Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Enola Gay Display at the Smithsonian essays

Enola Gay Display at the Smithsonian essays America is in the midst of a culture war, and one of the latest skirmishes occurred between the houses and hedgerows surrounding the Smithsonian Museum. On one side were the members of a growing numbers of acedemians and cultural theorists who believe that American should not be honored as a country which has been a continued source of peace, and leadership in the world. History should be taught in a context, and that context needs to challenge individuals to think on a larger social scale of how our actions may adversely affect others. The opposing forces are those who have fought, and sometimes given the ultimate sacrifice to earn the countries place of responsibility as the leader of the free world, and only remaining superpower. These men and women look back at America's actions and remember the issues and limitations of the day. This group has a living memory of historical events, and is opposed to reinterpreting them in light of 21st century political cynicism, or academic enlighten. One group believes that if the military forces were downsized, and moneys spent on nation building and international charity projects, that the world would become a safer, more peaceful place. The other legion understands that some men and organizations in the world have set their desires on dominating others and loose no sleep at night over trampling civil and human rights in order to gain their objectives. This group understands that a strong military, as well as a will to use it, is an important building block which has created the peace and prosperity which America and the entire world now enjoy. This cultural war cannot always be identified in terms of liberal or conservative, because individuals from either group may launch salvos from either front. The war cannot be called one of educated vs. uneducated or public sector politicians vs. private sector business interests. ...

Friday, November 22, 2019

Early Explorers of Africa

Early Explorers of Africa Even in the 18th century, much of the interior of Africa was unfamiliar to Europeans. Most of their time in Africa was limited to trade along the coast, first in gold, ivory, spices, and later slaves. In 1788 Joseph Banks, the botanist whod sailed across the Pacific Ocean with Cook, went as far as to found the African Association to promote the exploration of the interior of the continent. Ibn Battuta Ibn Battuta (1304-1377) traveled over 100,000 kilometers from his home in Morocco. According to the book he dictated, he traveled as far as Beijing and the Volga River; scholars say its unlikely he traveled everywhere he claims to have. James Bruce James Bruce (1730-94) was a Scottish explorer who set off from Cairo in 1768 to find the source of the River Nile. He arrived at Lake Tana in 1770, confirming that this lake was the origin of the Blue Nile, one of the tributaries of the Nile. Mungo Park Mungo Park (1771-1806) was hired by the African Association in 1795 to explore the River Niger. When the Scotsman returned to Britain having reached the Niger, he was disappointed by the lack of public recognition of his achievement and that he was not acknowledged as a great explorer. In 1805 he set out to follow the Niger to its source. His canoe was ambushed by tribesmen at the Bussa Falls and he drowned. Renà ©-Auguste Caillià © Renà ©-Auguste Caillià © (1799-1838), a Frenchman, was the first European to visit Timbuktu and survive to tell the tale. Hed disguised himself as an Arab to make the trip. Imagine his disappointment when he discovered that the city wasnt made of gold, as legend said, but of mud. His journey started in West Africa in March 1827, headed towards Timbuktu where he stayed for two weeks. He then crossed the Sahara (the first European to do so) in a caravan of 1,200 animals, then the Atlas Mountains to reach Tangier in 1828, from where he sailed home to France. Heinrich Barth Heinrich Barth (1821-1865) was a German working for the British government. His first expedition (1844-1845)was from Rabat (Morocco) across the coast of North Africa to Alexandria (Egypt). His second expedition (1850-1855) took him from Tripoli (Tunisia) across the Sahara to Lake Chad, the River Benue, and Timbuktu, and back across the Sahara again. Samuel Baker Samuel Baker (1821-1893) was the first European to see the Murchison Falls and Lake Albert, in 1864. He was actually hunting for the source of the Nile. Richard Burton Richard Burton (1821-1890) was not only a great explorer but also a great scholar (he produced the first unabridged translation of The Thousand Nights and a Night). His most famous exploit is probably his dressing as an Arab and visiting the holy city of Mecca (in 1853) which non-Muslims are forbidden to enter. In 1857 he and Speke set off from the east coast of Africa (Tanzania) to find the source of the Nile. At Lake Tanganyika Burton fell seriously ill, leaving Speke to travel on alone. John Hanning Speke John Hanning Speke (1827-1864) spent 10 years with the Indian Army before starting his travels with Burton in Africa. Speke discovered Lake Victoria in August 1858 which he initially believed to be the source of the Nile. Burton didnt believe him and in 1860 Speke set out again, this time with James Grant. In July 1862 he found the source of the Nile, the Ripon Falls north of Lake Victoria. David Livingstone David Livingstone (1813-1873) arrived in Southern Africa as a missionary with the aim of improving the life of Africans through European knowledge and trade. A qualified doctor and minister, he had worked in a cotton mill near Glasgow, Scotland, as a boy. Between 1853 and 1856 he crossed Africa from west to east, from Luanda (in Angola) to Quelimane (in Mozambique), following the Zambezi River to the sea. Between 1858 and 1864 he explored the Shire and Ruvuma river valleys and Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi). In 1865 he set off to find the source of the River Nile. Henry Morton Stanley Henry Morton Stanley (1841-1904) was a journalist sent by the New York Herald to find Livingstone who had been presumed dead for four years as no-one in Europe had heard from him. Stanley found him at Uiji on the edge of Lake Tanganyika in Central Africa on 13 November 1871. Stanleys words Dr. Livingstone, I presume? have gone down in the history as one of the greatest understatements ever. Dr. Livingstone is said to have replied, You have brought me new life. Livingstone had missed the Franco-Prussian War, the opening of the Suez Canal, and the inauguration of the transatlantic telegraph. Livingstone refused to return to Europe with Stanley and continued on his journey to find the source of the Nile. He died in May 1873 in the swamps around Lake Bangweulu. His heart and viscera were buried, then his body was carried to Zanzibar, from where it was shipped to Britain. He was buried at Westminster Abbey in London. Unlike Livingstone, Stanley was motivated by fame and fortune. He traveled in large, well-armed expeditions he had 200 porters on his expedition to find Livingstone, who often traveled with only a few bearers. Stanleys second expedition set off from Zanzibar towards Lake Victoria (which he sailed around in his boat, the Lady Alice), then headed into Central Africa towards Nyangwe and the Congo (Zaire) River, which he followed for some 3,220 kilometers from its tributaries to the sea, reaching Boma in August 1877. He then set off back into Central Africa to find Emin Pasha, a German explorer believed to be in danger from warring cannibals. The German explorer, philosopher, and journalist Carl Peters (1856-1918) played a significant role in the creation of Deutsch-Ostafrika (German East Africa) A leading figure in the Scramble for Africa Peters was ultimately vilified for his cruelty to Africans and removed from office. He was, however, considered a hero by the German emperor Wilhelm II and Adolf Hitler. Mary Kingsley's Mary Kingsleys (1862-1900) father spent most of his life accompanying noblemen around the world, keeping diaries and notes which he hoped to publish. Educated at home, she learned the rudiments of natural history from him and his library. He employed a tutor to teach his daughter German so she could help him translate scientific papers. His comparative study of sacrificial rites around the world was his major passion and it was Marys desire to complete this which took her to West Africa after her parents deaths in 1892 (within six weeks of each other). Her two journeys werent remarkable for their geological exploration, but were remarkable for being undertaken, alone, by a sheltered, middle-class, Victorian spinster in her thirties without any knowledge of African languages or French, or much money (she arrived in West Africa with only  £300). Kingsley did collect specimens for science, including a new fish which was named after her. She died nursing prisoners of war in Simons Town (Cape Town) during the Anglo-Boer War. The article is a revised and expanded version of that first published on 25 June 2001.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Psychoanalysis of Roald Dahl's Matilda Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Psychoanalysis of Roald Dahl's Matilda - Essay Example The superego is the opposite extreme of the id and is the force used by the father and the social and cultural institutions he represents to check and drive the person's desires into the id. The superego includes tradition, inherited values, religion and its institutions, education and its peripheries and all forms of authority. The ego is the self that emerges after an on going and continual negotiation between the id and the superego. If the person's superego is weaker than his/her id the result will be a loose, permissive, carefree, easy going or even a mad person. If the person's superego is stronger than his/her id, then that person will become a conformist to the moral and social values of the person's medium. (Douglas, 2007) The process of pyschoanalyzing a text has several approaches. One can read a text and isolate the elements in the text that reveal the inner conflicts, desires and suppressions in the person of the artist. Another way is examining elements that define the psychology of the characters in the narrative. A third way is seeing if the text reveals the collective psychology of the people and the culture that produces the work of art. In any case, the analysis should consider one or both of the two basic assumptions of the theory. The first assumption is the tripartite nature of the manifest self, whether it is the self of the author, the fictitious character, or the collective consciousness behind the work while the second one is the work of art as a dream work that reflects the suppressed content of the id of either the author or his/her characters. (Pope, 2002) In this essay, I shall be concerned in the first assumption which is determining the tripartite nature that is present in the character of Matilda. I will be trying to learn the psyche of Matilda. I would begin by providing a summary of the story Matilda written by Roald Dahl in 1988. When conducting the research, I came to realize that there are elements of the story derived directly from the experiences of the author. While this may be a good topic for psychoanalysis, our focus would be on Matilda and her psyche. Plot Summary Matilda Wormwood has the potential to be a genius but her parents do not care about her as shown by the fact that she is discouraged from reading books and encouraged in watching TV. In spite of this, Matilda perseveres and became intellectually superior in her class. TO combat her parent's being so uncaring, she devises clever pranks such as "the hat and the super glue," "the parrot-in-the-chimney-affair," and "the great hair oil switch." Her great intellect catches her teacher's, Jennifer Honey's, attention and appeal for her to be accelerated. Agatha Trunchbull, the evil headmistress, refuses. Miss Honey learned of how Matilda's parents treat her when she consults them for Matilda being sent to the university. Throughout the story, Miss Trunchbull treats her students in abusive manners such as ploughing straight through children so that they "bounce off her feet like footballs", makes regular visits to classes to "show" the teachers a few tips on discipline, throws students out of windows and even locks them in a contraption known only as "the Chokey." Matilda becomes her primary target when she learned that it was her father that sold her a second car that barely

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Individual Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Individual Assignment - Essay Example Innovation management is now an inherent aspect of organisations around the world. Businesses seek to find ways of improving their system of creating innovations and commercialising their innovations to attain the best results and the highest returns possible. Innovation is defined â€Å"something new which did not exist in this form up till now† (Sattler, 2011: p9). In other words, innovation is about providing new solutions that did not exist in the past to resolve problems and issues in the society. Schumpeter stated that innovation is â€Å"a new combination of production factors† (Sattler, 2011, p10). This position views innovation as an adjustment or changes in the internal structures and systems of an organisation in order to provide something different and unique to consumers in the society. Innovation is seen as a structured and disciplined approach to dealing with new productions and adjusting the system to accommodate new ideas and systems. Narayanan and OConnor (2010) identify three main stages of innovation: Innovation begins by the discovery of a new way or a new approach in doing things. This involves the invention of a better way and a better approach of resolving an issue in the society. When this is done, the organisation will have to find a way of getting the relevant intellectual property or brand identity registered for recognition. Once the invention is seen to be one that can be replicated, the organisation will have to take reasonable steps to develop it. Development is done by the commercialisation of a given idea or phenomenon. This will help the organisation to attain its results and targets and maximise its benefits form the given invention. Market penetration depends on the creation of a market for the new invention and the growth and development of the market. This aims at getting the best and the highest

Sunday, November 17, 2019

THe Role of Women in the World Essay Example for Free

THe Role of Women in the World Essay The development of a country is very dependent on the roles and freedom that women receive. The gender role do vary geographically between More Developed countries (MDCs) and less developed countries(LDC’s). In less developed countries women take on lower roles, and lower stand in the social class. But geographically, in MDCs women have power and can have higher jobs. This gap is the piece that need to be studied to fully comprehend the changing of the role between the men and the women. One way the role of women is changing through the world is the women are gaining empowerment. Because of this, they are starting to hold high respectable jobs. This empowerment is a huge change because instead of women doing minuscule jobs as done before, the women are in office and leading countries. This is change because originally the men held these jobs. Because countries are developing and as countries developed thee status of women increases, the change can over all be described as countries becoming more developed. Over all in the world, the trend is found when countries allow the women rights, there country develops. Another way how the role of women is changing is women are now starting to become more educated. Read more:Â  Women Role in Modern Society This is a big role change because women have always had very few people of their gender in school. This is primarily because of their role has been to work at home and take care of all the minuscule jobs around the house. As their country develops, the role has changed and now they can obtain an education and have more freedom. One example of a less developed countries stats of men to women in school is In Arab states, they have 73 males but only 51 females. This shows that as countries develop they will have more equality between men and women in schools. There role of women has changed dramatically. The world trend for the development of a country is characterized by how women are treated and their roles in society. Gender related Development index is another tool used to explain that the roles are changing. This index compiles of economic indications of gender differences, social indications of gender difference, and demography indication of genetic differences, This index shows how the role has changed because this directly corresponds to woman empowerment. This empowerment allows women to get educated rather than do mine minuscular jobs, and to take office or to undertake the jobs that men once only had.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Black Mustard (Brassica nigra) :: Botany

Black Mustard (Brassica nigra) The mustard plant has often been mentioned in the Bible, and most of us are familiar with Jesus' parable of the mustard seed. However, there is great debate as to what the "mustard" plant of Jesus' parable really was. Most modern commentators agree that it was the ordinary black mustard, Brassica nigra, but there are still a few who disagree. These others suggested that the mustard in the Bible could have been Salvadora persica, a shrub found in thickets around the Dead Sea, but authorities say that this plant did not grow where Jesus spoke his parables. Also Phytolacca decandra, the pokeberry, was theorized to be the "mustard tree". That too was discounted because it is now regarded as an American plant. One major argument against Brassica for the "mustard" of the Bible is based on the Biblical statements concerning its becoming a "tree", and "the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it". Supporters of this argument claim that the mustard plant never becomes a great tree, and it would not be sturdy enough for birds to nest. In rebuttal, it has been pointed out that we must realize that much of the language in the Bible is figurative, and that indeed small sparrow-like birds perched temporarily on the branches of the mature mustard plant to feed on its seeds. Even today birds are very fond of mustard seed. Guatama Buddha also told a parable about the mustard seed, and in India, mustard is the symbol of reproductive generation. Mustard is a very interesting plant with a lot of history and many uses. It has both medicinal and culinary value useful to man in the past and present. Its many relatives are ever present in our daily lives as well. Black mustard is scientifically known as Brassica nigra. It is of the family Cruciferae. The plant is native of Europe and Asia; it has become naturalized in this country and has escaped from cultivation, so that it is often a troublesome weed. Therefore, it is often found on the roadside, in vacant lots, and especially in grain fields. There has been some success in the use of chemical herbicides in ridding grain fields of mustard. These include iron sulfate and sulfuric acid in the form of a spray. All grasses are resistant to this spray, but the young mustards are killed by it.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Bite Me: A Love Story Chapter 5

5. The Further Chronicles of Abby Normal, Miserable, Broken-hearted Emo-ho of the Night ‘Kayso, who is outside my door but Baroness Buzzkill herself, the Motherbot, accompanied by those most crapacious homicide cops, Rivera and Cavuto. So I'm all, â€Å"Oh joy, does this caffeine fresh clusterfuck come with donuts?† Which it turned out, it didn't, so really, WTF is the point of bringing cops? And the Mombot is all, â€Å"You can't do this, and who is this boy, and where have you been, and you have no right, and blah, blah, blah, responsibility, worried sick, you're a horrible, horrible person and you ruined my life with your platform boots and your piercings.† Okay, those weren't her exact words, but the subtext was there. And in retrospect, I may have erred in using the â€Å"I'm sleeping over at Lily's house† gambit for two months running, when I was, in fact, living in my own trs cool love lair with a mysterious love ninja. So I decided to turn the tables on her by asking questions, before she got in the rhythm of grilling me and heaping me with mom guilt. So I'm all, â€Å"How did you find me?† And the dark, Hispano cop steps up, and he's all, â€Å"I called her.† So I rolled up in his grill. Well, up in the knot of his tie, because he's taller than me. And I'm all, â€Å"I can't believe you ratted me out. You traitorous fuck!† And the cop gets all chilly and he's all, â€Å"I'm not a traitor because I'm not on your side, Allison.† Using my day-slave name, just to fuck with me. So I'm all thinking, Okay, cop, I can see that you believe that your shit cannot be shaken, and you are totally trying to come off all sly and badass in front of the Mombot so she might do you a good long time? I know-mating rituals of the ancient and crusty-makes you barf in your mouth a little, huh? So I go over to the big gay cop, and I'm all soft-spoken little-girl voice, â€Å"I thought we were on the same side because-well-because we know about the nosferatu, and all that money you got from his art collection. We're not? I'm crushed.† Totally hand to forehead, fake-heartbreak fainting. I was going to cry a little, but my mascara was lined up like the spikes on the gates of hell, and I didn't want it to go raccoon on me so early in the day, so only a sniffle. I wiped my nose on the big gay cop's sleeve. And the Momster is all, â€Å"What? What? Nosferatu? What? Money? What?† And Rivera is all, â€Å"Excuse us a moment, Mrs. Green, we need to have a word with Allison.† So the Mombot starts to go into the bedroom and I'm all, â€Å"Oh I don't think so. You can wait outside,† or something like that, because it turns out I didn't want her to see the inner sanctum of our love nest, because she's a nurse and seeing the dog collars, test tubes, centrifuge, and whatnot might give her the wrong idea. (Foo and I like to get our mad scientist freak on in the privacy of the boudoir.) So Mom steps outside. And Foo is all, â€Å"Owned, bitches!† And he did a pathetic imitation of my own superb booty dance of ownage, and I was, at once, touched by his support, yet embarrassed by his tragic lack of rhythm and booticuity. And Rivera is all, â€Å"Allison, how did you know about the money and the old vampyre and the yacht and you have no proof and blah, blah, I so can't decide whether I'm the good cop or the bad cop, or if I'm going to still pretend to be badass or totally crap my pants from the verbal death grip you just put on my man sac, blah, blah.† And I'm all, â€Å"I know it all, cop,† popping the p in cop because it makes both of them flinch a little. â€Å"You need to exit and take the Mombot home or I will be forced to expose your evil shit to your masters, and not in the fun way.† And the Hispano cop was all chill, nodding and smiling, which harshed my confidence somewhat. And he's all, â€Å"That so, Allison? Well, Mr. Wong here is twenty-one, and you are still a minor, so among other things, we can take him in for contributing to the delinquency of a minor, kidnapping, and statutory rape.† And he folds his arms all, â€Å"Take that, bee-atch.† Hip-hop superior. So I'm like, â€Å"You're right, he is totally taking advantage of my innocence. Foo, you ginormous perve!† Then I slapped him, but for the drama, not because he might think I was a slut. â€Å"I should have known when you had me shave my va-jay-jay into the shape of a beaver!† And Foo's all, â€Å"I did not!† â€Å"Pervy and redundant, don't you think?† I asked the big gay cop, who wouldn't know a va-jay-jay if it bounced up to him and sang the â€Å"Star-Spangled Banner.† (You ever notice that hardly anything besides the â€Å"Star-Spangled Banner† is spangled? There's no, like, the Raisin-Spangled Scone, or the Flea-Spangled Beagle. I'm just saying.) So, I, like, start to pull up my skirt to further freak him out, like I'm going to flash the beav, which was a bluff, because I am totally trimmed bat-shape and dyed lavender and I was wearing my hot-pink fishnets, which are full-on tights and put the PG-13 on my no-no place. But instead of hiding his head and screaming like a little bitch, which is what I was going for, the big gay cop is across the room and has Foo in handcuffs in like seconds, cranking them down tight. So Foo is all, â€Å"Ow! Ow! Ow!† And I'm heartsick at his suffering, so I'm like, â€Å"Unhand him, you fascist-ass bear.† And Rivera is all, â€Å"Allison, we need to come to an understanding, or your boyfriend is going to jail, and even if the charges don't stick, he can kiss his master's degree good-bye.† Powned! I was forced to lower my skirt in defeat. Foo's eyes were all anime-huge and started to get tear-spangled, and my noble love ninja looked all pleading to me like, â€Å"Please, do not abandon me, despite my obvious emo tendencies.† So I'm like, â€Å"We'll give you a hundred thousand dollars to leave our love lair like nothing happened.† And Rivera is like, â€Å"We're not interested in your money.† And gay bear cop is like, â€Å"Wait, where did you get that kind of money, anyway?† And Rivera is like, â€Å"Never mind, Nick, it's not about money.† And I'm like, â€Å"OMG Rivera, your bad cop skills suck ass. It's always about the money. Don't you have a TV?† And he's like, â€Å"What happened out there this morning?† And I'm all, â€Å"You know, vampyre kitties, meter maid sucked to dust, samurai in orange socks, Abby's kung-fu of solar ass-kicking.† Then to Foo: â€Å"Foo, the jacket is the sickest shit ever!† â€Å"Which is a good thing,† Foo translated for the cops. And Rivera is all, â€Å"Vampyre cats? That's what the Emperor said.† ‘Kayso, it's clear that the cops have doubts, so I explain the whole battle, and Foo's theory of how Chet is making vampyre kitties, and how we are pretty much fucked nine ways to Kwanzaa because it's the end of the world and whatnot, and there are metric buttloads of kitties in the City, and only two fly, vampyre-frying solar jackets, mine and Foo's, and we are being detained by law enforcement assbags instead of saving humanity. So Rivera's all, â€Å"What about Flood and the redhead? You helped them, right?† Kudos to Inspector Obvious, we're only living in their loft, spending their money, and hanging our damp towels on their bronzed bodies. I was all, â€Å"They left. All the vampyres left. Didn't you talk to the Emperor? He saw them get on a boat at the Marina?† â€Å"The Emperor isn't the most dependable witness,† Rivera says. â€Å"And he didn't say anything about those two, but I find it hard to believe that a cat, even a vampyre cat, even a gang of vampyre house cats took down a full-grown parking enforcement officer.† So I was like, â€Å"Chet is not a normal vampyre kitty. He's huge. More huge than normal. He's getting huger. If you don't let Foo work his mad science skills to cure him, by next week Chet might be dry-humping the Transamerica Pyramid.† Foo was nodding like a manga-haired bobblehead. He was all, â€Å"Truth.† The big gay Cavuto cop is all, â€Å"Can you do that, kid? Can you put this shit storm back in the box?† â€Å"Absolutely,† says Foo, when he totally has no clue how to catch Chet. â€Å"I'll need some time, but leave the handcuffs on, because that's how I work best.† Foo can be most sarcastic when faced with day dwellers less intelligent than himself, which is almost everyone. ‘Kayso, Rivera takes the sleeve of my jacket and starts turning it over, looking at it, all Neanderthal discovers fire face. And he's all, â€Å"Can you make one of these in a leather sport coat? Forty long?† And I'm all, â€Å"Are you coming on to me?† And he gagged a little (which was mean), and he's all, â€Å"No. I am definitely not coming on to you, Allison. Not only are you the most irritating creature on the planet, you are a child.† And I'm all, â€Å"A child?! A child?! Do these belong to a child?† And I pulled up my top and flashed him. And not just a flash, a full, glorious boobosity. And he didn't say anything. So I turned my headlights on Foo and the big gay cop. And they're all, â€Å"Um-uhr-uhr-um-â€Å" I'm like, â€Å"Et tu, Foo?† Which is Shakespearean for, â€Å"You traitor!† And I ran into the bedroom and locked the door. I was kind of wishing I'd taken a hostage, except really the only weapon I had was a jacket with little light warts all over it, so I was limited to being dangerous to vampyres and emos who get their feelings hurt really easily by my snarky wit. ‘Kayso, then I stared into the dark abyss that is the meaninglessness of human existence, because there was nothing on cable. And in searching the depths of my soul, I saw that I must stop using sex as a weapon, and that I must only use my powers of seduction for good, unless Foo wants to do something freaky, in which case, I can have him sign a waiver. Now, I realize that the only way for me to righteously explore my strength as a woman is to become nosferatu. And since the Countess and Lord Flood wouldn't bring me into the fold, I must find my own way to the blood power. ‘Kayso, in a few minutes Rivera's at the door all, â€Å"Allison, I think you'd better come out here.† And I'm all, â€Å"Oh no, Inspector, I can't open the door. I've taken all these pills and everything's all wiggly. You'll have to break the door down.† Then Foo's all, â€Å"Abby, please come out. I need you.† He used his I'm sad, wounded, and locked in the castle tower with all my powers gone voice, which I didn't even know he had, but it was tragic and I had to come out and humble myself before the cops like a little bitch, despite my new resolve to partake of the dark gift. So I'm all, â€Å"What?† And Rivera is all, â€Å"Allison, we have an agreement with Mr. Wong. He will stay here and work on a solution to the cat problem, and in return for our not filing charges, you both will say nothing to anyone about our previous-uh-adventures, with Mr. Flood, Ms. Stroud, and any other persons of the blood-drinking persuasion. Nor will we mention any funds that may have changed hands, and who may be in possession of said funds. Agreed?† I'm all, â€Å"Sweet!† â€Å"And you have to go home and live with your mother and sister,† the evil Hispano cop continued. And I'm all, â€Å"No way!† And all three of them are shaking their heads at me. And Foo, who is out of handcuffs now, is all, â€Å"Abby, you have to go with them. You're still a minor and your mom will chuck a spaz if they don't bring you home.† â€Å"And if that happens, we'll have no choice but to drop a hammer on Mr. Wong,† said Cavuto. And Foo's all, â€Å"And to defend ourselves we'll have to tell everyone about everything. So we'll all be hosed and meanwhile, Chet the huge shaved cat will own the City, plus our relationship and stuff would be strained.† And by â€Å"and stuff,† Foo meant that we would lose the love lair and no one would take care of Tommy and Jody, and Foo would have to become love ninja to some big guy in prison. We were owned. I was all, â€Å"I blame my mother.† I offered my wrists to Rivera for the cuffs. And they were all nodding, and â€Å"Sure,† and â€Å"That works for me.† And â€Å"Yeah, I'm good with that.† But Rivera didn't put the cuffs on me. And I'm all, â€Å"Can we have a minute to say good-bye?† And Rivera nods, so I start to lead Foo into the bedroom. And Rivera is all, â€Å"Out here.† So I unzip Foo's pants. And Cavuto grabs my arm and starts to drag me away, so I was forced to give Foo only a minor good-bye kiss that brushed his lips like a breeze from the tomb and left a little bit of a black lipstick streak on his cheek. And I'm all, â€Å"I will never forget you, Foo. They may tear us asunder, but our love will endure for eternity.† And he's all, â€Å"Call me when you get home.† And I'm all, â€Å"I'll text you on the way.† And he's all, â€Å"Abby Normal, you rock my stripy socks.† Which was totally romantic, because he doesn't wear stripy socks. I cried and my mascara melted in sorrow. Then Cavuto's all, â€Å"Oh for fuck's sake.† And he starts to lead me out the door, but turns to Foo and goes, â€Å"Is that your tricked-out yellow Honda downstairs?† And Foo is all, â€Å"Yeah.† And Cavuto's all, â€Å"You know it's full of rats, right?† And Foo's all, â€Å"Yeah.† And so I am a prisoner of the dreaded Motherbot and Foo faces the menace of Chet alone. Gotta jet, my sister, Ronnie, is asleep and I'm going to Magic Marker a pentagram on her shaved head. L8erz. RIVERA As they were walking away from delivering Abby Normal and her mother to the apartment building in the Fillmore, Cavuto said, â€Å"You know, if I'd had Allison there around when I came out to my dad, I think he would have understood a lot more why I like guys.† â€Å"If the vampire cats' victims turn to dust, most won't even be reported unless someone sees the attack,† Rivera said, hoping Cavuto's train of thought would head on to the next station. â€Å"She's so obnoxious,† said Cavuto. â€Å"Like a whole Saturday night drunk tank full of obnoxious packed into one little body.† â€Å"Maybe if we get a cadaver dog,† said Rivera. â€Å"Okay, but don't bitch about how the car smells later, because I want chili and onions.† â€Å"What the fuck are you talking about?† â€Å"Cadaver dogs. You were saying we should go to the ballpark and get cadaver dogs for lunch.† â€Å"I was saying no such thing. I was saying we should get a dog that's trained to sniff out cadavers to help us find the clothing of the victims.† â€Å"Oh,† said Cavuto, who didn't want to think about vampires. â€Å"Sure, that makes sense. So, Barney's Burgers for lunch then?† â€Å"You buy,† Rivera said, as he popped the locks on the unmarked Ford and climbed in. They drove eight blocks down Fillmore Street toward the Marina, before Cavuto said, â€Å"She's right, you know? I am a bear.† Rivera put on his sunglasses and took a few seconds adjusting them on his face to buy time before he answered with a sigh. â€Å"I'm glad you decided to come clean about that, Nick, because observing your six-foot-three-inch, two-hundred-and-sixty-pound, growling gay personage for the last fourteen years would have never betrayed your true identity, given my dull, homicide detective powers of observation.† â€Å"Your sarcasm is the main reason Alice left you.† â€Å"Really?† Rivera had wondered. Alice had said because he was too much of a cop and not enough of a husband, but he had suspicions about her testimony. â€Å"No, but I'm sure it was on the list.† â€Å"Nick, in all our time as partners, have I ever indicated that I wanted to discuss your sexuality?† â€Å"Well, not beyond using it to threaten suspects.† â€Å"And have I ever offered to share the details of my sex life with Alice?† â€Å"I just assumed you didn't have one.† â€Å"Well, that's not really relevant. I'm just saying, I'm fine with you just the way you are.† â€Å"Mantastic, you mean?† â€Å"Sure, go with that. Although I was thinking more of large and furry, yet afraid of tiny girls.† â€Å"Well, you can't hit her, she's a kid,† Cavuto whined. They found parking in a garage near Barney's. Rivera pulled into a no-parking spot (because he could) and shut off the engine. He sat back and looked at the wall in front of them. â€Å"So, vampire cats,† Cavuto said. â€Å"Yeah,† said Rivera. â€Å"We're fucked,† said the big cop. â€Å"Yeah,† said Rivera.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest †A Movie Review Essay

Reviewing a movie which has been considered a classic by contemporary judgment by the academy awards committee is always difficult. Milos Forman’s, â€Å"One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest† is one such film which has won critical claim winning five Oscars including Best Motion Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Jack Nicholson), Actress (Louise Fletcher) and Screenplay (Bo Goldman). (Forman, 1975). The director and the cast is apparently well identifiable so are perhaps the characters to those who have read the book of the same name by Ken Kessey. This has however been creatively adapted in the film leading to the screen play also winning an Oscar in its category. The acting, music and the film score are thus perfect though not necessarily without areas for improvement while the technical parameters of lighting, sound and camera work is also befitting this movie which will remain a classic of its times. Without depriving the director and the actors of their credits, it would be prudent to critically examine facets which could have been projected differently or improved upon. Randle Patrick McMurphy (Nicholson) the principal protagonist in the movie is a criminal who declares himself insane while serving a relatively short prison term with a view to avoid the misery and discomfort of prison life. He ends up in a mental asylum run by a nurse who is regarded as a tyrant by her patients as she exercises total control over them. Nurse Ratched’s (Fletcher) influence is all the more telling on those patients who have come to the asylum voluntarily rather than for treatment of a mental illness. Thus their submission has been institutionalized by the need for recommendations of Ratched for their release and treatment such as shock therapies which would be torturous for normal persons. McMurphy’s induction into this scenario was bound to create friction for he is an eternal rebellious, bounder who however is impervious that many of his fellow mates just as he himself are faking treatment. As in such establishments friendships develop and McMurphy is drawn towards Billy Bibbit (Dourif) a man with suicidal tendencies and Chief Bromden (Sampson) the original narrator of the plot in the book. Bromden is a schizophrenic and a native America who is respected for his size rather than his physical infirmities being deaf and dumb. While McMurphy and Bromden are defiant towards Nurse Ratched’s domineering attitude Bibbit is submissive. Their friendship develops particularly when McMurphy discovers that Bromden is faking deafness. Thus he lets him know his plans for escape. On a late winter night, McMurphy enters clandestinely into the nurse’s station and calls his girl friend to assist him in escape. The girl comes with her friend who is seduced by Billy. When the binge ends, the wreckage of the party is noticeable leading to heavy reprimand by Ratched principally directed at Billy. Being weak and also perhaps guilty, Billy commits suicide, in turn leading to McMurphy going into a violent rage and strangling Ratched almost to her death. A lobotomy operation is carried out on McMurphy whose plight leads the Chief to strangle him with a pillow before making good his escape from the asylum to Canada. The plot of the movie is generally based on the book, though the screen play adaptation does not provide centrality to the role of the narrator, Bromden (Sampson), a fact rued by the author (Kessey) who had written the book based on real life characters in a mental asylum. The theme explores multiple strands, escapism represented by people voluntarily declaring themselves as insane and getting admitted in a mental asylum, politics of such establishments, power of the nurses and how it is ruthlessly exercised and the desperation of individuals caught within the rot in such systems. It is indeed a very complex plot to portray and the director has done justice in most parts of the film. The actors in their roles have been near perfect, with McMurphy very aptly portrayed by Nicholson including the naivete on entering the asylum, inability to understand the complex relationships that emerge and power games that he plays with Ratched. Fletcher as the demonic tyrant and prima donna of an asylum is also just right. So are the other supporting actors. For those who have read the book as well as seen the film, the exception of not viewing it through narration by Chief Bromden may appear striking, but for others it would not be that relevant. This was also seen as a notable flaw in the movie by the author, Kessey apart from wrong casting of Nicholson as McMurphy, though the critical acclaim received by the actor should lead us to overlook the writer’s comments as being too attached to the original script. There are instances however when Forman tends to stray from the main theme and the digressions prove to be not just unconvincing but also greatly weaken the plot. The suicide by Billy is inappropriately portrayed and results in creating an impact of an imposition on the viewer which is not effectively weaved in the plot. The fishing trip on a stolen boat is perhaps the weakest link as it takes the plot on an indefinable course. The scene with all the principals on the deck of a fishing boat looks totally incongruous and the intent of the director is not discernible. Despite these infirmities, this is one movie which cannot be missed by any American. Reference: 1. Forman, Milos. (1975). One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Reality Therapy

Reality Therapy Free Online Research Papers What is Reality Therapy Psychology Essay Reality therapists believe that changing what we do is the key to changing how we feel and to getting what we want (Glasser, 1997). The name reality, though catchy, is easily misunderstood by those who assume that reality therapy has something to do with giving people â€Å"a dose of reality (Rogha, 2005). The focus of this paper will be to explore the various uses and overall effectiveness of reality therapy among a diverse population. From a realistic perspective it is very hard to change our emotions directly. It is easier to change our thinking: to decide, for example, that we will no longer think of ourselves as victims or to decide that in our thoughts we will concentrate on what we can do rather than what we think everybody else ought to do. Reality Therapy First and foremost, the founder of reality therapy, Dr. William Glasser does not believe in the concept of mental illness unless there is something organically wrong with the brain that can be confirmed by a pathologist (Howatt, 2001). Therefore, this counseling/psychological approach which is a cause and effect theory that explains human behavior is considered controversial by some mainstream professionals as non-traditional. Early on, he (Glasser)came to the conclusion that genetically we are social creatures and need each other and that the cause of almost all psychological symptoms is our inability to get along with the important people in our lives. In this paper, I will examine the above ideas which focus on personal choice, personal responsibility and personal transformation in an attempt to show the effectiveness of reality therapy among a diverse population of clients. Dr. William Glasser has used his theories to assist helping professionals in dealing with a myriad of client problems and to influence broader social issues such as education, marriage, and advocating mental health as a public health issue. He does not believe in punishment as a deterrent. Punishment is external control that can seldom be effective because people understand that they have choices and never internalize the lesson intended (Pierce, 2003). Reality therapy introduces the concept of total behavior which explains that all behavior is made up of four different but inseparable components: acting, thinking, feeling and physiology. (Glasser, 1997). According to this model of therapy, â€Å"acting and thinking are directly under our control and it is these components therapists focus on when they practice reality therapy. Focus is not on how people feel or on the physiology of their brains because none of us have direct and predictable control over these two components† (Glasser, 1997). If we want to change how we feeland almost all clients want to feel betterwe have to make more effective acting and thinking choices such as finding a friend if we are painfully lonely ( Petersen, 2005). If we find one and we are happy, this choice will also change our brain chemistry from the chemistry of loneliness, (usually the chemistry associated with choosing to depress) to the normal chemistry of satisfying our need to love and belong (Glasser, 1997; Howatt, 2003; Jones, 2005). Among the philosophical underlying principles of reality therapy are the following: â€Å"People are responsible for their own behavior; human beingsnot society, not heredity, not historydetermine their own choices; People can change and live more effective lives; People need not remain victims of external forces, neither do they need to wait for the rest of the world to change before being able to satisfy their own needs; People generate behavior and make choices for a purpose: to mold their environmentas a sculptor molds clayto match their own inner pictures (quality world) of what they want in order to satisfy the five needs described above† (Glasser, 1997). Reality therapy concentrates on the clients needs and getting them to confront the reality of the world. Client needs consist of survival, power, love, freedom, and fun. Survival includes the things that we need in order to stay alive, such as food, clothing and shelter. Power is our sense of achievement and feeling worthwhile, as well as the competitive desire to win. Love and belonging represent our social needs, to be accepted by groups, families and loved ones. Freedom is our need for our own space, a sense of independence and autonomy. Fun is our need to enjoy ourselves and seek pleasure. â€Å"We seek to fulfill these needs at all times, whether we are conscious of it or not (Glasser, 1997; Howatt, 2003; Jones, 2005; Loyd, 2005; Petersen, 2005; Pierre. 2003; Turnage et at, 2003; Wubbolding Brickell, 2004; Yaniger, 2003). Choice theory, a theory of how our brain functions that supports reality therapy, directly challenges the belief system that says we have no choice and therefore can blame others and society for our problems (Rogha, 2005). I contend that when we are unable to figure out how to satisfy one or more of the five basic needs built into our genetic structure that are the source of all human motivation, we sometimes choose to behave in ways that are currently labeled as mental illness. Moreover, choice theory explains that, not only do we choose all our unhappy behaviors, but every behavior we choose is made up of four components, one of which is how we feel as we behave (Howatt, 2003). What is common to these ineffective and unsatisfying choices, no matter what they may be, is unhappiness: there is no happiness in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). When we choose a behavior that satisfies our needs, immediately or eventually, we feel good. When we choose a behavior that fails to satisfy our needs, sooner or later, we feel bad. But the choice to be unhappy is certainly not mental illness. Our society is flooded with people who are choosing anxious, fearful, depressive, obsessive, crazy, hostile, violent, addictive and withdrawn behaviors. All of them are seriously unhappy; there is no shortage of unhappy people in the world (Turnage, Jacinto, Kirven, 2003). However, many mental health practitioners reject therapy as useless or time-consuming. Mental health practitioners who strongly believe in mental illness have tunnel vision. Either they dont or won’t see the unhappy people described above a capable of helping themselves or benefiting from therapy. They see them as suffering from a mental illness i.e., brain pathology, incapable of helping themselves without drugs. In his new book, Reality Therapy in Action, 2005, Dr. Glasser describes how his use of reality therapy has helped many seriously symptomatic clients choose to function normally without the use of drugs. He is far from alone in what he does. Hundreds of thousands of symptomatic people are helped each year by psychotherapy without the use of drugs because most of the effective psychotherapy in the world is done by therapists who cannot prescribe them (Glasser, 1997).Therefore, we can fairly conclude that unhappy people need empathetic and compassionate therapists, not prescriptions. In Choice Theory, the concept of total behavior explains that all behavior is made up of four different but inseparable components: acting, thinking, feeling and physiology ( Glasser, 1997; Petersen, 2005). Acting and thinking are directly under our control and it is these components to focus on in practicing reality therapy dont focus on how people feel or on the physiology of their brains because none of us have direct and predictable control over these two components (Glasser, 1997). Almost all approaches to psychology assume that people have certain basic needs and, indeed, there is broad agreement on what these needs are (Howatt, 2003). The concept of reality therapy is based on choice theory, a systematic explanation of how the human mind works. According to choice theory, â€Å"human beings choose many of their behaviors in order to satisfy innate human needs: self-preservation or survival, belonging and love, achievement or power or inner-control, freedom or independence, and fun or enjoyment.† (Glasser, 1997; Howatt, 2001; Howatt, 2003; Jones et al., Lyod, 2005; Petersen, 2005; Pierre, 2003; Turnage et al., 2003; Wubbolding and Brickell, 2004). One of the core principles of reality therapy is that, whether we are aware of it or not, we are all the time acting to meet the above five basic needs. But we dont necessarily act effectively. One effective way to meet our need for belonging is socializing with people whether they are in our quality world or not (Howatt, 2001). Sitting in a corner and crying in the hope that people will come to us is generally an ineffective way of meeting that needit may work, but it is painful and carries a terribly high price for ourselves and others. So if life is unsatisfactory or we are distressed or in trouble, â€Å"one basic thing to check is whether or not we are succeeding in meeting our basic psychological needs for power, belonging, freedom and fun.† (Glasser, 1997). In this society the survival need is normally being met it is in how we meet the other four psychological needs that we run into trouble (Glasser, 1997). So what really drives us as social beings is our wants. We dont think of our needs as such. We think of what we want, behave to get what we want, fantasize about what we want and so on. So while a counselor in reality therapy would check out whether a client is meeting his or her needs the three basic questions that are asked are: (1.) What do you want?, (2.) What are you doing to get what you want?, and (3.) Is it working? †¦ (Glasser, 2005) At the very heart of Glassers Choice Theory is the idea that the only person I can really control is me. If I think I can control others I am moving in the direction of frustration. If I think others can control me (and so are to blame for all that goes on in my life) I tend to do nothing and again head toward frustration. There may indeed be things that happen to us and for which we are not personally responsible but we can choose what we do about these things. Trying to control other people is a game, from the point of view of Reality Therapy. â€Å"It is a never-ending battle, alienates us from others and causes endless pain and frustration† (Glasser, 1997). This begs the question, isn’t this why it is vital to stick to what is in our own control to do and to respect the right of other people to meet their needs? Exactly! Reality therapy does visit the past but probably to a lesser extent than those who use other theories. This is not a criticism of those who use other counseling/psychological theory’s, it is simply a way in which this therapeutic approach is different. Dr. Glasser’s counseling model adheres to the principles of teaching clients strategies that take control of their lives, in a manner that makes sense as to where they are. Not surprisingly, â€Å"when clients are able to understand and accept internal locus of control, total behavior, organized behaviors, wants vs. needs, comparing places, and the feedback loop, their chances for a healthy recovery are greater.† (Glasser, 1997; Howatt, 2003). Not only are the bad things that happened to us there but our successes are there too. The focus of the practitioner of Reality Therapy is to learn what needs to be learned about the past but to move as quickly as feasible to empowering the client to satisfy his or her needs and wants in the present and in the future (Glasser, 1997). This is because it is our present perceptions that influence our present behavior and so it is these faulty perceptions that the Reality Therapy practitioner helps the client to work through. In conclusion, Reality therapy teaches clients choice theory. Moreover, this counseling model asserts that because behavior is chosen, abdicating personal responsibility, or blaming others or society for problems is unacceptable (Petersen, 2005). According to all I have read it is very much a therapy of hope, based on the conviction that we are all products of the past. Accepting that we are products of our prospective pasts we do not have to focus on the past and continue being its victims. We can, of course, get an instant sense of control from alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine and some other drugs. Unfortunately, our lives are never more out of control than when we are drunk or drugged. There are very few people in this world who ever woke up with a hangover to find that they had fewer problems than they had when they started drinking the night before. Excessive drinking and the use of drugs have to be replaced by doing something elseand that something else has to have a fair chance of getting us what we want in life. After extensive reading and research, I can safely summarize that many counselors/therapists working with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), addiction, anger management, anxiety, depression, domestic violence, mental disorders, pain therapy, substance abuse, and recovery have found this approach useful. Consequently, it is unrealistic to state emphatically that Reality Therapy works for all clients, because it obviously does not. I really like this counseling model because it is effectively altered my personal perception of behavior. The quote, â€Å"keep doing what you’re doing, keep getting what you’re getting† (Vitatoe, 2005) was/is very powerful for me as an individual and a professional. Moreover, it is a very effective counseling model for addictive behaviors and helping certain clients deal with the â€Å"here and now† of their daily lives. References Glasser, W. (1997), Choice theory and student success, Education Digest, 63, 3, p.16, 6p Howatt, W. (2001), The evolution of reality therapy to choice theory. International Journal of Reality Therapy, 21(2), 7-11 Howatt, W. (2003), Choice theory: A core addiction recovery tool, International Journal of Reality Therapy, 22(2), 12-14 Jones, L. Parish, T. (2005), Ritalin vs. choice theory and reality therapy, International Journal of Reality Therapy, XXV, 1, 34-35 Loyd, B.(2005), The effects of reality therapy/choice theory on high school students’ perception of needs, satisfaction and behavioral change, International Journal of Reality Therapy, XXV, 1, 5-9 Peterson, C. (2005), Reality therapy and individual or adlerian psychology: A comparison, International Journal of Reality Therapy, XXIV, 2, 11-14 Pierre, J. (2003), Mindfulness based reality therapy (MRT), International Journal of Reality Therapy, XXIII, 2, 20-23 Turnage, B., Jacinoto, G., Kirven, J.(2003), Reality therapy, domestic violence survivors, and self-forgiveness, International Journal of Reality Therapy, XXII, 1, 7-11 Wubbolding, R. Brickell, J. (2004), Role play and the art of teaching choice theory, reality therapy, and lead management, International Journal of Reality Therapy, XXII, 2, 41-43 Yaniger, B. (2003), Self-evaluation of quality choice in reality therapy, International Journal of Reality Therapy, XXI, 2, 4-10 Research Papers on Reality TherapyThree Concepts of PsychodynamicRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenCapital PunishmentInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesGenetic EngineeringThe Project Managment Office SystemPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyHip-Hop is ArtBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of Self

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

The 3 Types of Joints in the Body

The 3 Types of Joints in the Body Bones come together at places in the body called joints, which enable us to move our bodies in different ways. Key Takeaways: Joints Joints are locations in the body where bones meet. They enable movement and are classified by either their structure or function.Structural classifications of joints include fibrous, cartilaginous, and synovial joints.Functional classifications of joints include immovable, slightly movable, and freely movable joints.Freely movable (synovial) joints are most abundant and include six types: pivot, hinge, condyloid, saddle, plane, and ball-and-socket joints. There are three types of joints in the body. Synovial joints are freely movable and allow for motion at the location where bones meet. They provide a wide range of motion and flexibility. Other joints provide more stability and less flexibility. Bones at cartilaginous joints connected by cartilage and are slightly movable. Bones at fibrous joints are immovable and connected by fibrous connective tissue. Joints can be classified by either their structure or function. Structural classifications are based on how the bones at joints are connected. Fibrous, synovial, and cartilaginous are structural classifications of joints. Classifications based on joint function consider how movable bones are at joint locations. These classifications include immovable (synarthrosis), slightly movable (amphiarthrosis), and freely movable (diarthrosis) joints. Immovable (Fibrous) Joints Fibrous joints hold skull bones together to protect the brain. Leonello Calvetti/Stocktrek Images/Getty Images Immovable or fibrous joints are those that do not allow movement (or allow for only very slight movement) at joint locations. Bones at these joints have no joint cavity and are held together structurally by thick fibrous connective tissue, usually collagen. These joints are important for stability and protection. There are three types of immovable joints: sutures, syndesmosis, and gomphosis. Sutures: These narrow fibrous joints connect bones of the skull (excluding the jaw bone). In adults, the bones are held tightly together to protect the brain and help shape the face. In newborns and infants, bones at these joints are separated by a larger area of connective tissue and are more flexible. Overtime, cranial bones fuse together providing more stability and protection for the brain.Syndesmosis: This type of fibrous joint connects two bones that are relatively far apart. The bones are linked by ligaments or a thick membrane (interosseous membrane). A syndesmosis can be found between the bones of the forearm (ulna and radius) and between the two long bones of the lower leg (tibia and fibula).Gomphosis: This type of fibrous joint holds a tooth in place in its socket in the upper and lower jaw. A gomphosis is an exception to the rule that joints connect bone to bone, as it connects teeth to bone. This specialized joint is also called a peg and socket joint and allows for limi ted to no movement. Slightly Movable (Cartilaginous) Joints Intervertebral discs are cartilaginous joints, composed of thick fibrocartilage, that support bones while allowing limited movement. MedicalRF.com/Getty Images Slightly movable joints permit some movement but provide less stability than immovable joints. These joints can be structurally classified as cartilaginous joints, as bones are connected by cartilage at the joints. Cartilage is a tough, elastic connective tissue that helps to reduce friction between bones. Two types of cartilage may be found at cartilaginous joints: hyaline cartilage and fibrocartilage. Hyaline cartilage is very flexible and elastic, while fibrocartilage is stronger and less flexible. Cartilaginous joints formed with hyaline cartilage can be found between certain bones of the rib cage. Intervertebral discs located between spinal vertebrae are examples of slightly movable joints composed of fibrocartilage. The fibrocartilage provides support for bones while allowing for limited movement. These are important functions as it relates to the spinal column as spinal vertebrae help to protect the spinal cord. The pubic symphysis (which connects the right and left hip bones) is another example of a cartilaginous joint that unites bones with fibrocartilage. The pubic symphysis helps to support and stabilize the pelvis. Freely Movable (Synovial) Joints Synovial joints are freely movable and provide the greatest degree of mobility. OpenStax College/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY 3.0 Freely movable joints are classified structurally as synovial joints. Unlike fibrous and cartilaginous joints, synovial joints have a joint cavity (fluids of synovial joints include joints in the wrist, elbow, knees, shoulders, and hip. Three main structural components are found in all synovial joints and include a synovial cavity, articular capsule, and articular cartilage. Synovial Cavity: This space between adjacent bones is filled with synovial fluid and is where bones can move freely in relation to each another. Synovial fluid helps to prevent friction between bones.Articular Capsule: Composed of fibrous connective tissue, this capsule surrounds the joint and connects to adjacent bones. The inner layer of the capsule is lined with a synovial membrane that produces the thick synovial fluid.Articular Cartilage: Within the articular capsule, the rounded ends of adjacent bones are covered with smooth articular (relating to joints) cartilage composed of hyaline cartilage. Articular cartilage absorbs shock and provides a smooth surface for fluent movements. Additionally, bones at synovial joints may be supported by structures outside of the joint such as ligaments, tendons, and bursae (fluid-filled sacs that reduce friction between supporting structures at joints). Types of Synovial Joints in the Body OpenStax College/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY 3.0 Synovial joints allow for a number of different types of body movements. There are six types of synovial joints found at different locations in the body. Pivot Joint: This joint permits rotational movement around a single axis. One bone is encircled by a ring formed by the other bone at the joint and a ligament. The bone that pivots may either rotate within the ring or the ring may rotate around the bone. The joint between the first and second cervical vertebrae near the base of the skull is an example of a pivot joint. It allows the head to turn from side to side.Hinge Joint: This joint permits bending and straightening movements along one plane. Similar to a door hinge, movement is limited to a single direction. Examples of hinge joints include the elbow, knee, ankle, and joints between the bones of the fingers and toes.Condyloid Joint: Several different types of movements are allowed by this type of joint, including bending and straightening, side-to-side, and circular movements. One of the bones has an oval-shaped, or convex, end (male surface) that fits into the depressed oval-shaped, or concave end (female surface) of another bo ne. This type of joint can be found between the radius bone of the forearm and bones of the wrist. Saddle Joint: These distinct joints are very flexible, allowing for bending and straightening, side-to-side, and circular movements. The bones at these joints form what looks like a rider on a saddle. One bone is turned inward at one end, while the other is turned outward. An example of a saddle joint is the thumb joint between the thumb and palm.Plane Joint: Bones at this type of joint slide past each other in a gliding motion. The bones at plane joints are of similar size and the surfaces where the bones meet at the joint are nearly flat. These joints can be found between bones of the wrist and foot, as well as between the collar bone and shoulder blade.Ball-and-Socket Joint: These joints allow the greatest degree of motion permitting bending and straitening, side-to-side, circular, and rotational movement. The end of one bone at this type of joint is rounded (ball) and fits into the cupped end (socket) of another bone. The hip and shoulder joints are examples of ball-and-socket jo ints. Each of the different types of synovial joints allows for specialized movements that permit different degrees of motion. They may allow movement in a single direction only or movement along multiple planes, depending on the type of joint. The range of motion of a joint is therefore limited by the type of joint and by its supporting ligaments and muscles. Sources Betts, J. Gordon. Anatomy and Physiology. Kelly A. Young, James A. Wise, et al., OpenStax at Rice University. Chen, Hao. Heads, Shoulders, Elbows, Knees, and Toes: Modular Gdf5 Enhancers Control Different Joints in the Vertebrate Skeleton. Terence D. Capellini, Michael Schoor, et al., PLOS Genetics, November 30, 2016.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Microeconomics Term Paper. Monopoly or oligopoly Essay

Microeconomics Term Paper. Monopoly or oligopoly - Essay Example An oligopoly is an imperfect competition among the few firms and it applies to an industry that has a few competing firms. Each firm competing in this imperfect market has enough power just like the other firms to prevent it becoming a price taker. However, each firm that competes in an oligopoly is subject to inter-firm rivalry to prevent it from viewing the market demand curve as its own. In the modern economies, oligopolies are the dominant market structures that characterize the production of capital and consumer goods and other industrial materials such as steel and aluminum. The U.S. steel industry, for example, experienced the emergence of mini-mills that had lower capital costs in the 1980s. The mini-mills came up as a new industry segment that developed when the US steel industry had declined because of the Japanese competition. Nippon Steel Company, a Japanese firm was created to match the size of steel companies in US and acted as a key factor in the growth of the Japanese steel industry. The Japanese steel industry invested heavily in modern technology that served to increase the steel production by a percentage of 2216 in a period of 30 years between 1950 to 1980. As such, the mini-mills and imports had gained a quarter of the US market each by 1980 forcing many previous steel-based companies diversifying into new markets (Collard-Wexler & De Loecker, 2013). This situation led to several changes in the market. The US government restricted imports to a quarter of the total internal market to save the US steel industry. Other changes that occurred include the investment of $ 9 billion in the increase of technological competitiveness, weakening of stringent pollution control laws and increasing labor productivity by cutting workers wages. The value of the dollar failed and increased import prices discouraging foreign competition. This stabilized the mini-mills to increase their market