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Saturday, August 31, 2019

Five Important Nataraja Shrines of Tamil Nadu Essay

There are lots of temples in Tamil Nadu where Siva is worshipped as Nataraja. Lord Siva, as the god of dance is known as Nataraja. There are lots of temples in India and especially in Tamil Nadu where Siva is worshipped as Nataraja. But, there are mainly five places in Tamil Nadu where the cult of Nataraja is worshipped with gaiety and pomp. The dancing deity Nataraja can be seen in these Pancha sabbas or five halls of Tamil Nadu. The five temples – Chidhambaram, Maduarai, Thiruvilankadu, Tirunelveli and Kutralam, are very revered and is known as the five sabhas. It is said Lord Shiva has danced at these five places as Nataraja – the dancing form of Shiva, to benefit different devotees. Kanaka Sabha: The most important shrine for Nataraja is the Kanaka Sabha or golden hall at Chidambaram. The Nataraja dances here in the Ananda Tandava or the dance of bliss form and he is called Kanaka Sabhapati or the Lord of the Golden Hall. This temple has been sung in a lot of Dhevaram and Thiruvasakam. Here Lord Shiva is worshipped in all the three forms, namely, arupa – which is called chitambara rahasyam, aruparupa – shiva lingam and rupa – nataraja. Nataraja was the favourite deity of the Chola kings of Tanjavur and hence they kept idol of Nataraja in all the Siva temples built by them in various places in their empire in Tamil Nadu and all over in South India. Chidambaram marks an important stage of evolution of southern Indian architecture. Rajatha Sabha: Rajatha Sabha or silver hall (velli ambalam) at the Minakshi Sundareshwarar temple in Madurai is another important Natarja shrine of Tamil Nadu. Nataraja is shown in a very rare posture here. He is shown his right leg raised and dancing on the dwarf (apasmara purusha) with his left foot. Both the main image of stone (moolavar) and the processional image (utsava murti) in this shrine are in unusual posture. The usual posture of Nataraja is dancing with his right leg placed on the dwarf with his left leg upraised. The change in posture of Nataraja here is linked with the legend (sthala-purana) of this place. It is said that the Pandyan king of Madurai was a devotee of Nataraja and under pressure from a rival Chola king, tried to master dance. But while trying to do so, he realised the difficulty of the task. He was filled with agony to see his favourite deity dancing with his right foot always as he did feel while doing himself. So, he prayed Lord Nataraja to change his posture so that he does not get tired in a same posture. The Lord listened to his request and changed his posture. So, Nataraja is seen dancing on his left foot here. One of the five important shrines of Nataraja can be seen at Madurai in Tamil Nadu. Here the dancing posture of Ambalavanan (Lord Siva) with ten hands can be seen only in the Velli ambalam at Madurai. Here the dance performed by Nataraja is known as Paramananda Thandavam and also as Chokka Thandavam. It is also known as Sundara Tandavam. Tamra Sabha: Another important Nataraja shrine of Tamil Nadu is situated at the Nellaiappar temple in Tirunelveli. The Tamra Sabha or the hall of copper is found here in the vast campus. Here the icon of Lord Siva is made of Bronze and is encircled by a prabha or aura of very attractive workmanship. It is said that the Nataraja image here was originally in the temple of Agnishwaram. Once a fire out broke here and then it was kept on the bed of a river. Later, it was brought to the Nellaiappar temple and worshipped here. Ratna Sabha: The Ratna Sabha or the hall of rubies in Tiruvalangadu is another important Nataraja shrine of Tamil Nadu. It takes approximately two hours from Chennai by road to reach Tiruvalangadu. The Lord here is called Ratna Sabhapati or the Lord of the Hall of rubies. There is a mythical story related to this place and the shrine. It is said that once Siva and Kali had a dance contest. At that time Kali was in a very angry mood and could not be pacified easily. Initially, Kali gave a better performance than Siva. But, later Nataraja (Siva) performed the Tandava dance also known as the Chanda (terrific) tandava and lifted his leg up above his head. Then, Kali out of modesty accepted her defeat. Lord Nataraja won the contest but he also declared that Kali was second to none than himself in dance. There is a very stunning metal image of eight-armed Siva dancing in the Urdlwa Tandava can be seen in this temple. There is also a small shrine nearby and there is another metal image of Kali who is also eight-armed can be seen. Chitra Sabha: The last among the five Nataraja shrines in Tamil Nadu is situated at Kuttralam. The Chitra Sabha or the hall of paintings is found here in Kuttralam, which is famous for its waterfalls. Here the lord Siva is known as the Kuttralanathan. But, all the rituals conducted here are first offered for Nataraja and then for Kuttralanathan. Here, Nataraja is known as Ananda Nata-rajeshwarar or the God of Blissful Dance. Kuttralam has nine Water Falls: 1. Main falls 2. Chitaruvi 3.Shenpagadevi falls 4. Thenaruvi 5. Five falls 6. Orchard falls 7. New falls 8. Tiger falls 9. Old Courtallam falls. Legends on Chitrasabhai goes like – The wedding of Shiva and Parvathi attracted huge celestial crowd at Himalaya that Shiva requested Saint Agastyar to proced southwards to balance the earth, and Agastyar is said to have created the Shivalingam here by shrinking an image of Vishnu, hence the name Kutralam. The Chitra Sabha is located outside the areas of the main temple. It is actually a huge hall built in a typical Kerala style. A huge painting of Nataraja in Tanjavur style can be seen here.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Random acts of kindness Essay

I believe in random acts of kindness. The smallest things that can make you smile. I believe that if you do something nice for someone, they will take that act of kindness and spread it out to people they come across throughout their day. It’s the smallest things that make the biggest differences. For example, holding the door for someone who has their hands full or smiling at a stranger as they pass by. It’s these little things that let people know someone cares. This belief is not based on one significant personal experience, but a few of them that I have experienced throughout my life. Not one individual experience was what I call â€Å"life changing† but looking back at the ones that I can remember, I can easily say that they were. I remember one day last year when I was a counselor in training at my summer camp, and not having the greatest day. Nothing specific was wrong, but everyone has those days where everything just seems to go wrong. Well I went to bed that night and there was a bouquet of tissue paper flowers and a note that said â€Å"I hope this brightens your day!† I still do not know who left them on my bed, but it doesn’t matter. It’s the thought that counts. One of my favorite personal experiences was when I was visiting the University of Miami. It was pouring rain, and we were on the campus tour. To get from one building to the next, we had to cross into the rain, and right there, there was a student standing with a bunch of umbrellas. Anyone who did not have their own umbrella was then given one by this student. The umbrellas were stamped with a logo and the words â€Å"random acts of kindness†. There was another student stationed at the other building, who was collecting the umbrellas and passing them out to people traveling in the opposite direction. A gesture as simple as this has the power to make somebody’s day brighter. I can also recall numerous times when a stranger has held a door for me, or I for them. Something that I have always wanted to do, but have not had the chance yet is while in the drive though line, pay an extra $5 for the person behind you. I have seen this on TV and it is an extremely nice gesture to do for someone you have most likely never spoken to before. As I said earlier, it’s the smallest things that make the biggest impacts in people’s lives. So here is my challenge to you. Today, before you go to bed, do a random act of kindness. It can be to someone you know or someone who is a complete stranger, but it has to be random. And I’ll bet that before you go to bed, you will receive a random act of kindness in return.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Bus 617-week 12 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Bus 617-week 12 - Essay Example It varies from the day and individual. Cafeteria benefits allow the employee to choose benefits from array of menu benefits. First the employer must identify the benefits package. This will help to evaluate and monitor whether benefits objectives are meet in a set targets of goals. The benefits improve the employee morale, productivity and motivate the employee. The flexible benefits are synchronized with other social insurance programs that employee subscribes and the organization pays to maximize the benefits and reduce the risks of the employee. With updated communication on the benefits programs the employee confidence grows and organizations’ values are meet. The benefits choice highly influences the employee satisfaction toward the organization (Raymond A. Noe, 2011). Self managed teams incorporate a wide range of benefits. With team decision making capabilities, productivity is improved, there is a high interconnection between the employees and there can be negotiated flexible benefits depending on the job roles and responsibilities. Depending on the personal life different employees have different scope of priorities. Thus a health care plan may differ according to responsibilities and personal life. A 55 yrs. old man need a cover for himself, and the wife and the rest cover channeled to other retirement plans where as a 30yr old single mum needs a comprehensive cover for herself and children. All these scenarios can be negotiated on a team level and budgeted for with little input for he management. The team can decide on the flexibility of the job apply mode of flexibility depending on the work schedules and responsibilities of each employee. The compressed work schedules can be incorporated for the employees who are furthering their studies externally. The tele-commuting can be applied for the sales and marketing workers who’s productivity is measured via the sales targets and other factors and have a little to do in daily production of

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

The Classical World of the Greeks and the Romans Essay

The Classical World of the Greeks and the Romans - Essay Example By doing so, they became what we now know as the cradle of westernization. 1. What does your textbook mean when it says that the Greeks made the transition â€Å"from myth to reason†? The meaning of this was that the Greeks made what seemed to be impossible possible. When the notion of western thought and culture began in the 1500bc, it was later interrupted through the Greek Dark ages about 1100-900 BC. Here, westernization seemed to be a myth, something that would never be true. But again from around 900BC which is identified as the classical period there was a change of events as Greece entered the era which made it glorious, through the use of classical Greece philosophy, western thought and culture was developed. The philosophy based these developments upon the inquiry and reasons pertaining to various disciplines. These included literature, science, technology, law, economics, politics, psychology, art, ethics, etc. the early thinkers such as Thales and Anaximander were the ones who asked questions concerning the area of philosophy and came up with the theories to try to answer such questions. 2. List and briefly explain at least four specific contributions that the Greeks gave to Western Civilization. These contributions should be unique and specific to the Greeks The Greeks have made many contributions which are influential in western civilization. These are; the scientific method of solving the problem which was invented by Socrates, theatre is another contribution. Plays were written and performed to entertain people and also teach them morals and proper ethics. The form or system of government and politics was also a contribution from Greece. In the field of science, they provided knowledge regarding biology, physics, medicine, geology etc. An example being that through astronomy, they calculated the size of both the earth and the sun. And in physics the lever and the pulley were invented. 3. What was the special Greek contribution to politics , and how did this political system work? The historic Greek contribution to politics was the democracy system. It was a direct democracy system where each person had to vote. The democrats were only men as women; children and slaves were considered to be non citizens. The men would vote on what they wanted to be done. The thing or person that received the most votes won. This ensured that no tyrant, king or a single person could just bring in a new law and implement it 4. 4. Who was Alexander the Great? What did he accomplish? Why do you think that people from ancient times down to our own day have been so fascinated by him? Alexander the great was the king of Macedonia and a student of a famous philosopher called Aristotle. He was able to accomplish a lot of things like conquering over 70 cities Persian being one of them., spreading the Greek culture throughout the Persian Empire. He was also known to be a great general and a soldier and to add to that he acquired new colonies and trade routes. Many people are fascinated by him through his actions, and from him being a child till the day he died. For example, when he was 16years his father left him with the power to rule as he went to invade Thrace. He also showed his bravery at the Chaeronea battle and is known to never lose any battles that he went. He was considered to be among the greatest commanders in history and by the young age of thirty, he had created one of the largest empire. 5. Why is Julius Caesar such a

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

The Theorist Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Theorist - Research Paper Example Her only goal as a college student is to be able to have a secretarial job, thus, he enrolled in the London School of Economics (LSE) with a major in sociology and social anthropology. This is where she met his husband William Smith with whom she had two children but the relationship ended up in divorce during the time she was finishing her doctoral degree in the University of California, Berkeley. She returned to England for a few years but when she got a faculty position in the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada in 1969 where she settled with her children (Dillon 316; Scott 202). In 1977, she transferred to the Ontario Institute of Studies in Education (Scott 202). It is during Smith’s faculty years in the universities in Canada that she made her important contributions in sociology specifically through her research and critical writing works. During the 1970s, she started publishing her works that exhibited her critical skills and perspectives. Through her works she had been recognized as a feminist, a theorist and an activist (Campbell 3). Contributions of Dorothy Smith Dorothy Smith contributed greatly to the contemporary feminist view in the society. This had been exhibited in her books and researches. Dawning of Smith’s Feminist Views The view of Smith in sociology had been initially expressed during her early works specifically the critical essays. These works explored the field of sociology through her logical and clear arguments. It had been noted though that she had difficulties in explaining the situations of women in the society. This led to her interest in researching and finding answers to the questions regarding the role of women. By exploring the said field, Smith became known as a feminist who contributed greatly to the feminist sociological views. Included in early papers that became the onset of Smith’s contribution to sociology are â€Å"Women, the Family and Corporate Capitalism,† â€Å"The Soc ial Construction of Documentary Reality,† â€Å"Women’s Perspective as a Radial Critique of Sociology, Feminism and Methodology,† â€Å"The Ideological Practice of Sociology† and â€Å"K Is Mentally Ill: The Anatomy of a Factual Account.† In addition to her own published works, she collaborated with other authors who were also inspired by the concept of feminism. Included in her works were â€Å"Women and Psychiatry,† â€Å"The Statistics on Mental Illness: What They Will Not Tell Us about Women and Why† and â€Å"A Feminist Therapy Session† (Scott 202). Ideology on Relations of Ruling Smith had a strong perspective regarding the society ruled with men. Her ideology regarding the double victimization of women in the society had been considered both radical and unprecedented. She expressed that not only women are excluded in leading the government but also they are eliminated from the social structure. In the 1980s, the increasin g influence of Smith had been observed in the sociological discipline through the popularity of her works. â€Å"The Everyday World as Problematic: A Feminist Sociology† which was published in 1987 criticized the structure of the society that is ruled by men and presented through the perspective of the male population. It is in the said book where she presented one of the concepts she was known for which is referred to as the ‘relations of ruling.’ It was defined as the ‘

Monday, August 26, 2019

No Child Left Behind Program Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 10500 words

No Child Left Behind Program - Coursework Example However, the implementation of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) program has brought a new level of cogency to the necessity of schools working to ensure that more and more of their students move toward proficiency goals in math and reading/language arts, as well as improving attendance and graduation rates. The lofty goal of the program is to ensure that by 2014, all students in all schools are academically proficient in both math and reading/language arts (Tennessee Department of Education, 2005). Proficiency requirements have been established for nine populations within schools, including five race and ethnic groups, students with disabilities, limited English-proficient students, economically disadvantaged students, and the school as a whole (Tennessee Department of Education, 2005). Under the NCLB, schools, rather than individual children, are labeled according to their ability to meet the standards. A school or district that fails to meet the NCLB benchmarks for a year is labeled a "target school." A school or district that tails to show progress in the same category (math, reading/language arts, and attendance or graduation rates) for two consecutive years will be labeled "high priority." If the school or district so labeled shows progress two years in a row, it will be removed from the high priority list; should it fail to meet federal benchmarks but the number of students whose scores rise is 10% or more, as well as meeting a designated additional indicator, the school will still be considered to have met the NCLB standards under a "safe harbor" provision (Tennessee Department of Education, 2005). While the federal standards are relatively rigid, there is the opportunity for states to contribute to them. In Tennessee, under NCLB, K-8 schools will be considered to have met federal requirements if all of the subgroups demonstrate: "- 95% participation rate on all state assessments "- Required proficiency in math as determined by TCAP achievement tests "- Required proficiency in reading/language arts as determined by TCAP achievement tests and writing assessments "- 93% attendance rate for the school year or improvement from the previous year 9th -12th grade schools will meet federal benchmarks if they demonstrate in all of the subgroups: "- 95% participation rate on all state assessments "- Required proficiency in math Gateway tests "- Required proficiency in reading/language arts as determined by English Gateway tests and writing assessments "- 90% graduation rate for the school year or improvement from the previous year" (Tennessee Department of Education, 2005). Negative assessment of schools and districts is the hallmark of NCLB. If a school or

Sunday, August 25, 2019

USA Patriot Act Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

USA Patriot Act - Research Paper Example Although the act has found its share of critics but it is also acclaimed that the act is a success in its own way. Patriot Act was enacted upon by the congress by enormous, bipartisan margin, which assisted the Federal officials with new ways to protect the nation from terrorist activities. The act was essentially passed with almost negligible opposition by both the senate and the house. It was also significantly supported by members throughout the political world. The Patriot Act permits the investigators to incorporate the tools that were already present to investigate and solve the problem of organized crime and drug trafficking. Amongst the tools that are highlighted in the act, has long been practiced to counter organized crime, and drug trafficking. It was also reviewed and approved by the courts. As Biden acknowledges, â€Å"the FBI could get a wiretap to investigate the mafia, but they could not get one to investigate terrorists. The act permits law enforcement to use the procedure of â€Å"surveillance† to reduce terror activities. As acknowledged originally by the department of justice, the act provides a number of essential suggestions to counter terrorist activities. Amongst them, one of the most primary and significant suggestion was the amendments to Federal surveillance laws. This law ensured the governance of capture and tracking of probable terrorists within the boundaries of the USA. The Federal law is comprised of a three tier system. This system was designed for serving two purposes, namely, ensuring the privacy of personal telephone, and computer communication, while assisting authorities to locate and essentially intercept criminal message (Doyle, 2002, p.5). Prior to the Patriot Act, courts could allow Federal officials to carry on electronic surveillances on petty criminals. The Federal agents could also get wiretaps to investigate into crimes that are frequently committed by terrorists . The act enabled the Federal investigators to accumulated information in all kinds of terrorist activities. The activities included the use of chemical weapons, the assassinations of Americans in America or abroad, and even financing terrorism (JUSTICE, n.d., p.1). The act permits the Federal agents to trace sophisticated terrorist, and trained to avoid detection. Since the past decades, the Federal officials have sought the help of â€Å"roving wiretaps† to solve or investigate petty crimes in the state. The usage of â€Å"roving wiretaps† can be certified a judge to apply to a terror suspect, not on a specific communicating device. This was done as foreign terrorists are sophisticated and effectively trained to escape the surveillance measures of the Federal officials. The section 216, of the Patriot Act permits the authorization of trap and traces devices, and also pen registers to be incorporated in tracing and acquiring information in the case of computer convers ations, as well as telephonic conversations. The usage of pen registers and trace devices was once restricted to only judicial districts were it was permitted to be

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Effects of legalizing illegal immigrants in california Essay

Effects of legalizing illegal immigrants in california - Essay Example Illegal immigration is a big headache for America in general and California in particular. Being a secular democracy, America has opened their doors widely for most of the people from different parts of the country. Moreover, America is facing big manpower shortages in many fields which forced them to welcome more and more skilled professional from other countries like India, China, Pakistan etc. But most of the immigrants who immigrate to America through legal channels will try to bring their relatives and friends also to America through legal and illegal channels in order to exploit the possibilities in America which created severe social, demographic and legal problems in America. California is one of the worst affected states in America as far as illegal immigration is concerned. This paper briefly analyses effects of legalizing illegal immigrants in California California is very close to Mexico which helped the Mexican immigrants to cross the border more easily than any others. â€Å"It is estimated that there are currently about 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States. In California alone it is estimated to be 3 million illegal immigrants† (Illegal Immigration in California) The effects of illegal immigration is perceived differently by different people. Some people argue that illegal immigration is a blessing whereas some others are of the opinion that it is a curse to American people. Proponents of illegal immigration argue that California is one of the cheapest labour markets in America because of the excess illegal immigrants there. Most of the illegal immigrants, in order to survive in California will accept even cheaper work offers which normally the locals may not be ready to do. Thus the business people have the luxury of cheap labours which increases their profits. The cheap labour helps business people to reduce the price of their products in order to compete more effectively in the domestic and international

Chinese grassroots living situation in China big cities Research Paper

Chinese grassroots living situation in China big cities - Research Paper Example The country has a relatively large number of people that are extremely disadvantaged in the socio-political and socio-economic status, with their living condition being extremely poor. Despite the available social amenities and the improved social facilities through the urban cities, the grassroots population that comprises of mostly the peasant workers, have had little benefits to enjoy (Mars & Hornsby 129). The paper thus studies on the living conditions of these Chinese grassroots people, why they live in these situations, explaining the reason why China housing prices are much higher in big cities and measures the Chinese government is devising to change the situation. The Chinese grassroots is the groups are unfortunate individuals that live in the un-humanized society. The Chinese farmers are traditionally the most inferior in class, who are the ideal representatives of the Chinese grassroots. These grassroots groups live the hardest life and work the hardest in order to feed the other ‘brilliant’ people in the big cities (Wang & Murie 93). The Chinese farmers are the ones that cover the largest portion of the population in China and thus play a critical role towards promoting social development. The economic pressures force these grassroots people into moving to cities in search of better jobs, but instead end up working as peasant workers. These people end up living in destitute conditions, which even poses risks to their own health, in order to keep on surviving in cities (Nielsen & Smyth 65). The World Health governing bodies have able to raise concerns about the living conditions of these grassroots Chinese population, hence pr ompting the government to take some actions to solve the problem. It is apparent that a number of reasons contribute to the kind of living conditions that the Chinese grassroots have to live within these cities. The first challenge is the problems of

Friday, August 23, 2019

The Great Depression of the 1930's Research Paper

The Great Depression of the 1930's - Research Paper Example The depression not only resulted in loss of jobs, but also resulted in psychological crisis which was attributed to loss of income and property, and the resultant sense of gloom which was endured by the country during those tragic years. Such events put the government and the Federal Reserve under great pressure to safeguard the rapidly deteriorating economy from worsening further and eliminate the social and commercial crisis faced by its people (Campbell, 2008). The exact reasons which led to the great depression are highly complicated in nature, and have been the subject of various debates among historians. Initially during the beginning of 1920s, the nation’s economy was relatively strong and consumer-oriented, with a booming automobile and consumer goods industry which produced products in large numbers to cater to the wide market. This could be substantiated with the presence of large companies such as General Motors and General Electric, which were not only successful i n the consumer goods market but also a major source of investments in the New York Stock Exchange along with other financial markets. The stock markets and financial institutions prospered greatly during those years, which led to a huge investment in those sectors, leading to an unprecedented rise in stock prices. The government concern increased, with the increase in stock prices, and the Federal Reserve along with the government began to introduce and develop policy measures to control the rising stock prices. Such measures taken by the government and the Federal Reserve paved way for the impending crash of the stock market, which began during October 1929. Although historians so far, have failed to pinpoint one single event which led to the collapse of the stock markets, and the resultant economic downturn that followed, resulting in billions of dollars worth of loss, large scale unemployment, failure of banks, and years of economic and social unrest. Timeline history of the peri od Year Events 1929 Feb 2 Federal Reserve Bank bans bank loans for margin trades June 15 - August Agricultural Marketing Act passed, Economic expansion peaks Sept, 3 Stock prices peak Oct 24, Oct 29 Black Thursday, sales of stocks was recorded at an all time high of 12,895,000, and 16,410,000 respectively resulting in a record forty points drop in the New York Times index Nov 13 Stock prices record a new low 1930 October Unemployment rises, Committee for unemployment relief formed Dec 2 Government funds a $150 million public works program. By the end of 1930, nearly 1350 banks suspend their operations 1931 Official report suggests that nearly 4-5 million people were unemployed Oct 16 New York Federal Bank increases its discount rate from 1.5 per cent to 2.5 per cent Oct 23 New York Federal Bank once again increases its discount rate from 2.5 per cent to 3.5 per cent Dec 11 New York Bank collapses. By the end of the year nearly 2293 banks shut down Lack of economic safeguards During the depression there was large scale unemployment, various banking and other financial institutions failed and had to shut down, and there was a sharp decline in the GNP leading to disastrous outcomes. Such widespread and negative repercussions were mainly as a result of lack

Thursday, August 22, 2019

The Importance of Being Oscar Wilde Essay Example for Free

The Importance of Being Oscar Wilde Essay Among the writers of the late nineteenth century in Britain, none perhaps has surpassed the reputation and press accorded to the inimitable Oscar Wilde. With controversies plaguing most aspects of his life—from his writing to his personal life—Wilde has eventually become an icon of his generation, resonating with readers far and wide, many celebrating his unique voice and alternative thinking. The man as a poet, playwright, and fiction writer used his wit and intelligence as well as a sharp way with words to create masterpieces that have ultimately become part of the literary canon. Two of these, The Importance of Being Earnest and The Picture of Dorian Gray, are some of the most studied in literary scholarship worldwide, and are practically responsible for catapulting Wilde into iconic status. However, much of the persona of the famed writer included his unconventional sexuality, as well as the infamous period of his incarceration; but, as it normally happens to exceptional talent, the work was able to fight through the dirt and shine on its own merits, earning the admiration of readers throughout the centuries. II. A Wilde History Oscar Wilde was born in October 16, 1854 in Dublin, Ireland, to wealthy parents, a writer and a surgeon. Aside from spending most of his childhood in the company of the equally rich, including summers in fashionable homes, Wilde eventually began his education in Greek literature classics. During his time as a college student, he found his affinity for Aestheticism, which centered on the concept of using life to create art. This manifested in Wilde’s countenance and choice of clothing and lifestyle, constantly deferring to art-related symbols and feminine representations rather than masculine endeavors like sports. Wilde also did a substantial amount of writing during this time and completed his course with honors; however, his controversial image appeared to have started as many of his fellow students professed a great dislike for his unconventional attitude and manner of expression. Because masculinity—part and parcel of Victorian patriarchy—excluded any association with flamboyance in feminine terms, many critics openly attacked Wilde’s lifestyle and writing. The writer’s apparent homosexuality was largely focused upon, and some even referred to him as a negative influence on the youth. Though Oscar Wilde married a woman, Constance Lloyd, with whom he had two sons, his sexual preference and activities were always called into question. Because of his observed relationships with several men, including Lord Alfred Douglas, Wilde became the subject of ridicule and offense; his affair with Douglas, due to the man’s political family, was eventually the reason behind his much-publicized trial and imprisonment. Oscar Wilde passed in 1900, and was buried in Paris where he retreated after being freed from jail. He chose to never return to his native Ireland or to Britain (Merriman, pars 1-10). III. The Picture of Dorian Gray This 1891 novel, which started as a short story published in a magazine, is the only realized work of its genre by Wilde. Largely considered fashionable for its time owing to its gothic horror theme, The Picture of Dorian Gray embodies much of the qualities associated with Wilde himself—art as the center of life, beauty, and homosexuality—and thus was received during its launch with the kind of controversy identified with Wilde all his life. The mind-gripping story revolves around a young, extremely handsome man named Dorian Gray, and the painting of his likeness created by an artist named Basil Hallward. Apparently, the artist was greatly enamored by Dorian’s beauty, which urged him to paint the portrait. However, due to Dorian’s acquaintance with the concept of hedonism and the sole pursuit of beauty, he makes a wish for the painting to take on his physical aging while Dorian’s actual body remained young and beautiful. But for each of Dorian’s sins, changes would take place in the painting—which ultimately mirrored his soul—and make it more grotesque at every turn. His growing fear of seeing his own portrait age led him to affirm his love for beauty even more, and his rejection of everything he deemed unqualified made its mark in every occurrence. In the end, Dorian accuses and kills Basil for bringing this all upon him and attempts to correct all his perceived ills in the hopes of having the portrait return to its normal state. This did not happen, as Dorian was unable to feel guilt or remorse; thus he tried to destroy the painting, which only caused his own aging and death. The portrait, however, returned to its unblemished condition. The dual themes of aestheticism, or the celebration of art and beauty, and homosexuality are present in the novel, both being embodied by Dorian Gray himself. His narcissistic view of beauty and self rendered him at an unending state of discontent, though, and subjects all those who come near him to his exacting ways. These were all part of Oscar Wilde’s personal ideology—the decision to make life an art, constantly seeking for beauty and perfection—which he carried out consistently. However, the novel was considered immoral and ‘dirty’ by the critics of the time, due to the themes projected in the text. IV. The Importance of Being Earnest Oscar Wilde’s hugely popular work is undoubtedly a satire about Victorian society’s rules and regulations, of expectations and etiquette, of hypocrisy and fakeness. It was originally staged in 1895 in London. The famous three-act play is a comedy that revolved around the deception and resulting confusion regarding the use of the name Ernest, which was appropriated by a young man at varying occasions alternating with his real name. Consequently, he meets people who know him through different names, and even falls for a lady who would only marry someone named Ernest. In the maddening turn of events, wherein accusations regarding truthfulness and honesty are made, it is discovered that his name is indeed Ernest, and thus the play ends with all romantic couples satisfied and in love. Clearly, through the mode of comedy, Wilde intended to poke fun at the straitlaced community that frowned upon any deviation from the kind of convention they themselves set. What makes it even more humorous and tongue-in-cheek is the fact that this same society, behind closed doors, defies its own rules while maintaining a consistent and steady front, because of the complications arising from the numerous social obligations necessary to be observed. The trivial and petty arguments coming from the simple use of a name is representative of the superficiality of societal obligation, exemplified by the character Gwendolen’s refusal to marry anyone not named Ernest. While received positively by critics, the exploration of homosexuality in the text was unavoidable, considering Wilde’s reputation. Some claimed that the name ‘Ernest’ subtly referred to being homosexual, and this was somehow confirmed by references to earlier poems by other writers that used this kind of logic, as in John Nicholson’s poem â€Å"Of Boy’s Names†. Nevertheless, other critics and even the actors who had worked on the play denied the claim, and explicitly stated how there was no reference or implication of homosexuality in the piece. V. Other Works and Controversies Oscar Wilde was a prolific writer, churning out exceptional works in the form of poetry, short stories, as well as numerous other plays. He also professed his brand of politics, as evidenced by the impressive collection of articles he published under the titles of â€Å"The Decay of Lying†, â€Å"The Soul of Man Under Socialism†, and â€Å"De Profundis†; all three contained concepts that heralded Wilde’s affinity for aestheticism and socialism. Sadly, Wilde’s public persona was better known for the controversial trial that marred his career, and largely implicated him as an example of immorality arising from homosexual behavior and influence. Gross indecency was the actual crime for which he was being accused, and the event, which was drawn out for a several years, caused Wilde to permanently leave Britain (â€Å"FireBlade Coffeehouse: Oscar Wilde†). VI. Conclusion The intelligence and uniqueness of Oscar Wilde are the qualities that made him the great writer he was, and his conscious deviation from tradition and convention assured the public of works that were always fresh and insightful. However, as with lives tainted by controversy, Wilde could only push his efforts to a degree; he could only leave his literary legacies to a future society. And that he did, with his literature accorded the respect and recognition they deserve—albeit after his death. Wilde was clearly ahead of his time, and his principles on art and beauty would be embraced by many other writers and artists of later generations. Works Cited â€Å"FireBlade Coffeehouse: Oscar Wilde†. Negative Space. 28 June 2009 http://www. hoboes. com/html/FireBlade/Wilde/. Merriman, C. D. â€Å"Oscar Wilde†. 2008. Jalic Inc. 28 June 2009 http://www. online-literature. com/wilde/. Wilde, Oscar. The Importance of Being Earnest. Courier Dover Publications, 1990. Wilde, Oscar. The Picture of Dorian Gray. Macmillan, 1999.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Synthesis of Aquasomes With Different Compositions

Synthesis of Aquasomes With Different Compositions Executive Summary of Research Proposal (maximum 300 words) (Please include the problem statement, objectives, research methodology, expected output/outcomes/implication, and significance of output from the research project) The last three decades have witnessed remarkable and breathtaking advances in the field of biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular biology and peptide synthesis. These developments have facilitated the pharmaceutical industry to make remarkable progress in the development of peptide and proteins as drugs. Since proteins are known to be involved in essentially all biological processes and reactions, they represent a promising class of therapeutics. Administration of these classes of drugs to humans is formidable challenge for biotechnologist as well as pharmacist. The biggest problems lying in their governance are physical and chemical instability, poor bioavailability and lack of knowledge for delivering them. These problems can be solved by using the aquasomes. Aquasomes combines biotechnology and nanotechnology approaches. These sugar balls are the recent addition in delivery systems that have wider applications in peptide and protein delivery. Aquasomes are three-layered self-assem bled nanostructures. They contain solid nanocrystalline core lile calcium phosphate coated with polyhydroxy oligomers over which peptide and protein are adsorbed. The carbohydrate coating protects the peptide from dehydration and stabilizes the active peptide molecules. Structural stability is provided by solid core. Aqausomes maintains the conformational integrity of peptide which makes it ideal carrier system for delivery of peptides. In the proposed work Aquasomes, a novel nano drug delivery system compassing of hydroxy apatite (HA) core having carbohydrate coating will be prepared. Urokinase will be immobilized on these nanostructures for thromobolytic therapy. The prepared systems will be characterized for size, shape, size distribution, enzyme loading efficiency, and in vivo performance. The in vivo performance of the formulated aquasome will be compared with standard urokinase preparation. In Aquasome the steric hindrance is provided by polyhydroxyoligomers between enzyme and blood component (Plasma protein). Later RES cells assist in removing exogenous material from blood stream .The polyhydroxy oligomers maintain three dimensional conformation of enzyme and also helps in deferring recognizition from RES cells. Therefore it is proposed that aquasome not only act as dehydroprotectant but also preserve the three dimensional conformation of enzyme in blood, which enhanced dramatically the half-life of enzyme. So it is expected that proposed system can add new dimension in delivery of urokinase through its rapid onset of action, maximal efficacy and safety Research background including Problem Statement, Hypothesis/Research Questions, Literature Reviews, Related References and Relevance to Goverment Policy, if any. Problem statement Urokinase is a serine protease enzyme which is widely used as an anti-thromboembolic drug in thrombolytic therapy. Urokinase is a strong plasminogen activator. Activation of plasmin activates a proteolysis cascade which breaks down the fibrin polymers of blood clots. This makes urokinase a very important drug against vascular diseases.Urokinase has a half-life of 10-20 mins in plasma. Due to which it is needed to given patient in a short time span for treatment.2 These problems can be solved by using the aquasomes. Aquasomes combines biotechnology and nanotechnology approaches. These sugar balls are the recent addition in delivery systems that have wider applications in peptide and protein delivery. Aquasomes are three-layered self-assembled nanostructures. They contain solid nanocrystalline core like calcium phosphate coated with polyhydroxy oligomers over which peptide and protein are adsorbed. The carbohydrate coating protects the peptide from dehydration and stabilizes the active peptide molecules. Structural stability is provided by solid core. Aqausomes maintains the conformational integrity of peptide which makes it ideal carrier system for delivery of peptides.3,4 Hypothesis Urokinase is a thrombolytic enzyme having half life of 10-20 minutes. In the present work is an attempt is to retain the spatial properties of streptokinase i.e. three-dimensional conformation, which is a freedom internal molecular rearrangement generated by intermolecular interaction and a freedom of bulk movement. Using aquasomes a high degree of molecular preservation may be achieved by virtue of the significant degree of retained biological activity. The aquasomes also avoid the elimination of drug by reticuloendothelial system therefore sustained delivery of drug may be achieved, and a circulating bioreactor could possibly be developed which may be used as preventive measure to avoid probable vascular embolism Research Questions Is it possible to immobilize Urokinase on aquasomes? Do Aquasmoes will be able to preserve the activity of Urokinase? Is it possible to achieve sustain release of urokinase with aquasomes after PEGylation? Is it possible to use similar platform for other peptide drugs? Literature review Current status of research and development in the subject Kossovsky et al.5( 1995) reported first synthesis of aquasomes for delivery of protein antigen and mussel adhesive protein. After that around fifteen research publications were appeared in scientific community utilizing aquasomes for peptide and drug delivery. Recently Aquasomes were used in delivery of peptide and drugs like insulin6 and indomethacin.7 Vyas et al.8 also used aquasomes for hepatitis antigen delivery. The relevance and expected outcome of the proposed study Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common and potentially life threatening condition which is still under diagnosed and undertreated.VTE treatment is full of risk as patient requires precise dosing of drugs with careful monitoring.9 Due to these problems in last decade lot of studies were done for developing novel antithrombotic agents. Urokinase is a serine protease (EC 3.4.21.73) enzyme which is also called urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA). It is a thromobolytic agent. It was originally isolated from human urine, but it is also found in blood stream and the extracellular matrix. Urokinase directly activates conversion of plasminogen to plasmin which is a primary protein accountable for fibrinolysis.10 Urokianse has a half-life of 10-20 mins due to which it is not available in body for longer time. There is urgent need of a carrier which can carry the urokinase for longer time. Aquasomes is an answer for this need. As it carry the peptide with full retention of therapeutic activity for longer time. So there is a need of developing a drug delivery system for delivery of Urokinase in sustain manner11 It is projected that propose system can add new dimension in delivery of urokianse through its rapid onset of action, maximal efficacy and safety. References Degim IT, Celebi N. Controlled delivery of peptides and proteins. Curr Pharm Des 2007;13:99-117 Erdogan S, Ozer AY, and Bilgili H. In vivo behaviour of vesicular urokinase. Int. J. Pharm.2005 295: 1–6 Juliano RL. Microparticulate drug carriers: liposomes, microspheres and cells. In: Robinson JR, Lee VHL, editors. Controlled drug delivery. 2nd ed. New York: Marcel Dekker, Inc.; 2005. p. 555-80. Rawat M, Singh D, Saraf S, Saraf S. Nanocarriers: promising vehicles for bioactive drugs. Biol Pharm Bull 2006; 29:1790-8. Kossovsky N, Gelman A, Rajguru S, Nguyan R, Sponsler E, Hnatyszyn CK, et al. Control of molecular polymorphism by a structured carbohydrate/ceramic delivery vehicle-aquasomes. J Control Release 1996; 39:383-8. Cherian AK, Rana AC, Jain SK. Self-assembled carbohydrate-stabilized ceramic nanoparticles for the parenteral delivery of insulin. Drug Dev Ind Pharm 2000;26:459-63. Oviedo RI, Lopez SAD, Gasga RJ, Barreda CTQ. Elaboration and structural analysis of aquasomes loaded with indomethecin. Eur J Pharm Sci 2007; 32:223-30. Vyas SP, Goyal AK, Rawat A, Mahor S, Gupta PN, Khatri K.Nanodecoy system: a novel approach to design hepatitis B vaccine for immunopotentiation. Int J Pharm 2006; 309:227-33. Agarwal S, Lee AD, Raju RS, Stephen E. Venous thromboembolism: A problem in the Indian/Asian population? Indian J Urol 2009; 25:11-6. Agarwal Y.K, Vaidya H, Bhatt H, Manna K, Brahmkshatriya P Recent Advances in the Treatment of Thromboembolic Diseases: Venous Thromboembolism Medicinal Research Reviews, 2007 ; 27:891-914, Kaur K,Kush P,Pandey RS,Madan J,Jain UK,Katare OP Stealth lipid coated aquasomes bearing recombinant human interferon-ÃŽ ±-2b offered prolonged release and enhanced cytotoxicity in ovarian cancer cells.2015; 59 :267–276 (b) Objective (s) of the Research Urokinase is an unstable (half-life of 10-20 mins) enzyme. Pharmacist plays and important role in their stabilization, formulation and effective delivery. Over all aim of this study is to develop urokinase immobilized aquasome. Aquasome will protect urokinase from degradation and dehydration. It will also enhance and sustain its thrombolytic activity with reduced side effects. Specific objectives will be 1. To synthesize aquasomes having different compositions. Aquasomes with different sugar coating will be synthesized. Sucrose, Trehalose , Lactose and Pyrodoxial-5-phospahte will be used for sugar coating. Characterization of these nanoparticulte system will done using Transmission electron microscopy, Scanning electron microscopy, Zetasizer and X-ray powder diffractometry (XRPD). Determination of particle morphology and distribution size analysis of nanoparticles will be performed. 2 To immobilize urokinase on aquasomes and coating of PEGylated phospholipids Optimization of aquasome formulations for maximum loading of enzyme will be performed. Enzyme activity will be measured for immobilized enzyme and later they will be coated with PEGylated phospholipids for sustain release. 3. Characterization of these nanoparticulte systems after immobilization will be performed using Transmission electron microscopy, Scanning electron microscopy and Zetasizer 3. In-Vitro evaluation of aquasomal formulations Aquasomal formulations will evaluated for protein (Urokinase) release. (c) Methodology The envisaged work shall be undertaken on the following lines (1) Preformulation studies 1.1. Identification test for proteins IR spectroscopy SDS PAGE 1.2. Identification Test of Formulation Adjuvants (Sugars) Molish Test Moore’s Test Polarimetric determination of sugars 1.3. Preparation of calibration curve of adjuvants (Trehalose and Cellobiose) 1.4. Preparation of calibration curve of Enzyme as a Protein 1.5 Preparation of Calibration curve of Enzyme in PBS (pH 7.4) and Plasma (2) Preparation and Characterization of Hydroxy Apatite 2.1 Optimization of the method for the preparation of Hydroxy Apatite 2.1.1 Characterization of Hydroxy Apatite prepared by self-precipitation Size and Shape e.g TEM and SEM Crystal properties e.g XRD 2.1.2 Preparation and Characterization of Aquasome 2.1.3 Optimization of the poly hydroxyl Oligomers concentration on Hydroxy Apatite 2.1.4 Optimization of drying condition 2.1.5 Optimization of Protein concentration 2.16 Characterization of Optimized Aquasome formulation. Confirmation of poly hydroxyl Oligomers coating by Zeta Potential measurement Determination of loading efficiency of various Aquasome formulations In-vitro release rate studies Assessment of Biodegradability of Different Formulation Retention of Enzyme Activity Reaction Kinetics of Aquasome adsorbed Urokinase Urokinase specific Antibody Detection (3) Stability studies of prepared formulation SDS-PAGE Storage Stability Expected Results/Benefit It is expected that proposed formulation will retain the spatial properties of urokinase i.e. three-dimensional conformation, which is basically achieved by freedom of internal molecular rearrangement for intermolecular interaction and without any bulk movement. Using carbohydrate based aquasomes a high degree of molecular preservation may be achieved by virtue of the significant degree of retained biological activity. The aquasomes also avoid the elimination of drug by reticuloendothelial system therefore sustained and controlled delivery of drug may be achieved. Therefore, it is aim to develop an Aquasome system being streptokinase to protect drug from degradation and dehydration as well as to enhance and sustain its biological activity with reduced side effects. It will help us in getting preliminary results which will be very useful in writing big research project grants to other funding agencies. It is also expected that this research work will allows us to publish quality publications.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

A cellular network

A cellular network A cellular network is a radio network made of number of radio cells, each severed by fixed positioned based station. These cells stations cover several different areas and provide large radio coverage. In order for this to happen a variable number of portable transceivers can be used in any cell and moved through one cell during transmission. The use of multiple cells means that if the distributed transceivers are mobile and moving from one point to another point they should change also from cell to cell. This mechanism could be different according to the type of network and change of circumstances. In this case clear coordination between base station and mobile station is must in order to avoid communication interruption. The most common example of cellular Network is a cell or mobile phone, which is a portable telephone that could be dialled or receives calls through base station or transmitting tower. Radio waves transfer signal to and from mobile phone. The coverage area of service provider sometime is split into small cells in order to prevent signal losses and also a large number of active phones in the area. The range of signals could be different in cities and rural areas. All base stations are connected to mobile phone switches centre, which connect to a public telephone network or to another mobile company switch. As the mobile consumer moves from one cell area to another cell, the switch automatically commands the handset and a cell site with a stronger signal (reported by each handset) to switch to a new radio channel (frequency). When the handset responds through the new cell site, the exchange switches the connection to the new cell site. Modern cell phones networks use cell as radio frequencies are limited, shared resource, base stations and handsets change frequency and use low power transmitters in order that limited number of radio frequency can be used at the same time by many users with less interferences. To distinguish signals from a varieties of different transmitters, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) and code division multiple access (CDMA) has been developed. Advantage of cellular Network over other alternative solutions is: Increase capacity. Power usage reduced. Huge coverage area. Interference from other signals reduced. Reference paper 10 The evolution of the cellular Network started to flourish during the last years in which several different systems were developed; as a result we have first generation (1G), second generation (2G), third generation (3G) cellular networks and the trend is continuously increasing. The first generation (1G) was used from 1970-1980 and now is retired. In 1990 the second generation (2G) of Networks were launched such as Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), Personal Communications Service (PCS), and Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (IDEN) and so on. The second generation (2G) of networks replaced the (1G) and became very popular with digital processing, enabling wireless transmission of voice as well as data and have different Variety of new features such as a Push to Talk, Short Messaging service(SMS), caller ID, conference calling, voice mail, email messaging and so on. After the ongoing success of 2G, carriers to respond to the worldwide demand of the speed trend, they developed a robust interim generation of cellular Networks which is the 2.5G such as General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), High-Speed Circuit-Switched Data (HSCSD) and so on. This upgrade increase bandwidth needed to support a diverse variety of new applications including large email messages resourceful web browsing, navigation, basic multimedia faxing and different data at typical dialup speed. This generation of network become popular and supported many firm’s workers. Carriers continuously competing to add further enhancement to the new generation of Networks and from as a result we have the third generation (3G) with increased bandwidth to DSL with range of 144 Kbps to 2+Mbps are produced to provide support for more demanding multimedia applications such as video conferencing, voice over (VOIP), full motion video and streaming music to support television programs (satellite radio) and faster file downloads. GSM IT is standard mobile telephone system used across Europe and created in 1982. Global system for mobile communication (GSM) is one of the second generation (2G) of mobile Networks promoted by the GSM association, became the most popular standard mobile phone in the world with over 3 billion customers in more than 212 countries. GSM is a cellular Network and this means that mobile phones connect to it by searching for cells or nearest site. GSM has five different cell sites and its presents everywhere makes international roaming very common between phones operator; also allow mobile users to use their device in many parts of the world and change carriers without changing phones. On the other hand GSM benefits Network operators who have the possibility to choose equipment from any worldwide vendors using GSM. Features of GSM are: Low cost alternative to voice calls. Text messaging. Worldwide emergency telephone number (112/999), which connects international travellers to emergency service without knowing the local emergency service number. The GSM standard enhanced their services adding the general pocket radio service (GPRS), higher speed data transmission using enhanced data rates for GSM evolution (EDGE). GSM Network operates in a number of different frequency ranges with continuously enhanced full rate coder-decoder (CODEC). One of the key features of GSM is the SIM card or subscriber identity model, which contains the user’s subscription information and phone book. Finally the GSM system and service are governed by ETSI standard, which is a European telecommunication service institute. BTS BSC MSC GMSC VLR HLR Access Network MS BSS SMSS OMC EIR AUC OMSS ISDNPSTN GSM Sub Systems architecture GSM is a part of 2nd Generation systems. GSM’s purpose was to provide a circuit switched telephony service to mobile users. GSM uses Time Division Multiple Access. GSM has a different core network than 2.5 Generation and 3rd Generation infrastructure. The Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) or Synchronous Digital Network (SONET) standards provide a conventional transmission line in fixed connections as like from BSS to SMSS interfaces. Inside of the core network, Mobile Application Part signalling (MAP) is used. Functionality of Various Modules of the GSM System There are three subsystems in GSM network .These are: Base Station Subsystems (BSS) Switching and Management Subsystems (SMSS) Operation and Maintenance Subsystems (OMSS) Base Station Subsystems (BSS) In GSM networks, the access network plays a very important role to connect terminals to the network. The access network BSS is connected to the core network. The main purpose of BSS is to set the connection between a Mobile Station and the Base Station. The first component of a BSS network is the Base Transceiver Station (BTS), which is responsible from air interface and creating a bridge between the network and the Mobile Station (MS). The second component is the Base Station Controller (BSC), which is responsible from all the Base Transceiver Stations (BTS). Simply it is responsible to allocate and release channels at air interface. Base Station Subsystems are connected to SMSS and OMSS. Switching and Management Subsystems (SMSS) SMSS is divided into two components. These are Mobile Switching Centre (MSC) and Gateway Mobile Switching Centre (GMSC). MSC is responsible for all the base stations which are connected onto Mobile Switching Centre (MSC) over Base Station Controller (BSC). The GMSC is responsible from the external fixed network line. Whenever there is a phone call, it comes in or goes out from GMSC. All the incoming calls are directed to Home Location Register (HLR) to detect and look at the profile of subscriber in order to determine if the subscriber is able to make a phone call or not . If the call is accepted it goes to MSC, then from MSC the call goes into Visitor Location Register (VLR), VLR knows the location of mobile stations. Simply we can say that the VLR is responsible from the access network and also from MSC too. Operation and Maintenance Subsystems (OMSS) Operation and Maintenance Subsystems (OMSS) is mainly responsible for the security of the network. For example, if the phone is stolen or if the subscriber didn’t pay his bill. One of the important data bases in OMSS are Equipment Identity Register (EIR) and the Authentication Centre (AUC). Ref 11 wiki Universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) Universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) is one of the third generation (3G) mobile telecommunication technologies, which is also being designed in a (4G) technology. The name UMTS is introduced by ETSI and is usually used in Europe but adapt other names outside the continent, instructed by 3GPP and is a part of a global ITU IMT-2000 Standard. The most common form of UTMS Network uses Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (IMT direct spread) as the underlying air interface. The idea that lies behind the UMTS is to create a network component which is close to GSM/GPRS and also to be able to operate under this existing GSM/GPRS Network (GERAN). UMTS has an additional Access Network to GERAN. All the components in this new access network are totally different than the components in GERAN access network. As it is mentioned before UMTS can work with both Circuit Switch (2G) and Packet Switch domain (2.5G 3G), therefore there are two access networks. One of these is called Radio Access Network (GERAN) and the second one is called UMTS Terrestrial Access Network (UTRAN). Showing UTRAN infrastructure The GSM network is a circuit switched network, which means, that there are no IP, high data rate or multimedia messages. UTRAN is a packet switched network, where everything is based on IP address, high data rate and many other facilities are available. In GSM infrastructure, we have got a Mobile Station (MS), Base Transceiver Station (BTS) and Base Station Controller (BSC). But this infrastructure is totally different in UTRAN infrastructure. In UTRAN, there is user equipment (UE) which is the same as Mobile Station in GERAN/BSS. Another component is Node B (NB). The Node B is the base station as BTS and this Node B (NB) is controlled by Radio Network Controller (RNC). RNC is the same as BSC in GERAN/BSS. The main differences are higher data rates, enhanced security, new protocols and signalization for enhanced service factors. These are all provided by the new components in an access network of UTRAN/RNC. UMTS there are two core networks and two access networks. The advantage of UMTS is that it is very flexible. UMTS supports both circuit switch and Packet Switch Networks. One core network is designed for CS domain and the other one is designed for PS domain. Circuit switch is for the old generation mobiles but still in use. CS domain is not based on IP; we can simply say that CS domain is needed for GSM network. Packed switch domain is based on internet protocol (IP) and has different new protocol and signalling. PS domain enables high speed data rate as a result of this is that video messaging and all these other internet based and high speed data rates can be obtained. PS domain is needed for GPRS and UMTS. In UTRAN/RNS, user wants to make a call. In this case the user equipment (UE) searches for the nearest Node B and sets the connection. Once the connection is set the call is transferred from Node B (NB) to Radio Network Controller (RNC), From RNC the call goes to PS domain Core Network in GERAN/BSS. Mobile Station (MS) searches for the nearest Base Transceiver Station (BTS) and from here the MS is directed to BSC, if the call is IP based from BSC then the call will be directed to PS domain core network, if the call is not IP based than it goes to CS Domain core network. UMTS Block Architecture Iub – This interface happens between the Node B and RNC. RNC is using I-ub interface to control one or more Node B. The I-ub interface is standardized interface; there is also a signalling protocol which uses NBAP. Iur – This interface happens between the Radio Network Controllers (RNC). Iur helps the RNC to pass its information or data to another RNC. After this process, the user equipment is transferred to new RNC; the signalling protocol uses Radio Network Subscriber Application part (RNSAP). There are two Iu interface for both PS and CS core networks, one for Iu CS another one is for Iu PS. Iu CS This interface happens between UTRAN/RNS and the circuit switch core network domain. Iu-CS carries voice and signalling between UTRAN/RNS and PS domain core network. The signalling protocol is called RANAP. Iu PS This interface happens between UTRAN/RNS and the packet switch core network domain. This core network is designed for UMTS and GPRS. Iu–PS carries voice and signalling between UTRAN/RNS and PS domain core networks. The signalling protocol is RANAP.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Fifth Generation Computers :: Technology Computer Essays

Fifth Generation Computers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ever since computers first came into production, they have been evolving. The Commodore 64 and Apple computers have dominated the very first computer market. Today, there are many companies in the computer industry fighting for technology supremacy. And since the beginning, every new generation of computers has dominatedover the old ones. When they first came out, each jump in technology took awhile, but nowadays, the technology changes daily. Fifth generation computers are overall much better than the previous generation. The computer has progressed in many ways, but the most important improvement is the speed and operating capabilities. It was only around 6 years ago when a 386 DX2 processor was the fastest and most powerful CPU in the market. This processor could do a plethora of small tasks and still not be working to hard. Around 2-3 years ago, the Pentium came out, paving the way for new and faster computers. Intel was the most proficient in this area and came out with a range of processors from 66 MHz-166 Mhz. These processors are also now starting to become obsolete. Todays computers come equipped with 400-600 Mhz processors that can multi-task at an alarming rate. Intel has just started the release phase of it’s new Pentium III-800MHz processor. Glenn Henry is quoted to say â€Å"Megahertz is all people care about† and this is too true. Sys Technology recently came out with what they claim as the â€Å"fastest commercially available PC†. This computer runs at an astonishing 1000 Mhz or 1 Ghz. This computer is appropriately named the Cold-Fusion 1000 due to the KryoTech refrigeration unit that runs coolant through a pipe over the CPU to keep it at a cool -40 degrees Celsius. This computer is made for graphics creators and â€Å"ultra serious gamers†. This super computer will be available at the end of November for a steep price of $4299 American. Even as we speak, a new form opf processor is coming out that uses an Itanium chip made by Intel. But don’t expect it anytime soon, â€Å"Itanium won’t be relevant for PC’s until 2003 at the earliest, more likely 2005.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The next major improvement is the memory of a computer. This includes the hard drive and the RAM. During the same generation as the 386, there was also the hard drive and RAM. But these two components were not much then. The hard drive was about 100-300 megabytes and the RAM was about 4 megabytes.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby :: essays research papers

Then wear the gold hat, if that will move her; If you can bounce high, bounce for her too, Till she cry Lover, gold-hatted, high-bouncing lover, I must have you! Thomas Parke D'Invilliers Jay Gatsby went through most of his life striving for a new beginning, a chance to start over and succeed. He forced that aspect of life, into his own, by changing his identity. He was James Gatz a man who's unknown soul was left to linger in the past. Now he is Jay Gatsby. Gatsby does not realize that life can be difficult. You can not just move on and pretend that the past never happened. If you do not face the real and original you, you will never find success or happiness in the way you wish to live your present life. All through Gatsby's life he looked to the green light on the dock across the bay for hope and reassurance. He needed to know that his dream was still as bright as it was the day he met Daisy. Gatsby lived for an American dream. The truth was that Jay Gatsby of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his Platonic conception of himself. He was a son of God - a phrase which, if it means anything, means just that. (Pg.104) Gatsby created himself to be his own hero, through the eyes of a seventeen year old boy. He began to wear that gold hat and rise in society with money, friends, and a love life he dreamed of returning. You see I usually find myself among strangers because I drift here and there trying to forget the sad thing that happened to me. (Pg.71-72) Gatsby smothered himself in popularity to try and block out the memory of the man he was before his change. He has been grieving for a love that he lost when drafted to the war. His only hope left is a green light across the bay which seems to shine through the unhappiness in Gatsby's life. Daisy, as pure and sweet as the flower itself, is the only thing left that is needed for him to complete his dream. He wanted nothing less of Daisy than that she should go to Tom and say, I never loved you. (Pg.116) We know that Gatsby is asking for to much of Daisy, he knows it too. Can't repeat the past?

Pathogens :: essays research papers fc

Emerging Waterborne Pathogens In today’s food preparation world waterborne pathogens are becoming a real threat. Why? Simply because in today’s culture people are quick to blame the food industry for most cases of disintary or other ill effects caused by bacteria. In this paper several things will be discussed. To understand what I’m trying to say, you must understand a few key terms. First lets define waterborne pathogen. A waterborne pathogen is a micro-organism whose ability to cause disease has recently been identified. Now that you know what a waterborne pathogen is lets name a few. 1. Bacteria in the form of, Arcobacter Butzleri Helicobacter Pylori And E. Coli 2. Viruses Rotaviruses and Adenoviruses Type 40 and 41 3. Protozoa Acanthamoeba. Each of these possible pathogens has been identified but according to the WRc’s â€Å"Final Report to the Department of the Environment on Waterborne Pathogens,† it is still possible that several unidentifie d pathogens may be at large and dangerous. In order to understand how these pathogens work, and how to destroy them we must understand several of the parts that make them up. Some of these parts are: Morphology Biochemical Characteristics Detection Methods Cultural characteristics Health Effects Routes of Transmission Occurrence in Water Sources Sources of Exposure and Susceptibility to removal or inactivation by conventional water treatment processes. Each of these parts is used in today’s world to identify and destroy existing, and new pathogens. What happens if someone ingests a pathogen before it is identified? Well that is one reason that the Department of the Environment is so concerned. Due to current environmental status new pathogens are appearing semi-daily, and consequently overwhelming those who are working to stop them. One major example of this is Legionella. Legionella is unique in the fact that 42 strains have been identified, and yet only one is within our ab ility to control. So obviously there is a major shortage of knowledge on pathogens, and how to control them. According to the WRC’s report to the Department of the Enviroment â€Å"The threat which is posed by an organism to contaminate water supplies and cause outbreaks always exists,† and furthermore they state that â€Å"The threat which is posed by an organism, in terms of its occurrence and distribution in water sources and the ability to remove it is often poorly understood and or completely unknown.† Does this alarm anyone else? Just the thought that our government admits that there are diseases out there that we have no ability to control is alarming.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Commentary on the opening of Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Alexander von Ramm Essay

The opening of Margaret Atwood’s â€Å"The Handmaid’s Tale† deals with a woman who lives in a gym which has been converted to a kind of camp. By describing the gym she has a lot of flashbacks. In the build up to the story Margaret Atwood uses a lot of literary devices in order to achieve specific goals. The setting, the narrative voice, the structure of the opening passage and her style raise a lot of questions and . Furthermore the opening passage expresses a lot of ideas which might be central to the plot. Achieves a range of effects. Using a detailed setting the author manages to highlight that a lot of things in today’s society changed. The first person narrator describes the gym where she lives by elaborating on the former use of the single objects. (â€Å"a balcony ran around the room, for the spectators,†¦). The description all takes place in a imaginative episode of the past. By describing the perfume, the jewellery and the clothing of the girls she highlights the personal freedom in the former society. (†¦ I could smell, faintly chewing gum from the watching girls, †¦). Furthermore Margaret Atwood states that the blankets still say U.S. This is the last evidence for the big change in the society (and army-issue blankets, old ones that still said U.S.) The description of the former use of the object emphasizes the big change in the society very well. In the former US- society the gym was a place of fun. The games which have been played here express energy and the willingness to play. This play changed into a prison-like place. The reader is immediately pulled into the plot which takes place in a society which is totally different to the one we know. This makes the reader excited to read the complete book. Margaret Atwood employs a special narrative voice in order to express some central ideas of the plot. The whole opening passage is written in first person plural. This shows the shared perspective of the society group the first person narrator (â€Å"WE yearned for the future.†). Furthermore this expresses the sense of solidarity among the women. By describing the past in a sad voice the first person narrator is not happy with her actual life situation. In addition to that the fact that the whole opening section does not have any plot at all and that she concentrates her telling on the past before the big changes in the society expresses her feeling of being trapped. The employed narrative voice gives the reader a first view on the main ideas of the novel. In addition to that there a question raised. For example the first person voice raises the question: † What lead to the shared perspective of the women in the gymnasium?† Furthermore the author works with a well chosen structure again in order to highlight the changes in the society. By employing a binary structure she emphasizes the positive things of the past. She starts by describing the former use of the former use of the gymnasium in the whole first paragraph. The intensity and the positive voice in the first paragraph express her positive opinion about it. In addition to that her sentence in the first two paragraphs which deal with the past are good connected while her sentence in the other paragraphs where she deals with the present are not connected at all. These 3 paragraphs reflect her actual thoughts about her life and the society she lives in. Margaret Atwood expresses via her structure her first person narrators opinion about present and past. Furthermore she again highlights the changes in the society. By using good stylistic elements the author manages to emphasize her points even more. The employed positive imagery is always from the past. That highlights again the positive facts of the past. In addition to that her long and complex sentence structure expresses the first person narrators intelligence- Even though she might be part of the lowest stand in the society she is not stupid. All her stylistic elements are employed in order to emphasize her two points, the change in the society and that the pasts society was so much better than the society of today. By emphasizing her first person narrators intelligence she adds reliability to her story. Margaret Atwoods literary devices express a lot of ideas which might be part of the plot. Regarding her merging of tenses and the content of her opening passage it is quite apparent that the novel will be dealing with a patriarchal society. Furthermore, freedom and control will be part of the plot. In addition to that language and imagination as a tool for independence will be part of the plot as well. These topics were quite important in the realisatione of the book.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Jorge Luis Borges – Use of Ambiguity

The Art of Being Ambiguous In his collection of short stories, Ficciones, Jorge Luis Borges uses dreams, imagination and fantasy to establish ambiguity in his stories. With the use of juxtaposition and symbols, Borges blends a realm of dreams and imagination into the individual’s everyday worldly experiences. Through these devices, Borges commonly blurs the line between aspects of reality for his characters versus the constructs of his or her mind.By combining the real with the fictitious, Borges incorporates ambiguity into his stories and introduces his readers to new perspectives of world around them. In â€Å"The South,† Borges establishes ambiguity by dropping subtle textual hints that would ultimately allow for the reader to attain vastly different interpretations of the same text. If taken at face value, the main character Dahlmann is released from a sanatorium after a serious head injury.On the train ride back from the sanatorium, Borges hints that Dahlmann perio dically transitions into his illusory past of the old South. Even as he enters the cab that would take him to the train station, he admits that â€Å"reality is partial to symmetries and slight anachronism† (175) meaning that his past, although misplaced and irrelevant to modern times, continues to have significance in the present. The reader can argue that Dahlmann’s nostalgia induces illusions of the world from a time he remembered and celebrated it.On the train ride back to his ranch, he describes that the car â€Å"was not the same car that had pulled out of the station†¦ the plains and the hours had penetrated and transfigured it† (177) and that Dahlmann â€Å"was traveling not only into the South but into the past † (177). Borges uses this description to indicate that Dahlmann transcends into his fantasies of the old South on the train ride home as a result of a longing for the past. However, Borges also hints that Dahlmann might not have left the sanatorium at all, but has actually only dreamed about his release.Some readers find it improbable how Dahlmann is told he is â€Å"coming right along† (175) by the doctors at the sanatorium when only the day before Dahlmann was told that he was on the brink of death from septicemia. For Dahlmann, dying in the sanatorium would be a humiliating ending. When he is informed of his near death experience, Dahlmann felt â€Å"suddenly self-pitying† (175) and broke down crying. Borges points out that Dahlmann aspires to be like his ancestors and die heroically in the old Argentinian manner. Because dying in the sanatorium would have een a disgrace for Dahlmann, Borges highlights the possibility that Dahlmann dreamed up a perfect, heroic death in which he would defend the honor of the Old South. This is portrayed when Dahlmann gears up to fight â€Å"a young thug† (179), symbolic of modern Argentina, outside a country store at the end of his journey. When Borges sta tes that â€Å"it was as the South itself had decided that Dahlmann should accept the challenge† (179), he emphasizes how Dahlmann viewed himself as about to fight in the name of the Old South.For this reason, it is arguable that Dahlmann fantasized his whole journey home and his dreams reflect how he desires to die a heroic death in reality. By incorporating these subtle hints throughout â€Å"The South†, Borges establishes ambiguity between whether Dahlmann had actually left the sanatorium or simply dreamed the whole story. Through this ambiguity, Borges allows for readers to form multiple interpretations to the same story. In â€Å"The Secret Miracle†, Borges blurs the line between the factual world and what constitutes as a fantasy by introducing the idea of having dreams transcend into reality.The main character Hladik has begun to formulate his own play through the inner-workings of his imagination. Aspects of this play mimic Hladik’s reality as he reveals in the end that the main character of his play, Jaroslav Kubin, actually dreams up the events that occurred before in the story. â€Å"The play has not taken place; it is a circular delirium that Kubin endlessly experiences and re-experiences (160). † As Kubin dreams up the plotline of his story, Hladik constructs and reenacts the plotline of the play in which Kubin is part of through a dream, thus incorporating a dream within a dream.By juxtaposing Hladik’s reality and the play he has constructed in his mind, Borges introduces the overarching idea of how the mind constitutes for a different realm in which the dreamers and thinkers can shape, share, and confide in. This idea is again prominent when the bullet that is intended to kill Hladik on the day of his execution stops seconds before taking him. Borges states that, â€Å"in Hladik’s mind a year would pass between the order of the fire and the discharge of the rifle† (162) as a result of God.I f taken at face value, God has intervened as promised in Hladik’s dream. If the reader was to interpret this story in this manner, it is clear that events from Hladik’s dream transform and impact his reality. In which case, Borges clouds the distinction between Hladik’s reality and dreams. However, oddly enough, when Hladik requests the assistance of God in a dream the night before, the librarian states â€Å"I myself have gone blind searching for it [God]† (161), indicating that presence of God is questionable at most.If God is not yet found, He could not have given Hladik the extra year. By incorporating these subtle hints, Borges also allows the reader to interpret that it was solely Hladik’s perception of time, rather than the intervention of God, that allowed him another year. By blurring the line between aspects of Hladik’s reality versus the constructs of his mind, Borges permits the reader to question the presence of God in Hladikâ⠂¬â„¢s execution and introduces the idea that time is relative to how an individual’s mind perceives it.In the last short story â€Å"Circular Ruins,† Borges again uses dreams to introduce the reader to a new way of perceiving the world. In this story, the protagonist would dream each individual part of a boy until he would have finally engineered a son using his own imagination. However, the irony lies herein that the creator realizes at the end of the story he too â€Å"was but appearance, that another man was dreaming him† (100). The protagonist was nothing but a dream of another dreamer like his son was the dream of himself.Through â€Å"The Circular Ruins,† Borges asserts that the individual’s perception of reality might simply be an elaborate illusion. The protagonist did not realize he himself was a dream until the end of the story when he steps into the flames. Similarly, Borges questions the credibility of the reader’s own existence . Borges uses the circular ruins where the protagonist dreams his son – and where his son might possibly dream his own creation – as a symbol to represent the infinite loop of dreams.Additionally, because a circle does not have a definite beginning or end, it signifies the dreams itself have an ambiguous beginning and an indefinite end. In essence, the ambiguity within this story lies in that the reader is left to question the original dreamer, had there even been an original. The individual is left to ponder whether the circular ruins are to constitute reality or whether the dreamer is simply experiencing a dream within a dream, another popular style of Borges as delineated within â€Å"The Secret Miracle. Overall, Borges opens up a door of possibilities that lead to a string of unanswerable questions left to the reader’s interpretation. In general, Borges uses dreams, imagination, and constructs of the mind to brilliantly incorporate ambiguity into his short stories and thereby allow his readers to ponder new thoughts and ideas. In â€Å"The South†, the readers are left to question whether Dahlmann’s journey back to the South had actually taken place or whether it was only a dream in which he portrays his desire to want to die a heroic death like his ancestors.Within â€Å"The Secret Miracle†, Borges weaves aspects from Hladik’s own imagination into his reality such as the possible presence of God. This in turn allows the reader to question the distinction between factors of Hladik’s real world versus that in his mind. Finally, in â€Å"The Circular Ruins,† the ending leaves the reader to question whether dreams constitute a reality of its own or whether these dreams had an original dreamer who was simply dreaming within a dream, a popular motif in other Borges stories.When Borges blurs the line between reality and fiction, he establishes ambiguity and often induces his reader to question the cr edibility of their own reality. Through this ambiguity, Borges asserts that there is no clear or correct way to understand his short stories and that each story is open to the individual’s own interpretation. As a result, the short stories are open to a wide range of interpretations. Through these multiple interpretations, the reader opens him or herself up to new ways of perceiving the world.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Representation of Women in Action Movies

If a man can fight, he’s a hero. If a woman can fight, she’s a b**ch! Representation of women in action films The film industry never seems to lack action films and there always plenty for the market to choose from however how many of those have women in a leading role? A handful. There aren’t that many films that feature women in lead roles within action films. But the question is why? Why haven’t a majority of these women been given a chance? Are actresses like Uma Thurman and Angelina Jolie one-woman-wonders or have they just been given a lucky break?I’ll be exploring the representation of women in action films through a semiotic analysis. David Gauntlett argues that â€Å"in contemporary society, gender roles are more complex and the media reflects this. The female roles today are often glamorous as well as successful in a way that they were previously not. Much of this is due to the rise of ‘girl power’ in the media, through ident ities constructed by music artists and contemporary actresses, for example, who are demanding less passive roles† which explains how films like Charlie’s Angels have made it to the forefront.Unfortunately, women have repeatedly suffered from a narrow set of representations in the media. They are regularly linked to the domestic situation i. e. housewives, or as sexual objects represented to entertain men. Furthermore, â€Å"the number of roles for leading women is far below that of men. † Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle is the film I’ve chosen explore and there several reasons behind this. I’ve chosen this text because it portrays women within dominant roles. Furthermore, the concept behind it breaks the pre-existing norm of women being the sexual object that entertains the male hero/spy.This isn’t the case in this film, they’re heroes fighting crime and saving the day. Not only are they stunning and beautiful but they also poss ess skills that crush and challenge existing stereotypes about women which is exactly why I chose this film. Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle is an action comedy film that was released on the 27 June 2003. The film was directed by McG and produced on a budget of $120 million. It was the sequel to the 2000’s Charlie’s Angels and it was number one at the box office for its opening weekend and produced a worldwide gross of $259. 2 million. The film was a success.It stars an ensemble cast including Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu. It also features notable actors and actresses such as Demi Moore, Shia LaBeouf and Matt LeBlanc. Diaz, Barrymore and Liu or the â€Å"Angels†, are three extremely talented, strong, sexy women who work as private investigators for unseen millionaire named Charlie. Prior to this film, they had starred in more passive roles in the romantic comedy genre. In most action films, â€Å"men were more likely to be adventurous, activ e and vicarious, whereas women were more frequently shown as weak, ineffectual, victimised, supportive, laughable or ‘merely token females† (Gunter, 1995).A film such as this allowed their fans to view them in a more dominant, powerful light. This immediately challenges the pre-existing stereotype of women because they are illustrated as superior to their male counterpart. The angels are independent women who aren’t tied down or held back by men. On-the-other-hand, the fact that they work for a male, wealthy character who controls their every move is ironic because in reality, many women are in similar situations and living in a patriarchal society. The opening scene of the film is a brilliant example of the female representation shown throughout the plot.It’s set in a filthy, hostile bar in the Himalayas in Mongolia. The bar is packed with lots of men drinking and jeering. The use of an establishing long shot works well to familiarise the audience with the initial setting and atmosphere. I believe the director did this in order to show the contrast between all of the men and the Angels. A dolly shot is used to track two men carrying a box so the audience become intrigued to learn the contents as they descend into the basement. To the surprise of the audience, Alex Munday (Lucy Liu) was inside the box; contortioned and tucked away.A high angle shot is used and the camera tilts in order to display the actresses’ flexibility. As she rises out of the box the camera zooms into a close up of Liu as she does a symbolic swipe of her long, dark hair; an iconic move for any female superpower. She’s dressed in a black leather ensemble which connotes mystery and obscurity. Perhaps out of the three angels, Liu is the dark horse. As she stands against the wall, a medium shot is used cleverly because not only can we see Liu against the wall but we can also see the hostage and his capturers in the room behind the actress.The connotatio n is accurate as she then saves the hostage by taking out the guards with some impressive combat. Her character is almost portrayed to be a female equivalent to Jet Li; she appears to be unstoppable and fierce. As she drags the hostage up the stairs, the lighting changes dramatically. The basement was very dark and low-key lighting was used which made the action stealthy and hostile. Whereas, the lighting used in the bar is high-key; very bright and there are few shadows.This is symbolic because it’s as if Alex has taken the hostage from hell (dark, unpleasant) and to heaven (bright, hope) which is essentially the purpose of an angel both contexts. Meanwhile upstairs, the atmosphere is volatile as a new character emerges dressed in a red, sleek kimono. Her costume connotes love, passion and warmth however in this scenario it connotes danger, sin and aggression. This is the 2nd angel; Dylan Saunders. The camera tilts over her shoulder and shows the male opponent smirking at he r and then it pans around the table to eventually show her face.As she throws back a shot of alcohol, she comes across as the bad angel, the bad girl of the trio. The use of red with Dylan in this scene is symbolic because it displays a wide contrast between her and Alex. She’s more masculine in her body language but the director has tried to mask this behind the sexy outfit and red lipstick. As she walks away she clasps one of the guards by the waist, grabs his keys and tucks them away subtly. The focus then turns to the doors of the bar and the audience anticipates the worst. As the doors fling open, a medium shot shows a tanned, petite and blonde angelic woman.This is the third and final angel, Natalie Cook. She’s dressed in a white, fluffy coat and a revealing white mini skirt. This connotes purity, happiness and honesty which would be fitting for a normal angel. However, Natalie is no ordinary angel. As she stands at the door, she looks lost and dazed and a close- up of her face supports this further. As the men stare at her beauty in awe, she jeers at them and they erupt with excitement. The men are so amazed they form a guard of honour for Natalie as she walks over to the mechanical bull.Whereas, when Dylan wanted to move through the men they simply didn’t move and didn’t even know she was there. The use of white dumbs the men and amplifies Natalie’s angelic nature. Furthermore, her body language also plays a part in stunning the men. She giggles excessively and winks at a few of the men. Also, Diaz flicks her pigtails every two seconds and is also chewing gum. She hardly challenges the existing stereotype of blonde women but adds fuel to the fire. This is supported further by the fact that her skirt is so short, the audience can see clearly underneath it.Perhaps Natalie is the ‘bimbo’ of the group. The director has clearly added to the stereotype of blonde’s being stupid through Natalie’s cha racter however this could be challenged throughout the plot. I believe this opening scene and in fact the entire plot supports Mulvey’s Male Gaze theory. It states that â€Å"media texts are created through the eyes of a heterosexual male and that women are viewed for the pleasure of men. † (Smith, 2009) She also claimed that â€Å"women are turned into sex objects through how they are shot in the media (Cinematography). (Smith, 2009) Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle demonstrates this. The plot should challenge the norm and allow women to break free however the body language and costumes used throughout diverges the male audience from the plot and to the women being sexualised. In a review by the BBC, Nev Pierce argued â€Å"some call it girl power, others demeaning. † Furthermore, â€Å"When female protagonists, for example, have to function as law enforcers and confront criminal behaviour – both associated with male authority and action – gendered conflict inevitably follows. † (Hall, 1997, p. 364)However, this film could mislead women into thinking they have to become successful and independent by wearing tight, revealing clothes and caking up their faces with make-up but of course this isn’t true. â€Å"It really makes me more and more angry. The aim is to rake in money, loads of money and people try to do that by all means of all these things – sex, beautiful people, wealth and you always have people who fall for it. † (Ang, 1997, p. 347) This opening scene shows three very different women with different talents however what they all have in common is their characters have been onstructed to appeal to different types of men but collectively appeal to all men. Although this action film had 3 women in lead roles, it failed to truly challenge the existing stereotypes of women having to be objects and requiring sex appeal to become successful. In reality, â€Å"a woman cannot be herself in the society of the present day, which is an exclusively masculine society, with laws framed by men and with a judicial system that judges feminine conduct from a masculine point of view. † References Websites Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle blog (non-official) http://c-angels. blogspot. co. uk/ Pierce, Nev. (2003). BBC film review. http://www. bbc. co. uk/films/2003/06/27/charlies_angels_full_throttle_2003_review. shtml Smith, Mr (2009). Representation Theory – http://www. slideshare. net/fleckneymike/representation-theory-2458490 Smcmediastudies, (2011). The Representation of Women in the Media http://www. slideshare. net/smcmediastudies/the-representation-of-women-in-the-media Books Ang, Ien. (2006). Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices, in association with Sage. Ang, I. (1985) Watching Dallas: soap opera and the melodramatic imagination, New York, Methuen. Ibsen, Henrik (1917). Ibsen’s Workshop.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

The Nile Paper

River of Africa Surrounding landforms and availability of resources affect civilizations. The survival of countries in Africa relies on the Nile River. Physical landforms, climatic agriculture as well as ancient cultures and advances contribute to the effective utilization of the Nile. Various subdivisions and landforms along the coast of the river present tremendous opportunities for the Africans. Over time, the control of water intake and the substantial contribution of different climates create a vast diversity among the vegetation because of the proliferous soil by the Nile’s annual flood.The formation of ancient cultures, agriculture, and technologies significantly contributed to the developing countries adjacent the banks of the Nile. The tributaries, landforms and various transportation opportunities assist the Africans. The tributaries connect several locations in Africa to provide the countries with water, exploration, and fertile land. The portion of the river in Nor th Africa consists of three main sources: the White Nile, the Blue Nile, and the Atbara Rivers. The White Nile contains the largest mass of water so that during the dry season the river remains sustainable (Middleton vol. ). Western explorers investigated Africa because of the Blue Nile. The Blue Nile â€Å"is the link between the Mediterranean and the Deep Interior;† therefore, â€Å"the search for its source drew many Western explorers into Africa† (Murray 170). Among many of the smaller tributaries, the Atbara provides water in Ethiopia during the dry season. The Atbara â€Å"runs through the Ethiopian highlands during the wet seasons, but is dry from January to June† (Barrow). Therefore, it provides the amount of water suitable for the environment during that half of the year.The waters and soils of the Nile, the largest river in the world, supplies life to the barren desert and the river’s neighboring area. The two lands surrounding the Nile affect t he flooding and climate zones. The black land â€Å"was the fertile land on the banks of the Nile† (Barrow). Black layer contains silt which contains layers of sediments left behind from the annual flood; moreover, the sediments made the land useable for agriculture. The red land â€Å"was a region of inhospitable desert† (Barrow). This region of desert protected the Egyptians from attack bordering the country.The headwaters of the flood water originate from the Ethiopian Highlands. Every summer, â€Å"rain in the Ethiopian highlands sent a barrage of water that overflowed the banks of the Nile† (Barrow). Without the precipitation in the Ethiopian Highlands, the river would cease to provide any nutritional soil; as a result, the prominent agricultural land would indefinitely vanish from existence, leaving a barren, tundra like land. The waters contain numerous beneficial obstacles environing the area. The small ridges of the central plateaus mean that â€Å"the lower courses of rivers are characterized by waterfalls and cataracts† (Murray 12).The cataracts and waterfalls redirect the course of the river, affecting the vegetation and farming around it. Settlement in Sudan depends on the river. The White Nile River flows â€Å"north across the Sudanese border into the Sudd, the world’s largest permanent swamp† (Middleton 3: 66). Even though half of the river’s water evaporates in the swamps, half of Sudan’s population lives among the banks of the subsidiary. The river’s surrounding features, as well as the tributaries and waterfalls, significantly contribute to the welfare of the country’s needs.Flooding and climate influence the vegetation in the area, which remains vital for existence. Irrigation manipulates the growth and development of agriculture; moreover, irrigation systems contribute to improve the effective utilization of the river. Because of the dry climate and vast desert surroundi ng the river, the irrigation remains for life. The continents â€Å"unreliable rainfall and frequent drought make irrigation an essential tool for agriculture† (Middleton 2: 159). Irrigation supplies the water for the crops during the dry season, which remains essential for food. Flood cropping exemplifies ancient forms of irrigation and technology.The Egyptians would plant crops, and would then flourish when the river floods in the fall, followed by harvesting the crops in the winter; moreover, the people named the system basin irrigation for the pattern of events. (Middleton 2: 159). Flood cropping did not create an abundance of crops due to the unusual pattern of the great flood. In the early stages of developing irrigation, Egyptians formed a system called basin irrigation. When the Nile floods, the water fills the basin; as a result, when the river fell the farmers allowed â€Å"the water to drain away and then plant crops in the wet soil left behind† (Middleton 2 : 159).Basin irrigation created a mass majority of the planted crops which created a bountiful amount of food for the people; however, the farmers could only plant crops once a year. The vegetation grown around the Nile River Basin depends merely on the flooding season and by the proliferous soil. The annual flood of the Nile contributes to the mass vegetation and of the cycle of growth. The close correlation between the distribution of soil and vegetation remains a significant factor for plant cover in soil formation. The flood produces soil needed for growth of various types of vegetation.When the annual flood recedes, the river leaves a â€Å"thick layer of silt which was excellent soil to plant seeds in the soil after it had been ploughed† (Barrow). The silt provides the necessity to properly grow plants. The cycle of the growing crops consist of Akhet, Peret, and Shamuc. During the months of June through September, also known as the Akhet, the annually flood occurs; also , during these months, farming has ceased (Barrow). From the months of October through February, or the period called the Peret, the floodwaters recede, leaving a thick layer of silt; moreover, during this time the farmers plough the soil (Barrow).During the time of Shamuc, months from March through May, the farmers harvest the crops and workers repair the canals (Barrow). The three periods of time work in perfect tandem to grow crops. The vegetation grown in the Nile Basin depends on the soil for nutrients. One of the most prominent crops grown for centuries yet to come remains wheat and other types of grain along the Nile River. The grain along the Nile supplies people to make â€Å"bread, porridge, and beer. After the grain was grown, they grew assorted fruits† (Barrow).The vegetation grown in the Nile supplies the people with nourishment and trade opportunity. The climate along the Nile affects the type of vegetation grown along the banks as well as the human livelihood. The Nile consists of four climates: the tropical wet, the tropical dry, steppe, and desert. The tropical wet and tropical dry lie in the South of Africa, and they receive much rainfall, with some dry seasons (Boehm). The desert and steppe climate lie near the Mediterranean Sea, along the start of the Nile.They receive less than ten to fourteen inches of rain a year; moreover, they have little vegetation, leaving the various locations barren with extreme temperatures (Boehm). The strip of land along the Nile makes it hospitable because of the giant mass of water. Farmers use animals mostly for work, labor, and production of food. They would use these animals for â€Å"trampling in the seeds, pulling the plough, eating unwanted grain and providing them with food† (Barrow). The animals play an important role for the livelihood of the people by providing food, labor, and help with farming.The vegetation growth depends on the annual flood, climate, and animals of the area. The bas e of civilizations, technological advances, and cultures primarily exist in Africa because of the Nile, which makes it essential for the countries environing the area prosperous. Transportation began early for the Egyptians because of trade and fishing, but eventually they developed technologies for transferring goods to other countries. The ancient Egyptians developed boats from papyrus to obtain fish and materials for other necessities (Boehm). As the technologies advanced, other ideas arose to get to certain points in the river.The people would use â€Å"steamers to transport only to a certain point in the river† (Barrow). The steamers would eventually head to the Mediterranean through various tributaries until the goods traveled all around the world. This process would only be possible through the Nile River, which provided transportation to associate themselves with other countries. The start of a great civilization, Egypt, would progress only with the significant contri bution of the Nile River. Many Egyptians inhabited close to the Nile because it provided transportation, water, and amazing soil for growing crops.Through farming, the Egyptians created new mechanisms to make farming easier for the farmers. (Murray). A main source of food for the Egyptians remains fish. The most wanted fish from Africa today, the Nile Perch, has been shipped all around the world (Middleton Vol. 4). Today, almost all of the Egypt’s residents live along the Nile Delta or the along the course of the river. The river supplied the African countries with technology and culture, as well as the prominent ancient civilization of Egypt. Culture and energy existed because of the Nile River’s presence.Religion has been spread from country to country by the existence of the Nile tributaries. The capital of Sudan, Khartoum, lies between the White and Blue Nile. The spread of the Muslim religion has a major influence on the country, and â€Å"it is the primary relig ion of the Nile† (Murray 173). The religion was established when Muhammad had begun preaching around the Nile Valley, spreading it to various parts of the continent. Along the banks of the Nile, the Egyptians harvested a plant named sorghum. Because of the sorghum, the Egyptians developed â€Å"crafts such as boating, matting, basketry, and pottery† (Murray 46).The Nile provided vegetation and materials to further develop technologies in agriculture and aquaculture. Africans developed new technologies to harvest power from the water, and the future of energy, hydroelectric power. Today, â€Å"electricity is provided by generators powered by the Aswan Dam† (Boehm 426). The Nile’s Aswan Dam, developed to control the annual flood and preserve water, provides electricity for the people surrounded by the Nile. The Nile provided the ancient Egyptians with necessities, and the river continues to contribute to Egypt and Sudan today.Without the existence of the Nil e, Egypt would remain barren and underdeveloped. The base of Egyptian civilization and technologies developed the countries encircling the coast. Moreover, the Nile provides the people with food, electricity and transportation, which remain a significant aspect of everyday life. Although new developments have altered the need for the Nile, people still rely on the Nile. ? Works Cited Barrow, Mandy. Ancient Egyptian Farming. Chiddingstone Church of England School, Jan. 2013. Web. 21 Jan. 2013. Barrow, Mandy. The River Nile. Chiddingstone Church of England School, Jan. 013. Web. 21 Jan. 2013. Boehm, Richard G. World Geography and Cultures. Columbus, OH: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2012. Print. Middleton, John. Ed. Africa; an Encyclopedia for Student. Volume 2. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 2002. Print. Middleton, John. Ed. Africa; an Encyclopedia for Student. Volume 3. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 2002. Print. Murray, Jocelyn. Ed. The Cultural Atlas of Africa. New York: Checkmark Books, 1998. Print. Nile, Battle of the: Nile River. Photograph. Encyclopedia Britannica. Web. http://www. school. eb. com. com/eb/art-228/ ?