Assume that you are the Governor and you have to decide how to address Essay

Assume that you are the Governor and you have to decide how to address the structural budget gap of $2+billion - Essay Example I too do not agree of taxing the average American at this point in time but it does not mean that we should just submit to resignation just because government is short of money of some budget gap of $2 billion. Government does not always have enough money to fund all its programs and it is up to us to find ways to make our chosen program to work. I say it is not the lack of money but rather lack of creativity and initiative on the part of policy makers that programs do not get implemented. It is a given that government will be financially hard up to finance any programs today. If you happen to watch the TV and hear the news these past few weeks, you will be well aware of the government shutdown. I think you know that the bottom line of the shutdown was the debacle between Republican and Democrats about Obamacare and how to fund it. This just show how much money is becoming scarcer these days that we are willing to shut down government for our fear to overspend because money are now g etting scarcer these days particularly in the government. I will not be taking about Obamacare however. I will talk about ways on how to raise money without raising taxes to fund a government program. In particular, my own program of improving the quality of our environment by reducing our Carbon dioxide emission of which money and resources plays key part in making the program effective. So how do I raise fund for improving the quality of our educational system? Device and burden you with new tax? Ask money from the national government? Adding any new taxes at this point in time would be extremely unpopular and impractical as well. Asking money from the national government is very uncertain knowing that there are just too many agencies and program chasing for additional funding from the national government. In addition, that kind of funding is also not sustainable. Assuming I can get funding next year, I will not still be sure if I can get funding the year after that and the succee ding years. Funding for environment requires a long-term commitment in terms of funding and commitment. To be able to be effective in improving the quality of our environment, it should be a sustained effort and not just a one- time effort that is subject to availability of funds. There is already a law that covered partly this kind of initiative. It is the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act which encourage the production of clean renewable energy fuels, to increase the efficiency of products, buildings and vehicles that would have the ultimate objective of reducing the greenhouse effect (Ross). This law has been in effect since 2008 and obviously, it is not enough considering that global warming and the quality of our environment still continue to deteriorate. I propose two approaches how to raise funds for my environment improvement program without asking money from the national government. By merely exercising the legislative and executive power of the governor, I can prov ide a sustainable environmental program that does not burden the common taxpayer and national government. I am proposing a public and private partnership. This is a doable approach since environment is a universal concern. All of us breathe the same air and live in the same planet so improving and taking care of it should not be just a concern of the government

The Relation of Media and Diet between all Female Essay Example for Free

The Relation of Media and Diet between all Female Essay Introduction Problem and its Background Media plays a strong influence on our current social, physical, cultural, spiritual and emotional environment. It is undeniable fact that such intervention has played its utmost part in the development of human culture and society. The various concepts, and colliding ideas and principles are all part of media’s extensive influences. The power of such images flashed in televisions, advertisements, newspapers, and many forms of information relaying system have attained easy formations of trends and social patterns that are primarily an influential figure in the society. Most often than not, these fad triggers the fashion trends, social perspective establishments and most of all, beliefs and concepts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As for this paper, the topic mainly involves the formation of such fad in diet by the influences dealt by every form of media. The social patterns are easily distinguished; however, plays a complex move of action among issues involved. Diet is one of the primary influence products of the media. There are various factors that create such fad and trigger it in the society. Most often than not, these factors captivate the attention and the curiosity of these health-conscious or in worst case, eating impaired individuals or those with eating disorders, and subjects them in such trends of diet. Scope and Limitations  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the course of this paper, the following questions are answered using a comprehensive interpretation and analysis that are incorporated in the whole discussion. Each statement is supported by objective data that involves such causation. The following are the objectives of the study imposed in this paper. These queries serve as the primary scope and limitations, as well as objective of the whole study; hence, the whole study revolves only in these posted queries. Do the media play and evident role in terms of influence towards the diet patterns established in the individuals particularly females? If so, provide basis and supporting data in these claims. What are the specific forms of media that affect the formation of such diet trends and primarily influences females? Discussion Historical Perspective Throughout the twentieth century, we can observe many changes in the world of the fashion, beauty industry and most especially diet regimen that are primarily marketed most significantly to women. In specific angles, the physical shape and characteristics of the women portrayed in advertisements have greatly influenced the perspective of the women in today’s time. The female image in the media has changed from being voluptuous and curvaceous in the 1940’s and 1950’s to becoming busty and narrow-hipped from late 1960’s through the 1980’s (Straight 2005, p.12). Today the fad of physical appearance is most evidently slim with manifesting curvatures. These physical appearance has greatly molded the type of diet instilled to women especially those who are very much indulged in achieving such body form. The obsession of such fad has started its move in North America dated 1920’s. the creation   of such fad, which is having an appropriately sized and proportioned body, have increased the women’s self value and esteem from herself, peers, opposite sex and the community itself. Therefore, in order to maintain such physical feature, women require themselves to focus on the rightful diet regimen utilized as well by the fad model in which they patterned their physical interest (Straight 2005, p.13). Media Influences Diet Media is not only limited to visual entertainment but also literature, which is also an influencing factor for diet regimen for females. Diet books, as a genre, became particularly one of the fads in 1950’s and 1960’s, and are considered to be one of the main influencing form of media that influences diet. During this time, some of the best-seller books that have been published are Calories Don’t Count, The Quick Weight Loss Diet and Dr. Atkin’s Diet Revolution, all of which have sold millions of copies, making their authors more like celebrities in their own right through promising readers a way to lose weight quickly and easily (Seale, 2002 p.193). In fact, weight loss programs, diet books, and media advertisements for diet products gave been greatly increasing and expanding now a days. Women are treating these forms of media as their cosmetic fad or indulgence. The fact is diet Medias is one of the increasing multibillion-dollar industries in our current time. As diet commercials have increased, the body size of Playboy centerfolds and Miss America contestants has decreased to the point where many of these individuals, according to the latest research evidences, meet the weight criteria for anorexia nervosa, which is an eating disorder characterized by psychological disinterest of eating due to excessive consciousness in weight and body image (Costin, 1999 p.54). In addition to this scenario, celebrity exercises and diet videos, and computer software are becoming part of the media’s diet revolution. Since these celebrity icons and famous personalities provide public attraction to the regimen being endorsed, the media has been utilizing these in order to gain their consumer’s trust. With a few positive role models for fat people, and stress on an increasingly thin ideal female body shape, it is understandable that a number of researchers have been concerned to establish links between media portrayals, diet regimen itself, and eating disorders. The results have obtained out of these studies, and show that such influence really exists, or at least symbiotically related to body shape ideals that circulate in the culture (Seale, 2002 p.193). The media now carries a wealth of messages that reinforce thinness. Another study found that media exposure has been directly and indirectly linked to occurrence of signs and symptoms of various eating disorders, internalization of ideal-body stereotypes, and gender-role endorsement (Perse, 2001 p.183). Another study enforces that these medias utilized in the United States induces dissatisfaction with body shape; hence, providing motivational reason for these individuals to engage in such king of diet routine (Seale, 2002 p.193). Conclusion In the end of the statement, it has been proved that media plays a significant role that affects motivation, indulgence, and interest of these diet regimens. Such fad has been induced by media long before history can tell, and as the media evolves, it continues to produce another varying image that conforms to what society prefers according to the advertisements placed by these media. However, the concept of this fad has been linked to various eating disorders, concluding that such influence of media can be either beneficial or destructive. Reference Straight, B. A. (2005). The Two Finger Diet: How the Media Has Duped Women Into Hating Themselves. iUniverse. Seale, C. (2002). Media and Health. Sage Publications Inc. Costin, C. (1999). The Eating Disorder Sourcebook: A Comprehensive Guide to the Causes, Treatments and Preventions of Eating Disorder. McGraw-Hill Professional. Perse, E. M. (2001). Media Effects and Society. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Politics of Muscle :: essays research papers

â€Å"The Politics of Muscle† by Gloria Steinem is an essay arguing the difference in strength between men and women. Steinem starts her essay by stating how she grew up in a generation where women didn’t participate in a lot, if any, sport activities. She goes on to say that she believes this is the reason why women of her generation believe that it’s not what the female body does, but how it looks. Steinem feels that women always seemed to be owned in some degree as the means of reproduction. She believes that women are made to feel ashamed of their strength and that â€Å"only when women rebel against patriarchal standards does female muscle become more accepted.† (pg 372)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I think that Steinem’s intended audience is primarily for all women. I feel she wrote this because she feels strongly about how the power of women is viewed versus the power of how men are viewed. I think her primary purpose is to speak to women and to get them to realize how much of an impact increasing our physical strength could have on our everyday lives. Steinem wants to let it be known that women are not objects and that having muscles and strength can in fact be feminine.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I agree with the author that society does view women as the weaker sex. I also believe that it is true that some of the more athletic woman today are not always viewed as being as beautiful as the skinny models in the magazines. However, I don’t agree with her thoughts regarding women being possessions and how she thinks women’s bodies are symbols of men’s status. That could very well be true in other cultures, as she does state in her essay that there are many cultural differences. But for myself, growing up in the environment that I did, that is not something that I had ever really heard about or was witness to.

Case Study James Dyson

JAMES DYSON CASE Introduction You know the feeling when some everyday product lets you down. You wish someone could solve the problem. James Dyson does that. He is a man who likes to make things work better. With his research team he has developed products that have achieved sales of over $10 billion worldwide. In 1978, while vacuuming his home, James Dyson realized his bag vacuum cleaner was constantly losing suction power. He noticed how dust quickly clogged the pores of the bag and blocked the airflow, so that suction dropped rapidly. He set to work to solve this problem. Five years and 5,127 prototypes later, the world's first cyclonic bagless vacuum cleaner arrived. James Dyson offered his invention to major manufacturers. One by one they turned him down, apparently not interested in new technology. They seemed determined to continue selling bags, worth $500 million every year. Later, Hoover's vice president for Europe, Mike Rutter, said on U. K. national TV, â€Å"I do regret that Hoover as a company did not take the product technology off Dyson; it would have lain on the shelf and not been used. â€Å" Thinking about the issue of core competency and strategic capability, what is the secret of James Dyson’s competitive advantages? Early inventions The Sea Truck, Dyson's first product, was launched in 1970 whilst he was at the Royal College of Art. Sales of the Sea Truck amount to $500 million. His next product, the Ballbarrow, was a modified version of a wheelbarrow using a ball to replace the wheel. Dyson remained with the idea of a ball, inventing the Trolleyball, a trolley that launched boats. He then designed the Wheelboat which could travel at speeds of 64 km/h on both land and water. Vacuum cleaners In the late 1970s Dyson had the idea of using cyclonic separation to create a vacuum cleaner that wouldn't lose suction as it picked up dirt. He became frustrated with his Hoover Junior’s diminishing performance: dust kept clogging the bag and so it lost suction. The idea of the cyclones came from the spray-finishing room's air filter in his Ballbarrow factory. While partly supported by his art teacher wife's salary, and after five years and 5,127 prototypes, Dyson launched the ‘G-Force' cleaner in 1983, the world's first bagless vacuum cleaner. Unfortunately, no manufacturer or related distributor would launch his product in the UK as it would disturb the valuable cleaner-bag market, so Dyson launched it in Japan through catalogue sales Strong brand A key task for an entrepreneur like James Dyson is to give innovation the right look, literally and metaphorically. Brand image comprises the product, its attributes and its brand personality. Customer perception of a product and its attributes are inextricable from its perceived superiority that derives from a range of factors including technical excellence and value for money. Has he been able to appropriate the rewards of the value he has added? In an attempt to maintain their competitive advantage, Dyson and his colleagues at Malmesbury have continued to develop new innovations. Determined to create vacuum cleaners with even higher suction, they have developed an entirely new cyclone system. Dyson has developed the robot cleaner that not only makes cleaning easier but guides itself even more logically than a human being would. Then, in November 2000, he launched the world's first two-drummed washing machine, the Contrarotator. Dyson's engineers constantly re-examine products of all types, including the washing machine. They found that in the traditional automatic washing machine the fabric is not flexed all that much and that washing by hand gave better results than the single drum machine. So, Dyson developed a machine that would ‘even improve on hand washing'. Reputedly, it took four years, a million man hours and ? 25 million to develop the machine, which comes with a built-in jack and trolley and a coin trap to capture buttons and loose change.

Causes of the Rise in Global Temperatures

The causes of the rise in global temperatures have been quite controversial to many scholars, relating it to different arguments which are attributed to questions of the unavoidability of the said phenomenon to occur in our planet. The scientific consensus, however, is that global warming is caused by greenhouse gases (Joint Science Academies, 2001). The greenhouse gases acts as a trap to the infrared which are supposed to be released in the earth’s atmosphere. This process of absorption of the greenhouse gases is then referred to as global warming as the infrared trapped within the surface of the earth is proven to be warming the earth. These greenhouse gases is produced through various forms, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, this kind of gas is released through its most common types such as Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4), and Nitrous Oxide (N2O). The findings of these atmospheric gases’ effects to the earth’s surface, thereafter, have sparked the controversial involvement of humankind in its contribution to the emission of these said gases. According to New York Times, the United Nation’s panel, one which specializes on global warming, pertains to human activity as the â€Å"obvious† cause of the occurrence. We are ought to be causing global warming in our every move in this industrialized and technologically advanced world. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, the mere operation of our homes and businesses are causing us our environment. We use electricity everyday, we buy our products full of different chemicals, and we drive our cars to get us to places but these mere activities are the very grounds of the formation of greenhouse gases as these are the most significant activities that burn fossil fuel. In addition, deforestation caused by human initiatives greatly contributes to the global warming emissions as well.

Wedding Insurance Essays

Wedding Insurance Essays Wedding Insurance Essay Wedding Insurance Essay My paper is going to cover what is supposed to be one of the happiest days in peoples lives, their wedding day. I spoke to my cousin who is a Farm Bureau insurance agent and asked her for some ideas on insurance that is out of the ordinary and she directed me to Wed-sure, a specialized agency that covers wedding. When I think of that type of insurance, I was thinking that would be used when either the bride or groom backs out at the last minute. I was surprised to see how many different situations can occur to cause a wedding to be delayed. The story that I have chosen to tell is about an unexpected death that occurred on the eve of a well lanned, very expensive, wedding Sol and Chaya planned their wedding in downtown Washington, D. C. , at a grand, historic hotel. It would be a formal event with 300 guests and a four-course meal at the reception. Sols father was a retired senator, so the guest list was diverse and included many influential and well-known people. The night before the big event, a more casual, albeit quite swanky, rehearsal dinner was scheduled at the historic bar and grill attached to the hotel. Sols 88-year-old father, David, was riding the train from New York and two of his favorite indulgences, lobster nd prime rib, were on the menu. David was quite proud of his son and fond of his soon-to-be daughter-in-law. He relished the thought of mingling with old friends and spending time with his family. All was going according to plan until the evening of the rehearsal dinner, when Sol went to the train station to pick up his father. As riders exited the train, David was nowhere to be found. Sol called his fathers cell phone, but there was no answer. He then went to the ticket counter at the train station to see if his father, David had purchased a ticket. Indeed, he had purchased a icket so his disappearance was disheartening. Sol noticed a policeman and an EMT boarding the emptied train, and his heart started pounding in his chest. He asked a few onlookers what was happening and he learned from others on the train, that a passenger had been found unconscious. Soon, Sols worst fears were realized and that the passenger in question was indeed his father. Worse yet for Sol, his father was deceased and not unconscious as initially believed. The whole situation was so surreal, sad, and unexpected that Sol struggled to think clearly. His heart was broken and all he wanted to do was grieve. Thankfully, his wife to be, Chaya was his rock. One thing he had always admired was her ability to remain calm under pressure and today although the pressure was more than anyone should have to bear was no exception. After consoling Sol, and logistically discussing the next steps, she calmly stated that the wedding could not proceed under these circumstances with Sol being so distraught about the death of his father. She called a group of her closest friends and family members to help her dispatch the news to all expected guests. Then, once Sol was quieted, she called Wed- Sure, the insurance agency Chaya had visited prior o planning the wedding. Just as she expected, Wed- Sure confirmed that she had in fact purchased wedding cancellation coverage on her wedding insurance policy and that she and Sol would be reimbursed for all expenses the couple had incurred. At this late date, final payments were already required for the major expenses and had been paid by Sol and Chaya. The costs incurred totaled $103,000! Thanks to their Wed- Sure policy, Sol and Chaya recouped every penny. They were greatly relieved and able to put the wedding behind them and truly focus on the moment at hand aying goodbye to their beloved father. From extreme weather to severe sickness to job loss, there are numerous unplanned scenarios and events that can wreak havoc with your wedding plans. Thats why its Just plain smart to have wedding cancellation insurance. Wedsures cancellation and postponement insurance helps young couples safeguard there investment into their wedding and their future. This type of coverage pays the nonrefundable expenses incurred when the rehearsal, rehearsal dinner, wedding or reception must be canceled or postponed for reasons beyond anyones ontrol. If the wedding is canceled for a covered reason many times the honeymoon expenses are also covered. View Sample Policy Wed [emailprotected] is endorsed by the National Alliance of Special Event Planners, Inc. (NASEP), www. nasep. org Sitemap I Privacy Policy I Contact Wedsure I Home The information presented on Wedsure. com, is only a summary; it is not all inclusive, nor does it alter or waive any of the actual policy language. Read your policy. OCopyright 2011-2013. All rights reserved. R. V. Nuccio Associates, Inc. [emailprotected] is a registered trademark of R. V. Nuccio Associates Insurance Brokers, Inc.

uuggfds Essays

uuggfds Essays uuggfds Essay uuggfds Essay Ram Mohammed Singh Azad (Udham Singh) Born 26 December 1899 Sunam, Punjab, British India Died 31 July 1940 (aged 40) Pentonville Prison, United Kingdom Organization Ghadar Party, Hindustan Socialist Republican Association,lndian Workers Association Political movement Indian Independence movement Religion Sikh Mohammed was an Indian revolutionary, best known for assassinating Michael ODwyer in March 1940 in what has been described as an avenging of the Jallianwalla Bagh Massacre. His name was Udhan Singh but he changed it to Ram Mohammad Singh Azad, symbolising the equality of all faith and of the three major religions of India: Hinduism, Islam and Sikhism. Singh is considered one of the best-known revolutionaries of the Indian independence struggle; he is also sometimes referred to as Shaheed-I-Azam Sardar Udham Singh (the expression Shaheed-i- Azam, Urdu: 3-45, means the great martyr). Bhagat Singh and Singh along with Chandrasekhar Azad,RaJguru and Sukhdev, were among the most famous revolutionaries in the first half of 20th-century India. For their actions, the British government labelled these men as Indias earliest Marxists. He was born in Shahpur Kalan village in Sunam Tehsil in Sangrur district of Punjab, India. He was born to a Sikh farming family headed by Sardar Tehal Singh Jammu (known as Chuhar Singh before taking the Amrit). Sardar Tehal Singh was at that time working as a watchman on a railway crossing in the village of Upalli. Singhs mother died in 1901. His father followed in 1907. With the help of Bhai Kishan Singh Ragi, both Sher Singh and his elder brother, Mukta Singh, were taken in by the Central Khalsa Orphanage Putlighar in Amritsar on 24 October 1907. They were administered the Sikh initiatory rites at theorphanage and received new names: Sher Singh became Udham Singh, and Mukta Singh became Sadhu Singh. Sadhu Singh died in 1917, which came as a great shock to his brother. While at orphanage, Singh was trained in various arts and crafts. He passed his matriculation examination in 1918 and left the orphanage in 1919. On 13 April 1919, over twenty thousand unarmed Indians (Sikhs Hindus), peacefully assembled in Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar, to listen to several prominent local leaders speak out against British colonial rule in India and against the arrest and deportation of Dr. Satya Pal, Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew, and few others under the unpopular Rowlatt Act. Singh and his friends from the orphanage ere serving water to the crowd. Not much later, a band of 90 soldiers armed with two armoured cars with mounted machine guns. The vehicles were unable to enter the Bagh owing to the narrow entrance. Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer was in command. The troops had entered the Bagh by about 5 PM. With no warning to the crowd to disperse, Dyer ordered his troops to open fire. The attack lasted ten minutes. Since the only exit was barred by soldiers, people tried to climb the walls of the park. Some also Jumped into a well inside the compound to escape the bullets. A laque in the monument says that 120 bodies were plucked out of the well alone. Singh mainly held Michael ODwyer responsible for what came to be known as the Amritsar Massacre. New research supporting this fact reveals the massacre to have occurred with the Governors full connivance to teach the Indians a lesson, to make a wide impression and to strike terror throughout Punjab. The incident had greatly shaken young Singh and proved a turning point in his life. After bathing in the holy sarovar (pool of nectar), Singh took a silent vow and solemn pledge in front f the Golden Temple to wreak a vengeance on the perpetrators of the crime and to restore honour to what he saw as a humiliated nation. The opportunity came on 13 March 1940, almost 21 years after the Jallianwala Bagh killings: A Joint meeting of the East India Association and the Central Asian Society (now Royal Society for Asian Affairs) was scheduled at Caxton Hall, and among the speakers was Michael ODwyer. Singh concealed his revolver in a book specially cut for the purpose and managed to enter the hall. He took up his position against the wall. At the end of the meeting, the athering stood up, and ODwyer moved towards the platform to talk to Zetland. Singh pulled his revolver and fired. ODwyer was hit twice and died immediately. Then Singh fired at Zetland, the Secretary of State for India, injuring him but not seriously. Incidentally, Luis Dane was hit by one shot, which broke his radius bone and dropped him to the ground with serious injuries. A bullet also hit Lord Lamington, whose right hand was shattered. Singh did not intend to escape. He was arrested on the spot. His weapon, a knife, his diary, and a bullet fired on the day are ow kept in the Black Museum of Scotland Yard. While in Police custody, Singh remarked: Is Zetland dead? He ought to be. I put two into him right there, indicating with his hand the pit of his stomach on the left side. Singh remained quiet for several minutes and then again said: Only one dead, eh? I thought I could get more. I must have been too slow. There were a lot of women about, you know. On 1 April 1940, Singh was formally charged with the murder of Michael ODwyer. While awaiting trial in Brixton Prison Singh went on a 42-day hunger strike and had to be forcibly fed aily. On 4 June 1940, he was committed to trial, at the Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey, before Justice Atkinson. When the court asked about his name, he replied Ram Mohammad Singh Azad, (Ram as a Hindu name, Mohammad as a Muslim name and Singh as a Sikh name). Azad means to be free. This demonstrated the four things that were dear to him and his transcendence of race, caste, creed, and religion. Singh explained: l did it because I had a grudge against him. He deserved it. Singh was convicted, and Atkinson sentenced him to death. On 31 July 1940, Singh was hanged at Pentonville Prison. As with other executed prisoners, he was buried later that afternoon within the prison grounds. In March 1940, Indian National Congress leader Jawahar Lal Nehru, condemned the action of Singh as senseless, but statement in the daily Partap: l salute Shaheed-I-Azam Udham Singh with reverence who had kissed the noose so that we may be free. The Hindustan Socialist Republican Army condemned Mahatama Gandhis statement referring to Bhagat Singh as well as also to the capital punishment of Singh, which it considered to be a challenge to the Indian Youths.

Definition and Examples of Base Forms of Words

Definition and Examples of Base Forms of Words In English grammar, a base is the form of a word to which prefixes and suffixes  can be added to create new words. For example, instruct is the base for forming instruction, instructor, and reinstruct. Also called a root or stem. Put another way, base forms are words that are not derived from or made up of other words. According to  Ingo Plag, The term root is used when we want to explicitly  refer to the indivisible central part of a complex word. In all other cases, where the status of a form as indivisible or not is not an issue, we can just speak of bases (or, if the base is a word, base words) (Word-Formation in English, 2003). Examples and Observations In most situations, the user of English has no problem at all recognizing prefixes, bases, and suffixes. For instance, in the sentence, They repainted the old car, the complex word repainted obviously has three elementsa prefix, a base, and a suffix: re paint ed. The base paint is the words semantic core, the starting place for describing what the word is being used to mean in a given utterance. The prefix and suffix add semantic content to that core, the prefix re adding the content again, and the suffix ed adding in the past. (D. W. Cummings, American English Spelling. JHU Press, 1988) Base Forms and Word Roots [The term base] refers to any part of a word seen as a unit to which an operation can be applied, as when one adds an affix to a root or stem. For example, in unhappy the base form is happy; if -ness is then added to unhappy, the whole of this item would be considered the base to which the new affix is attached. Some analysts, however, restrict the term base to be equivalent to root, the part of a word remaining when all affixes have been removed. In such an approach, happy would be the base form (the highest common factor) of all its derivations- happiness, unhappy, unhappiness, etc. This meaning leads to a special use in prosodic morphology to define the portion of the output in correspondence with another portion of the form, especially the reduplicant. (David Crystal,  Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics, 6th ed. Blackwell, 2008) Citation Forms For adjectives, e.g. bad, the base form is the so-called absolute form (as against the comparative form worse, or the superlative form worst). For other word classes, e.g. adverb or preposition, where there are no grammatical variants, there is only one form that can be the headword. These base forms of words, the headwords of dictionary entries, may be termed the citation forms of lexemes. When we want to talk about the lexeme sing, then the form that we cite (i.e. quote) is the base formas I have just doneand that is taken to include all the grammatical variants (sings, singing, sang, sung). (Howard Jackson, Words and Their Meaning. Routledge, 2013) Bases in Complex Words Another classic problem of morphology [is] the case of a complex word with a recognizable suffix or prefix, attached to a base that is not an existing word of the language. For example, among the -able words are words such as malleable and feasible. In both cases the suffix -able (spelled -ible in the second case because of a different historical origin for the suffix) has the regular meaning be able, and in both cases the -ity form is possible (mealleability and feasibility). We have no reason to suspect that able/ible here is not the real suffix -able. Yet if it is, then malleable must be broken down as malle able and feasible as feas ible; but there are no existing words (free morphemes) in English such as malle or feas, or even malley or fease. We thus have to allow for the existence of a complex word whose base exists only in that complex word . . .. (A. Akmajian, R. A. Demers, A. K. Farmer, R. M. Harnish, Linguistics: An Introduction to Language and Communication. MIT, 2001)

Logistics & Physical Distribution Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Logistics & Physical Distribution - Assignment Example The ERP software used and the planning and control mechanism provide a comprehensive outlook on entire supply chain process of the company. The virtual companies presently do not necessarily have to have a good handling and storing mechanism. Besides that, they need not have a direct customer-vendor relationship. The owners of such companies have little role to play in the entire production and sales process. All they require are customers and brand association. This is done by means of a sophisticated internet and web-based technology, which brings the customer and the brand together. The owner of such a virtual company collects money from sales and transfers the share to the manufacturer (Donat, 2003). The paper is aimed at an analysis of supply chain and its processes in the context of a web-based business that is engaged in selling consumer electronics. After providing a brief outline of supply chain of the company, the paper studies the causes behind choosing the supply chain pattern and its management and reporting structure. The paper concludes after a comprehensive evaluation of the control and planning mechanism in product logistics and distribution activity. The supply chain designed for the purpose of this study is based on a web-based product selling service, where the company is a website that deals with sales of electronic items sourced directly from the manufacturer. This retail distribution based supply chain is engaged in the business of real time buying and virtual selling of electronic products, primarily catering to the consumer goods electronic industry. The e-commerce business is fairly catching up in the global context and offers ease and convenience in shopping for branded and standardised products that do not require hand-on shopping experience. The e-commerce business aims to provide convenience, efficiency, speed and ease in shopping experience to the

Logistics and E-Commerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Logistics and E-Commerce - Essay Example Products and services ordered over internet require more delivery trucks on the road to homes and businesses. This is where Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) relevance to E-commerce is to be construed. Intelligent Transport System is defined as the application of information technology to the surface transport system. ITS covers all modes air, sea, road and rail and components of each mode – vehicles, fixed, infrastructure and control and operational systems. ITS seeks to improve the existing transport system rather than adding vehicles physically resulting in congestion. ITS stresses on reducing traffic congestion, thus reducing travel time, reducing sound and air pollution and also avoiding delays in delivery consequently keeping in time with production schedules (Jerzy Kisielnicki, 2002 ). â€Å"It often seems that net is changing every aspect of our lives, yet in other ways, it has had little effect. There are two opposing ideas of what effect of the net will have on supply chains and logistics. One view suggests that increased efficiency will pay rewards for all parties in a supply chain. The other view is that the net will overwhelm the supply chains, spot markets will make it impossible to plan and instability will dominate. But we have seen stability even during recessions in most of the economy. Important point to note is that web enabled supply chain may be the future but a manufacturer survives on the quality of the goods and relationship with customers and suppliers.

Lessons 17-20 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Lessons 17-20 - Essay Example The best solution involves building of more lanes to cater for the high demand of use in the highway. The five creeks are Wood Canyon Creek, Sulphur Creek, English Canyon Creek, Diary fork, and Alison creek. The major contaminants of the creeks include bacterial pollution as well as chlorine. Most of the creeks empty their water at mouth of Laguna Beach basins. Translation refers to the process by which protein is synthesized from the messenger RNA through the reading of the mRNA sequence by a genetic code. Transcription on its part refers to the transfer of genetic information from a DNA to an RNA, which is then used to form proteins. The theory of how life began in the RNA world describes that self-replicating ribonucleic acid molecules (RNA) are the originators of the life lived today. The theory bases RNA in terms of DNA, RNA, and proteins. Despite the fact that the current life originates from RNA, it is evident that the theory has it that RNA world was never the first life to come into existence. Question 1: If you were to scuba dive in Jamaica, 50 feet under the surface of the water, how would the temperature, pressure, light and salinity change when you are 50 feet deep? What kinds of animals would you see at that depth? About 50 feet into the ocean in Jamaica, the temperatures are slightly warm at about 25Â °-28Â °C. The area is also highly saline being an area with high levels of coral reefs. The watercolor at this point is blue-green to green, thereby allowing fair light to penetrate and high pressure. Some of the animals found in this area are the green sea turtles and manatee. Chinook salmon life cycle involves the laying of eggs by the females, who then guard the eggs for between four to twenty-five days before their death. The eggs then hatch approximately 90-150 days after deposition depending on water temperatures from which fry emerge. The fry then stay in fresh water for 12 to 18 months before travelling downstream into

Global Performance of German and France Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Global Performance of German and France - Essay Example It is hard to say whether the impact has been positive or negative because there is lot of gap and difference between the status in the middle and upper and lower middle and low classes of business. Globalization has widened this gap to the extent that they look un-breach able. Whichever way you look at this transformation it is obvious that globalization is an economical aspect. And it is good that it is; the onset of globalization has kick-started a movement of liberalization of independent thought process, which due to the heightened global interconnectivity may prove more successful than it ever was in any of the past socio-economic and cultural revolutions and in this respect these two countries, France and Germany, cannot be overlooked. (Dos, 441-442) Globalization is a big word today and one that has changed the way we look at and understand things around us. What is actually globalization? What do we understand by this word? Globalization is simply the predisposition of the economy through business, knowledge through technology and thought through philosophy to spread globally. Globalization can also mean the process by which this happens. This term is almost synonymous with intertwining of markets and economies without any consideration for physical border or legal restraints and it general it is well applicable for France and Germany. (Fletcher, 188)... The downside is that globalization seems to profit the rich more and the poor less, thus widening the gap further. It is true that globalization actually means the broadening of global linkages, while also impacting upon the social and cultural dimensions of the global society, hence propagating a one-world-citizenship which has one economy, one culture and one social order. Ecumenically globalization's definition would be complete with the above classifications. But there are many inroads in the understanding of the term. This is the process with which the poor countries can think of modernization and global competition, enhanced living standards, and work opportunities; on the other hand this very same process is the one which can destroy economies by sudden influx of foreign capital, can destroy marginalized workers livelihood and destabilize national banks. Hence, globalization literally is like a coin - with two very separate sides and much of it is realized in France and German y. However it should be mentioned that France is much well placed in terms of economy in this context when compared to Germany. At the same note it can be mentioned that the economic equilibrium in the international level is changing very quickly with the affects of financial flows and increasing trade. It is globalization that forces us to re evaluate the position of Europe along with major countries like France and Germany in the world market. This new wave of economy has given enough impetuous that positions held about three years ago are certainly to be changed. As it is these two countries are not doing in a very favourable mode in the international economic sector and domestically these two countries are witnessing rising inequalities with industrial instability as

Bridging the Global Digital Divide Research Paper

Bridging the Global Digital Divide - Research Paper Example The growth of information technology in a country highly depends on the extent to which policy makers in the country recognize the importance of information and communication technology to the country. The policy makers might come in handy when it comes to things like regulations, taxation, incentives and many others. Some developing countries impose a lot of taxes on ICT related companies thinking that, through taxation, the country’s economy is likely to grow (Brooks, Donovan & Rumble, 2005). One thing that they tend to forget that high taxation can hinder the entrance of new players into this industry. Therefore, the country’s economy lacks the contribution of ICT to its economy. Most developing countries lack the appropriate infrastructure that can enable effective application of information and communication technology in the country. This leads to low level of accessibility of services that ICT can offer to the countries’ economy. The ultimate result of thi s is a scenario in which developing countries are unable to have the complete advantage of ICT being used in their economic sectors. Poor infrastructure also leads to poor performance of the ICT related industries which in a way reflect to the general economic performance of the countries. ... The result of this is that their performance turns out to be lower than the performances of the same types of businesses in developed countries (Norris, 2003). The high prices not only affect the economic sector but also other sectors such education and even social life. Being that most developing countries are always in the struggle of trying to attain economic stability, financial resources that are required for development of ICT infrastructure might in some instances be unavailable. The unavailability is always makes it hard for developing countries to invest highly in ICT infrastructure. The eventual outcome of this is economic, educational, and social institutions that have limited or no access to ICT services and resources (Yu, 2006). The effect of this lack of access to ICT resources is heightened by the ignorance of the level to which ICT can improve the effectiveness of these institutions. In the developing countries, language can also be a hindrance to the application of I CT. Television programs, radio programs, computer software, and on line sites always use languages used in the countries in which these appliances have been developed. Given that very few of these appliances are developed in the developing countries, the local people might have a hard time trying to conform to technological assimilation. This factor makes the application of ICT in almost all aspects of human life in developing countries very hard. Studies have even proved that the low rate of growth of ICT is contributed to by stereotypes that have depicted ICT as a highly complex thing. People from developing countries have the tendency of associating ICT to people with affluence and not just everybody. In most developing countries, ICT

Legal Environment Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Legal Environment - Case Study Example One of these three horses reached to the place where accident took place. The exact reason for this sudden behavior of horses was not established but this kind of behavior is generally found when the animal is frightened due to some reasons. Mr. Cleese, the plaintiff, brought the case against Andrew and Susan Findlay, in the Exeter County Court, claiming that the accident occurred due to their negligence and under section 2 of the Civil Liability for Animals Act 1971; the defendants were totally liable for the accident. The judge, sitting in the Exeter County Court, rejected his both the claims. The Court of Appeal accepted the claim that though it was not defendant's fault, under section 2 of the Civil Liability for Animals Act 1971, they were liable for damage. The appeal of defendants highlighted the complexity and opacity of the Civil Liability for Animals Act 1971, which fixes the liability for damage caused by an animal. Section 2(2) of the act fixes the liability for damage caused when the animal's behaviour in the circumstances was in no way abnormal for an animal of the species in those circumstances. (b) the likelihood of the damage or of its being severe was due to characteristics of the animal which are not normally found in animals of the same species or are not normally so found except at particular times or in particular circumstances; and (c) those characteristics were known to that keeper ..." The non-clear tone of this section, especially subsection (b) has led to different interpretation at different courts of law. Subsection (a) and (c) are clearly understood but subsection (b) present two cases, first one is that the owner of animal is totally liable if "the likelihood of the damage or of its being severe was due to characteristics of the animal which are not normally found in animals of the same species" and the other one is the owner of animal is totally liable if "the likelihood of the damage or of its being severe was due to characteristics of the animal which are not normally so found except at particular times or in particular circumstances". The first case considers the animal where the species of the animal is, in general, docile but the particular animal that caused the damaged was abnormal and the second case considers the animals that are generally docile but the action that caused damage is outcome of their abnormal behaviour found at a particular time or in particular circumstances. 3. Which technique(s) of statutory interpretation do you consider that Lord Nicholls employed in the case Give reasons for your answer. LORD NICHOLLS based his interpretation of act on conventional interpretive techniques and used literal approach to

Bridging the Global Digital Divide Research Paper

Bridging the Global Digital Divide - Research Paper Example The growth of information technology in a country highly depends on the extent to which policy makers in the country recognize the importance of information and communication technology to the country. The policy makers might come in handy when it comes to things like regulations, taxation, incentives and many others. Some developing countries impose a lot of taxes on ICT related companies thinking that, through taxation, the country’s economy is likely to grow (Brooks, Donovan & Rumble, 2005). One thing that they tend to forget that high taxation can hinder the entrance of new players into this industry. Therefore, the country’s economy lacks the contribution of ICT to its economy. Most developing countries lack the appropriate infrastructure that can enable effective application of information and communication technology in the country. This leads to low level of accessibility of services that ICT can offer to the countries’ economy. The ultimate result of thi s is a scenario in which developing countries are unable to have the complete advantage of ICT being used in their economic sectors. Poor infrastructure also leads to poor performance of the ICT related industries which in a way reflect to the general economic performance of the countries. ... The result of this is that their performance turns out to be lower than the performances of the same types of businesses in developed countries (Norris, 2003). The high prices not only affect the economic sector but also other sectors such education and even social life. Being that most developing countries are always in the struggle of trying to attain economic stability, financial resources that are required for development of ICT infrastructure might in some instances be unavailable. The unavailability is always makes it hard for developing countries to invest highly in ICT infrastructure. The eventual outcome of this is economic, educational, and social institutions that have limited or no access to ICT services and resources (Yu, 2006). The effect of this lack of access to ICT resources is heightened by the ignorance of the level to which ICT can improve the effectiveness of these institutions. In the developing countries, language can also be a hindrance to the application of I CT. Television programs, radio programs, computer software, and on line sites always use languages used in the countries in which these appliances have been developed. Given that very few of these appliances are developed in the developing countries, the local people might have a hard time trying to conform to technological assimilation. This factor makes the application of ICT in almost all aspects of human life in developing countries very hard. Studies have even proved that the low rate of growth of ICT is contributed to by stereotypes that have depicted ICT as a highly complex thing. People from developing countries have the tendency of associating ICT to people with affluence and not just everybody. In most developing countries, ICT

Legal Environment of Business Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Legal Environment of Business - Research Paper Example European Union employment law protects all employees in the European Economic Area. However, each country has its own employment regulations. The employment laws cover issues to do with working conditions, wages and immigrant workers. In both Europe and the U.S, it is the obligation of workers to perform their duties with respects and veneration to their employees (Wanda, 2010). This relationship is founded on shared understanding and trust. The employees should work towards meeting international standards. Loyalty amongst employees and the employer is also critical, and it is, therefore, illegal when employees perform actions jeopardizing their employer's interests. The relationships between employers and employees in Europe and the U.S are an equivalence of a master-servant relationship. The employer, therefore, possesses absolute power over the employee. Despite this, labor laws have been enacted in both Europe and the United States setting minimum wage limits. This protects the employer from exploitation. Among the basic rights the employee enjoys include, a right to be provided with a healthy and safe environment. Amongst the countries that have been in the forefront of shaping labor laws and guidelines in the world are European countries and the United States. Despite Europe and United States cooperation in the development of what can be termed as labor standards that are acceptable globally, there exists various significant differences on how the two authorities conduct employment related issues.

My Best Friend Essay Example for Free

My Best Friend Essay Everyone has a friend with whom you feel like sharing every moment of your life. I am lucky that I found one .We have known each other since I was in grade 7. To me, he is really special boy. Not only does he has a good appearance, he also has a good personality. He is smart and handsome. However, the thing that makes everybody like him the most is his personality .He is always very positive, cheerful and modest. Hes one of the best student in my class. Hes good at every subject, but she never showed pride in his abilities and always tried to learn harder. Besides, hes always ready to help her friends in their study. Thats why many people in my class cherished him. Furthermore, he is very warm-hearted and friendly .Though he is bit different from every guy I have met so far, he fails to express himself most of the times , apart from this he is very caring, kind, and makes friends selflessly. Moreover, to me, he is a great friend who always knows how to take care and share. Whenever Im sad or cheerful, happy or in sorrow, hes always next to me to share with me. Sometimes, I get into trouble, which makes me tired , worried and discouraged, he is always willing to come beside me, help me calm down, give me helpful advice so that I can come over. Not only that, he is very reliable, I can share my secrets with him without a bit worries. He is really a person who always listens to me, understands me every time and every where, though he has different attitude to tackle things. Thats why he became my close friend. I always feel proud because of having a great friend likes him on my side.

Is Elearning The Way Forward Education Essay

Is Elearning The Way Forward Education Essay E-learning, in its broadest sense, is the use of networked information technologies in education. E-learning is also called as web based learning, online learning or Internet based learning. E-learning is not bound to time and classroom attendance students and teachers may be at different locations on different times. One of the most common types of E-learning takes the form of distance learning courses. Universities upload course material for the student to study individually and complete tasks based on the course material. This allows students to access the course material on the web anytime and from anywhere. Advancement in computing and information technology coupled with almost universal availability of the broadband make e-learning an enticing option in many fields including medical education. In this assignment I will be reflecting on my personal experience with e-learning. I will also discuss its applicability in undergraduate medical education, postgraduate medical educatio n and continuing medical education of practicing clinicians. Theory behind e-learning The meaning of knowledge and learning have changed through time. There is a certain swift in emphasis on learning, rather than teaching, as we rightly move towards a learner centred curriculum. E-learning, which is based on well documented adult learning principles, certainly facilitates a learner centred approach. Traditional education is based on instructivism theory. Teacher or tutor teaches a predefined set of information, deciding what students had to learn. Students learn to pass the examination. E-learning is based on constructivist and cognitive theories suggesting that learning is individualised and the students past experiences and knowledge have a great impact on the newly acquired knowledge (Jonassen 1994). Blended learning refers to learning involving multiple methods and approaches, commonly a mixture of class room and e-learning Requirements for successful implementation Mitchell and Honore 2008 proposed a pyramidal system for successful implementation of e-learning programmes. The base of the pyramid, which forms the foundation for successful e-learning programme, consists of appropriate, accessible technology and usable, stimulating and interactive design. The apex of the pyramid is represented by the individuals who are involved in the programme and their attitude and motivation forms a major part in the success of e-learning methods. Basic computing skills are essential for the success of e-learning. There is an assumption that the current undergraduates have the necessary computing skills. Kiran et al 2004 has shown that computing skills among undergraduates are variable and one can not assume expertise or even ability. Good technical support is essential including after hours support. For effective e-learning, student should be able to access material quickly both on campus and at home. Slow connectivity can be a problem. There is considerable cost involved in setting an e-learning programme. Role of e-learning in Continuing Medical Education All practicing clinicians in the United Kingdom are obliged to attend Continuing Medical Education programmes to maintain knowledge and skills as a part of appraisal and revalidation (The General Medical Council). E-learning offers excellent opportunities in this area. I have completed many online e-learning courses. Advantages of these courses include minimal cost, no travel cost and there is no need to take time off to attend these courses as they can be completed from home. They offer excellent value for money and the quality of these courses are comparable to that off traditional courses. I recently attended an advanced laparoscopic surgery skills course. Few weeks prior to the course I was asked to sign up to the course organisers web site. I was able access part of the course material. This enabled me to practise some of the skills prior to attending the course. This has certainly enhanced my learning more than I would have acquired without the access to the e-learning material. There were 20 participants form 8 countries and most found the e-learning very useful. E-learning has made it possible for practicing clinicians from a remote part of the world to contact their peers through video conferencing in the management of difficult clinical situations and this facilitates on-the-job learning. When I was a resident in 1989 I had to wait for over two weeks to find out about an important adverse effect of a drug which now I could find out in a couple of minutes using online electronic databases. In medical education there can be no doubt that opportunities for learning occur all the time and not confined to the class room and e-learning has a lot to offer in this regard. Role of e-learning in Postgraduate Medical Education E-learning plays an important role in Postgraduate Medical Education. Many Deaneries across the United Kingdom has setup e-learning portals for the benefit of postgraduate trainees. Harden 2006 suggested that e-learning will be one of the most important developments in the delivery of postgraduate medical education. In surgical training many hands on courses utilise e-learning methods to enhance face-to-face learning. Types of e-learning resources The basic e-learning resources include e-textbooks, power point presentations of lectures and electronic notice boards. The communication in these methods is one way. Bilham 2005 argues that much of e-learning using these methods was based upon a model of knowledge transmission from the teacher to student as in the traditional education system. The rise of new technologies has turned the World Wide Web from strictly an information destination into a platform, not only to read or watch media, but to actually do things (Martin and Parker 2008). This has made innovative approaches possible in the field of medical education including group projects, virtual patients and virtual clinics. This encourages interactive learning. E-learning in undergraduate medical education I discussed with many Foundation Year one doctors who have graduated from different medical schools across the country. I have observed that the usage of e-learning is variable between medical schools. They felt that e-learning enhanced their learning in basic medical science like anatomy. Multimedia graphics helped them as they felt that the laboratory demonstration in it self was not sufficient for learning. In clinical medicine they felt that e-learning was beneficial in problem based case discussions and case presentations. E-learning has the potential to enhance the learning instead of simply presenting the information. Examples of beneficial multimedia may include a video clip, computer animation for explaining the underlying patho physiology and images of investigations like chest x ray or endoscopy pictures. I have observed that some e-learning using multimedia technology detract the learner from the key message that the teacher wanted to convey and this should be avoided. Physical skills are best learnt by performing them under direct supervision. E-learning, however, can be used to augment the teaching of practical skills. A video showing the technique will be helpful in priming the learner prior to attending a teaching session. Another interesting development in medical education is the application of virtual patient. Examples in this category include a video of clinical consultation to illustrate history taking or examination skills or for demonstrating a physical sign. This is useful for demonstrating certain clinical conditions which the student is unlikely to encounter during their short stay in certain clinical attachments like dermatology or rheumatology. Virtual patients can be used to teach the skills of diagnostic reasoning and patient management through interactivity. There are packages available which allows the student to take a virtual history from a bank of questions and this is followed by examining the patient. This can be artificial and I believe this is better learnt bedside. We have to acknowledge that most of the learning that occurs in clinical practice is opportunistic and technologies which could bridge the gap in experience will be beneficial. Assessment and feedback in e-learning Assessment and feedback are important elements of medical education. Time logged on to the website and accessing the e-learning modules can be monitored as a part of formative assessment. Formative or summative assessments in e-learning courses can be carried out using Multiple Choice Questions and Extended Matching Questions. Multimedia enhanced virtual patient case scenarios can be used for assessment followed by Multiple Choice Questions or diagnostic reasoning tests. Care must be taken to include all possible correct answers in diagnostic reasoning tests because programming can be technically challenging. I have some reservations in using e-learning summative assessments as the identity of the student can not be guaranteed and may encourage cheating. Feedback in e-learning is limited to correction of mistakes and it is difficult to provide detailed feedback. Evidence for e-learning in medical education Cook et al 2008 conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of internet based instruction in medical education. They have concluded that e-learning is better than no intervention and as effective as traditional education. They have also concluded that there is no evidence to conclude that e-learning is better than traditional education. Clark 2002 has demonstrated that students are very satisfied with e-learning. Students, however, do not see e-learning replacing instructor-led training but as a complement to it, forming a part of a blended learning strategy. Advantages and disadvantages of e-learning E-learning has many advantages. The learner can schedule the learning around their personal and professional life minimising disruption to their day to day life. E-learning allows the learner to choose the learning material which is beneficial to them. The learner can pace their learning which suits them best. They will be able to contact their colleagues and teachers in discussions which can happen synchronously or asynchronously depending on the nature of the discussion. E-learning encourages the learner to take responsibility to their learning. The disadvantages of e-learning are as follows. There is a considerable start up cost as well as maintenance cost and this should be taken in to account when setting up an e-learning programme. As learners are responsible for their learning unmotivated learners and learners with poor study habit may find it difficult to progress. There is added responsibility for the facilitator to be available on demand. Students may feel socially isolated, however, blended learning overcomes this issue. Slow or unreliable internet connection can be challenging as most multimedia content needs fast internet connection. Conclusion E-learning has become an integral part of medical education starting from undergraduate medical education to the continuing professional development of the practising clinicians. Like other teaching methods, e-learning has its own strengths and weaknesses and need to be used appropriately. E-learning has the potential to shift the balance form teaching to learning. Basic computing skills are essential for e-learning. The range of e-learning activities varies from e-books to co-ordinated project works. Studies have shown that the results of e-learning methods are comparable to traditional teaching methods in undergraduate medical education. To be successful e-learning has to be combined with traditional teaching methods as a blended approach as practice of medicine involves real patients not virtual patients. E-learning is also playing an important role in the development of postgraduate trainees and life long learning of practicing clinicians. E-learning certainly has the potential t o enhance the learning in medical education, if used appropriately.

Salvador Dali :: essays research papers fc

(1904-1989) Salvador Dali was born into a middle-class family on May 11th, 1904 in Figures Spain. In 1921 he entered the San Fernando Academy of Fine Arts in Madrid where he made friends with Federico Garcia Lorca, Luis Bunuel, and Eugenio Montes. He pursued his personal intersest in Cubism and Futurism. In June of 1923 Dali was suspended from the Academy for having indicated the students to rebel against the authorities of the school. He was let back in October of 1925, and a year later Dali was permanently expelled. In 1924 he was imprisoned in Figures and Gerona for political reasons. Dali joined the Surrealists in 1929 due to the influence of metaphysical paintings, and his contact with Miro. Dali developed his method over the next few years. He describes his method as 'paranoic-critical, a 'spontaneous method of irrational knowledge based on critical and systematic objectivation of delirious associations and interpretations.' Works he produced at this time include The Lugubrious Game 1929, The Persistence of Memory 1931, and Surrealist Objects, Gauges of Instantaneous Memory 1932. Salvador Dali was the top Surrealists of this time. Surrealism explored the subconscious, the dream world, and irrational elements of the psyche in the belief that the discoveries to be made from such exploration would be of more fundamental importance to the human condition than any other form of social analysis. Salvador Dali was very fascinated by the fleeting state of the mind between sleep and consciousness, dream and reality, sanity and insanity, as one in which the mind functioned purely, free from the constraints of logic and social behavior. He read psychological case histories, hoping to represent neuroses in an ultra-realistic style, objectifying the irrational with photographic accuracy. In 1936, Dali began painting in a classical manner again, switching between Italian, Spanish and pompier styles. Dali was very politically involved, and had some extreme opinions. He was fascinated with Hitler, and his relations with the rest of the Surrealist group became strained after 1934, breaking away in 1939 when he declared his support for Franco. He moved to the USA, living there from 1939-1948. Dali held many one-man shows during his career. He directed and was a part of many films including the first surrealist film "Un Chiea A Dalou A Andalusian Dog", with the director Luis Bunuel. In 1945 he designed the surrealistic dream sequence for Hitchcock's Spellbound, and filmed Don Juan Tenorio, in 1951. Salvador Dali :: essays research papers fc (1904-1989) Salvador Dali was born into a middle-class family on May 11th, 1904 in Figures Spain. In 1921 he entered the San Fernando Academy of Fine Arts in Madrid where he made friends with Federico Garcia Lorca, Luis Bunuel, and Eugenio Montes. He pursued his personal intersest in Cubism and Futurism. In June of 1923 Dali was suspended from the Academy for having indicated the students to rebel against the authorities of the school. He was let back in October of 1925, and a year later Dali was permanently expelled. In 1924 he was imprisoned in Figures and Gerona for political reasons. Dali joined the Surrealists in 1929 due to the influence of metaphysical paintings, and his contact with Miro. Dali developed his method over the next few years. He describes his method as 'paranoic-critical, a 'spontaneous method of irrational knowledge based on critical and systematic objectivation of delirious associations and interpretations.' Works he produced at this time include The Lugubrious Game 1929, The Persistence of Memory 1931, and Surrealist Objects, Gauges of Instantaneous Memory 1932. Salvador Dali was the top Surrealists of this time. Surrealism explored the subconscious, the dream world, and irrational elements of the psyche in the belief that the discoveries to be made from such exploration would be of more fundamental importance to the human condition than any other form of social analysis. Salvador Dali was very fascinated by the fleeting state of the mind between sleep and consciousness, dream and reality, sanity and insanity, as one in which the mind functioned purely, free from the constraints of logic and social behavior. He read psychological case histories, hoping to represent neuroses in an ultra-realistic style, objectifying the irrational with photographic accuracy. In 1936, Dali began painting in a classical manner again, switching between Italian, Spanish and pompier styles. Dali was very politically involved, and had some extreme opinions. He was fascinated with Hitler, and his relations with the rest of the Surrealist group became strained after 1934, breaking away in 1939 when he declared his support for Franco. He moved to the USA, living there from 1939-1948. Dali held many one-man shows during his career. He directed and was a part of many films including the first surrealist film "Un Chiea A Dalou A Andalusian Dog", with the director Luis Bunuel. In 1945 he designed the surrealistic dream sequence for Hitchcock's Spellbound, and filmed Don Juan Tenorio, in 1951.

Tissue Culture Technique for Callus Induction

Sarhad J. Agric. Vol. 23, No. 1, 2007 * Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, NWFP Agricultural University, Peshawar – Pakistan. ** Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, National Agricultural Research Center, Islamabad – Pakistan. TISSUE CULTURE TECHNIQUES FOR CALLUS INDUCTION IN RICE Hidayat Ullah*, Iltaf Ullah*, Sultan Akbar Jadoon* and Hamid Rashid** ABSTRACT Seeds of two rice varieties Basmati-370 and Basmati-385 were evaluated for invitro callus induction at Agricultural Biotechnology Institute in National Agricultural Research Center (NARC), Islamabad during 2001-02, using M.S and N6 media supplemented with 2, 4-D (2,4-Dichlorophenoxi acetic acid) and BAP (6-benzylaminopurine) at @ 2. 0, 2. 5 and 0. 1, 0. 5 mgl-1 respectively. Objective of our study is to know the actual procedure for seed sterilization and to provide a well-adopted technique for callus induction in these varieties by using M. S and N6 media along with different concentrations of growth hormo nes. Seeds were used as explant source and to avoid chance of contamination sodium hypochlorite and ethanol at the rate of 50% and 70% were used respectively.Best response toward callus induction were observed for Bas-385 on both MS and N6 media however N6 media was proved to be best. Calli obtained from Bas-385 were friable and vigorous as compare to Bas-370. Bas-370 respond moderately on MS and N6 media at various combinations of 2,4-D and BAP. Bas-370 on MS media supplemented with 2,4-D and BAP @ 2. 0 and 0. 1 mgl-1 gave good performance towards callus induction. Over all results indicated that best callus were induced on MS and N6 when supplemented with 2,4-D and BAP @2. 0 and 0. 0 mgl-1 for variety Bas-385. INTRODUCTION In Pakistan rice is the second leading crop after wheat.In 2000-2001, the world annual production of rice was 598 million tones (FAO 2002). Asia is the largest producer of rice, with Bangladesh, China, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnams as the leading rice produ cing nations. In Pakistan rice covered an area of 2. 52 million ha, with the production of 5. 16 million tones in 1999-2000. It also play important role in our national economy. During 1999-2000 about 1. 92 million tones of rice was exported and earn about 465. 8 million US$. Rice is susceptible to a range of diseases and pests, which annually destroy about 55 percent of rice crops. The most common diseases are caused by he fungi sheath blight and rice blast, and the stalk borer is a common insect pest. Rice is composed of essential food components, therefore more than two billions people in the globe depend on rice for more than half of the proteins and calories they consume (Khan et al. 2000). Due to its increasing importance in nutrition and economy, it is now felt that new varieties of rice, having good agronomic characters, should be evolved. Crop improvement through tissue culture techniques is easier and more often in use as compared to conventional plant breeding (Yamada, 19 86). Somaclonal variations commonly ppear after tissue culture, which involve a callus stage (Larkin and Scow Croft 1981). Callus is undifferentiated mass of rapidly proliferating cells, can be obtained by culturing explants source (seed, node, bud, leaves, meristem and root tips etc) on nutrient medium containing specific growth regulators along with a standard recipe of chemicals. Rashid et al. (2000) studied that rice seeds have more potential for callogenesis as compared to node or tip. Successful callus induction from rice seed has been reported by several researchers (Gonalz 2000; Navraj et al. 1999; Marrassi 1996; Valdez et al. 1997; Xie et al. 995). But an improved method for callogenesis was reported by Rashid et al. 2000). The present study is based on tissue culture techniques carried out in ABI laboratory for callus induction in rice varieties viz. Basmati-370 and Basmati-385. Two types of basal media M. S (Murashige and Skoog 1962) and N6 (Nitsch and Nitsch, 1969) suppl emented with 2,4-D (2,4- dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) alone or in combination with different concentrations of BAP (6-benzylaminopurine) were used for callus induction. Hidayat Ullah, et al. Tissue culture techniques for callus induction in rice†¦. 82 MATERIALS AND METHODSThe research work for callus induction in rice was conducted at the tissue culture laboratory of Agricultural Biotechnology Institute in National Agricultural Research Center (NARC), Islamabad, during 2001-02. The procedure of this research work has been divided in the following four main categories. Surface Sterilization of Rice Seeds Seeds of Basmati-370 and Basmati-385 were provided by rice programmed, Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (ABI), National Agricultural Research Center Islamabad, and it was taken as explant source for callus induction. Healthy and mature seeds were selected by hysical appearance and they were dehusked manually. Seeds were first washed with detergent and then rinsed three times with simple tap water. For surface sterilization of seeds Clorox (5. 25% sodium hypochlorite) and ethanol was applied. After the applications of Clorox and ethanol seeds were rinsed thrice with autoclaved distilled water. Finally the seeds were dried with autoclaved filter paper, and they were shifted carefully to the culture room of Agricultural Biotechnology Institute. Basal Media Preparation M. S and N6 basal media were used for callus initiation. These media were prepared according to he ingredients (Table I). The exact amount of nutrients was dissolved in the distilled water. Two types of growth regulators 2,4-D alone or in combination with BAP was used for callus induction. 2,4-D @ 2. 0 and 2. 5 mg l-1 and BAP @ 0. 0, 0. 1, 0. 5 mg l-1 respectively was added in the media. Sucrose at the rate of 3% and agar at the rate of 0. 7% was also added in the media. PH of the media was adjusted at 5. 78-5. 80 with the help of PH-meter. M. S. and N6 media were poured into the test tubes, it was plugged properly and autoclaved at 20 lbs pressure for 15 minutes in the autoclave machine.Inoculation of Sterilized Seeds The most important step in tissue culture technique is the inoculation of seeds. This operation was performed in the laminar flow cabinet at the culture room of ABI. Before the operation surface sterilization of the laminar flow unit was carried by UV-light for two minutes. After that hands were disinfected with 75% ethanol to prevent chance of contamination. Dried seeds were then inoculated into test tubes under aseptic condition in laminar flow unit. To minimize chance of infection the instruments were dipped in disinfectant after every operation. Growth ChamberInoculated cultures were incubated at 25 ±3? C under the influence of 2000-lux light intensity for 16 hours photoperiod. Callus induction of rice seeds were observed after 21- days. The data for callus induction frequency were recorded for two rice varieties on two different media with differen t concentrations of growth regulators. Table I Composition of MS and N6 media Macronutrients KNO3 1900 2830 NH4NO3 1650 0 CaCl2. 2H2O 440 166 MgSO4 370 90. 37 KH2PO4 170 400 (NH4)2 SO4 — 463 Micronutrients MnSO4. H2O 16. 9 3. 33 H3BO3 6. 2 1. 6 KI 0. 83 0. 80 ZnSO4. 4H2O 8. 6 — ZnSO4. 7H2O — 1. 5 NaMoO4. 2H2O 0. 5 — CuSO4. 5H2O 0. 025 — CoCl2. 6H2O 0. 025 — Iron source FeSO4. 7H2O 27. 85 27. 85 NaEDTA 37. 25 37. 25 Vitamins Myoinositol 100 — Nicotinic Acid 0. 5 0. 5 Pyridoxine HCl 0. 5 0. 5 Thiamine HCl 0. 1 1. 0 Glycine 2. 0 — Sucrose 30g 30g Agar 7g 7g RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Results obtained from tissue culture techniques of Bas-370 and Bas-385 performed in ABI laboratory and repeated three times from 10th February to Sarhad J. Agric. Vol. 23, No. 1, 2007 83 October 2001. Chance of contamination was much low when both the varieties were treated with 50% Clorox and 70% ethanol. Oono (1981) also used eeds as explants source for rice callus induction. The main objective of our study is to know the actual procedure for seed sterilization and callogenesis in these cultivars. The potential of both varieties for callus induction was observed significantly different on M. S and N6 media at different concentrations of growth regulators. It is noteworthy that N6 and M. S media, which proved to be optimum for the growth of callus, were unable to support cell growth in liquid media. Callus induced from both the varieties were different at various level of 2,4-D and BAP. Maximum callus formation (62. 5%) was recorded or Bas-385, followed by Bas-370 (55. 55%) when seeds were cultured on MS medium supplemented with 2,[email  protected] 0 mgl-1 and 2mgl-1 2,4-D+0. 1mgl-1 BAP respectively (Table II and IV). Lowest callus of 41. 66 % was observed each for Bas-370 and Bas-385 when MS medium is supplemented with 2. 5 and 0. 5 mgl-1 of 2,4-D and BAP respectively. It is cleared that potential of Bas-385 towards callogenesi s was higher than Bas-370. Averaged across MS media callus induction frequency was 48. 14 % for BAS-370 vs 53. 22 % for BAS-385 (Fig 2). This is equivalent to the net reduction of 5. 08 % for BAS-370. Growth regulator 2,4-D at he rate of 2mgl-1 was suggested and proved to be best for callus induction in both the varieties. Using N6 media callus induction frequency ranged from 20. 83 to 68. 05% for both the varieties. When 2,[email  protected] was supplemented with N6 media, produced highest and good quality callus from Bas-385 (68. 05%) and minimum (20. 83%) from Bas-370 (Table III and IV). This result indicated positive correlation between 2,4-D and Bas-385 and negative for Bas-370. Average across N6 media callus induction frequency was 23. 6 % for Bas-370 vs 60. 64 % for Bas-385 (Fig. 3). This is equivalent to the net reduction of 7. 2 % for BAS- 370. Calli obtained from both the varieties were friable, granular, and yellow in color. So it was proved that N6 media is better for callus induction of rice as compared to M. S medium. Overall result of BAS-385 was best on various concentrations of 2,4-D and BAP on both, MS and N6 media. Callus form Bas-385 was healthy and more fleshy as compare to Bas-370 (Figure 1). The active division of cells was more prominent in the callus of Bas-385, that’s why it looks bulky. Secondly Bas-385 had more capacity for producing callus, especially when N6 media supplemented with 2,4- [email  protected]Agronomic features of Bas-385 are also better than Bas-370 because it is developed through hybridization between Bas-370 and TN-1. Callus induction must be dependent on the genetic potentials of the variety and secondly the combination of hormones at different concentration. Callus induction is the best way to create somaclonal variations in crop plants. Variations are the basis for improvement and some time this variation is heritable. Oono (1981) cultured seed explants of rice varieties and observed variation for cert ain agronomic characters that are also heritable. Once cultured techniques were stablished in rice, it become possible to apply them for callus regeneration and transformation. (b) Calli obtained from Bas-385 (a) Calli Obtained form Bas-370 Hidayat Ullah, et al. Tissue culture techniques for callus induction in rice†¦. 84 Table II Percentage callus induction frequency and contamination in Bas-370 on M. S Medium Treatments Sterilizing agents Clorox time/Ethano l time (min) Hormone in mg L-1 # Of inoculated test tubes % Contamination % Callus induction frequency % Clorox % Ethanol 2,4-D BAP 1 50 70 20/1. 0 2. 0 0. 0 72 58. 33% 20. 83% 2 50 70 20/2. 0 2. 0 0. 1 72 73. 61% 22. 22% 50 70 20/4. 0 2. 5 0. 5 72 52. 77% 27. 77% Table III Percentage callus induction frequency and contamination in Bas-370 on N6 Medium. Treatments Sterilizing agents Clorox time/Ethano l time (min) Hormone used in mg L-1 # Of inoculated test tubes % Contami nation % Callus induction frequency % Clorox % Eth anol 2,4-D BAP % Clorox 1 50 70 20/1. 0 2. 0 0. 0 72 1 50 2 50 70 20/2. 0 2. 0 0. 1 72 2 50 3 50 70 20/4. 0 2. 5 0. 5 72 3 50 Table IV Percentage callus induction frequency and contamination in Bas-385 on M. S Medium. Treatments Sterilizing agents Clorox /Ethanol time (min) Hormone used in mg L-1 Of inoculated test tubes % Contami nation % Callus induction % Clorox % Ethanol 2,4-D BAP % Clorox 1 50 70 20/1. 0 2. 0 0. 0 72 1 50 2 50 70 20/2. 0 2. 0 0. 1 72 2 50 3 50 70 20/4. 0 2. 5 0. 5 72 3 50 Table V. Percentage callus induction frequency and contamination in Bas-385 on N6 Medium Treatments Sterilizing agents Clorox/Etha nol time (min) Hormone used in mg L-1 # Of inoculated test tubes % Contami nation % Callus induction frequency % Clorox % Ethanol 2,4-D BAP % Clorox 1 50 70 20/1. 0 2. 0 0. 0 72 1 50 2 50 70 20/2. 0 2. 0 0. 1 72 2 50 3 50 70 20/4. 0 2. 5 0. 5 72 3 50 Sarhad J. Agric. Vol. 3, No. 1, 2007 85 20. 83 62. 5 22. 22 55. 5 27. 77 41. 66 0 20 40 60 80 Bas-370 Bas-385 Variet ies Callus induction freq (%) 2,4-D&[email  protected] 0&0. 0 2,4-D&[email  protected] 0&0. 1 2,4-D&[email  protected] 5&0. 5 47. 22 68. 05 55. 55 61. 11 41. 66 52. 77 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 Bas-370 Bas-385 Varieties Callus induction freq (%) 2,4-D&[email  protected] 0&0. 0 2,4-D&[email  protected] 0&0. 1 2,4-D&[email  protected] 5&0. 5 Fig. 2. Callus induction frequency (%) of Bas-370 and Bas-385 on M. S media at different level of 2,4-D and BAP. Fig. 3. Callus induction frequency (%) of Bas-370 and Bas-385 on N6 media at different level of 2,4-D and BAP. Hidayat Ullah, et al.Tissue culture techniques for callus induction in rice†¦. 86 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION Infections of the callus is main problem in tissue culture technique so we should adopt the following precautions. 1. We should sterilize the seeds in 50% hypochlorite solution for 20 minutes and all the apparatus like flasks, petri plates, blades and forceps etc. should be disinfectant with 70% ethan ol. Media should be prepared accurately with respect to concentrations and PH of the media must be maintained properly. Exact amount of growth hormones must be added. 2. Seeds of Bas-370 on MS media with combination 2. and 0. 1mgl-1 should be used to get maximum callus, while hormonal combination 2,4-D and BAP @2. 0 and 0. 0 mg l-1 should be used for better callus induction of Bas-385 on N6 media. Bas-385 is an improved version of Bas-370 because it is developed through hybridization between Bas-370 and TN-1. That’s why it is more responsive towards callus as will as high doses of fertilizers. Over all results indicated that Bas- 385 having more potentials and suitable for further genetic studies. REFERENCES FAO. 2002 Food Outlook Bullet. No: 1,FAO, Rome. Gonalz, M. C. 2000. Effects of different growth egulators on in vitro culture of rice cultivors. Tropicales. 21(1): 27-28. Khan, J. A. , F. F. Jamil and M. A. Gill. 2000. Screnning of rice varieties against bakanae and bacte rial leaf blight. Pak. J. Phytopath. 12(1): 6-11. Larkin, P. J. and W. R. Scowcraft. 1981. Somaclonal variation a novel source of variability from cell cultures of plant improvement. Theor. Appld. Genet. 60:197-214. Marasi, M. A. , O. A. Bovo, A. Socchi and L. A. Mrongiski. 1996. Cytokining in the callus induction medium for plant regeneration of rice. Phyton Int, J. Exp. Bot. 59(1-2): 155-160. Murashige, T. and F. Skoog. 1962.Arevised medium for rapid growth and bioassays with tobacco tissue cultures. Physiol. Plant. 15: 473-497. Navraj, K. , M. S. Gill, G. Raman, T. S. Bharaj, S. S. Gosal, N. Kaur and R. Gill. 1999. Factors enhancing somatic embryogenesis and high frequency plant regeneration in rice. Crop Improv. 26(1): 23-27. Nitsch, J. P. and C. Nitsch. 1969. Haploid plants from pollen grains. Sci. 163: 85-87. Oono, K. 1981. In vitro methods applied to rice in plant tissue culture. T. Athorpe, ed. Acad. Press, New York. pp. 273-298. Rashid, H. , A. Toriyama, K. Qurashi, Hinta a nd K. A. Malik. 2000. An improved method for hoot regeneration from calli of Indica rice. Pak. J. Biol. Sci. 3 (12): 2229-2231. Valdez, M. , M. Monoz, J. R. Vega and A. M. Espinoza. 1997. Plant regeneration of Indica rice from mature embryo derived calli. Revistade Biologia Tropical. 44(3): 13-21. Xie, J. H. , M. W. Gao, Q. H. Cai, X. Y. Chens, Y. W. Shen and Z. Q. Liang. 1995 Optimized growth regulators combination in Japonica rice. Plant Cell Tissue and Organ Culture. 42(3): 245-250. Yamada, Y. , T. Q. Yang and D. T. Tang. 1986. Plant regeneration from protoplast derived callus of rice (Oryza sativa L. ). Plant Cell Reports. 4: 85-88

Pros and Cons using oil

Pros and Cons of using oil I want to talk about advantages and disadvantages of using oil in our world, people can use it for different reasons. We use oil for cars, airplanes etc. In some countries it is very expensive but in other countries it is much more cheaper because today its harder to find that's why its more expensive and may not be much left. Oil is very useful. For example, we can use it as an ingredient for our meal but also it used to accelerate the cars and how we also know doctors use oil in many medical reasons.I think advantages of using oil is that people can use it for different reason. People use oil for military reasons too. There are a lot of ways using oil. A lot of people now travel with plane, they couldn't travel if there wasn't oil. In war oil is used more because soldiers need to drive planes and cars and attack another country. People use oil to heat their houses. People use oil to get energy from it. When country is rich of oil its economy should be ve ry good. Because other countries buy oil from them. In big wars such as WWW andWWW oil was the main thing that was needed to win the war. And the countries who started the war they wanted to capture the places where there is a lot of oil. Nowadays oil is very useful. In some places oil Is very expensive because they don't produce oil but they buy it from other countries and they sell it expensive. But some countries sell oil much more cheaper because they produce oil in their countries. Disadvantages of using oil are that it makes pollution and a lot of people die because of that. People have used oil for centuries but using it made pollution. Pole used fuel smokes to kill another people. Usually they used It In wars. Burning oil produce carbon dioxide and It causes global warming. Passing near a car that brings out smoke,one starts to caught because the carbon dioxide that Is released from the car Is going to ones kings and It can result with serious problems to ones health. And us ed OLL Is hard to recycle and a lot of factories produce carbon monoxide by giving it out to the air. People start to breath with this air. I think In our time Oil Is very useful because without OLL we can not survive.People can not use electronically devices or we can not move without cars or planes. We would need more time to go to some places without planes. But It would be better because there would not be pollution and people could live longer. In some places oil is very expensive because they don't produce oil but they buy it from other countries and they sell it expensive. But pollution. People used fuel smokes to kill another people. Usually they used it in wars. Burning oil produce carbon dioxide and it causes global warming.Passing near a car that brings out smoke,one starts to caught because the carbon dioxide that is released from the car is going to ones kings and it can result with serious problems to ones health. And used oil is hard to recycle and a lot of factories produce carbon monoxide by giving it out to the air. People start to breath with this air. I think in our time Oil is very useful because without oil we can not survive. People can not use time to go to some places without planes. But it would be better because there would

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal Chapter 17

Chapter 17 I've settled into some sort of droning routine here at the hotel, and in that way it reminds me of those times in China. My waking hours are filled with writing these pages, watching television, trying to irritate the angel, and sneaking off to the bathroom to read the Gospels. And I think it's the latter that's sent my sleeping hours into a landscape of nightmare that leaves me spent even when I wake. I've finished Mark, and again this fellow talks of a resurrection, of acts beyond the time of my and Joshua's death. It's a similar story to that told by the Matthew fellow, the events jumbled somewhat, but basically the story of Joshua's ministry, but it's the telling of the events of that last week of Passover that chills me. The angel hasn't been able to keep the secret that Joshua's teachings survived and grew to vast popularity. (He's stopped even changing the channel at the mention of Joshua on television, as he did when we first arrived.) But is this the book from which Joshua's teachings are drawn? I dream of blood, and suffering, and loneliness so empty that an echo can't survive, and I wake up screaming, soaked in my own sweat, and even after I'm awake the loneliness remains for a while. Last night when I awoke I thought I saw a woman standing at the end of my bed, and beside her, the angel, his black wings spread and touching the walls of the room on either side. Then, before I could get my wits about me, the angel wrapped his wings around the woman and she disappeared in the darkness of them and was gone. I think I really woke up then, because the angel was lying there on the other bed, staring into the dark, his eyes like black pearls, catching the red blinking aircraft lights that shone dimly through the window from the tops of the buildings across the street. No wings, no black robe, no woman. Just Raziel, staring. â€Å"Nightmare?† the angel asked. â€Å"Memory,† I said. Had I been asleep? I remember that same red blinking light, ever so dim, playing on the cheekbone and the bridge of the nose of the woman in my nightmare. (It was all I could see of her face.) And those elegant contours fit into the recesses of my memory like a key in the tumblers of a lock, releasing cinnamon and sandalwood and a laugh sweeter than the best day of childhood. Two days after I had walked away, I rang the gong outside the monastery and the little hatch opened to reveal the face of a newly shaven monk, the skin of his bald scalp still a dozen shades lighter in color than that of his face. â€Å"What?† he said. â€Å"The villagers ate our camels,† I said. â€Å"Go away. Your nostrils flare in an unpleasant manner and your soul is somewhat lumpy.† â€Å"Joshua, let me in. I don't have anywhere to go.† â€Å"I can't just let you in,† Josh whispered. â€Å"You have to wait three days like everyone else.† Then loudly, and obviously for someone inside's benefit, he said, â€Å"You appear to be infested by Bedouins! Now go away!† And he slammed the hatch. I stood there. And waited. In a few minutes he opened the hatch. â€Å"Infested by Bedouins?† I said. â€Å"Give me a break. I'm new. Did you bring food and water to last you?† â€Å"Yes, the toothless woman sold me some dried camel meat. There was a special.† â€Å"That's got to be unclean,† said Josh. â€Å"Bacon, Joshua, remember?† â€Å"Oh yeah. Sorry. I'll try to sneak some tea and a blanket out to you, but it won't be right away.† â€Å"Then Gaspar will let me back in?† â€Å"He was perplexed why you left in the first place. He said if anyone needed to learn some discipline, well, you know. There'll be punishment, I think.† â€Å"Sorry I left you.† â€Å"You didn't.† He grinned, looking sillier than normal with his two-toned head. â€Å"I'll tell you one thing I've learned here already.† â€Å"What's that?† â€Å"When I'm in charge, if someone knocks, they will be able to come in. Making someone who is seeking comfort stand out in the cold is a crock of rancid yak butter.† â€Å"Amen,† I said. Josh slammed the little hatch, obviously the prescribed way of closing it. I stood and wondered how Joshua, when he finally learned how to be the Messiah, would work the phrase â€Å"crock of rancid yak butter† into a sermon. Just what we Jews needed, I thought, more dietary restrictions. The monks stripped me naked and poured cold water over my head, then brushed me vigorously with brushes made from boar's hair, then poured hot water on me, then scrubbed, then cold water, until I screamed for them to stop. At that point they shaved my head, taking generous nicks out of my scalp as they did so, rinsed away the hair that stuck to my body, and handed me a fresh orange robe, a blanket, and a wooden rice bowl. Later I was given a pair of slippers, woven from some sort of grass, and I made myself some socks from woven yak hair, but this was the measure of my wealth for six years: a robe, a blanket, a bowl, some slippers, and some socks. As Monk Number Eight led me to meet with Gaspar, I thought of my old friend Bartholomew, and how much he would have loved the idea of my newfound austerity. He often told of how his Cynic patriarch Diogenes carried a bowl with him for years, but one day saw a man drinking from his cupped palm and declared, â€Å"I have been a fool, burdened all these years by the weight of a bowl when a perfectly good vessel lay at the end of my wrist.† Yeah, well, that's all well and good for Diogenes, but when it was all I had, if anyone had tried to take my bowl they would have lost the vessel at the end of their wrist. Gaspar sat on the floor in the same small room, eyes closed, hands folded on his knees before him. Joshua sat facing him in the same position. Number Eight Monk bowed out of the room and Gaspar opened his eyes. â€Å"Sit.† I did. â€Å"These are the four rules for which you may be expelled from the monastery: one, a monk will have no sexual intercourse with anyone, even down to an animal.† Joshua looked at me and cringed, as if he expected me to say something that would anger Gaspar. I said, â€Å"Right, no intercourse.† â€Å"Two: a monk, whether in the monastery or in the village, shall take no thing that is not given. Three: if a monk should intentionally take the life of a human or one like a human, either by his hand or by weapon, he will be expelled.† â€Å"One like a human?† I asked. â€Å"You shall see,† said Gaspar. â€Å"Four, a monk who claims to have reached superhuman states, or claims to have attained the wisdom of the saints, having not done so, will be expelled. Do you understand these four rules?† â€Å"Yes,† I said. Joshua nodded. â€Å"Understand that there are no mitigating circumstances. If you commit any of these offenses as judged by the other monks, you must leave the monastery.† Again I said yes and then Gaspar went into the thirteen rules for which a monk could be suspended from the monastery for a fortnight (the first of these was the heartbreaker, â€Å"no emission of semen except in a dream†) and then the ninety offenses for which one would receive an unfavorable rebirth if the sins were not repented (these ranged from destroying any kind of vegetation or deliberately depriving an animal of life to sitting in the open with a woman or claiming to a layman to have superhuman powers, even if you had them). Overall, there was an extraordinary number of rules, over a hundred on decorum, dozens for settling disputes, but remember, we were Jews, raised under the influence of the Pharisees, who judged virtually every event of day-to-day life against the Law of Moses. And with Balthasar we had studied Confucius, whose philosophy was little more than an extensive system of etiquette. I had no doubt Joshua could do this, and there was a chance I could handle it too, if Gaspar didn't use that bamboo rod too liberally and if I could conjure enough wet dreams. (Hey, I was eighteen years old and had just lived five years in a fortress full of available concubines, I had a habit, okay?) â€Å"Monk Number Twenty-two,† Gaspar said to Joshua, â€Å"you shall begin by learning how to sit.† â€Å"I can sit,† I said. â€Å"And you, Number Twenty-one, will shave the yak.† â€Å"That's just an expression, right?† It wasn't. A yak is an extremely large, extremely hairy, buffalolike animal with dangerous-looking black horns. If you've ever seen a water buffalo, imagine it wearing a full-body wig that drags the ground. Now sprinkle it with musk, manure, and sour milk: you've got yourself a yak. In a cavelike stable, the monks kept one female yak, which they let out during the day to wander the mountain paths to graze. On what, I don't know. There didn't seem to be enough living plant life to support an animal of that size (the yak's shoulder was higher than my head), but there didn't seem to be enough plant life in all of Judea for a herd of goats, either, and herding was one of the main occupations. What did I know? The yak provided just enough milk and cheese to remind the monks that they didn't get enough milk and cheese from one yak for twenty-two monks. The animal also provided a long, coarse wool which needed to be harvested twice a year. This venerated duty, along with combing the crap and grass and burrs out of the wool, fell to me. There's not much to know about yaks beyond that, except for one important fact that Gaspar felt I needed to learn through practice: yaks hate to be shaved. It fell to Monks Eight and Seven to bandage me, set my broken legs and arm, and clean off the yak dung that had been so thoroughly stomped into my body. I would tell you the distinction of those two solemn students if I could think of any, but I can't. The goal of all of the monks was to let go of the ego, the self, and but for a few more lines on the faces of the older men, they looked alike, dressed alike, and behaved alike. I, on the other hand, was quite distinct from the others, despite my shaved head and saffron robe, as I had bandages over half of my body and three out of four limbs splinted with bamboo. After the yak disaster, Joshua waited until the middle of the night to crawl down the hall to my cell. The soft snores of monks filled the halls, and the soft turbulence of the bats that entered their cave through the monastery echoed off the stone walls like the death panting of epileptic shadows. â€Å"Does it hurt?† Joshua said. Sweat streamed from my face despite the chilly temperature. â€Å"I can hardly breathe.† Seven and Eight had wrapped my broken ribs, but every breath was a knife in the side. Joshua put his hand on my forehead. â€Å"I'll be all right, Josh, you don't have to do that.† â€Å"Why wouldn't I?† he said. â€Å"Keep your voice down.† In seconds my pain was gone and I could breathe again. Then I fell asleep or passed out from gratitude, I don't know which. When I awoke with the dawn Joshua was still kneeling beside me, his hand still pressed against my forehead. He had fallen asleep there. I carried the combed yak wool to Gaspar, who was chanting in the great cavern temple. It amounted to a fairly large bundle and I set it on the floor behind the monk and backed away. â€Å"Wait,† Gaspar said, holding a single finger in the air. He finished his chant, then turned to me. â€Å"Tea,† he said. He led and I followed to the room where he had received Joshua and me when we had first arrived. â€Å"Sit,† he said. â€Å"Sit, don't wait.† I sat and watched him make a charcoal fire in a small stone brazier, using a bow and fire drill to start the flames first in some dried moss, then blowing it onto the charcoal. â€Å"I invented a stick that makes fire instantly,† I said. â€Å"I could teach – â€Å" Gaspar glared at me and held up the finger again to poke my words out of the air. â€Å"Sit,† he said. â€Å"Don't talk. Don't wait.† He heated water in a copper pot until it boiled, then poured it over some tea leaves in an earthenware bowl. He set two small cups on the table, then proceeded to pour tea from the bowl. â€Å"Hey, doofus!† I yelled. â€Å"You're spilling the fucking tea!† Gaspar smiled and set the bowl down on the table. â€Å"How can I give you tea if your cup is already full?† â€Å"Huh?† I said eloquently. Parables were never my strong suit. If you want to say something, say it. So, of course, Joshua and Buddhists were the perfect people to hang out with, straight talkers that they were. Gaspar poured himself some tea, then took a deep breath and closed his eyes. After perhaps a whole minute passed, he opened them again. â€Å"If you already know everything, then how will I be able to teach you? You must empty your cup before I can give you tea.† â€Å"Why didn't you say so?† I grabbed my cup, tossed the tea out the same window I'd tossed Gaspar's stick, then plopped the cup back on the table. â€Å"I'm ready,† I said. â€Å"Go to the temple and sit,† Gaspar said. No tea? He was obviously still not happy about my almost-threat on his life. I backed out of the door bowing (a courtesy Joy had taught me). â€Å"One more thing,† Gaspar said. I stopped and waited. â€Å"Number Seven said that you would not live through the night. Number Eight agreed. How is it that you are not only alive, but unhurt?† I thought about it for a second before I answered, something I seldom do, then I said, â€Å"Perhaps those monks value their own opinions too highly. I can only hope that they have not corrupted anyone else's thinking.† â€Å"Go sit,† Gaspar said. Sitting was what we did. To learn to sit, to be still and hear the music of the universe, was why we had come halfway around the world, evidently. To let go of ego, not individuality, but that which distinguishes us from all other beings. â€Å"When you sit, sit. When you breathe, breathe. When you eat, eat,† Gaspar would say, meaning that every bit of our being was to be in the moment, completely aware of the now, no past, no future, nothing dividing us from everything that is. It's hard for me, a Jew, to stay in the moment. Without the past, where is the guilt? And without the future, where is the dread? And without guilt and dread, who am I? â€Å"See your skin as what connects you to the universe, not what separates you from it,† Gaspar told me, trying to teach me the essence of what enlightenment meant, while admitting that it was not something that could be taught. Method he could teach. Gaspar could sit. The legend went (I pieced it together from bits dropped by the master and his monks) that Gaspar had built the monastery as a place to sit. Many years ago he had come to China from India, where he had been born a prince, to teach the emperor and his court the true meaning of Buddhism, which had been lost in years of dogma and overinterpretation of scripture. Upon arriving, the emperor asked Gaspar, â€Å"What have I attained for all of my good deeds?† â€Å"Nothing,† said Gaspar. The emperor was aghast, thinking now that he had been generous to his people all these years for nothing. He said, â€Å"Well then, what is the essence of Buddhism?† â€Å"Vast amphibians,† said Gaspar. The emperor had Gaspar thrown from the temple, at which time the young monk decided two things; one, that he would have a better answer the next time he was asked the question, and two, that he'd better learn to speak better Chinese before he talked to anyone of importance. He'd meant to say, â€Å"Vast emptiness,† but he'd gotten the words wrong. The legend went on to say that Gaspar then came to the cave where the monastery was now built and sat down to meditate, determined to stay there until enlightenment came to him. Nine years later, he came down from the mountain, and the people of the village were waiting for him with food and gifts. â€Å"Master, we seek your most holy guidance, what can you tell us?† they cried. â€Å"I really have to pee,† said the monk. And with that all of the villagers knew that he had indeed achieved the mind of all Buddhas, or â€Å"no mind,† as we called it. The villagers begged Gaspar to stay with them, and they helped him build the monastery at the site of the very cave where he had achieved his enlightenment. During the construction, the villagers were attacked many times by vicious bandits, and although he believed that no being should be killed, he also felt that these people should have a way to defend themselves, so he meditated on the subject until he devised a method of self-defense based on various movements he learned from the yogis in his native India, which he taught to the villagers, then to each of the monks as they joined the monastery. He called this discipline kung fu, which translates, â€Å"method by which short bald guys may kick the bejeezus out of you.† Our training in kung fu began with the hopping posts. After breakfast and morning meditation, Number Three Monk, who seemed to be the oldest of the monks, led us to the monastery courtyard where we found a stack of posts, perhaps two feet long and about a span's width in diameter. He had us set the posts on end in a straight line, about a half a stride away from each other. Then he told us to hop up on one of the posts and balance there. After both of us spent most of the morning picking ourselves up off the rough stone paving, we each found ourselves standing on one foot on the end of a pole. â€Å"Now what?† I asked. â€Å"Now nothing,† Number Three said. â€Å"Just stand.† So we stood. For hours. The sun crossed the sky and my legs and back began to ache and we fell again and again only to have Number Three bark at us and tell us to jump back up on the post. When darkness began to fall and we both had stood for several hours without falling, Number Three said, â€Å"Now hop to the next post.† I heard Joshua sigh heavily. I looked at the line of posts and could see the pain that lay ahead if we were going to have to hop this whole gauntlet. Joshua was next to me at the end of the line, so he would have to hop to the post I was standing on. Not only would I have to jump to the next post and land without falling, but I would have to make sure that my take-off didn't knock over the post I was leaving. â€Å"Now!† said Number Three. I leapt and missed the landing. The post tipped out from under me and I hit the stone headfirst, sending a white flash before my eyes and a bolt of fire down my neck. Before I could gather my wits Joshua tumbled over on top of me. â€Å"Thank you,† he said, grateful to have landed on a soft Jew rather than hard flagstone. â€Å"Back up,† Number Three said. We set up our posts again, then hopped up on them again. This time both of us made it on the first try. Then we waited for the command to take the next leap. The moon rose high and full and we both stared down the row of poles, wondering how long it would take us before we could hop the whole row, wondering how long Number Three would make us stay there, thinking about the story of how Gaspar had sat for nine years. I couldn't remember ever having felt so much pain, which is saying something if you've been yak-stomped. I was trying to imagine just how much fatigue and thirst I could bear before I fell when Number Three said, â€Å"Enough. Go sleep.† â€Å"That's it?† Joshua asked, as he hopped off his post and winced upon landing. â€Å"Why did we set up twenty posts if we were only going to use three?† â€Å"Why were you thinking of twenty when you can only stand on one?† answered Three. â€Å"I have to pee,† I said. â€Å"Exactly,† said the monk. So there you have it: Buddhism. Each day we went to the courtyard and arranged the posts differently, randomly. Number Three added posts of different heights and diameters. Sometimes we had to hop from one post to the other as quickly as possible, other times we stood in one place for hours, ready to move in an instant, should Number Three command it. The point, it seemed, was that we could not anticipate anything, nor could we develop a rhythm to the exercise. We were forced to be ready to move in any direction, without forethought. Number Three called this controlled spontaneity, and for the first six months in the monastery we spent as much time atop the posts as we did in sitting meditation. Joshua took to the kung fu training immediately, as he did to the meditation. I was, as the Buddhists say, more dense. In addition to the normal duties of tending the monastery, our gardens, and milking the yak (mercifully, a task I was never assigned), every ten days or so a group of six monks would go to the village with their bowls and collect alms from the villagers, usually rice and tea, sometimes dark sauces, yak butter, or cheese, and on rare occasions cotton fabric, from which new robes would be made. For the first year Joshua and I were not allowed to leave the monastery at all, but I started to notice a pattern of strange behavior. After each trip to the village for alms, four or five monks would disappear into the mountains for several days. Nothing was ever said of it, either when they left or when they returned, but it seemed that there was some sort of rotation, with each monk only leaving every third or fourth time, with the exception of Gaspar, who left more often. Finally I worked up the courage to ask Gaspar what was going on and he said, â€Å"It is a special meditation. You are not ready. Go sit.† Gaspar's answer to most of my questions was â€Å"Go sit,† and my resentment meant that I wasn't losing the attachment to my ego, and therefore I wasn't going anywhere in my meditation. Joshua, on the other hand, seemed completely at peace with what we were doing. He could sit for hours, not moving, and then perform the exercise on the posts as if he'd spent an hour limbering up. â€Å"How do you do it?† I asked him. â€Å"How do you think of nothing and not fall asleep?† That had been one of the major barriers to my enlightenment. If I sat still for too long, I fell asleep, and evidently, the sound of snoring echoing through the temple disturbed the meditations of the other monks. The recommended cure for this condition was to drink huge quantities of green tea, which did, indeed, keep me alert, but also replaced my â€Å"no mind† state with constant thoughts of my bladder. In fact, in less than a year, I attained total bladder conciousness. Joshua, on the other hand, was able to completely let go of his ego, as he had been instructed. It was in our ninth month at the monastery, in the midst of the most bitter winter I can even imagine, when Joshua, having let go of all constructions of self and vanity, became invisible.