realized the potential in growing flowers and selling them could give them good profits. They grew flowers originally as a hobby, but, after seeing the future prospects and the growth in this sector; they decided to expand it using a venture capital in 2002. 2.2 Company Structure Like any other organization, Floras Flowers also has a company structure that helps them to maintain their operations going out smoothly and in an effective manner. Ranging from the General Manager to Office Manager, this organization has the executives of the following expertise: Position held Name of the Executive General Manager Flora Forest (owner) HR Manager for permanent staff Flora Forest (owner) Manager of Finances Symonds Forest (owner) Marketing Manager Lucy Corban North Island Distribution Manager Joe Simich Cool store and Packing Shed Manager Paul Murphy HR Manager for casual Auckland staff Paul Murphy Garden Manager Luke Gardener Christchurch Manager Michelle Street IS Support/ Office Manager Maria Vodafone 2.3 Types of Information Systems In order to execute all the operations successfully and meet the needs of their customers, this organization has amended the information systems over the years and came up with better and upgraded systems every time. The very first Floras Flowers Information Systems was paper based, which ultimately became difficult to deal with. Then they came up with an Excel spreadsheet, later with ACCPAC (accounting software), etc. As the needs and demands of the organization changed, they also paved way for the change in the Information Systems. Talking about the information systems that are currently in use, Floras Flowers present order entry system is an in-house developed system that dates back 4 years and replaces an older version of the COTS package, as that never worked quite well. This order entry system, being currently used for raw materials that make up bouquets, has been made in such a way that it is capable of working with ACCPAC. Although the information systems have been updated from time to time until the latest one, there are still many problems with the last one that the staff members have to work around until someone has time to sort them out. 2.4 Main units of the System We will now look at the main units of the system and the tasks allocated to each one of them: The General Manager and HR Manager: Flora Forest basically looks over the production of flowers by estimating sales and designing planting schedules since the starting of the organization.   She also negotiates with seed and fertilizer suppliers for the best possible deals. For the above work, she uses MS Office 2003 to use computing applications such as Excel. She also uses a simple HR system based on an MS Office Access 2003 database. The Financial Manager: Symonds Forest is responsible for managing the funds- general ledger, A/P, A/R, payroll and cash flow from the beginning; presenting budgets; looking after the billing and invoice to customers and suppliers. To accomplish these tasks, he uses ACCPAC (customized accounting software that basically serves small and medium sized company markets). He also works on MS Office 2003. The Marketing Manager: Lucy Corban has been working with the organization for 3 years. She looks after acquiring new clientele; providing the best product at the least cost and on the estimated time; promoting the company-advertising and personal selling; order processing. In order to complete these tasks, he uses ACCPAC Sales Module; Goldmine CRM (software for increasing productivity, sales leads, etc.) and MS Office 2003. The North Island Distribution Manager: Joe Simich has been associated with the company for 4 years. He schedules, maintains and coordinates vehicles for dispersing best product; managing inventory (list of items such as property, goods in stock, etc.) and maintaining it; managing the suppliers; shipments to customers and to the Christchurch branch. For all these operations he uses a simple Distribution System that he built himself using a Paradox database; a simple Inventory System written by him which integrates with the Distribution System but which has limited functionality; ACCPAC Inventory System which has good functionality and MS Office 2003. The Cool Store and Packing Shed Manager/ HR Manager for casual Auckland staff: Paul Murphy is Mr. and Mrs. Floras youngest son. He is the person responsible for ensuring that the stock in the cold store stays there for the least time; ensuring that right products are given in the right order; monitoring the cooling system; production of delivery and barcode labels; overseeing the bouquet production; overseeing the packaging; maintaining packaging supplies and employing casual staff. For doing these tasks, he uses Order Entry system; The Distribution System; The HR System and MS Office 2003. The Garden Manager: Luke Gardener has a family background in growing fruits and vegetables. He is highly capable in his field, but is not a computer literate. He ensures that planting is done according to timetables; cares for all plants in the fields and greenhouses; maintains greenhouses and watering systems; maintains the correct level of soils, compost, fertilizers, seeds, etc. employs casual staff. For doing the above tasks, he is given all instructions on paper. He does not use computer at all, but is being encouraged to learn basic data entry using simple applications. The Christchurch Manager: Michelle Street is looking after the following processes. She is responsible for the delivery of bulk flowers to the Christchurch office; the acquisition of new customers; increasing orders from existing customers; ensuring that the bouquets meet the high standards; maintaining all account records which are done in Auckland. In order to complete the above tasks, she uses the HR system; the Order system; ACCPAC Sales Module; Goldmine CRM. The IS Support/Office Manager: Maria Vodafone has been associated with the company for 2 years. She looks after the LAN; support; assets- hardware and software; the system architecture. To accomplish these tasks, she uses NT Network Node Manager and other Administration Tools; ACCPAC Asset Module and MS Office 2003. 2.5 Usage of Hardware, Software, Operating System(s), Networks Now, we shall discuss the system architecture i.e. the hardware, software, operating  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   system(s) and networks that are involved for the smooth functioning of this organization. These are as follows: The system architecture consists of a combination of hardware, software and a basic star topology network: Pentium Vs with 512MB RAM running on NT 1 laser printer at each location Fiber optic lines and modems Basic star topology with the switch located at Auckland office. There are PCs in the packing shed (2), cool store (1) and the forest home (2), as well as 3 in the office.   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   All PCs have the following software installed on them: MS Office 2003 Other job specific packages   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   The PC system uses NT as its basic operating system and that manages office automation. 3. History of the System Alongside help in basic decision making, the organization data structure serves as support to manager when deciding. Decisions are as often as possible made in the buy data framework, in view of data from the account information framework. As a general rule, relevant data required in the purchase process are collected financial reports. In this case study, Floras Flowers Limited were using paper based information systems which was not easy to manage and they were accessing this information system in their different departments to run their business smoothly these systems were: An exceed expectations spreadsheet was created to help with outlining the conveyance however was not the best device for the job. This prompted the development of a distribution application which utilized a paradox database, which enormously enhanced efficiency. This development was conveyed by Joe Simich, who then went ahead to develop an inventory system which was connected to the appropriation system. However, a number of the other part frameworks were still primarily paper based systems. In HR department, Floras Flowers Limited use MS office 2003 to keep the record about their worker and this system is developed by the flora and it does not incorporate with whatever another data framework. Finance department of Floras Flower Ltd used ACCPAC (A customized off the shelf (COTS) Accounting): ACCPAC Accounting and Financial Management software unite your sales, develop financial reporting and supply better business and Floras Flowers Limited Finance Manager, Symonds Forest developed this system to managing the company finances top to bottom. It includes a sales module, and stock module, an accounts module and asset management module and also uses CRM (customer relationship management) (accounting, 2015).It is about placing you in control of your business with the goal so that you can maintain track of sales. In this case study Symonds is using this CRM system to forecasting the sale of flowers and budgeting (Rouse, 2014). Current order entry system in the organization is an in house developed system it was developed 4 years ago and changed with COTS package that never worked particularly well and this information system is accessed for the raw materials that design the bouquets, has been made to work with ACCPAC. Marketing Manager of Floras Flower Ltd, Lucy Corban has developed ACCPAC sales module, Goldmine CRM and MS Office 2003 for gaining potential clientele, advertising and personal selling and serving of orders. Business management software: Handle your business with money related, reporting and assist you to run your small business (index, 2013). 3.1 Development of the System Joe Simich the distribution manager of the North Island has been with the company for  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   four years. He is exceptionally needy upon figures and measurements from his frameworks which at present are giving the essentials of his logistics investigation. Initially he used to excel spreadsheet inscriptive an easy application in Delphi using a Paradox database but it has moderate functionality to work. Joe established a distribution system using paradox database. 3.2 Procedures to develop the system In the distribution they used a paradox data base which greatly advanced efficiency. After that developer build up an inventory system that was connected to the distribution system. The acquisition in 2003 of ACCPAC an off the self-bundle that was tweaked for FFIS (Foundation Financial Information System) was key for the feasibility of the organization. It contains a business module, a stock module, a records module and a benefit administration module. In HR department, developed by the flora does not incorporated with another data framework. Developers build up order entry system to replace an earlier COTS package that never worked well, this entry system is used for raw materials that make up the bouquets. Floras Flower Company used the above mention tools to improve the company productivity and efficiency. 4. Administration and Effectiveness of the System Maria Vodafone administers and maintains the system on call 247. Minor problems are solved by staff themselves, so there are only few callouts. If sometimes she isnt available, she arranges an alternative of her cousin. 4.1 Disciplined and systematic approaches: Demands for changes are dealt with as issues. Issues with the framework are recorded on a load up and concurred a need rating, yet time requirements imply that frequently a basic non-pressing occupation is settled before a complex earnest employment. There are techniques for presenting fixes before they are put into generation, yet they are frequently avoided, with just intermittent fiascos. Reinforcements for each of the part frameworks are done nightly and reinforcement tapes are put away off-site. Since the last calamity, a duplicate of the earlier nights reinforcement has been continued site. There are methodology manuals that are about exceptional, yet a great many people simply request that other individuals how do things. 4.2 Issues Encountered: Logistics: The enormous increments in fuel and running expenses for the vehicle are cutting into benefits and the applications and frameworks being used are by and large seriously pushed. Orders have expanded to where every client more often than not puts in no less than one request for each week containing somewhere around 20 and 80 items. Numerous clients are putting in various requests with various conveyance addresses. Systems: The staff are thinking that it`s hard to adapt to the different frameworks and the issues that should be worked around. In addition to, everybody needs speedy reacting framework and discovering current framework is hard to interact with each other, so necessity of completely utilitarian framework is must. Communication Gap: Correspondence is working simply because of the nearby bonds between the staff. The greater part of them see each other at any rate once per week for family social occasions. 4.3 Improvement of Organization: The company totally depends on its ERP (Enterprise Resource planning) system and the Flower flora is using ACCPAC system which is basically known as Sage 300 ERP (Sage_300_ERP, 2016). The System is good with its functionality of accounting, Inventory, sales module, CRM, Supply chain and Maintenance. But the Human Resource and marketing system arent available with the system. Above mentioned that staff found the difficulty with integration and complexity of this system. I would like to suggest the company to adapt new system with all functionality. Initially it may cost high to company and will take some time whist adapting. We have seen the vision of company to make a place in international market and achieving that goals the company need to choose suitable ERP system for the company. In Simple words Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is just integrated system which contains product planning, purchase, manufacturing or service delivery, marketing and sales, inventory management, shipping and payment, finance (Enterprise_resource_planning, 2016). The best and suitable ERP system for company is SAP ERP. SAP ERP incorporates the key business functions of an organization.   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Figure 1 ERP System According to a blog (Arabia, 2015), There are 2 Types of SAP ERP Modules. Number one is Functional Modules and second one is Technical Modules. All SAP Modules integrated with each other with functionality and provide us best solution for Business. Most important SAP Modules that Bunnies implement for their business are SAP FICO (Financial Accounting and Controlling) module MM (Material Management) Module SD (Sales and Distribution) module HR (Human Resource) module PP (Production Planning) module PS (Project System) module Basis module security module ABAP (Advanced Business Application Programming) module But Flora Flowers SAP Business Suite Applications is the best option as per their current usage of modules and problems with integration. SAP Business All-in-One is a suite intended for medium sized organizations that need the refinement of SAPs Business Suite, however require a quicker usage and lower all out expense of proprietorship (businesssuite, 2015). The item is the same code base as the Business Suite, yet comes out of the case with designs which speed up the execution procedure for medium sized associations. SAP Business All-in-One addresses the necessities of various ventures and claims more than 700 industry-particular programming arrangements. The usefulness of SAP Business All-in-One is complete and incorporates applications for big business asset arranging, client relationship administration, supplier relationship administration and business knowledge. For developing organizations, the framework gives a clear movement way to the SAP Enterprise item. SAP Business All-in-One can coordinate with desktop devices, for example, IBM Lotus Notes, Microsoft Office and Microsoft Excel. SAP Business All-in-One works on an extensive variety of databases and working frameworks. SAP Business All-in-One is controlled by the SAP NetWeaver innovation stage, permitting it to be incorporated with non-SAP programming as requirements change. Usage time intended to be as short as eight to 16 weeks (SAP Business All-in-One Software, 2016). Now watching out the solution for flora flower; by using SAP, the company need to provide training for the staff so that it will be easy for everyone to work on new framework and by doing so the staff will interact to each other and shall get close to each other. The module of Supply chain management (SCM) manages the flows of goods and services. SCM means identification of demand through to its delivery to point of use (Supply_chain_management, 2016). Below is the flow of supply chain management how it works. The underlying phase of the store network procedure is the arranging stage. We have to build up an arrangement with a specific end goal to address how the items and administrations will fulfill the requests and necessities of the clients. Subsequent to arranging, the following stride includes sourcing. After that assembling of items are separated by clients request, the items are conveyed to the client at the foreordained area by the supplier. In the last stride, the organizations need to manage client questions and respond to their complaints (supply_chain_management,2016).For better understanding look at the diagram below. Figure 2 Supply Chain Management 5. Conclusion and future scope This report gives the overall information about an Auckland based wholesale flower producer and supplier company Floras Flowers Limited. This report carries us to the history of the organization. It also lays stress on the networking capabilities that are involved in the same and the problems they are facing with it. In this report we came to know about their all future plans and also gave suggestions on how to overcome those problems. The knowledge we gained from this IT infrastructure helps us to know more technologies, software and how they are applied. From this project we learnt how an organization networks work and how important it is to upgrade them from time to time, keeping in line with the business world. SAP is the best innovation supplier to help us with our arrangements to incorporate the majority of our product needs into a solitary stage, giving us the visibility required to proficiently deal with our business end-to-end. Thus, if the organization uses SAP business suite, their dream of running their company in the international marketing without any obstacles would be successful. accounting. (2015). Retrieved from accpacnet: https://www.accpacnet.com/accounting.htm Arabia, R. S. (2015, July 2). SOlution Dots. Retrieved from Solution Dots: https://solutiondots.com/blog/sap-erp-modules.html businesssuite. (2015). Retrieved from websmp201.sap-ag.de: https://websmp201.sap-ag.de/public/businesssuite Enterprise_resource_planning. (2016, August ). Retrieved from wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enterprise_resource_planning index. (2013, December). Retrieved from managemore: http://www.managemore.com/index.htm Rouse, M. (2014, November). CRM. Retrieved from techtarget: http://searchcrm.techtarget.com/definition/CRM Sage_300_ERP. (2016, March). Retrieved from wikipedia.org: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sage_300_ERP SAP Business All-in-One Software. (2016, July). Retrieved from Software Advice: http://www.softwareadvice.com/nz/erp/sap-business-all-in-one-profile/ Ã…Â  imoviĆ¡, V. (24/jan/2012). A case study :an information system model. An information system management model, 1. supply_chain_management. (2016). Retrieved from tutorialspoint: http://www.tutorialspoint.com/management_concepts/supply_chain_management.htm Supply_chain_management. (2016, August). Retrieved from wikipedia.org: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supply_chain_management

Social and Feminist Influences of Austen and Shakespeare

Social and Feminist Influences of Austen and Shakespeare By Khalil Jetha Introduction Feminist thought is a movement truly indicative of a dynamic society. When manifested in literature, it signifies the breaking of old traditions, and the manner in which feminism is presented reflects the attitude of the writer and society to the aforementioned changes. In the case of William Shakespeare (1564-1616), presenting empowered females was of marked significance as the Elizabethan era marked the strongest female monarchy England had ever seen. However, upon closer inspection it can be inferred that Shakespeare had an innate disregard for female authority, reflected by examining the characters Desdemona (from â€Å"Othello†), Kate (from â€Å"The Taming of the Shrew†), and Rosalind (from â€Å"As You Like It†). The prevailing approach in Shakespeare’s time was one of trepidation for the â€Å"wild† woman, or a female who did not conform to social expectations. The so-called â€Å"feminist† characters merely served to lend form and di mension to male characters and patriarchal themes. In contrast, later authors such as Jane Austen (1775-1817) used empowered characters such as Elizabeth Bennet (from Pride and Prejudice), Elinor Dashwood (from Sense and Sensibility), and Catherine Morland (from Northanger Abbey) to present feasible realities within the context of the society in which Austen lived. Working her characters into the framework of her era, Austen used women not as a means but as her end. Unlike Shakespeare’s characters, whose wiles and individuality served as gimmicks to promote patriarchy, Austen’s characters showed women who existed independently of male-dominated societies. Through careful dissection and comparison of texts, Shakespeare’s â€Å"Othello†, â€Å"The Taming of the Shrew† (TOS), and â€Å"As You Like It† (AYLI), exemplify females whose independence and unorthodox qualities are eventually extinguished by overbearing male figures. Desdemona, Kate, and Rosalind are all radically different characters encompassing various aspects of the female psyche. Desdemona represents a rebellious daughter and sexually insatiable wife whose wiles cannot be controlled by men, a characteristic which drives her husband insane. Kate, â€Å"the shrew†, is the empowered woman who succumbs to the power of society, forgoing her independence to become a wife, in the process experiencing a â€Å"miraculous† metamorphosis instigated by her husband’s subjugation. Rosalind is unique among the three, an omniscient whose altruist nature cedes dominance to her alter ego, Ganymede. A more accurate description of the term â€Å"feminist† applies to Austen, whose characters do not serve to alter or develop male characters. While successfully writing novels whose plots and characters fit in 18th century England, Austen manages to show a different side of women, a side that is adversely affected by the character weaknesses of men. Her novels Northanger Abbey (NA), Pride and Prejudice (PP), and Sense and Sensibility (SS) present females whose pensive minds help them maneuver through the tumultuous and impractical societies in which they find themselves living. NA’s Catherine Morland, PP’s Elizabeth Bennet, and SS’ Elinor Dashwood are subtly different; however, the three female characters share their firm morals and unwavering integrity in common. Catherine Morland finds herself growing up in a world of first glances and vagaries, the sharp-witted Elizabeth Bennet spites the English bourgeois for their pride, finding that she herself has p rejudice to overcome. SS’ Elinor Dashwood finds that throughout her life she cannot rely solely on men though society wills her to do so; all three women overcome tribulation to grow into worldly individuals, unlike Shakespeare’s who either compromise their personality or lives in the course of their respective texts. Shakespeare’s Characters and Works Shakespeare’s â€Å"Othello† is notable among Shakespeare’s tragedies because it presents a unique setting and character establishment. The namesake and protagonist, a Moor (a Muslim of African descent), transcends racial and religious boundaries to enter and lead the elite of Venice. The relationships between Othello and other Venetians communicates Shakespeare’s disdain for society, manifested in the villain Iago. From a feminist standpoint, however, the most prevalent victim of tragic circumstance is not the Moor of Venice, but rather the woman he marries. Desdemona is the classic martyr for feminist ideals, encumbered both as a woman struggling to pursue a life with the one she loves of another race and as a woman living in a man’s world, struggling to defend her marital fidelity and personal integrity. As a feminist martyr, she is â€Å"helplessly passive,† can â€Å"do nothing,† unable to â€Å"retaliate even in speech† be cause â€Å"her nature is infinitely sweet and her love absolute† (Bloom 1987, p. 80). When Othello accuses her of compromising her fidelity, she is insulted and maintains her integrity by refusing to even answer such allegations. Viewed by the reader, this action is one of pride and confidence. However, when she counters Othello, slightly mocking his insecurities by inquiring â€Å"[what he] could ask [her], that [she] should deny/Or stand so mammering on,† he perceives it as her attempts at masking her own desires to seek sexual satisfaction outside the bonds of matrimony (Act III, Scene iii, lines 69-71). Desdemona is constantly struggling with her environment. On the one hand, she fits into society as a married young woman. On the other, she presents a threat to the stability of patriarchal society. By marrying outside her race and religion, Desdemona defies custom by posing the scandal of miscegenated offspring. Confronted by her father, Desdemona vehemently rejects his concerns and contentions, favoring Othello despite the fact that she perceives â€Å"a divided duty†; Desdemona rationally argues in favor of Othello, professing that she should show Othello the same preference her â€Å"mother show’d/To [Brabantio]† (Act I, Scene iii, lines 178-188). In her argument that presupposes her assertiveness, Desdemona reveals social boundaries a woman faces: first she is bound by allegiance to her father, then she grows to devote her life to her husband. From a gender issues standpoint, her identity as a sexually charged, erratic newlywed earns her little more than violent encounters with Othello and her eventual murder. Her charged sexual nature â€Å"catalyze Othello’s sexual anxieties† through not fault of her own, as Iago manipulates Othello’s marital instability to begin with (Bloom 1987, p. 81). Ultimately, it is Othello’s indecision, his inability to â€Å"voice his suspicions directly† that further fuel his insanity and manipulation at Iago’s hands; Desdemona pays the ultimate price for her loyalties, both in marriage and to herself (Bloom 1987, p. 88). Throughout the play, Desdemona, like the other female characters of the play, never requires validation or reassurance of her value as a person. Othello represents the need for public respect, a reason why Iago’s suggestions of Desdemona’s infidelity drives him insane. Desdemona is further degraded as Othello gives Iago m ore credit than he does his own wife. In all his deceptions, â€Å"Iago’s feigned love gives him power which Desdemona’s genuine love cannot counteract†; Shakespeare shows his audience that female character is surpassed in importance even by spurious male camaraderie (Bloom 1987, p. 91). A victim of male circumstance, Desdemona is tragically caught between the Iago’s insecurities as a soldier surpassed by an outsider and Othello’s insecurities as an outsider seeking social acceptance. Othello’s marriage to Desdemona objectifies her; Iago spites Othello for marrying Desdemona as it completes what Iago perceives as Fate’s transgression against his station in life. Othello, in turn, is never sated, as his marriage to Desdemona should have consolidated his â€Å"power† as a man; instead, he resents Desdemona’s confidence and the power that even a suggestion of her infidelity asserts over him. The feminist criticism of the in stitution of love revolves around love’s existence as a means of control; when Othello’s male autonomy is compromised and he begins to speculate on his nature as secondary to his wife’s sexual power, he goes insane, ironically smothering her to death using the same sheets used during the night of their marriage’s consummation. Desdemona’s erstwhile functional marriage serves as the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back, as Othello â€Å"finds the scorn due the cuckold almost as difficult to bear as the loss of Desdemona† (Bloom 1987, p. 90). Shakespeare’s presentation of Desdemona as a pawn in Iago’s manipulation can be presented as his disdain with society’s misogyny. However, Desdemona’s portrayal as the helpless victim serves to further discredit female strength. While the tragic death of Othello surpasses Desdemona’s in literary importance, Desdemona becomes more tragic a character than her estranged husband. She has done nothing to earn the contempt of her husband, whose murderous intent and eventual suicide serve as the only means of self-validation. She has become an object in Othello’s â€Å"self-sacrifice†, nothing more than another factor in Shakespearean tragedy. In his portrayal of Desdemona, Shakespeare may have been able to present a feminist case for the station of women in society and their abuses at the hands of men. But Othello is not made the villain: Iago is the person portrayed as destroying a life, not in Desdemona’s passing but in Othello’s fall from grace. Desdemona, though a possible case for the argument of feminist characters in Elizabethan theatre, is ultimately too passive to be a feasible feminist. Had she asserted herself and called Othello’s insecurity, her husband’ s pride may have been compromised, but it would serve as a means for him to identify the primary culprits at hand. That Desdemona confronted her father and not her own husband plays the feminist argument into doubt; marriage, not self-sufficiency, was Desdemona’s final goal. She sought neither to validate herself nor her sense of self-worth, but rather chose a life of devotion to the Moor she loved. In essence, she presented herself as a victim from the very beginning. Unlike other Shakespeare plays, TOS can be taken both in its historical context and simultaneously be applied to the modern social constrictions women face. In its historical context, the play presents a comical obstacle standing between a man and the object of his affection. In a more contemporary setting, however, TOS is a story of one man’s conquest over a woman’s social and emotional independence and the domestication of a free spirit. The aforementioned setting makes sport out of breaking Kate’s will and reveals a theoretical rebuttal of radical feminism. As TOS unfolds, the audience sees Kate as a social pariah, unfit for society as she spurns the institution of marriage and the idea of love. An independent, sharp-tongued woman, she is demonized by the local male population who sees her as a barricade preventing courtship of the demure, younger, more favorable Bianca. It is not completely dismissible a notion that Shakespeare wrote TOS with the intent of exposing the farce of certain types of marriage. Shakespeare may have juxtaposed the stubborn, resilient, and often violent Kate with the desirable Bianca to show the duplicity of social marriages. In his article entitled â€Å"The Taming of the Shrew Mocks the World Mercantile Marriage†, Gareth Lloyd Evans describes the world of TOS as â€Å"mercantile to the end,† showing how â€Å"even at the conclusion of its biggest transaction (the marriage of Bianca), the gambling element remains† (Marvel 2000, p. 69). In the end, Kate becomes docile to the will of Petruch io, leaving Bianca flabbergasted at her sister’s change of heart. Kate’s radical change from self-avowed hater of all things love and marriage hence becomes the locus of the question of her nature as a feminist character: was Shakespeare’s portrayal of Kate as a virulent misanthrope a comic device or a social message? If Shakespeare intended to use Kate in the same manner with which he employed the character of Desdemona in Othello (that is, as a means to the plot’s end), then TOS takes on an entirely new direction. Using Kate as a comic device makes female independence the object of scorn and ridicule, and Shakespeare’s tone toward feminist issues would be dismissive and, condescension not withstanding, misogynist. As the object of a social statement, Kate would become a testament to the futilities of female cynicism and rejection of society. Examining Kate’s transition lends credibility to the said stance. If Shakespeare was a feminist writer, creating Kate’s character with the purpose of communicating a message to society at large, the â€Å"shrew† being tamed would be Petruchio. Instead, â€Å"Petruchio’s taming of Kate† is an act of instilling humility in â€Å"a spoiled, egotistical, well-fed, rich girl† and forcing her to accept â€Å"a will other than her own† (Marvel 2000, p. 147). The feminist standpoint would rather be one of prevailing contempt for Petruchio, a self-avowed social climber whose desire to marry Kate stems from expansion of his family’s wealth. Like Desdemona, Kate’s independence and strength as a female character are stifled by marriage; unlike Desdemona, Kate’s marriage to the ruffian Petruchio is one with ulterior motive. Kate’s wedding is â€Å"a travesty and a sacrilege,† marred by Petruchio’s intoxicat ion and unruly garb (Marvel 2000, p. 152). Almost indicative of Petruchio’s goal of â€Å"taming the shrew,† he further suppresses Kate by kissing her at the â€Å"‘will’ of ‘I will not’† (Marvel 2000, p. 152). Ironically, the kiss represents more than the overbearing will of an intoxicated groom. The significance of pacifying Kate’s ill will with a kiss is utterly symbolic of her contentions toward TOS’ opening. Standing at the altar, her final cry is one against a life of pacification and subjugation under the supremacy of a husband. The actual â€Å"taming† does not begin until after marriage, a further explanation of Kate’s disdain. What is more intriguing about Kate’s â€Å"taming† is the means in which she is subdued. Following her outrage at the spectacle of the wedding, Petruchio denies Kate food, insisting that it is for her own good. Later, he denies her access to the ornate clothing provided by the tailor. Before leaving for their return to Padua, Kate implores her husband that they make haste, as they are late. Petruchio sputters that he will not go, and that she is reading the time incorrectly; Petruchio condescendingly states that whenever they leave it will be at â€Å"what o’clock [he says] it is† (Act IV, Scene iii, line 189). The means denied Kate in her â€Å"taming† are food, clothing, and free will. Kate begins to rely on her husband for survival, warmth, and freedom of motion. Essentially, Petruchio becomes not only her husband but also her guardian, leaving Kate with the independence of a small child. It is almost as if he is brainwashing her, torturing her b y keeping her hungry, clothed in what way he sees fit, restricting her motion and even forcing her sense of time under the fetters of his will. Shakespeare’s only message here is not simply the futility of female emancipation, but the repercussions of atypical female action. Kate is portrayed as earning her fate through her belligerence and the days she spent terrorizing society with her outbursts and sporadic violence. The more a woman strays from the path society sets out for her, the harsher the â€Å"punishment† in an inescapable future marriage. The only negating aspect to the misogyny of Shakespearean assertion is Kate’s nature. Though stubborn, Kate is â€Å"intelligent, too†; in her apparent surrender to her husband’s mad will, Kate realizes â€Å"she can take the wind completely out of his sails, deprive his weapon of its power, even turn it against him—tame him in his own humor† (Marvel 2000, p. 52). By entertaining his strange whims, Kate can turn the tides against Petruchio, calling his bluff, so to speak. After all, Petruchio’s madness is forced, as he is trying to irk his wife and break her composure. As the entertaining, submitting wife, Kate also tames Petruchio; she conceivably leaves him no reason to be as erratic as the wife whose will he set out to break. In this sense, Kate is Petruchio’s equal, and in their social obscurity, they are made acceptable through the bonds of marriage. On the surface, Rosalind is socially acceptable, like most of Shakespeare’s characters. She is almost altruistic, exuding transcendent knowledge about life and love. She chastises Silvius for his devotion to Phoebe, yet swoons for Orlando and does not grow embittered at the prospect of love in the manner TOS’ Kate does. As one of the more engaging characters of the play, Rosalind, like â€Å"Othello’s† Desdemona, goes against her uncle’s wishes in the pursuit of her love, in this case manifested by Orlando. Unlike Desdemona, however, Rosalind is more congenial, coaxing her uncle by imploring his forgiveness. Rosalind testifies to Duke Frederick that if she offended him in her affections for Orlando, it was â€Å"[never] so much as in a thought unborn† (Act I, Scene iii, lines 49-50). As a lady and a daughter, Rosalind is the ideal woman to show society. She is polite, reserved, and wise beyond her years. Her personality, however, shifts to a point unparalleled by other Shakespearean characters. Rosalind’s power as a possible feminist character is best exemplified in her interactions while cross-dressed as Ganymede (â€Å"Ganymed†). After she assumes the identity of the male Ganymede, Rosalind’s character unfolds as one who is both enticing and mysterious, alluring to the romantic, erotic, and homoerotic aspects of theatre. She begins to take a more aggressive stance in her interaction with Orlando, preventing him from kissing her despite her desire, insisting that he should â€Å"speak first† (Act IV, Scene i, lines 69-74). As mentioned previously, men were exclusive actors as women were not permitted entry into the world of Elizabethan theatre. Homoeroticism was naturally an unavoidable subtext to any Shakespearean play. The choice of the Greek mythological figure of Ganymede is indicative of Shakespearean homoeroticism. In Greek myth, Ganymede was a shepherd boy with whom Zeus (Jove) fell in love. Rosalind on an Elizabethan stage would therefore be a male actor cross-dressed as a woman, who in the play cross-dresses as a homosexual man beguiling and perhaps slightly manipulating the unsuspecting Orlando. When taken into this context, â€Å"As You Like It† reveals new depth and content. Michael Shapiro delves into cross-gender devices in his book Gender in Play on the Shakespearean Stage: Boy Heroines Female Pages. Rosalind adopts â€Å"three separate and distinct layers of identity—Rosalind, [Ganymede], and ‘Rosalind’† (Shapiro 1994, p. 119). The sole purpose behind her schizophrenic metamorphosis is her love for Orlando, a man she has barely met. The first Rosalind is the vibrant character attracted to Orlando. Ganymede serves as a mentor to Orlando, a giver of advice; in her assumption of Ganymede’s identity, Rosalind alters her own nature as a woman living in a patriarchy as she takes the role of a mentor, giving â€Å"man-to-man advice to Orlando on the behavior of wives† (Shapiro 1994, p. 124). This ascension to egalitarian status with Orlando is reflective of the first feminist objective: to attain total social equality with men. The third Rosalind is the one who acts according to the advice she gives Orlando as Ganymede, and incidentally is the most intriguing of the three identities. As Ganymede, Rosalind has a control over Orlando’s emotions and thoughts. She can influence him whichever way she so pleases by suggesting, as a man, how Orlando ought to behave or react to women as wives. As the third Rosalind, she can indirectly affect Orlando by either corroborating through her actions any advice she gave as Ganymede, or further discredit Ganymede by acting opposite. Rosalind ultimately has the choice of how she wants Orlando to accept her. Rosalind can covet Orlando’s trust and affections as a man, and in doing so mold him to her liking so that she may later win him over as a woman. Ganymede’s presence as a trusted friend of Orlando is significant as it is perhaps the only way Rosalind can enjoy equality. This aspect of her cross-dressing is wholly non-feminist in its nature. From a rad ical feminist standpoint, there should be no gender labels, in which case Rosalind has failed to identify herself as such as she is forced to become a man. From a liberal feminist standpoint, gender labels can exist and differences should be respected. In the liberal feminist mindset, Rosalind has failed to gain equality as she is only given credibility as a man; the nature of the advice Orlando seeks regarding the nature of women as wives can only be trusted as coming from a man. Equally plausible is that Rosalind is forced to act the way she does to get what she wants. Rosalind may have taken the initiative to achieve her goals no matter the cost of identity. Furthermore, her male identity had the potential to liberate her female identities; as Ganymede, Rosalind had the power to dictate to Orlando the manner in which women should be approached. Shakespeare had the opportunity to relay a message through his cross-dressing female hero, but failed to endeavor to such communication. Though working within the limits of his society, Shakespeare did not address issues through Rosalind’s characters in the manner Austen does with her female protagonists. While heavy-handed techniques are not necessary, Shakespeare only flirted with the notion of empowered females as it augmented the situational comedy in AYLI. Shakespeare’s characters cannot be accurately described as feminists, even with respect to the social norms they challenge in his works. The Webster Dictionary defines feminism as â€Å"the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes.† Though her marriage to Othello was one of controversy, it was one that tested the boundaries of race and religion-relations. Miscegenation, not misogyny, was addressed in their relationship. Desdemona was perpetually a victim whose life rested solely in the hands of her insane husband. For Desdemona to be a feminist or even have feminist characteristics, she would have picked up a sword and joined Othello in the military. The Venice in which she lived only economically endowed her with a dowry, which would then be paid upon marriage. From a social standpoint, Desdemona may have been able to petition her fellow Venetians for help when she suspected Othello’s violent tendencies. However, she chose to leave her destiny in the hands of her husband, no matter the outcome. Kate, though constantly haranguing the general public for the institution of love, does not take her stance for feminist reasons. The traditional feminist attack on the institution of marriage focuses on marriage as forcing certain roles on women (motherhood and subjugation under a husband in particular). There is no indication that Kate took any of these stances; more plausible is that she is embittered by the fact that society forces marriage and not why it is forced. Rosalind is perhaps the strongest character of the three in question. That she is assertive has little to do with her identity as a feminist character. While there is little doubt that she is a hero and one of the foci of AYLI, and still less speculation on the strength of her character, she still does not actively seek political or economic equality. There is no mention of her stance on women in society. The most feminist aspect of Rosalind is her ability to transcend gender. In cross-dressing, she reflects new treatment by Orlando. Though not more positive or negative than her treatment when Orlando acknowledged Rosalind as a woman, as Ganymede, Rosalind shows that Orlando approaches her with similar respect. Rosalind’s sexual empowerment does deify her to a certain degree; it is as if she has the power to evoke feelings in men that would erstwhile not exist. With the exception of TOS’ Kate, Shakespearean females are usually composed individuals who contribute to the development of a plot or male character. However, all three Shakespearean characters can be described as heroes to a degree. Carol Pearson defines a hero in her book The Female Hero in American and British Literature as one who â€Å"departs from convention and thereby either implicitly or explicitly challenges the myths that define the status quo† (Pearson 1981, p. 16). Desdemona, though sexually more forward than other Shakespearean women, is at home in her surroundings. She is a born Venetian of high stature, and though she keeps her relationship with Othello secret, she has no conflicting interests in Venice. Her marriage to an outsider challenges the â€Å"myth† of requisite same-race marriage. Othello, on the other hand, is a man of different race and religion, struggling to make a name for himself in a new land. He is not nearly as self-assured as Desdemona, his physical differences weighing on his conscience and costing him peace of mind. Where Desdemona has made peace to accept her own death (she requests the wedding sheets be placed on the bed), Othello is never composed to the measure Desdemona exudes. In short, Desdemona acts as foil to Othello in every way; their union is one that naturally causes friction, without which Iago would never be able to manipulate the situation. Kate and Petruchio are very unique among Shakespearean couples; though Petruchio is hardly a hero by the Shakespearean norm of gallantry, he is the man who â€Å"tames the shrew.† However unorthodox a hero, Petruchio is the perfect match for Kate in his gruffness, his unkempt demeanor, and his social shortcomings. The two have only their resilient personalities in common; Kate is more polished and presentable than her wily husband, but the two both have a natural contempt for life that can only be quelled by their marriage. Their relationship is one of servant and master, the power balance shifting constantly. Though Kate detested the pandering of her past suitors, her attraction for Petruchio budded because he was precisely the opposite of what society (and her father) wanted for her. To keep her interest piqued, Petruchio naturally appealed to Kate and had to maintain a certain air about himself. Following their marriage, Kate became subservient, accepting Petruchio’s odd tendencies and orders to pacify him (he never would have expected a docile Kate, and receiving one shifted manipulation back into Kate’s hands). Though their personalities are strong, society’s favor puts the advantage in to Petruchio’s hands as in addition to a wife he also gained financial means. Kate is merely a means to an end for Petruchio, whereas Petruchio is the only means for Kate to attain what society expects of her. Rosalind and Orlando are another anomaly, though in the end, Rosalind exists more for Orlando than vice versa. Cross-dressing aside, Rosalind’s sweet temperament and witty rapport make her the ideal mate. Orlando, with the exception of his privileged birth and notable wrestling skills, is rather normal in every respect. Rosalind exists only to marry Orlando, and while her transsexual tendencies are a force with which to be reckoned, her antics merely delay what an inevitable relationship and existence. Her previously mentioned teasing was a perfect metaphor for a life whose direction she could not control. Shakespeare as a Feminist Whether in tragedies or comedies, Shakespeare’s female characters vary greatly in their nature and the social mold they fit. Given the Elizabethan era in which Shakespeare lived, most of his more wily and energetic female characters went against the grain of society. However, most all of Shakespeare’s more powerful female characters occurred in comedies, begging the question of whether or not they could be taken seriously as characters that could exist outside the realms of stage narrative. That these strong female characters exist only in comedies does not question any aspect of society. In keeping with his comedies’ humorous undertones, Shakespeare may very well have made his female characters strong because their existence would be laughable. After all, Elizabethan stage actors were all male; women were never allowed in theatre. Furthermore, the tendencies of comedic so-called â€Å"feminist† characters are to either succumb to society’s restrain ts, or to be smothered by overpowering male dominance. The women of Shakespeare’s plays are usually the ones who change, often when they become married. Katherina, for example, succumbs to marriage, settling for Petruchio, a drunkard whose ostentatious personality and strong sense of deviance outweighs her own rejections of conformity and domestication. Her resilience goes unrewarded, and she once again becomes a subservient figure in the archetypal patriarchy of the time. A large reason behind female suppression in Shakespearean plays was also public acceptance. No patron, male or female, would return to Shakespeare’s productions if the prevailing themes were the emancipation of women. Female assertion was a taboo, a reason why it was so popular in comedies. The greatest aspect of comedies is the aversion of tragedy; negative happenstances that reach fruition are tragedies, and the same happenstances that are avoided are comedies. As the defining characteristic of a c omedy, the resolution of a problem is mirrored in the pacification of said comedy’s female rogues. The strength of women in Shakespeare’s plays, therefore, is a literary tool used to build up the glory and triumph of men and the patriarchies in which they exist. What cannot be dismissed, however, is the context in which Shakespeare wrote the plays. Speculation of his historical surroundings denote Shakespeare’s tendency to pander to leadership, in this case, England’s greatest female monarch, Elizabeth I. Though society was largely patriarchal, the monarchy led by queen who did not marry. It is not completely unlikely that Shakespeare pandered to the female monarch, emulating her reluctance to wed in his â€Å"The Taming of the Shrew.† Queen Elizabeth, after all, did not marry, nor would she fit into society’s mold of the typical woman. Shakespeare’s characters were daring for the time, as they also broke the mold of Elizabethan women. Unlike Queen Elizabeth, however, the strong female characters of Shakespeare’s plays were exemplified by their ability to manipulate, control, and overpower men. In many ways, the strength of women served as a means to make women antagonists. For example, Desdemonaâ₠¬â„¢s power existed to drive Othello mad with her unchecked sexuality. She exhibited a power over men, one that would not be contained or controlled by men. Though Iago manipulated the characters of â€Å"Othello†, it was extreme jealousy that drove the play’s namesake mad, causing him to kill himself and the woman he could not control. The message conveyed in Othello could be construed to be a foreboding one to women in society and the men that dominated them: losing control of women and compromising male dominance leads to tragic consequences. Shakespeare’s Rosalind was unique, different from Desdemona and Katherina in her omniscience and enlightened state. Though the complexity of her emotions and thoughts is unrivaled in â€Å"As You Like It,† she takes on a darker side, one of manipulation and social subversion. Though laudable, her social deviance still leaves the play wanting for a male counterpart to complement her. She cannot criticize the respective stations of men and women for too long without succumbing to love’s fetters herself. It is as though Shakespeare is communicating the futility of female nonconformity. Shakespeare’s penultimate message in comedic female characters is one of concession. Though women are welcome to mock and society and live outside its bounds, they all must eventually â€Å"grow† into wives and docile domesticates

Real Heroes in our Society Essay -- Hero heroes Heroic Essays

Real Heroes in our Society The Lone Ranger, Zorro, Batman, Superman are some of the characters that we stereotypically constitute as heroes. They are known to fight with courage without fear of death. They destroy the enemy within a blink of an eye. They fight using their own body strength, superpower, or some kind of weapon. They come to the rescue miraculously and leave without a trace. They are mysterious. We are unable to identify who they are underneath the masks and disguises. Yet, we praise them and ignore the real heroes that surround us regularly, ordinarily. â€Å"All of us †¦like to believe that in a moral emergency we will behave like the heroes of our youth, bravely and forthrightly, without thought of personal loss or discredit† (O’Brien 39). In other words, we are quite oblivious to the ordinary people of the world that are, in fact, the true heroes. These heroes are not the equivalents to the Lone Ranger or Superman; they might even flee instead of fight a dangerous situation. However, when they do fight, they fight with flesh and bone. They fight with emotions and tears. They fight with anger and fears. They fight with confusion. They fight for their country. They fight to avoid the shame and embarrassment. They fight because of obligations to the family, to the country, and to themselves. The heroes that come to mind through these descriptions are the ones fighting in uniforms. They are fighting in lands unknown. They are captured and tortured. They are young and naà ¯ve but they are obligated to perform their patriotic duties. They are the soldiers of my country, your country, and our country. They are the protagonists and characters of The Things They Carried, The Sorrow of War, and Crossing ... ...nd embarrassed with their true desires not to fight. There is no freewill at this point because they feel obligated to be the patriotic men. They are confused not knowing the reason for this war but that it is â€Å"to stop the Communists, plain and simple† (O’Brien 45). Unfortunately is it not plain and simple, even a million words would not be able to express the experiences that these young men endure. Unlike the Lone Ranger, the soldiers would rather flee due to the natural human instincts toward a dangerous situation. Yet, they suppress their true feelings and fight with all they have. As we can see, the ones that fight to help people that they hardly know are indeed the regular, normal, and everyday human beings. With this in mind, we cannot count on the Lone Ranger to come to the rescue; rather, the heroes are right before our eyes. They are an â€Å"everyman.†

Family and Medical Leave Act Essay -- essays research papers

Family and Medical Leave Act   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On August 5, 1993, the Family and Medical Leave Act became effective for most of the employers and employees covered by the act. The FMLA is designed to help employees balance their work and family responsibilities by allowing them to take reasonable unpaid leave for certain family and medical reasons, including serious health conditions that prevent the employee from working. Not only has the FMLA evolved over the years, but also the current application in the workplace environment is very complex for the employee as well as the employer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Over the years, FMLA has evolved into a one of the most discussed and complex laws in the United States. Since 1993, over 35 million eligible workers have taken leave for family or medical reasons. For all the employers covered by the act, 80 percent reported that it had a positive effect or noticeable effect on business productivity, profitability and growth. (www.familyleavesurvey.com) As the FMLA has evolved, it has had positive effects on both employees and employers. However, even though it is very effective, it is also a very complex law.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  FMLA covers private sector employers that employ 50 or more individuals. Public employers are covered under FMLA no matter how many workers they employ. The FMLA requires covered employers to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to eligible employees for childbirth or care of a child, adoption, their own serious illness or that of a...

Culture and disease Essay

Diabetes is a common chronic disease whereby blood glucose or sugar levels in the blood are too high. Glucose mainly comes from foods that are consumed and by the help of insulin hormone they can get into the body cells to provide energy. Diabetes is classified into two types whereby in type 1 diabetes the body is unable to produce insulin whereby with type two the body does not make insulin or use it well in the body. Therefore, when body lacks enough insulin to convert sugar into energy, the sugars stay in the blood and this leads to the disease condition of diabetes. The two common types of diabetes are type 1 and type II diabetes. The condition mainly affects the old people due to lack of exercise and poor eating habits. Within the Italian community, the most common condition presented is diabetes mellitus but unlike other places in Italy it affects children between the ages of 0-14. Diabetes mellitus occurs when the pancreases is not capable of producing enough insulin which is meant for converting sugar into energy. When the cells are not responding well to the insulin which is produced a disease condition can arise. This leads to lack of absorption of glucose into the cell of the body and therefore high levels of glucose are found in blood. The disease manifest itself in different symptoms such as frequent urination, leathery weigh loss, hunger and excessive thirst. The disease can be controlled by exercising regularly and eating well balanced diet and avoiding a lot of sugary meals. Condition can be treated by administration of insulin so as to convert the excess sugar in the blood to energy so that it can be utilized by the body cell. This condition in severe state it can cause renal failure, heart disease, blindness, and stroke or limb amputation. There is quite a high prevalence rate of diabetes in Italy which is about 3-4% of its population and it increases with age. Most of them have type II which is diabetes mellitus and it occurs mainly at the onset of adulthood. Agent or causative agent of diabetes mellitus in Italy and elsewhere are not known since the disease occurs when the body can not produce insulin properly. Type I mainly occurs in young people whereby islet of langerharn cells stops producing insulin completely. In the report by John (2002), diabetes can also arise as a result of auto immune problem whereby the body turns against its own cells thus damaging them and rendering important processes to take place. Type II mainly affects the old people but it’s also gaining roots in younger generation due to lifestyle i. e. As a result of poor diet and sedentary lifestyle. In this type, the body is unable to utilize insulin in converting blood glucose levels to energy. Other causes of diabetes includes:- – Obesity- This mainly occurs as a result of metabolic syndrome. It occurs as a result of extra energy. – Diabetes can also be caused by excessive chronic stress due to excessive utilization of thoughts. Therefore, the best way to overcome all these causes is by living a healthy lifestyle exercising regularly and being cautious on what you are eating. Diabetes mellitus can also result due to hereditary factor whereby the disease is passed through the generation on families. It can also result due to the environmental factors of the surrounding. In genetic diabetes, these individuals have a common genetic marker Type I can occur as a result of vital infection or other microorganism which damages the islet of langerharns cells in the pancreas. Type II is mainly associated with old age, obesity and genetic factors. Italian population is said to be more vulnerable to diabetes than the rest of the European countries. This is much contributed by their lifestyle and the diet they utilize. One thing in Italy is that almost half of its population are said to be overweight and they are clinically tested and proved to be obese. Obese is one of the factors that caused diabetes. Their stare of obese prevents them from working and living normal life due to the bulkiness of their bodies. Failure to work and live normal life hindered them from obtaining financial help from state to help them fight the condition. There state of obesity is also contributed by their diet since they mainly consume fatty foods which are rich in carbohydrates and therefore they end up accumulating a lot of energy which is not utilized in their bodies leading to obesity (James, Kelly, 2007) [PR] There are quite a number of environmental factors which contributes to diabetes. One major environmental cause of diabetes is persistence organic pollution in the environment and insulin resistance. Around 1940, Italian was quite persistent in the use of DDP pesticide which was quite dangerous to crops for consumption and also human. Even after it was banned it remained in the environment causing more harm to human. They slowly biodegrade and finally enter into the food chain which is finally consumed by human. Therefore, high levels of persistence organic pollutants cause types II diabetes. Environmental contaminant which mainly causes diabetes acts through estrogen receptors which results to disruption of endocrine by the chemicals which are incorporated in pollutants. Due to the industrial activities of Italy these pollutants are quite many within the environment and have resulted to diabetes type II since they hinder utilization of insulin by the cells. The mode of transmission of diabetes underlies some of difference in concordance rate. In Italy one of the major transmission modes is through genetic transmission which is mainly from substantial differences in preference rate of the disease which is mostly present in the same ethnic group and to those people who are under similar environmental burden. Apart from genetic transmission, diabetes can posses the mode of inherited transmission. This is also genetically connected whereby phenotype and pathophysiological levels indicates that genetic compounds are likely to be heterogeneous. Different mode of transmission of diabetes can be evidenced in discrete families and it can act as an overall mode of inheritance. Therefore, diabetes is mainly transmitted through genetic since it’s a hereditary disorder and can be passed from one generation to another within the same family (altha, Edgren, 2007) [PR]. There are quite a number of control methods which are used to control diabetes in Italy. These modes of control can be used to minimize the risk of infection in most prone areas of Italy. The first main control measure is by ensuring that the right diet is consumed foods with high energy context should be avoided such as consumption of a lot of carbohydrates in diet, sugary things, snacks fatty foods, potatoes and other meals which have a lot of energy. These foods can lead to obesity which is one of the major causes of diabetes. Therefore if they are avoided the risk of one being obese is reduced which consequently reduce the prevalence rate of acquiring diabetes. Another control measure which needs to be taken into account and which is less practiced in Italy is exercising regularly. Regular exercise helps to burn excess fats and energy which makes one’s body physically fit. In Italy due to most of the people being overweight they do not exercise regularly and this makes their bodies to retain a lot of energy and therefore they become prone to infection. Regular exercise therefore can be used as a control measure in preventing diabetes among the Italians. Exercising healthy lifestyles is also another thing that can help in the control of diabetes this is mostly encouraged in those families who have a life history of diabetes since by doing so they minimize the risks of inheriting disease from their relatives. Government of Italy can also come in to ensure that the danger posed to its citizens of acquitting diabetes as a result of harmful environmental effects like the use of DDP. Therefore, government should ban the use of such chemicals which are harmful to human life and also to ecosystem at large. The main treatment methods used for curing and maintaining diabetes at minimum are change in diet, administration of oral medicine, and in other cases daily injection or insulin or Byetta are mainly used to improve insulin concentration in the blood so that it can convert excess glucose in the blood to energy so that it can be utilized by the cells. Apart from these medicines in most of the routine hospitals in Italy they use acarbose and metform which are known to reduce the disease prevalence in the country by increasing the levels of insulin in the blood. They also use sulfonylurea and combination of different drugs in treating diabetes. These form of treatment resulted to different complication among those who were treated. These complications ranged from mild to severe complications such as diabetic retinopathy, diabetic neuropathy, coronary artery disease, and nephropathy and obstatic arteriopathy of lower limbs. This showed that the medication had vast adverse effect on the health of patient which did not cure the disease but brought about more complication to patients. In determining the social and cultural influences of diabetes in Italy, anthropological methodology was employed which signified that:- – They came up with ways of breaking the social network providing support of young people and this contrasted greatly with the ideas of health cares that held conferences, meeting and social support networks. – Diabetes patients were excluded at any age without minding about their development they were categorized by age and not individual ability and preference. – People were encouraged to take care of themselves at an early age which ensured that they were separated from the family and peer. According to Italian population, they considered the type of treatment offered inconvenient and mostly since it was associated with so many side effects to most of the patient who treatment was administered to and acted well on a very small percentage of patients. Therefore, patients in Italy do not believe that there is effective medication for diabetes and hence they opt for just natural ways of curing the diseases i. e. by use of diet exercising. Therefore since statistics shows that there is quite high prevalence rate of diabetes in Italy as a result of poor diet and lack of exercise. The country need to come up with ways of minimizing this incidence rate since their treatment methods are not quite effective and they end up causing move harm to patients. Reference: Altha Robert, Edgren Ken R, (2007), The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine, (vol 5) Jacqueline L. Longe Ed 3 Detroit, Gale on line update. Anne Dornhorst Gary Frost, Robert Mosses, (2003), Nutritional Management of Diabetes Mellitus, New York: John Willey and Son. James Enger, Kelly, (July-August 2007), Dangerous diabetes obesity connections on How to reduce your Risks now, ‘’vibrant life’’: 6-11.

Why Wait for Tomorrow? Why Not Now?

This article â€Å"More Testing More Learning† is written by Patrick O’ Malley. In this article O’ Malley is talking about how to make a students learning more easily than it is. The word more testing and more learning mean that if we test more then it makes easier for us to learn and understand more. In this passage Patrick says that students today are so lazy to study on time, they only study when their midterms or finals are near, which gets them worried about their studies. He said that if one student have got C in his midterm then he thinks that final is the only chance for him to get through his class or it could break him and he could flung in it. O’ Malley has given amazing suggestions in this article which could improve students’ academic and will be helpful for him to learn better. O’ Malley has a strong point, that if teachers could give more in class tests or quizzes after every part or at the end of every chapter, then it would be helpful for its student and will improve in students educational knowledge. It’s true that education has always played an important part in our lives, but studying without understanding ever helps one in its professional life. We have seen a lot of college students including myself like to study a night before our exams, which could give us a result of a failure. Our results are based on our learning power, and if our learning power is lesser then the course material then it will make us feel as if we are in some deep trouble. The problem is not that we are in some trouble of failing the course or getting dropped from class because we can’t make it, but the problem is that our teachers should encourage us and make our course easier for us to understand. How can a teacher do that? As O’ Malley said by give student’s in-class tests, quizzes after every chapter or part of study, and give assignments to do, so that they both know how weak student is in particular subject. Taking these types of exams more frequently will encourage student to change its habit, and develop its learning skills. At the other hand as per the argument goes on between professors that a frequent exam seems to create more problems, therefore there are many other alternate scenarios to achieve the same criteria. First one is to introduce a program which will work on improving students study skills. Whereas this program should teach a student how to be prepared for exams, moreover this might won’t be helpful in getting rid of that worry and anxiety, but it will get through them. The second scenario is to give them in class questions to do. These questions will help them work on their timing. Like for an example, if teacher is explaining a chapter on in present class and ask them some questions about that particular chapter in order to do a revision in next class will help them improving their timing for understanding and memorizing the course material for a big exam. Now the third and last scenario is about how to help student in preparation of their midterm and final exams. Before both exams teacher should provide students with some sort of a guess paper. Like giving some questions and idea of what is coming in exam and where it is coming from, so that it will be easier for a student to learn, because they know what is coming exam and from where. More testing makes us learn more. Everyone has their own ways to learn, some do it at the same time on same day and some delay them until their exams. If I would have to compare myself to this article I would more likely say that I come in students who waits until their exams are near. I have always agreed with the idea that if teacher will make learning easier for us by giving us in class tests, quizzes, by asking some questions on the other day of class to see that if student remembers what they learn in previous class, or by teacher giving a sample exam or they tell us what is coming in exam and what is not. These all ideas make it easier for me it has always worked. I still do have some teacher in present and past classes who always made it easy for me like my intro to business and music class teachers in last semester, and English and computer information teacher in present semester. In the end I would like to say that teachers do help, they always do, but it depends on us how often we understand and learn what is best for us to improve our skills. Like I said earlier that it is true that education is playing an important role in our life, but what’s the use of that kind of education in which we just learn to get rid of it. As a memorable saying by a person to person â€Å"Study what you like, study what you are good at, but study by understanding it not by getting rid of it†.