Politics and the American People Essay

Being able to marry your most beloved one is the happiest and luckiest thing in this world. However, not everyone can do this because of the Defense of Marriage Act which defines marriage as being between a man and a woman. Same-sex couples have to suffer a lot in order to fight for their rights and their happiness.Theyare denied equal access to all the benefits, rights, and privileges provided by federal law to married couples.If we think of it from a humanity standpoint, everyone has the right to pursue happiness. Therefore, same-sex marriage should be legal. The reason for making gay marriage legal is equality in citizenship. Despite their sexual attraction, homosexual individuals must be treated in the same way as everyone. They should not only have the same rights in housing, jobs, social benefits but also in marriage. Lately, a Republican Senate, Mark Kirk, has become the second Republican senator to endorse same sex marriage. â€Å"Same-sex couples should have the right to civil marriage. Our time on this earth is limited, I know that better than most,† Kirk said. â€Å"Life comes down to who you love and who loves you back– government has no place in the middle.† President Obama is also a supporter of gay marriage. â€Å"Not only is it right and fair, but also consistent with our Constitution,† he said. â€Å"It is very important for us to remember we’re a nation in which everybody’s supposed to be equal before the law.† President’s statement is the hope for LGBT, Les Gay Bisexual Transgender community, to be treated equally by the law. Legalizing gay marriage is the way to show support and sympathy to homosexual individuals. Most Americans who think same-sex relations are wrong believe being gay or lesbian is a choice. Those who do not think same-sex relations are wrong think being gay or lesbian is something people cannot change. Senator Rob Portman, from Ohio, a co-sponsor of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, now supports same-sex marriage after learning his son was gay. â€Å"I have come to believe that if two people are prepared to make a lifetime commitment to love and care for each other in good times and in bad, the government shouldn’t deny them the opportunity to get married,† he said. His son, Will, told his parents that being gay was not a choice, but the part of who he is, , and that’s who he’d been that way for as long as he could remember. Most of the homosexual individuals feel unconfident in front of the publicity due to the sexual attraction, and they feel lonely because of the isolation. Publicity should give them confidence for being who they are to lead on a bright life. Moreover, having a feeling for someone isn’t a sin. Hence, gender doesn’t matter in a relationship, gay couples also need support from the others. Generally, there’re a lot of people who oppose gay marriage because they think it’s weird and immoral. It’s rare, but doesn’t mean weird and unhappy. Homosexual individuals are just a small amount of us, but they are nothing different from us but their love to the same sex. They also take care of their partner well, love each other and live an ordinary life. How people can use immorality as an excuse to prevent the others seeking for their happiness?Let’s take Elton John and David Furnish as an example. John is the well-known musician who is used to addict to alcohol and drugs, but his partner, David, helped him to get rid of those dangerous addictions and live a better life. They formalized their relationship in December 2005, and they also adapted a boy in 2010. It’s the obvious proof that homosexual individuals can live a normal life as same-sex marriage legalized. In spite of one’s gender and sex’s attraction, everyone should be respected and treated equally in marriage. So, they can live a normal life and be happy with their beloved one. More and more Senate Democratand Republican support same-sex marriage. The battles over same-sex couples marrying still continues, and the number of Americans who support same-sex marriage is increasing. From what I see, if there’s any reason for fighting for gay marriage, they must be love, equal, sympathy and because we’re human.

Cash Basis vs. Accrual Basis Accounting Essay

Accrual accounting doesn’t just focus on cash flows, instead, it also reflects other resources that are provided and consumed by business operations during a period. This method measures resources provided by business operations by revenue. The measure of resources used to earn revenues is expenses. The difference between revenues and expenses is net income/loss. Accrual basis net income provides a better measure of performance because it attempts to measure the resource inflows and outflows generated by operations during the reporting period, which may not provide the same amount of cash inflows and outflows. Accruals involve transactions where the cash outflow or inflow takes place in a period after the expense or revenue recognition. â€Å"Selling on credit and projects that provide revenue streams over a long period of time affect the company’s financial condition at the point of the transaction. Therefore, it makes sense that such events should also be reflected on the financial statements during the same reporting period that these transactions occur†. (Investopedia, 2013). While cash basis is the difference between cash receipts and cash disbursements from providing goods and services. For cash basis accounting, a transaction happens only when money is exchanged. â€Å"Revenues are reported on the income statement when cash is received from the customers. Expenses are reported on the income statement when cash is paid out. This is one of the problems with cash basis accounting because adjusting entries help ensure that all revenues earned in a period are recognized in that same period, regardless of when cash is received†. (Averkamp, 2004). For accrual basis accounting, â€Å"revenues are recorded on the income statement when they are earned, which more often than not occurs before cash is received. Expenses are recorded on the income statement in the period when they occur/expire which is often in a different period from when the payment is made. This method of accounting provides a better picture of the company’s profits during an accounting period because the income statement will report all of the revenues actually earned during the period and all of the expenses incurred in order to earn the revenues. This method also helps because it reports all the assets that were earned are reported and all the liabilities that were incurred are reported†. (Averkamp, 2004).

Mtv Research Paper Essay

The first song that was played on MTV was called â€Å"Video killed the Radio Star†. It was sung by a group called The Buggles. This was a very popular song all over and it was deemed a good choice for the first song broadcasted. Many people also believed that the meaning of the song was that MTV, the new music video broadcasting station was going to destroy the radio. Some people thought that the song was performed live, but it was just a video. MTV was quite a big hit by the 1990’s. It was viewed in over 50 million American homes. It became a target for all advertisers because of the number of young viewers that watched MTV. The kids would beg their parents to buy the products they saw on the advertisements and it made out to be a good investment for advertisers. The attention and money that the advertisers brought in was good for MTV because they got more offers to get commercial time which means more money for them. Some people that were on MTV when it was in its first few years were Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Sheryl Crow, Cranberries, and Nirvana. They helped to kind of kick off the show and set it up for successful years to come. There are also some big-named people who probably played music from that MTV which helped to jump start their career. Madonna, Michael Jackson, Prince, Peter Gabriel, U2, and Duran Duran were some of the people that were all a part of MTV at one time. In a way, these people also helped MTV to get a good start too. The more big names that they brought in the more attention they got from viewers. This was good for the singers and MTV. The target audience that MTV chose was teens age 12 to 21. With this age group, they found that they got very good viewing rates. Artists whose songs were played on MTV found that the sales of their song increased. This is what gave advertisers the idea that they could do good business if they had an ad on MTV. With this targeted audience, they also found that their viewing rates continued to rise. Today they still target the same audience and they are still very successful in the way that they draw the audience. There have been a few changes in MTV since the start. They released a new logo after 30 years. It is not much different. It is just a little bit bigger and it is one color. The last was a mix between a few colors. The old one was designed by Frank Olinsky and it was a very big hit, but it was just time for a change. In 1986, the President and CEO, Robert Pittman left. There is no exact explanation why but he did. Over time, they started to show more reality shows than anything else. Some people liked the change to more reality shows but some people like the old school music videos all the time. There were some companies and investors that made it possible for MTV to even start. Warner Communications and American Express were big investors that helped in the starting of the show. Warner Amex was basically the main establisher and owner for about five years after the start. Then, in 1986, Viacom purchased MTV from Warner Amex. Now Viacom is the owner with all rights to MTV. There are other networks that MTV and Viacom own. They own VH1 that was released in 1985 and its purpose was to play adult contemporary. Then, in 1996, MTV2 was released to allow fans to see commercial free music videos. MTV (the original) became available in Manhattan and Los Angeles. Many people called this the second launch of MTV. They also own all Nickelodeon stations, Comedy Central, and CMT. This is not all; it is just a few that you may know. Although MTV has been very popular, it has also had a few controversial shows that some fans did not agree with. â€Å"Beavis and Butthead† was very controversial because some viewers felt that it was pointless and that the language was a bad influence for some of the younger audience that watched it. â€Å"Celebrity Deathmatch† was a part of this list because it made fun of the celebrities and it had bad language and violence. â€Å"16 and Pregnant† was another show that some people did not like because it could encourage some of the younger viewers to engage in sexual intercourse which is the problem with the people on the show. It is meant to deter kids from ending up like that but it only encourages some. â€Å"Jersey Shore† was the last show that people did not agree with. They believe that the people on the show are irresponsible and kids these days may think it’s cool and try to be like them. Over the years, MTV has had an impact on our generation, but also on our parents’ generation. A lot of younger teens’ parents that are around (14) grow up watching MTV. It is not the same now as it was then because of the popularity in different kinds of music over the years and they are now showing more reality shows. MTV also has an effect on its viewers. Most people that have ever seen MTV are probably hooked on it and they like to watch it. Also, the persuasion by friends to tell other friends to watch it because it is ‘cool’; and you aren’t if you don’t watch it. MTV has been very important over its years in various ways. It has brought a whole new way to experience music. Before MTV, you could only hear music over the radio, but when MTV aired, it played music videos, which was a whole new element to music over all. They have also helped lots of artists to grow and become more popular with just a few minutes of air time. This gas truly helped many people become more popular. With music videos,many people became more persuaded into buying the song even though they may not like the song. Even if they really like the video, they would still buy it because of the video and they weren’t paying attention to the song. It is very smart on the part of the broadcasters because they could just draw in an audience with an exciting video and you would think nothing of the song, just the video.

Argumentative on the Existence of God Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Argumentative on the Existence of God - Essay Example Religions across the world embrace the tradition of worshipping a supreme power, which people know as God. The concept of a supreme power is popularly known as God, and this power is perceived to be omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient. Different religions worship different deities, attributing different qualities and traits to each. However, the educated elite in Europe subsequently came up with the idea of rationalism, which upheld a view that no such power existed and challenged the concept of God. However, the people who argue against the existence of God has never been able to provide any substantial evidence to disprove it. Thus, it transpires that those who merely refute the existence of God simply wants to stake a claim without actually dwelling on the philosophy of effect of the belief in God on humans. The existence of God has been the first doctrine of the Theo-philanthropists. They considered Bible as the universal philosophy of God and they claimed that the messages in Bible are those of God. Thus, the belief in the existence of God dates back to earlier ages in the history of mankind. People worshipped God in different religious institutions such as churches, mosques, temples and so on. When a study on the emergence of the universe and the whole system of creation arises one must surely be aware of the fact there are a million concepts for which no proof exists about their founder. In philosophy, especially in the natural philosophy, it God is considered as a divine entity. Through the development of science, the belief of God’s existence is challenged but no one can disregard the existence of a supreme power. Discussion: From the early stages of evolution, humans have harbored the faith in a superpower. Primitive humans worshipped natural forces such as water, fire, an d wind. Subsequently, as human civilization evolved, they began to worship God in the name of various religious faiths It becomes relevant here that all religions and the resultant faith in God, intends the good of humans. The belief in God, without doubt, instills confidence in humans and encourages them to follow certain ethical and moral values. Thus, humans gain a certain level of spirituality by believing in God. Basically, the concept of God relies on the premise that God is a benevolent being that guides humans to the path of kindness, love, and compassion. Thus, if faith can bring positive outcomes in humans, such results in them constitute the God. Therefore, it can be construed that the presence of God is evidenced by the good traits in humans. However, with the emergence of science, the existence of God has been challenged and the issue became a controversy. Many characteristics have been attributed to God and it transpires that God is a positive and benevolent power. All the religions in the world have developed through the concept of God. However, some people take the concept of God as a mere thing, but it is a universal truth that there exists a supreme power. The existence of the universe and various mysteries in it rather tend to validate the theory that God exists. There have been philosophers in the ancient periods who were great thinkers also. They believed that there is a supreme power. Philosophers such as John Locke, Nyaya, Plato, Zhuangzi, Descartes, Nagarjuna, Ganges, Thomas Reid, Edmund Burke, and Sextets Empiricus have postulated various theories about God. Of these philosophers, most support the theory of the existence of God. Plato developed the theory of Republic, emphasizes the existence of God. He also argues that God is intangible. â€Å"In Republic, Plato’s point is not to establish an idea of God, but instead to determine what is right, good, just, and true; however, in his journey, Plato has implicitly brought forward a vague, abstract notion of God† (Plato’s Philosophy in Republic Implies a Concept of God p.1).

Limited Liability Partnership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Limited Liability Partnership - Essay Example In a general format of partnership business it is a legal practice that all partners have unlimited liabilities with respect to their business debts and if one person is declared insolvent then the other partners are bound by law to pay for his debts, loans and liabilities from their own personal assets and property. Limited liability on the other hand is not the same as other partnership concerns; it differs a lot in the liability context from other partnership businesses. With respect to the liability clauses, it is more resembling to the corporation. Limited liability means that partners have limited liabilities with respect to their debts and loans of the firm. One partner is not jointly and severally responsible for the actions and deeds of other partners and that his personal assets will not be used to pay for the liabilities of the firm or other partners. Therefore, every partner in the partnership firm will have limited liability towards the liabilities of the firm and other partners in the firm as well. This is very much same to the limited liability company in which every member of the company is responsible to pay for the liabilities of the company to the extent he has invested into the company. Therefore, a limited liability partnership can be defined in the following words: Thepartneror investor's liabilityislimitedto theamounthe/she has invested in thecompany. Thissetuptypically prevents each partner from beingheldaccountablefor the wrongdoings of another partner. Although an LLP can be used in manyfields, it is most commonly used inlawor accountingfirms. The laws relating to an LLP differ significantly betweencountries, and even from state to state. As the definition states that the liability of the partner or investor is limited to the extent of amount he or she has invested in the firm and that this type of partnership prevents one partner for being held responsible for the work of other partners. It is also stated that this partnership can be used in many fields but this sort of partnership is particularly important for professional firms. In professional firms as the size of the firm started to grow and more and more partners were needed to perform the work in the firm, there was a great threat of extra ordinary risk involved in the addition of other partners in the partnership firm where every partner is an agent of other partners and jointly and severally responsible for the work of other partners. Therefore, there is thought to be dire need of forming limited liability partnerships in the professional firms where matters relating to high financial values are very important to the firm and the firm's professional advice is being given relating to those high valued matters. If anything goes wrong due to the recklessness of one partner then other partner should not be held responsible for the wrong doings of that partner. The requirements for the formation and conduction of business as a limited liability company as mentioned in the law of United Kingdom under the respective acts are described in the following paragraphs. Set-Up The set up requirements as mentioned in t

Issues And Features Of The Audit Process Term Paper

Issues And Features Of The Audit Process - Term Paper Example Independent auditing is encouraged in organizations in order to protect the potential investors and shareholders from any misrepresentation of the financial statement or fraudulent claims that are often made in the public companies (Gray and Manson, 2008: 98). Moreover, after the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) introduced in 2002, the appointment of the independent auditor becomes mandatory for improving the auditing and accounting procedure. Many organizations are seen to appoint independent auditors, who are certified public accountants, responsible for checking their business transactions and financial records, yet not being affiliated with it (Singleton, T.W., and Singleton, A.J., 2010: 13). However, independent auditing is seen to suffer from a large number of threats such as intimidation threat, trust or familiarity threat, advocacy threat, management threat, self-review threat and self-interest threat. Therefore, safeguarding the independence of the auditors becomes a major area of c oncern. This report focuses on the safeguards for the independence of auditors. Safeguards to save the Independence of the Auditors On recognizing the significant threat of independence in the auditing process, the organization must decide on some safeguards in order to save the auditors. Some of the approaches that are considered by organizations are as follows: Mandatory rotation in the auditor: In a case where an external auditor is serving a particular client for many years, they often end up building relationships with their clients, which make them less skeptical about their work than that they would have been otherwise. The SOX Act has made it mandatory for the public company, who is the partner-in-charge, to rotate their auditors, at least every five years. However, for non-public companies, there are no such requirements for rotation of auditors.

Show the microeconomic principles involved in Ford Motor Companies Term Paper

Show the microeconomic principles involved in Ford Motor Companies recovery in the auto market compared to other American automa - Term Paper Example In addition, the microeconomic principle of competition has separately been taken into consideration as it would significantly help in identifying the recovery of the company in comparison to other American automakers. Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company (Ford) is one of the leading auto makers in the global automotive industry. The company operates firmly in two sectors i.e. the automotive industry and the financial services. The company is known to manufacture and distribute the vehicles across six continents. During the year 2012, the company sold approximately 5,668,000 cars in the automotive segment (The New York Times, 2013). As a result, the company was provided with an opportunity to earn $126,567 mn in revenues. The two most prominent brands that the company has to offers include Ford and Lincoln. In addition, the F-series trucks have also played an essential in the growth and success of the company in the local and international world (Ford, 2012). The mission statement o f the company clearly states that Ford aims to provide the customers with quality cars across the continents. This has significantly helped the organization in providing satisfaction beyond the imagination of the customers. To provide the customers with best quality cars, the company maintains mutual relationship with the essential dealers, suppliers and other business associates (The New York Times, 2013). Microeconomic Principles Needs and Wants Ford is one of the leading vehicle manufacturing organizations that focus highly on meeting the needs and wants of the customers. To effectively do so, the company design, build and sells cars along with utilities and trucks to provide the global customer base with vehicles that could satisfy the needs of the customers. Customers are the most crucial factors for the survival and growth of the organization across the globe due to which the needs and wants are taken into consideration in all the products and services offered by the company. Moreover, the company has always focused on meeting the needs of the customers by designing vehicles that cover the full spectrum of global automobile requirement. This significantly helps in attracting the customers towards the brands that Ford has to offer. As a result, the company is constantly provided with an opportunity to meet the needs and wants of the customers through variety of cars, utilities and trucks in the domestic, national and international market (Ford, 2012). Profits Profit is the foremost consideration of Ford. In earlier years of financial and economic crisis in United States, the company’s profit level declined significantly. With the passage of time, the company was consistently provided with opportunities to enhance the level of profits by attracting and selling the customers with quality cars, utilities and trucks (Ford, 2012). The company aims to enhance the performance of the company across the globe which will provide the company with significant opportunities to enhance its profit levels. Due to the constantly rising demands of the cars, utilities and trucks in the local and international market, the company reported significant increase in the level of profits. In the year 2010, the company reported net income of $6.6 billion in comparison of $2.7 billion in the year 2009 (Esch, 2011). The method of intra-platform price discrimination is one of the prominent methods used by Ford to optimize the profits of the company. The company is continually providing the customers with fuel efficient cars to enhance the financial strength of the company. This has significantly allowed the organization to attract the customers in the market which will

The Color Purple Film Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Color Purple Film - Essay Example Theme of the film Color Purple The film capitalized on its ability to depict scenes visually. One problem, however, was that the plot of the novel was too long to fit into a reasonable time scale for a movie. This led to some important parts of the book being removed. One important part was missing in the end. In the book, Celie standing up to Albert was the turning point of the story, as it forced Albert to reevaluate his personality. The movie left this crucial transformation out. This would explain why black men were angered by the movie. (Denby, 56) Albert was shown in the immigration office, but he was never shown to have any remorse for the way he treated Celie, and that left his character incomplete. The film shows that Shug Avery made a tremendous impact on Celie's life. She taught Celie how to love, laugh, and live. Some parts of this novel are hard to read and understand because they are letters written by Celie but Walker does a very good job letting the reader know what t he characters are feeling. The film goes after the componential features that made the book thriving. Among these features, the most prominent is well-built and well knitted character growth. Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey left no stone unturned in playing leading roles as Celie and Sofia. Danny Glover was also splendid, and along with these main characters, the supporting cast, too, did an evenly inspiring task. The plot is fabricated deep into the chain of events and the characters all through, while never holding back even a single drop of sentiment. Such stuff keeps the audience judging every prospective occurrence and counter checking every facet. Its levels of story lines make possible the series of events fascinating. It verifies that there's certain more to Celie's life... The film The Color Purple originally written by Alice Walker was directed by Steven Spielberg and its screenplay was written by Menno Meyjes. The film was made in 1985. Alice Walker's novel "The Color Purple" and afterwards its film adaptation by Steven Spielberg's have raised gigantic and hot debate between media and African-American community. A great part of this controversy covers even the extensive belief that both the novel and the film portray black male characters with a partial and unconstructive approach. They are typified as stereotypical tyrant, abusers, rights usurpers and rapists who are just there to dictate and oppress women in their life. This is, if analyzed thoroughly, not the first time Walker has been charged associated with gender and racial controversy pertaining to the black male characters depicted in her novels. Walker, in her own defense, has stated several times that women all too often are abused by the men they love. She adds that all of the characters i n her novels, male and female, represent people that she has known throughout her life.

The Negative Effects of Consumerism on Environment Essay

The Negative Effects of Consumerism on Environment - Essay Example The paper tells that the people in the past were lived in a society of producers; however current people are living in a society of consumers. There are plenty of reasons for this change. Heavy industrialization, development of science and technology and the subsequent changes happened in the life styles and life philosophies of people are some of the major reasons for increased consumerism. There is nothing wrong in transforming our society from the production dimension to consumer dimension if such changes may not cause any harm to our environment. Unfortunately, environmental problems or destruction is directly proportional to the rate of increase of consumerism. In other words, along with the increase in consumerism, increase in environment destruction is also taking place. It is impossible for humankind to survive long if consumerism increases at its present rate. The effects of consumerism on the Earth’s environment are: loss of resources, increased pollution, and loss o f energy. This paper analyses the causes of increased consumerism and its effects on environment. Loss of resources is the major effect of increased consumerism. It should be noted that population is growing at alarming rates whereas the available resources in this world are being reduced because of increased consumption. Scarcity of drinking water is a problem everywhere in this world. It should be noted that drinking water resources are exhausting day by day even though the water levels in the sea are gradually rising because of global warming. There are plenty of people in this world who purchase goods just for increasing their social status. Current consumers compare the goods in the hands of their friends, relatives and neighbours with the goods in their own hands and then take purchasing decisions. Such habits results in wastage of resources and over exploitation of resources. Deforestation is taking place rapidly to find enough space for establishing industries. Nobody take c are about the fact that trees or forests play an important role in maintaining the global climate suitable to living things. Deforestation results in big climate changes and subsequently the life is this earth may become extremely difficult. Carbon dioxide is harmful to the environment whereas oxygen is good for the environment. Trees absorb carbon dioxide and liberate oxygen to this world. Thus, trees help the environment in maintaining a balance between carbon dioxide and oxygen in the atmosphere. Destruction of trees results in increased content of carbon dioxide in atmosphere which is not good for living things. All the living things in this world are interconnected each other in some ways. In other words, the existence or survival of all the living things in this world is necessary for the sustainment of human life. The destructions of animals and birds may affect human life in many ways. For example, snakes are the enemies of rats. Killing or destruction of snakes may result i n increased number of rats. Increased number rats means farmers may not get proper yield from their agriculture. In short, snakes are necessary to maintain the number of rats in this world to a particular level. However, climate changes and environmental problems are causing big destruction of animal life. â€Å"There was a story in the newspaper saying that 37 percent of species could become extinct due to climate change† (Mayell). Increased pollution is another effect of increased consumerism. Air, water and land pollution are caused by increased consumerism. It is already proved that atmospheric temperature is increasing day by day because of environmental pollutions and increased consumption of resources. Atmospheric temperature rise results in global warming. It would be difficult for mankind to live in this world, if the atmospheric temperature rises at its present rate. Automobile use is increased a lot in recent times. Automobiles

Obsessive compulsive disorder Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Obsessive compulsive disorder - Essay Example Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychological experience considered an Axis 1 mental illness in the DSM-IV-TR (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 1994). According to the DSM OCD is defined as either a person being obsessed with a topic or concept or compelled to think particular thoughts or to undertake particular actions. Obsessions can be defined as recurrent and persistent thoughts, images of impulses that are experienced during the OCD experience, and these are perceived as being intrusive and inappropriate and generally cause distress and or anxiety to the person experiencing them (March, 2006; Salkovskis et al., 2000; Wroe & Salkovskis, 2000). Common distressing thoughts, actions or verbalizations may be sexual in nature (10%), moral/religious/blasphemous (11%), aggressive (29%), contamination-disease (46%), or to do with symmetry and sequence (27%) (Matthews, Reynolds, & Derisley, 2006). These excessive thoughts, impulses and images are not just over stressing about day-to-day life, for as the person tries to suppress or dispel such thoughts, impulses or images or attempts to supplement them with other thoughts, images or actions, they cannot suppress or dispel their experience. ... nuously checking that a door is locked, or repetitive mental acts, such as praying or counting, results in the person feeling driven to undertake the behavior of thought according to a rigid set of rules (Rosack, 2004). The behaviors and mental acts prevent or reduce the anxiety and distress that is experienced, alternatively, the thoughts and behaviors may inhibit a dreaded event from occurring. Obsessions and compulsions cause significant distress, can take up much of the person's time during the day, and can dramatically interfere with their normal routine in everyday life, such as inhibiting them from carrying out their work role or attending to academic studies (Simonds, Thorpe, & Elliott, 2000). Experiences also negatively affect their ability to engage in social activities or to have fulfilling relationships. Additionally, if another Axis 1 mental illness is present then the content of the obsessions and or compulsions may not be restricted to it; for example, being preoccupied with food when an eating disorder is also present. Hollander, Cohen and Stein (2005) categorises one type of OCD experiences as repetitive behaviors that are driven by pleasure or arousal, such as pathological gambling, as the act of gambling involves risk and reward. In a study by Anholt and colleagues (2004) a comparison of the dysfunctional beliefs of those with diagnosed OCD and participants diagnosed as pathological gamblers or panic disorder, and a group of normal controls. Beliefs were measured using the Obsessive-Compulsive Beliefs Questionnaire-87 (OBQ-87). It was anticipated that the pathological gamblers would have similar cognitions to the OCD group; and have high levels of OCD symptoms. The results showed that the OCD group and the gambling group had similar OBQ-87 scores;

Assessing the Role of Motivation on Employees Essay Example for Free

Assessing the Role of Motivation on Employees Essay In this light the study sets to identify the most ranked factors among the ten motivational factors. The analysis from the empirical findings showed that Job satisfaction† was the most ranked factor for both sub groups that made up the sample survey. However a study from previous researches used in this study showed that different results could be obtained from different groups of already working employees. This study therefore can be seen as an introduction to a more detailed study to be carried by future researchers on the field of employee’s motivation. Background When looking at factors that affect job satisfaction, I find that Agency theory might be helpful as it explains the extent to which organizations need to think of their human resource responsible in producing the output needed by organizations to meet shareholders value. Agency theory is concerned with issues related to the ownership of the firm when that ownership is separated from the day-to-day running of the organization. It assumes that in all but owner- managed organizations the owner or owners (known in agency theory as the â€Å"principal†) of an organization must vest authority to an â€Å"agent†-corporate management- to act on their behalf. The principal recognizes the risk, here and act on the assumption that any agent will look to serve its own as well as the principal interests as it ulfils it contract with that principal. However, this is not the situation in real life situation. As all agents are perceived to be Opportunistic. These approaches are to examine the problems of human exchange derived from the field of finance and economics but they are often applied to the study of shareholders Risk Management (SHRM). Agency theory is therefore used to analyze this conflict in interest between the principal (shareholders of o rganizations) and their agents (leaders of these organizations). Whereby the â€Å"Agents† in keeping with the interest of the shareholders and organizational goals turn to use financial motivational aspects like bonuses, higher payrolls, pensions, sick allowances, risk payments, perks to reward and retained their employees and enhance their performance. There is a strong lobby propounding the view that human resources and their management are the source of competitive advantage for the business, rather than, say, access to capital or use of technology. It is therefore logical to suggest that, attention needs to be paid to the nature of this resource and its management as this will impact on human resource behavior and performance and consequently the performance of the organization. Indeed Boxall and Steeneveld (1999) argue that there is no need to prove the relationship between firm critical influence on performance and labour management as it is self evident that the quality of human resource management is a critical influence on the performance of the firm. Concern for strategic integration, commitment flexibility and quality, has called for attention for employees motivation and retention. Given this perception, the principal in an organization feels unable to predict an agent’s behavior in any given situation and so brings into play various measures to do with incentives in other to tie employee’s needs to those of their organization. Thus getting employee’s identification with respect to the organization, and thus increasing their commitment level. As an approach to mediate the employment contract, elements of human resource strategy (especially those to do with rewards and retention) can offer a way of ensuring an efficient transaction process that enables both parties to get committed towards the fulfillment of each other needs. The fundamental problem, dealt with is what drives or induces people to exploit their potential resources in the way they do in organizations? The issue of motivation and performance are they positively related? By focusing on the financial aspect of motivation problem like bonus system, allowances perks, salaries, etc. By paying attention to the financial aspect of motivation, I intend to probe in to the role this aspect has on enhancing employee’s performance. I believe, financial motivation has become the most concern in today’s organization, and tying to Mallow’s basic needs, non-financial aspect only comes in when financial motivation has failed. Though in some situation, it is being operated side by side. But as a research topic for my thesis I will employ the financial aspects of motivation used by the agents of organization in enhancing their employee’s performance and the extent to which non-financial aspects of motivation turn to enhance employee’s performance. To evaluate the methods of performance motivation in organization in organizing some motivational factors like satisfies and dissatisfies will be used to evaluate how employees motivation is enhanced other than financial aspects of motivation. Problem Statements As a research question, the research seeks to answer what role motivation plays in enhancing performance in organization. This will be possible through analysis of information gathered from students. Hence this thesis is mainly quantitative. * Objectives In trying to find an answer(s) to the research question and on the basis of the above background discussion and research question, the main purposes developed for this thesis is to assess the factors t hat motivate employees to perform best at work. This is done by carrying out a survey in which respondents responding to a survey, ranked the least two most important factor on a list of ten factors, and how these factors influence them. * Limitations and Demarcations The limitation is being considered in relation to the natural explanation to which the researcher has limited the study and the active choices to limit the study area that is financial motivation as a determinant of performance. The study is limited to existing theories and models, and their influence and limitation on performance enhancement. By considering the financial and non-financial aspect of motivation on employees’ performance relating to existing theories and models, I intend to mark a demarcation for the study. Here I have considered limitation in line with the research objective that is the study is limited. I believe that with the changing nature of the work force, recent trends in development, information and technology, the issue of financial motivation becomes consent on one of the most important assets in an organization. A lot has been said on the outside forces of an organization. This research considers the inside forces as a starting point. Ideally, a study of all the explanatory variables will be considered appropriate in order to capture the interactive influences of other variables and thus be able to come up with holistic and generally more acceptable results, of financial motivation and performance. * Definitions Motivation: Motivation by definition refers to what activates, directs human behavior and how this behavior is sustained to achieve a particular goal. Also it can be defined as the set of processes that arouse, direct and maintain human behavior towards attaining some goals. Jones (1955) argues that† Motivation is concerned with how behavior gets started, is energized, is sustained, is directed, and is stopped and what kind of subjective reaction is present in the organization while all this is going on. † Role of financial motivation: The potential role of money is – (1) Conditioned reinforce (2) An incentive which is capable of satisfying needs (3) An anxiety reducer (4) Serves to erase feelings of dissatisfaction Employee satisfaction: This refers to the positive or negative aspects of employee’s altitude towards their jobs or some features of the job. Organizational Goals: A concept, which refers to the focus of attention and decision-making among employees of a sub-unit. Organizing: This involves the complete understanding of the goals of organization, the necessity of proper co-ordination, and the environmental factors that influence the goals and employees within the organization. Employee attitudes: Mental state of readiness for motive arousal.

High Renaissance Essay Example for Free

High Renaissance Essay High Renaissance art in Florence, Italy did not last very long, but made an enormous impact on the art world. In the paintings of this era, artists put emphasis on personality and the mental state. Perspective, classical cultures, and anatomy were of a greater interest to the artists of this era. The analysis of Guido Renis Portrait of Cardinal Roberto Ubaldino, Papal Legate to Bologna, Leonardo Da Vincis Mona Lisa, Michaelangelos David, and Raphaels Baldassare Castiglione could offer insight into the paintings of the High Renaissance artists in Italy with respect to personality and the mental state, detail, and use of color. â€Å"High style† was the mainstay of this period of the Renaissance. High style art was characterized as the idealistic, perhaps heavenly. High style had a respect for ancient imperial standards of wealth, magnificence, and grandeur. (Emison, xxx) During the Early Renaissance, artists had to choose between realism and spirituality. During the Early Renaissance, figures were painted to look so real that many thought they lost their spirituality. From then on, an artist had to choose to either make his figures realistic or spiritual. When the High Renaissance began, Leonardo Da Vinci believed that an artist did not have to make that choice. For example, when Da Vinci painted the Last Supper, he made the figures in his painting realistic, however the figures had an undeniable spirituality about them. Da Vinci did not choose between realism and spirituality, he used both. (â€Å"High Renaissance†) The High Renaissance lasted from about 1490 to 1530. This era unfolded amidst a fury of mounting political and religious tension. This affected artists, as well as patrons of the arts, throughout Italy. Political tensions were high. In 1512, Copernicus determined that the sun, not the earth, was the center of the universe. Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas in 1492 and Magellan circumnavigated the world in 1522, which dismissed the idea of a flat earth. All of these discoveries changed many assumptions about human life and rocked the foundation of theology. (â€Å"Italian High Renaissance Period†) In those years, the masters created a new profession with its own rights of expression and its own character. Regional differences existed during this time, not only between Northern Europe and Italy, but within Italy, with the leading artistic centers being Rome and Florence. During the High Renaissance period in Italy, most artists worked for the papacy. These artists explored an interest in perspective, personality, and anatomy that became the main characteristics of the High Renaissance era. In Florence, artists emphasized preliminary drawings, based on careful and detailed preparation, before the painting began, whereas in other parts of Europe, artists just began painting. This is part of the reason why so many regard Italian Renaissance art as the finest art in the world. (Kleiner, 579-623) This artistic period represented a culmination. The High Renaissance artists took all of the artistic explorations of the Proto-Renaissance artists, which flourished during the Early Renaissance, and used these explorations to its full capability. (Esaak) Guido Renis Portrait of Cardinal Roberto Ubaldino, Papal Legate to Bologna was painted in 1627. Oil on canvas and 77 ? by 58 ? inches, it resides at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The subject was placed in front of a purple cloth, which insinuated honor, next to a velvet-covered table. The subject had obviously been writing, noting the letter and quill pen in the inkwell. The room opened to the left, revealing a courtyard. Rich colors, depth, and great detail add to the perception of the artist and the personality of the subject. The juxtaposition of the brightly-colored clothing with the dark background keeps the viewers eye on the subject. The subject looks thoughtful, looking at the viewer, giving the air of an intelligent man. Great detail was used by Reni. For example, the flecks of white in the subjects beard, the lines on his hands, the patterns and sheen of the clothing, and the fringe on the bottom of the chair shows that Reni wanted to capture every aspect of the subjects personality. It shows that the subject enjoyed the finer things in life, while looking perhaps within himself for the answers to lifes mysteries. Raphaels Baldassare Castiglione, painted around 1514, oil on canvas, with the dimensions of 2 6 ? † by 2 2 ? †, typifies High Renaissance portraits in the attention the artist paid to the subjects personality and mental state. The painting makes use of muted tones and Raphael favored clarity over obscurity. The muted tones fit the mood and temper of the subject. (Kleiner, 587, 623) The subjects facial features are clear, lending to the notion that Raphael focused on the subjects personality. The subject is dressed soberly, yet splendidly, and looks directly at the viewer. He has a thoughtful and kind gaze. This shows his humanity and lends an emotional openness to the painting. The subject looks sensitive and vulnerable, and his clothing suggest a certain softness to his character. This gives the viewer the feeling that the subject is equal to the viewer. The subject seems open enough to sit with and have an intellectual conversation. (Jones) Leonardo Da Vincis Mona Lisa, painted in the sixteenth century, is an oil painting on poplar panel. The painting depicts a woman with an ambiguous expression. This work has been at the center of study, scrutiny, parody, and myth for many years because of the fascination with the mysterious woman. The subjects expression seems mischievous, and she is looking directly at the viewer, a quality of High Renaissance art. The colors are dark, lending to the mysterious notion of the woman subject. The subject is seated on a marble chair, and behind her, a body of water with some rocks visible create the backdrop. The juxtaposition of the dark background and the skin of the subject tends to keep the viewers eye on the subject. Michelangelos David statue, carved from a single piece of marble and finished in 1504, is the representation of physical male perfection. The Cathedral of Florence commissioned Michelangelo to sculpt the statue from a block of marble that was originally from another project. David was to originally be put up on top of one of the buttresses of the Cathedral, however, when the sculpture was finished, they decided to put it in front of the main government building in Florence, Italy. (â€Å"Michelangelo, David, 1501-4†) All of these artworks are portraits. An great artist who paints portraits must have the skill necessary to depict something beyond its physical appearance to convey the subjects life and character. All of these artists imbued their works with psychological insight and authenticity that other artists of the day could not match. This is what made these particular artworks part of the High Renaissance era of Italy. (â€Å"Captured Emotions†, 3) Figures in portraits that were painted during the Early Renaissance were in profile and cut off at the bust. This was not so with portraits of the High Renaissance. These portraits, such as the Mona Lisa and Baldassare Castiglione, were not painted in profile, but with the face frontal, and the shoulders ? , with hands included. This was done instead of the profile because when the face is frontal, the viewer gets a better sense of the subjects personality. This revealing of the personality in paintings was a main interest during the High Renaissance and in artwork since. (â€Å"Leonardos Mona Lisa†) As was explained through these four examples, High Renaissance art in Florence, Italy focused on subjects personality and minds. The artists wanted to capture what the subject was really like and how they thought. The point of the High Renaissance was to delve deeper, to bring out qualities, not only in the subject, but also in technique and color use, that made the work stand out and say something. High Renaissance artwork has influenced the world of art ever since. For example, when children sit to have their school photo taken, they sit the way the subject in the Mona Lisa did. These works have withstood the test of time and continue to provide insight into not only the subjects personalities and minds, but also the artists.

Bacterial Vector: Delivery of Plasmid Mediated DNA Vaccine

Bacterial Vector: Delivery of Plasmid Mediated DNA Vaccine Abstract / Introduction: The United Nations recently estimated that the worlds population has exceeded seven billion people. It is projected that approximately 16% of this population rely on fish as a principal source of the protein obtained from animals [1]. However, many wild stocks of fish have begun to collapse due to destructive overfishing and damage caused to aquatic ecosystems by climate change. Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic species under environmentally managed conditions and is increasingly used throughout the world as a major food production method, providing approximately half of the fish consumed globally [3]. Sustainable aquaculture will play an important role in meeting the food requirements of a growing population while reducing the impact commercial fishing plays on overexploited and endangered species. Of critical importance when raising aquatic organisms under densely populated conditions is disease prevention. In an aquaculture setting with large populations of fish in close quart ers, bacterial and viral pathogens can spread rapidly partially due to the efficacy of transmission in water [4]. Therefore, an important consideration in moving towards sustainable aquaculture is effective and efficient prophylactic methods for preventing infection. Reduction of labour and material costs is of major concern in aquaculture disease management, therefore manual vaccination methods, such as intramuscular injection, are not considered viable in this regard. Salmon are a fish species of major commercial aquaculture relevance and as such, disease prevention in these farming scenarios is of substantial economic and environmental concern [5, 6]. One disease of relevance to farmed salmon species is the infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV), a.k.a. Chinook salmon disease. It is a rhabdovirus whose genome encodes a glycoprotein, which presents as a viral antigen [7, 8], and is a pathogen that causes deadly disease in many salmonid species of fish. Since its discovery in the 1950s, IHNV has spread throughout North America, as well as to Asian and European countries. It causes necrosis and hemorrhage within infected fish, commonly in the kidney and spleen, and induces high mortality in young fry [9]. It can be particularly devastating in the densely populated aquaculture setting. Given the environmental sustainability and economic importance of commercially farmed salmon globally, it is therefore of importance to develop practical cost- effective methods for vaccinating large populations of fish against diseases such as IHNV. Gene based vaccines have been shown to be able to deliver plasmid-encoded DNA (pDNA) to fish cell cultures in vitro [10]. The protein produced inside the animal cell is treated as a foreign antigen, and can cause a protective immune response against a pathogen such as a bacteria or virus. Objectives / Methodology: The aims of this proposed research program are several fold. The objectives are to develop and test an appropriate bacterial vector for the delivery of a plasmid mediated DNA vaccine in an aquaculture environment. This vector will be assessed using molecular methods for efficacy within a suitable in vitro model system to examine the ability to deliver an immunologically relevant product of interest. This system will then be evaluated for effectiveness against pathogenic challenge within an appropriate in vivo model system. The hypothesis driving this proposal is that an engineered bacterial vector can effectively deliver a plasmid mediated gene vaccine within salmonid, and protect against a lethal challenge of a species and commercially relevant pathogen. Previous studies suggest that this is a worthwhile and meaningful pursuit in the global aquaculture context [11, 12]. Effective DNA vaccines against IHNV have previously been developed, however these types of vaccines have been hist orically delivered by intramuscular injection [11]. Several alternative methods of DNA vaccine delivery have been explored for including liposomes and ultrasound [13]. Though these methods present issues such as training, equipment costs, and sub-optimal vaccine delivery. An ideal scenario in an aquaculture context would involve a relatively inexpensive delivery vector (e.g. bacteria) carrying a vaccine, which can be easily dosed directly into the environment and induce a protective immunity within the population. The concept of using attenuated bacteria as DNA delivery vectors has been explored for some time [14, 15]. In prior studies, Escherichia coli have been shown to be capable of successfully acting as DNA delivery vectors to mammalian cells in vitro [12, 16]. For aquaculture settings, employing pathogens of human concern, even if attenuated, have regulatory and health concerns. For this reason delivery vectors such as E. coli are not ideal. In this study, an attenuated version of the salmonid pathogen Yersinia ruckeri, the cause of enteric redmouth disease (ERD) will be utilized. The rationale for using this attenuated vector is that it is a naturally occurring fish pathogen, in addition, it is not of human health concern. Furthermore, there is potential that the vector itself may induce immunity against ERD acting as a bivalent vaccine. Previous reports using attenuated bacteria as a vector for gene delivery indicate that release of pDNA is enhanced by death of the bacteria inside the host cell [17]. One strategy to achieve intracellular rupture of the vector is through the use of cell wall deficient bacteria. In this proposal, a strain Y. ruckeri lacking the ability to synthesize the cell wall component diaminopimelic acid (DAP) will be exploited. In the absence of an exogenous source of DAP, the bacteria cannot synthesize the peptide cross bridges of the peptidoglycan cell wall and will undergo autolysis during subsequent growth. Two engineered plasmids will be utilized for the proposed studies, one vaccine and one control. The vaccine plasmid will have the full glycoprotein from Y. ruckeri cloned in downstream of a cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter. The control plasmid will have firefly luciferase reporter gene also cloned in downstream of a CMV promoter. To summarize these experimental components; bacterial vector strain ÃŽ ±, vaccine ÃŽ ² and control ÃŽ ³ plasmids:      Ã‚   ÃŽ ± Y. ruckeri 11.29Δdap Isolated from Chinook salmon, dapA mutant [18] ÃŽ ²pIHNV-G Complete IHNV glycoprotein (G) gene inserted into pcDNA3 (Fig.1), downstream of CMV promoter [19] ÃŽ ³pLUC Firefly luciferase reported inserted into pcDNA3 (Fig.1), downstream of CMV promoter [18] The proposed model of plasmid mediated vaccine delivery in this system is multi-step: Vector harboring plasmid pIHNV-G enters a cell via endocytosis or phagocytosis Facilitated by Δdap, pDNA is liberated in the cytoplasm via bacterial lysis pDNA is transported to the nucleus Encoded antigen is expressed and processed, inducing an immune response In vitro studies: Transformation of bacterial vector with vaccine and control plasmids Competent Y. ruckeri strain11.29Δdap will be transformed with either pIHNV-G or pLUC by electroporation or chemical methods. Successful transformants will be screened by growth on appropriate media agar plates supplemented with ampicillin and DAP. Examination of transfection frequency via flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy For tissue culture experiments, Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) embryonic cells (CHSE-214), and normal rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) gill cells (RTgill-W1) will be employed. These cell lines are relevant to the species and aquaculture context of interest for this research proposal. Both are relatively easy to culture, e.g. not requiring increased [CO2] or temperature. Transformed bacteria (11.29Δdap-pIHNV-G, or 11.29Δdap-pLUC) will be co-incubated with sub-confluent layers of each cell line and transfection frequency / gene delivery with reporter plasmid will be assessed by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy. Quantitative assessment of vector invasiveness by gentamicin protection assay Invasiveness of 11.29Δdap, 11.29Δdap-pIHNV-G, and 11.29Δdap-pLUC will be quantitatively assessed by gentamicin protection assays. Briefly, each cell line will be co-incubated with the vector (11.29Δdap-pIHNV-G, or 11.29Δdap-pLUC) at a multiplicity of infection of ~100 bacteria per tissue culture cell and incubated for 2h. At 24 and 48h post-incubation, cell monolayers will be fixed and analyzed via fluorescence microscopy for luciferase expression. In vivo studies: Routine maintenance of rainbow trout treatment / exposure groups in aquaria Transformed bacterial vector will also used to treat O. mykiss in vivo through dosed aquaculture immersion. Adolescent O. mykiss fry will be maintained at 12 °C in appropriately sized aquaria with filtration and aeration and water quality factors (e.g. pH, NH3, Cl) with daily feeding and 5% water changes. In preparation for treatment, fish will be moved to separate isolated 40L aquaria with filtration with feeling and 25% water changes every two days. The proposed experimental treatment / exposure groups will be as follows: 11.29Δdap 11.29Δdap-pIHNV-G 11.29Δdap-pLUC Intramuscular injection of purified pIHNV-G Intramuscular injection of purified pLUC Intramuscular injection of phosphate buffered saline (PBS) à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¸Ãƒ ¯Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  vector, plasmid, or injection (anesthesia only) Exposure of O. mykiss with bacterial vector harboring vaccine or control plasmid For treatment with bacterial vector (with or without pDNA), experimental fish will be transferred from their 40L tank to sterile 4L beakers of water (aerated, 12 °C). Appropriate vector will be dosed into the beaker via serological pipette for a final concentration of approximately 107 cfu ml-1, and fish incubated for 1h [18]. Following treatment, fish will be transferred back to their respective 40L tank and maintained as previously described. Exposure of O. mykiss to purified plasmid or PBS control by intramuscular injection For injection treatments, fish will be transported to beakers of sterile 4L beakers of water (aerated, 12 °C) and an anesthetizing dose of Finquel added. Once visibly anesthetized (attenuated movement and muscle tone, reduced respiration) [20], fish will be treated. A volume of 100ÃŽ ¼L of purified pIHNV-G or pLUC resuspended in PBS, will be intramuscularly injected (1ÃŽ ¼g total plasmid), 100 ÃŽ ¼L PBS, or anesthetized with no injection, Once injected, fresh water will be added and fish were monitored until consciousness is regained, and transferred back to their respective 40L tank and maintained as previously described. Lethal challenge of O. mykiss with pathogenic IHNV and quantifying response to vectors After vector or control treatment (14d), fish remaining from each sample group will be challenged with 5104 pfu ml-1 of pathogenic IHNV [21, 22] for 5h. Mortalities will be recorded daily for 30d after viral challenge. At 1, 3, 5, 7 and 14d post vector treatment, or 3, 5, 7, and 14d post injection, fish will be removed from their respective treatment tanks and euthanized with a lethal dose of Finquel. The spleen and kidneys of each fish will be surgically removed, placed in an RNA stabilization reagent, and stored at -20 °C until processing. Organ samples will be homogenized with zirconia/silica beads in a tissue lysis buffer, RNA purified from the homogenate, and synthesis of cDNA performed. Gene expression of Mx-1, Vig-1, TNF-ÃŽ ±1, TNF-ÃŽ ±2, IFN1 and IFN2 [23] will be measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) relative to housekeeping gene ARP [24], and analyzed by the ΔΔCt method. In previous studies, levels of expression for the genes of interest in thi s proposal have been revealed to be altered in fish exposed to IHNV [19, 23, 25]. Discussion / Impacts: Salmonids, particularly rainbow trout, are globally one of the most scientifically studied and extensively farmed fish [26, 27]. As previously mentioned, aquaculture is utilized worldwide as a major food production method. This necessitates the demand for economically sustainable disease prevention techniques to help preclude economically devastating loss of business due to mortality. This research proposal aims to validate that an attenuated bacterial vector can effectively deliver a plasmid mediated gene based vaccine for IHNV to rainbow trout in vivo, and invoke an immune response that will protect against future exposure to the pathogen. It is postulated that exposure to 11.29Δdap-pIHNV-G will invoke the most significant immune response in treated fish compared to other treatment groups. Furthermore, this treatment will induce the highest level of protection from a subsequent lethal challenge of IHNV. If successful in this regard, an aquaculture based dosing method exploiting plasmid harboring attenuated bacteria would represent a relatively inexpensive and non-labor intensive vaccination method. Further investigating A 16K and 32K cDNA salmonid cDNA microarray have recently been developed and are obtainable through the Genomic Research on Atlantic Salmon Project (GRASP) [28].

The Structural Differences of Atkins and South Beach Diets Essay

The Structural Differences of Atkins and South Beach Diets The Atkins Diet and the South Beach Diet are both regimens that promote weight loss by increasing the intake of proteins while reducing the consumption of carbohydrates. While often grouped together under the â€Å"low-carb fad diet† label, these two diets are comparable in design, but contrasting in detail, in particular during phase one. At first glance, these diets appear to be structured alike. Both diets begin with an induction phase that lasts for at least two weeks in which every meal consists of protein rich foods (such as eggs for breakfast, chicken salad for lunch, and steak for dinner), a lot of vegetables and salads, and very few carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are one source of energy for the body typically found in starchy foods like bread, pasta, and potatoes or sweet foods like fruit. Neither diet allows fruit or the starchy carbohydrates in the first phase, but carbohydrates are consumed in small quantities mainly from the vegetables. Both diets also agree that caffeinated and alcoholic beverages are not permitted. Sugars are also excluded in this phase of the diets. Sugars and carbohydrates raise blood sugar levels by breaking down very quickly. By promoting low consumption of carbohydrates and sugars, these diets assert they will correct one’s metabolism (which has been damaged by unhealt hy processed foods) so that the body will once again burn fat and activate weight loss. There is a key difference in phase one despite the fact that the overall plan is laid out the same. Each book (Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution written by Robert C. Atkins, M.D. and The South Beach Diet written by Arthur Agatston, M.D.) includes a list of acceptable f... ...se one of the Atkins Diet and the South Beach Diet requires a reduction of carbohydrate intake and an increase in protein consumption. Fruits are not allowed at all, and neither are caffeinated or alcoholic beverages. Protein rich foods such as eggs and meat are present in virtually every meal. Salads and vegetables also make up a large portion of the approved list of foods. The diets differ in the amount of saturated fats they recommend, and whether or not they allow nuts, a good source of unsaturated fats. Although distinct, both diets claim they can lower cholesterol, thus reducing the risk of heart disease and best of all help people to lose weight. References Agatston, Arthur. The South Beach Diet. New York: Random House 2003. Atkins, Robert. Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution. New York: Avon Books, 2002.

Othello: the Story of a Noble Being :: Othello essays

Othello: the Story of a Noble Being  Ã‚        Ã‚   The William Shakespeare creation Othello sees the demise of a noble general, as a result of the incessant brainwashing by his ancient. Let us in this essay present the noble Othello and wherein lay his tragic mistake.    Lily B. Campbell in Shakespeare’s Tragic Heroes describes the unquestioned nobility of the Moor:    From the first we hear the fact insistently repeated that he is a Moor, that he has thick lips, that Desdemona has chosen to go to his sooty bosom. Yet we are told that he is of noble birth, that war and adventure have bee his nurses, that he may be considered a barbarian and yet that the Venetian state has found him so valuable in action that he cannot be expelled, no matter what offence may be found in him. His vaunting has won him his wife; his actions have won him the confidence of the state. His noble nature is not questioned even by Iago. (152)    Helen Gardner in â€Å"Othello: A Tragedy of Beauty and Fortune† talks of the hero’s exceptional personal qualities:    Othello is like a hero of the ancient world in that he is not a man like us, but a man recognized as extraordinary. He seems born to do great deeds and live in legend. He h as the obvious heroic qualities of courage and strength, and no actor can attempt the role who is not physically impressive. He has the heroic capacity for passion. But the thing which most sets him apart is his solitariness. He is a stranger, a man of alien race, without ties of nature or natural duties. His value is not in what the world thinks of him, although the world rates him highly, and does not derive in any way from his station. It is inherent. He is, in a sense, a ‘self-made man’, the product of a certain kind of life which he has chosen to lead. . . . (140)    Despite the wonderful personal attributes he possesses, Othello still falls prey to the sinister Iago. His gullibility and naivete make this possible. Francis Ferguson in â€Å"Two Worldviews Echo Each Other† describes how Othello carries out Iago’s plan of destruction:    Othello moves to kill Desdemona (Act V, scene 2) with that â€Å"icy current and compulsive course† which he had felt at the end of Act III, scene 3. Othello: the Story of a Noble Being :: Othello essays Othello: the Story of a Noble Being  Ã‚        Ã‚   The William Shakespeare creation Othello sees the demise of a noble general, as a result of the incessant brainwashing by his ancient. Let us in this essay present the noble Othello and wherein lay his tragic mistake.    Lily B. Campbell in Shakespeare’s Tragic Heroes describes the unquestioned nobility of the Moor:    From the first we hear the fact insistently repeated that he is a Moor, that he has thick lips, that Desdemona has chosen to go to his sooty bosom. Yet we are told that he is of noble birth, that war and adventure have bee his nurses, that he may be considered a barbarian and yet that the Venetian state has found him so valuable in action that he cannot be expelled, no matter what offence may be found in him. His vaunting has won him his wife; his actions have won him the confidence of the state. His noble nature is not questioned even by Iago. (152)    Helen Gardner in â€Å"Othello: A Tragedy of Beauty and Fortune† talks of the hero’s exceptional personal qualities:    Othello is like a hero of the ancient world in that he is not a man like us, but a man recognized as extraordinary. He seems born to do great deeds and live in legend. He h as the obvious heroic qualities of courage and strength, and no actor can attempt the role who is not physically impressive. He has the heroic capacity for passion. But the thing which most sets him apart is his solitariness. He is a stranger, a man of alien race, without ties of nature or natural duties. His value is not in what the world thinks of him, although the world rates him highly, and does not derive in any way from his station. It is inherent. He is, in a sense, a ‘self-made man’, the product of a certain kind of life which he has chosen to lead. . . . (140)    Despite the wonderful personal attributes he possesses, Othello still falls prey to the sinister Iago. His gullibility and naivete make this possible. Francis Ferguson in â€Å"Two Worldviews Echo Each Other† describes how Othello carries out Iago’s plan of destruction:    Othello moves to kill Desdemona (Act V, scene 2) with that â€Å"icy current and compulsive course† which he had felt at the end of Act III, scene 3.

Love Poems Essay -- Poems Poetry Love Emotions Essays

Love Poems Have the love poems, you have read given you a better insight into the emotion of love? The subject of ‘Love Poetry’ has given rise to some of the most beautiful and fascinating poetry. The poets illustrate their feelings, or the feelings of the people concerned with them through the use of figurative language. A love poem is not necessarily a poem about romantic love, about romance, marriage and commitment; it could be something else entirely. It seems to be Universal. Timeless. Yet, it's also very individual, filtered by our own lives and expectations. Love can be a different thing for each one of us. Not all love poems deal with happy positive sides of love but there is also the negative sides such as pain, sadness and loss. Through these poems ‘When We Two Parted’, ‘Remember’, ‘First Love’, ‘How Do I Love Thee?’, ‘A Woman To Her Lover’, and ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci’ we become familiar with the different emotions associated with love. Christina Rossetti’s ‘Remember’ is a poignant poem written in the 19th century about loss of love. Rossetti lived in the 19th century where people were often preoccupied with the idea of death and perhaps this is what influenced Rossetti. Rossetti shows the cruel hand of fate can interweave in love.’ Remember’, the title doesn’t reveal much about the poem but as we read the first line ‘Remember me’, we know that the poem is written in first person and when she says ‘I am gone away’ ‘into the silent land’, we come to know that she is going to die. This arouses our sympathy for her. Love has been disrupted by death. ‘of our future that you planned:’ this relation is strong and is experienced. She wants her husband to remember her even when she is not ar... ...s and what they want from women and with this we get a pretty clear idea of the Duke. In conclusion I would say that love can be of many types and it can lead to so many positive sides and negative sides. Love can also be interrupted by death, jealousy. From Christina Walsh’s poem ‘A Woman To Her Lover’, I have learnt that love should not only be service, worship, physical desires, but there is more to it. Love should be from the heart and not from the mind unlike John Clare ‘First Love’. I have also noticed that love has a spiritual and physical meaning. It is also divine as to Christina Walsh and Elizabeth Browning. Through ‘First Love’ I would be aware of the beauty of women around the world but not let loose of my self and if failed not to give up all hopes like John Clare. The emotions love in these poems has given me a different insight on love.

Critical Analysis of Convergence of the Twain Thomas Hardy Essay

â€Å" Not even God can sink this ship† –is the infamous line that refers to the Titanic, one of the largest most immaculate man made inventions of its time, and the catastrophic accident that led to its sinking has been a historical bookmark, noted for decades. Thomas Hardy’s perception to this disaster is rather pessimistic; creating a sense that fate was destined to cause the failure of Titanic. Hardy presents a philosophical poem about fate’s inevitability and indifference through the eyes of nature, portraying the disaster by presenting the accident as a sinister sexual meeting between these two lovers—the Titanic and ‘a Shape of Ice’. The title of the poem alone demonstrates that this catastrophe was planned in advance, a dramatic sensual meeting. The use of such a title lends itself to the interpretation that this disaster was meant to happen, and was something that destiny, ‘the Spinner of the Years’ had planned. This is further developed in the diction that hardy uses in this poem. The two were ‘intimate’, their history had already been developed and determined; they were to be ‘weld[ed]’ together, to be one another’s ‘sinister mate’. See more: how to write a critical analysis outline This sexual, ominous meeting of ship and ice creates a very pessimistic and portentous understanding of what happened. Furthermore, through the use of depicting the iceberg and Titanic as lovers, it leads to the reader understanding the iceberg as the dominant, powerful male lover. This presents another theme of nature being able to overpower man’s ‘vaingloriousness’. At the ‘consummation’ of the two, the iceberg is left unharmed, where as the ship is sunk under the ‘solitude of the sea’. Hardy’s poetry has always had nature’s beauty and power as a theme, therefore it is no surprise that he believes that nature is superior and timeless as compared to the Titanic, that had been so immaculately described and honored just to have sunk under the natural beautiful sea. In this poem, nature seems to witness the events of this meeting, however the images of nature are eerie and representative of death. The ‘dim-mooned eye fishes’ question the presence of the Titanic in the sea’s depths, recognizing it as a vain intruder into their world. Also the ‘sea worm crawls’ over this foreign invader, ‘indifferent’ to the fact that this vessel was a monumental figure of human development and innovation in 1912. Hardy uses nature witnessing this romantic convergence as a tool to mock the things that humans are proud of and the vanity that is the Titanic, as well as disassociate itself from it. In the poem, Hardy does not undermine the Titanic’s sheer beauty, but it is linked with images of death and destruction. It is first connected to the ‘Pride of Life’, which is human innovation and vanity, and it is a remarkable creation that was ‘planned’. However, her ‘steel chambers, late the pyres/Of her salamandrine fires’ is the next description that we are given. ‘Pyre’ is a word definitely associated with death and funeral rites, where as ‘salamandrine’ and ‘fires’ both have connotations to death as well, and the end of matter. These descriptions create an ominous mood to the ship and of its imminent meeting with the iceberg. Hardy’s disapproval to technology, development and modernization is evident not only in other poems such as Where the Picnic Was and The Darkling Thrush but is also evident in this one, and he uses the catastrophe to mock the vanity of man, the things they find superficially attractive, their ‘jewels in joy designed†¦ lie lightless, all their sparkles bleared and black and blind, and the ‘mirrors meant’ to have been used to perceive all this human vanity is crawled over by ‘grotesque’ creatures who are the are the ones that are using these ‘opulent’ items. Fate, however, is the most blatant theme in the poem; Hardy recognizes fate and the will of God as the reasons why this ship had to have sunk. It is illustrated in the personification of ‘Immanent Will’ and the ‘Spinner of the Years’; this personification is a vague reference to God as well as showing their power and command over human life. These presences ‘urge everything’ to happen, and give imperative commands that must be followed. The poem seems to be representative of Hardy’s feeling that fate’s plans are inevitable and are unstoppable despite whatever has been put in place to prevent what is happening. Hardy’s theme of the vulnerability of human destiny is present in many poems and is connected to his loss of faith, the poems Intenebris, and the Darkling Thrush evidently presents Hardy’s reluctance to see the beauty in fate, or God’s will, he doesn’t reconcile with this, and therefore there is a pessimistic and gloomy take on the unavoidability of it all. Fate bring these ‘two hemispheres’ together to witness the result of their vanity and recognize that there is a higher power that is ‘fashioning’ the world’s events, and because of all of he things that have occurred in his life—such as Emma’s death—it has led to this pervading theme of negativity towards fate, God, as well as the passage of time—which is briefly hinted at concerning how the Titanic lost its beauty during its sinking. The construction of this poem is complex and intricate, the numbering of the stanzas makes the reader understand each stanza individually, and consider it a unique unit. This emphasizes the message in the stanzas and makes it all the more powerful. However, there is enjambment in the sixth and seventh stanza, making it as though they were meant to be one stanza. These stanzas also happen to concern the creation of the ship, and the creation of the iceberg, which are meant to become one in the end—in their sexual meeting. Furthermore, the poem is written in rhyming triplets, along with a tidal rhythm, which manages to capture the feel and movement of the sea in the rhythm of the poem. It can also be noted that the poem is somewhat split into two, the first five stanzas focus on the sunken Titanic, the waste of all the vanity that was put into it, where as the last six stanzas focus on the inevitable fate of the two having met. It is interesting that Hardy possible constructs the poem this way because the tragedy was so well-known and famous that he is able to begin with the focus on the ships already sunken state before delving into the issue of fate and God’s will. One very intriguing element to Hardy’s construction of The Convergence of the Twain is that the stanzas look as if they are tiny ships. This creative device adds more artistic flair to the poem and adds motion to the poem, as well as being a visual aid. The Convergence of the Twain is a philosophical dirge by Hardy that also happens to illustrate most of his quandaries of life, fate and human vanity. As Hardy using an atypical presentation of the tragedy also manages to make the reader recognize his cynicism and negativity towards human technologies and the Titanic. His poem shows the tragedy of mans overconfidence, and illustrates the importance of recognizing the power of nature as well as fate on our lives.

Argument Against Video Games

English 102 12 March, 2013 Argue in support of or against the statement that video games have â€Å"a redeeming social value. † Do violent video games have â€Å"a redeeming social value? † You could get many different answers to this question depending on who you ask. Is there any good that can come from video games? What harm can come to people and society from video games? Is modern culture being affected either negatively or positively by today’s video games and those that play them?Are young, impressionable, people affected by playing video games for hours and hours during their impressionable, developmental years? These are a few of the questions I will attempt to answer as I argue that video games are playing a big role in the downfall of modern society. It is now the law of the United States that video games are art. †It is now the law of the United States that video games are a creative, intellectual, emotional form of expression and engagement, as fundamentally human as any other† (Schiesel, NY Times, 2011, p. 1). Like the protected books, plays and movies that preceded them, video games communicate ideas – and even social messages – through many familiar literary devices (such as characters, dialogue, plot, and music) and through features distinctive to the medium (such as the player’s interaction with the virtual world),† Justice Antonin Scalia wrote for the Supreme Court, in a case that arose from a California effort to ban the sale of violent video games to minors. â€Å"That suffices to confer First Amendment protection† (Schiesel, NY Times, 2011, p. 2). And now video games – as vulgar, crude, disgusting and thoroughly unredeeming as they often may be – have finally been fully recognized as a worthy element of our culture† (Schiesel, NY Times, 2011, p. 1). â€Å"There is statistically significant evidence from the studies within the fields of psychology and so ciology to indicate that violent video games have a negative impact on a child’s behavioral development as he or she matures into adulthood. These studies approach the issue from a variety of perspectives, some analyzing the effects of video game usage on academic achievement and others that focus on usage’s effects on violent tendencies.Regardless of how these effects are measured, evidence is accumulating in favor of the position that they are not good for childhood development. Short of recommending alternatives or ways of preventing the kind of excessive video game use targeted in these studies as adverse, what is conclusively known is the prevalence and results of violent video games. Nevertheless, there are valid objections and concerns about these conclusions that shall be addressed in turn; none of these counterarguments or critiques of the research literature hold much weight.The arguments from scientific findings can be supplemented with academic philosophy, specifically in the area of ethical philosophy where some argue a non-distinction in moral terms between killing an imaginary character and killing an actual person. From this broad base of studies and research into the effects of violent video games on maturing children, it is conclusive that the negative effects of violent video game usage far outweigh any alleged positive effects† (Meyer, Yahoo! Voices, 2011, p. 1).Modern culture is being affected negatively by today’s violent video games and those that play them. The people that have played these games and then gone out to commit violent acts have affected society in a very negative way. The impressionable, mentally disturbed, people that cannot distinguish between killing an imaginary character and killing an actual person have committed terrible acts of violence more often in recent years. When these young people are in their maturing years their minds are conditioned in a very negative way by playing violent vide o games.One cannot help but think that these people may not have done these violent things if they had never played the violent video games. â€Å"Whether you play video games on a portable unit, a television or the internet, excessive gaming can affect your personal and profession life. Video game addiction can be as problematic as gambling and affects players as young as eight years old, notes Kevin Baker, director of Smith and Jones Addiction Consultants, in an article for Brigham Young University’s NewsNet. Be aware of the effects of a video game compulsion to keep the hobby in check† (Drea, Livestrong. com, 2013. p. 1).If you spend all of your free time playing video games and skip meals or lose sleep because of your excessive game play, a video game addiction can negatively impact your health. â€Å"The Mayo Clinic notes that children who spend more than two hours a day in front of a television or video games in lieu of participating in physical activity may suf fer from childhood obesity. In addition, the University of Texas at Dallas notes that the addiction can lead to such medical issues as backaches, headaches, eyestrain and carpal tunnel syndrome – pain and numbness that you may feel in your wrist, hands, shoulders and elbows† (Drea, Livestrong. om, 2013. p. 1). Relationships with friends and family members may suffer if you’re spending more time gaming than you are talking to or going out with loved ones. â€Å"The On-Line Gamers Anonymous website notes that gaming may be negatively affecting your life if you only want to talk about video games, lie to cover up the amount of time you spend playing, forgo intimacy with your spouse in lieu of gaming or argue with loved ones over your excessive gaming† (Drea, Livestrong. com, 2013. p. 1).Video games that feature violent actions and scenarios may lead addicted players to be desensitized to the violence. â€Å"Richard Gallagher, director of the NYU Child Study Center’s Parenting Institute, states that players who become engrossed in first-person shooter-style video games, for example, may adopt a detached view of society or develop aggressive thoughts and tendencies† (Drea, Livestrong. com, 2013. p. 1). There are a few positive video games. Educational video games and video games that help to keep the mind or memory sharp are certainly excellent tools.Using video games as flight simulators for our pilots and soldiers are also very helpful and educational. The people that use educational video games are not the people that are going out and shooting up schools full of little children. There is no way that a young person, whose brain is still developing, can become a better member of society by playing violent video games for hours and hours every day. The negatives far outweigh the positives when these violent video games are played. The impressionable young people are fooled into thinking that these video games are, in some w ay, real life.The weak minded, young, impressionable, people that play these games can be very easily conditioned to become more violent members of society. No one ever played an educational video game and then went out and shot up a school. There have been people that played violent video games in excess and went out and did just that afterward. Nothing good can come from playing violent video games for hours and hours every day. Violent video games are a big part of the downfall of modern society. Violent video games have no redeeming social value.

John Locke – Philosophy

â€Å"The end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom. For in all the states of created beings capable of law, where there is no law, there is no freedom† – John Locke. What I feel that John Locke is attempting to express in his quote is that society believes that by having laws in place the government is taking away from the freedom they long to endure. However, by having laws in place it actually helps to enforce their rights to freedom. I chose John Locke as my topic for my final paper because I have taken an interest in the life he led, his inspirations and his role in politics. Read Essay In Westminster Abbey Analysis John Locke was the first of the classical British empiricists. Empiricists believed that all knowledge derives from experience. He became highly influential to the political world, inspiring government representatives such as Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine and James Madison. Locke expressed the radical view that government is morally obliged to serve people by protecting life, liberty and property (n. a, n. d). He explained the principle of checks and balances in order to limit the power of government. He also favored representative government and rule of law. Locke insisted that when government violates individual rights, the people have a right to rebel. His views on individual rights, life, happiness and politics led Locke to become known as the 17th century English Philosopher of the enlightenment. John Locke was born August 29, 1632, in Somerset, England. He was the oldest son of Agnes Keene and John Locke. His father was a Puritan lawyer who served as a clerk for justices of the peace (n. a. , n. d). With the assistance of his father’s connections to the English government, Locke received an exceptional education. In 1647 he enrolled at Westminster School in London, where he earned his distinct honor of being named a King’s Scholar. This was a privilege that went to only select number of boys and set the path for Locke to attend Christ Church, Oxford in 1652 (n. a. , n. d). Christ Church is considered the most prestigious school in Oxford. During this educational time period, Locke engaged in logic and metaphysics. He graduated from Christ Church in 1656 and returned two years later to pursue a Masters of the Arts. This accomplishment soon led to Locke taking on tutorial work at the college. In 1668 Locke was elected a fellow of the Royal Society. The Royal Society is a fellowship of the world’s most eminent scientist and is the oldest scientific academy in continuous existence (n. a. ,n. d. ). Locke then went on to study philosophy and medicine at the University of Oxford and graduated in 1674 with a bachelor’s of medicine. Locke did not want to commit his life to a religious order and therefore turned down a permanent teaching position from Oxford. This opened the doors to an opportunity serving as a private physician and secretary to Anthony Ashley Cooper, the Earl of Shaftesbury (Kermerling, 2011). During the summer of 1666, Anthony Ashley Cooper visited Oxford where he met Locke who was at the time studying medicine. Cooper, who was suffering from a liver cyst which threatened to become swollen and infected, requested that Locke be his personal physician. Locke accepted and soon moved into a room at the Cooper’s Exeter House mansion in Westminster, London. Cooper’s condition worsened and Locke was in a position of opportunity to heal the Earl successfully. In 1668, Locke supervised a successfully surgery and save the life of Anthony Ashley Cooper, the Earl of Shaftesbury. This honorable act led Locke to become a valued partner of Shaftesbury. After Shaftesbury stature grew, so did Locke’s responsibilities. He assisted in the Earl’s business and political matters and after Shaftsbury was made chancellor, Locke became his secretary of presentations. Locke was involved in just about everything that Shaftsbury did. This included the formation of the Whig party. The Whig party was a political group which consisted of politicians from America, England and Scotland who opposed King Charles I of England. Locke maintained correspondence with the party to assist with influencing Parliamentary elections. Shaftsbury was imprisoned for a year and on his release he helped pass the Habeas Corpus Act in 1679 which made it unlawful for government to detain a person without filing formal charges. The act also specified that an individual could not be put on trial for the same charge more than once (n. a. ,n. d). Shaftesbury was a strong influence to John Locke and helped pave his way for future success through experience – Empiricist. During the reign of King Charles II it was illegal to write, read or have books in one’s possession that pertained to any negative press against the government. Although it was risky, Locke continued his mission. He wrote about his experience with political actions. One treatise attached a claim that the Bible sanctioned tyrants and that parents had absolute authority over children. A second treatise presented an epic case for liberty and the right of people to rebel against tyrants. He pushed to a radical conclusion which attacked slavery and a defense of revolution (n. a. , n. d. ). Locke fled to Rotterdam on September 7, 1683 to avoid legal action (n. a. , n. d. ). The English government tried to have Locke extradited for trial and possible hanging. Lock fled to London and assumed the name â€Å"Dr. van der Linden. † He signed letters as â€Å"Lamy† or â€Å"Dr. Lynne† (n. a. ,n. d. ). Locke assumed that the government would intercept mail, so he protected friends by referring to them with numbers or false names. His excuse to friends for moving to Holland was that he enjoyed the local beer. In Holland, Locke began to work on his philosophical masterpiece, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding which urged people to base their convictions on observation and reason. His argument was that all ideas, simple or complex, are ultimately derived from experience. He challenged the traditional doctrine that learning consisted entirely of reading ancient texts and absorbing religious dogmas (n. . , n. d. ). He maintained that understanding that the world required observation. The essay was published in December 1689, and established Locke as England’s leading philosopher. In the essay, Locke states the nature of his proposed doctrine: â€Å"Let us then suppose the mind to be, as we say, white paper, void of all characters, without any i deas: – How comes it to be furnished? Whenced comes it by that vast store which the busy and boundless fancy of man has painted on it with almost endless variety? Whence has it all the materials of reason and knowledge? To this I answer, in one word, from experience. In that all our knowledge is founded. (Valasquez, 2011)† The book became one of the most widely reprinted and influential works on philosophy. It brought great fame for Locke. So much, that he spent the rest of his life responding to admirers and critics by making revisions in later editions of the book, including detailed accounts of human volition and moral freedom. Locke also published Two Treatise of Civil Government. These writings were published anonymously in order to avoid controversy. The First Treatise is a detailed rejection of the monarchist theories of Robert Filmer. Locke attacked Filmer’s claim that God sanctioned the absolute power of kings. During this time period, such an attack was risky since it could easily be prosecuted as an attack on the King Charles II. The Second Treatise of Government offers a systematic account of the foundations of political obligation. The views expressed within this treatise were so radical that he only released his name as publisher in his will. Locke’s writings did much to inspire the libertarian ideals of the American Revolution. This, in turn, set an example which inspired people throughout Europe, Latin America and Asia. Locke’s philosophy had a great effect on American’s as well. Thomas Jefferson ranked Locke as the most important thinkers on liberty. He also helped inspire Thomas Paine’s radical ideas about revolution. James Madison drew most of his fundamental principles of liberty and government from Locke’s writings. John Locke’s writings were also included in the self-education of Benjamin Franklin. John Adam’s believed that both girls and boys should learn about Locke. Locke’s influence even traveled to France where the French philosopher Voltaire called, â€Å"Locke the man of the greatest wisdom. What he has not seen clearly, I despair of ever seeing† (n. a. , n. d. ). Mathematician and physicist Isaac Newton cherished his company. Locke helped William Penn restore his good name when he was political fugitive, just as Penn had arranged a pardon for Locke when he had been a political fugitive. Locke was described by the famous English physician Dr. Thomas Sydenham as â€Å"a man whom, in the acuteness of his intellect, in the steadiness of his judgment, in the simplicity, that is, in the excellence of his manners, I confidently declare to have, amongst the men of our time, few equals and no superiors. n. a. , n. d. ). It is astonishing that Locke’s work has affected so many people around the world. He was an undistinguished Oxford scholar. He had a brief experience with a failed diplomatic mission. He was a physician who lacked traditional credentials and had only one patient. His first major work was not published until the age of 57. All of this and he is still one of the leading philosophers of all time. In 1691, John Locke is invited to spend his last years with friends Francis and Damaris Masham. Damaris is also a philosopher and is believed to have been romantically involved with Locke uring their study years at Oxford. When Locke left for Holland, Damaris was to visit; however it did not work out and she married Francis Masham (Uzgalis, 2012). During his stay with the Masham’s Locke tutored their son Francis, here he begins to work on his treaties Thoughts Concerning Education. Locke’s health gradually began to worsen. He lost most of his hearing and his legs began to swell. He could barely bring himself to rise from bed. Around 3:00 in the afternoon, Saturday, October 28, 1704 he passed away (n. a , n. d. ). He was sitting in his study with Lady Marsham. Suddenly, he brought his hands to his face, shut his eyes and died. He was 72 years old. Locke’s focus has primarily been based upon the ideas of freedom and equality as a whole. He believed that citizens should naturally possess the right to life, liberty and happiness, which is portrayed in the constitution of the United States. These undisputable rights or natural rights have derived from the law of nature. The law of nature is a state that relies purely on the law of God, which is also known as moral law. This law gave people the natural right to life, liberty, and happiness without question. In addition, Locke believed that people also possess the basic right of self-defense if under attack. However, Locke’s key aspect of his theories was the basic idea of equality. He said that nobody has the right to rule and that consent is critical because it’s based on the premises that all people are equal (Uzgalis, 2012). John Locke is still very much known as a political philosopher in today’s modern society. Because much of Locke’s philosophy centered on subjects such as natural rights and knowledge, he has in-turn shaped American politics in such a way that it has never been the same. Locke has challenged many theories that have to do with inalienable rights as a part of natural law; therefore he had much to do with the involvement in the evolution of the American Government. He taught that, men by nature possess certain rights. He had a tremendous influence on all future political thinking. A clear representation of his involvement is portrayed in the declaration of independence. John Locke was, and will always be remembered as a pioneer in modern thinking.